Cuban Sliders

I made these a while back and loved them, but I had been having issues adding pictures to my blog. I finally made them again and got the pictures right! A little time investment but they are so delicious!!

For the Pork- Instant Pot

2lb pork roast (butt or shoulder, loin works too but might need longer cooking time to shred well)

Marinade:

1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped

1 whole bulb garlic (10-12 cloves!), chopped

3/4 cup grapefruit juice (fresh squeezed is best for the juices!)

1/2 cup lime juice

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 TB oregano

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

For the Crusty Cuban Slider Rolls:

1 1/3 cups warm water

1 TB yeast

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1 TB salt (yes TABLESPOON)

3 cups flour

Topping:

3 TB butter, melted

1 TB dijon mustard

1 tsp garlic powder

Remaining Ingredients:

Ham Slices to taste

Swiss Slices to taste

Chopped Dill Pickles

Mayo 

Dijon Mustard

Pork:

In a high power blender combine  all marinade ingredients except the olive oil

Blend until smooth, add the olive oil in a slow stream to emulsify it.

Make about 4 nice deep slices across the pork roast, not all the way through, but enough to open it up a bit.

Place it in a large bowl and cover with marinade. Allow to sit 4-8 hours or overnight if you like.

Preheat the instant pot to sear on high, add a little more olive oil. Remove pork from marinade and sear on all sides. 

Add marinade to the pot with the pork. And cook on high pressure for 50 minutes.

Natural release for 15 minutes.

Remove from the pot and allow to cool until you can shred it well.

On a foil lined pan spread out the shredded pork in a thin layer drizzle with pan dripping. 

Broil under high heat until it is nice and crispy, stirring as needed and adding more pan drippings to keep it from drying out too much

For the Cuban Slider Rolls:

In a bowl proof your yeast with the warm water and sugar

When it is bubbly add 1 1/2 cups of the flour and the salt. Mix Well

Switch to a dough hook and add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, Knead until it pulls away from the sides, adding a little more flour IF NEEDED.

Place it in a greased bowl and toss the dough to coat. Cover and allow to rise  in a warm spot for 1 hour.

When it has risen knead again and divide into 12 evenly sized balls. Put into a baking dish so that the are touching slightly. Allow to rise 1 hour more

Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes until they are nice and toasty on top

Set aside and allow to cool

When they are fully cooled , remove from pan and slices lengthwise without pulling them apart.

Assembly:

Place the bottom half of the rolls in a baking dish. Spread with Mayo and Dijon mustard to taste,  spread on shredded pork (you dont have to use it all of course), then top with ham slices, pickles and cheese. Drizzle a little more Dijon, spread another thin layer of mayo on the top half of the rolls and set on top.

Combine the topping ingredients and brush evenly over the tops 

Cover with foil and bake 45 minute.

Uncover and bake 15 minutes more.

Allow to set for 10 minutes then slice and enjoy

 

Smoked Buffalo Ranch Ritz Bits

 Tasty little snack I threw in the smoker with some other projects today!  

1- 8.8 oz box Cheese filled Ritz Bits crackers

4 TB butter, melted

2 TB Frank's RedHot sauce

1 packet dry ranch seasoning

 

Mix melted butter and hot sauce, set aside

Place the ritz bits in a pan (I used a foil roasting pan) and toss with buffalo sauce, then sprinkle on the packet of ranch and toss again.

Preheat smoker to 225 with a mild wood like cherry or apple 

Smoke for 1 hour.

Remove from smoker and allow to cool completely so they crisp back up.

ENJOY!

Hawaiian Pork Eggrolls

 YEP.....more Eggrolls!!! A spin off of my delicious Hawaiian Pork Burgers.   

1 package of Eggroll Wrappers (approx 20 wrappers)

Filling:

24 oz ground pork, crumbled and cooked, seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder, cooled well

4 oz Jarlsberg cheese, shredded ( or Swiss if unavailable)

3 green onions

1 TB soy sauce

1 tsp white sugar

1 tsp brown sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp ginger paste (or fresh grated ginger root)

1/2 cup grated granny smith apple

3/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained

1/4 cup chopped red onion

3 TB BBQ sauce

1 TB Mayo

salt and pepper to taste

red pepper flakes to taste

Combine all filling ingredients in a bowl. 

Stir well and allow to mingle in the fridge for at least an hour.  

Place approx 3 TB on an eggroll wrapper, slightly dampen the edges of the wrapper, fold up bottom corner, 

fold in 2 side corners, 

and gently but firmly roll to the top corner, you want it somewhat tight, but not so tight they explode.

Put them in a preheated 400 degree airfryer and brush with olive or avocado oil. Fry for 5 minutes, flip v and fry 4 minutes more, working in batches as needed.

You can also deep fry these in a traditional matter if you choose, or even brush with oil and bake at 400 for 20 or so minutes, turning as needed. 

Serve with your choice of dip!

Air Fried Green Cherry Tomatoes

 Here it is August....tomato season....If your garden is anything like mine you have lots of varying  ripeness on those tomato plants. I LOVE fried green tomatoes and while I was picking my ripe cherry toms I started thinking about my fried pickle recipe.....so here we go!!

12 oz green cherry tomatoes (about 30) sliced in half

3/4 cup milk

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp paprika(smoked if you have it!)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

salt and pepper to taste

5 oz buttery crackers, (Club or Ritz work well), crushed into SUPERFINE crumbs(in a blender or food processor)

1 TB  dried parsley

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper taste(I found no extra salt necessary since the crackers were salted

Not as many process pics but you get the idea.

First whisk the milk and eggs together in a dish, add tomatoes and swish around

In a large ziplock bag combine flour and seasonings, seal and shake well.

Remove from the milk mixture, draining well (don't discard the milk yet!)

Add the tomatoes to the flour, seal and shake well to completely coat each half

In another dish combine cracker crumbs and seasonings, mix well. 

Shake excess flour from the tomatoes and a few at a time re-dunk in the milk mixture then press into the crumb mixture completely coating each side. Pressing gently but firmly to allow coating to adhere.

Place on a plate in single layer.

Freeze for 15 minutes. (VERY IMPORTANT STEP, DON'T SKIP!)---

Preheat airfryer to 400 for 5 minutes.  Arrange tomatoes in single layer, working in batches if necessary ( I did mine in 2 batches).  

Spray gently with preferred oil( I use avocado) and close lid. Fry for 7 minutes,  turn and spray again, cook 5 minutes more. 

I served mine with Wasabi Ranch dip 

Chicken Chile Rellano Eggrolls

 

Yep here I am again.....back with my eggrolls!!! I discovered this delicious Slow Cooker Chicken Chile Rellano Soup and I loved it so much! I decided I could totally turn it into tasty Eggrolls. I highly recommend you try the yummy soup too!

 

2lbs boneless skinless chicken breast

1 cup chicken broth

3 poblano peppers, seeded and diced 

1  medium yellow onion, diced 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 tsp oregano

Salt and black pepper to taste

8 oz cream cheese softened

4 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

4 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded

1 package egg roll wrappers

Combine all but the last 3 ingredients in your pressure cooker and stir up.

Set to high and set timer for 17 minutes.

When the timer is up Natural release for 10 minutes. 

Remove chicken from the pot and shred it up.

Into the hot broth add the softened cream cheese and stir until it is all melted in.  

 Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir well. 

*If your sauce is thin, hit sauté on your pot and allow it to simmer and reduce until it thickens up, stir it often to prevent scorching. 

Chill the mixture for at least an hour. 

After chilling time stir in the shredded cheeses

Assemble the rolls by placing a single wrapper on a flat surface. 

 Add about 1/4 cup of filling. With you fingertips moisten the edges with a little water. 

Fold the bottom corner up then fold in the side corners. 

 Firmly but gently tuck and roll it over to the top corner. The slight moisture will make it stick. 

Set aside and continue with remaining filling and wrappers  ...  

 

Preheat air fryer to 400. Brush a little oil the bottom of you basket. Add as many rolls that will fit without touching and brush a little oil on the top. Air fry for 5 minutes. Flip them and fry 3-4 minutes more. Set them aside under foil and continue until all of them are cooked.

Enjoy!! 

"Instant Pot" Buffalo Soldier Air Fried Eggrolls

 Yes I am back with yet another eggroll recipe!!!  Today I am taking my copycat recipe of Zeek's
Pizza Buffalo Soldier Pizza and making it into a crispy eggroll!

16-20 Egg Roll wrappers (depends on size)

1.5 lbs chicken thighs*

1/2 cup +/-  Frank's Red Hot Sauce, divided

salt and pepper

1 TB butter

1/2 cup ranch dressing

1/3 cup Mama Lils Peppers, chopped**

1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola***

1 sm/med jalapeno, seeded and diced

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped fine

* you can use chicken breast but thighs are so much more flavorful and shred easier

** if you can't find Mama Lils, cherry peppers are great as well.

***gorgonzola can be very overpowering, don't over do it, of if you don't care for gorgonzola you could try blue cheese, or I think even goat cheese would be very good. Or just good old shredded mozzarella if you want.

In your electric pressure cooker pour about 1/3 cup Franks Red Hot sauce, place chicken over the top and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.

Close pot and seal, set to high pressure for 15 minutes, natural release for 10 then vent the rest of the pressure.

Shred chicken in the pot with 2 forks 

Turn the pot on to simmer and stir until the liquid has reduced by about 3/4. Add butter and remaining hot sauce to taste and allow to reduce a little more while the butter melts

Allow to cool.

In a bowl mix the chicken and the remaining ingredients. Stir until combined.

Egg Roll Assembly:

Place eggroll wrapper in a diamond shape, scoop about a few TB of chicken mixture onto it and gently fashion it into a log.  ( I measure my final product of mixture in oz and try to evenly distribute ounces between how many wrappers I have)

Dampen the edges with a little water.

Pull the bottom corner up and give it a slight tuck

Pull the edge corners over.

Then firmly roll it up to the top. You want it a little tight, but not too tight to prevent bursting.

Set aside and repeat with remaining wrappers and mixture

Preheat air fryer for 5 minutes to 400 degrees. Brush or spray the bottom of your air fryer basket with oil of your choice, I use avocado oil.

Depending on the size of your fryer place several rolls in (not touching) and brush/spray each lightly with oil.


Cook for 5 minute, gently turn over with tongs and cook 5 minutes more until nice and crisp.

Place cooked rolls on a plate and cover with foil. Repeat with remaining rolls.

Serve with your favorite sauce! Blue Cheese, more ranch, buffalo dip...... ( I did honey wasabi ranch with mine!)