The Great American BBQ

For all you international readers out there, today is the U.S.A's birthday! Well, the day that is commonly believed to be America's birthday. [August 2nd is believed to be the day the declaration was actually signed {which just so happens to be the best day of the year already!}] On this day, however, we decide to eat copious amounts of American food and set off explosions in the sky! We love loud noises and fatty foods... 'Merica!

BBQ, or Bar-B-Q, is an american tradition that reflects the States in a delicious, meaty way. BBQ is different all over the states ranging from dry rubs that specialize in spices and herbs to bring flavor to the meat while others use sauces flavored with molasses and a variety of cinnamons and brown sugars and spices, some even with whiskey! The sauces vary even more from vinegar based to mustard based to tomato based. My favorite is tomato based sauce flavored with whiskey! That's whiskey, with an E, true american Tennessee whiskey!

The meat most often associated with BBQ is pork. Pig is all around settled to be the American BBQ meat! Pulled, sliced, or roasted on a spit! I live in the southeastern states and down here pulled pork reigns supreme!

Pulled pork is great for sandwiches or even just on its own as a heaping pile of sauced up meat! First, you'll want to season your pork shoulder, or but, with paprika, brown sugar, salt, and garlic powder. When cooking your pork a good time frame is an hour pound in a 300 degree oven. The internal temperature should read 170 degrees when it is done. The meat should be basically falling apart when it's done.

When the meat is done, place it on a cutting bored and begin to pull the meat apart with a fork. This is how it becomes "pulled" pork! Once all the pork has been pulled, cover in your favorite BBQ sauce and mix the meat up so it is fully coated in sauce.

Traditional sides vary with pulled pork. I chose to go with macaroni and cheese, green beans, and of course Kings Hawaiian Rolls. You can't have a proper BBQ without Kings Hawaiian Rolls!

Macaroni and cheese is pretty simple. Boil some elbow macaroni according to package directions. While it is cooking, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a large sauce pan over, medium heat, melt half a cup of butter. Add half a cup of all purpose flour, a teaspoon of salt, and half a teaspoon of pepper. Once all that is mixed together, gradually add four cups of milk, bring to a boil and stir until smooth and thick. After that add four cups of shredded cheddar cheese and stir until it is all melted. Mix the cheese mixture into the noodles and scoop into a baking dish. Top the macaroni with crushed crackers for a nice crunchy topping. Let it bake for about thirty minutes.

While the mac n' cheese is baking you can make your green beans, this may be the easiest part of the entire meal! Take a can of your favorite style of green beans, I prefer Italian cut, and pour the contents into a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring the beans up to a boil and add salt and pepper to taste.

When the macaroni is finished, plate with a portion of each and don't forget your Kings Hawaiian Rolls! This plate is best served with a true american Whiskey!

What you need

Pork Shoulder or Butt
Macaroni noodles
Cheddar Cheese [shredded or you can shred your own]
BBQ sauce
Milk
Butter
Crackers
Green Beans
AP Flour
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Brown Sugar
Garlic Powder

USA, USA, USA!!!

Happy Independence Day everybody!!! Are you having a fourth of July get together or going to one or just want to celebrate with your family or not doing anything at all but want something to help make you feel patriotic? Then this is the perfect dessert for you! An Independence Day Trifle.

This can be made rather quickly the night before or the day of or the day after, if you forgot it was in the middle of the week this year. Grab your favorite brand of vanilla pudding and make some! I'd say about two packages worth. Let the pudding set over night and become nice and firm. Once the pudding has set, prepare your beautiful trifle dish, that you may have used once in your life, by putting a layer of pound cake fingers on the bottom. Top those with a layer of pudding and then a layer of sliced strawberries. On top of the strawberries you are going to put a small layer of pudding and then more fingers and then more pudding and strawberries. Repeat this process until you are about an inch from the top.

For the topping you will want to put a layer of whipped cream. Cool Whip would work, but making your own is so much better and very June Cleaver of you! To make your own combine 2 cups of heavy whipping cream with half a cup of white sugar. Beat the mixture until the cream forms stiff peaks. However, don't beat it too much or the cream will start to separate and you will have a watery mess that is not pleasant.

Top the last layer with the whipped cream. This should fill the trifle dish or even go slightly higher than the edge of the dish. On top of the whipped cream take blueberries and place them along the top. You can do fun designs here like putting circles or stars or chevron stripes across the top. Once the trifle is done, place it in the fridge for a few hours to fully chill and stiffen up.

Serve after delicious hot dogs and hamburgers have been consumed with your favorite beer. Happy 'Murica Day!!!

What you need

2 Packages Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix

Sliced Strawberries

Blueberries

Heavy Whipping Cream

Sugar

Pound Cake Fingers