Root Beer Pulled Pork

This is not exactly my own recipe.  I combined two recipes (again) that I like.  The first I got from the Baltimore Sun newspaper probably at least fifteen years ago.  I used it many times and then I put it away.  I have since lost it somewhere.  It still appears in my brain, though.  I also remember people liking it very much.  I found a similar recipe on www.allrecipes.com but it did not use the root beer extract that I would not have in my cupboard for any other reason.  That is how I know that I used it in the original root beer pulled pork that I used to make. I added a few ingredients of my own.  This recipe is really easy to make and quite delicious.  Don't be put off by the root beer. As the recipe states, "using root beer to season slow cooked pork tenderloin makes a novel yet tasty method guarantee to win applause."


Root Beer Pulled Pork
Prep Time:  8 hours

Ingredients:

1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin
1 (16 fluid ounce) bottle root beer
2 teaspoons root beer extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups onions, chopped
1 (18 ounce) bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce
8 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted

Directions:

1.  Place the onions into a slow cooker, put the pork tenderloin on top of the onions;
2.  Pour the root beer, root beer extract and vanilla over the meat.
3.  Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or until the pork shreds easily.  Note:  the actual length of time may vary to individual slow cookers.
4.  Drain well.  Stir in barbecue sauce.
5.  Serve over hamburger buns.

Enjoy!

Banana Bread with Cinnamon Crumble Topping

This recipe was originally published in the September 2008 issue of Bon Appétit magazine.  The original recipe is from Alison Barakat who is the owner of Bakesale Betty bakery in Oakland, California.  The recipe was also posted on other blogs over the years.  It gets very good reviews.  I have a loaf baking in my oven right now.  It smells really great.  I can't wait to try it.  

Banana Bread with Cinnamon Crumble Topping
Adapted from Bakesale Betty and Bon Appétit, September 2008

For bread:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 3 medium bananas)
2 large eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup honey
¼ cup water

For topping:
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 ½ Tbsp. packed dark brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter and flour a 9- x 5-inch metal loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the banana, eggs, oil, honey, and water. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir well. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

In a small bowl, mix together the topping ingredients. Sprinkle them evenly over the batter.

Bake the bread until a tester inserted into its center comes out clean, about 1 hour, give or take a little. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Then carefully remove the bread from the pan, taking care not to dislodge the topping. Cool completely before slicing.

Yield: 1 loaf

Enjoy!