Certain days of the week are busier than others so I love to have some meals that can be prepared ahead of time and ready when my hungry children run through the door. Today I threw some boneless spareribs in the crockpot as I headed out to preschool, poured a small can of coke and half a bottle of barbecue sauce and turned the temp to low. I didn’t look at the pork again until dinner. Before we left for soccer practice I peeled and boiled some potatoes and left them to cool so they would be ready for a quick potato salad when we got home. This really turned out to be a very easy and incredibly delicious weekday meal!
Pulled Pork Spareribs
Boneless spareribs (or any cut you like to use for pulled pork)
Small can of coke
1/2 bottle of barbecue sauce (save the rest for the end)
Combine in a crockpot. Turn to low. Cook for 6 to 8 hours. At the end, skim off any fat, add remaining barbecue sauce and pull apart the pork with two forks. It will really fall apart easily. Serve in sandwiches or on its own.
Potato Salad
5 or 6 potatoes (about 1 per person)
1 stalk celery, diced
1 thick slice red onion, finely diced
1 small handful of parsley, chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons deli mustard (Grey Poupon or Boar’s Head, for example)
1/4 cup (approx.) mayonnaise
1 hard boiled egg (optional)
fresh ground pepper
Peel and chop potatoes to the size you prefer. Put potatoes in cold water and heat to boiling. Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender, but not falling apart. Drain and set aside.
Usually, even if I have no plans to make the potato salad until much later, I chop my other vegetables while I have the cutting board out. Chop the celery, parsley, and red onion and set aside until later – it will make your salad prep super simple! You can make this potato salad warm or cold. When you are ready, combine all the ingredients. Season with fresh ground pepper and serve with your favorite summer meal!
These days, since I have been buying my eggs by the flat through my veggie buying group, I always seem to have an extra hard boiled egg or two sitting in my fridge just waiting to be eaten. Chop up the egg and add it to the potato with the other ingredients right before you mix it together. My kids love it!
