Weekly Recipes 2

This week has been filled with a lot of work and the beginning of my summer.  We are working on a Hansen garden project so even though my last day of work was Tuesday I've still been at work every day helping to move and replant our raised garden beds.  I am so excited for this to be a fully realized project, to have kids snap off vegetables and love them (or at least try them).  

It's also the start of summer break. I always dream that I will find a perfect summer job-make a little extra money working at a book store, restaurant, or bakery but it would need to be short hours and great pay to make it worth my while. I like to get a lot of reading, resting, and cleaning done during break.  

Here's what I made this week to keep us fed:

1. The black bean soup was amazing!  We had it twice.  Once just as soup and I served it with sour cream, guac, cilantro, and french bread.

The second time we had it with tortillas and rice, drizzling it together to make burritos.  I just had it as soup again as I'm opposed to the big fat flour tortilla. 

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2. Pork Roast:  I am experimenting with meat and I found this at a good price from a good source.  I looked at several different recipes and came to the conclusion that I could basically treat it like the pot roast my grandmother made.  I used my handy crock pot so it would be ready after I spent the afternoon at the garden.  I sautéed onions and garlic, browned the pork on all sides and scooped it into the slow cooker with celery, carrots, a few small yellow potatoes and some vegetable broth. I ate a salad while everyone else seemed to love the roast.

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3. Pork Roast part 2: pulled pork sandwiches for lunch today.  I read a Ree Drummond post about pulled pork and went with it.  Mine was already cooked so all I needed to do was "pull" it all apart.  She advised forks but I gave that up quickly and just used my hands.  As a veggie I have to admit it felt fatty.  Sesame buns, pickles, sweet potato chips, and a veggie tray made a terrific late summer lunch.  It would have made a great picnic except it was freezing outside today. Also Groovy Girl refused to eat them; she says BBQ sauce is disgusting. She, like me, ate the side dishes.  

4. Rhubarb sauce:  I love rhubarb and visited a friend who has a huge patch in her garden.  I brought home a hefty stack of stalks and used at least half to whip up this delicious sauce.  It's now in my refrigerator in glass canning jars.  The taste is amazing.  

I cleaned my entire kitchen yesterday also and it looks amazing. I reorganized it so I could clear clutter off the counter tops.  I love it.  This is my plan for the rest of the house.  That is my summer job. Unless a book store moves in downtown.  

How was your week in the kitchen?