The BEST Crock Pot Kalua Pork EVER!

In March, Papa Bear and his mom celebrate their birthdays exactly one week apart. This year, we had the birthday celebration at our house, since we finally live in a place that is large enough to host everyone. We LOVE Hawaiian food, so we decided to do a Hawaiian feast of sorts, including Kalua Pork. I looked online for a good recipe and found THIS ONE at allrecipes.com, where it has 646 reviews and 4.5 out of 5 stars. It's a SUPER easy crock pot recipe, and my brother-in-law said it tasted like the real thing, so I'll take that as a compliment.

All you need is sea salt, liquid smoke and pork shoulder or butt. And time. And you end up with a SUPER tender, SUPER delicious Kalua Pork, just like you see in the photo above. Yep, that's our Kalua Pork, so juicy and yummy. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 (6 pound) pork butt roast
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Hawaiian sea salt
• 1 tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring

Directions

1. Pierce pork all over with a carving fork. Rub salt then liquid smoke over meat. Place roast in a slow cooker.
2. Cover, and cook on Low for 16 to 20 hours, turning once during cooking time.
3. Remove meat from slow cooker, and shred, adding drippings as needed to moisten.

We served it with Hawaiian sweet rolls, sweet potato fries with a tasty aioli dipping sauce, teriyaki beef kabobs, teriyaki vegetable kabobs, fresh pineapple, potato salad, and strawberries. We even had pina coladas, and pineapple sherbet, to round off the whole "Hawaiian experience".

Have fun cooking!

Mama Bear

Sew...a Needle Pulling Thread....

Embroidery seems like it's a lost art, but it's made a big splash in the indie handmade world! I've even done some of my own embroidery in the past few years. But I would love to do some more! How fun would it be to hand-embroider tea towels and give them to moms for Mother's Day?!

The Apronista is giving away a blank apron for the winner to embroider themselves, along with a pattern transfer of their choice from Sublime Stitching.

Enter to win before April 11th. That's this coming Sunday! Just click on the "The Apronista" link above to find out how you can enter to win.

Have a blessed day in Christ!

Mama Bear

Jesus, Thank You

Today, on Good Friday, it's a time to contemplate what Christ has done for us. Take a look at the lyrics of this song as you watch the video.

Jesus, Thank You

---

Words and music by Pat Sczebel
As recorded on Worship God Live

Lyrics

The mystery of the cross I cannot comprehend
The agonies of Calvary
You the perfect Holy One, crushed Your Son
Who drank the bitter cup reserved for me

Your blood has washed away my sin
Jesus, thank You
The Father’s wrath completely satisfied
Jesus, thank You
Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table
Jesus, thank You

By Your perfect sacrifice I’ve been brought near
Your enemy You’ve made Your friend
Pouring out the riches of Your glorious grace
Your mercy and Your kindness know no end

Lover of my soul
I want to live for You

© 2003 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (ASCAP)/Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP).

Thank you Jesus, for loving me, for forgiving me of my sin, for dying on the cross for me, for taking my punishment when I was your enemy. I want to LIVE FOR YOU! Thank you for satisfying the Father's wrath over my sinfulness!

Many see Good Friday as a somber, mournful time, but I see it as a time to celebrate, a time to rejoice in what Jesus Christ did for me! How could I not say "thank you"???

Mama Bear

I Already Know What You Need...

This morning, I was trying to get some things done before I got Baby Bear her bottle. But as soon as she saw me, she started fussing. No, it was more like all out drama. Normally, she starts fussing as soon as she sees her bottle being fixed, but this was a little different. She was pretty much mad that she wasn't getting her way immediately. She cried real tears, I assure you of that. But Mama Bear knows...it's a lot of drama.

Kind of made me think though. I knew she needed a bottle, but she needed to be patient while I got it for her. Not huge on the "to do" list of infants, right? But, it started me thinking about how we fuss and cry and throw "tantrums" when we pray for something and God doesn't give it to us right away. He knows what we need. He even knows what we want! But sometimes, He wants us to be patient and wait until just the right time...in HIS time.

So, I guess we are all, at times, like Baby Bear. I know I am! I fuss and fume, thinking "Why doesn't God answer this prayer by giving me what I want/need right now? I don't understand it!!! WAAAAHHHHH!!!". But His timing is SO perfect. I have seen that time and time again. Through wanting to get pregnant, and being given the gift of adoption instead. Through learning to be content in a tiny apartment with no yard, and being given the gift of a great house close to The Teenager's school, at the PERFECT time! Through worrying about how I am going to tell my friend that I can't watch their child anymore, because we just got an 18 month old delivered to us, and being given the gift of not having to stress about it because her husband got a job in a different city...too far away for a babysitting commute. Little things like this happen all the time, and it's always in hindsight that I see how perfect God's timing is.

God, please forgive me for my impatience and even anger, and please help me to quit fussing and fuming, and just completely trust that You know what You're doing, and You will answer at the right time.

Baby Bear, I know what you need. I will get it for you. Just be patient. It's coming!

Have a blessed day in Christ!

Mama Bear