Cuban Pork Sandwiches and a review of Triple Slow Cooker Entertaining by Kathy Moore & Roxanne Wyss

     Throwing a terrific party is now much easier with this appliance and this new book. What buffet table is complete without a slow cooker full of meatballs, dip, chili or another tasty dish? The triple slow cooker offers a tremendous variety of delicious, hot and slow-cooked foods.

     Developed by the creative cooks who wrote the four bestselling Babycakes®cookbooks, there is a recipe for virtually every occasion whether it's New Year's Eve, a child's birthday party, Halloween or Oscar night. Examples of these tantalizing recipes are:

            Dips and Cheese Fondues

• Spinach, Bacon and Blue Cheese Dip, Crab Rangoon Dip

 Appetizers and Snacks

• Garlic Mushrooms, Fiery Hot Wings, Buffalo Sloppy Joe Sliders

Soups, Chilis and Sauces

• Champion Chili, Bolognese Sauce, French Onion Soup

Main Dishes

• Beef Burgundy, Beer-Braised Brats, Slow-Roasted Cola Pork

Sides and Salads

• Cuban-Style Black Beans, Parmesan Herb Potato Casserole

Sweet Ending and Hot Drinks

• Elegant Chocolate Fondue, Hot German Wine Punch, Caramel Latte.

     The incredibly useful "Entertaining with the Triple Slow Cooker" section provides handy information and techniques on everything from slow cooker know-how, to make ahead and menu/party planning tips for each of the 30 popular Party Plans. Truly an invaluable resource for the home party planner, especially hosting an event for the first time.(-synopsis from Amazon)

     I love to use my slow cookers.  Whether I'm coming home late from work, we have friends coming over, or I want to make a meal that will last for several days, I always turn to my slow cooker.  While I don't have a triple slow cooker, I do have multiple crock-pots so this book was perfect for me.

     What I really liked about the book is that there is a section with individual recipes and a section with complete meals.  The complete meals used all three slow cookers and had a main meal with either appetizers, sides, or desserts.  This would make party planning so easy!  Everything is ready when the guests arrive and it makes life much easier on the host.

     I wanted to share a delicious recipe from this cookbook but I had a really hard time just picking one.  I looked at the Overnight Fruited Oatmeal, the Hot Corn Dip, and the Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites, but in the end I made the Cuban Pork Sandwiches with Cilantro Mayo.  This is part of the games night meal which also contains recipes for citrus-glazed wings and firehouse meatballs.

     The pork sandwiches were delicious.  They were slightly sweet and spiced to perfect.  The cilantro mayo really kicked the sandwiches up a notch.  This is such an easy and tasty meal to serve to a crowd. 




Cuban Pork Sandwiches with Cilantro Mayo (from Triple Slow Cooker Entertaining:  Games Night Menu)
1 onion, sliced
3 lb. boneless pork shoulder blade (butt) or sirloin roast
1 T. packed brown sugar
2 t. dry minced garlic
1 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 c. water
8 hamburger buns, split and toasted

For the Cilantro Mayonnaise:
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. minced fresh cilantro
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 T. freshly squeezed lime juice   

1.  Arrange onion slices in bottom of one slow cooker stoneware, overlapping as necessary.  Place pork roast on top of onions.

2.  In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper.  Sprinkle over pork.  Pour lime juice and water around roast.

3.  Cover and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours or on High for 4 to 5 hours, until pork is very tender.

4.  Transfer roast to a tray.  Pour liquid into a deep bowl.  Using two forks, shred pork, discarding fat.  Return pork to stoneware. Skim fat from liquid.  Measure out 1 cup (250 mL) liquid and pour over pork (discard excess liquid).

5.  Cover and cook on High for 30 minutes or until heated through.  Turn to Warm for serving.

6.  To serve, spread Cilantro Mayonnaise on each bun.  Top with pork.

7.  To make the mayonnaise, combine the garlic, cilantro, mayonnaise, and lime juice.  Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.  

     Throwing a terrific party is now much easier with this appliance and this new book. What buffet table is complete without a slow cooker full of meatballs, dip, chili or another tasty dish? The triple slow cooker offers a tremendous variety of delicious, hot and slow-cooked foods.

     Developed by the creative cooks who wrote the four bestselling Babycakes®cookbooks, there is a recipe for virtually every occasion whether it's New Year's Eve, a child's birthday party, Halloween or Oscar night. Examples of these tantalizing recipes are:

            Dips and Cheese Fondues

• Spinach, Bacon and Blue Cheese Dip, Crab Rangoon Dip

 Appetizers and Snacks

• Garlic Mushrooms, Fiery Hot Wings, Buffalo Sloppy Joe Sliders

Soups, Chilis and Sauces

• Champion Chili, Bolognese Sauce, French Onion Soup

Main Dishes

• Beef Burgundy, Beer-Braised Brats, Slow-Roasted Cola Pork

Sides and Salads

• Cuban-Style Black Beans, Parmesan Herb Potato Casserole

Sweet Ending and Hot Drinks

• Elegant Chocolate Fondue, Hot German Wine Punch, Caramel Latte.

     The incredibly useful "Entertaining with the Triple Slow Cooker" section provides handy information and techniques on everything from slow cooker know-how, to make ahead and menu/party planning tips for each of the 30 popular Party Plans. Truly an invaluable resource for the home party planner, especially hosting an event for the first time.(-synopsis from Amazon)

     I love to use my slow cookers.  Whether I'm coming home late from work, we have friends coming over, or I want to make a meal that will last for several days, I always turn to my slow cooker.  While I don't have a triple slow cooker, I do have multiple crock-pots so this book was perfect for me.

     What I really liked about the book is that there is a section with individual recipes and a section with complete meals.  The complete meals used all three slow cookers and had a main meal with either appetizers, sides, or desserts.  This would make party planning so easy!  Everything is ready when the guests arrive and it makes life much easier on the host.

     I wanted to share a delicious recipe from this cookbook but I had a really hard time just picking one.  I looked at the Overnight Fruited Oatmeal, the Hot Corn Dip, and the Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites, but in the end I made the Cuban Pork Sandwiches with Cilantro Mayo.  This is part of the games night meal which also contains recipes for citrus-glazed wings and firehouse meatballs.

     The pork sandwiches were delicious.  They were slightly sweet and spiced to perfect.  The cilantro mayo really kicked the sandwiches up a notch.  This is such an easy and tasty meal to serve to a crowd. 




Cuban Pork Sandwiches with Cilantro Mayo (from Triple Slow Cooker Entertaining:  Games Night Menu)
1 onion, sliced
3 lb. boneless pork shoulder blade (butt) or sirloin roast
1 T. packed brown sugar
2 t. dry minced garlic
1 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 c. water
8 hamburger buns, split and toasted

For the Cilantro Mayonnaise:
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. minced fresh cilantro
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 T. freshly squeezed lime juice   

1.  Arrange onion slices in bottom of one slow cooker stoneware, overlapping as necessary.  Place pork roast on top of onions.

2.  In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper.  Sprinkle over pork.  Pour lime juice and water around roast.

3.  Cover and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours or on High for 4 to 5 hours, until pork is very tender.

4.  Transfer roast to a tray.  Pour liquid into a deep bowl.  Using two forks, shred pork, discarding fat.  Return pork to stoneware. Skim fat from liquid.  Measure out 1 cup (250 mL) liquid and pour over pork (discard excess liquid).

5.  Cover and cook on High for 30 minutes or until heated through.  Turn to Warm for serving.

6.  To serve, spread Cilantro Mayonnaise on each bun.  Top with pork.

7.  To make the mayonnaise, combine the garlic, cilantro, mayonnaise, and lime juice.  Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.