Today I'm trying a recipe found at SimplyRecipes.com.

The Rub:

• 4 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon ground oregano
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• Scant pinch of ground cloves

The roast:

• 3 1/2 pound boneless pork shoulder roast
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Method:

1. Whisk together the rub ingredients in a small bowl.
2. If the roast is tied up with butcher string, untie it. Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mix into the roast all over, reserving any leftover spice mix for later. Marinate in the rub at least one hour or overnight.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan on medium high heat. (If you are using a slow cooker with a removable container that can be used on the stovetop, use that, otherwise use a separate pan.) Place the roast in the pan and brown on all sides.
4. Place the roast in a slow cooker, and add any reserved spice rub. Cook on the low setting for 6 to 10 hours, until the pork is fall apart tender.
5. Remove the roast from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board. Cut into large chunks. Then use two forks to pull the meat apart into bite sized shreds. Return the shreds to the slow cooker and toss to coat with the juice from the roast.

I was wanting to make a variation on picadillo without the potato to have a lower carb count. Here's what I used:

• 2 lbs. hamburger
• 1 small head of cauliflower, chopped
• 1 tbsp; ground chipotle
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 huge cloves of garlic, sliced
• 2 cups of chicken broth
• 4.25 oz. can of chopped black olives

Fry the burger and onions together with the ground chipotle. Add the garlic. Throw in the cauliflower and barely enough broth to cover the mess. Once it was all done, I added the olives.

Next time I think I'll try a tablespooon of ground chipotle and a teaspon of ground cumin.

Pretty tasty. Next time I'll try green olives.

I recently downloaded an e-book entitled “Atkins Low Carb Diet Recipes” by Adam K. Randle. This recipe was the first one I tried. The book cost all of $1.99, so if I get even one repeatable recipe from it, it will be good. Actually, I think I'll get a bundle from this one.

So this recipe, Jello-Cream Mold, is kind of white trash. The gelatin is sugar free, but you add cream cheese and cream. You let it cool overnight.

The flavor is okay, but it tastes somehow... hm, how do I phrase this... hollow, I suppose. Real sugar has a flavor that its fake counterparts just don't have.

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts, thawed
• Cheap Italian dressing

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 375°.
2. Pour some dressing on the bottom of the pan.
3. Put the chicken in the pan. Rub it around in the dressing. Turn it over put it in the oven.
4. After 15 minutes turn the chicken.
5. After 15 more minutes remove the chicken.

I want to add more fruits and vegetables to my diet. This idea crossed my mind.

• ¼ head of green cabbage
• 1 large Granny Smith apple
• juice of 1 large lemon (3 tbsp)

Shred the apple in a food processor. Add the lemon juice so it soaks the apple parts so they won't turn brown. Shred the cabbage in the food processor. Remove everything to a bowl. Mix thoroughly.

Result? I really like this stuff.

If I were to make this for my niece and nephew, I might add a tablespoon of honey.

Pre-marinated pork roasts from Costco are very tasty and super easy to make. Just an hour in the oven. Essentially no prep.

The instructions say to cook it for 35 minutes. That's ridiculous. A single pork loin takes an hour at that temperature.

2015-10-04: I cooked two 2.5 lb Costco tenderloins at once. It took 70 minutes (including opening the oven once to check the doneness). Next time I would cook them for 65 minutes without opening them.