Something New for Your Family Table- Pork Carnitas

Happy Monday friends! I am back from a full weekend with something new for your family table. I hesitate to call it a "recipe" because there is not much to it, its' pretty simple. I began to make these a few years ago, as carnitas is my protein of choice at Chipotle. Most of this cooks in the slow cooker, so it's a fairly hands off meal. 

Here is what you will need for the pork.

4 lbs of pork (pork loin, boneless pork country ribs or pork shoulder)

One medium onion sliced thin

4-5 cloves of garlic (minced)

Juice of one lime

1 cup of broth 

2 TBSP cumin

1 TSP salt

1 TSP garlic powder

1/2 TSP Black Pepper

Layer in pork and cover with onions, garlic and seasoning. 

Add the lime juice and add about a cup of broth. 

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

After I get the pork cooking, I like to make a quick slaw to go with it. I think it tastes best when it has a few hours in the fridge. I take a bag of pre-shredded purple cabbage, drizzle in a few tablespoons of olive oil, salt, lime juice and cilantro. I really don't measure much of it, just taste as I go. It's a nice fresh compliment to the carnitas. This is also my go to for fish tacos too.

Once the pork is done, I pull it out and shred it with two forks. This next step is optional, but I love the carnitas to be a little crispy. I put the shredded pork on a sheet pan and put in the broiler for a few minutes, just to get a golden crisp on the edges.

Whenever I make a Mexican inspired meal, we  have cilantro lime rice with it! It's pretty simplet, just cooked jasmine rice that I add a touch of butter, lime juice, salt and chopped cilantro to. My kids love it!!!

And then it's time to assemble. You know I love a bowl, so all mine gets put in a bowl. My kids build a burrito and load all the goodness in a tortilla! Hope you try this one, it's something a little different for the old Taco Tuesday!

Wishing you the best start to your week. I will see you back here on Wednesday. Rounding up some of my recent Amazon purchases to share!

See you soon, there is always room for one more at our family table. 

xoxo

Genevieve

 

Friday Favorites Friday April 26th

 Happy Friday friends! I am so excited to be back in this blog world and linking up with Andrea & Erika for a little Friday Favorites. A peek into a few of my favorite things from the week. 

one

We celebrated my Dad's birthday this week! Spring is a busy season of birthdays for us. We celebrate lots of birthdays in April & early May!

two

I loved this casual black & white look for work this week. A white blazer is a great staple piece. I think it can be styled so many ways for the office or for a casual night out.  But this crossbody in the picture is the real winner. It's great for Spring & Summer, has a cute strap, fits all the essentials and comes in lots of colors. These sneakers are a favorite to wear to work some days for a more casual look. 

This was a random nail shade I grabbed at Target last weekend. It's not a typical color for me, but it's fun for Spring!  And as always this top coat is the one for me!

three

Country concerts are always a favorite for me! We have quite a few lined up for this Summer. But last weekend we saw Luke Combs. He was AMAZING!! Just an incredible voice. The weather was not incredible. It was cold. I had a really fun outfit planned but that got derailed with the forecast. It was at the Bills Stadium, so i was outdoors. In April. In Buffalo. Not a safe bet for good weather. July, yes. April, could be 80, could be snowing. 

I ended up wearing this jacket from Abercrombie, it was super warm! And these jeans are so comfortable and flattering. They make your legs look miles long. 

This was my original jacket I wanted to wear. It's really a great piece. If you have a country concert coming up or want a fun statement jean jacket, this one is really good. I loved the neutral color, but it also comes in black and white. 

All smiles despite the cold!

four

Last week Ella was inducted into the Foreign Language Honor Society. They had a ceremony at school to induct the students. We are just so proud of her!!!

I wore this great bomber jacket. It's a perfect Spring jacket. I have it on here in the blush pink, but also got it in white. I think it comes in like 8 colors. 

Here is a little closer look. 

Celebrating our girl!

five

I shared one of our favorite salmon recipes this week. These Hot Honey Salmon Bites will not disappoint. Great flavors and on the table in less than 25 minutes!

I always love sharing our What's Up Wednesday post. If you missed it, you can check it out here. So much good stuff on what we were up to this month!

We have a nice, low key Friday night and then hoping for a rain free track meet tomorrow!

Have a great weekend friends!

 See you on Monday, there is always room for one more at our family table.

xoxo
Genevieve

What's Up Wednesday April 2024

  Hi friends! It's the last Wednesday of the month and I am linking up with Shay and Sheaffer for a little What's Up Wednesday. I fun post sharing a little food, a little what we're wearing, a little what we're doing, a little what we're watching and a little bit of everything all in one post!

What We're Eating This Week

We tried something new this week. My girlfriend and her family just got back from Italy and she was raving about this sliced pork sandwich with fresh mozzarella and pesto. It sounded amazing, so I gave it a shot and OMG- a winner.  I will get the details written up to a post soon!

Last week we had these Chicken Enchiladas and they were a hit. And a win for me, because the recipe makes two pans. So now I have dinner in the freezer for some night in May when all the end of year school things are happening! You can grab the recipe here. 

Monday I shared the details on these Hot Honey Salmon Bites. My family loves salmon, so I am always looking for ways to switch it up. This dinner is on the table in just about 20 minutes, can't beat that!

This is the rest of our week's menu. 

What I'm Reminiscing About

 Having little kids. My kids are at a super cool age right now. I love watching them grow into these amazing humans and am so proud of them. But then these pictures pop up in my memories and I'm like...gosh wasn't that just yesterday? 

What I'm Loving

So I had a pinched nerve in my neck that had me on the injured reserve list from some of my favorite forms of exercise. I could not lift weights or take spin class for about 2 months! I finally got cleared by my doctor and am so glad to be back to my happy place!

What We've Been Up To

The Spring Sports are in full swing! So this is my typical after work or weekend look. We are usually driving someone to a practice, game, tournament or track meet! 

Love watching our crew do their thing!

Although the snow at the track meet on Saturday left a little to be desired for. I mean it was April 20th.... are we not done with snow yet???

There's my girl. Shorts, tank top and snow flakes.......

What I'm Dreading

I don't know if I would say dreading, but May is my month of taking care of some health issues. I mentioned last month that I am starting a pretty aggressive treatment to remove some sun damage spots from my face that my dermatologist didn't like the looks of. And then I have a colonoscopy scheduled. So there's that. My message to you is to take care of yourself, wear sunscreen and get those preventative screenings. Whether a skin check, a mammogram, colonoscopy or just basic bloodwork, some of those simple tests can save your life. 

 

What I'm Excited About

                Warmer weather and sunshine. I know it's coming. I just know it!

What I'm Watching/Reading

I read this book last month in like 2 days- it was so good!!  

So we started to watch the series. I am 2 episodes in and I haven't decided if I like it yet. I had different ideas for the characters in my head that are not matching the actors cast in the series,  so I struggle with that. Anyone else have this issue when you read a book and then the actors don't line up with your vision in the movie or series???

I highly recommend the book, but I am undecided on the series. 

What I'm Listening To

Well, we went to the Luke Combs concert on Friday night and I can't stop listening. He is a truly amazing artist and he sings so effortlessly. 

I shared the details on these jeans last week in a fun denim post. They are super high waisted and oh so flattering. They make your legs look very long and lean!

Nevermind the fact that it was super cold and an outdoor concert in Buffalo in April. 

What I'm Wearing

   I have shared these loafers before, but always get comments on them on Instagram. They are so great for Spring, comfy and work with so many outfits! You can grab them here. This sleeveless cardigan sweater is also great this time of year. It's cute with a tee and denim or you can dress it up like I did here for work. 

This little bomber jacket is so good!!!! I got it in cream and blush, but it comes in about 8 colors. You can dress it up or down and it is the perfect weight for Spring. 

I am wearing lots of denim!!! I ventured out from my trusty skinny jeans and got some great new styles for Spring & Summer. I did a full denim roundup with all the links here. 

What I'm Doing this Weekend

This weekend we just have a track meet for Ella and for that I am thankful! This Spring has been a whirlwind with both work and school and I am ready to just chill a little this weekend. Paul on the other hand has a full weekend. He is heading down to Florida to help his parents finish packing, help with the movers and then the 3 of them are road tripping back up to NY. 

 

What I'm Looking forward to Next Month

So many exciting things! We are doing a Derby Bar Crawl in our town on May 4th, which is also Paul's birthday! We did one around Christmas and it was so much fun. We have ordered our fascinators and are ready to go! We have some fun stuff with the kids at school and with sports as they begin to wind down the school year. And we are ending the month with a weekend getaway to see some our favorites in concert!

And that my friends is What's Up with us. I hope you all have a great day.

I'll see you back here on Friday for Friday Favorites. 

There is always room for one more at our family table.

xoxo

Genevieve

Something New for Your Family Table Hot Honey Salmon Bites

Hey friends! I am here with a pretty simple meal that can be on the table in about 20 minutes. My family love salmon, we usually eat it once a week, so I am often trying to switch up how we make it. We also love the "bowl dinner concept" so salmon bowls seem to be an easy win. 

While this is made with hot honey, I don't think that "heat" comes through in the taste of the salmon. I think it gives a nice balanced flavor with a hit of sweet. 

Here is what you will need,

1 pound of skinless salmon, cut into bite sized pieces & pat dry

For Salmon Marinade

1/4 cup Liquid Aminos

 2 TBSP Hot Honey

For Bread Crumb Mixture

1cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

Salt & pepper

Side Salad

6 mini cucumbers sliced

2 cups shredded carrots

2 TBSP Liquid Aminos

1 TBSP Sesame Oil

Mix aminos and honey together. Add salmon, toss to coat, and set aside. 

I like to make this mixture as a side for the bowls. I take some shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers and toss with 2 TBSP of liquid aminos and 1 TBSP of sesame oil. Toss together and set aside. 

Mix the panko with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Gently toss the salmon pieces in the panko and place in an even layer in air fryer basket. 

Airfry at 400 for 5-6 minutes, or until golden brown.

Now it's time to assemble the bowls. We do a layer of jasmine rice, the salmon, and cucumber mixture. From there it's whatever your heart desires. Sesame seeds, scallions, ginger, edamame, siracha, hot honey... endless possibilities!

Here is my bowl... sooooo good!!  I did rice, cucumber mixture, some pickle kraut, ginger and a drizzle of hot honey. 

Hope you enjoy this meal! 

See you back here for What's Up Wednesday. 

There is always room for one more at our family table. 

xoxo

Genevieve

 

Friday Favorites Friday April 19th

 Happy Friday friends! This has been a week and I am sure happy to see Friday! As usual, I am linking up with Andrea & Erika for a little Friday Favorites. A peek into a few of my favorite things from the week. 

one

Last Friday I took my Mom & sister to see Mamma Mia. What a show! I have not seen it before, nor have I seen the movies so it was all new to me and I loved it. The cast was phenomenal and everyone was out of their seat and dancing to end the show!

two

So we don't really have Spring here in Buffalo. We go from Winter to Mud Season to Summer. We are officially in mud season. And this is a game changer if you have a dog. There are multiple sizes, pending on how big your dog is. You fill it with water and there are little plastic bristles inside, that pull the mud out of the paws. You sort of plunge the feet and then wipe with a towel. The amount of mud that comes out is so gross! If you have Muddy Season where you live, and a dog- you need this!

three

Ella and I took a workout class together last weekend. When we took off our sweatshirts we realized we were matching. Always a favorite to match with my girl!

four

A random favorite, but I grabbed these at Wegmans last week and they are officially my new favorite tortilla chip! I usually get the Siete chips, and while I love them, they are on the thin side so they can break with a thick salsa or dip. These were more substantial and the hint of lime was perfect. We had them with our favorite enchiladas. Pass the guac please!

five

I have been on a neutral kick lately and loved the green with the denim. If you missed yesterday's post, I shared 7 different denim styles for Spring. I finally have branched out from my beloved skinny jeans and have some variety in my denim game!

You can grab similar mules here and this is my new favorite necklace that I am wearing in this pic!

six

Seeing some green in the yard after a long, grey Winter is always a favorite! We had a rainy few days, so the blue sky was much appreciated too.

Ella had a track meet that night, so we snuck in a walk in between her events! A walk with my guy beats sitting in the bleachers for 2 hours!

We have an action packed weekend! Paul and I are off to see Luke Combs with some friends tonight. I hear he is an awesome show, so I am so excited! Then an early wakeup call Saturday for a volleyball tournament and an all day track meet. 

Wishing you all a great weekend!

 See you on Monday, there is always room for one more at our family table.

xoxo
Genevieve