1 (6-8 pound) pork butt, also called pork shoulder
2 tablespoons coarse salt
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
8 whole cloves garlic, smashed
4 chipotle peppers (canned or dried)
1 cup tomato juice
1 cup orange juice

Trim excess fat from the meat and discard. Place all ingredients in the slow-cooker. Set to cook on LOW for 8 hours. Meat is done when it literally falls off the bone. When cool enough to handle, lift the meat from the juices and place in a large bowl. Remove the bone, then shred the meat.

Skim the fat from the juices and keep as a medium for re-heating the meat.

For carnitas tacos, reheat the meat and serve in corn tortillas with sour cream, cilantro, chopped red onion and lime wedges.

The Kitchn's Slow Cooked Hoisin and Ginger Pork Wraps are terrific too!

Here it's usually ribs and chicken with the obligatory BBQ sauce, but since it's mid-week and everyone has to work both the day before and the day after, I doubt that we'll have a big "do", maybe just a picnic by the pool if the weather cooperates.

Annie

I also made these for dessert a while back. They were a big hit. I'm planning on making them for the 4th.

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Brownies
Servings: about 20 bite-size brownies
Ingredients
For the brownies:
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 and 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon instant coffee crystals
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
For the filling:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 package (8 ounces) softened cream cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup seedless red raspberry jam
For the glaze:
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon shortening

Instructions
For the brownies:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate chips over low heat until melted, cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and the brown sugar until well-mixed.
4. Dissolve the coffee crystals in the water, add to the egg mixture with the melted chocolate and mix ingredients well.
5. Combine the baking powder and flour in a small bowl; stir into chocolate mixture.
6. Spread mixture into a greased 9-inch square baking pan.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, cool completely.
For the filling:
1. Melt the chocolate chips and let cool slightly.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy; add the powdered sugar and raspberry jam-mix well.
3. Stir in the melted chocolate until combined.
4. Spread the filling evenly over the cooled brownies.
For the glaze:
1. Melt the chocolate chips and shortening; mix well.
2. Drizzle the glaze over the brownies.
3. Chill the brownies before serving.
4. Garnish with a fresh raspberry, kick your feet up, and be prepared to fall in love.
Adapted from Country Woman Magazine (original publication date unknown).

The salad dressing was made from:
Balsamic vinegar
oil (I think I used Canola, because I had it on hand)
Chopped Parsley (from the garden)
Chopped oregano (from the garden)
Chopped basil (from the garden)
Chopped marjoram (yup, from the garden)
Chopped garlic (which should have been from the garden, but thought of in hindsight)
ground black pepper

Little different from the stereotypical pasta salad or garden veggie salad.

I'm serving a watermelon, feta, cucumber salad as well as roasted rosemary baby potatoes.

Cucumber, Watermelon and Feta Salad

1⁄2 English cucumber
1 seedless watermelon wedge,
4 to 5 inches (10 to 12 cm) wide
1 tbsp (15 mL) red wine vinegar
1 small garlic clove, minced
3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
1⁄4 tsp (1 mL) each salt and pepper
1⁄4 cup (50 mL) shredded mint leaves
1⁄3 cup (75 mL) crumbled feta cheese

1. There is no need to seed or peel cucumber. Slice cucumber lengthwise, then again lengthwise. Finally cut crosswise into chunks, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in size. Cut watermelon into the same size chunks as cucumber. Place both in a large bowl and toss.
2. Whisk vinegar with garlic, oil, salt and pepper. Drizzle over watermelon mixture and stir. Add mint and feta and gently toss. Tumble onto a platter and serve at room temperature.
Serves 6
NOTE: I don't always add the mint but it does add a wonderful freshness.

:)

Oops, when I tried to copy and paste, I got the message: Firefox doesn't know how to open this address...

Just google, "Pretty chicken marinade" and it will come up at allrecipes.com.

SORRY FOR THE WEIRD WAY THE INGREDIENT AMOUNTS ARE WRITTEN, I had to do that so I could quickly copy & paste w/o those odd symbols appearing.

"A star-spangled holiday calls for a celebratory dessert, and this stunning red, white and blue cheesecake fits the bill perfectly. Luxuriously creamy and satisfying but with a fraction of the calories and saturated fat of a typical cheesecake, it is the kind of dessert that lets you have it all.

The trick is in the mix of part-skim ricotta cheese and Neufchatel, an all-natural reduced-fat cream cheese, which makes for a texture that is both light and creamy. The cake forms its own golden crust as it bakes, and the fresh berries add all-American color and a burst of sweet juicy flavor without the sugar and calories of the typical syrupy fruit topping.

It is pretty effortless to make all you do is put the ingredients in a food processor or mixer, then pour into a pan and bake. You wind up with an impressive, indulgent, better-for-you dessert that can be made ahead, leaving you plenty of time and energy to relax and watch the fireworks.
Creamy Ricotta Cheesecake with Fresh Berries

Cooking spray
One 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese
half cup reduced-fat sour cream
4 ounces Neufchatel cheese (reduced-fat cream cheese), softened
3 large eggs
three quarter cup sugar
quarter cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla extract
one tsp. finely grated orange zest
quarter tsp. salt
quarter cup all-fruit seedless raspberry jam
1 Tb. orange liqueur or water
1 6-ounce container fresh raspberries
1 6-ounce container fresh blueberries

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.

Place the ricotta in a mixing bowl or food processor, and beat with an electric mixer, or process, until smooth and creamy. Add the sour cream, Neufchatel, eggs, sugar, flour, vanilla, orange zest and salt and continue to process or mix until well blended. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until the center is just set, 50 to 55 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool, then cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before removing it from the pan. The cheesecake will be about 2 inches high.

In a small saucepan, bring the jam and liqueur to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Brush the cheesecake with the jam mixture and top with the berries, alternating one row of raspberries (flat side down), with two rows of blueberries. The cake should be stored in the refrigerator, where it will keep for 2 to 3 days."

Yield: 8 servings

Per serving: 300 calories, 39g carbohydrates, 12g protein, 12g fat (6g saturated), 2g fiber, 110mg cholesterol, 220mg sodium

Recipe reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Taunton Press Inc., from The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, by Ellie Krieger. Copyright by Ellie Krieger.