Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Spinach Pesto Pasta Salad

This is a super easy meal that I make on the weekends. The pork sits in the crockpot all day simmering in a rub of minced garlic, cumin, seasoned salt, chili powder and cayenne(nothing says I love you like a touch of heat) and the pasta is tossed with homemade spinach pesto and sauteed red peppers and zucchini. I've brought my kids up on less traditional food and they love any kind of pesto. This is one of their favorite pasta dishes and the pulled pork, well, they smother it in barbecue sauce and hope like heck they get to eat this in heaven.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2 pound boneless pork roast, trimmed of fat
3 garlic cloves minced
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup water
Sourdough sandwich rolls
Barbecue sauce

In a bowl, combine garlic, seasoned salt, cumin, chili powder and cayenne. Rub all over pork roast and place roast in crock pot. Add water. Cover and cook on low 8 hours.

When pork is done cooking remove from crockpot and place in a large bowl. Take two forks and begin pulling pork apart, shredding into small pieces.

Assemble sandwiches using sourdough rolls. Stuff with pulled pork, drizzle with barbecue sauce and top with lettuce, or topping of choice (my kids like Miracle Whip spread on the sourdough roll). Serve with Spinach Pesto Pasta (recipe below).

Spinach Pesto Pasta













2 cups spinach, washed, patted dry and torn
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red pepper, seeded and thinly slices
1 medium zucchini, quartered and sliced
1 box whole wheat bow tie pasta

Combine the spinach with the garlic and pulse a few times in a food processor. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add red pepper and zucchini. Saute until softened, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook pasta according to direction and drain. Put pasta into a large bowl. Add 1/2 of the pesto and toss until well coated(you can add more pesto if needed). Add red pepper and zucchini and toss. Top with additional Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Store remaining pesto in an airtight container, refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.