Pulled Pork or Chicken Sandwiches with Corn Pudding, Baked Beans and Pineapple Upsidedown Cupcakes

SLOW-COOKER PULLED PORK SANDWICHES

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons hot paprika
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 3-to-4-pound boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, plus more to taste
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 6 potato buns
• Barbecue sauce and prepared coleslaw, for serving

Directions

1. Combine 1 tablespoon brown sugar, the paprika, mustard powder, cumin, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet; add the pork and cook, turning, until browned on all sides, 5 minutes. Remove the pork and transfer to a plate; whisk 3/4 cup water into the drippings in the skillet. Transfer the liquid to a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker.
3. Add the vinegar, tomato paste, the remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 2 cups water to the slow cooker and whisk to combine. Add the pork, cover and cook on low, 8 hours.
4. Remove the pork and transfer to a cutting board. Strain the liquid into a saucepan, bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Season with salt. Roughly chop the pork and mix in a bowl with 1 cup of the reduced cooking liquid, and salt and vinegar to taste. Serve on buns with barbecue sauce and coleslaw.

CORN PUDDING

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 1 package (8-1/2 ounces) corn bread/muffin mix
• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• 1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 can (14-3/4 ounces) cream-style corn

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream. Gradually add muffin mix alternately with milk. Fold in corn.
2. Pour into a greased 3-qt. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, 45-50 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Yield: 8 servings.

EASY BAKED BEANS

Ingredients

• 1 pound bacon
• 1 large sweet onion, such as Vidalia, finely chopped
• Four 14-ounce cans pork and beans
• 1/2 cup dark molasses
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan, leaving the drippings, and drain it on paper towels. Crumble and set aside.
3. Add the onion to the pan with the bacon drippings and saute until softened, a couple minutes. Stir in the beans, molasses, brown sugar, mustard and crumbled bacon, and mix well.
4. Pour the beans into a 3-quart casserole and bake, uncovered, for about 45 minutes.

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CUPCAKES

Ingredients

• 1 can (20 oz) sliced pineapple, drained, juice reserved
• 1 box Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ yellow cake mix
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 12 maraschino cherries, cut in half

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 24 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray.
2. Cut each pineapple slice into 4 pieces; set aside. In large bowl, beat cake mix, oil, eggs and reserved pineapple juice with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
3. In small bowl, stir together melted butter and brown sugar. Spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons butter mixture into each muffin cup. Top each with 2 pineapple pieces. Place cherry half, cut side up, in center of pineapple pieces.
4. Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each cup.
5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Run knife around edge of cupcakes to loosen; invert onto cookie sheet. Serve warm.