Lemon Raspberry Bars

I won 1st place at a baking contest with these bars, they are fresh and tart.

Shortcake Crust:
1 1/2 Cups Flour
3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 stick + 6 tbsp cold butter cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix ingredients with fingers until small balls form.  Pour mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish.  Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.  Cool slightly.  Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees.

Lemon Custard:
1/4 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Lemons zested and juiced
3 Large Eggs

Whisk eggs and sugar until light and creamy.  Add lemon juice, zest and flour, mix completely.  Place raspberries on crust and pour custard mixture over.  Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar or make a powdered sugar glaze.  Cool 15 minutes cut into squares.

Carnitas

1 Pork Butt or Shoulder (it doesn't really matter which)
1 - 1 1/2 Cup Water
Garlic Salt to taste
Peppercorns to taste

Place pork in slow cooker, pour in water, add garlic salt and peppercorns - I just eyeball it.  Cook on low 8 - 10 hours or on high 4 -6 hours.  Shred the pork.  Serve on warm corn tortillas with radishes, tomatoes, lettuce, fresh lime, guacamole or avocado slices, sour cream and cheese.

Prep Time - 5 minutes
Cook Time - 8 - 10 hours

Cabage Salad

This is a very colorful, super tasty cabbage salad

Salad:
1/4 head red cabbage
4 small oranges - supremes (or mandarine oranges would work too)
3-4 green onions
1 package beef ramen noodle - uncooked

Dressing:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup beef broth (I just mixed the seasoning package from the ramen noodles with 1/4 cup water)
1/4 vinegar
2 tbs oil - olive oil or vegetable oil will work
salt and pepper to taste

Cut cabbage into then strips or whatever size you'd like, add oranges and sliced green onions. Crumple up uncooked noodles and add to salad. Pour dressing over salad and serve immediately.

Prep Time - 15 minutes
Total Time - 15 minutes

Pinto Beans and Rice

Pinto Beans and rice is always a cool weather favorite and inexpensive go-to.

2 Cups (or how much you need/want) dried pinto beans
soak in water overnight

Rinse and drain beans and pour into crock pot
Cover beans with water
add onion to taste
3-4 celery stalks
salt and pepper to taste
Cook beans on low 6-8 hours
Serve over rice

Jalepeno Cornbread is a nice side to this dish.

This will serve about 5 people with some left over for freezing. You can adjust the amount of beans to suit your specific needs.