Paula Deen's House Seasoning, Basic BBQ, and Sweet Potato Fries

Years ago, before our very allergic twins were born,we had the "Food Network" for just a wonderful few weeks and I saw Ms. Paula Deen.  A dazzling classic Southern lady who knew how to throw anything and everything into a pot and have it come out crowd-pleasingly wonderful.  Pot-scraped-clean-every-time good.  

 But even with Ms. Paula's classic, easy-to-do recipes, I'd flop.  So I abandoned my hopes of being the next Paula Deen.  This mutt of a Minnesota girl turned South Carolina Gamecock just couldn't cook.

One take-away I have from my early experiments with Paula Deen, however, is her House Seasoning.  It's so basic: salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  I've had the recipe for years and years, but it wasn't until the twins were born with so many food allergies that I learned how multi-purpose this wonderful seasoning combination could be. 

Here it is, Folks:

http://www.food.com/recipe/Paula-Deens-House-Seasoning-Mix-57340

• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup garlic powder

Directions:

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

That's it!  So basic.  I actually don't really mix it up and store it anymore.  I just sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder on whatever meat I'm cooking, but the concept is still fully alive and well.  I AM SO THANKFUL THE TWINS AREN'T ALLERGIC TO GARLIC!  I have a friend who said her little men are allergic to garlic.  This might be true for others as well, and, always keeping in mind that my guys could develop a sensitivity to it, I've branched out to try other seasonings.  It turns out that celery powder and onion powder are also delicious!  And rosemary tastes wonderful on poultry, though I think it gives my guys runny noses (dark cloud). 

Why did I feel inspired today to write about Mrs. Paula's lovely House Seasoning?  Today I'm making BBQ.  I have no idea how other households do it, but around here we have some guys who like the sauces, some who don't, and some who are allergic to them, so I don't use any sauces in my BBQ.  This is NOT a heart-healthy meat.  At All.  But after a weekend of chicken tenders and squash soup, we're ready for some Southern food.

This recipe I can say I came up with on my own.  And it's so so easy:

BASIC BBQ:

Big ole Boston Pork Butt (yes, I typed "Butt" and it's actually used on the package label)
and Paula Deen's House Seasoning

Put Butt in slow cooker.  Sprinkle liberally with house seasoning.  Cook on low for about 6-8 hours until it falls apart with a fork. 

Don't be tempted to pull it out before it falls apart easily.  Once done, put just the meat into a large dish, leaving behind loose fat and bone (I use my large roasting dish with a lid so the meat is easily stored in the fridge).  Use paper towels to soak up extra fat from the meat.  It will be dripping with it.  Use a couple of forks to shred it.  I taste it at this point and sometimes add some more House Seasoning.  Serve over rice with a side of steamed vegetables, or plain with a side of roasted potatoes.  My husband adds mustard-based BBQ sauce to his, another child adds soy sauce, and the rest of us eat it plain.  Whatever works!

*My secret to rice: My guys don't like plain brown rice, so I mix white and brown rice together and store it in a container! No minute rice for us. I use a rice cooker and cook fully loaded whole grain rice. No rinsing so it retains nutrients.

Thank you, Ms. Paula Deen!



Bonus Recipe:
SWEET POTATO FRIES:

 Scrub 2-3 sweet potatoes, cut diagonally into coins, then slice each coin into strips like french fries. (UPDATE: per my friend's suggestion I now cut my fries in half again.  The bite-sized pieces cook more evenly!)  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Place fries on the sheet in a single layer and sprinkle liberally with salt. Bake at 400 for about 20 mins, or until fork tender and slightly browning on the bottom.  Might want to turn them over halfway through.  Alternative seasonings: cinnamon, or sprinkle with brown sugar at the end.  I used to baste the fries with olive oil first, but I've since discovered that we like them better without any oil. 

I always pile too many on the pan (pictured left) because my family eats them ALL.  :)  Soon I'll need to add a second tray!

Love,
G