Blame Helena In the Kitchen: Pork Shoulder Bone In With Sweet Potatoes and Carrots

After 11 hours, it was finally ready. And was good. Really good. Ouch, I just broke my arm.

I must give Aaron McCargo Jr. of the Food Network credit for providing me with the basic guidelines on roasting my pork shoulder to perfection. First, I prepared a rub comprised of garlic, salt, pepper, minced onions and extra virgin olive oil, mixing all together, and then bathing my pork shoulder with it. I let it sit for about 45 minutes. While allowing the meat to enjoy its marinade, I plopped a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil into my cast iron dutch oven and placed it into a 425 degree Fahrenheit oven. I love coconut oil. A gentleman named Bob at Sprouts in Clairemont turned me onto it. Coconut oil seems to have many health and practical benefits, but I haven't tested them so don't take my word as gospel. You can research it benefits on www.mercola.com and judge for yourself. However, I can testify coconut oil is a great cooking medium, for it is slow to burn at high temperatures during the cooking process.

It was time. I placed my roast in the hot oil and then put it in the oven, allowing the 'fat cap' (facing up) to get all crispy and good. After about 45 minutes, I reduced the temperature to 285 degree Fahrenheit, allowing the low heat to work it's magic. It was about 11:30am. I took a nap.

Dangit! It was 4:30pm and I'd overslept. I jumped up and went to the kitchen to prep my sweet potatoes, carrots and celery. I added the veggies to my dutch over and covered it. I returned to the living room, lied down and snuggled beneath the covers. At 5:30pm, I checked on my meal. The meat looked good, the veggies were a little tender, but it wasn't cooking as it should. I turned up the heat to 350 degree Fahrenheit and returned to my perch on the sofa to watch the Golden Globe Awards.

Within 15 minutes, my apartment filled with the smell of porky goodness. I resisted the urge to go and check on it. At 7pm, I checked and found pork magic happening before my eyes. The meat was sizzling, the veggies had softened and cooked down. I spooned out some oil (I need a turkey baster).

By 8pm I was going nuts. It smelled so good! I prodded the roast with my spoon. Could it be? It was starting to pull apart. I accepted the fact that I wasn't going to eat at a decent hour. I decided I would take it out at 10pm.

At 1030pm, I took the roast out of the oven.

Heaven.

The meat was falling off the bone. Although I don't normally eat so late, I couldn't resist. I tried to slice it, but the meat fell apart. I gave up and spooned some out, along with sweet potatoes, carrots, and a bit of celery. I didn't need my teeth, but went through the motions of chewing anyway, allowing the savory meat to fill and comfort me, soothing my soul.

I should have made a pot greens to go along with it.

Tips

• Prepare your meat the day before to allow it time to marinate
• Slow cook it overnight at 200 degrees (you know your oven, use your own discretion. I don't want you burn down your place)
• In the morning, turn it up to at least 325 degree Fahrenheit to finish cooking
• Enjoy a nice IPA as you while away the hours awaiting porky perfection. My pick: Iron Fire The Devil Within DIPA, checking in at a sinfully hoppy ALC 9.5.

http://ironfirebrewing.com/

Keep on ridin' your pork high. Porky dreams!

Gina And Pat Neely

Those of us who have been single and alone all of our lives are always encouraged by happy couples blessed with long marriages. We may hear rumors about trouble in paradise from time to time, but super-couples (both celebrity and regular folk alike) work it out. They've learned over the years to forgive one another, come to an agreement and move on. The longevity of their unions gives us single people seeking our soul mates a sense of comfort and hope that one day, we too may find true love as well.

Denzel and Pauletta Washington

Will & Jada Pinkett Smith

Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos

Danny DeVito and Rhea Pearlman

David Bowie and Iman

 (To view the article, please visit: 15 Long-Lasting Celebrity Marriages)

I find it unsettling and a bit heartbreaking when a great relationship ends. Another scale chipped away from the armor of innocence, love and fairy tales. We all know marriage is anything but a fairytale, but it's nice living in the single folk land of make believe, looking over the fence and admiring Cinderella's and Prince Charming's castle.

For years, I've enjoyed my lovey-dovey Neelys on the Food Network, cooking up fun and good lovin' for all of us to enjoy. Sure, sometimes they put too much sugar in the love pie, but it was still nice to see.

Gina and Pat Neely

Looking in the window from the outside, I wonder what was so bad about their relationship they couldn't work out? If one is in an abusive, toxic, unhappy situation, of course, they should leave. No one should live in misery everyday. You should NEVER allow anyone to ABUSE your body, spirit or soul. However, you're heart will take a hit from time to time. It's just the way it goes if you continue your journey in the land of the living.

Well, let me shut up. It's not my place to conjecture on why they hated each other, as TMZ reports. But if it was hate, I have this to say about my own experience: what I hated in others were the same characteristics I disliked about myself. When I looked at the person I despised, I found myself peering into mirror. My own soul stared back at me, less than perfect. It's easier to hate them than to change me.

So, here's my two cents and then I'm going to leave it alone (Sorry, this looks more like five cents):

A. There's nothing out here but solitude and reflection. Reconsider.

B. Forgive one another.

C. Forgive yourselves.

D. Love and accept one another for whom each of you are.

E. Love yourself.

I've never been married. I've never had a boyfriend (hence the birth of my fantastic imagination and storytelling superpowers). Yet, I've had to learn these lessons over the course of the last year with other people in my life. I'm better now. I let go of the hurt and pain, for only I suffered. Everyone else had moved on with their lives.  In any case, after walking through the fire, I can live and work with the people around me again. But I must give the praise - God saved me.

Maybe divorce is the only way Gina and Pat can find the peace and happiness we all seek in life. I don't know; hell, I can't figure out my own issues. I'm not there with them behind closed doors. I can only wonder. Perhaps once they complete their journey apart, they both will discover they already possessed the true love they desired, each other.

Maybe not.

Gina And Pat Neely To Divorce After 20 Years Of Marriage