Party Menu

The Memorial Day Weekend is upon us and it couldn't come soon enough! An extra weekend day and good weather means getting together with friends. If you want to present a great menu that isn't too time consuming, won't break the bank, and will please a crowd - I have a menu for you! 

Pulled Pork Sliders

Macaroni and Cheese

Coleslaw (store bought) 

Veggies and dip - celery, carrots, & grape tomatoes

Fresh Fruit - strawberries, blueberries & watermelon

Additional chips, pretzels & salty snacks

Pulled Pork

8-10 lb. bone-in pork shoulder

1 large onion, quartered

salt and pepper

Trim excess fat off the pork shoulder.  Salt and pepper heavily. Place in large slow cooker, with onions arranged on top. Cook on High for 10 hours. 

Remove pork.  Discard onion, fat, and all but 1/2 cup of liquid.  Shred pork and return to slow-cooker with remaining liquid. Set to WARM for serving. 

I cut hawaiian sweet rolls in half to use a slider buns for the kids. I bought hawaiian sweet sandwich buns for the adults. Serve with two flavors of BBQ sauce: Hickory and Honey or Brown Sugar. 

Macaroni & Cheese

2 lbs. elbow macaroni

8 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

6 cups 2% or whole milk (warmed in microwave)

12 tbsp. flour

12 Tbsp. butter

Salt & Pepper 

Cook macaroni according to directions for al dente. 

Melt butter in dutch oven. Whisk in flour, and continue to whisk for 2-3 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk 2 cups at a time.  Cook over medium-low heat until mixture thickens, about 10 minutes, whisking often. Season with salt and pepper. 

Begin to incorporate cheese one cup at a time, whisking vigorously after each addition until all cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth. 

Place macaroni in one roasting pan or two 9x13 pans.  Pour cheese sauce over macaroni and stir to coat. you can place directly in a 300 degree oven to keep warm, or you can cover, refrigerate, and reheat in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes once guests arrive. 

Veggie Dip

3-4 Tbsp. fresh dill finely chopped

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Mix all ingredients together.  Cover and refrigerate. 
This can be made the night before.

Weeknights variations

You can also pare down these recipes for weeknight meals. A 2-3 lb. pork loin works well for a family of 4.  Simply reduce cooking time to 8-10 hours on high. The pork works well for pork tacos, pork chili, and pulled pork sandwiches. 

Quarter the recipe for the macaroni and cheese for a family of 4.