Things have been kind of crazy around here, but I’m still cooking, and wanted to share the best things I’ve eaten this last week.

Pork Shoulder with Annatto Achiote Paste
Ever since seeing Ree’s pork shoulder (Ree doesn’t have a porky shoulder, she cooked one) a couple of weeks ago, I’ve had hankering for it. We used to cook on a pretty regular basis pork shoulders, trying different rubs, sauces, etc. My husband is a big BBQ fan and we’ve tried all sorts of recipe combinations.

I was flying out the door Friday afternoon and almost forgot to start the pork shoulder. I opened the jam packed spice cabinet looking for a rub that my husband usually keeps on hand and found a package of Annatto Achiote Paste that I received last fall and had forgotten all about.

I had all of 10 minutes to get out the door, so I used some of the paste with a cup of vinegar, a rough chopped onion, added some diced tomatoes, salt and pepper and the pork shoulder all in a dutch oven in a 300° F oven, and forgot about it for about 3 hours, at which point I turned the shoulder over, lowered the oven temperature to 250°F and cooked it for another 2 hours. After letting it rest, we shredded it up, then added some of the drippings back in.

Great flavor and moisture. And easy, puh-easy. No kidding. Keep your eyes peeled for some of that paste. It’s tasty stuff! I plan on trying some Annatto Achiote Paste with chicken and beef as well.

Guacamole
What can ya say? Fresh guacamole hits the spot every time.

We have a bunch of cilantro right now, so I added some chopped cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. It didn’t last long. And a good compliment alongside the pork.

Of course I saved the best for last.

Triple Chocolate Torte
For the time being, I’m limiting myself to special treats once a week, and when I saw this recipe for a Triple Chocolate Torte from my friend Wenderly, I knew it was going to be worth waiting for. Randy had a dinner meeting a few days ago that he was to take dessert to, so I grabbed the chance to make a full size torte, and a mini one for us at home.

You can tell with this mini one (that really ain’t so mini) that I didn’t wait for things to cool . The chocolate filling and ganache topping dripped and oozed all down the sides. And yes, it’s as good as it looks.

Total decadence. Let me just say, I’m set with my chocolate fix for a while now. If you’re a chocolate fan, you gotta try this one soon. Again, it’s over at Wenderly’s.

So what palate pleasing dish have you created or enjoyed recently? Do tell.

: )