Scott Peacock's Pulled Pork

Here it is, the best pork recipe ever! Super easy to make, you just need time (specifically a day to slow cook it). This is definitely worth setting a Saturday aside for! 

Here is the link to the recipe:

Scott Peacock's Pulled Pork

Pork Shoulder covered in mustard (I used spicy brown mustard instead of Dijon), and spices.

Meat falling off the bone after chilling overnight, roasting for 6 hours and resting for 1 hour.

Meat pulled and ready to eat and freeze!

We ate this with barbecue sauce and homemade coleslaw, delicious! There was plenty of meat to eat over a couple of days, plus we froze 2 freezer bags for future quick meals. My favorite thing to do with this is eat the meat topped with Barbecue sauce topped with coleslaw, eaten like a salad. 

SAD

As I am writing this it is below zero, nobody wants to be out in this weather, especially me.

For years I joked that I could hibernate during the winter, and it was not until this year that I realized I was serious. Obviously I am not a bear, so this is not an option. Also, I don't think my husband or daughter would allow it (they are those crazy type of people who actually like winter).

What I did realize is that I needed to take action. Underlying the daydream of hibernating all winter is the reality that I have SAD, also know as Seasonal Affective Disorder. I have always known I am affected by the change in seasons, I just wasn't sure if it was truly SAD. But, I realized that I am the happiest in the summer and an anxiety filled, cranky zombie in the winter.  I avoid people and social gatherings in the winter, and just want to sleep, eat, repeat.

So this winter I am going to start to work on feeling better, because winter can be long here in the Midwest.  I started taking St.John's Wort, a natural alternative to anti-depressants. It has been shown to help people with mild to moderate depression, especially those suffering from SAD.  As I am not depressed in the summer, I am not willing to go on traditional anti-depressants. I also purchased a light therapy box which I just received today. I am really excited to start using this as I am supposed to feel the effects within a few days ( versus the weeks it will take the St.John's Wort to kick in).  You sit by it for up to 30 minutes in the morning, and it emits light similar to the sun, without the harmful UV rays. 

The most important thing I am doing however is acknowledging that I have SAD. I let my husband and daughter know when I am feeling down. I ask for extra hugs, realize I need to sleep more, and take it a little easier. If I try to do too much, plan too much, I am filled with anxiety. I get cranky and overwhelmed quickly. In fact, that is why I have not been writing too much in the last couple of months. I just don't have the time or energy right now. But, I know as soon as I spot the first crocus flowers in my yard and can crack our windows for some fresh air (even if it is just a balmy 50 degrees out), I will start to feel better.  

So if you are feeling down, maybe experiencing SAD like me, keep in mind there are things you can do about it. Most importantly however is to acknowledge it. Get help from your loved ones. Because as much as you may want to push everyone away and hibernate, your loved ones and friends are the ones that are going to pull you through this long, LONG, season.

Let the sun shine!