I cook almost every meal I eat. I started cooking when I was ten. I learned from my older brother who worked as a chef for a time and from my mother. I love cooking. Experimenting. Sharing. A few years ago, this expanded to making cocktails and recently to home brewing.

Right now I have three batches of homemade sangria sitting in my fridge. A Merlot, white zinfandel, and a moscato.

This really feels like a good time to crack open the recipe book and share a couple treats.

Be forewarned, I do not use recipes and only use measurements from other people, so be ready to deal with ridiculous approximations and odd measurements.

Slow Cooked Carnitas

This is my most sought after dish. I have had several people ask me for this recipe. So, here we go:

Liberally salt and pepper the pork -- I use Costco pork shoulders.

Make a mix of olive oil, oregano, and chili powder (light). Cover the pork with it, then place it in the crock-pot.

Chop two thirds of an onion into small pieces.

Mince one jalapeno (two if you want some kick) and four cloves of garlic. A food processor will come in handy.

Slice an orange in half, squeeze the halves over the pork then place them in the pot with the pork.

Add onions, garlic, and jalapenos to the crock-pot.

Turn the crock-pot on low.

Check in on it periodically and flip it after 2 1/2 hours. Split it into chunks after 3 1/2 hours.

When the meat appears tender, shred it and let it cook for another hour. It should shred easily.

Take out and throw away oranges.

Heat vegetable oil in a pan (cast iron works well) on med-high heat. Fry the pork in the pan (you’ll have to fry the pork in two to three different loads in the pan). You will have to add more vegetable oil after each batch, but don't drown the pork. When the pork is a little crispy, pull it with tongs and let the oil drip off.

It is ready to serve in tacos, platos, or burritos.

Merlot Sangria

Sangria is a great way to down some shitty wine. It's sort of like covering a bad pizza in sriracha.

The batch in the photo is of a Charles Shaw (Two-Buck Chuck), although you can do this same recipe with most red wines.

Take two 750 ml bottles or one double bottle and upend them into whatever serving container you prefer. I personally use an airtight cereal container because I don't like letting too much oxygen into the drink.

Add 1-2 cups of brandy. Add one cup of triple sec. Feel free to fuck around with this part. Add as much or as little as you want. If you are doing a white wine, substitute brandy for vodka. I have also used gin in the past. Mix it.

Cut a green apple into bits and throw it in. Add: blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, halved lemon and any other fruit you want.

Mix it all up again. Seal it up and place it in the refrigerator for three days. Yes, three days. That is my asinine recommendation. You do not need to do this, but it does give the fruit time to release the desired flavors.

When you are ready to serve, pour into glasses and top each glass with club soda or seltzer (some prefer Sprite).

And that's it. Taking a shitty wine and making a great night out of it.