After my son was born nearly two years ago, a lot of good people brought over good food. The night we came home from the hospital, my mom brought breaded chicken cutlets and pasta salad and it felt like a dream as we ate in the kitchen, trying to wrap our brains around the past few days and the next 18 years. My friend Meghan brought delicious fried chicken from Pecking Order. Lauren, a lasagne dinner from Whole Foods. Sarah, a homemade steak salad. Stevie and Keith, rotisserie chicken. My friend Kelly delivered braised beef but along with that, perhaps my favorite: two Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Taco just for me because I had written about craving them and she finally made my dream come true.

I've toyed around, on the food-delivery side, with what I traditionally bring my friends with new kids. For my friend Erika, I delivered this Penne with Tomatoes, Olives and Two Cheeses because I love it, but it didn't make it into my regular new-baby-delivery rotation because I wasn't sure how well it would freeze (in case your friend in question already has a fridge full of food from other friends.) I made a slow-cooker chickpea stew but that was another one I wasn't sure could pass the freezer test. For several friends I made my mom's chili, but I ran out of steam betwen the work that it takes, not to mention finding a tupperware for it and deciding how many side items I want to pack up with it (sour cream? onions? cheese? oyster crackers?)

Now, I'm on a pulled pork kick when it comes to bringing food to my friends who have had kids (or who are just in a place where they need food delivered to them.) I'm all about this recipe from the America's Test Kitchen slow cooker book, because it's so easy and simple. The hardest part, I think, is just trimming the fat off the pork before you put the rub on it, and even then, if you build in time to let the braise sit in the fridge for awhile after you make it, you can skim it off easily and pick off the fat when you shred the meat. I love that with this recipe I finally get to play around with and use the different rubs and spices in the cabinet, so it's never made exactly the same way twice. So lately, what I do is make the pork and deliver it along with some Hawaiian rolls, barbecue sauce, a few cans of baked beans and a container of coleslaw. Instant meal at the ready, and then the pork is freezable for later-on, delicious meals.

(The recipe is also good for regular people who are not new parents. Every time I make it for a new mom, my husband asks longingly if I'm going to withhold a portion for just him to eat.)