Sweet and Savory Slow Cooker Apple Pork Chops

One of the things I love about my Monthly Freezer Meal Club is the introduction to a bunch of awesome new recipes. Something that makes these recipes awesome is 1) they are new, 2) they are freezable and 3) many of them are slow cooker recipes.

So, like, the Trifecta of Awesome.

A few months ago, my friend Kate prepped us each a freezer bag of Apple Pie Pork Chops. To be honest, the idea sounded gross (literally plopping apple pie filling on top of pork chops in the slow cooker). Surprisingly, it was very good. And the girls loved it (which, let's be honest, is rare). Although it was good, it needed…tweaking. It was a bit too sweet for my taste.

So I went to work remaking this recipe into something a little less sweet and a little more savory.

And friends?

I hit the jackpot.

This recipe for Sweet and Savory Slow Cooker Apple Pork Chops is easy, freezable, and made in the slow cooker. Also? It's delicious. And perfect for Autumn.  It is the perfect blend of sweet (thanks, apples and cinnamon!) and savory (thanks, thyme and onions!). I can't wait to add this to my regular Meal Rotation.

• 4-6 center cut boneless pork chops
• 1 onion, diced.
• 6 medium/large apples, peeled and diced
• 2 TBS sugar (or sugar substitute)
• 2 TBS flour (white or whole wheat)
• 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon
• Dash of ground cloves (optional)
• 1 tsp of dried thyme
• 1 cup of water

Spray slow cooker insert with cooking spray. Arrange pork chops on bottom of slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine diced apples, diced onions, flour, sugar, cinnamon and thyme (and, if you use it, dash of cloves). Top pork chops with apple/onion mixture. Pour 1 cup of water over everything. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until pork chops are cooked through and mixture is bubbling.

*****

The left over pork tastes AWESOME shredded with some of the apple mixture on grilled pizza. 

Now, INSPIRE ME. 

Give me new ideas to add to my Back-to-School Meal Rotation! Comment below with your favorite recipes.

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding #IDBaking

If there is anything that I love about the holidays, it's BAKING. I accept any and every opportunity to bake that I can get.  Sure, there are times my baking obsession can borderline insanity (like the year I was pregnant with Bitty Bug and I baked no less than 5 different kinds of cookies, 3 loaves of Walnut Roll Bread, Cinnamon Rolls, Monkey Bread, Egg Casserole and Maple Spiced Bacon. Possibly more).

Nevertheless, I love the joy of being in the kitchen, covered in flour and sugar, baking sweet delights to enjoy while listening to Christmas Carols while my tree is glowing in the background.

::Sigh::

I am trying to keep things simple where I can, so I worked up a simple slow cooker bread pudding recipe, with the help of International Delight Creamer.  This is something you can easily throw together in a matter of minutes, set the dial on your slow cooker and let that machine do all the work.

Also? It's delectable

• 1 15-oz loaf of cinnamon raisin bread, sliced/cubed.
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups of International Delight Pumpkin Spice Creamer (or 1 cups of creamer and 1 cup of skim milk)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 stick of butter, melted and cooled
• (optional) 1/4 cup of brown sugar (if you like things really sweet!)

1) Spray the insert to slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray and place the cinnamon raisin bread cubes inside.

2) In a small bowl, combine the eggs, butter, creamer/milk, cinnamon and vanilla extract (and sugar if you are using). Pour over the bread in the slow cooker. Press the bread down with a spoon so it is completely submerged in the egg mixture. 

 

 

3) Cook on low for 3-4 hours or until cooked through.


What are your favorite holiday recipes? Do you have any new recipes you'll be trying this year?  I'd love to hear all about it - so leave a comment below! 





Does this sound amazingly scrumptious? International Delight is offering a $1-off coupon on the International Delight Facebook Page! So get thee some ID Creamer and eat thee some Pumpkin Spice Slow Cooker Bread Pudding! 

Are you on the Twitters, Pinterests or Instagrams? You can follow the hashtag #IDBaking for tons of holiday baking inspirations.

If you register your ID Creamer UPC this holiday season, International Delight will donate 50 cents to the Coats for Kids Foundation! Give back in one quick step and help International Delight reach their goal of $100,000 this year!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.

Ninja Cooking System {Review and Giveaway}

It is no secret that I am passionate about my slow cooker.

And it's okay if you swap the term "Semi-Obsessed" for "Passionate."

I love everything about slow cookers: they are simple to use, the perfect kitchen appliance for busy families, and they are a cinch to clean up. If you've been 'round these parts, you've probably seen my many slow cooker recipes, and heard about my general love for this every day kitchen appliance.

So you won't be surprised that when I was invited to a demonstration of the new Ninja Cooking System a few weeks ago, I couldn't say yes fast enough. Me and a few other lovely Philly area bloggers met up at the Reading Terminal Market with the folks from 360PR, my slow cooking hero Stephanie O'Dea and Ninja Cooking for a night of slow cooking.

The night was fantastic. I was impressed by the actual appliance: sleek appearance, ease of use and simple to clean. Essentially, the Ninja Cooking System is like having a stovetop, range and slow cooker all in one appliance. It allows users to cook in healthier ways, with less fats and the ability to steam cook. The recipe book that comes with Ninja System was chock full o' recipes.

Also? It makes you want to go like this ALL. DAY. LONG:




The food turned out great, and I was excited that I would have one shipped to me to review myself.

Not long after the event, my shipment came, in all of it's glory:

By this point, I could not contain my excitement.

SQUEE! And hiiiiiiiYAH!

I tried to decide what would be my inaugural meal in the Ninja Cooking System. I decided to test drive several features, so I chose the Savory and Sweet Roast from Fix It and Forget It. The recipe calls for browning the roast in a pan before putting it into the slow cooker to roast. I usually despise having to dirty more pans than I have to, but browning the meat really adds a great depth of flavor.  Luckily, I can do the browning AND the slow cooking all in the Ninja.

Browning

Ready for slow cookin'

The finished product: PERFECTION.

PERFECTION! We served it alongside mashed potatoes and broccoli. 

This is a DREAM appliance to have for the holidays - it's like having a second oven. Or stove. Or slow cooker.

What? What did you say? Perhaps you'd like one for the holidays?

Lucky for you, the wonderful people from Ninja Cooking and 360PR are giving a Ninja Cooking System to one of my fantabulous readers! Just fill out the form below to enter. Winner will be chosen on Monday, 11/12.

Do it. Be a NINJA.




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken {Recipe}

Cooked chicken is one of those basic things that so many recipes call for.  I can't tell you how many pins I've come across on Pinterest for various casseroles, salads, soup and appetizers that call for cooked chicken. 

I'll be honest: sometimes that deters me. Because I know I can just get the pre-cooked Perdue Short Cuts, but I feel like I am cheating. I also know I can take the time to cook the chicken the day before or morning of. But often I am not thinking that far ahead and forget that the recipe calls for cooked chicken, not raw, and then it's too late.

Inspiration hit me one day, and our menus haven't been the same since.

One day I had this box of chicken broth, and I was trying to think about what to do with it. I also happened to have 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts that were thawed, begging to be used before they went bad. I didn't have time later in the afternoon to put together an elaborate meal, so inspiration struck: I can just let the chicken cook in the crockpot all day, and it will be ready when we get home tonight.

It was perfection.

I sprinkled the chicken on both sides with some spices, covered it in broth, and let it slow cook all day. And ZOMG my kitchen smelled AMAZING all. day. long. Because essentially I was roasting chicken, but the easy way.

Since chicken tends to fall apart in the slow cooker, I decided to shred it and make sandwiches. 3 chicken breasts ends up yielding a lot of shredded chicken. So we had plenty to use the rest of the week, whether it be on salads or in recipes that call for cooked chicken.

So, I've been making this chicken regularly, usually on Sunday or Monday, and then using it throughout the week. The chicken cooked in broth comes out SO JUICY, and it's just the right spices to make it flavorful.  Perfect combo.  I love having the chicken on hand, as it helps me make healthy choices.  

HEALTHY CHOICES, people.

Shredded chicken is so versatile too - you can use it in so many recipes. I'll share the recipe below, along with links to other recipes you can use shredded chicken in (beyond your simple sandwiches and salads).

• 1.5-2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
• 16oz of reduced sodium, fat free chicken broth (roughly half of a box of broth
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Combine the spices listed above, and sprinkle/rub on both sides of the chicken. Spray a slow cooker insert with non-stick cooking spray. Place spiced chicken in slow cooker and pour in broth.  Cover with lid and cook on low for 4-8 hours (depending on how fast your crockpot cooks). When thoroughly cooked, take 2 forks and shred the chicken inside the slow cooker.  Cook for 30 minutes more, to allow chicken to soak in the juices.

Enjoy immediately, or store in an airtight container or zip top bag in refrigerator for the week.

~~~~~

See? SIMPLE. And so tasty.

Wondering how you can use 2 pounds of shredded chicken over the course of a week? I'm glad you asked!  Let me share a few ideas with you:

Recipes Using Shredded Chicken

• Sandwiches
• Salads
• Fruit, Nut and Poppy Seed Salad with Chicken 
• Slowcooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Slowcooker Chicken Taco Stew
• Chicken Tamale Casserole
• Birthday Chicken (ie: Chicken Pockets)
• Chicken Pot Pie 
• Chicken Potato Casserole
• Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
• Easy Chicken Alfredo
• Steph's Buffalo Chicken Pot Pie
• Pecan Chicken Salad
• Buffalo Chicken Dip

JUST to name a FEW!

Do you have a recipe that calls for cooked or shredded cooked chicken? Share your recipe link in the comments below or email me (moderndaydonnareed{at}gmail{dot}com) - I'd love to add your recipe to the list above!

Have a great weekend!

Simple Supper Monday, Vol 62: Slowcooker Chicken Cacciatore

Happy Monday, friends. I think Mother Nature is giving us a reprieve: after a really crappy Winter, this week is promising to be Sunny and Springlife. Today is actually supposed to hit 80 degrees!

::Sigh::

I can't begin to tell you how much nice weather improves my mood and mental health. Is it the same for you? As much as sunshine and warm air makes me giddy, good food really makes my day. I'm coming to the end of my passed-along recipes (SO PLEASE SEND MORE!), but I have one last recipe to post. My wonderful wonderful mother-in-law emailed this to me after a friend emailed it to her. I will be upfront with you here: I have not yet tried it. But, from reading through the recipe, it looks good. I am told it is a Weight Watchers recipe AND it's a slow cooker recipe.

And we all know how I feel about slow cooker recipes.

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Simple Supper Monday

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

1 LB SKINLESS CHICKEN THIGHS, CUT INTO BIT SIZE PIECES

1 CUP MUSHROOMS SLICED

1 CUP GREEN PEPPERS

1 CUP CHOPPED ONIONS

1 MEDIUM GARLIC CLOVE MINCED

1 TBSP CANNED TOMATO PASTE

14 ½ OZ CAN CRUSHED TOMATOES (FIRE ROASTED)

¼ CUP DRY RED WINE (BEST PART OF ALL)

¾ TSP DRIED OREGANO, CRUSHED

¾ TSP SALT

¼ PEPPER

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER, IN A 3-5 QT SLOW COOKER. 5-6 HOURS ON HIGH OR 6-8 ON LOW. GOES GREAT WITH WHOLE WHEAT PENNE PASTA OR JUST SEREVE AS ITALIAN STEW.

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

Super Yum! I believe this one would fill your house with the most amazing scents while it's cooking. Can't wait to try it! If you get to it before I do, let me know how it turns out for you!

I have a few more recipes up my sleeve, but I am always hungry for more. So if you have any worth sharing with the rest of the community (especially ones that are great for Springtime), email them to me for posting!

moderndaydonnareed@gmail.com

Simple Super Monday, Vol 55: Spicy Pot Roast

Don't wet your pants. But, yes, I am posting a Simple Supper Monday today. A post category that I haven't touched since June.

JUNE.

It's December. Is that 6 months? I believe so.

As I stated a few days ago, between moving, adjusting to moving, the school year starting up for my teacher Hubby, a rambunctious 2 year old and, oh, being PREGNANT (due in January. Which is next month. AUGH! When did time fly?!?!??!), I've been sticking to a rotation of some good tried and true recipes. For most of the Summer, I was feeling pretty nauseous and impossibly exhausted. Food, apart from crackers, did not appeal to me. So, you can imagine, I was not in the mood to try new recipes.

This Fall, I started feeling better, and have dusted off the cookbooks to search for some new Keeper Recipes. I've tried a bunch, many of which I was not happy with. Last week, I made a roast from the Fix It And Forget It Cookbook (love love love this cookbook. If you don't have it, buy it. And buy one for a friend. And your friend's friend). Hubby and I were really happy with the way it turned out. It's just a simple beef roast recipe, but the meat came out super moist and the gravy was VERY tasty (especially over mashed potatoes).

It was my inspiration to and motivation to post for you today.

So...you can thank the roast.

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

Spicy Pot Roast

- from the Fix It And Forget It Cookbook-

• 2-4lb beef pot roast (pot roast, chuck roast, eye round - any roast will do. I used a chuck roast)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4-oz packet of brown gravy mix
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tsp dijon mustard (I used spicy deli mustard)
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1 cup water (I bet that beef stock/broth would be a good flavor-enhancing alternative)

1. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Place in slow cooker.

2. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour over meat.

3. Cook on Low 8-10 hours, or High 4-5 hours (Note from Steph: account for YOUR slow cooker friends. My slow cooker has been cooking things faster recently - and I've actually BURNED some things in there! I cooked this roast for about 5 hours on low, and it was more than ready at the end. And since it was done a bit early, I had it on the "warm" setting for about an hour. So if your slow cooker cooks fast, adjust the time!)

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

This is a great roast to put on in the morning and have ready when you come home. It was also tasty enough to serve to company. The next day, shred it up with forks and serve on rolls with horseradish! YUMMMMMMMMMMMM! Seriously tasty, people. And I really recommend serving this with a side of mashed potatoes and crusty bread. I was going to also make broccoli, but I didn't have any, although it would have been a nice addition as well.

It's been so cold here in southeastern PA (with no relief in the foreseeable future), a warm and hearty roast really hits the spot. So make sure to look back through some of the archives here on Confessions of a Stay-at-Home Mom for the good cold-weather recipes. We need to keep warm!

Here's to hoping for more inspiration and motivation. I'd love to kick my posting into gear before Baby #2 arrives. Because then all bets are off.

Feel free to send me YOUR Simple Supper recipes for posting. You know I love trying new recipes out! moderndaydonnareed@gmail.com

Have a good (and tasty!) week!

Tasty Treat Thursday: Pear and Cherry Buckle

I know. I said in my last post that I might get away from posting recipes for a while. And I wasn't lying when I said I had a lot on my mind, much of which I was looking forward to hashing out via posts on this blog.

But you can't escape who you are.

And I love to cook. Even more so, I LOVE to bake. My friend, Linzee, just left my house. Like 15 minutes ago. On her way out, she noticed the concoction I had been baking in my slow cooker. Her comment? "If I lived here I would be SO fat."

It's true. I bake a lot.

Don't get me wrong: I attempt to have a healthy eating lifestyle. Granted, some of that has been thrown out the window since becoming pregnant 4 months ago. Nausea and altered appetites means you eat what your body will LET you eat. And for the most part, my body has been pretty particular, and not particularly healthy.

I digress.

So let me rewind. Last week, I was watching The Food Network, and happened to catch some of Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee. Sandy said 2 things that stole my heart immediately: "dessert" and "slow cooker." And then she proceeded to throw a bunch of awesome things into her Crockpot, which turned into what I could only imagine was the most delicious dessert ever.

I had to make it for myself.

And I did. Today. And I just ate some about 10 minutes ago. And it was amazing. So I had to immediately post about it and share it with you. Because that's how much you mean to me.

I did make some adjustments, according to my tastes and what was in my pantry. I'll post Sandra's original recipe, and make notes after on what I changed. Either way you go, it will be scrumptious. Yum.

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

Tasty Treat Thursday

Sandra Lee's Pear and Cherry Buckle

• 1 (26-ounce) can cherry pie filling
• 2 (15-ounce) cans diced pears in syrup
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix
• 1 stick butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 (1.19-ounce) packet maple and brown sugar instant oatmeal
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• Whipped topping, for serving

Spray a 5-quart slow cooker with butter-flavored cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine pie filling, pears, and almond extract. Pour into prepared slow cooker. Sprinkle cake mix over fruit mixture. Dot with butter. In a small bowl, combine oatmeal packet and almonds. Sprinkle over cake mixture.

Place 8 paper towels over slow cooker bowl and secure with lid. (This helps to trap steam.) Cook on LOW setting for 4 to 6 hours. Do not lift lid to check cake for the first 3 hours.

Serve warm with whipped topping.

Steph's Notes:

1) I'm not really into pears. So I switched them out for 2 cans of peaches. And I'm not really into fruit preserved in syrup. So I got 2 cans of peaches preserved in pear juice instead.

2) Since I was using peaches, I decided to use a packet of "Peaches and Cream" instead Maple flavored oatmeal. The Peaches and Cream I had in my pantry was lower sugar, which I promise did not affect the recipe negatively.

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

So there you have it. An A-MAH-ZING dessert recipe. That you can make in your slow cooker, none the less. Does it get any better than that?! Since it can be made in a slow cooker, this makes for a very flexible dish: Make it in the summer as the finale to your BBQ, since it doesn't require you to use your oven and heat your kitchen up. Or make it in the Autumn or Winter, when the air is crisp, and you need a tasty dessert to warm you up!

And I would encourage you to experiment. Since my peach and oatmeal substitute worked out well, there might be even more fruit/pie filling/oatmeal combinations that are equally divine.

As always, I would love to hear how this turns out for you (especially if you get adventurous and come up with another tasty combination!), so leave a comment below.

Do you have a Tasty Treat recipe to share with the rest of the community? Send me an email: moderndaydonnareed@gmail.com.

Happy Eating!

.

Simple Supper Monday - Volume 39: Fake Out Take Out Mongolian Beef

Hi.

Remember me?

Yep. I blog here. Atleast, I was blogging here a week ago. And then Christmas happened. All over the place. It was a messy but joyful sprint of familyfoodfriendsfoodgiftsfoodhappinessfoodandmorefood. It was overwhelming. I laughed. I cried. I napped. I loved every second of it.

But, as you can tell, it kept me from one of the things I love to do: blogging.

So, as I have numerous times before on this blog, I ask for your forgiveness as I confess:

It has been 1 week since I have blogged.

Oh the shame of it.

Now that's done and over with, let me share with you this week's Simple Supper recipe! Wahoo!

I recently stumbled upon a blog that is the epitome of beauty. A Year of Slow Cooking is thy name. Oh YSC Blog, how I love thee. I was also given an opportunity to check out the book that came out of this blog experiment - Make it Fast, Cook it Slow by the blog's blogger, Stephanie O'Dea. (PS - I will be reviewing this book and Nigella Lawson's new book this week - SO CHECK BACK).

Wow, can I not focus this evening?

So anyway, I came across this blog. Loved everything about it (not that I am obsessed with slow cookers and anything that has to do with them). I decided to try out one of Ms. O'Dea's recipes.

It. Was. Glorious.

Now I am not ashamed to pass along this recipe. Note, I am not claiming it as mine. I do my best to never lay claim to a recipe that I have either come across or been given by a friend. I always give props.

Ms. O'Dea: Major Props.

It was ironic that I came across this blog right around my birthday (yep, it was my birthday 2 weeks ago. Gifts are currently still being accepted). Hubby, the wonderful and handsome man-candy that he is, took me out to PF Chang's for dinner to celebrate my birth. Oh what a righteous and gut-busting event. Well, more like belt-busting. I ate like a pig. Hubby was given an order of Mongolian Beef by mistake, but decided to keep it as his meal.

He tried it.

I tried it.

We loved it.

Not only did I love it, but I needed it. Again. Very soon. So I set out on the task for a reproduction recipe. You'd be amazed at the underground community of people who create restuarant copy cat recipes.

I love each and every one of you.

My search brought me to A Year of Slow Cooking, where a "Fake Out Take Out" version of Mongolian Beef had been posted.

I tried it.

Loved it.

So I am posting it. And I will be scouting out more Copy Cat recipes. If I can make it at home for a fraction of the cost without sacrificing taste, I. AM. IN.

Thanks to Stephanie O'Dea for creating this recipe (and I LOVED YOUR BOOK!)

~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

Simple Supper Monday

"Fake Out Take Out" Mongolian Beef Recipe

~ By Stephanie O'Dea, of A Year Of Slow Cooking ~

--1 1/2 pounds flank steak

--3 cloves of garlic, minced

--4 sliced green onions--one is for garnish

--1 t dried minced onion (or 1/2 fresh onion, diced very small)

--1/2 cup gluten free soy sauce (I used La Choy)

--1/4 cup white wine

--1/4 cup cooking sherry

--1/2 T white wine vinegar (optional--I forgot to add it!)

--1 t sesame oil

--1 t molasses

--1 t ginger

--1/4 t black pepper

--1 t red chili pepper flakes

--1/2 T peanut butter (if allergic, use black bean paste)

--3 T brown sugar

--1/4 cup cornstarch (to dredge meat--don't add to sauce mixture)

The Directions.

--slice your meat in thin strips and toss in a Ziploc bag with cornstarch.

--add all of the liquid and dried spices to your crockpot, and the peanut butter, and mix well. Add the garlic and three of the sliced green onions. If you are using fresh onion, add that now, too.

--put your meat on top, and toss gingerly to coat.

Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Flank steak is thin and have very little fat, and will cook quickly. There isn't a lot of liquid in this dish, so if your crock tends to cook hot, please check it after 3 hours.

The meat is done when it is no longer pink and has reached desired tenderness. I cooked our meat in a 6qt oval Smart Pot and it was done after 4 hours on low.

Serve over steamed or fried rice, and garnish with freshly sliced green onion.

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

Mmmm.

As the new year approaches, I will be working on new Simple Supper recipes. On an adventurous twist, I will be trying to create some original recipes. That's right folks. Creativity in progress. You might want to stand back.

I also look forward to checking out YOUR recipes. Send them my way!

Check back later this week for some awesome BOOK REVIEWS (these books MUST enter your home library in 2010!), some Confessions and some craziness.

Until then....

Simple Supper Monday - Volume 32: Pork and Sauerkraut

For many, October brings images of Harvesty things, Halloween, pumpkins and multi-colored leaves. For others, it brings visions of German things in honor of Octoberfest: beers, bratwurst, and sauerkraut.

In honor of this festive time of year, I am posting a very simple recipe involving Sauerkraut. We made this the other night, for a simple and easily put together dinner. Now, sauerkraut is not for the faint of heart, and I know it does not agree with every one's palate. So if this recipe does nothing for you, I won't be offended. But, for those who enjoy German fare (or my Mom, who just enjoys sauerkraut), this SIMPLE slow cooker recipe is for YOU! (disclosure: I am in NO way German, and neither is my husband. We just happen to enjoy Sauerkraut. Especially on Hotdogs).

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Simple Supper Mondays

Pork and Sauerkraut

• 4 Center Cut Pork Chops, trimmed of fat
• 1 large can of Sauerkraut

Arrange Pork Chops on the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour can of sauerkraut over pork chops. Cook on low for 5-6 hours (alter for your particular slow cooker).

Notes:

The pork chops come out practically falling apart, and super moist. Some might slice an onion into rings and throw that in there as well, for a little extra flavor.

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Yes, it's that simple. And very flavorful. For a fun twist, serve this pork and sauerkraut with some Sam Adam's Octoberfest beer (and, if you have some hungry boys, a side of grilled bratwurst).

If you are brave enough to try this recipe, let me know how it turns out for you! I'm still on the search for warm soup and stew recipes, so if you have a good one, send it my way and I will share it with the rest of the community!

moderndaydonnareed@gmail.com

If you are brave enough to try the recipe, let me know how it turns out for you!

Simple Supper Monday - Volume 31: Salsa Chicken

Simple is best. I had a conversation about this very idea with my MIL tonight. She put together a few simple ingredients (off the top of her head, might I add), and a tasty dinner was created. She kept saying, "All I did was throw some gravy and dill together with some chicken. It was nothing special."

And that is just my point.

We do not have to have 15 ingredients (several of which some scholars cannot pronounce or must be found at a specialty foods stores) to have a successful meal. A few GOOD ingredients can be delicious, and any gourmet would be none the wiser.

One such recipe was sent my way via Hubby's aunt, Brenda (see the pic to the left - this is Brenda with her son, Michael). She is always sending really good recipes to me! Every time one pops up in my email inbox, it is always scrumptious and usually pretty healthy (which I appreciate). The recipe she recently sent me was great for several reasons. 1) It involved 2 ingredients, 2) It was super healthy and 3) It was a SLOW COOKER recipe! We made it last week and all I can say is: Y.U.M.

Thanks, Brenda!

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Simple Supper Mondays

Salsa Chicken

• 2-3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 jar of your favorite salsa

Place chicken into the slow cooker, and pour the entire jar of salsa over the chicken. Cook on low for 3-4 hours (adjust time for your particular slow cooker).

**This is great served with/over rice. When I made it last week, I cooked brown rice and mixed with 1/2 cup black beans, 1/4 cup diced tomato, 1/4 cup onion, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, 2-3 tbls lime juice.

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Yes friends, that is it! A simple, delicious dinner (easily) on your table.

What are your favorite SIMPLE SUPPER recipes? Have a keeper? Send it my way, and I will share it with the rest of the community!

moderndaydonnareed@gmail.com

Simple Supper Monday - Volume 27: Steph's Slowcooker Chili

So...

I know it's still August (albeit the last DAY of August, but August nonetheless).

I know that we (technically) have a solid month until the glorious season of Autumn begins.

I know that many of you out there are still clinging to the last strings of summer.

But I love Autumn. And I jump at any chance to speed up her arrival. Every cool evening, I throw on a sweatshirt (even if it means sweating a bit because it's not quite that cool). Starting September 1, I begin to scour Weather.com for the 10 day forecasts, in the hope of cool weather trends.

And I steal every chance I can to make Autumn-worthy meals (hearty roasts, thick soups, etc).

It is days like today that inspire me to do so. Here in southeastern PA, it is "cool." Not cold, per se. The high will probably still get up to 73. But it is overcast, it feels cooler than it has all month. And, the morning has been delightful (the lows were in the 50's).

I am considering on a roast for dinner (Sweet and Savory Pot Roast, perhaps?), but I have a recipe I'd like to share as we begin to welcome Autumn in all her splendor.

I have spent YEARS trying to find a good Chili recipe. I have used several, with ho-hum results. I have found that they are either bland or flavored completely wrong. I am so often disappointed. One day I was flipping through the little cookbook that came with my Rival crockpot (don't disgard these little treasures that come with your kitchen appliances! They have great recipes!), and found a Chili recipe. I tried it out.

It was AWESOME. Here's why I liked it:

It was SIMPLE (which is important to me, because I don't want to go on a wild goose chase for some rare pepper or a spice that can only be found in one store 50 miles away).

It was QUICK (Apart from the "time consuming" browning of the ground beef, it took all of 10 minutes to get the ingredients into the trusty slowcooker - and then time took care of the rest).

It was TASTY (Spicy without being torturous, flavorful without being overly stimulating).

So, I give it the Steph's 2 Thumbs Up. This is a KEEPER RECIPE for sure. And you know that means a lot, coming from a girl who has been sorely disappointed the past few years in search of the Perfect Chili Recipe.

I have tweaked it a bit - if you want the original recipe, email me and I can forward it to you. I have found that the little adjustments are more tasty and convenient (ie: no need to work with dried beans). DON'T be intimidated by the AMOUNT of ingredients. I 0ften pass over recipes that have too long of an ingredient list. While they seem like a lot, it is mostly cans of beans and tomatoes that just need to be opened, drained and dumped.

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Simple Supper Mondays

Steph's Slowcooker Chili

• 1 can of Black Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can of Red Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can of Pinto Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
• 1 14.5 oz can of dicecd tomatoes WITH zesty mild green chilis
• 2 lbs Ground Beef/Chuck, browned and drained
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 3 TBS chili powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt

Put all ingredients into the slowcooker in the order listed above and stir. Cover and cook on low for 6-10 hours (adjust for your slowcooker - mine was ready in 6, but the longer it cooks, the better it tastes), or on high for 3-5 hours. Top with sour cream and cheese if desired.

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Seriously. It is tasty. Perfect for those cool Autumn nights, Halloween parties, or Football Games. This makes a good bit of Chili, so we always enjoy the leftovers for lunch or dinner the following night. Great for a crowd!

Check back later this week, as I will be doing one last salute to summer. As I have with Memorial Day and Independence Day, I will post a Labor Day Cookout Menu before the weekend!

Until then, keep sending me your recipes! Do you have a good Chili recipe worth trying? I am on the prowl for Soup and Stew recipes as well. Good-bye Summer, Hello Autumn! Email them to me at moderndaydonnareed@gmail.com

Have a good week!