Orange-Apricot Pork Chops

The Ingredients.

6 pork chops
1 cup apricot jam
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges (and juice!)

The Directions.

Use a 4-6 quart crockpot. I switched Alison's recipe up a bit to reflect ingredients I had in the house. She'd approve, because that's the way she cooks. I know she wouldn't have wanted me to wake up my napper to go to the store, I just know it.

Put pork chops into your crockpot. In a small bowl, combine jam, brown sugar, and spices. Spoon over pork chops. Add the entire can of mandarin oranges evenly over the top. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours, or on high for about 4.

Serve with rice to soak up the yummy juice.

The Verdict.

I tasted the sauce and liked it a lot. I had already packed it up and washed the crockpot before Adam got home, so he didn't get to try it. Stephanie reported back that her kids ate a ton, and her 9-year-old ate it without ketchup, which is unheard of. Apparently he even dips green beans in ketchup. Her husband thought maybe there was a tad too much cinnamon.
It really felt good to make a nice meal for friends; I could get used to this!
Thank you, Alison!

Source: Make it Fast, Cook it Slow Recipe book
 & http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2009/01/orange-apricot-pork-chops-in-crockpot.html
 

Peppercorn Steak

 Crock Pot Peppercorn Steak

The Ingredients.

--4 to 6 steaks (use whatever is on sale, it's going to tenderize nicely in the crock; don't buy expensive meat.)
--1 cup tomato sauce
--1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce (Lea Perrins is GF)
--1/4 cup of water
--2 chopped bell peppers (I used one yellow, one green)
--1 chopped yellow onion
--8 oz sliced mushrooms
--1 T Italian seasoning
--1/4 t black pepper

The Directions.

Put the meat in the crockpot; mine was still frozen solid. Cover with the chopped vegetables. Pour in the tomato sauce, Worcestershire, and water. Add the Italian seasoning and black pepper.

No need to stir.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for 4-6. I cooked our dinner for 6 hours on high.

The Verdict.

I liked this! I liked how the steak lifted out of the juice without falling apart, and was able to be sliced like a steak cooked in the oven or on the grill. The flavor with the tomato sauce and the Worcestershire was greats---rich and peppery. I've never used that much Worcestershire before; usually I use only a few tablespoons at a time.

This makes a lot of sauce. I bet you could use the remaining sauce as a soup base or to make a fabulous gravy. We ate our meat and veggies separate on the dinner plate, with a spinach salad.

One kid ate 2 whole steaks and proclaimed that it was the best steak she had ever had and asked if she could eat it every day for "dinner, lunch, and breakfast. And maybe sometimes for snack. After I eat my banana. Of course." And then there was a lot of eye rolling---we've had the same banana in the fridge for the last three days. She opened it, took a bite, then said she was full. There's been a lot of banana talk around here lately...

thank you, Krystle, for a great meal, and a keeper recipe!

Source: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/07/crockpot-peppercorn-steak.html 

Dried Plum and Olive Chicken

---

Makes: 6 servings

Prep: 25 minutes Cook: 5 to 6 hours (low)

• make this recipe
• user reviews (1)

Dried Plum and Olive Chicken

ingredients

• 12
  chicken thighs and/or drumsticks, skinned (Note: Leanne found the chicken thighs hard to find)
• 1/4
  tsp. salt
• 1/4
  tsp. black pepper
• 1
  cup pitted dried plums (prunes)
• 1
  cup pimiento-stuffed green olives
• 2
  Tbsp. capers
• 1
  Tbsp. dried Italian seasoning, crushed
• 2
  cloves garlic, minced
• 2
  bay leaves
• 1
  14.5-oz. can chicken broth
• 1/4
  cup honey
• 1/4
  cup cider vinegar
• 3
  cups hot cooked rice

directions Place chicken in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker; sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Add plums, olives, capers, Italian seasoning, garlic, and bay leaves. Pour broth, honey, and vinegar over all in the cooker.
Cover and cook on low heat setting for 5 to 6 hours. Skim excess fat from broth; remove and discard bay leaves. Serve with hot cooked rice.

nutrition facts

• Servings Per Recipe 6 servings
• Calories414
• Total Fat (g)9
• Saturated Fat (g)2,
• Monounsaturated Fat (g)4,
• Polyunsaturated Fat (g)2,
• Cholesterol (mg)115,
• Sodium (mg)907,
• Carbohydrate (g)53,
• Total Sugar (g)23,
• Fiber (g)4,
• Protein (g)31,
• Vitamin C (DV%)7,
• Calcium (DV%)7,
• Iron (DV%)21,
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Source: http://www.bhg.com/recipes/printRecipe.jsp?recipeId=R164379&catref=rcbhg1