Embracing Him

This weekend was jam packed and this week is just as full of activity. I haven’t had time to construct my weekly menu plan, so even though I hate doing so I’m making up dinner plans day by day. In addition, I’m clearing out the freezer and pantry of stockpiled items that may soon expire, so I’m limiting myself to using only certain ingredients.

As I poked around in the kitchen this morning, I noticed several bottles of barbecue sauce waiting to be used and spotted a lone orange in the fruit bowl. The can of Dr. Pepper I brought home from my MOPS meeting last night was resting on the counter and the pork chops I defrosted yesterday were quietly awaiting their fate in the refrigerator.

I pulled out my faithful Crock Pot and got busy prepping today’s dinner. I browned the pork chops and created a sweet sauce using the barbecue sauce, Dr. Pepper, and orange juice. In our house, this recipe is already a winner as I love the barbecue sauce I’ve literally doctored up! JT will enjoy the fork tender pork chops and the girlies will gobble up the sweet sauce. The chops and sauce will be perfect when served over last night’s left over white rice.

Now that dinner is simmering away I can get back to schooling and preparing for Sweet Pea’s birthday party this weekend. Isn’t the Crock Pot an awesome invention?

Dr. Pepper Pork Chops
4-6 pork chops
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 (12 ounce) can Dr. Pepper
1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
zest of 1 large orange
1/2 cup orange juice

In a large skillet, heat the oil to medium high heat. Season the pork chops with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Brown lightly on both sides and remove from the skillet. Place the pork chops into the slow cooker.

Combine the Dr. Pepper, barbecue sauce, orange zest, and orange juice. Pour mixture over the pork chops. Cook on low for 4 hours.

Photo: Courtesy of midnightcomm (FLickr)

Today is St. Patrick’s Day, so I’ve decided to repost my favorite corned beef recipe.

Most corned beef recipes I’ve come across require you to boil the meat before placing it in the oven to finish. To me, it’s just an extra step I don’t want to be bothered with, so my solution is to toss everything into my Crock Pot with a wonderful sauce and let it slow cook all day.

I usually use a brisket weighing about 3 pounds or so. Add potatoes and other veggies into the Crock Pot for a complete meal. You can serve the meat without placing it in the oven, but I like to have a sweet crust on top of my brisket so I broil it before serving.

Wondering what to do with the leftovers? Make a yummy Reuben sandwich by piling the corned beef on bread and topping with Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing.

Sweet and Hot Corned Beef Brisket

1 corned beef brisket
1 cup apple juice
1 cup ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup bourbon (may use ginger ale as a substitute)
1 tablespoon mustard
1 ½ teaspoons red pepper flakes

In a medium sized bowl, combine the apple juice, ketchup, brown sugar, bourbon, mustard, and red pepper flakes.

Place the brisket into the Crock Pot and pour the sauce over it. Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours.

Just before serving the brisket, remove it from the Crock Pot and place in it a baking dish. Transfer the sauce to a pot and bring it to a boil. Add a teaspoon or two of cornstarch to thicken it. Baste the corned beef with the thickened sauce and place under the broiler for 3-4 minutes. Basting may be repeated as many times as you wish.

When ready to serve, slice the meat across the grain and drizzle with the remaining sauce.

Photo: Courtesy of stu_spivack (Flickr)

The other day I had a taste for pork chops, so I ditched my planned menu and made pork chops instead. I had accidentally purchased a can of crushed pineapples instead of the chunk pineapples we usually eat and I didn’t want them to go to waste. I combined the pineapples with a few of my other favorite pantry ingredients and created a tasty sauce perfect for pork chops.

I always season and brown the meat in a pan before I toss it into the Crock Pot. I think the searing locks in the seasonings and makes the meat more flavorful. However, you can skip this step if you wish and just place the chops in the Crock Pot as is.

Barbecue Pineapple Pork Chops
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce (you could use soy sauce instead)
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup white wine
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 red pepper, sliced thin
1 onion, sliced thin
4 to 6 pork chops

In a medium sized bowl, combine brown sugar, teriyaki/soy sauce, barbecue sauce, wine, crushed pineapples, ginger, and minced garlic.  Place pork chops in the Crock Pot and cover with the sauce. Cook on low for 4 hours. Add the peppers and onion to the Crock Pot in the last half hour of cooking.

Photo: Courtesy of Camra_ Art (Flickr)