Asian Pork Tenderloin with Ginger Glaze (crockpot)

This recipe is ranked up there with the Funky Fusion Fajitas - it is SOOO tasty. The meat is like candy and melts in your mouth. I love the flavors with the cloves, cinnamon and ginger. My most favorite part is that 99% of it is done in the crockpot!

• Ingredients: 

• For the rub:

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 pounds pork tenderloin
For the glaze:
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ¼ cup rice vinegar (or white)
• ½ cup cold water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
• fresh cilantro, to garnish (optional)
• lime wedges, to garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, salt, powdered ginger, cinnamon, garlic, cloves, black pepper, and crushed red pepper.
2. Place the tenderloins in the slow cooker. Rub the seasonings over the pork, including the bottom.
3. Pour ½ cup water in the slow cooker, on the edge or in the middle so that you don't wash off all the spices you just rubbed on.
4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, then preheat your broiler.
5. While the pork is finishing up in the slow cooker and your broiler heats up, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, cornstarch, rice vinegar, COLD water, and soy sauce in a small saucepan.
6. Set over medium heat and stir until mixture thickens, about 4 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and stir in minced ginger.
8. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray.
9. Remove the pork from the crock pot (discard the liquid) and place on the lined baking sheet. Brush a generous amount of the glaze on the pork.
10. Put your oven rack as high as it will go, and broil the pork for 1 or 2 minutes, until bubbly and caramelized. Don't walk away! Repeat 2 to 3 more times until it is as crusty as you want it. I wouldn't go many more times than this though, or your pork will dry out.
11. Serve with remaining glaze on the side, and garnish with lime and cilantro. 

recipe from thefoodcharlatan.com

Caramel Apple Pork Chops

I've never been a huge fan of fruit and meat food combinations, but ever since Carmen introduced me to the Skillet Pork Chop Sautee with Peaches I have been branching out a bit. This recipe is perfect for a fall meal. It came together really quickly and all of the flavors worked perfectly together. I made these sweet potatoes to go with the meal.

Ingredients:
4 (3/4 inch thick) pork chops
1 teaspoon oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
2 tart apples (peeled, cored and sliced)
1/4 cup pecans (chopped, optional)


Directions:
1. Brush the pork chops with oil, cook them in a pan until done, about 3-5 minutes per side and set aside.
2. Melt the butter in the same pan.
3. Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
4. Add the sugar mixture and the apples slices to the pan with the butter and cook until the apples are tender.
5. Set the apples aside and simmer the sauce to reduce so that it thickens a bit.
6. Serve the pork chops topped with the apples, drizzled with the caramel sauce and garnished with the pecans.

recipe courtesy of Closet Cooking

Orange Apricot Pork Chops in the Crock

So delicious and kid friendly. Incredibly simple too, you have to try it. The recipe says to cook on low for 8 hours in the crock but our chops were falling apart after only 7 hours. We served it over brown rice with lima beans. You HAVE to pour the extra juice from the crock over the rice & pork - it will rock your world! Can't wait to have this again & again.

Ingredients:

5-6 pork chops
1 cup apricot preserves (or apricot jam)
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges (and juice!)

Put your chops in the bottom of the crockpot. Sprinkle the poultry seasoning over the top of them. In a small bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the mandarin oranges and stir well. Spoon evenly on top of the pork chops. Pour the entire can (and juice) of the mandarin oranges over all of it. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Serve over rice to soak up that yummy juice! Enjoy.

Balsamic Grilled Pork Chops

These were some of the best pork chops we have ever had. Perfect flavor. Highly recommend. Easy to make marinade too.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 TBS honey
3 garlic cloves (we used minced)
1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon pepper (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon Ms. Dash's Original Salt Free Seasoning Blend

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Add 4-5 boneless pork chops to a resealable bag, pour marinade over them and refrigerate for 1-3 hours. Remove chops from the marinade when ready to grill. Grill on medium high heat for about 10 minutes on each side or until done. (time depends on the thickness of the chops). Goes great with Caramelized Butternut Squash!

Ranch House Chops - Crockpot

It doesn't get easier than this. Only 3 ingredients make this savory dish and you just have to dump them all into a crockpot. The pork chops were very tender and the sauce was full of flavor. We served ours over a bed of brown rice, but it would be good with mashed potatoes as well.

Ingredients:

6 pork chops, 1/2 inch thick
1 packet dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning
10 oz can Cream of Chicken Soup (I used Fat Free)


Place pork chops, Ranch seasoning and soup into a medium sized crock pot over high heat for 4 hours or low heat for 6 hours.

recipe courtesy of Picky Palate 

Skillet Pork Chop Saute with Peaches

Besides the Funky Fusion Fajitas recipe, this is by far the best new meal that we've had in a very long time. It was light, yet had incredible flavor. The peaches, shallots & thyme together created an amazing taste, without being overwhelming or too sweet. A definite family pleasing dinner. Can't wait to make again. And only 235 calories and 8.6 grams of fat per serving (makes 4 servings)!

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 (4oz) center cut boneless pork loin chops, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 TBS thinly sliced shallots
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 peaches, each cut into 8 wedges
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup fat free, low sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons butter

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan, swirl to coat. Sprinkle chops evenly with the salt & pepper. Add chops to heated pan; cook for a few minutes on each side until done. Remove chops from pan & keep warm.

2. Add shallots, thyme & peaches to pan, cook for about 2 minutes.

3. Stir in wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/3 cup (about 2 minutes). Then stir in broth & honey; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/3 cup again.

4. Remove from heat; stir in butter. Spoon sauce over chops. Enjoy!


*Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine

Balsamic Pork Scallopine

This has become an instant favorite in my family, including my picky 5 1/2 year old! It was my first time making it and we were so very pleased. It would be a great meal to impress guests with also because it is very light tasting and nothing is overwhelming about it all.

(I also liked that I could reserve a handful of the egg noodles and keep them plain for my 8 month old daughter to eat with just a tiny bit of butter on them and some butternut squash mixed in.)

Made dinner for the whole family very easy! This seems like A LOT of ingredients but actually I had every single thing on hand except the pork and the roasted red pepper so don't be discouraged by the long list!

From start to finish, it was only about 30 minutes. It's very filling!

INGREDIENTS:
4 lean cut pork sirloin cutlets
1 cup flour
3 TBS Olive Oil (I used EVOO)
2 TBS Butter (I don't use real butter in anything but my "I can't believe it's not butter! worked perfect too! )
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped roasted sweet red peppers (I used the jar ones, just drained first)
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 can (1/2 of a 14oz can) of reduced sodium chicken broth
2 TBS dried basil
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette (I used Ken's Light Balsamic Vinaigrette)
1/4 TSP ground black pepper

Noodles:
1 package egg noodles (I bought a store brand that was 12oz, more than enough for the 4 of us)
1/4 cup fat free half & half
2 TBS grated low fat Parmesan or Romano Cheese
2 TBS butter (again, no real butter for me so anything works)
1/4 TSP fresh ground black pepper
1/4 TSP Garlic Powder

HOW TO MAKE:
Coat the pork cutlets in flour. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add pork and brown slightly on each side. Set the pork aside.

Add onion and red peppers to the the pan and saute until the onion is tender (this is a pretty quick process). Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the broth, basil, balsamic vinaigrette and pepper. Return the pork to the pan.

Cover and cook on low-low/medium heat for about 15/20 minutes or until the pork is cooked through. Meanwhile, cook egg noodles as directed on package. Drain and add the 1/2 & 1/2, butter, grated cheese, black pepper & garlic powder. STIR WELL.

Serve the pork with some sauce over the noodles on a plate.


*recipe courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine

Apple Pork Chops with Sauerkraut - Crockpot

This is a great recipe to make in the fall and winter. Makes your house smell wonderful and it's a one hit wonder (no need to make sides or veggies). The whole family loves it. The pork chops fall apart with a fork and everything else goes together and tastes incredible! The apples & sweet pots will lose their shape so it may not be the prettiest dish to serve but the flavor makes up for it.

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into thin wedges (enough to cover the bottom of your crock)
1/2 small-medium yellow onion, finely chopped (you can use more if you like but my family isn't big on onions)
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and sliced
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar (more or less depending how sweet you like things)
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon (more or less depending how sweet you like things)
1 TBS poultry seasoning
1 TBS salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cinnamon sugar
6 boneless 1" thick pork chops
15-oz. can sauerkraut, rinsed and drained

Preparation:
Place the sweet potatoes and finely chopped onion in bottom of your slow cooker. Sprinkle some brown sugar, ground cinnamon and a pinch of salt over them. Cover with apple slices. In small bowl, combine brown sugar, ground cinnamon, cinnamon sugar, & the salt and pepper and sprinkle generously over the apples.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle poultry seasoning over both sides of the pork chops. Cook them for 3-4 minutes on each side or until browned slightly.

Place the chops over the apples. Top with the drained sauerkraut. Cover crockpot and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or until pork chops are tender. Enjoy!


This is adapted from About.com - find it here.

Carolina Style Pulled Pork - Crockpot

This pulled pork is absolutely delicious. It's a little sweet and has a little bite from the vinegar. Great for sandwiches and entertaining! 

Ingredients:

3lb pork tenderloin

1 med onion, diced

2 tsp butter

2 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp mustard

1/2 cup green pepper, diced

1/2 cup white vinegar

3 tsp worchestershire sauce

4 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp salt & pepper

1 1/2 C ketchup

Directions:

Place pork into crockpot. Combine all ingredients and pour over top of pork. Cook on low 8 hours. Meat should easily pull apart with 2 forks after 6 hours.

Crockpot Cranberry Pork Chops

I'm not a huge fan of pork chops but these were GREAT! They are delicious served with a side of mashed potatoes.

Ingredients:

6 chops
1 can jellied cranberry sauce
½ can cranberry juice
¼ cup sugar
2 T. brown mustard

Directions:

Combine ingredients and pour over chops.
Cook on low, 5-7 hours in a crockpot

Remove the chops.
Put in saucepan 2 T cornstarch and ½ cup cold water until smooth. Gradually add cooking juices. Cook and stir for 2 minutes, until thickened.