Busy Mommy Media» Pork Recipes

Crockpot Recipe: Creamy Barbecue Chicken

Rachel — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:22:31 +0000

The best trick I have for getting dinner on the table during the week is my crockpot. It’s way too easy to talk yourself into eating out or throwing together something unhealthy at the last minute when time consuming food prep is staring you in the face after a long day.

This creamy barbecue chicken recipe takes only seconds to prepare in the crockpot and is a meal that even the pickiest eaters will love.

Ingredients

1 jar of barbecue sauce – The size of the jar doesn’t really matter. A smaller jar will give you a milder flavorer or you can use a larger jar for more of a classic barbecue flavor.
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 pound of lean pork chops

Preparation

You really can’t get much easier than this. put your pork in the crockpot. In a separate bowl, combine the soup and the barbecue sauce. I love to use the cheaper brands of barbecue sauce that I stock up on with my coupon use in this recipe because the soup really jazzes up the flavor. Pour the sauce over the pork.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until tender.

You can serve this over rice or potatoes if you like. My kids love this recipe because it makes the pork so tender and they love anything with barbecue sauce. You can use extra barbecue sauce for dipping if you like.

Slow Cooker Recommendations

My Crock-Pot has a permanent place on my kitchen counter because it gets so much use. When buying a slow cooker, you want to look for one in the size that you’d get the most use out of. If you get it too small, you’re going to be limited, but get it too big for the portions you cook and your food won’t cook correctly.

I have the Crock-Pot on the left and I’ve loved it for several reasons. For one, it’s stylish enough that I can get away with leaving it out and it isn’t an eyesore. It also has a few bonus features that let me set a timer for low or high settings — once my food is done it sets the Crock-Pot to “warm” and gives me a timer so I know how long it’s been done for.

What’s your favorite slow cooker recipe?

Dijon and Peach Glazed Pork Chops

Rachel — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:32:01 +0000

When it comes to dinner time around our house, I have a few rules. I’m not willing to spend hours in the kitchen creating a meal that my kids likely won’t eat and I’m rarely willing to buy a long list of ingredients for one meal. I fully admit to being a lazy cook but I’m generally a much bigger fan of eating than cooking so I tend to look for tasty meals I can throw together in no time at all.

This really simple pork chop recipe has loads and loads of flavor and is perfect for a weeknight meal in the colder winter months. I usually have most of the ingredients other than the pork on hand so my shopping list stays nice and short. The real benefit to these, though, is my kids will eat them so it’s an old standby.

Ingredients

1 can of peaches
2 packages of stuffing (When stuffing goes on sale for Thanksgiving I buy enough to last me for the year.)
1/4 cup of butter
1/2 cup of peach jam – this is negotiable. I’ve used apricot jam before and it’s tasty. Last time I made it I used peach/mango/orange jam from Costco and that was a big hit.)
2 T dijon mustard
1 pound of thinly sliced pork chops

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Cooking the stuffing is similar to the directions on the box but with a bit of a twist. To start with, drain your peaches but save all the juice. Combine the juice with enough water to make 3 cups of water and pour into a pot to boil with the butter. I use a bit less butter than is called for on the box simply because I don’t notice a taste difference but if you prefer to use the standard amount of butter feel free.

Once the water comes to a boil, add the stuffing mixes. Stir until it combines then cover and let it sit for 5 minutes. Add the peaches to the stuffing and stir.

Spread the stuffing mix in the bottom of a 13×9 inch pan and lay the pork chops on top.

To make the glaze measure out the jam and dijon mustard and mix it together then simply spread a thin layer on each pork chop.

Bake for 60 minutes or until the pork is cooked thoroughly.

Serve this with a nice sized serving of veggies and you’ve got a meal that looks like a lot more work than it was. I won’t tell if you won’t.

Recipe – Cranberry Chili Slow Cooked Pork

Heather — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 08:00:10 +0000

I am one of those moms who is in LOVE with her slow cooker. I kind of consider myself a rock star when at the end of the day I can pull off an amazing, flavor filled meal without even breaking a sweat. The problem… a lot of slow cooker recipes tend to start blurring together and all of a sudden you are eating the same meal over and over.

The other day I discovered a new slow cooker recipe that at first, kind of took me back. How on earth could cranberry sauce and garlic chili sauce go together? Let me tell you it does. Not only does it go together… it’s a match made in heaven!

Cranberry Chili Slow Cooked Pork

1-2 pounds of pork loin

1 can of jellied cranberry sauce

8 oz. jar of chili garlic sauce {found in the asain section of the market}

In a bowl combine the cranberry sauce and the chili garlic sauce, set aside. Place pork in slow cooker and cover with the cranberry chili sauce. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Now all you have to decide on is the delivery method. My personal favorite is in the street taco form. Wrapping the pork in a couple of warm corn tortillas. Add a squirt of lime, some cabbage, avocado and a drizzle of sour cream and you are in business.

Another option is to serve the pork on some white or brown rice. Garnish with green onion and avocado. Now you have a fabulous and easy meal that the family will love!

Spareribs and Sauerkraut

Linda — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 08:59:18 +0000

Spareribs and sauerkraut is one of my favorite comfort foods. It is so easy to prepare that you will be making it over and over. We had guests and I made spareribs and sauerkraut. My friend told her husband, she did not know if she would like the dish because she did not like sauerkraut. Since it was one of his favorite dishes, he assured her she would like it, or we would make her something else. When she tasted it, she said she never knew sauerkraut could taste this good. She makes the dish at home frequently now and thoroughly enjoys every bite.

Sauerkraut gives the immune system a great boost. In a study published by the University of New Mexico, they found that adolescent females had a reduced risk for breast cancer. In earlier studies they found that sauerkraut might reduce the risk for other forms of cancer including lung, colon, prostate, and liver.

Spareribs and Sauerkraut

Ingredients
1 quart sauerkraut, undrained
1 rack of spareribs or country ribs
1/4 cup diced onions
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons caraway seeds
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation

Salt and pepper the ribs on both sides. Place the ribs in a pan and put under the broiler until golden brown on one side. Check the ribs frequently; it does not take long for them to get golden brown.

Remove the ribs from the oven. Set aside.

While the ribs are under the broiler, place the sauerkraut with the juice in a 10×15 pan.

Sprinkle the sauerkraut with the sugar. Lightly cover the sauerkraut with the diced onions and caraway seeds.

Place the ribs on top of the sauerkraut with the browned side facing down.

Add 1 cup of water.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for one hour.

Tips:

The amount of onions and caraway seeds may vary depending on the size of the baking pan.

If the ribs are frozen, cook for 1 ½ hours.

Try placing the mashed potatoes on the dinner plate, top the mashed potatoes with some sauerkraut with a little of the juice. It is yummy!

If you have leftover sauerkraut, use it for a delicious Reuben sandwich. On rye bread spread Thousand Island dressing on both pieces of bread. Place corned beef or pastrami on the rye bread. Add sauerkraut and Swiss cheese. Lightly butter the bread and grill on a griddle or in a skillet until browned and the meat and sauerkraut is hot. Turn the sandwich frequently so the bread will brown evenly.

Slow Cooker Ham and Cabbage

Linda — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 05:34:57 +0000

There are many tantalizing recipes using leftover ham from appetizers to dinners. One that is a very hearty dish is a Ham and Cabbage dinner cooked in a slow cooker. The meal cooks quickly on high, so do not overcook it or the ham and cabbage will fall apart.

The Ham and Asparagus Appetizer is one of my favorites. I love asparagus and wrapping the asparagus with ham is so good. You can vary the filling to suit what your family enjoys. Instead of yogurt try putting cream cheese on the ham and then rolling it up. I even like this way of fixing it without the filling. You do not need much of the Parmesan cheese. I use just enough to decorate the top.

The list of ham recipes goes on and on. Some other favorites for leftover ham at our house are our old time favorite, a chef’s salad for lunch or dinner. Scrambled eggs, frittatas, quiche, and omelet dishes are always special for that lazy weekend morning.

Enjoy your leftover ham!

Ham and Cabbage

Ingredients

2 slices cooked ham
1 medium head cabbage, quartered
3/4 onion, sliced
4 carrots, sliced 1/2 –inch pieces
4 potatoes peeled and cubed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup water

Preparation

Layer potatoes, carrots, and onions on the bottom of the slow cooker.

Add one ham slice to the slow cooker like a Crock-Pot SCCPVL600R Cook’ N Carry 6-Quart Oval Manual Portable Slow Cooker, Red (See all Slow Cookers) . Then add half of the cabbage, another ham slice, and the rest of the cabbage.

Turn the slow cooker on high for 3-4 hours or until the potatoes and carrots are done.

Ham and Asparagus Appetizer

Ingredients

16 spears fresh asparagus, trimmed
1 tablespoon water
16 thin slices cooked ham

Filling
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cucumber – peeled, seeded, and diced
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon spicy mustard (optional)
Dash of black pepper
Parmesan cheese, shredded

Preparation

Place the asparagus in a single layer in a microwave safe dish with a lid. Add water to the dish and cover. Cook on high 2-3 minutes until the asparagus is crisp but cooked.

When the asparagus is cooked remove the asparagus from the microwave immediately and place the asparagus in ice water to stop it from cooking. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel.

Wrap each asparagus spear with a slice of ham. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

When ready to serve the asparagus, make the filling and serve on the side.

Using Up Easter Leftovers

Lorie — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 00:41:19 +0000

This year as I planned my Easter dinner, I also planned a few days of eating leftovers. I don’t like anything to go to waste, especially since food is so expensive right now. So, if you have a refrigerator full of leftovers here are a few ideas to help you plan to use those leftovers this week.

Easter Eggs

I love to spend some time with my kids and let them color Easter Eggs, then we usually use plastic eggs with candy in them for our Easter egg hunts, so we usually have lots of eggs left to use. I really do not want those eggs to go to waste. So, I make plans to use those eggs in recipes the following week. Hard boiled eggs are best kept in the refrigerator with the shell left on until you plan to use it in a recipe. The eggs will be good for up to one week in the refrigerator. I like to make a big batch of egg salad. We can use this during the week for egg salad sandwiches. You could even use the egg salad for dinner one night. I also like to make potato salad for Easter dinner and I use some of the eggs in that recipe too. I always have leftovers of my potato salad to eat on during the next week. If you enjoy salads, the hard boiled eggs make a great topping. I also plan to make some Norwegian Butter Cookies, these will help me use leftover egg yolks. So, there are lots of things you can do with leftover colored Easter Eggs. Don’t let them go to waste.

Ham

A lot of families have ham for Easter Dinner. I always buy a bigger ham than I need so I can plan for leftovers. You can keep leftover ham that is off of the ham bone in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Ham is perfect to heat in the morning to eat for breakfast with some eggs or on leftover rolls from my Easter dinner. There are also a lot of casserole recipes that use ham. Creamy Potato and Ham Bake is one of my favorites. I also like to make soups with leftover ham and even the ham bone. You can even freeze a ham bone for later use in soups. Here are a few of my favorite ham bone soup recipes.

Crockpot Ham Bone and Beans

Senate Bean Soup

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Easter Candy

We always have a lot of leftover Easter candy in our house. There are a lot of things you can do to make desserts with leftover Easter Candy , so don’t throw it away. You can make a ton of things from leftover Peeps, Chocolate Easter Bunnies, mini candy bars, and even jelly beans. Here are a few great recipes!

Jelly Bean Rice Krispie Treats

Jelly Bean Fudge

Peeps S’mores

Photo Credit: tauntingpanda

Quick Recipes with Cream Cheese

Linda — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 06:50:00 +0000

Cream cheese is a very mild cheese with a slightly tangy taste. Cream cheese can be used in all types of recipes from appetizers to desserts. You can buy cream cheese in tubs or blocks. There are many flavors of cream cheese from plain to cream cheese that has been flavored with herbs or fruit.

Cream cheese is not aged, so it has a short shelf life once it has been opened. When I buy cream cheese, I try to have a few recipes in mind so that I can use the cream cheese within a week or so of the expiration date. Cream cheese should be discarded if it has mold, smells rancid, or has discoloration.

When you are cooking with cream cheese, do not let the cream cheese boil because it will curdle. Cook on low to medium heat so it does not get too hot. Cream cheese does not freeze well. The cream cheese separates and the texture changes when it is frozen.

Ham and Broccoli Potato Soup

Ingredients
2 can chicken broth (14 ounces each)
2 cups potatoes diced
1/4 cup onions diced
1 1/2 cups chopped fully cooked ham
2 cups half and half
2 cups small broccoli florets
1 ounce cream cheese, softened, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
Combine chicken broth, onions, potatoes and ham in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook uncovered on low for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Add half and half and broccoli. Continue cooking on low for another 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Stir in cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and cayenne pepper. Continue to cook on low until the cheese is melted. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve while hot.

Smoked Salmon and Vegetable Cream Cheese Bagels

Ingredients
2 bagels
16 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
2-3 tablespoons dry vegetable soup mix
4 slices smoked salmon

Preparation
Set the cream cheese on the counter an hour before serving or soften in the microwave like the Panasonic, Black NN-H765BF Full-Size 1.6-Cubic-Feet 1250-Watt Microwave Oven .

Place the cream cheese in a bowl and add the dry vegetable soup mix. Mix until well blended.

Cut bagels in half horizontally. Lightly spread the cream cheese mixture onto each half of the bagel. Add a slice of smoked salmon. Serve.

Tip:
To jazz up your favorite mashed potato recipe, add cream cheese to taste and one finely chopped green onion. You can cut the green part of the green onion with a pair of sharp kitchen scissors.

If you do not like salmon, try cutting up left over ham and putting it in the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle the top with shredded Parmesan cheese. Put under the broiler for 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

Basic Stir-Fried Pork

Linda — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 18:17:50 +0000

Chinese is one of my favorite foods. The flavor, balance, and combination of textures are so satisfying. You do not have to wait for a night out to have good Chinese. You can make it yourself and enjoy it at home. If you need to watch your food budget, Chinese food will feed a family reasonably because it does not need a large piece of meat.

When you are selecting the vegetables, use vegetables that your family enjoys. You should use about one pound of vegetables. If your family does not like one of the vegetables listed, select something else like mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, green beans, carrots or bean sprouts. Just make sure when you have made your vegetable choices that you have about a pound of vegetables to balance out the amount of meat and the rest of the ingredients.

I had some leftover pork from the Oven Barbecued Ribs recipe that I used for this recipe and it was delicious. The only thing I changed was when the meat looked warm and was slightly brown I removed it. I didn’t cook it the full three minutes since it was already cooked.

Ingredients

1/2 pound lean pork

Vegetables (1 pound vegetables)
1 cup celery
1/2 cup bamboo shoots
1/4 cup water chestnuts
1/4 cup snow peas
1/2 cup green pepper
1 cup coarsely chopped cabbage
2 green onions

1 garlic clove
1 slice fresh ginger root
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sherry, wine, or water
1/2 cup stock
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons soy sauce

Preparation

Slice pork thin against the grain. Slice the vegetables. Cut the green onion and top into ½-inch sections. Crush garlic by whacking it with a knife or by using a garlic press. Shred the ginger by peeling a piece of the ginger and slicing it in thin strips. Gather the strips together and cut the strips again in the opposite direction.

Heat oil in a wok like the Presto 5900 1500-Watt Stainless-Steel Electric Wok
or a deep skillet. Add vegetables and stir-fry until slightly softened; then remove the vegetables from the wok.

Add the remaining oil to the wok. When the oil is heated add salt, green onion, garlic, and ginger root. When the ingredients are slightly brown, add pork and stir-fry about 3 minutes until it begins to brown. Sprinkle with sherry, wine, or water. Stir-fry a few seconds to warm the sherry, wine, or water.

Return the vegetables to the wok. Add chicken stock and soy sauce. Simmer, covered, until done. Blend cornstarch, water, and remaining soy sauce to a paste. Stir slowly into the wok to thicken the stir-fry.

Serve it while it is hot.

Enjoy!

Oven Barbecued Ribs

Linda — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 20:00:25 +0000

If you are like us, we love barbecued ribs and in the fall and winter we cook them in the oven. One thing that I really like about this recipe is that the sauce is not real sweet and does not have as many preservatives and artificial sweeteners that prepared barbecue sauce has in it. It just takes a few minutes to make the basting sauce and pour it over the ribs.

If you have any ribs left over they warm up very well for another meal. Warm them up at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes and then turn the oven down to 250 degrees until you are ready to eat. If the sauce is too thick, add a little water.

I serve mashed potatoes or garlic mashed potatoes with the ribs. Kids love to put some of the sauce on their potatoes as a gravy…give it a try you might like it too.

Oven Barbecued Ribs

Ingredients

3-4 pounds country-style ribs, pork shoulder, cut into 6-8 pieces
1 large onion, thinly sliced

Basting Sauce

1 cup catsup
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 cups water

Preparation

Salt the ribs and place them in a shallow roasting pan, meaty side up. A Pyrex Grip-Rite 2-Quart Oblong Baking Dish, Clear works well for the ribs. Place in oven at 450 degrees for 30 minutes. Drain excess fat from pan. Top each piece of ribs with a slice of onion.

Basting Sauce

Combine all of the ingredients for the basting sauce in a saucepan. Place the saucepan on the stove top and stir to combine the ingredients. Bring the sauce to a boil. Remove from stove and pour the sauce over the ribs. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake until well done about 1 1/2 hours. Baste ribs with the sauce every 15 minutes or so. If the sauce gets too thick, add more water.

Tip

When you make garlic mashed potatoes, add 2-4 cloves of garlic to the water when you boil the potatoes. When the potatoes have finish cooking, the garlic will be soft and you can easily mash the cloves with a fork or with your hand mixer while mashing the potatoes.

If you have leftovers, you can cut up pieces to add to a salad, pork stir-fry, pork chow mien, pork fried rice, shredded pork for sandwiches, tacos, or quesadillas.

Skipping Jack

Courtney — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:03:35 +0000

I don’t have a picture of this take on hoppin’ john as it was gone too quickly. I’d say the recipe makes somewhere between two and four servings depending on the appetites of the people you’re feeding, but either way it will be gone quickly. Hoppin’ john is a combination of rice, black eyed peas and ham hock, but I’ve dubbed mine Skipping Jack as it’s similar in idea but different in ingredients enough to qualify for its own name.

This rice and beans dish is flavored with soy chorizo, though you could use real chorizo if you like. I just tend to lean more vegetarian and recently discovered this alternative and I’m quite happy with it–it’s spicy, crumbly and very highly flavored, lending itself well to uses as a flavoring agent or garnish rather than a centerpiece. I used Trader Joe’s brand, but I’ve seen others floating around in other grocery stores so use whatever type you like. It’s also superb cooked into scrambled eggs and tucked into breakfast sandwiches.

This dish is pretty good eaten just as it is, but if you want to dress it up and make it even better I very much recommend topping it with chopped avocado or salsa and shredded almond cheese (or other low-fat cheese). I plated mine on top of a handful of chopped butter lettuce blend because I like the wilted lettuce mixed with the hot rice but that’s entirely up to you.

Skipping Jack

serves 2-4, scales up easily

Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice, uncooked
1 15oz can black eyed peas
1 bouillon cube or 1/2 teaspoon bacon salt
2-4 oz soy chorizo
hot sauce (optional)

Directions:
Cook the rice according to package directions. While the rice is cooking, rinse and drain the black eyed peas and place them in a small saucepan with enough water to cover by half an inch and the bouillon cube or bacon salt. Heat to a simmer over low to medium low heat and stir every couple of minutes to keep the peas from burning, but allow them to start to break up a little and get soupy, about 20-30 minutes. Add more water if they start to get too dry and thick. When the rice is done, toss it in a bowl with the peas and their sauce. Remove the casing from the soy chorizo and brown in a non-stick pan for a couple of minutes over medium heat, then pour into the peas and rice and fold to mix everything together evenly. Taste for seasoning and add some hot sauce if you want it spicier and serve.