Maple Braised Pork Chops

I'm always looking for a new recipe for pork chops because there are only so many times I can marinate them in Italian dressing and dry them out on the grill. Kyle and I have both come to love Giada's parmesan-crusted pork chops but in all honesty, they tend to be a bit unfriendly to those looking to watch calories. I ran across this recipe while perusing through Joelen's blog (a fellow member of my favorite cooking message board) and knew that I needed to try it. In fact, I passed the recipe along to one of my friends who made the chops (although the recipe does call for ribs) that same day and let me know that her hubby (who isn't a huge pork chop fan) raved about them...that's what sealed the deal for me.

I broke out the crockpot yesterday afternoon, determined to get my money out of it (even though I got it on sale at Williams-Sonoma last winter for about 40 bucks), mixed up the quick spice rub, rubbed the chops down, and got them cooking. The result was more than worth the 6 hour wait for them. The chops came out with the meat falling off the bone and flavor was a nice mix between sweet and savory; the maple in the background of everything is what made this dish. I'll admit they did come out a little dry so next time I'll cook them for 5 to 5 1/2 hours rather than 6, but because they tasted as good as they did, a little dryness didn't matter all that much.

Maple Braised Pork Ribs

1-2 lbs pork ribs (I used bone-in chops)
maple rub (recipe below)

Maple Rub

• 2 tablespoons real maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• splash of worchestershire sauce
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chicken stock for the bottom of the crockpot
  

1. Combine above ingredients in a bowl. Consistency will slightly clumpy and paste like. Coat pork ribs with this paste using your hands - a basting brush isn't as effective.
2. Place coated pork in a dutch oven or in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 300 degrees for 3-4 hours OR Place coated pork in your crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours. (I think 5 to 5 1/2hrs in the crockpot would be enough time)

Prep time: 5-10 mintues

Cook time: Oven: 3-4hrs Crockpot: 5 to 5 1/2hrs

Serves: 4

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

One little joy in life that makes me happy over and over is my crockpot. Can it get any easier than to prep a meal in the morning, throw it in a pot, and have it be ready when I return home from work? Probably not...and this time, Kyle and ate our dinners at two completely different times of day and the meal was ready for both of us to eat when we needed to.

I got up extra early so that the chicken would be ready when Kyle needed to eat at 11am before leaving for his afternoon/evening shift today. After tossing everything into the crockpot at 6:30am, I set it to low and let it cook on low for 1 1/2 hrs, then turned it to high and it cooked for an additional 3 hrs. After Kyle served up his serving, he turned it to the warm setting to keep it warm for the afternoon.

After I got home, I turned it back on low for 30 minutes to reheat and I was all set to go. Love it! And let me tell you...by the time I got home after having thought about this cooking all day, I couldn't wait to dig in! I had also made some mexican rice this morning while I got ready for work so that it would be ready for both of us when we were ready to eat. What a treat this whole meal was!!

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

• 2 or 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 jar salsa
• 1 can (15oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground corinader (optional)
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• dash of chipotle chili powder (optional)

1. Put chicken on the bottom of the crockpot. Cover with salsa then beans. Add water to bottom of the crockpot around the chicken. Sprinkle with dry spices.
2. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
3. Serve with rice, sour cream, shredded cheese and garnish with chopped cilantro. You can also shred the chicken and make burritos if you have tortillas in the fridge.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 8hrs on low or 3 1/2 to 4hr on high

Serves: 2-4

Bringing a little of the South to New England

Traveling down South you can always guarantee that you'll be able to find a few certain foods at any truck/rest stop, diner, Denny's, etc...grits and bbq pulled pork. And let me tell you, if, when traveling with my parents as a child (always by car), a place didn't have bbq pulled pork, my dad would not be a happy camper. This one is WAY up on his list favorite foods...right up there with chicken parmesan. And funny enough, my mom never ever made this while I was growing up...and I'm not so sure why, because it is SO easy to make!! HELLO CROCKPOT!!!

I pulled my gleaming almost-never-used crockpot out the other day from one of my spare bedrooms (which is acting as a makeshift small kitchen appliance overflow/storage area) and cranked it all the way up to low ;) earlier this week. I had bought a 6 pound pork shoulder at the grocery store over the weekend and was bound and determined to make some kick-ass pulled pork this week. And what a treat this was!!! To come home to a great-smelling home and not have to worry about preparing a whole meal after a long day was the best! The pork was tender and so tastey that I think Kyle sneaked back for thirds!

BBQ Pulled Pork

• 1 large pork shoulder or butt (bone in)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, sliced
• 4 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 1/2 bottles of your favorite bbq sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's Original)

In a heavy stock pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Trim off some of the visible fat, but not all. Lightly brown all non-fat sides of the meat in the heated oil.

Place onions, garlic and water in the bottom of crockpot. Transfer browned pork to crockpot and place on top of onions and garlic. Cover pork and onions with bbq sauce. Cover crockpot and cook for 8 hours on low.

When finished cooking, remove pork from crockpot and shred with two forks. Combine shredded pork with remaining bbq and onion mixture. Serve alone, on hamburger buns or on hard sandwich rolls.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 8 hours

Serves: 6-8