Slow Cooker on a $5 Meal Budget (Pork Chops & Applesauce)

Pork Chops and applesauce (anyone else say this like Peter Brady? ... Every time I say it I think of that episode .. lol).  Here is yet another $5 meal idea that was a pleasure with the boys.  I sadly with my diet didn't get to eat this dinner but all the boys loved it (well Caden told me I need to make chunky applesauce so next time I'll make sure to do that!).  Being on a diet and having to eat something different the family sometimes can be a pain but that is the nice thing about the crockpot and not have to slave over their meal and then mine!

First off we come to the Slow Cooker Brown Sugar and Balsamic Pork Roast I found on the $5 Meal website.  This was a very easy one to do and smelled so great.

Ingredients (These are her prices mine were close to this)

4 pork chops, about 1 1/4 lb. ($2.48)
Salt and pepper
2-3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar ($.20)
4 tsp brown sugar ($.02)

Directions

Place the pork chops in the bottom of a glass baking dish. Sprinkle some salt and pepper onto both sides of the pork chops. Then drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the top. Add 1 tsp of brown sugar on top of each pork chop and spread into the vinegar. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
Preheat oven to 350.
Bake the pork chops for 30-40 minutes, or until cooked through. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chop.

Second off on the menu was to make the Slowcooker Applesauce that I found on another favorite website A Year of Slowcooking.

4 large apples, skinned ,cored, and cut in quarters 
juice from 1 lemon 
1/2 tsp cinnamon 
1 tsp vanilla 
1 T brown sugar 
1/4 cup H20 

The Directions.

Skin, core, and cut your apples into quarters. Plop the pieces into your crockpot. Add the juice from the lemon, and the water. Pour in the vanilla, and add the cinnamon and brown sugar. 

Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. When the apples are super tender, mash with a potato masher or large fork. 

And here is what dinner looked like!!

(don't laugh at the Ikea Bowl for the kids .. lol)

These are two great recipes that you can make and have in time for dinner (if you want do your applesauce the day before since it makes so much it will give you a treat for a few days).  Hope you all have a great day!  

What's on the Menu tonight?

Another Belly Filling Dinner

I love Pork Chops and Apple sauce (yes the Brady Bunch show comes to mind when I say that … if you don’t know what I’m talking about you so need to youtube it).

I started with the Crock Pot Applesauce that was so simple to make from Skinnytaste.com.

Then I went to the recipe that lead me to the applesauce, the Pork Chops and Applesauce.  The pork was the best I’ve had in a long time.

I’ve been hearing about using cauliflower for a mash potato substitute.  So I went to Spark Recipes for Mashed Cauliflower with Beans.  I think I was the only one who enjoyed this one.

Happy Wednesday everyone, I’m still all out of whack with the holidays etc and can’t believe it’s Wednesday but happy for a good week to come!

So what is on your menu for tonight?

Pork & Potatoes on the lighter side.

Rick told me no more chicken this week, lol.  So I found a pork recipe and then he’s been asking (whining, just joking) for Au Gratin Potatoes.  I went on the hunt for weight watcher versions.  I love Google.

I found this Potato Au Gratin recipe that turned out so yummy full of flavor you wouldn’t know it was low calorie.

Next on the list was pork that was easy to marinate and then on my grill in the house (well I tried to bake first but it didn’t work so well).  This Garlic Lime Marinate for pork chops was easy and yummy.

Happy Tuesday everyone!  What are your dinner plans for tonight?

BBQ time? How about a pork marinate?

Rick wanted something different then the usual that I have been making so I found some pork chops on sale at Winco so I picked them up and had to find something to do with them!  Thanks to Google I found a yummy marinate.  I started the marinate early since it was Tuesday and that is when our friends come for dinner.  Sadly later that day she had cancel and I already had the chops marinating so I had Rick put them on the grill and knew I would use them again later that week.   My little helper Caden had to get into helping to, man I’m telling you when he gets married the lady better thank me for his cooking skills … lol

Have a great Monday everyone, I’m still trying to find the bottom to this thing they call my life.  I need some normal here soon .

More Yummy Fall Flavors! (Recipes)

More fall flavors with yummy flavors and things that are quick and easy :). Hope you find one or all you enjoy!

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Molasses Coffee Marinated Pork Chops

Found on the Food Network (Alton Brown)

Ingredients

• Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2009
• 1 cup cool strong coffee
• 6 ounces molasses, by weight
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 (6 to 8-ounce) bone-in, 1-inch thick pork chops

Directions

Place all of the ingredients into a 1-gallon zip top bag, seal, and shake to combine. Place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Remove the pork chops from the marinade. Transfer the marinade to a small saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-high, and boil gently, stirring often, until reduced to about 1/2 cup liquid, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the thyme stems after the glaze has reduced. Meanwhile, grill pork chops 3 to 4 minutes per side or until they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Allow the pork chops to rest 4 to 5 minutes before serving with the glaze.

ALEXIS NOTES: Being who I am and stuck with no time and needing to throw together a quick meal. I took this and threw it all in the crock pot and tada and it was very yummy!! Threw it on low for 6 hours and out popped dinner served with a yummy sweet potato recipe :).

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And for a yummy sweet potato recipe, ok the picture on the food network was very orange so they had to use what we call Yams here. Next time I think I'll try it with yams to make Rick happy :).

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Pecan and Marshmallow Streusel

FoodNetworkcom (by Florence Tyler)

Ingredients

• 12 large sweet potatoes
• 3/4 cup (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup toasted pecan pieces
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Wash the sweet potatoes, scrubbing them well to remove any dirt. With a fork, prick the sweet potatoes in a couple of spots and place them on a sheet pan. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center goes in easily.

In a large bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, and flour together until it's crumbly-looking. Add the cinnamon, salt, pecans, and marshmallows; fold the streusel topping together to combine.

Slice the sweet potatoes lengthwise down the center and push the ends towards the middle so it opens up. Stuff the sweet potatoes generously with the streusel topping and return to the oven. Bake for another 20 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and brown.

ALEXIS NOTES: Mom sent home some Halloween marshmallows and they were the perfect fall color for my recipe :). I had no pecans so of course we didn't have those. I loved this, surprisingly the boys not so much and Rick complained not liked his fav candied yams. Guess I'll switch to yams next time :).

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We end with a yummy cup of Hot Coco with our favorite Halloween Marshmallows :)

I'm linking up to Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays and Tasty Tuesdays.

Make Something Monday ... Cranberry Pork Chop

Here we are again with pork (turn your head non pork eaters). Do you have an extra can of jellied cranberry sauce hanging out left over from the holidays? Ok don't gag I love that stuff ... LOL I think I may be the only one because it wasn't opened. So of course I have to use it and I went on a Google mission to find a recipe using some pork chops I had in the freezer and this can of jellied cranberry. Then a came up upon this recipe and was pleasantly surprised at how this yummy goodness on top of them!

Ingredients:

6 pork loin chops, lean cuts

1 can (16-ounce size) jellied cranberry sauce

1/2 cup cranberry or apple juice

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard

Directions: Place pork chops in crock pot and sprinkle with salt and pepper, or seasoning of choice. Combine remaining ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir until well blended and smooth. Pour sauce over pork chops and cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Alexis NOTE: So I got to making this late one night so I had to toss the crock pot part and put them in the oven. The recipe held up great to the oven. I put it at around 350 for an hour. They were so tender and yummy! (I also switched the sugar with a substitute and we only had white grape juice ... but it worked out wonderful)

This recipe from CDKitchen for Basic Cranberry Pork Chops serves/makes 6

Make Something Monday ... Pork Chops and Hash Browns Potato Bake

I know the title on this one may sound a little weird but believe me it's super yummy! The boys at first were like what the heck, but then they saw cheese and french onions and couldn't put it down. It has now become a requested meal at the house! Enjoy I promise you'll love it and it's super easy and cheap!

Pork Chops & Hash Browns Potato Bake

Ingredients

• 6 pork chops
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 24 ounces frozen hash browns, thawed
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of celery soup
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups french fried onions

Directions

Brown Chops, sprinkle with salt and set aside.
Combine soup, milk, sour cream, pepper and 1/2 t salt. Stir in potatoes, 1/2 cup cheese, 1/2 cup French fried onion.
Spoon into 9x13-inch pan.
Arrange pork chops over top. Bake covered at 350*F for 40 minutes.
Top with remaining cheese and onions.
Bake uncovered for 5 minutes longer, or until cheese has melted.
Found http://www.recipezaar.com/pork-chops-hash-browns-potato-bake-372539