Shredded pork burritos with tomatillo sauce

Aren't slow cooker's the greatest thing ever? I just love that I can put everything together the night before, and have minimal work to do when I get home. This pork recipe is more sweet than spicy for tacos-probably good if you have picky eaters.

But--those of you that like spicy food, do not dispair. I made the tomatillo sauce a bit spicy and it was absolutely heavenly. I wish I had more recipes for tomatillos. I will be honest, I don't really know what they are or how I should use them, but I always like when I do use them.

TIP: Since this is a bone-in roast, when I remove the bones, I put them in a gallon freezer bag, and keep in the freezer. Once the bag is full of bones, I'll make a bone broth out of it!

I will say though, I got to use my new Ninja blender for this, but ended up cutting my finger on the blade (it's really sharp!) :(  I am fine, but it definitely hurts!

Scott always makes fun of me for the amount of stuff I put in my tacos/burritos. Do you think it's too much for one girl to eat??

My burrito

Tomatillo sauce

Shredded pork burritos with tomatillo sauce-adapted from Taste of Home's Easy Back to School Meals

Total time: 9 hours

Serves 16

For the pork:

• 1 bone-in pork shoulder roast (5 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, divided
• 3 teaspoons paprika, divided
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces cola
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

For the sauce:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tomatillos, husks removed
• 2 tablespoons dried cilantro
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 envelope ranch dressing mix
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 16 flour tortillas
• Cheese, black olives, lettuce, sour cream-for serving

Place roast in a greased 5-quart slow cooker. Cover with 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 teaspoons paprika, pepper flakes, cumin, salt, cola, chicken broth, onion and garlic. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat is tender. 

Shred the meat (sometimes I can do it right in the crock, sometimes I need to put it on a cutting board-do whatever is comfortable for you). Discard the bones. Return meat to slow cooker if removed. Stir in remaining brown sugar and paprika. Cover and continue to cook on low until heated through and sauce is done.

For the sauce, in a blender, combine the mayonnaise, milk, tomatillos, cilantro, jalapeno, ranch mix, lime juice, garlic and cayenne. Cover and process until blended. Pour into a small bowl and chill until serving.

Using a slotted spoon, fill each tortilla with your desired amount of pork, and top with you favorite toppings and the tomatillo sauce.

Italian pork chops

Oh man. You guys will love this recipe. It includes a tad bit more than a 'set it and forget it' to thicken the sauce, but it's still incredibly easy. I think my favorite part is that it makes a TON of sauce. I have a bunch left over that I plan on using this week for a recipe. We're working on moving into a new place, and once that is done, I want to learn to can, and I think this would be a great recipe!

Anyway, This is one of the easiest meals I've made! The flavors were fantastic even though there wasn't too much to it. The pork ended up super tender, you didn't even need a fork! I served over pasta for the extra sauce.

Italian pork chops-adapted from Taste of Home's Easy Back to School Meals
Total time: 6 hours
Serves 4

• 4 boneless pork chops
• 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup cold water
• Cooked pasta of your choice, for serving

In a 4-5 quart greased slow cooker, place the pork chops, mushrooms, onions and garlic. Top with tomato sauce, lemon juice, salt, oregano, basil and parsley. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low, or until pork is tender and cooked through.

Remove pork to an oven-safe dish, and place in an oven preheating to 250 degrees. This will keep them warm. Transfer the sauce to a medium sauce pan. 

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water and mix until smooth. Add to saucepan and bring mixture to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve over pork chops and pasta.

Bruschetta Pork Chops

Fresh bruschetta is one of our new favorite things. I love how fresh everything tastes, and when you get some nice crunchy bread, and a good balsamic sauce with it, there's nothing better. Because I don't consider myself a huge tomato fan, you'd think that I wouldn't like it, but I can't get enough of this!

The original recipe calls for lamb chops, but, come on, who can afford those these days? The flavors were great, and having fresh tomatoes will make this even better!

Bruschetta Pork Chops-adapted from 30-Minute Dinners by Better Homes and Gardens
Total Time: 20 Minutes
Serves 2

• 2 pork chops, about 1-inch thick
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1-2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 green onion, diced
• 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Sprinkle pork chops to taste with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook pork chops until they begin to brown on both sides and are no longer pink in the middle.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, oregano and vinegar until blended. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pork chops.

Broccoli Pork Rice Bowl

This recipe was supposed to be made with chicken, and definitely could still be used with your favorite protein. However, I accidentally took the pork chops out of the freezer thinking they were chicken breasts (I made the mistake of putting them in an unmarked bag).

I added some cayenne pepper and garlic salt to the original recipe for additional flavor. If you aren't a fan of either, play around with your favorite spices! You could also add your favorite veggies to the dish, much like a stir fry.

Broccoli Pork Rice Bowl-adapted from "Reader's Top Rated Recipes" by Cooking Light
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Serves 4

• 3 cups broccoli, fresh or frozen
• 1 cup white rice
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 8 ounces boneless pork chops, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 ounces Velveeta cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt, to taste

Steam broccoli for about 5 minutes, or according to package directions. Also, cook rice according to package directions.

Meanwhile heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook about 5 minutes, until pork is cooked through. Add onions, cheese, cayenne and garlic salt and stir, just until cheese begins to melt. Stir in rice and broccoli. Continue to mix together until well blended and cheese i s melted.

Dr. Pepper Pot Roast

I've always seen lots of recipes online for Dr. Pepper pot roast but never got around to eating it. I grew up eating pot roast so anytime I see roast recipes I know I'm going to make them...one day. This ended up being so flavorful yet so moist. Even the next day! Being able to just put this in the slow cooker during the day makes it so easy! I just used a bag of mixed fruit, but you could certainly use more plums or apricots, whatever suits your fancy!

Dr. Pepper Pot Roast-adapted from "Semi-Homemade Cooking 2" by Sandra Lee
Total Time: 8 hours
Serves 8

• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
• 3 small onions, sliced
• 4-pound pork rump roast
• 2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 1 whole bay leaf
• 12-ounces Diet Dr. Pepper
• 8 ounces mixed dried fruit, such as prunes and apricots

Season roast with salt & pepper. In a heavy skillet, brown meat over medium-high heat.

In a 4-quart slow cooker, place sliced onions, and place browned roast on top of onions. Season with cloves, cinnamon sticks and bay leaf. Top with Diet Dr. Pepper and fruit. Cook on high 3 to 4 hours, or on low 8-9 hours or until roast is cooked and tender.

Honey-Garlic Glazed Pork Chops

For some reason, I always remember, every time I make pork, that the first time I made it that he hates pork because it's dry and flavorless. Lets just say he isn't saying that anymore! The pork had a great breading on it, and the glaze was AMAZING! It was sweet but tangy at the same time. It was very easy to make as well, and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone!

Honey-Garlic Glazed Pork Chops-adapted from Rock Recipes
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Serves 4
Pork Chops

• 4 boneless pork loin chops
• 1 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground sage
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons water
• Canola oil for frying

Honey Garlic Sauce

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper

In a shallow bowl, combine all dry ingredients for the pork chops. In another shallow bowl whisk egg and water together. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper to taste, then dip the chops in the flour and spice mixture. Dip the chop into the eggwash and then a final time into the flour and spice mix, pressing the mix into the pork to get it to stick.

Heat a skillet over medium heat with about a half inch of canola oil covering the bottom. Fry pork chops for about 4 or 5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan add canola oil and garlic and heat over medium heat to soften garlic, but do not let it brown. Add the additional sauce ingredients and simmer together for 5-10 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Serve over cooked pork chops.

Fruit Stuffed Pork Roast

When I first started cooking, I got this cook book from my mother. I went through the cookbook and put an 'x' next to all the recipes I was too afraid to try. I didn't want to try them because of multiple reasons: they had ingredients I wasn't familiar with, ingredients that I thought I didn't like, or just seemed too hard in general. Well, I've gotten over most of those fears and tried a recipe!

I didn't have any kitchen twine, so the picture doesn't look all that great, but the flavors were there and I'd make it again!

Fruit Stuff Pork Roast-adapted from New Slow Cooker Meals by Betty Crocker
Total Time: 6 hours
Serves 8

• 2 pound boneless pork loin roast
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 cup prepared stuffing
• 1 cup diced dried fruit and rasin mixture
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Cut horizontally down center length of pork to within 3/4 inch of opposite side. Open flat. From center, cut horizontally to within 3/4 inch from left side edge. Turn pork; repeat cutting to other side; open flat.

Mix mustard and butter in a small bowl. Spread half the mixture on inside surface of pork. Mix stuffing and fruit in another small bowl; spread over mustard coated surface. Roll roast; tie with kitchen twine. Spread remaining mustard mixture over outside of roast and rub with brown sugar.

Heat oil in a 12 inch nonstick pan over medium high heat. Cook pork in oil until brown on all sides. Place pork in a greased 5 quart slow cooker. Pour apple juice into skillet and cook 2-3 minutes to dissolve any remnants. Stir in salt and pepper and pour over pork.

Cook on low heat 6 to 8 hours or until pork is tender.

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Pork Tenderloin with Dried Fruit and Wine Sauce

Scott has always told me that he's just not a fan of pork. He thinks it's dry and chicken is much tastier. I made this recipe and the pork ended up so tender and delicious! The fruit and wine is more of a garnish than an integral part of the dish as far as we decided. It was great flavor, but totally unnecessary. It would be very nice to do for a family dinner or special occasion, though.

Pork Tenderloin with Dried Fruit and Wine Sauce-adapted from Best Fall Recipes by Southern Living
Total Time: 50 Minutes
Serves 8

• 3 pounds pork tenderloin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 7 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup dried apricots
• 1 cup dried plums (prunes)
• 1/2 cup dried cherries
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 cup chicken broth

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Cook pork in 6 teaspoons hot oil in a large skillet over medium high heat for about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Transfer pork to a lightly greased baking pan, reserving drippings in skillet.

Bake pork for 18-20 minutes, or until cooked through. 

Meanwhile, add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to hot drippings in skillet. Add apricots, plums, cherries and pine numbers and saute over medium high heat for about 3 minutes, until pine nuts are toasted and fragrant.

Add wine and next two ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes or until mixture slightly thickens. Stir in broth and simmer 15 minutes, or until fruit is tender. Serve with pork.

Blackberry-Sauced Pork Chops

Scott really doesn't like pork. Or so he says. But I swear the more I make it the more he's liking it. I was very nervous about this sauce when I started it. But it was a very different flavor that we really liked in the end!

Blackberry-Sauced Pork Chops-adapted from Taste of Home Cooking School
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Serves 4

• 1/2 cup seedless blackberry spreadable fruit
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• Dash ground cinnamon
• 4 boneless pork loin chops (5 ounces each)
• 2 teaspoons steak seasoning
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup fresh blackberries

In a small saucepan, combine the spreadable fruit, lemon juice, soy sauce and cinnamon. Cook and stir over low heat until spreadable fruit is melted. Remove from the heat; set aside.

Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with steak seasoning. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chops in oil over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160°. Serve with sauce and blackberries.

Pork Roast with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

I love roasts, but I don't think any can ever compare to my grandmother's. I HAVE to remember to get her recipe soon. This roast was okay, but very dry. The gravy ended up very bitter-I may have had too much vinegar. In the end, I wasn't a huge fan, but the reviews at Taste of Home were excellent so someone else should give it a try!

Pork Roast with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy-adapted from Taste of Home

Total Time: 4 Hours

Serves 4

• 1 boneless whole pork loin roast (3 to 4 pounds)
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
• 1 cup julienned sweet red pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons cold water
• 2 cups refrigerated mashed potatoes

Cut roast in half; transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the broth, red pepper, onion, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and seasonings; pour over pork. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until meat is tender.

Remove pork; cut some into cubes measuring 2-1/2 cups and save for another use. (Keep remaining pork warm.)

For gravy, strain cooking juices and skim fat; pour 1 cup into a small saucepan. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into cooking juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Meanwhile, in a small microwave-safe bowl, cook potatoes on high for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Let meat stand for 10 minutes before slicing; serve with potatoes and gravy. 

Shredded Pork Burritos

These pork burritos were great! Scott never loves the pork recipes I make, but he LOVED this! The pork was super tender. A little bit on the sweet side, so I probably wouldn't add the brown sugar later but it didn't ruin the dish. The main winner of this dish, however, was the sauce. I have never cooked with tomatillos before, but this was hands-down some of the best sauce I've ever had. It's good just plain with chips too! And it's so easy! Just try it and you'll understand!

Shredded Pork Burritos

Shredded Pork Burritos-adapted from Taste of Home

Total Time: 9 Hour

Serves 16

• 1 bone-in pork shoulder roast (5 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, divided
• 4 teaspoons paprika, divided
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 can (12 ounces) cola
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• TOMATILLO SAUCE:
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tomatillos, husks removed
• 3/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
• 1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 16 flour tortillas (8 inches), room temperature

Cut roast in half. Combine 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 teaspoons paprika, pepper flakes, cumin and salt; rub over meat. Place in a 4-qt. slow cooker. Add the cola, broth, onion and garlic. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat is tender.

Set meat aside until cool enough to handle. Remove meat from bones; discard bones. Shred meat with two forks. Skim fat from cooking juices and return meat to slow cooker. Stir in remaining brown sugar and paprika. Cover and cook on low for 1 hour or until heated through.

Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the mayonnaise, milk, tomatillos, cilantro, jalapeno, dressing mix, lime juice, garlic and cayenne. Cover and process until blended. Pour into a small bowl. Chill until serving.

Using a slotted spoon, spoon 1/2 cup filling off center on each tortilla. Drizzle with some of the tomatillo sauce. Fold sides and ends over filling and roll up. Serve with remaining sauce. 

Slow Cooker Ribs

I received a new cookbook for Christmas from my boss! It is the "Best Loved Slow Cooker Recipes" by Crock-Pot. I was so excited because I absolutely love cooking in my slow cooker! The first recipe I made was ribs. They were good, but had some weird taste to them. I haven't quite figured out what it is, but I'd still probably make this again anyway. It could have been the beer I used, so maybe I need to stick to beef stock. We'll see though!

Ribs cookin' in the slow cooker!

Slow Cooker Ribs-Adapted from Crock-Pot's "Best Love Slow Cooker Recipes"

Total Time: 3 Hours

Serves 6-8

• 1/2 cup paprika
• 3/8 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup onion powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 1/2 pounds pork baby back ribs
• 1 can (20 ounces) beer or beef stock
• 1 quart barbecue stock
• 1/2 cup honey

Combine paprika, sugar, onion powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Generously season ribs with dry rub mixture. Portion ribs into sections of 3 to 4 bones. Place in 5-quart slow cooker. Pour beer or beef stock over ribs. Cover; cook on high 2 hours. Blend barbecue sauce and honey and add to slow cooker. Cover; cook for 1 1/2 hours. 

Pork and Pineapple Stir Fry

One of our all-time favorite cookbooks is one my aunt gave me for Christmas a few years ago: Pillsbury Fast & Healthy Cookbook. Almost everything we've made from here has been delicious and turned into a meal we make at least once a month! I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn to cook-the recipes are easy and delicious.

But now to the recipe. This was a great recipe (4/5). The coleslaw mix really added something different to stir fry. It was sweet, but definitely not too sweet. The flavors mixed super well, and everything just ended up fantastic.

Pork and Pineapple Stir-Fry-adapted from Pillsbury Fast & Healthy Cookbook
Total Time: 20 Minutes
Serves 4

• 1 1/4 cups uncooked instant rice
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained, 2 tablespoons liquid reserved
• 3/4 boneless lean pork, cut into thin bite-size strips
• 1 bag (16 ounces) coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)

Cook rice in 1 1/4 cups of the water as directed on package.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of the brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, pepper flakes, remaining 1/2 cup of water, soy sauce and reserved 2 tablespoons of pineapple liquid; set aside.

Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add drained pineapple chunks; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Cook 5 minutes, turning chunks occasionally.

Remove pineapple from skillet; set aside. In same skillet, cook and stir pork over medium-high heat 2 minutes.

Add coleslaw mix; cook and stir 3 to 6 minutes or until pork is no longer pink in center and cabbage is tender.

Stir pineapple and cornstarch mixture into pork mixture; cook and stir about 3 minutes or until pork is glazed and sauce is slightly thickened. Serve over rice. 

Apple Dijon Pork Roast

This is probably one of the easiest pot roast recipes I've ever made, plus it has an interesting flavor to it! It is truthfully cheap, especially if you pay attention to when pork roast is on sale. Everything else I bought at Aldi [which, side note, is my new favorite grocery store]. If you're new to the crockpot-this is super easy to make so try it-I promise you can't screw it up! We gave this a 5/5! Adapted from the $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook.

Apple Dijon Pork Roast
Total Time: 8 1/2 hours
Serves 4

• 2 1/2 pound pork shoulder roast
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup apple juice
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard

Place the roast in a slow cooker with 1/2 cup of water.

In a small bowl, whisk together the applesauce, apple juice and Dijon mustard. Pour over the roast. Set the slow cooker on low and cook the roast for 8 hours, or until the roast is tender.

Baby Back Ribs

I love ribs. I've never made them in the slow cooker before--this was an awesome surprise! And something to make when ribs are on sale! I got this recipe from the book that came with my crock pot!

Baby Back Ribs

• 2 racks of ribs, cut into 3-4 pieces each
• 2-4 cups of barbecue sauce
• 2 chopped onions

Place ribs in crock pot. Top with onions and barbecue sauce.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high 4-5 hours or until meat is tender.

Serve with extra sauce as desired.

The Changes

I bought spare ribs instead of baby back ribs. I don't think the type of ribs really matters, personal preferences more than anything!

The Lessons

Everything turned out great!

The Verdit

5/5. There was nothing we could've done better or worse. Only experimenting can make these better. These weren't the greatest ribs I've ever had, but the best ribs I've ever made. The easiness of the recipe also helps with the verdict.

Garlic and Soy Pork Chops

This recipe was awesome! I haven't had pork chops in ages, and this is definitely a great one to get back into eating them! The flavors are simple, but delicious. I marinated the chops for close to two hours. I was going to grill them, but got sidetracked until it was too late! I put them in the broiler and they were fantastic! After marinating I would say this recipe only takes about 15 minutes! I got this recipe from a fellow blogger, Recipe Hunter Lisa!

Garlic and Soy Pork Chops-adapted from Recipe Hunter Lisa

Total Time: 35 Minutes

Serves 2

• 2 boneless center-cut pork loin chops, trimmed of all visible fat
• 1/2 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Fresh herbs, for garnish

Sprinkle the pork chops all over with soy sauce, garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 20 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Coat a grill rack or broiler-pan rack with cooking spray. Preheat the grill or broiler.

Cook the pork chops 4" from the heat, turning once halfway through cooking time, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the center of a chop registers 155°F and the juices run clear. Garnish with the herbs

 

Tender Pork Chops & Rice

This is a super quick and easy recipe you could make on a night that you don't want to spend a lot of time on. And most likely you will have a lot of the items in your kitchen. It was very bland, so I seasoned the pork chops with seasoned salt and pepper, and the rice with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. I also used quick rice. I made it first, then returned it to the burner while stirring in the soup and mushrooms. Next time I would use real mushrooms..I just don't like the taste of canned mushrooms. I don't know if I would make this again for anything in particular..just for something quick when I don't want to spend time on dinner!

Tender Pork Chops & Rice

• 4-6 pork chops
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 10-3/4 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
• 4 ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained and liquid reserved
• 2 cups long-cooking rice, uncooked

Brown pork chops lightly in oil in a skillet; drain and set aside. Combine soup, reserved liquid from mushrooms and enough water to equal 3 cups; mix well and pour into skillet. Stir in mushrooms and rice; top with pork chops. Cover and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until rice is tender.

Herbed Lamb (or Pork) Kabobs

I do not have a grill and I live in an upstairs apartment, so I was kind of second guessing if I really wanted to try a 'grilled' recipe. I'm so glad I did! This marinade is absolutely delicious and I feel as though it would go well with just about anything!

I cut the recipe in half because it is for eight servings, and I live all alone. I like left-overs, but not that much! I also used olive instead of canola oil, and switched out the lamb for pork. I just don't have the money (and I couldn't find) the lamb! And after I started grilling I realized I would've really liked to have added mushrooms to the kabobs. I'm super sad I didn't and definitely will next time! I didn't end up using all of the reserved marinade, so I might cut down the spices and onion a little more, but keep the oil and juice as it got to be kind of dry.

Herbed Lamb Kabobs
Serves 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes + marinade
Grill Time: 20 minutes

• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons dried marjoram
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 pounds boneless lamb
• 1 medium red onion, cut into wedges
• 1 large green pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large sweet red pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

In a small bowl, combine the first nine ingredients. Pour 1 cup into a large resealable plastic bag; add the lamb. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 6-8 hours. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade for basting.

Drain and discard marinade. On eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread the lamb, onion and peppers. Grill, uncovered, over medium-hot heat for 8-10 minutes on each side or until meat reaches the desired doneness, basting frequently with reserved marinade.

Orange Pork Stir-Fry

Last night I made stir-fry and fried rice.  I probably didn't need to make both, but I love Asian food so figured why not!  Both recipes were super easy and delicious!  Next time I am going to try this orange sauce with chicken or beef!

Orange Pork Stir-Fry
Start to finish: less than 30 minutes

• 1-ounce package Italian salad dressing mix
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 pound pork loin, cut into strips (I just bought stir-fry pork)
• 16-ounce package frozen Oriental vegetable blend, thawed (I bought stir-fry peppers)

Mix together dressing mix, juice, oil and soy sauce. Combine one tablespoon of dressing mixture and pork strips in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir for 4-5 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Add vegetables and remaining dressing mixture; cook and stir until vegetables are crisp-tender.

Sweet and Tangy Pork

This recipe has a different flavor.  Not my favorite of all time, and the pork is a little bland, so I would highly recommend seasoning the pork steaks with seasoning salt or salt and pepper or something.  The sauce is also kind of bland, but I might play with this recipe again.  Any ideas are gladly appreciated!

Sweet and Tangy Pork

• 1 Tablespoon Oil
• 4 boneless pork steaks
• 10-3/4 oz. can tomato soup
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
• 8-oz. can pineapple juice tidbits, drained and 1/4 cup juice reserved.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add steaks and cook until golden on both sides, drain. Stir in soup, vinegar, sauce, brown sugar, pineapple and reserved juice. Cover and simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes, until pork is cooked through.