Mom's Amazing Slow Cooked Pork

So easy! Just a few ingredients but man o man is it good!!! Bless you Judi:)

4-5 lb pork roast (get cheapest cut, it won't matter!)
5 strips bacon
1 1/2 T Kosher salt
Lay bacon on bottom of your crock pot so sides overlap slightly. Rub the salt all over your pork roast.  Cook on low 16 , yes, SIXTEEN hours. Shred and serve with tacos, on a hoagie roll, on a salad, or whatever!! It's so so good. *TIP: after refrigeration, fat is solid on top so you can skim it off and make it more healthy.

Perfect Ham & Bean Soup

I finally found the perfect ham and bean soup recipe. This is one of my most satisfying meals to make, not to mention comforting. Takes me back to yonder years. It is very economical and makes a lot, so either freeze or have as leftovers, the choice is yours. Perfect with a loaf homemade bread.

2 T olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
64 oz chicken broth (bouillon is great)
32 oz water
1 lb dry navy beans
3-3 1/2 lb ham with bone in (or just use leftover ham itself, chopped)
2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cubed (this is what makes this so good)
1/4 t pepper

~Rinse beans in a colander. Set aside.
~Heat a very large stock pot over medium heat and add olive oil. Add onion. Cook for 4-5 mins until soft, then add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more until fragrant. Throw in ham and beans, then add chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, then cover and let cook for 4 hours (mine cooked in 3).
~After 4 hours, add the potatoes. Cover again and cook for 2-3 more hours, stirring occasionally. Towards the end the potatoes should break down causing the soup to become starchy and thickened somewhat. The ham should fall right off the bone. Remove the bone before serving and shred any ham chunks with forks. Season with salt and pepper if needed. I did not need to add salt.
~Can store in freezer for up to 6 months.
~Can also use canned beans, just shorten cooking time.
~Serves at least 12 people.

Pork Au Jous

Not just any au jous!! I threw this together using pork instead of beef cause thats what I had! We could eat this once a week forever. Makes wonderful left-overs.


3-4 lb. Pork Butt or Shoulder roast
1 pkt Au jous mix (store brand is great)
1 can Beef Consomme soup
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed with side of knife
Throw roast in a crockpot. Sprinkle au jous mix over top. Add can of Beef consomme and toss in garlic cloves. Cook on high 6 hours or so, turning meat over half way through. When done, take roast out and shred or slice (it will fall apart anyway!). Add 3 cups water to juices in crockpot. Serve meat on hoagie buns or rolls. (Harmon's has the most chewy yummy ones ever!). Brandon likes to put a little mayo on his bun first. Dip sandwich in juice. Sooooo dang good. Never would think it was pork instead of beef. Cheaper too! I also like to dip my sandwhich in Sweet Baby Ray's bbq sauce. YOu can also add cheese or lettuce or tomato, or whatever.

Balsamic Pork Cutlets (from Family Circle)

6 boneless pork chops, pounded to 1/2" thick.(I just buy "thin cut")
1/4 cup flour
1 T oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red sweet bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
14oz can beef broth
6.5oz can mushrooms( in this dish, canned are fine. you can do fresh sautee'd too)
2-3 T balsamic vinegar (2 T was plenty for my taste)
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
package orzo, cooked (you can sub rice for this too)
Season chops with a little salt and pepper then coat with flour. Reserve unused flour. Over medium-high heat, brown chops in the oil, 2-3 mins per side. Remove to plate. To drippings in pan add onion and bell pepper. Cook 3 mins stirring so it doesnt burn. Add garlic. Take 1 T of reserved flour and add to can of broth, then pour into pan. Stir in drained mushrooms, vinegar, parsley, basil pepper and salt. Bring to simmer. Add pork, cover and cook on medium-low for 10 mins, turn chops halfway through. Serve over orzo or rice. * This was very tasty and was even better the next day.*

Pork Chop Supreme

6 pork chops, bone-in
paprika
salt&pepper
2 T olive oil
1 cup water
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 packet onion soup mix
2-3 T flour
1 T fresh parsley
1/4 cup cold water
6oz can evaporated milk
Season generously the pork chops using paprika, salt and pepper. In the biggest skillet you own, brown them well in olive oil. Mix together onion soup mix, 1 cup water and celery. Pour over chops. Cover and simmer 45mins. Remove chops, set aside and keep warm. Combine flour, parsley and 1/4 cup cold water till smooth. Add to juices in pan. Then add milk. Whisk till bubbly and thickened 3-5 mins.(at this point if you want a lot of gravy, you can add more milk, water/flour to this.) Cover chops with sauce and serve with mashed potatoes or noodles. **This also would be great in a crock pot for a couple hours instead of skillet cooking.

Hunter's Hero (meatball sub) from Guy Fieri

These were an awesome superbowl food! I was impressed with myself.
2 T olive oil
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
5 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup bread crumbs (I used 2-3 slices of white bread & tore them up)
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork sausage
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp red pepper flakes (I used just a pinch!)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 egg, beaten
7 hoagie rolls
marinara sauce
slices of mozzarella
1/4 cup parmesan
Heat 1 T oil in large skillet over med. heat. Cook onion, bell pepper and garlic till tender, 5 mins. In bowl, pour milk over bread crumbs and stir till milk is absorbed. Add sauteed veggies, beef, pork sausage, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and egg. Mix well. In same skillet used for veggies, heat remaining oil over med.heat. Form large meatballs, and drop into hot skillet. Brown on all sides and cook thoroughly, till juices are clear and meat is no longer pink. (This takes some patience.) On each hoagie roll, place 4 big meatballs, pour some marinara sauce (1/4 cup), couple slices of mozzarella, and sprinkle with parmesan. Put on cookie sheet and Broil in oven till toasty and melty. Enjoy!!

Roast Pork with Pears

This recipe is from the Williams-Sonoma magazine and it is excellent! We made this for Sunday dinner a few weeks ago and everyone loved it! I love their recipes! (You can get a large pork roast at Costco for a good price.)

3/4 C packed fresh parsley leaves

1/4 C chopped sage

3 garlic cloves

salt and pepper, to taste

5 T olive oil

1 boneless pork loin roast, about 3 1/2 lbs., halved horizontally

3 ripe pears, halved lengthwise

4 leeks, white portions, halved lengthwise (you could use white or yellow onion instead)

Creamy mustard pan sauce: (this is optional but trust me, you don't want to miss out on this!)

2 t flour

1/4 C white wine

1/2 C chicken broth

2 T whole grain or dijon mustard

1/4 C heavy cream

*I think I doubled this because the pork roast was so big! The more the better especially if you have mashed potatoes on the side! This is a delicious gravy!

Preheat 400. Lower rack. In processor, process parsley, sage, garlic, salt and pepper, 3 T oil-or less if it gets too runny. You want a fine paste. Spread inside pork and on top of pork after tying with kitchen twine. Tuck any left over sage under twine. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In Dutch oven or large heavy frying pan that is oven safe, warm 2 T oil. Add pears cut side down. Cook 5 min. Transfer to plate. Brown pork on all sides-8 min. Put leeks in pan with pork and pears around sides. Roast until temp. is 140 degrees, 45-55 minutes. Let pork rest in tented foil for 10 minutes. Carve and serve with sauce and mashed potatoes. Serve 8-10

For Sauce:

Pour pan drippings into bowl and discard all but 2 t of fat. Pour reserved fat in pot and heat, adding garlic and then flour. Cook on med./high for 30 seconds. Add wine and cook for 1 min. Add broth and pan drippings and cook until slightly thickens about 3 min. Remove pot from heat and whisk in mustard and cream. Season with salt and pepper.

Lentil Soup with Ham

I have been making this for years. I look forward to this after Christmas and Easter using the ham bone! The children eat it fairly well-- 2 better than their older brother!!! It is from the back of the Albertson's brand lentil bag. Simple and delicious.

1/2 # lentils
4 cups water
1 ham hock or meaty ham bone
1 Bay leaf
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped carrot
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/2 t salt
1 small garlic clove, minced

Wash, sort and drain lentils. Combine all ingredients in large pot with tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered until tender. Approx 45 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Before serving, remove ham hock or bone. Cut ham off bone, dice. Add to soup and serve. 8-10 servings.

(I always do more veggies than called for. This is awesome with cornbread.)

Everything Lo Mein

My sister told me about this recipe on The Food Network. It's one of Rachael Ray's. It is really yummy. The kids ate it well, too. I made mine beef lo mein, though, because we recently got a 1/2 beef. So, it's what's for dinner at our house! It doesn't take very long and it's pretty easy!!

Sauce:
3 rounded tablespoon hoisin sauce
3 tablespoon dark soy
3 tablespoon water
2 teaspoon hot sauce

Lo Mein:
1 # spaghetti
salt
1/4 c vegetable oil, divided
2 large eggs, beaten
3 chicken breast cutlets, thinly sliced into strips
3 thin cut pork chops, thinly sliced into strips
black pepper
2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 inches fresh ginger, chopped or grated
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 scallions, cut into 3 inch lengths then sliced lengthwise (I used green onions)
1/2 # shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into quarters, seeded, then sliced
1 small can sliced water chestnuts
2 cups fresh bean sprouts, 4 generous handfuls or 1/2 # shredded cabbage, your choice

Mix together sauce ingredients and reserve.
Bring pasta water to a boil, salt water and cook spaghetti to al dente.

While pasta cooks, heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large, nonstick skillet over high heat. When oil ripples, add beaten eggs and scramble them to light golden brown, remove and reserve.


Season the meat with salt, pepper and coriander. Heat the remaining vegetable oil to a ripple, then add meat and stir-fry 4 minutes, push meat to the side and add ginger, garlic and veggies. Stir-fry veggies 2 minutes, then drain and add pasta and eggs back to skillet. Pour sauce over the spaghetti and toss to combine. Turn off pan. Toss 30 seconds and let the liquids absorb. The recipe said this was 4 servings. I don't know who she's feeding, but we got 2 full meals out of this!!