Fall / Winter - perfect crock pot season

[Kathy57]

Hello!

I just browned some pork chops today in a little olive oil in my frying pan, seasoned with salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder.  I removed the chops and added 3/4 cup chicken broth, one cup cream of mushroom and one can cream of chicken soup and stirred it up nice.  I sliced half an onion very thinly and laid it on the bottom of the crock pot, covered them with my pork chops and poured the soup over it all.  Cooked it on low for 7 hours.

The place smelled yummy and I served it with mashed potatoes and green beans.  The gravy was tasty and this is why I am never going to lose any weight but I?m gonna die happy. 😃

Kathy

[Bucky]

meirish - I've never cooked any baked beans in a crockery pot.  I just open the can and pour it into a pan and put it on the stove.  I'm sure the slow-cooking way is much tastier.

Kathy57 - mmmm, that sounds sooooo good!  The aroma of slow cooking food is the best (next to baked bread).   

Nothing new here on the crock pot scene at my house.  I did get a new crock pot for Christmas, my old one the crock part has a hairline crack in it.  I don't know what to do with the old one - as far as heating and everything it works fine, the crock is the only thing that needs to be replaced.  I would imagine the cost to replace the crock is about the same as buying a whole new unit.  I'm not sure the thrift store would take just the unit without the crock part??  I guess I'll have to ask.

Bucky

[meirish]

I had my first crockpot for more years than I can remember. I always used it to make a big batch of soup. Especially the vegetable loaded with potatoes, sweet potatoes, rutabagas, onions, celery, carrots, peas and beef from a soup bone. Soup bones were a whole lot cheaper those years.

Anyway I would start the soup about 10 PM and let it cook all night. Started it on high for a couple of hours and then down to low. It would smell so good when I woke up during the night and I would go out and give it a stir and taste to check the seasonings. I about wore that crockpot out. Well, the plastic cover got a big crack in it and being an intelligent housewife I patched it up good with duct tape and it lasted many more years. It finally gave up the ghost and I got a new crockpot and it doesn't make good soup. Don't ask me why. I still do it the same but it is like that old crock pot absorbed the seasoning in the crockery just like a grill in a restaurant retains the flavors of years of frying.

I miss the cooking for the family out on the farm. The big batches of chili and spaghetti. I used to make a big roaster of cut up potatoes, carrots with browned pork steak. The pork steak has more fat and is really tasty..and fattening. I would layer all this (onions too) with sliced apples, sauerkraut and some brown sugar. That was so good and was even better the next day. That was back in the day when I could eat a whole lot more and not pack on so many pounds.

Making me hungry and I am supposed to be nothing by mouth in an hour. Time to head for bed. Take care. meirish

[Kathy57]

Irish,

My mouth started watering just reading your last post!  That pork steak recipe sounds amazing.  I was trying to imagine what it tastes like - could almost taste the cooked apples!😂. Anyway I think I put a pound on just reading these recipes! 😂

We are in Houston now and my husband is going through a phase two cancer trial at MD Anderson.  We rented a nice apartment walking distance from the Clinics.  I have been feeding him very well and his appetite is very good.  Since the weather is nice, we have been going for an hour walk when we can.  Jim gets fatigued and does not always go with me.  It has been cold, icy, and snowy in Illinois where we live, but 72 degrees here.  I am LOVING the weather here.

But I am not losing any weight!  Jim has been maintaining which is good.  I am going to have to try harder, but cooking and eating is so much fun.  Let?s plan on losing weight next year.  😉

Kathy