Meat and Taters Soup

This soup is modeled after and inspired by the
Zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden.

I saw that someone made it into a Facebook  slide
and was passing it around for "likes"
so we made our own kid-friendly
(and picky-hubby friendly)
version last night!

Oh.My.Goodness!!

So good!

ZUPPA TOSCANA

1 package Turkey Kielbasa
5 med. size Russet Potatoes, peeled, chopped to bite size
1 Vidalia Onion, chopped

2 Tbsp Minced Garlic

4 c. Chicken Broth
1 c. Fresh Baby Spinach, roughly chopped
1 c. Heavy Whipping Cream

2 Tbsp Flour (could use GF flour)

(4 slices crisped bacon, chopped, for garnish)

1. Cut Kielbasa links length wise, then cut slices.
(I think it would be great with pork kielbasa,
but we like the flavor and less fat of the turkey)

2. Brown sausage in a saute pan, then put in crockpot.

3. Saute onions and garlic in sausage drippings until beginning to carmelize.

4. Add onions/garlic, chicken broth, potatoes into slow cooker.

5. If potatoes are still above liquid, add water until all is covered.

6. Cook on HIGH 3-4 hours (or until potatoes are soft).

THEN 30 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING:

7. Pour cream in measuring cup, and mix flour until no longer lumpy.

(I think using a GF flour would work
if you need to serve those that eat gluten free.)

8. Add cream/flour to Crock Pot. Stir.

9. Add spinach. Stir.

(I think you could use frozen spinach if that's what you have on hand.)

10. Cook on HIGH 30 minutes or until slightly thickened.

SERVE with Bacon Pieces on top!

The recipe I used called for cayenne and/or salt & pepper,

but we found that it was unnecessary.

The recipe I used also called for Italian Spicy sausage,

not Kielbasa, but we really liked this flavor combo!

The recipe I used also called for Swiss Chard instead of Spinach
but I know my hubby and kids wouldn't have enjoyed that,
plus as a breast-feedin' mama, I'm not doing cabbages right now.

This was satisfying, easy on the wallet,
and SO delicious!

I recommend it for any cool (or freezing) evening!!

Slow Cooked Teriyaki Pork Chops

I am subscribed to a few recipe blogs.
Some are friends, others are blogs I've stumbled upon.

One that I've gotten a few ideas from
is known as the 365 Crockpot Lady.
She made a pact one year
that she'd use her crockpot every day of one year.
Well, now she doesn't use it every day,
but she certainly still uses it a ton.
Her recipes are all gluten free,
as her family eats gluten free only.
But, it's very easy to adapt a gluten free recipe
into a glutenous recipe! ha!

She certainly "overuses" her slow cooker,

as sometimes she makes stuff there

that would have been easier to make on the stove

or in the oven for goodness sakes!

But there are several that are yummy =).

So I adapted her Teriyaki and Apricot Porkchops

to my own liking...

Porkchops were mega on sale

I guess it was because of Labor Day or something?

And I think it'd be even better

if I had had green onions on hand

to throw into the mix!

Without further ado,

here's my own recipe for

Slow Cooked Teriyaki Porkchops

(italics for the diabetic version)

4 or 6 Thick Juicy Boneless Pork Chops
1/4 cup thick Teriyaki Sauce
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Yellow Mustard
1 tsp Grated Fresh Ginger
1 Tbsp Chopped Garlic
2/3 cup Sugarfree Apricot Preserves
(Smuckers makes a good one)
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
(I wanted this flavor
but was afraid to put too much
cuz it might toughen the slowcooked meat!)

In a small bowl,
mix all ingredients except the pork.
Mix well,
being sure to break up the preserves.
Place pork chops in the Crockpot.
Pour 2/3 of sauce over chops,
spread over tops.
Turn each chop over,
pour remaining sauce over tops.
Again, I think I would like to add green onions next time as well.

Cook, on LOW for 6-8 hours.
Enjoy with Asian inspired stirfry veggies
and brown rice (or white for those of you non carb counters!).
(if you were in more of a hurry,
the Crock Pot lady says you could
cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours)

** Bonus **
It really makes your house smell awesome!

Italian Roast Beef Sandwiches

This is a recipe I got from my mama
who got it from her friend, Carol Snell
down in Quito, now in Texas,
and I adapted it a little to turn up the flavor.
It was quite easy,
and the tri-tip roasts were MEGA on sale,
so I only paid $1.99 a pound for an almost three pounder
and it will serve us for at least three meals
(just to let you know-
I cut off about a pound of fat...
so you don't think we're each eating
1/2 a pound at each meal! haha!)

I served the shredded roast
on garlic toast rolls from a local, Mexican-run Panaderia
and almost felt like I was in Ecuador.
Almost.

To make the Garlic Toast:
Slice french rolls almost all the way in half.
Butter both sides.
Sprinkle generously with Garlic Powder.
Sprinkle with Dried Oregano.
Broil, open faced, until browned to your likeness.

I highly recommend, even if you use other bread,
that you toast the bread, because the meat is so juicy
that it soaks into fresh bread too quickly.

The Roast:
Trim any excess fat from the roast
(again- I used Tri-Tip, but any beef roast should work)

In small mixing bowl:
2 tsp Garlic Salt
2 tsp freeze-dried Basil (regular dried would work)
1 tsp freeze-dried Garlic (fresh minced would work)
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp white sugar
Fresh Ground Pepper

Mix together with fingers.
Take pinches of herb/spice mixture,
and rub into all sides of the meat.
I had some very thick areas of meat,
so I made a few cuts into the meat,
and rubbed the mixture down into the cracks.

In Crock Pot:
1/2 Yellow Onion, sliced thinly
1 Green Pepper, sliced thinly (I used yellow/red/green mixture)
2/3 cup Red Wine

Set rubbed roast into crockpot on top of veggies.
Cook on HIGH for 5-6 hours.
Shred using a fork and tongs.
Serve on garlic toasted rolls
or with potatoes.

Another serving idea would be to melt
a slice of Provolone on top!!

Mmm!
Enjoy!

Herb Slow Cooked Chops with Balsamic Vinegar Reduction

I don't have a picture
of this wonderful creation
but I just have to share with you
how wonderful this recipe turned out!

I made it up.
I just didn't feel like
having the same ole' same ole'
flavored pork chops for dinner.

Herb Slow Cooked Chops
with Balsamic Vinegar Reduction
in a frying pan:
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried rosemary
(I'm sure fresh herbs
would be even MORE WONDERFUL
but I didn't have any on hand...)

Cook until onions are transluscent,
and beginning to brown on the edges.

Lay six thick, juicy pork loin chops
over top the onions.
Generously salt and pepper the top of the chops.
Sear until browned on that side.
Flip, salt and pepper, and sear until browned.
(chops will NOT be fully cooked,
just browned on each side)
Transfer chops to preheated slow cooker.

Into pan with onion remnants add:
1 c. white wine
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 c. milk
1/2 package mushroom soup mix

Simmer until thickened a bit.

Pour sauce over the chops in the slow cooker.
Cook, on low, 4-6 hours.

About 15 minutes before ready to serve,
pour 1/4 c Balsamic Vinegar
into small sauce pan.
Simmer over low fire until beginning to thicken.
Stir occasionally.

To serve:
Place pork chop on plate
(we served ours on creamy pasta- delish)
and drizzle balsamic vinegar reduction over top.

Mmm...
can't even tell you how excited I am for lunch tomorrow
cuz this meal was just so good, good, good!

Simple Slow Cooked Chops

At the grocery store last week
we saw that there were lots of things on sale
and one was some amazing pork chops
but as I looked closer
the other "cheap" pork chops
were SUPER on sale
and I figured I'd try those instead.

Slow Cooked Chops
2 lbs "cheap" pork chops
2 Tbsp "Light in Flavor" Olive Oil
1/2 package mushroom soup mix
1/2 c. white wine
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
Fresh ground pepper
garlic pepper
1/2 bag frozen pearl onions

Preheat crockpot on HIGH.

Heat olive oil in frying pan.
Carefully lay pork into oil.
Sprinkle with garlic powder, pepper,
and mushroom soup mix over top of chops.
Cook for 1 minute, and flip.
Sprinkle other side with garlic and pepper.

When slightly browned,
transfer chops to heated crock pot.
Use white wine to deglaze the frying pan,
heat until bubbling,
stir in can of cream of chicken soup,
add liquid to crockpot.

Slightly stir,
to ensure all of chops
is covered in liquid.
Cover.
Cook for one hour.
Add frozen pearl onions.
Cook for three more hours.

Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.

Mmm, fantastic!
Breaks apart without a knife or anything!!

Swedish Hamballs

Food is on my brain.
I got my Glucose Test Results today
at my regular OB doc appt,
and my sugar was just high enough
that the doc asked me to
come back for the extensive three hour test
where you have to follow a strict diet for three days prior
and then fast for 10 hours before the test,
and then drink TWICE the amount of glucose yuckiness.
Ugh!
I feel bummed,
and kinda stunned,
and really REALLY hope I don't
have gestational diabetes!
(Update: I do!)

In many ways I feel silly
feeling bummed about something
that's merely inconvenient
and isn't bringing potential harm to
our babe or to me.

Anyway....
Onto happier subjects...

I had a few requests
for the Swedish Ham Balls Recipe
since I so eloquently
described the yumminess
that is ham, pork, vinegar, and brown sugar
in my family blog the other day!

So here ya go...
(My recipe book my Mom made for me
says it's from her friend, Carol Snell,
and I wonder where she got it from)

SWEDISH HAMBALLS
from Aunt Carol Snell

In a metal or glass bowl:1 lb. Ground pork
1 lb. Ground ham
(I have to grind it myself in my food processor
b/c our deli doesn't have a grinder
they can use on cured meats)1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 egg, well beaten
1/2 cup milk

Roll this meat mixture into small balls.
I got 75 from the one recipe,
because I like to make them bite size.
You can freeze them if you like,
in a big ziploc laying flat in your freezer
or if cooking now,
place in unheated crock pot.

In mixing bowl:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water

Pour sauce over hamballs
in the crockpot.
Cook on high.
After one hour, flip them over.
From time to time baste the hamballs
(or "shake" the crockpot
to make the liquid
cover the tops of the hamballs)

Cook for three hours or even more.

Sauce will thicken as it cools.
Serve along side scalloped potatoes.
(I like to serve it with cooked spinach
with a little vinegar and salt)

And there you have it.
Nine ingredients, and a very complex flavor!
Also yummy as an appetizer or party finger food.

Enjoy!!

Slow Cooker Roast Marinade/Sauce

Tri-tip roasts were onsale from 6.99 per lb to
ONLY 2.99 PER POUND!
So I got a big ole' tri-tip roast
trimmed the fat
and then decided I would mix and match
between a few meat marinade recipes I have.

I browned the meat in a frying pan.
While it browned I preheated the crock pot.
When it was browned on both sides I peppered both sides
and put it in the hot crock pot.

In the pan with the browned scrapings
I added a little light-tasting olive oil
and put in a whole pack of frozen pearl onions.
Once those had begun to sizzle
I added a pack of baby carrots.
I let those cook down
and got the onions thawed.
I added one clove of minced garlic, and
I dumped all that onto the meat in the pot.

Then in the same pan I added a lil' more olive oil,
and cooked up some baby golden potatoes.
I added quite a bit of salt, and let them
begin to cook up, on low heat.

While those cooked up
I made the marinade/sauce:
3/4 c Red Wine
4 Tbsp Molasses
2 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
1 tsp curry powder
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 pack of Onion Soup Mix
I whisked it all together
poured it over the veggies and meat
in the crock pot.
I stirred up the potatoes,
and then put them in the crock pot too.

I left the crock pot on high for 3 hours.

Then just before it was time to eat
I spooned out all the potatoes
poured the second 1/2 of the Onion Soup Mix
on them, tossed them in the powder
and broiled them for 3 minutes.

YES FRIENDS IT WAS QUITE SIMPLE
and it was SO YUMMY!