Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (64 page)

Susan Kasting

Jenks, OK

Pork Loin with Spiced Fruit Sauce

Maricarol Magill

Freehold, NJ

Makes 4 servings

Prep. Time: 25-40 minutes

Cooking Time: 4-6 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5- to 6-qt.

8-oz. pkg. dried mixed fruit (including plums and apricots), chopped

¼ cup golden raisins

2 tsp. minced fresh ginger

1 small onion, chopped

⅓ cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

¾ cup water

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. curry powder

½ tsp. salt,
divided

½ tsp. pepper,
divided

2¼-lb. boneless pork loin roast, trimmed of fat

¾ lb. fresh green beans, ends nipped off

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 Tbsp. cold water

1. In slow cooker, combine dried fruit, raisins, ginger, onion, sugar, vinegar, water, cinnamon, curry powder, and ¼ tsp. each of salt and pepper. Stir.

2. Season pork with remaining ¼ tsp. salt and pepper. Place pork on top of fruit mixture in slow cooker. Cover. Cook on High 2 hours or on Low 3 hours.

3. Layer green beans over pork. Cover.

4. Cook for 2 more hours on High or for 3 more hours on Low—or until meat is tender and beans are done to your liking.

5. When meat and beans are tender but not dry, remove to separate plates. Cover and keep warm.

6. Stir mustard into sauce in cooker.

7. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 1 Tbsp. cold water until smooth. Stir into sauce.

8. Cover. Turn cooker to High and let sauce cook a few minutes until thickened.

9. Slice pork and serve with sauce and green beans.

Note:

We discovered this to be a great Christmas dinner one year when we were remodeling and had limited kitchen facilities. I put the ingredients in the slow cooker, and we played Scrabble all day while it cooked. I served it with microwaved rice pilaf. It was my most stress-free Christmas ever!

No Fuss Sauerkraut

Vera M. Kuhns

Harrisonburg, VA

Makes 12 servings

Prep. Time: 10-15 minutes

Cooking Time: 4-5 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

3-lb. pork roast

3 2-lb. pkgs. sauerkraut (drain off juice from 1 pkg.)

2 apples, peeled and sliced

½ cup brown sugar

1 cup apple juice

1. Place meat in large slow cooker.

2. Place sauerkraut on top of meat.

3. Add apples and brown sugar. Add juice.

4. Cover. Cook on High 4-5 hours.

Serving suggestion: I think this is made to be eaten with
mashed potatoes
.

Tip:

If your slow cooker isn’t large enough to hold all the ingredients, cook one package of sauerkraut and half the apples, brown sugar, and apple juice in another cooker. Mix the ingredients of both cookers together before serving.

Variations:

1. Replace brown sugar with ¼ cup honey.

2. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. dried basil over contents of slow cooker at end of Step 3.

Jean Harris Robinson

Pemberton, NJ

Flautas with Pork Filling

Donna Lantgen

Rapid City, SD

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep. Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 4-6 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 3½-qt.

1-lb. pork roast,
or
chops, cubed

¼ cup chopped onions

4-oz. can diced green chilies, drained

7-oz. can green chile salsa,
or
chile salsa

1 tsp. cocoa powder

16-oz. can chili

1. Brown cubed pork in non-stick skillet. Drain off any drippings. Place in slow cooker.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients except chili.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 2-3 hours.

4. Add chili. Cook on Low 2-3 hours longer.

Tip:

This is especially good served on spinach-herb tortillas with guacamole dip.

Pork Chops and Gravy

Barbara Walker

Sturgis, SD

Makes 6 servings

Prep. Time: 15-20 minutes

Cooking Time: 2-2½ hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

½ cup flour

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. garlic powder

1½ tsp. dry mustard

6 1”-thick lean pork chops

10¾-oz can condensed chicken broth

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1. Mix first 4 ingredients in a shallow dish. Dredge pork chops in flour mixture then set aside.

2. Combine remaining flour mixture and chicken broth in slow cooker until thoroughly mixed.

3. Pour oil into large skillet. Place over medium-high heat until hot. Cook chops in hot oil just until browned on both sides. Place in cooker, pushing them down into broth.

4. Cover. Cook on High 2-2½ hours, or just until chops are tender.

Pork Chops

Linda Sluiter

Schererville, IN

Makes 4 servings

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 5-8 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.

4 boneless pork chops, 1”-thick

½ tsp. dry mustard

¼ cup flour

½ tsp. sugar

1 tsp. vinegar

½ cup water

½ cup ketchup

½ tsp. salt

1. Place pork chops in slow cooker.

2. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour over pork chops.

3. Cover. Cook on High 2-3 hours, and then on Low 3-4 hours, or cook on Low 8 hours—just until chops are fork-tender but not dry.

4. Spoon sauce over chops to serve.