Home Style Slow Cooker Pork - Monthly Recipe Theme

Ending the recipe theme this month with a Crockpot recipe so you can make a great tasting pork dish without warming up the kitchen.

This is a traditional recipe using traditional pork herbs of rosemary and thyme.  They bring out the earthiness of pork and give a robust flavor to the sweetened sauce.

Home Style Slow Cooker Pork

ideal slow cooker: 4-quart

• 4-lb. boneless pork roast, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1 Tbls. prepared mustard
• 1/2 tsp. thyme, crumbled
• 1/2 tsp. rosemary, broken
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Place roast pieces in slow cooker. Top with onion. Pour water around roast and onion. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Spoon over meat and onion. Cover and cook on high 1 hour and then on low 4 to 6 hours or until meat is tender. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  

To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, Recipe2019, or Recipe2020.

 
You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD for each month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2021 so you can find them all.

The themes are:
Jan 2021 – Baked Items
Feb 2021 – Breakfast Dishes
March 2021 – Italian Dishes
April 2021 - Chicken Recipes
May 2021 - Appetizers
June 2021 – Mediterranean Dishes
July 2021 – Pork Recipes
August 2021 - Seafood
September 2021 - Pizzas
October 2021 – Mexican Dishes
November 2021 - Cookies
December 2021 – Gift Recipes

Zucchini Recipes (and no Bread in sight!)

Tuesday night at the Zoom garden club meeting, we were talking about recipes for using excess zucchini that did not include Zucchini bread.  I remarked that years ago the office ladies at Aurora University and I shared Zucchini recipes and I had a slew that did not include pickles or bread.

Here are several for you to try out if you also have a zucchini excess in your home!

This recipe is based on a Mexican dished called Calabacitas Picadas that has been served in Central America for over 9,000 years.

Chopped Zucchini

• 3 Tbls vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 lb. zucchini, cut into ½ inch dice (about 1 medium zucchini)
• 3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 sprig cilantro (about 8 leaves)
• 1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a pan over moderate heat and sauté the onion and garlic until tender, but not brown, about 10 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients and simmer covered over very low heat until the zucchini are tender, about 30 minutes.  Serves 4 to 6.

Zucchini Bake

• 2 cups zucchini, sliced
• 1 ½ cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
• ¼ cup onions, sliced
• ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 tsp basil, dried

Grease a shallow 1 quart baking dish.  Layer zucchini slices with mushrooms and onions.  Sprinkle with cheese and basil. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer or until veggies are tender.  Serves 4.

Zucchini with Walnuts

• 4 cups Zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup fresh chives, chopped
• 2 Tbls dry sherry
• ½ tsp salt
• 1/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped and toasted

In a large saucepan, combine zucchini, chives and butter.  Cook over low heat for 5 minutes.  Stir in sherry and salt.  Cover and cook over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until zucchini is tender.  Stir in Walnuts and serve.  Serves 4 to 6

This one is a bit more involved, but it makes a great side dish for a special meal.

Zucchini Casserole

• 2 Tbls vegetable oil
• 2 medium zucchini, sliced
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 2 cups tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp basil, crushed
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (divided)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan, grated
• 2 Tbls milk
• 2 Tbls + ¼ cup seasoned dry breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease an 8 inch square baking pan.  In a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add zucchini and onion. Cook stirring occasionally until crisp tender, about 5 to 6 minutes.  Add tomato, tomato paste, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper.  Cook stirring occasionally until tomatoes are soft.

Meanwhile, combine ricotta, ½ cup mozzarella, parmesan and milk.  Sprinkle 2 Tbls breadcrumbs over bottom of baking dish.  Layer half the vegetable mixture over the crumbs.  Sprinkle with 1/4 cup breadcrumbs. Spread cheese mixture over crumbs and top with remaining vegetable mixture.  Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella over top.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is browned.

 Enjoy your Zucchini in all its abundance and share your fav recipe below!  Here are more of mine Zucchini Recipes or these other Zucchini Recipes.

 

Garlic Pork chops and Green Beans

Green beans is by far my favorite thing to serve with pork.  And this time of year I can get fresh green beans from my own garden plot as well as from the farmers market.  We are using up the home-canned green beans from last season so I can make some new ones this year which made me think of this recipe.  I stir the canned beans into the pan drippings to warm them and enhance the flavor.

Apricots have a peachy-like flavor with a hint of sour that makes them a perfect compliment to the blank pallet that is a pork chop.  You can also make this with slices of pork roast instead.

Pork chops and Garlic Green Beans 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 1/2-inch thick pork rib chops
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 4 apricots, pitted and cut in wedges
• 2 tablespoons plain or herb flavored honey (lavender or a spice infused honey are perfect)
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 pound green beans, trimmed

Directions

In an extra-large nonstick skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat; lower heat to medium. Lightly sprinkle chops with salt and pepper. Cook chops in hot oil for 5 minutes, turning once. Add apricots, honey and 2 cloves of garlic to chops in skillet; cover and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until apricots are tender and pork is no longer pink in center.

Meanwhile, in a 2-quart microwave-safe dish combine beans and one clove garlic and 1/4 cup water. Cook, covered, on 100 percent (high) power 6 minutes, stirring once; drain. (Or steam them with garlic slices in a basket steamer until crisp tender.)

To serve, spoon cooking juices from skillet over pork, apricots, and beans. Makes 4 servings.

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  

To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, Recipe2019, or Recipe2020.

 
You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD for each month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2021 so you can find them all.

The themes are:
Jan 2021 – Baked Items
Feb 2021 – Breakfast Dishes
March 2021 – Italian Dishes
April 2021 - Chicken Recipes
May 2021 - Appetizers
July 2021 – Pork Recipes
August 2021 - Seafood
September 2021 - Pizzas
October 2021 – Mexican Dishes
November 2021 - Cookies
December 2021 – Gift Recipes

 

Pork Chops Dijon - Monthly Recipe Theme

This recipe was originally included in my Backyard PatchCookbook, which I put together back in 2000. It is a collection of recipes using herb ingredients, like this one using herb vinegar. Since it is the perfect season to make herb vinegar, I thought it was a perfect inclusion for this month’s theme.

This recipe has a nice tang to wake up the taste buds and is great served with a side of wild rice or couscous and green beans.  You can always use a plain wine or rice vinegar if you do not have herbal vinegar, but I recommend making an herbal vinegar to enjoy in the winter.  You can use fresh herbs from your garden, the grocery or the farmers market.  Full instructions for this easy technique are available in this previous post.

Pork Chops Dijon

• 2 Tbls butter
• 4 ¾-inch thick pork chops (trimmed of fat)
• 2 Tbls Chive or Garlic chive -based vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 tsp chopped chives (dry or fresh)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large skillet over low heat, turning occasionally, for about 30 to 35 minutes, until brown and tender. Remove from the pan and keep in warm place. Now turn up the heat just a little and deglaze the pan by adding the vinegar and stirring well, scraping up any brown bits.  Next stir in the mustard, then the cream.  Simmer, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes, then serve over the chops sprinkled with fresh chives. Serves 4.

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  

To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, Recipe2019, or Recipe2020.

 
You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD for each month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2021 so you can find them all.

The themes are:
Jan 2021 – Baked Items
Feb 2021 – Breakfast Dishes
March 2021 – Italian Dishes
April 2021 - Chicken Recipes
May 2021 - Appetizers
July 2021 – Pork Recipes
August 2021 - Seafood
September 2021 - Pizzas
October 2021 – Mexican Dishes
November 2021 - Cookies
December 2021 – Gift Recipes