Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Pork

This is a easy pork dish that your whole family will enjoy.

Ingredients

• 2 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips

• 4 (8 ounce) boneless pork loin chops

• 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce

• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup chopped green onions

• 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts

• 2 limes, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Coat a slow cooker with cooking spray. Place the bell pepper strips and pork chops into the slow cooker. Pour the teriyaki sauce, vinegar, red pepper flakes, and garlic over the pork chops.

2. Cover and cook on Low until the pork is very tender, 8 to 9 hours. Once tender, remove the pork from the slow cooker, and whisk in the peanut butter until smooth. Return the pork to the slow cooker, and cook 10 minutes more.

3. Pour into a serving dish and sprinkle with green onions and peanuts to garnish. Decorate with lime wedges to serve.

Pollo Bianco

Caramelized onions create a glazed chicken with a mellowed bite. It is simple and tastes delicious! If desired, serve with roasted potatoes which have been coated with the sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 4 chicken thighs

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1 large onion, diced

• 2 cups water

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and add the chicken, browning both sides of each piece. Saute for approximately 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Add the diced onion to the skillet and stir together with the chicken pieces for approximately 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of water and let simmer on medium high heat until the onions caramelize and create a sauce.

3. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes. You may need to add more water so that the sauce mixture doesn't dry out. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove and set on a plate.

Rutabaga Stew

The rutabaga is a root vegetable that originated as a cross between the cabbage and the turnip. Rutabagas tend to be an underrated vegetable today. You just don’t see many recipes that utilize their amazing flavor. This soup is warm and earthy. Perfect for a cold day.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 1 1/2 pounds chicken, diced

• 4 rutabagas, peeled and diced

• 4 medium beets, peeled and diced

• 4 carrots, diced

• 3 stalks celery, diced

• 1 red onion, diced

• water, or to cover

Directions

1. Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir chicken in hot oil until completely browned, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add rutabagas, beets, carrots, celery, and red onion to the pot. Pour enough water over the vegetable mixture to cover completely.

3. Reduce heat to low and cook at a simmer for at least 4 hours, adding water as needed to keep vegetable submerged.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

With Valentine’s Day tomorrow, I had to go with one of my wife’s favorite desserts. Also, tomorrow is the fifth anniversary of our engagement, and we had a red velvet wedding cake.

This recipe is for you, Julie!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1 1/2 cups white sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup buttermilk

• 1 fluid ounce red food coloring

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 12 cup muffin pans or line with 20 paper baking cups.

2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, buttermilk, red food coloring and vanilla. Stir in the baking soda and vinegar. Combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt; stir into the batter just until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.

3. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter and frost with desired frosting.

Image via Pxhere - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0) Public Domain

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Cajun cooking is a combination of French and Southern cuisine. It is robust, country style cookery - and so is this dish!

Ingredients

• 4 ounces linguine pasta

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 red bell pepper, sliced

• 1 green bell pepper, sliced

• 4 fresh mushrooms, sliced

• 1 green onion, chopped

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil

• 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

2. Place the chicken and the Cajun seasoning in a plastic bag. Shake to coat. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the chicken in butter or margarine until almost tender (5 to 7 minutes).

3. Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, mushrooms and green onion. Saute and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat.

4. Add the cream, basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper. Heat through. Add the cooked linguine, toss and heat through. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

In the depths of winter we need a little bit of summer flavor. This recipe will bring back memories of warm summer days. Yum!

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

• 1 (4 pound) pork shoulder roast

• 1 cup barbeque sauce

• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 cup chicken broth

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tablespoon chili powder

• 1 extra large onion, chopped

• 2 large cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

• 8 hamburger buns, split

• 2 tablespoons butter, or as needed

Directions

1. Pour the vegetable oil into the bottom of a slow cooker. Place the pork roast into the slow cooker; pour in the barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, and chicken broth. Stir in the brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, onion, garlic, and thyme. Cover and cook on High until the roast shreds easily with a fork, 5 to 6 hours.

2. Remove the roast from the slow cooker, and shred the meat using two forks. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker, and stir the meat into the juices.

3. Spread the inside of both halves of hamburger buns with butter. Toast the buns, butter side down, in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Spoon pork into the toasted buns.

Image via Pxhere - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0) Public Domain