Cranberry-Pineapple Crockpot Pork Chops!

Seriously, you guys. I love pineapple. And I love cranberry.
And since I really, really also like pork chops -
This was the best discovery EVER.
Especially because I love my crockpot!

If I could use my crockpot every single day for every single meal, I probably would. And I wouldn't be ashamed of it at all... so I was totally excited to not only see a Crockpot Receipe Exchange Group on Facebook (which I joined and have been obsessively reading ever since!) - but that someone right at the top had posted this fantastic receipe.

Although it make not look that pretty, it TASTES amazing - so really, you should give it a chance. Especially if you have a love-relationship with pineapples, cranberrys and crockpots. And a like-relationship (or greater!) with pork.

INGREDIENTS
4 or 5 porkchops
1 (big) can crushed pineapple
1 (normal-sized) can cranberry sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tbl spoon nutmeg
1 tbl olive oil
...and some salt. Whatever floats your boat.*

DIRECTIONS
Throw some olive oil in a pan and start to brown the porkchops. They don't need to be fully cooked, but give them a good head start. In the crockpot, mix the pineapple, cranberry sauce, chopped onion, nutmeg and salt together. Once mixed up really good, move the porkchops into the crockpot. (I would suggest making cuts into the meat before doing it, so the insides marinade a little more) Try really hard to cover the pork chops up with the juicy fruit mixture & throw the lid on the pot :)

Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8.
However, I work longer than that - so mine simmered on low for over 10. I (personally) think it made them taste better, if anything. The juices are soo good with the pork. Promise!

*I posted "some" salt because I try to use only as much salt as needed. However, my mother always wants more salt (on everything!) and insisted it needed more. So you know. Do what you want. haha

My Friend's Husband's Award Winning Chili!

Not that yinz read this anymore... but this turned out so well I had to share!

My friend's husband won her work-chili-cookoff contest the first time he ever tried making chili, so I decided to make MY first attempt at chili with his receipe! And it turned out FANTASTIC. So I am posting to share... because what better way to deal with Snowmagedon & the awful cold than to make a big ol' pot of chili to enjoy? (And then freeze... so we can enjoy later!)

I hope you enjoy :)

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds ground turkey or 97% lean ground beef

(let's keep it a LITTLE healthier, kids!)
1 onion, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced (who doesn't LOVE garlic?)
3 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes - NOT drained.
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans - DRAINED
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans - DRAINED
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon hot sauce

(Any kind of hot sauce works! Plus, the more the better IMO...

....Okay, so I added lots more!)

DIRECTIONS
In a large stock pot lightly (or, you know - the world's biggest & deepest pan ever created - as purchased & used by ME in the inserted photos...) brown ground turkey/meat, and drain if needed. Set aside. Add the onion and garlic to pan and cook until onion is translucent. Move the meat back into the pan and cook for a little longer, fully mixing everything.

Add the (UN-DRAINED!) diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, kidney beans, pinto beans, chili powder, cumin, sugar, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Simmer for 30 minutes (although I simmed for two hours, because I'm like that) and then serve. I really feel the extra simmering helped with the final product...

I would say this serves about 6-8 :)

FINAL NOTES
Don't forget to make cornbread :( That was the ONLY disappointment with this meal - that I didn't think ahead enough! But it was still sooo easy and super delicious nonetheless. And I mean it, keep mixin' in that hot sauce!