Crockpot Balsamic Pork Loin with Apples & Onions

One of my longtime friends recently shared this recipe with me in her weekly grocery bag post.  Queen B mentioned how easy and tasty this recipe is, and knowing that her kiddos love this recipe too encouraged me to give it a try. 

It seemed perfect for fall, and I loved the use of balsamic on pork and delicious apples.  I opted to convert the recipe from the oven to the crockpot, which made it even easier.  We’ll definitely be making this one again!

Crockpot Balsamic Pork Loin with Apples & Onions – Adapted from My Recipes

Ingredients

• 1 2.5-3lb pork loin or roast
• 3 T brown sugar
• 1 T minced onion
• 1/4 tsp. minced garlic
• pinch of chili powder
• pepper & salt
• 1/4 C chicken broth
• 1 medium onion, cut into wedges
• 1/3 C balsamic vinegar
• 4 apples (sweet/tart combo preferred)
• 1 T butter

Directions

Pour 1/4 C chicken broth into the bottom of your slow cooker.  Arrange the wedged onion over the top.  Place the pork over the top. 

Combine 3 T brown sugar with 1 T minced onion, 1/4 tsp. garlic, salt, pepper and a pinch of chili powder.  Rub this mixture over the sides and top of the roast.  Then, drizzle 1/3 C balsamic vinegar over the roast. 

Cover, and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

1 hour before dinner, prepare the apples by peeling and slicing them.  We chopped ours into 1-2 inch pieces.  Place into a 9x9 glass baking dish and add 1 T butter.  Bake at 350 for approximately 45 minutes. 

Just before serving, drizzle another tablespoon or so of balsamic vinegar over the pork.  Slice and allow the slices of pork to sit in the juices in the bottom of the crockpot until serving. 

Serve with baked apples, onions and winter squash, if desired. 

Enjoy!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Ingredient Spotlight: Winter Squash

Thanks for joining us for this week’s Ingredient Spotlight!  We are talking all about winter squash this week – butternut, acorn, spaghetti, and my personal favorite, buttercup are just the tip of the squash-berg when it comes to winter squash. 

My blogging friend, Liz from Carpe Season just did a post all about winter squash explaining who’s who and what’s what when it comes to squash.  You can visit that post here. 

Here are our favorite ways to enjoy winter squash:

Crockpot Winter Squash (pictured above)

Make Ahead Butternut Squash Bake

Buttercup Squash Baked Oatmeal with Craisins

Butternut Squash Pasta Skillet

Butternut Squash & Spinach Lasagna

Let’s see your recipes --

An InLinkz Link-up

 

Join us next week for Lentils and to start off November, you won’t want to miss Sweet Potatoes! 

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Simple Fall Veggie Bake

This bake is easy and cheap, and makes a great side dish during the fall.  Pair it with grilled chicken, oven-baked pork chops or fish and you have a great meal. 

Simple Fall Veggie Bake – Adapted from Budget Bytes

Ingredients

• 1 zucchini
• 1 summer squash
• 3-4 medium potatoes
• 1-2 tomatoes, optional
• Salt & Pepper
• Minced garlic & onion
• Italian cheese

Directions

Using a mandolin slicer, slice the zucchini, summer squash, potatoes and tomatoes.  Stack the veggies together in an 8x8 glass baking dish that has been well greased. 

Season with salt and pepper, minced garlic and onion. 

Bake, covered, at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. 

Remove and top with cheeses. 

Return to the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes uncovered.   Serve warm. 

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Zucchini & Ham Tortilla Bake

This was an absolutely delicious way to use our garden’s abundance of zucchini, summer squash and tomatoes. 

I loved the flavor combination and how easy it was to put together in less than 30 minutes! 

You will too. 

Zucchini and Ham Tortilla Bake – Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens

Ingredients

• 1 large zucchini, quartered
• 1 large summer squash, quartered
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 10-15 cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 C diced, pre-cooked ham
• 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. minced onion
• salt and pepper, to taste
• White whole wheat tortillas (n=6), fajita or taco size recommended
• Shredded Monterrey Jack or Cheddar cheese

Directions

Prep the veggies.

Begin by sautéing the quartered zucchini, bell pepper and summer squash in a large skillet until liquid begins to release from the zucchini.  Add in the minced onion and garlic at that point.  If you normally use olive oil during sautéing, use a little here as well. 

Add in the diced ham and the tomatoes.  I recommend halving the cherry or grape tomatoes, but you could easily dice up a larger beef-steak or roma tomato.  Heat until the tomatoes and ham are warmed throughout. Remove from the heat. 

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Place about 1/2 C of the mixture in the center of each tortilla. 

Top with cheese.  Roll up the tortilla and place it seam-side down into the bottom of a lightly greased 9x9 inch baking dish. 

Continue filling the other tortillas, leaving about 1/4 C of the zucchini mixture behind.  When all tortillas are filled and in the pan, arrange the remaining 1/4 C zucchini mixture over the top of the tortillas and sprinkle with a little shredded cheese. 

Place the tortillas in the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes, until tortillas have crisped. 

Enjoy!

Note: These are best eaten the day that you make them and they are quite filling.  Plan on 1 per person, especially if you have side dishes.  Make up just enough for your family or guests.  Then, reserve the extra mixture in a container in the fridge and use the filling to create the tortillas fresh when you are ready for the leftovers.  

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Broccoli & Squash Sauté

This simple side dish combines some of our favorite veggies in new ways.  It’s amazing how refreshing a new side-dish combination can be! 

Served warm or chilled, this side dish was a hit at our house. 

Broccoli & Squash Sauté – Inspired by Multiply Delicious

Ingredients

• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 medium summer squash
• 2 C broccoli
• 1 tsp. minced onion
• pinch of minced garlic
• 3 roma tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes)
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• pinch of salt & pepper
• dash of paprika

Directions

Begin by dicing the veggies.  I quartered the zucchini and summer squash, along with the tomatoes.  Set aside. 

Next, place 2 C broccoli (fresh or frozen) into a skillet with 2-4 T water.  Cook for 5 minutes until crisp tender.  Remove broccoli from the pan to a cutting board and allow it to cool.  Drain any excess water. 

Lightly spray the bottom of your skillet with olive oil.  Toss in the zucchini, summer squash and tomatoes.  Sauté for 5 minutes until tomatoes and squash are soft. 

Dice up the broccoli and toss that back into the skillet. 

Season with oregano, minced onion and garlic, salt, pepper and paprika. 

Serve warm. 

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Buttercup Squash Baked Oatmeal

If you have leftover squash from Thanksgiving, this baked oatmeal is a wonderful way to use it up.

We had leftover buttercup squash, but butternut would work well too.  If you have acorn or a less sweet squash, up the honey or sugar a little bit to compensate.  But, this is a great way to use up leftovers!

Buttercup Squash Baked Oatmeal – Adapted from Finding Joy in My Kitchen

Ingredients

• 3 C Oats
• 1/4 C brown sugar or honey
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 egg or 1 egg white
• 2 T applesauce
• 1 C milk
• 3/4 C buttercup squash puree

Directions

*Note, you can make this the night before, if so, stop before baking. 

Begin by combining 3 C oats, 1/4 C brown sugar (if you use honey, add with wet ingredients), 1/4 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp. nutmeg.  Add 1 egg, 1 C milk, 2 tsp. vanilla and 2 T applesauce.  Stir well.  Add in 3/4 C buttercup squash puree. 

Place oatmeal mixture into a greased 9x9 baking dish. 

Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Otherwise, continue on by baking at 350 for 35-40 minutes, until center is set. 

Serve warm with milk, or serve sliced.  Add craisins, if desired. 

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are enjoying leftovers!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Crockpot Minestrone Pot Pie

To be honest, I had no idea how this pot-pie would turn out in the crockpot.  I first saw the recipe at How Sweet It Is and fell in love with the fall flavors.  Butternut squash, tomatoes, spinach, beans… oh my! 

But, I didn’t have 2.5 hours to make dinner. 

I converted the recipe to the crockpot, and made 10 minute biscuits in the oven.  We served the two together and enjoyed a yummy meal. 

The flavors are certainly fall, and are very different from our traditional soup or pot-pie recipes, so we enjoyed this dish very much. 

Hope you do too!

Crockpot Minestrone Pot Pie – Adapted from Jessica

Ingredients

• 2-4 slices Canadian bacon, chopped
• 1 sweet onion, quartered
• 4 oz. baby bella mushrooms, quartered
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 2 C cubed butternut squash (or sweet potatoes)
• 3 C spinach (fresh or frozen)
• 1 can (14-15oz) stewed tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (14-15oz) Cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
• 2 C chicken broth or stock
• 1 Parmesan cheese rind (optional)
• 1/4 C water
• 2-3 T cornstarch
• 1 recipe Greek Yogurt Parmesan Biscuits

Directions

Toss the quartered sweet onion & baby bella mushrooms into the base of your crockpot.  Add the butternut squash and season with salt & pepper. 

Stir in 1 can, undrained, stewed tomatoes along with 2 C chicken broth. 

Then, toss in diced Canadian bacon {note; you may wish to fry this first, and add towards the end of cooking}. 

Cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours. 

1 hour before serving, add in 3 C spinach, 1 can (rinsed & drained) Cannellini Beans, and the Parmesan rind.  {sorry this photo is blurry!}

Mix together 1/4 C water and 2-3 T cornstarch.  Add this, while stirring constantly to the soup.  {note: our soup was made using 1/4 C water and 1 T cornstarch; I thought it was too soup like and less pot-pie in thickness, by increasing the cornstarch by 1-2 T, you should be able to achieve a good thickness}.  

Turn the heat up to high and simmer away.

Prepare the biscuits – they take about 20 minutes from start to finish. 

Spoon the soup into shallow bowls. 

Top with a biscuit or two, and serve. 

**If you wait to add the Canadian bacon, fry it up and add it to the bowls right before serving.

Enjoy!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad