Crock Pot Ham and Beans (and Meal Plan Moday too!)

I've never been especially boastful or cocky, but I don't think I am out of line when I say that I seriously make the best ham and beans ever.  I mean, I always thought they were gross....at least until I gave it a go.  Now I think they are delicious, and so warm and hearty.  And I want to share them with you, because I am so kind and giving (and fine....maybe a liiiiittttle boastful, but whatever).

But first, meal plan Monday is here.  My plan for this week includes:

 - Shrimp and Grits, Roasted Broccoli

 - Healthified Swedish Meatballs, Egg Noodles, Carrots, Cranberries

 - Chicken Tostadas, Black Bean Salad

 - Cincinnati Chili Spaghetti, Salad

 - White Bean Ragout, Homemade Ciabatta Toasts, Endive Salad

There are 3 new recipes for me on the menu for this week.  Super exciting stuff, when you don't really do much that is exciting.

Now, back to the ham and beans....a few notes:

• I have used both navy beans and great white northern beans.  I like the navy beans for the smaller size, but they take longer to cook and aren't as creamy as the northerns.  I would stick with great white northern beans.
• Some people like to use ham hocks, but I prefer a ham steak (sacrilege, I know), with a smoked neck bone thrown in for flavor.  Smoked neck bones are usually easy to find at the store.  I keep mine in the freezer, and just toss one in the crock pot with the beans.  No need to thaw.
• These go great with cornbread.  I like to try and keep it low-fat, but I like it all.
• Do the overnight soak for the beans.  Don't do the quick-soak method.  I don't trust it.
• I like mine more stew-like than soup-like.  If you want it like soup, just add more broth at the end.
• Don't be chintzy with the salt.  Seasoning is key.

Crock Pot Ham and Beans

Makes 8 servings

195 cals / 2g fat / 42g carbs / 23g protein

1 lb Great White Northern beans, dry

1 1-lb ham steak, bone-in

1 smoked pork neck bone

2 small onions

4 cloves garlic

2 TB fresh thyme leaves

2 TB brown sugar

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cloves

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

1/2 tsp salt (or more)

Pepper

1.  The night before you are going to make these, pick through your beans and throw out any super shriveled beans or rocks.  Rinse the beans and place them in a large bowl, covering them with about 6 cups of cold water.  Let the beans sit out and soak overnight, 8-12 hours.

2.  The next morning, drain and rinse the beans.  Place them in your crock pot.  Chop the onion, garlic, and thyme leaves, and add those to the beans.  

3.  Cube the ham steak, removing fat where you can, and add the cubed ham, along with the round bone to the beans.  Add the smoked bone, brown sugar, bay leaves, nutmeg, cloves, broth, water, salt and pepper and stir.  Cook on low for at least 8 hours.  Remove the bones and the bay leaves, season if needed, and serve.

Crock Pot BBQ Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Slaw

Once upon a time, long long ago, B and I were on a date. I ordered steak. I think he might have been a little envious of my meal, a little food-possessive, or a little steak-curious. I don't know. But whatever the reason, something possessed him to think it was okay to slowly sneak his fork across the table and pierce one of my freshly cut bites of medium-rare perfection. And what was my reaction? I stabbed his hand. Hard. With my fork. It was an instantaneous reflex. Protect my steak at all costs.

The moral of the story? I take my meat seriously. And also, don't touch my food without asking. I will cut you.

While I wouldn't put BBQ on the same pedestal as steak, it is something I really love to eat. But I don't know how / possess the tools / really care to try to make a proper pulled pork the real way. So pulled pork at home was always just.....mehhhh (pork roast, crock pot, bottle of sauce, and cook, anyone?).

That is until I found this recipe. It totally rocked my crock-pot-pulled-pork world. It is pulled pork perfection. It is still simple enough for non-official BBQ lovers like myself to manage, but tastes authentic. And it smells so so SO good.

I replaced the bun with a healthier (and more filling) baked sweet potato. Top it with some slaw and you have yourself a perfect little dinner.

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Slaw
Makes 8 servings
310 cals / 9g fat / 29g carbs / 28g protein

2.5-3 lb lean pork roast (such as loin/sirloin)
2 tsp red wine vinegar
3 tsp hickory liquid smoke
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce

1 bag shredded cabbage/cole slaw mix
6 green onions
3 TB lite mayo
3 TB white wine vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt

4 large cooked sweet potatoes (I just cook mine in the microwave to save time)

1. Trim all the fat from the pork and place in crock pot. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, pepper, vinegar, and liquid smoke. Cook on high for 6-8 hours. Shred pork with 2 forks, stir in BBQ sauce (adjust amount to your preference. I like mine a little drier). Cook an additional 15 min or so.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together mayo, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Thinly slice green onions. Add onions and slaw mix to bowl and toss to coat. Let sit for ~20-30 min before serving.

3. Split baked sweet potatoes in half, top with BBQ pork and slaw, and serve.

Love Is: Sweet and Spicy Bacon

In honor of Valentine's Day and all things love and romance, I thought I would share this recipe for the best bacon you will ever eat.  Seriously.  The.Best.Ever.

If you are in need of a last minute gift to really impress that special someone, skip the flowers and candy and go with what they really want.....bacon.  Salty, spicy, sweet, crisp, chewy, delicious bacon.

You can't go wrong here, I promise.  Unless your special someone is Muslim.  In that case, bacon would be very wrong.

Sweet and Spicy Bacon

1 pack thick-cut bacon (1lb)
3 TB brown sugar
1/3 tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 tsp black pepper

1.  Heat oven to 375.  Lay bacon slices out evenly over a broiler pan or wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet (has to be this way so the fat drains off and the sugar caramelizes and crisps up.  Don't just lay it on a flat sheet).  Mix sugar, cayenne, and pepper together,  set aside.

2.  Cook bacon for ~20 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle 1/3 sugar mixture over each slice.  Turn each slice of bacon over and sprinkle evenly with remaing sugar mix, spreading with the back of a spoon if needed.  Return to oven and cook until bacon is crisp and done, about 20-25 min more.  Serve warm or at room temp.

Starting off and half-way done.

If you want to be really crafty, cut each raw bacon slice in half, then fold the halves onto each other to form a heart shape before baking.

Family Dinner: Porkchops and Applesauce

This post is brought to at the request of the husband.  I wish I could say it was the pork chop, but I really think it is the applesauce that gets him excited.  And I can't say I disagree with him.  Yes, you can buy applesauce from the store, but the kind on your stove, all sweet and warm with homemadey (this should be a word) flavor really hits it out of the park.  And what better to serve alongside the sauce than some oven baked pork chops?

A simple dinner you can't go wrong with. I start my applesauce (and in this case, some carrots), then make the chops.  Walla, everything gets done about the same time.

Stove Top Applesauce
Makes 4 servings
105 cals / 0g fat / 29g carbs / 0g protein

2 softer sweet apples (such as gala)
2 granny smith apples
2 TB brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup water
Pinch of salt

1. Peel, core, and chop your apples. You will want to cut the granny smiths into smaller pieces than your sweet variety because it will take longer for these to break down (roughly 1/2 to 1/3 the size).

2. Place the cut apples in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in sugar, water, cinnamon, and salt.

3. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until most pieces are broken down and it is at your desired consistency, adding more water if needed. I cook mine for about 30 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Oven Baked Pork Chops
Makes 8 Servings
150 cals / 2g fat / 9g carbs / 19g protein

1 pack of 8 thin pork loin chops (~1.5 lbs)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup panko
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 egg whites
3 TB water
Salt and Pepper and Cooking Spray

1. Pre-heat the oven to 425. Cut that ribbon of fat off of the pork chops (and any other visible fat) and generously season them with salt and pepper.

2. Onto a plate or shallow dish, mix the breadcrumbs, panko, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and water together with a fork until frothy.

3. Generously spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Dip each chop in the egg whites, then dredge in breadcrumb mix to coat. Place each on the prepared sheet and lightly spray the tops with cooking spray.

4. Bake for 25 minutes, flipping the chops over half-way through cooking.

Family Dinner: Winter Pork Stew

This is one of my favorite stews, but I only make it once or twice a year....I forget about it, move on with my life, and then BAM, I am sitting there brainstorming menu ideas for the week and it pops into my brain.  Like a flash of genius.  It is warm, rich, savory, and sweet at the same time, and the leftovers are great for lunches throughout the week.

You can use any kind of beer you want...I had Leinie's Oktoberfest on hand, so it is what I used.  And my goodness, I just happened to taste a small sip before adding it to the pot, and I immediately put another bottle in the fridge for me to drink.  I know, a weeknight beer??  Things are getting cuh-razy up in here!!

I like this stew served over egg noodles, but it would be good with mashed potatoes, rice, or by itself with a chunk of bread on the side.

Winter Pork Stew
Makes 6 servings
320 cals / 7g fat / 27g carbs / 34g protein

2 lbs pork loin
2 TB flour
2 tsp olive oil
2 onions
6-8 carrots
4 cloves garlic
2 apples, firmer variety
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 TB brown sugar
1 bottle beer 12 oz
2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
Salt and Pepper

1.  First chop all your veggies, to get everything ready.  Dice your onions, mince the garlic, and peel and cut your carrots into bite size chunks.  Set it all aside.

2.  Trim all visible fat and junk from the pork and cut into 1 - 1 1/2 inch chunks.  Season well with salt and pepper, and toss with flour to coat.

3.  Heat 1 tsp oil in large sauce pan or dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add the pork and sautée until browned (don't worry if things start getting brown and sticking to the bottom of the pan, it is supposed to, that brown stuff is full of delicious flavor....just keep cooking the pork until it is browned).  Remove pork from pan and set aside.

4.  Return pot to heat and heat remaining 1 tsp oil.  Add the onions, carrots, and apples, stirring occasionally, and cook until beginning to soften, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic and continue to cook an additional 1-2 minutes.

5.  By now the bottom of your pot should be browned and crusty (but not black and burnt!).  Add that beer you have been trying not to drink, and stir and scrape the bottom to stir up all those brown bits (flavor crystals as I like to call them).  Add the remaining ingredients and return the pork to the pot.

6.  Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low, and continue to cook partially covered until pork is tender, about 2 hours.  Season with salt and pepper (I like mine with a heavy dose of salt) and serve.  I recommend egg noodles and some fresh parsley, but you do what you want.

Want to turn this into a slow cooker meal?  Easy.  Follow steps 1-5, then dump in in your crock pot and cook on low, partially covered for ~6 hours.  Or just make this at night, and reheat it the next day, or whenever you want to eat it.

Family Dinner - Crock Pot Polynesian Pork

I adore crock pot cooking. My weekly meal plans usually include at least one crock pot meal, I try and plan them for days when I know I will be busy or won't feel like being in the kitchen.

This is based on a recipe from my awesome sister-in-law, Melanie. She made it for our baby shower and it was love at first bite. It took me this long to get the flavor ratios just right, but I finally figured it out, yay!

Crock Pot Polynesian Pork
Makes 8 servings
215 cals / 14g fat / 20g carbs / 20g protein

1 2-lb pork tenderloin, trimmed of all visible fat
1/4 cup water
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup light coconut milk
1 cup crushed pineapple with juice
3/4 cup sweet chili sauce
2 tsp crushed red pepper (or to taste)
4 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Place pork and water in slow cooker, sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Cook on low ~6 hours. Using two forks, shred the pork. Stir in coconut milk, pineapple, sweet chili sauce, and red pepper. Cook an additional 1-2 hours. Stir in cilantro and green onion, cook another 10-15 minutes, and serve.

I served this with brown rice and snow peas sautéed with sesame oil, ginger, and soy sauce. I think this would make really good sandwiches too, especially on top of those miniature Hawaiian rolls.