Slow Cooker Onion Gravy Pork Chops

This is the recipe I had meant to make when I did the Slow Cooker Creamy Pork Chops with Mushrooms and Potatoes.  It is quite tasty, though quite heavy on the saltiness.  If you don't like things pretty salty, you might want to do this with 6 or even 8 pork chops and increase the chicken broth appropriately.

I served it with Bacon-Braised Turnip Greens and Cauliflower with White Sauce and Cheese.

Slow Cooker Creamy Beef Stroganoff

In seeking out crockpot recipes, I found several that claimed to be "beef stroganoff".  This is based on the only one that actually sounded like beef stroganoff to me.

As usual, of course, I adjusted the recipe to fit our tastes, and that is what I am sharing with you!

Slow Cooker Creamy Pork Chops with Mushrooms and Potatoes

This was yet another success for the crockpot.  Delightfully tangy, yet creamy, and the pork chops were falling apart – literally.  It actually wasn't in the plan for this week, but when I went to put it together, I opened up to the wrong recipe, and didn't realize it till I went to put it here!  Luckily it was a huge hit, and will definitely be staying in the repertoire.

I served it with brussel sprouts covered in butter and garlic powder.  It was an amazingly good combination.

Slow Cooker Caribbean Jerk Pork Curry

The original recipe this delectable crockpot meal was based on, called it Jamaican Jerk Pork.  It's just...  not.  The flavor has much more in common with Indian style curry than Jamaican jerk.  However, it is absolutely delicious!  And the flavor is very strong, so a little goes a long way.

I served it over rice, and it went quite well, though you could also serve it on noodles or potatoes, or go in a very different direction and put it on bread as a sort of curry barbecue.

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Zuchini

As seems to be somewhat the theme of these freezer-to-crockpot meals, this one was a bit bland as I found it; I had to work with it to make it my own and suited to our tastes.  However, it's delightfully simple yet healthy, hearty, and delicious.  It would be easy to add in any additional vegetables that your family prefers or which are in season.

Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef

This was the first of my freezer-to-crockpot experiments.  With some adjustments to make it my own, I was satisfied, if not absolutely wild about it.  I don't think it will become a staple at our house, but it's quite tasty all the same.

I served it over basmati rice, the only kind I like; and alongside lightly stir-fried broccoli, carrot slices and snow peas in a little sesame oil, oyster sauce and soy sauce.

Slow Cooker Beef and Vegetable Soup

I have discovered a new passion in the kitchen - freezer to crockpot meals.  In coming weeks, expect to see a lot of posts with recipes for such foods; I have been discovering and modifying dozens and dozens of recipes to suit my tastes.

This, however, is a long-time favorite of mine.  I learned how to make the base recipe from an ex-boyfriend's boss, of all things, and then of course made it my own.  I absolutely adore it in the wintertime, and even often in the summer.  It's so easy – just throw it all in the slow cooker in the morning, and it's ready for dinner.  The secret ingredient that really sets it apart from similar recipes, I think, is the mustard.

All spice measurements (everything after the cloves of garlic) are rough estimates, don't worry about exact measuring.  It is designed for my large, 8 quart crockpot; it should be easy to cut in half for a smaller, standard-sized (4-5 qt.) slow cooker.