Slow Cooker Pork Roast With Apples and Pears Recipe

The winter months are perfect for making anything and everything in your crock pot – and there’s no reason you can’t expand beyond beef stew or good old New England pot roast. Here’s a recipe I created based on one I read in Cook’s Illustrated for Braised Pork Chops. Because the flavor profiles of pork and fruit go so well together, it was a natural to combine them in a slow cooker. An added bonus? This is the perfect recipe for cheap, tough cuts of pork such as the blade or arm roasts.

Slow Cooker Pork Roast With Apples and Pears

(1) 1 pound bone-in pork roast

3 T. kosher salt

Water

1 T. olive oil

1 medium-sized white onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 medium-sized apple (variety of your choice), peeled, cored and sliced into twelfths

1 medium-sized pear (variety of your choice), cored and sliced into twelfths

½ t. whole allspice

½ t. minced fresh ginger

½ cup pomegranate juice

2 T. balsamic vinegar

Freshly ground black pepper

Dissolve kosher salt in about one quart of water. Add the pork roast and allow to brine for at least an hour.

Meanwhile, heat your crock pot to high. Add oil, onion, garlic and bay leaf. Cook until slightly softened. Add apple and pear slices, bay leaf, allspice and ginger.

Remove pork roast from brine and pat dry. Sprinkle with black pepper. Place on top of veggies and fruits. Pour pomegranate juice and balsamic vinegar over all. Cook on high for one hour, turning roast over halfway through. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, covered, for 4 – 6 hours.

Serves 4

January 21, 2012: Skinny Fruit Salad Recipe

This recipe is courtesy of my friend, Kathy. Together she and I try to walk each day and watch what we eat in order to lose a few pounds and/or maintain our weight. We’ve been doing this almost as long as we’ve known each other and we frequently share recipes we’ve found to be successful in helping us eat right. This is one that Kathy makes often because of its simplicity and its taste. It’s a bit too sour for me, but if you agree you can add a packet of artificial sweetener or Stevia.

This makes a great side dish for a light meal or could even be breakfast, along with a cup of yogurt topped with granola.

Skinny Fruit Salad

1 large grapefruit

2 oranges

1 sweet apple

Peel the citrus fruit. Cut each segment into 2 – 3 pieces. Grate the apple. Combine all the fruit in a bowl and let sit for a couple hours or overnight to extract the juices.

Tip: You can also turn this into a savory salad by adding thing rings of red onion, chopped avocado and some herbs. A drizzle of balsamic vinegar would top off these flavors nicely.

October 22, 2011: Cheddar Puffs With Apple Filling Recipe

Today we’ve got a high tea event planned for the women of our church. We did this last year and held the event at Kathy’s house, which is decorated like a very feminine, floral B&B so it’s perfect for this type of ladies’ event.

I was tasked with making dessert. As usual, I wanted something different and I’d clipped this recipe recently from The Arizona Republic. Since October is National Apple Month, I thought it would perfect.

Apple Cheddar Puffs

For the puffs:

1 cup water

6 T. butter (or 6 T. butter plus 1 t. salt)

1 1/3 cups flour

5 eggs

1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese

For the filling:

4 sweet apples, such as Golden Delicious (I used Fiji)

¼ cup sugar

1 t. freshly grated ginger (I used minced jarred ginger)

1 T. lemon juice

Pinch of salt

½ cup water divided

1 T. cornstarch

Heave oven to 425 degrees. Line one large or two smaller baking sheets with parchment (the puff recipe will make 1 ½ - 2 dozen, depending on how large you make each one).

In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, bring the water and butter to a boil. Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball of dough, about 1 minute.

Transfer the dough to the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix with paddle attachment for one minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, waiting until fully incorporated before adding the next. When all the eggs have been added, mix in the cheese on low speed.

Spoon the mixture into a gallon size sealable plastic bag or pastry bag. Cut off the corner if using a storage bag and seal the top. Gently squeeze the bag to create walnut-size mounds on the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least one inch between each. Note: I made mine bigger and they were just fine; easier to fill.

Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the oven to 375 degrees and bake for another 15 minutes, until golden brown.

Remove puffs from the oven and pierce the side of each to let the steam escape. Cool completely, then use or store in an airtight container up to 24 hours. Note: you need to allow them to cool completely before storing so they don’t get soggy.

Meanwhile, make the filling by combining the apples, sugar, ginger, lemon juice, salt and 2 tablespoons of the water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until apples are tender, about 15 minutes. In a small bowl, combine remaining water and cornstarch; add to the apple mixture. Bring to a gentle boil to thicken the mixture, then remove from heat.

To fill the puffs, you can either cut them in half and spoon filling inside or use a pastry bag to pipe the apple mixture in through a small hole (the latter looks nicest; the former is much easier and requires less cleanup/effort).

Makes between 18 – 24 puffs.

October 7, 2011: Homemade Applesauce Recipe

Making your own applesauce is so incredibly easy I’m surprised that so many people opt for the convenience of buying a jar at the store. I used to do that and often found that it didn’t get used up quickly enough and I’d have to toss half the jar when it got moldy. When I make it from scratch, I can make just enough for the night’s dinner and not have to worry about leftovers.

Because all apples have varying degrees of sweetness, there’s not a set amount of sugar to add (and really any variety of apples works fine for making sauce, tart or sweet). Try putting in a small amount, such as a quarter cup, first and then tasting. You can always add more but you can’t take it out if you get the sauce too sweet!

Homemade Applesauce

One apple per person (2 apples for 2 people, 3 apples for 3 people, etc.)

1 T. butter per 2 apples (optional)

Water

Squirt of lemon juice

Sugar

Dash of cinnamon

Peel and core the apples. Cut into large chunks. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the apples. Add enough water to just cover the apples about halfway (you don’t want too much or the sauce will be too watery; however if this happens just cook it down further). Add remaining ingredients. Cover and cook over low heat for at least 20 minutes. Applesauce is done when the apples are tender. Taste for sweetness and add sugar, if necessary.

The applesauce can be served chunky, mashed slightly with a potato masher, or pureed in a blender, depending on what texture you prefer.

October 4, 2011: Apple Bars Recipe

As I mentioned, October is National Apple Month and right now there are lots of varieties available at the grocery store. I’m doing my best to focus on the all the types of food that October is known for (cookies, pasta, desserts, bologna – in addition to apples) so let’s start with a simple recipe sure to please everyone in your family. These bars are a great after school snack or casual get-together fare.

Make sure you use a sweet apple for this recipe - I used gala apples. Since there's no sugar directly on the apple slices, a Granny Smith or other type of tart apple wouldn't work well.

Apple Bars

½ cup butter, softened (or butter flavored Crisco)

½ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

1 ½ cups granola cereal (any variety - your choice)

1 cup flour

½ t. baking powder

¼ t. salt

¾ t. pumpkin pie spice (or equal amounts cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger)

1 large or 2 small apples, peeled, cored and sliced thinly (about 1 ½ cups)

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla and beat well. Mix together dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Blend just until mixture is crumbly. Reserve one cup.

Press remaining dough into bottom of greased 8 x 8” square pan with your fingers. Top with apple slices. Drop remaining dough by teaspoonfuls evenly across top of the apple slices.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes 9 – 12 bars 

Note: it’s easy to double the recipe to feed more people; just use a 13 x 9” pan.

September 20, 2011: Roasted Pork with Apples and Onions Recipe

When autumn’s in the air, apples are in season. I love the combination of the tart sweetness of apples combined with pork. This recipe is quite similar to the one for roasted pork with pears but instead uses apples and lots of garlic that roasts in the oven and melds perfectly with the other flavors.

Roasted Pork with Apples and Onions

1 T. olive oil

1 2 ½ - 3 pound pork loin roast

10 cloves garlic

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 gala or other slightly sweet apples, quartered and thinly sliced

1 t. dried sage

1 t. black pepper

1 t. garlic salt

1 1/2 cup chicken broth

1 t. apple butter

1/2 cup whole milk or light cream

1 T. butter

In an ovenproof skillet, heat the oil. Brown the pork roast on each side; remove and set aside.

To the same pan add the garlic, onion and apple slices. Sauté for a few minutes; just until vegetables start to soften. Place the pork roast on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle with the seasonings and pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the skillet.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the middle of the roast registers 175 degrees. Remove pork and place on a plate covered with foil to rest. Remove the vegetables and apples with a slotted spoon to a serving bowl and keep warm.

Place the skillet back on the stove and heat to a medium boil. Reduce by half, about 5-10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add the apple butter, milk, and butter and cook just until heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Slice the pork roast and serve the sauce over the meat and vegetables.

June 9, 2011: Fruit Salad Recipe

During the increasingly hot summer days, nothing is better for a cool and delicious side dish than fruit salad. And with the abundance of fresh fruit available at the grocery store and farmer’s market right now, why not incorporate it into a light lunch or dinner?

This fruit salad consists of watermelon, pineapples and red grapes

There really isn’t much to making a fruit salad other than selecting your favorite varieties of fruit, cutting it up, and combining it in a bowl. Here’s some of my fave fruits:

• Watermelon, scooped into balls
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Blackberries
• Peaches, peeled and sliced
• Grapes (red, white, or green), halved
• Cherries
• Apples, peeled and cut into chunks
• Pineapple, cut into chunks
• Plums, peeled and sliced

If you like a dressing on your fruit salad, try using a container of vanilla yogurt or a bit of honey thinned with the juice of a fresh lime. Amaretto and cream is another good option – particularly delish on peaches and raspberries.

It’s summer so enjoy the fresh fruit while you can!

May 6, 2011: Roasted Pork Loin with Shallots and Apples Recipe

Even though it’s a bit heavier than what I consider a “spring dish”, I just had to share this recipe with you because it came out so delish! I adapted this recipe from one I found some time again in Relish Magazine, which called for pears instead of apples. But I looked around my kitchen and only had apples, which I substituted – and I think it was an excellent stand-in! Try this dish and tell me what you think.

Roasted Pork Loin with Shallots and Apples

3 T. olive oil, divided
1 T. soy sauce
1 t. black peppercorns
2 t. kosher salt
Half of a fresh lemon
1 pork loin roast, 2 – 3 pounds
2 – 3 large shallots, peeled and quartered
1 large apple (any variety), peeled, cored and thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
2 cups chicken broth
Coarsely ground black pepper
Garlic salt

Marinate the pork in a mixture of 2 tablespoons olive oil, the juice and finely shredded peel of the half lemon, the peppercorns, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and soy sauce. Let it marinate at room temperature for about half an hour (a full hour if the meat is somewhat frozen).

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a roasting pan, toss shallots, garlic, and apple slices with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and kosher salt. Remove meat from marinade; reserve marinade liquid. Make a bed of this mixture on which to place the pork loin. Place in the preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees and cook until meat reaches 145 to 150 degrees, about 40 minutes.

While meat roasts, melt butter in a saucepan and whisk in flour. Cover over medium heat until golden brown (a couple minutes or so). Slowly pour in broth and reserved marinade, whisking to break up lumps. Cook about 10 minutes, or until sauce has thickened. Add pepper and garlic salt to taste.

Remove pork loin roast from pan and let sit, covered with foil, for about five minutes before slicing. Serve with roasted veggie mixture and gravy.

May 2, 2011: Cheddar Apple Caramelized Onion Crostini Recipe

We were invited to a barbecue recently at the home of some of our friends. They planned to grill salmon and serve it with a salad and steamed asparagus.

While they were generous enough to supply everything, I just couldn’t show up without bringing something. I gave my friend a call and asked her what I could bring. “Cheese and crackers,” was her reply. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any crackers and not enough cheese to slice. What I did have, however, was lots of onions and apples and a leftover hunk of homemade French bread. I figured those flavors would meld nicely, producing something that was slightly sweet, slightly tangy.

Imagining I was a contestant on The Food Network’s show, Chopped, I thought of how I could put these ingredients together. The result is this recipe:

I added a few more slices of apple in the center of this platter and drizzled them with just a bit of honey.

Cheddar, Apple, and Caramelized Onion Crostini

12 thin slices of French bread (or a baguette, sourdough bread, or other artisan-style bread)
Butter for spreading
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 T. butter, softened
2 t. olive oil
½ large white onion, thinly sliced
Balsamic vinegar
1 apple (gala, fuji, or other sweet)
1 t. lemon juice

Butter the slices of bread and place them on a large, ungreased baking pan. Toast them in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until crisp on the edges.

Meanwhile, add the cheese, mayo, and butter to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse just until combined; set aside.

Heat the olive oil over low heat in a saucepan. Add the onion slices and sauté low and slow for about 20 minutes, until caramelized. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar and mix with the onions.

Slice the apple into 12 thin pieces. Toss the apple slices with the lemon juice immediately after cutting to prevent them from browning.

Take the toasted bread and spread each slice with about 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture. Top with about 1 tablespoon of the caramelized and an apple slice. Arrange on a platter and serve at room temperature.