Brown Sugar Pork Loin with Mustard (Crock Pot recipe)

This is SO good! And it only has 5 ingredients!

 

I've been working my way through my 365 Slow Cooker Suppers cookbook and this was dinner tonight. (Let me just say, if you haven't purchased this cookbook yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!?! It is hands down the best cookbook I own. It doesn't even get put away with my other cookbooks...I keep it on the counter because I use it so much! Every recipe has been a hit with my family!!)

 

This pork loin was delicious! My husband couldn't stop eating it...even after we were finished with dinner!

 

I served this with mashed sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli. Delicious!

 

{Note: I'm sure this would turn out just as well if you used thick, bone-less pork chops instead of pork tenderloin.}

 

Brown Sugar Pork Loin with Mustard

 

1 (2-3 pound) pork tenderloin

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup spicy brown mustard

1 tsp sea or kosher salt

1/3 cup lemon-lime soda

 

Place tenderloin in a 4-qt slow cooker. Top with mustard, brown sugar, and salt. Flip the meat until all sides are evenly coated. Pour soda over the meat.

 

Cover, and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.

 

Slice and serve.

 

Cookbook Review: 365 Slow Cooker Suppers

I think it's pretty clear from most of the recipes on this blog that I really, really love using slow-cookers to make meals. My pinterest boards have more crock pot recipes than any of my other boards.

 

I'm always on the hunt for new slow-cooker recipes.

 

I found Stephanie O'Dea's slow-cooker website when she started her journey of cooking 365 slow-cooker recipes in one year. She published her first book in 2009 and has since published three more.

 

Her most recent cookbook, 365 Slow Cooker Suppers, came out in September.

 

Stephanie graciously sent me a copy to review.

 

 

I was so excited when this little beauty arrived. I looked through the book and found so many enticing recipes!

 

My favorite part of this cook book is that it is ALL dinner recipes. While I love appetizers, desserts, side dishes, etc., that are made in the slow-cooker, what I needed was dinner ideas!

 

My husband went gluten-free in February and it has been a struggle for me to find new recipes that work in the slow-cooker.

 

Stephanie has a child that is gluten-free, so all of the recipes in this book incorporate gluten-free items. Of course, if you are not gluten-free then you don't need the gluten-free version of pasta, bread crumbs, etc.

 

I sat down one afternoon with my new cookbook and wrote out every recipe I'd like to try. I came up with 90 new recipes! I have already made 7 slow-cooker dinners from this cook book and every one has been fabulous!!

 

Here are a few of what I've made so far: Apple Pork Chops, Mongolian Beef Takeout Fake Out, 2-Packet Chicken, Chili Con Carne (no bean chili), Au Gratin Potatoes and Ham.

 

 

Every recipe has "The Verdict" where Stephanie wrote her opinions and suggestions for that recipe.

 

 

There are fabulous color pictures through out the cookbook.

 

 

The different categories make it easy for my to meal plan each week: Meatless, Seafood, Soup, Beans, Sandwiches, Poultry, Beef, and Pork.

 

365 slow cooker meals in one book. Amazing!

 

The two recipes I'm looking forward to the most are Crab and Tomato Chowder and Cajun Shrimp Chowder.

 

In just the few short weeks I've had this cookbook it has become my go-to in meal planning!

 

 

*Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher to review.  All opinions and thoughts are my own.

#365slowcooker

 

Cilantro Lime Shrimp

I have a slight addiction to shrimp. I love it! I think it's one of those foods that I could truly eat every single day and never get tired of it.

 

This recipe is full of flavor and takes less than 10 minutes to prepare. My family loved it! Even my fried-shrimp-loving husband :) My two year old and one year old both gobbled it up.

 

 

Cilantro Lime Shrimp

 

2 lbs. shrimp, shelled and deveined

2 tsp olive oil

6 cloves garlic, crushed

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 lime

salt and pepper

 

Heat a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Add oil to the pan, when hot add shrimp. Season with salt and pepper.

 

When shrimp is cooked on one side (about 2 minutes), turn shrimp over and add garlic. Saute another minute or two until shrimp is cooked, be careful not to overcook. Remove from heat.

 

Squeeze lime all over shrimp and toss with cilantro. Serve hot.

 

(recipe source)

 

Creamy Spinach & Sausage Pasta

I found this recipe on a food blog the other day. Once I saw it, I knew it would be on our menu soon!

 

Due to icy weather, Hubby and I had to cancel our date night out this evening. This was the perfect meal if we couldn't go out.

 

This is a simple, one-pot main dish that is FULL of flavor! While it is called "creamy", I didn't think it was exactly creamy. It doesn't have a heavy sauce, in fact it is semi-light for a pasta dish.

 

 

I made a few changes:

:: I used Polish Kielbasa instead of smoked sausage. It's just a personal preference for us.

:: I used the entire package (13 oz) of sausage.

:: I did not add the green onions

:: I used sliced mozzerella because it is what I had on hand. While it was still creamy, I can see how Monterey Jack would be the cheese of choice.

 

Creamy Spinach and Sausage Pasta (recipe source)

 

6 oz. smoked sausage, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 (14.5 oz) can Rotel (diced tomatoes with chiles)

2 cups chicken broth

8 oz. dry pasta

3 cups fresh spinach

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

1 whole green onion, chopped

 

Add sausage to a large skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Saute the sausage over medium heat until it is nicely browned (about 5-7 minutes). Drain off the excess fat.

 

 Add onion to the skillet. Continue to saute until the onion has softened (about 5 minutes). Add the can of diced tomatoes with chiles and the chicken broth. Stir to combine and dissolve any browned bits off of the bottom of the skillet.

 

Add the uncooked pasta to the skillet and make sure it is all submerged under the liquid. Place a lid on the skillet and allow the mixture to come up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for about ten minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Stir once or twice while the pasta cooks to keep it from sticking.

 

Stir in the fresh spinach, one cup at a time, until wilted. If you add it all at once, the skillet will be too full to stir. Keep the heat on while adding the spinach, so the liquid will continue to simmer and thicken.

Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top, replace the lid, and let it sit for a few minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Slice the green onions and sprinkle them over top.

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

This recipe is adapted from The Pioneer Woman's version.

 

I added green pepper and it gave it the perfect pop of flavor.

 

 

Sour Cream Noodle Bake (recipe source)

 

1.5 lbs ground beef

1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

garlic powder

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

8 oz. Egg noodles

1/2 c. sour cream

1 1/2  c. cottage cheese

1 c. grated shredded cheese

salt and pepper

 

Directions:

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Cook egg noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.

 

Brown ground beef with green pepper and onion until meat is completely cooked. Drain off fat. Season meat with Italian seasoning and some garlic powder.

 

In a medium size bowl, mix together sour cream and cottage cheese. Add noodles to mixture and stir to coat noodles. Season with salt and pepper.

 

In a baking dish, spread half of noodle mixture. Top with half meat mixture and 1/2 c. cheese. Repeat layers one time.

 

Bake 20 minutes.

 

Copy Cat Pizza Hut Pan Pizza

I have a confession. I've never baked anything that involved using yeast (unless it was in my bread machine) because I've always been afraid of the science behind it.

I tossed that fear to the wind when I found this recipe on pinterest!! As soon as I saw it, I knew I would definitely be making it...yeast dough and all!

This pizza is so simple and the most amazing pizza we've ever eaten. Seriously, it's that good!! We thought it was even better than Pizza Hut's because it wasn't nearly as greasy.

If you have yeast or dough fears, please, please toss them aside and MAKE THIS PIZZA!!!!

We made our's as a supreme, but you can definitely add your favorite toppings.

Recipe Yields: Two 9" pizzas

Pizza Dough (recipe source)

2 1/2 cups all purpose or bread flour

1 tsp salt   *I only used 1/2 tsp because I only had salted butter)

1 Tbsp baking powder

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1 cup warm water

1 (1/4 oz) packet yeast

Dissolve the yeast in warm water and set aside. Mix the flour, salt and baking powder together. Add the softened butter and cut into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or fork. Add the yeast mixture and stir together to combine.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until well blended and the dough is no longer sticky. Place the pizza dough into a oiled bowl and turn the dough to coat. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap while the dough rests in a warm place for 20 minutes.

Divide dough into two balls. In two 9″ cake pans add enough oil to cover each pan make sure to spread the oil evenly. Using a rolling pin, roll out each dough ball to about a 9″ circle. Place in cake pans.

Cover each pan with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with non stick spray. Let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes - 1 hour.

Pizza Sauce (recipe source)

1 (7 1/2 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/8 cup water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch of black pepper
1/2 whole bay leaf

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan. Heat till boils and lower heat to simmer and cover. Cook for 30 minutes – stir occasionally.

Pizza Ingredients
2/3 cup jarred or homemade pizza sauce (1/3 cup per pizza)
4 Tbsp oil
pizza toppings
mozzerella cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spoon 1/3 cup pizza sauce on each pizza and spread within 1" of dough edge. Sprinkle cheese on sauce.

Add toppings. Top with additional cheese. Bake 15-18 minutes or until bubbly.

*************

Note:

**I doubled the sauce recipe and was able to freeze three (1/3 cup) baggies of sauce for future use.

**When I purchased the yeast envelopes, I notices a pizza crust yeast. I did not use this; I used the active yeast.

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

4 Tbsp butter

1/4 c. flour

1 can tomatoes with green chilies, drained

1 can chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

8 oz. sour cream

1 lb. chicken, cooked & cubed

8 oz. shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

1 pkg. 6-8" flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in saucepan and stir in flour. Cook for 2-3 minutes and whisk in broth. Bring to a boil and let it thicken slightly. Add tomatoes, soup, and sour cream. Stir in cooked chicken. Spread small amount on the bottom of a 9x13 dish and top with tortillas. Spoon 1/2 of mixture over tortillas. Repeat layers ending with chicken mixture, and top with cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.

Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti

Here's another pinterest find! Yummy!! I loved this because with my diet for gestational diabetes, I was able to have pasta with lots of protein added in! Mmmmm....

This is another recipe that I doubled...one to bake that night and one to freeze. I cooked my own sauce in the crockpot all day and used it instead of jarred sauce. The recipe only calls for a 1/2 cup of sauce, so I was able to freezer the rest of the sauce for future meals!

Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti

8 oz uncooked spaghetti

1 lb. ground beef (I use ground turkey)

1 (26.5 oz) jar spaghetti sauce

1 Tbsp. butter or margarine

1/2 cup green peppers, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

8 oz cream cheese

2 Tbsp. milk

grated Parmesan cheese

 Small can of French Fried Onions

DIRECTIONS:

Cook spaghetti; drain and set aside.

Brown ground beef; drain grease. Add sauce to beef and heat.

Combine onions, peppers, and butter in microwavable bowl. Cover and microwave for 4 minutes until soft.

Add cream cheese and milk to veggies and mix well.

Assemble casserole in 10x6 dish. Place a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish. Place spaghetti on the sauce. Top spaghetti with cream cheese mixture. Add the rest of the spaghetti sauce. Top with your desired amount of Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Top with fried onions and bake an additional 5 minutes. Don't let them burn!

**********************

To freeze: Prepare casserole ahead of time and freeze without the fried onions.

Recipe Source

Turkey Parmesan Meatloaf

With our second baby due to arrive in 9 weeks, I've been working on stocking our garage freezer with meals. I have found so many recipes through pinterest lately, and they have all been new favorites! This one is no exception. I made it last night and put another loaf in the freezer for later.

The original recipe calls for ground chicken, but we like and use ground turkey at our house.

Turkey Parmesan Meatloaf

1 lb. ground turkey (or ground chicken)
1 egg
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, grated
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup pasta sauce (either homemade or store bought)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a loaf pan with cooking spray, set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic, onion, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. To not over handle the mixture otherwise it will get tough. Place the mixture in the greased loaf pan and form into a loaf. Top meatloaf with pasta sauce.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded cheese. Place the meatloaf back in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted.

Remove meatloaf from oven and let it sit 5-10 minutes before slicing.

*******************

To Freeze:

Prepare meatloaf and place in loaf pan. Do not top with pasta sauce. Freeze loaf and sauce separately.

Thaw completely, top meatloaf with sauce and bake per directions above.

Recipe source

Rotel Chicken Spaghetti

I found this recipe on Pinterest. Honestly, I was hesitant at first because I'm not a big fan of velveeta cheese.

However, this was really good and very simple to prepare!

The original recipe didn't specify whether or not to drain the Rotel. I did drain most of the liquid out because I didn't want it too spicy for my 13 month old. It turned out great; just a little kick of spice. If you want it spicy, I wouldn't drain the tomatoes at all.

Rotel Chicken Spaghetti

3-4 large boneless chicken breasts

1 can (10 3/4 ounce) Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can (10 ounce) Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
 1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tablespoon Margarine or butter
1 (8 ounce) Velveeta cheese, cubed
8 ounces spaghetti, cooked and drained

Cut up chicken into bite size pieces. In a large skillet, melt butter or margarine. Add cubed chicken, garlic & onion. Cook over medium-high heat until chicken is no longer pink and no liquid is left in skillet. Stir in soup, cheese and Rotel Tomatoes. Reduce heat to low, and cook until the cheese melts, stirring constantly. Stir in spaghetti and pour into a lightly greased 2 quart casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through.

recipe source

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

This is such an easy meal! Simply toss in a few ingredients and let it cook all day!

 

This is my go-to dish that I bring to new moms. I bring a box of hard taco shells and a bag of tortillas -- for variety. Toss in a bag of shredded cheese and a container of sour cream and you have an easy meal to deliver to a new family. Of course, I always bring my creamy orange jello too!

 

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

4 chicken breasts (no need to cook them, toss them in frozen or thawed)

1 can Rotel

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

1 packet taco seasoning

Place chicken breasts in crockpot. Sprinkle chicken with half of the taco seasoning. Top chicken with corn, Rotel, and beans. Sprinkle remaining seasoning on top.

Mix slightly and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Remove chicken and shred with two forks; return to pot and stir.

Serve in your favorite taco shell with cheese, sour cream, and salsa.

Beefy Shells & Cheese

Hubby loves shells & cheese, but I don't care for them. Soon after we got married, I decided to improvise so he could have his shells & cheese and I didn't have to eat them plain.

I came up with this quick meal that has been a staple since early in our marriage.

Beefy Shells & Cheese

1 box shells & cheese (like ve1veeta brand)

1 lb ground beef

1 can kidney beans (or canned beans of your choice), rinsed

1 small onion, diced

1 tsp. minced garlic

taco seasoning

salsa

Boil the shells according to box directions.

While the shells are boiling, brown ground beef with onion and garlic; drain grease. Add taco seasoning to the meat -- to your liking. Over medium-low heat, add beans to meat mixture.

Drain shells and add to the meat. Mix cheese packet with the shells and meat. Mix salsa into the mixture.

Enjoy!

Taco Salad

This recipe is from my friend, Heather, who insisted it was "the best taco salad EVER, and you have to try it!" Sure enough...it is!

One word of warning, this makes a HUGE amount of taco salad. Be sure to mix it in the largest bowl you own! :)

Taco Salad

1 lb. ground beef

1 large head or bag of shredded lettuce

3 large tomatoes, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 bag (13 oz.) Doritos, crushed

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

2 pkg. taco seasoning

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix

1/2 c. Italian dressing

Prepare ranch dressing according to directions on packet, add Italian dressing and chill.

Brown, drain, and cool ground beef. Add taco seasoning (without water!), mix well.

Add lettuce, tomato, onion, and cheese to ground beef. Refrigerate until serve time. Just before serving, add dressing. Mix well, stir in Doritos.

Feeds a HUGE crowd!

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

This is such a flavorful main dish that is so simple to throw together at the end of a long day!

My favorite part about this recipe is that you do not cook the chicken first. For some reason, I don't like recipes where you have to cook the chicken first (even though I do still make them from time to time).

 

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts; cut into bite-size pieces

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained (I sometimes use the Italian ones)

1 pkg. stuffing mix (like St0vet0p)

1/2 c. water

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried basil leaves

1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and place chicken on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle basil and cheese over chicken.

Mix together tomatoes, dry stuffing mix, water, and garlic until moistened. Place mixture over chicken. Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is done.

Cowboy Beans

This recipe is my mother-in-law's. It's one of Hubby's favorite meals, and ever since I joined their family it's become a favorite of mine. It's great served with corn bread.

Cowboy Beans

1/4 lb. (4 oz) crumbled bacon
1 1/2 lb. ground beef or turkey  (no need to cook it first, toss it in frozen or thawed)

small onion, chopped

1 can (16 oz) pork & beans, undrained

1 can (16 oz) lima beans, undrained

1 can (16 oz) kidney beans, undrained

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. ketchup

1 tsp. mustard

Microwave bacon & crumble. Brown meat and onions. In large crockpot add all ingredients and stir until blended. Cook in crockpot on LOW for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally.

**Note: If you put the groud beef/turkey in raw and let it cook, you will probably have to skim the grease off the top before serving. However, if you cook the beef/turkey in the crock pot the results are so much better!

Easy Chicken Divan

Here's a great recipe for an easy weeknight meal!

Easy Chicken Divan

2 (10 oz) pkgs. frozen broccoli spears

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; cooked and cubed

2 (10 oz) cans cream of chicken soup

3/4 c. mayonnaise

1/2 c. chicken broth

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 c. shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cook broccoli (either steam or boil) until tender; drain. Place broccoli in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Put chicken over broccoli. Combine soup, mayo, broth, and lemon juice; pour over chicken. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 35 minutes or until bubbly.

Ground Beef Stroganoff

This very easy recipe that can be made in less than 30 minutes. It serves three but can easily be doubled or tripled.

 

Ground Beef Stroganoff

1/2 lb. ground beef

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 can condensed cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

3 cups cooked egg noodles

1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream

In a large skillet, cook the beef, mushrooms, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the soup and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through. Reduce heat. Stir in noodles and sour cream; heat through.

3 Servings

Monterey Chicken and Potatoes

I received this recipe from my friend, Heather.

Monterey Chicken with Potatoes

6 medium red potatoes, cubed

1/2 cup butter, melted and divided

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup salsa

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with aluminum foil.

Toss potatoes with about 1 tablespoon of melted butter until coated. Arrange in a single layer in the bottom of the baking dish.

Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove pan from oven, and push potatoes out to the sides of the dish. Place the chicken breast halves in the dish. Stir together the remaining butter and lime juice. Brush onto chicken. Return to the oven.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear. In a small bowl, toss together the cheese, cilantro and salsa. Sprinkle over the chicken and potatoes. Return to the oven for a few minutes, until the cheese is melted. Serve with lime wedges.

**************

My changes:

*Hubby doesn't care for cilantro so I usually put in on only one half or just omit it

*I dice the chicken before cooking

*I use russet baking potatoes and leave the skins on (just wash them really well)

*I don't separate the baking time; I add the potatoes and chicken at the beginning and let it cook

Crockpot Chicken & Rice Casserole

This recipe came from a Slow-Cooker recipe book that I have. All the recipes are low-fat, healthy versions of popular and new meals.

I found this to be a little too thick. Next time, I may thin it some with a little water or chicken broth.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

1 (10¾ oz) can Healthy Request Cream of Chicken soup

1 c. skim milk

½ c. (2.5 oz jar) sliced mushrooms, undrained

1 c. finely chopped celery

1 medium onion, chopped

1 c. uncooked instant rice

16 oz. boneless, skinless uncooked chicken breast, cut into small pieces

Spray crock pot with cooking spray. In pot, combine soup, milk, and undrained mushrooms. Stir in celery, onion, and uncooked rice. Add chicken. Mix well to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours. Mix well before serving.

Serves: 4 (1 full cup)

WW points: 6

Pepperoni Stromboli

This is a very easy and good recipe that can be made in no time at all!

I added mushrooms, green pepper, and onions. It was quite fabulous if I do say so myself!

 

Pepperoni Stromboli

 

1 (1 pound) loaf frozen bread dough, thawed

1/2 cup spaghetti sauce

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

4 ounces sliced pepperoni

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Punch dough down. On a lightly floured surface, roll loaf into 20x8 inch rectangle. Place dough on a greased baking sheet. Spread spaghetti sauce in an 18x4 inch strip down the center. Sprinkle with oregano, pepperoni and mozzarella cheese. Fold long sides of dough up toward filling; pinch ends to seal. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.