Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Pork with Bok Choy

Another Real Simple recipe but this one is for your crock pot. Make sure you avoid getting carried away with the chile garlic sauce, like I did, otherwise your dinner will be too spicy to eat!

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce (found in the Asian aisle of the supermarket. I would suggest maybe a 1/2 tablespoon if you are feeding children or if you don't like spicy food. This stuff is NO JOKE!)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder (I used a couple shakes of cinnamon, clove and seasoned pepper)
kosher salt and black pepper
2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-inch pieces (I used thick cut pork chops. A lean beef, like sirloin, could be substituted, as well.)
1 cup long-grain white/brown rice
1 medium head bok choy, thinly sliced (about 8 cups)
2 scallions, sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the soy sauce, sugar, chili-garlic sauce, ginger, five-spice powder (if using), ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the pork and toss to coat. Cook, covered, until the pork is tender, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.
2. Twenty-five minutes before serving, cook the rice according to the package directions.
3. Meanwhile, skim off and discard any fat from the pork. Gently fold the bok choy into the pork and cook, covered, until heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve with the rice and sprinkle with the scallions.

See the original recipe here!

Pork Meatballs with Sauteed Chard

I love the magazine, Real Simple. It's absolutely full of practical tips for all things home making/keeping. I have to say, though, their recipes are my favorite part! Not only do most of them contain just a few ingredients but they come together quickly and they taste great!! Recently, my sister suggested this recipe to me and while I was a little leery of the combination, I put on my big girl pants and made it. Needless to say, she was right and it was very good. So here I am, passing it on in case you want to put on your big girl/boy pants and try it too :)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/4 pounds ground pork (ground turkey could easily be substituted)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts (expensive but worth it!)
  
• 1/4 cup currants or chopped raisins
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 bunches Swiss chard, leaves cut into 2-inch strips (about 12 cups)
• 1 small baguette, sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat broiler. In a large bowl, combine the pork, pine nuts, currants, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper. Form the mixture into 20 walnut-size meatballs and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil, turning once, until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the garlic, stirring, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chard, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper and cook, tossing, until wilted. Serve with the meatballs and bread.

NOTE: I had to ask the butcher at Sunflower to grind up some pork for me. I could not find it at any of the stores I frequent. Not sure if this is a common problem or not!

See original recipe here!