Crock Pot Pork with Curry and Apples (made in 2012)

2 lbs lean pork, cut into ½ inch cubes (I use pork butt cut into 1 inch cubes)
1 apple, chopped, peeled, cored
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp chicken bouillon
1 tbl curry powder
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp salt
½ cup orange juice
2 tbl cornstarch
2 tbl cold water
Cooked Rice
Optional peanuts, raisins, coconut, chutney

In slow-cooker, combine pork, apple, onion, garlic, bouillon, curry powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt and orange juice. Cover and cook on Low 5-6 hours or until meat is tender. Turn pot on High. In measuring cup, dissolve cornstarch in water. Stir into pork mixture. Cover and continue cooking on High stirring occasionally, 30-40 minutes or until thickened. Serve over cooked rice; sprinkle with peanuts, raisins, coconut and/or chutney, if desired. Makes 5-6 servings. Notes for how it was served at Wine Weekend Sept 14-16, 2012: I used pork butt instead of a leaner cut, just my preference. Used a medium onion vs a small one. Chopped the garlic vs crushing it. Did not add any extra salt (probably better to add it). Cooked it on High while out wining, not Low. In keeping with a lower risk of “Ewww, what’s that stuff on top?” I did not serve with optional ingredients (peanuts, raisins, coconut, chutney). A better idea would have been to serve them on the side.

Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore (made in 2013)

Serves 8

6 lbs chicken, cut in pieces
2 large onions, sliced
2 12 oz cans tomato paste
12 oz sliced mushrooms
2 green peppers, chopped
4-8 garlic cloves, minced
4 tsp oregano
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp celery powder
2 tsp salt
1 cup dry white wine
6 tbls olive oil
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Place onions in bottom of crock pot. Add chicken pieces. Stir all the other ingredients together. Pour over chicken. Cook on low heat 7-9 hrs or high heat for 3-4 hrs. Serve over pasta or rice.

My notes: I used 2 lbs chicken breast, 2 lbs chicken thighs and 2 lbs sweet Italian sausage (just cause), therefore I reduced the oil to 3 tbl. I chopped the onions, not sliced. Instead of 2 cans of tomato paste, I used one can of tomato paste and one can of fire roasted diced tomatoes. I used all portabella mushrooms with a little extra moonlight (I like mushrooms). I used the most garlic for the recipe and not the jarred stuff, fresh is the only way to go! I didn’t have celery powder, so I used celery flakes. If a little extra wine slips in, so-be-it. I didn’t have pepper flakes so I used a heaping tsp of crushed red pepper. After eating it I would go with a level tsp. If you like spicy go for it!! I added about 2 tbl of fresh parsley (just cause). I also added 2 tsp of Italian seasoning and an envelope of onion soup mix. Viola!!