CrockPot Pork Chops

I started this blog a few weeks ago, and I haven't posted any recipes that would count as an actual meal! How embarrassing. It's not that I haven't been cooking (on some days), it's just that I haven't been cooking anything great and exciting. I began this blog to inspire me to try new things, so I finally have a couple recipes that I've wanted to try for a few weeks now.

To begin, this week we added two new additions to our home: Bessie and Porky. Bessie is a huge cow and Porky is a rather large pig. My in-laws had them both butchered, packaged and divided and now they are sitting comfortably in my freezer (yes, I know that Bessie is a girl cow and that the cow we have is a boy, but I liked the name Bessie, OK?). Oh, it is wonderful to have a well stocked freezer! We have purchased a cow in the past, but this is our first pig, and we are excited. Can you say bacon, sausage and pork roasts? Mmmm.

So, Porky generously supplied us with a TON of pork chops. I've never done much with chops except to grill them in the summer or broil them in the winter...boring. So I went searching for new ideas. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this website. I think she is great and everything I have tried of hers has gone into my own recipe book to stay. This is her pork chop recipe that's done in the crockpot and served with mashed potatoes.

Ranch House Crock Pot Pork Chops with Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

6 pork chops, 1/2 inch thick

1 packet dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning

10 oz can Cream of Chicken Soup

4 lbs peeled, cubed potatoes

5 Tablespoons real butter

1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

6 cloves roasted garlic (directions are below)

1- 1 1/2 Cups warm milk

1 Tablespoon salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, or to taste

Place pork chops, Ranch seasoning and soup into a medium sized crock pot over high heat for 4 hours or low heat for 6 hours.Place potatoes into a large pot of cold water. Place onto stove top over high heat and bring to a boil. Once water is boiling, cook for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and transfer to the work bowl of a stand or electric mixer. Mix on low until potatoes are mashed then add butter, Parmesan, garlic, milk, salt and pepper. Season to taste if needed. For thinner mashed potatoes add more milk, slowly until your desired consistency.Scoop mashed potatoes onto serving plates and top with pork chops and soup gravy from crock pot.
Roasted Garlic:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place bulb of garlic with skins on, wrap lightly in tin foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove from foil and let cool for 15 minutes. Remove garlic from skins, place in a bowl and mash with a fork until completely mashed. Set aside. One garlic bulb will have around 12 cloves.

Results: Unfortunately, I didn't get to finish this recipe completely. I was so excited to try it and put the chops in my crockpot earlier in the day. However, I failed to remember that I had an early evening meeting that night, where dinner was served. I was rushed and didn't get the potatoes all the way completed. I did roast the garlic, which was wonderfully aromatic, but ended up only making plain old mashed potates. The pork chops, however were absolutely wonderful. So flavorful and very tender and moist. The kids liked the meal as well (which is always a plus!). I can't wait to try this one again with the potatoes revved up. Finally, I have something yummy to do with my chops!