Tasty Tuesdays: CROCK-POT® Inspired Lemon Pork Chops

Thank goodness for potluck suppers at church or I might not use my CROCK-POT® slow cooker at all. I wish I got a chance to use it more often, but honestly, I rarely find a recipe everyone likes. The hubby and I usually agree, but one of the kids is destined to hate what I prepare. Ah, the joys of motherhood!

This weekend, I decided to use up some pork chops I had bought on sale at the grocery store. I usually get meats at the butcher, but the store had buy 1, get 2 free, so this ended up being a great deal--even if they were bone-in chops.

I thought Lemon Pork Chops would be a good choice, since so many people usually make chicken dishes for our potlucks. I discovered I didn't have all the ingredients to make this dish according to the recipe, but I'm known for substituting wherever I see fit. Everyone raved about the dish, so I decided to share this one with you. I don't have a picture to show, so I apologize for that.

Here is the recipe per the cookbook.

• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 4 boneless pork chops
• 3 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
• 1 large onion, quartered and sliced (optional)
• 1 large green bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon lemon-pepper seasoning
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 large lemon, quartered
• Lemon wedges (optional)

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-low heat until hot. Brown pork chops on both sides. Drain excess fat and discard. Transfer to CROCK-POT slow cooker.
2. Combine tomato sauce, onion, if desired, bell pepper, lemon-pepper seasoning and Worcestershire. Add to CROCK-POT slow cooker.
3. Squeeze lemon juice from lemon quarters over mixture; drop squeezed peels into CROCK-POT slow cooker. Cover; cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours or until pork is tender. Remove lemon wedges before serving. Garnish with additional lemon wedges, optional.

Here is my recipe:

1 tablespoon of oil

4 pork chops

1 can (15 ounce) tomato sauce

1 can (14.5 ounce) stewed tomatoes

1 large onion, quartered and sliced

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1. Debone pork chops or use boneless chips and cut into strips. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-low heat until hot. Lightly brown pork chops. Drain excess fat and discard. Transfer to CROCK-POT slow cooker.
2. Combine tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, onion, celery, lemon juice, black pepper and Worcestershire. Add to CROCK-POT slow cooker. 
3. Cook on HIGH for 3 hours or until pork is tender.

If I made this at home, I would have served it with white rice. The sauce can be ladled over the rice if desired.

You've Got Mail Mondays

Not a ton of stuff in my mailbox this week, but definitely things worth the trip down the driveway.
Chronicle Books--one of my favorite indie publishers--sent me their Fall/Winter 2012 Adult and Gift catalogs. They had sent me their children's one last week (sorry I forgot to mention that). From books to journals to stationery and more, I like browsing to find unique gifts for friends and family. Where else are you going to find Wet Cats Deluxe Notecards?

The Land's End Home catalog also arrived. I've been admiring their Lifetime Teak™ Chaise Lounge and Adirondack chair. I was surprised to see the back of the catalog featured needlepoint iPad®, Kindle® and Nook® covers. It seems we can't go anywhere without seeing devices and their accessories these days.

That's it for this week's edition of You've Got Mail Monday. Hope you have a great week.

Book Spotlight: Picture This by Jacqueline Sheehan

The poignant and unforgettable sequel to the beloved bestseller Lost & Found; a marvelous tale of life-altering surprises and unanticipated guests

Peaks Island, Maine, vibrates with its own special magic, a unique flow to life that knits together the small community that calls it home. The people, the animals, and even the houses have a charm and personality all their own. Just ask Rocky Pelligrino. Devastated by her husband Bob's sudden death, she found hope thanks to a relentlessly loyal black Lab named Cooper. Warm friends and a new job—as the island's animal control warden—have helped Rocky chart a course toward a promising future. She's even ready to try love again with Hill, the gentle and patient archery instructor. And there is an old house haunted by lost love and forgotten secrets that speaks to her soul.

But a phone call from a troubled young woman looking for her biological father shakes Rocky's newfound joy. Could this young girl hold a tendril of the man who was the love of her life? Or could the girl's appearance throw Rocky's world into chaos . . . and shatter her heart again?

Pre-order at Barnes and Noble and Amazon!

Jacqueline Sheehan, Ph.D., is a fiction writer and essayist. She is a New Englander through and through, but spent twenty years living in the western states of Oregon, California, and New Mexico doing a variety of things, including house painting, freelance photography, newspaper writing, clerking in a health food store, and directing a traveling troupe of high school puppeteers. She is currently the fiction editor for Patchwork Journal, an online journal sponsored by Patchwork Farm, an internationally based writing center. Jacqueline teaches workshops on writing and the combination of yoga and writing.

Visit Jacqueline online at http://www.jacquelinesheehan.com/

Interview with Sarah A. Reinhard, Author of Catholic Family Fun

Joining us today is Sarah A. Reinhard. As a writer, wife and mom, she keeps a hectic schedule. We're thrilled to share her latest book with you.


Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I'm a Catholic wife, mom, and writer who lives on a farm in central Ohio. I'm an avid reader and there are rumors that I'm a little TOO fond of Twitter.

What inspired your book, Catholic Family Fun: A Guide for the Adventurous, Overwhelmed, Creative, or Clueless?

The editor who emailed me with the idea gets the credit for the inspiration. She got me thinking about the importance of family fun and the need for something that had specific resources for Catholics included.

How is this book different than other family activity books on the market?

It has specifically Catholic ideas included, which makes it unique. However, if you're not Christian but not Catholic, I think you'll find this book also very useful and relevant to your family life.

What if your favorite activity from the book?

Horseback riding, hands down. We go every week!

What are you doing to promote Catholic Family Fun?

We have a book tour going on right now, there's a Facebook page, and the book has a website, CatholicFamilyFun.com, with new content being posted biweekly.

Where can people purchase a copy?

First, I encourage everyone to go to their local Catholic retailer first. If that's not an option, I have links available on my website for other outlets.

What is up next for you?

In the fall, A Catholic Mother's Companion to Pregnancy: Walking with Mary from Conception to Baptism will be released from Ave Maria Press.

Is there anything you would like to add?

I'd love to hear what your readers do for family fun! Thanks so much for hosting me today!

Book Spotlight & Giveaway: Desert Intrigue by Linda Weaver Clarke

Linda Weaver Clarke and I have been online buddies for a few years now. Her book launch for the latest book in her John and Julia Evans Mystery Series is today. She has generously offered one e-copy of Desert Intrigue to one of my readers.

Mystery…Adventure...Romance...Humor...Intrigue!

When Julia’s brother announces that his dude ranch is haunted, she believes that someone is trying to sabotage his place and force him to sell. The mysterious happenings have to do with Superstition Mountain, the lost Dutchman’s goldmine, and the great Thunder God. Is it possible that the legend of the Thunder God is actually true? After a terrible thunderstorm, everyone begins to wonder. John and Julia quickly head to Mesa, Arizona and discover a few mysterious events. Will they find out who is behind these disasters before Uncle Kelly’s dude ranch is ruined?

"Desert Intrigue is an entertaining and joyful book, my favorite in this mystery series by Linda Weaver Clarke, which I think would make an excellent TV mini series. I love the sparks of romance in this adventure--they spice things up and add much interest to the story. The book has a handful of surprises that I did not anticipate, and the mystery fuels much of the action."

--Suko's Notebook

Read my interview with Linda here.

Want to win an e-copy of this book! Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

Good luck!

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Save Time When Grilling

When we first built our home, the hubby and I had no idea what we were doing. He had lived at home with his parents his whole life and I lived in small apartments while I worked three jobs to make ends meet. Now that we've been homeowners for twelve years, it's sometimes frustrating to realize what we did wrong--especially in the kitchen/cooking arena.

The first quote for our house was significantly higher than the budget we had set. Yes, the banks told us we could afford more, but being conservative with our money, we didn't want to stretch ourselves thin. So, we ended up shrinking the house length and width to bring us closer to our desired number. Didn't seem to be a problem at the time, but try entertaining. Everyone congregates in the kitchen. Even with our open floor plan, it's a tight squeeze between the half wall that separates the work area and the dinette. Our deck, which seemed perfectly placed off the family room, makes grilling a hassle. I have to walk through the kitchen and out the atrium doors of the family room carrying everything I need back and forth. Definitely not the best set up. Once we decide to go through with the renovations, we'll expand the deck so it connects to the back doorway, which is right off the kitchen.

Because of these challenges, I've had to come up with some time savers for grilling.

• Store grilling utensils outside. For a few years, I stored my utensils in the house. That was a pain because they were so long and awkward they didn't fit well in most of my cabinets. Now, I store them on the shelf that is hidden behind double doors where the propane tank sits. I use a plastic zippered bag that used to hold a comforter to keep them clean and dry.
• Heat up the grill while you're gathering supplies. I turn my grill on right before I pack up all I need to take outside. By the time I'm ready to cook, the grill is nice and hot.
• Invest in a sturdy tray. I want to make as few trips back and forth as possible, so I load up a metal tray with all that it will carry--plates, napkins, cups, condiments--and bring them out all together.
• Keep a cooler close by. We don't drink alcohol, and I usually make lemonade for cookouts, so I don't need my cooler for beverages. Instead, I use it to haul all the meats and breads outside. With a layer of ice on the bottom, I'm also able to keep the meats from spoiling before I cook them.
• Make clean up a breeze by storing supplies outside. I usually tuck a container of disinfecting wipes in the deck box where the cushions are stored. If the container is too big, I remove several wipes, put them in a plastic bag that can be sealed and tuck it in between the cushions.
• Clean your grill after you're done. One of the the reasons we ended up buying a new grill a couple of years ago is because while we were on vacation, our son entertained at our house and used the grill. When we came home, globs of greasy gunk were baked onto the grates. There was no way I was ever using that grill again. I would have needed a chisel and hammer to remove all the days worth of caked on goo. It was also an old grill, so it was almost time to replace it anyway. After I'm done grilling and the family has eaten together, I go out and clean off the grates with a wet paper towel and some dishwashing soap. Then I rinse with a clean paper towel, dry the grates, and wipe on a thin layer of vegetable oil. The oil keeps the food from sticking while it cooks. It also helps prevent rust.

How do you save time when you grill?

WSJ Wednesdays - The Secret Online Life of Our Tweens

New technology is a wonderful thing, but as Katherine Rosman's article titled, Tweens' Secret Lives Online, from the Wednesday, May 2, 2012 edition of The Wall Street Journal points out, it's brought with it some parenting challenges.

I don't want to get into to many details of the actual article this time around, but Rosman brings up the influx of new online and mobile products for kids, in addition to the fact that kids who own mobile devices seem to get younger and younger.

It's great that many companies go to great lengths to ensure the safety of the users of its products, but it seems to get harder and harder to monitor what our kids view and sign up for online. Both my girls have multiple accounts on MovieStarPlanet. I actually had to forbid them to create any new accounts, because I just can't keep track of them all.

In addition to allowing my children to be creative by putting together videos, MovieStarPlant gives them a chance to interact with their friends and learn at the same time. The games and quizzes enhance your child's learning while letting them earn StarCoins and Fame. I actually opened my own account, but I don't get a chance to play very often. I did it because my girls wanted me to, and who am I to deny my kids some play time with mom. I prefer we have playtime off the computer--which is what we have more days than not--but it's fun to them to chat with me while I sit in  my office and they are in their bedrooms.

Rosman's article mentioned a few apps and sites I hadn't heard of before: KidzVuz, Playground, Versagram and Everloop. I knew when Santa brought each girl an iPod Touch our lives were bound to change. Some nasty text messages got sent back and forth between friends. The device has had to be taken away a couple of times for viewing videos on YouTube I would rather they not see. Overall, the girls have been responsible with their devices, but it's definitely made me even more concerned about what they have access to.

What sites do your kids frequent? Are there any you would recommend? How about sites to avoid?