Crock Pot Pork Chops and Gravy

I love using my crock pot year round but especially during the summer months, when it is so darn hot that I don't want to turn the oven on.  I tried out this recipe recently and it was a hit for the whole family.  I served this with rice and peas, and our new found favorite....Sister Schubert rolls.  Thanks to our cousin for telling us about them....my kids are obsessed with these rolls now.  And unfortunately so am I.  The nice thing about this recipe is that the remaining sauce in the crock pot makes a delicious gravy to pour over the pork chops.

Crock Pot Pork Chops and Gravy

recipe adapted from RecipesthatCrock

You will need:

-1/2 cup all purpose flour

-1 1/2 tsp dry mustard

-1 tsp salt

-1 tsp garlic powder

-6-8 boneless pork chops (mine were on the thin side)

-2 Tbsp olive oil

-1 (10.5 oz) can chicken broth

*Spray crock pot with cooking spray

*Mix together flour, mustard, salt, and garlic powder in a bowl

*Lightly coat the pork chops in flour mixture (set remaining mixture aside for later)

*Heat olive oil in skillet on med-high heat, and brown pork chops on both sides (don't cook through, just enough to lightly brown)

*Mix chicken broth with remaining flour mixture (whisk until most of lumps are gone), and pour into crock pot

*Place browned pork chops in crock pot and submerge in sauce

*Cover and cook on high 2-3 hours or low 5-6 hours

And these are the Sister Schubert dinner rolls in case you haven't heard of them....I feel deprived that I'm just now discovering these puffy little gems.  We could easily eat a whole pan of them.  Just kidding, we DO eat a whole pan.  

Zuppa Toscana Slow Cooker Soup

My neighbor was kind enough to send me this recipe recently and we have been addicted to it ever since.  This is a knock off version of Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana soup, which happens to be my husbands absolute favorite soup.  He will always choose this soup over their salad, and usually will have eaten a few bowls of it by the time our main courses arrive.  So when she sent me this, he was delighted.  What surprised me though, was the fact that my kids loved it too.  I haven't cooked a lot with kale, so I thought they may not like it, but I was wrong.  My husband said I could make this every day and he would be okay with it.  Serve it up with breadsticks or crusty french bread and your family will love you. 

Zuppa Toscana Slow Cooker Soup

recipe adapted from 12Tomatoes

You will need:

-1 pound Italian sausage (casing removed)

-3 russet potatoes, sliced into wedges

(I've used russet, golden, and baking potatoes...they all work.  Just slice them in uniform size so they'll cook evenly)

-2 cloves of garlic, minced

-half a large white onion, finely chopped

-4 cups chicken broth

-2 cups kale or swiss chard, rinsed and chopped (I use kale)

-1 1/2 cups heavy cream

-1 tsp garlic powder

-generous sprinkling of salt and pepper

*brown and crumble Italian sausage in a large skillet over med-high heat until no longer pink

   (drain and discard fat)

*combine all ingredients EXCEPT cream and kale in slow cooker

*cook on low 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours

*add cream and kale to slow cooker, stir and cook until kale leaves are wilted and warmed through, about 20-30 minutes