When You Don't Want To Cook

Just because you don't want to cook supper doesn't mean you don't have to cook supper. You probably still have to find something to put on the table. Especially if you live in a rural area like we do, where going out to dinner or picking up food can take as much effort as cooking.

This week I had one of those days so I made one of the very easiest slow cooker recipes I know. Put pork chops in the slow cooker. Mix two ingredients—from a can and a bottle. Pour over chops and cook. Really. Could it be any less work?  Keep the can and the bottle in your pantry and you'll be ready for an easy meal, too. Oh....and did I say it's delicious? It's delicious.

We have a guest coming tonight. If I had not just made this for supper a few days ago, this would be our company meal. Yep. A recipe good enough to serve to company and easy enough to let you visit with company while it cooks.

TANGY SWEET PORK CHOPS

4-6 boneless pork chops (2-3 lbs)
14-oz. can cranberry sauce, whole or jellied
12-oz. bottle chili sauce

Place pork chops in slow cooker.

Empty cranberry sauce into a bowl and microwave* for 20 seconds at a time to melt it enough to combine with chili sauce. (It took mine about 60 seconds total.)

Stir cranberry sauce and chili sauce together.

Pour over pork chops.

Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or HIGH for 5-6 hours.

*I have found that the whole berry sauce doesn't need to be warmed to mix it. Just mash it up a bit and stir in the chili sauce.


Add a green vegetable and maybe some mashed potatoes, a baked potato, or rice and supper is done. I actually cooked and mashed my potatoes this time, but the Simply Potatoes mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes are good and would be even easier.

Be honest about the time you have to cook. Keep a couple of super-easy recipes handy. Remember that choosing a shortcut product (like the Simply Potatoes) for your meal is still probably a healthier choice than ending up in the drive-thru line. Make the best realistic choices. A homemade sandwich or breakfast for dinner are perfectly good options.

Here at the farm, our meals aren't perfect. Everything isn't always all freshly prepared. Sometimes I can't get it done. Sometimes I just don't want to. But I do the best I can and then move on the next meal. And that is okay.