Easy Slow Cooker Pork Stew

Time keeps flying by. Honestly, I'm completely out of the blogging loop. I had been partially avoiding it all because of laziness (might as well admit it, right?), but partially because my eyes have been so tired from a long day of work on the computer, that another activity on the computer just couldn't cut it! I finally got my eyes checked today and sure enough - I need reading/computer glasses. Vision is still great, but my eyes are jumping through a few more hoops than usual when seeing work on the computer or when reading a book (both of which I do OFTEN, clearly)....which leads to tired eyes for all other tasks, too. Yay for figuring it out. Now, do you think I could get bangs, thick rimmed plastic glasses and be as adorable as Zooey Deschanel in New Girl? Probably not, eh? 

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I'm trying to not let too many days go without blogging. I'm fearful that I'm missing my regular (and lovely) meals trying to keep up with Meatless Mondays, Fast Food Fridays and various twitter conversations and activities...When I get overwhelmed by things, I have a tendency to just back up from everything. I definitely do not want to leave my blog again for awhile, so I'm trying to keep up and not making myself try to do everything. Between FoodieChats, Food Buzz, blog contests and activities on a variety of blogs I love and follow... you could really have this as a full time job, couldn't you? 

Today, I was able to bring my laptop and work home for the afternoon. One should always take advantage of the extra time on a weeknight for meals. We are trying to get through one extra week than usual on our grocery order, so I miraculously put this together with what we had. On my lunch, I threw everything in our crockpot and cooked it for 3 hours on high and 1 1/2 hours on low. 

Have I mentioned how awesome it it to cook in a slow cooker? 

Your house smells great.

You will always leftovers.

You can clean up immediately after so that when you go to eat, the kitchen is already sparklin'.

I followed this recipe almost identically from what it stated, so I'm fearful to write it all out (now that I've been reading about the dos and don'ts of food blogging...) - but I will. Just make sure to check out the original recipe I've quoted. The recipe came from TLC. I simply found it by googling "slow cooker sweet potato pork" - the two ingredients I knew I had. Luckily, J had stocked up on some frozen veggies for just such an occasion...

Panama Pork Stew

TLC's site: by the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

2 small/medium sweet potatoes

1 cup of frozen corn

1 cup of frozen green beans

1 cup of chopped onions

2 big pieces of boneless pork chop (what is that cut of pork called that's always on sale?...)

1 can of diced tomatoes (I used half of a 28oz can), with juice

1/4 cup of water

1 tbsp of chilli powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground coriander

Mix diced tomatoes with water and spices. 

Add all vegetables to the crockpot. Add pork and top with tomato mixture. 

The recipe said to cook this on low for 7 - 9 hours. I cooked this for 3 hours on high and 1 1/2 hours on low. We each had two big bowls for supper and will have two big bowls again tomorrow. It was SO easy - I wonder why I don't make things like this more often. It's hard to believe my first ever stew and soup recipes were just a year and a half ago! 

Stews feel like such a grown-up meal, don't they? I'm 28 and it still feels young, but occasionally I stop and see myself with an apron on in a house that I own serving a big bowl of hearty pork stew to my husband in the bowls we were given for our wedding and I think: When did this happen? We're grownups now! :P 

It's Wednesday already...I can't believe it! How was everyone's weekend? How has the first half of the week been? I have lots to update on last weekend. Tea with local bloggers and allergy-friendly dinner at a friend's house! I hope to get back to updating soon... 

PS: Are you following me on Twitter? I continue to update there...@changingkitchen