At Anna’s Kitchen Table

First of all, I’d like to say – I have a bit of a problem with Sunday dinners..please tell me it’s not just me?

We love our traditional Sunday roasts with all the trimmings, but, let’s face it, it’s not exactly a meal that can be put in the oven and forgotten about is it? I mean there’s all the peeling of vegetables, gravy making, spud peeling, yorkie making……all lovely, but definitely labour intensive!

And what happens when you don’t want to spend your whole Sunday in the kitchen? My husband works really long hours and Sundays are really the only day we can go out together as a family. I think I’ve found the answer……..

Yes, you’ve guessed it.

The slow cooker again.

Now, this isn’t your conventional Sunday dinner, I’ll admit that. But it’s very, very tasty. And the best thing is that after putting it in the slow cooker in the morning, and also putting the rice cooker on at the same time, we got to spend most of Sunday out and about enjoying our day, but also get to come home to a hot cooked meal, including rice!

This is my:

Chineseish Pork chops with water chestnuts in a fruity barbeque sauce

4-6 pork chops
1 cup tomato ketchup
1 cup of apricot jam
one third cup of soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
1 chopped onion
1 small tin water chestnuts
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen edamame (any favourite frozen vegetables would be fine)

First of all I simmered the ketchup, jam, soy, mirin, vinegar and 5-spice in a small saucepan just to amalgamate them.
I then placed the chopped onion, frozen veg and drained water chestnuts in the base of the slow cooker, put the pork chops on top and then pour the sauce on top of the chops.
Cook in the slow cooker for about 4-5 hours on high.
Or I would guess about 8 hours on low (This dish really can’t spoil, it’s so forgiving)
It makes a lot of sauce even though there is no added stock or water, so it’s ideal served over basmati rice.

An unconventional, but delicious, Sunday dinner.