Slow Cooker Pork with Dried Fruit and Squash

As you know, because I am a fried cook, I want to get out of chopping whenever I can. Chopping vegetables is something I dread. Washing and merchandising the fruit so that it actually gets eaten is really arduous to me as well. Why am I the only one in the house who can wash the grapes?

Byerly's now sells cut up butternut squash, so my plan was to use that for this recipe. However, I was at Target, and decided since the recipe sounded so good, I would actually cut up a squash. I know.

This turned out so well, my husband says it's better than a restaurant meal. I served it with sweet potato and regular waffle cut fries.

Slow Cooker Pork with Dried Fruit and Squash

3-pound boneless pork loin roast
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and grated
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup pitted dried plums (AKA prunes before their identity crisis and name change)
1 1 1/2 pound butternut squash, peeled and cubed

Combine brown sugar, ginger, salt, cinnamon and pepper and rub evenly over pork.

Place in slow cooker along with apricots, plums and squash.

Cook on high for one hour. Then reduce to low for 7 to 8 hours.

Use the fancy plates for this one.

Maple Syruping

It took 12 years for me to realize that I have two maple trees in my back yard and I could tap them. They're big enough for two taps each. I've been boiling the sap down inside in small batches. The house is so humid my hair is getting curly.

Here's a before and after: