Tangy Slow Cooker Pork Roast

INGREDIENTS

* 1 large onion, sliced
* 2 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin roast
* 1 cup hot water
* 1/4 cup white sugar
* 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon ketchup
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1 dash hot pepper sauce, or to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Arrange onion slices evenly over the bottom of the slow cooker, and then place the roast on top of the onion. In a bowl, mix together water, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and hot sauce; pour over roast.
2. Cover, and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours, or on High for 3 to 4 hours.

Label Logic

Eating well isn't just about gourmet dishes--it's also about creating a balanced diet. Nutritional labels are a quick way to discover what's really in your everyday meals, but there's even more you can do. Along with our healthy living advice, Allrecipes publishes the nutritional information with each recipe, so you can always make the best decisions about what you eat.

Tasty Tuna Pasta

INGREDIENTS

* 8 ounces dry fettuccine pasta
* 1 (6 ounce) can tuna, drained
* 1 (15 ounce) can peas, drained
* 1/2 (16 ounce) jar Alfredo-style pasta sauce
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon dried basil

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and set aside.
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine tuna, peas, Alfredo sauce, garlic powder, oregano, and basil; mix well.
3. Cook until heated through and add cooked pasta; mix well. Adjust seasoning as needed; serve.

Caper Baked Chicken

INGREDIENTS

* 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
* 1 lemon, juiced
* ground black pepper to taste
* 1/4 cup melted butter
* 1/4 cup steak sauce
* 1 (4 ounce) jar capers, liquid reserved

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Arrange chicken in an oven proof clay pot or medium baking dish. Coat with lemon juice, and season with pepper.
3. In a small bowl, mix the melted butter, steak sauce, 2 tablespoons capers, and 2 tablespoons caper liquid. Reserve remaining capers and liquid for another use. Pour the butter mixture over the chicken to coat.
4. Cover and bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Drizzle with remaining liquid from the baking dish to serve.

Brazilian Black Bean Stew

INGREDIENTS

* 1 tablespoon canola oil
* 1/4 pound chorizo sausage, chopped
* 1/3 pound cooked ham, chopped
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 (1 pound) sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
* 1 large red bell pepper, diced
* 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
* 1 small hot green chile pepper, diced
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 2 (16 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 mango - peeled, seeded and diced
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, and cook the chorizo and ham 2 to 3 minutes. Place the onion in the pot, and cook until tender. Stir in garlic, and cook until tender, then mix in the sweet potatoes, bell pepper, tomatoes with juice, chile pepper, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender.
2. Stir the beans into the pot, and cook uncovered until heated through. Mix in the mango and cilantro, and season with salt.

Bold Beautiful Braises

What sort of culinary alchemy turns an inexpensive cut of meat into a gourmet meal? Braising. Common ingredients such as chicken and beef turn into coq au vin and beef Bourguignon when cooked slowly in a small amount of liquid. Wine or stock is the perfect choice for the liquid, as braising creates a flavorful and thick sauce--all in one pot. More braising recipes and advice are just a click away at Allrecipes.com

Warm Steak and Potato Salad

INGREDIENTS

* 1 pound new potatoes
* 1 pound beef sirloin steak
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 8 cups mixed baby salad greens
* 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
* 2 tablespoons minced shallot
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon

DIRECTIONS

1. Place potatoes into a pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until tender but still firm, about 10 minutes. Drain and cover to keep warm.
2. Preheat oven to broil or preheat a grill for medium-high heat. Season both sides of steak with salt and pepper. Broil or grill steaks for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together oil, vinegar, mustard, and tarragon for dressing; season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Divide greens, tomatoes, and shallots among 4 plates. Cut warm, unpeeled potatoes into quarters; slice steak into 1/4 inch thick strips. Top salad greens with steak and potatoes; drizzle dressing over salads. Serve warm.

Chicken Thighs Surprise

INGREDIENTS

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 yellow squash, chopped
* 1 small eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes
* 1 (10 ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 4 cloves garlic, chopped
* 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup with herbs
* 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
* 1 teaspoon garlic salt
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
* 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash, eggplant, mushrooms, onion and garlic. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the condensed soup, chicken broth, garlic salt and pepper. Pour half of this mixture over the vegetables. Place chicken thighs over the top of the vegetables, and sprinkle with Swiss cheese. Pour the rest of the soup over all.
4. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

Spring Lamb

The weather isn't the only thing that changes during March; ingredients switch from winter to early spring, and lamb is one of those change-of-season delights. From gourmet roasts to Greek-style pita sandwiches, lamb is an often overlooked but always delicious way to celebrate spring. Find recipes for lamb, roasting tips, and more at Allrecipes.

Tender 'n' Tangy Ribs

INGREDIENTS

* 3/4 cup vinegar
* 1/2 cup ketchup
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1 teaspoon ground mustard
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon pepper
* 2 pounds pork spareribs
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the first nine ingredients in a slow cooker.
2. Cut ribs into serving-size pieces; brown in a skillet in oil. Transfer to slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until tender

Polish Style Lasagna

INGREDIENTS

* 9 uncooked lasagna noodles
* 1 onion, sliced
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 2/3 cups dry potato flakes
* 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain, pat dry and interleave in a damp towel to keep moist OR spray each noodle with cooking spray OR lightly apply some oil.
3. In a separate large skillet over medium heat, combine the onions with the butter and saute for 5 minutes.
4. Prepare the instant mashed potatoes according to package directions, but omit the milk. Stir in the cream cheese until well blended.
5. Place 3 noodles in the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread 1/2 the potato mixture over the noodles in the dish. Top this with 3 more noodles, followed by the other 1/2 of the potato mixture. Finish by topping with the remaining 3 noodles, then top those with sauteed onions.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes, or until bubbly. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before cutting.