So I’m going to come clean that there are times that I just don’t cook. I reheat, but don’t actually cook anything from scratch. But when I’m not having one of those moments, I do like to try out recipes like this slow cooker sweet & spicy Asian pork.

What’s funny is I actually wrote this post back in 2010, but never posted it up. Oops – my bad. Back then I was thinking there was a direct correlation to my lack of cooking/blogging and the lack of free time I have when my mother’s helper was unable to come in two days a week. That and our catering company was off the hook busy and we hadn’t EVEN started wedding season!

Back in early 2010 our season had booked – 26 weddings, 17 private parties, 5 donation events, & 6 winery events. Most of which were booked prior to the start of March with RFPs still coming in.

It’s now been six months since we’ve closed and I still get people asking me if I miss it. I can honestly answer with an emphatic NO. I do not miss the long hours, lack of personal/family time and being in single parent mode every weekend while the hubs was working. However I do miss free wine, free food event access, and the vendors I had the chance to work with during our eleven years of catering.

Slow Cooker Sweet & Spicy Asian Pork

½ cup brown sugar – packed
½ cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp powdered garlic
1 tbsp paprika
2 tsp powdered ginger
2 1/2 lbs pork shoulder, trimmed of fat, cut into 2″ pieces
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 cup basmati rice
1 med size bok choy, thin sliced (approx. 8 cups worth)
sliced scallion (for garnish)

Place first 7 ingredients in your slow cooker
Mix together to coat all the pork
Cook per instructions for your cooker – 4-5 hrs/high or 7-8 hrs/low
About 25 minutes before the end of the cook time, prepare rice as directed
Just before serving, mix bok choy in with meat
Stir and cook about 4 minutes or until heated through