Slow-cooker Pineapple Porkchops

You know those recipes from your childhood? The ones that your mom, or aunt, or grandma made that just taste so good? This is one of those recipes. In my family we call them Polynesian Porkchops, and this is a recipe typical of what you'd find at any family gathering. A soup/stew with big pieces of meat, cooked with vegetables in a broth, served over rice or noodles.

These recipes are always super easy, but take some time. You have to simmer the meat in stock for awhile and then thicken. So, being the crock-pot lover that I am, I thought "what if I just used my slow-cooker?" Worked like. a. charm. There's a smidge of chopping, some optional sauteing, and some dumping, and viola! Delicious, summery dinner ready when you are.


Ingredients:
4 pork chops {(I found a pork loin on mega sale, so I just bought it and sliced it into "chops")}
1 8oz + 1 16oz can of pineapple chunks in juice
1/2 cup Heinz 57 sauce
1 bell pepper, sliced {(Nanny uses green, I used chopped red & yellow because I had some frozen; I'd personally use 2 peppers)}
salt & pepper to taste {(not too much! Heinz 57 has a lot of sodium)}
corn starch + water

Directions:
Brown pork chops {(this is that optional part I mentioned; I usually don't have time)}
Combine pineapples with juice and Heinz 57 sauce.
Place chops on bottom of slow-cooker, then bell peppers, then sauce mixture.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours
Right before you're ready to serve ({about 5 minutes}), turn to high
Combine corn starch with water so that you have a thick mixture*
Stirring quickly, add cornstarch to the slow-cooker until you reach desired consistency.
Serve over rice.

Enjoy!

*The way I usually do this part is I had a few heaping tablespoons of corn starch to a bowl and slowly ({VERY slowly)} add water. After each addition I stir. It'll squeak, be hard to stir, feel goopy, etc. You know you've got the right mixture when you just hit the point that the cornstarch doesn't drag or feel clumpy.