I have been so busy this week – what do you mean, it’s only Tuesday? – that my crockpot has gotten quite a workout. Well, by “workout” what I really mean is, I filled it full on Sunday afternoon and it’s just been sitting on the kitchen counter by the sink making the country-style ribs and pepper jelly inside it more and more tender with each passing hour. There’s a Tupperware bowl of spicy potato salad in the refrigerator and another smaller crockpot of baked beans beside the big crockpot. We are just dipping out of crockpots and Tupperware, and eating better than we’ve any right to.

I almost always use my crockpot with pork; it gets so unbelievably tender in a slow cooker. By tomorrow’s supper, those ribs are going to be melting off the bones.

The potato salad gets better as all the flavors blend, too. Ditto the baked beans.

All three concoctions are made with Texas Pepper Jelly and Texas Rib Candy.

I’m glad I made a lot; we’ll be eating on this meal for most of the week. Nobody’s complained.