The first time I made the recipe below, I seared an entire pork roast and then placed it into the slow cooker on top of quartered potatoes and onions. Once I took the entire lot out of the slow cooker at the end of cooking time, I realized that it was a little bit like French onion soup. And then I realized I wanted it to be even more like French onion soup. So this is what I did.

First, I used pork chops instead of roast, simply because that's what was in my freezer at the time. Realizing that French onion soup also needs cheese, I shredded up some mozzarella. Along the line of croutons, I thinly sliced potatoes instead of quartering them. The result? An entire meal reminiscent of a favorite appetizer. Scroll down to see the full recipe.

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 6 hrs, 20 mins
Total Time: 6 hrs, 30 mins

2 onions, thinly sliced
5 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 pounds bone-in pork chops
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 whole sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Spread the onions along the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.

Layer the potatoes over the onions.

Place pork chops on top of potatoes.

Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

2. In a small bowl, combine hot water, brown sugar, white wine, soy sauce and ketchup.

Pour the sauce over everything in the slow cooker.

Tuck in the sprigs of thyme.

3. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

4. Remove sprigs of thyme and discard. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over everything.

Cover and cook on high just until cheese melts, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Pro tip: To develop even more flavor in the pork, sear it quickly in a skillet before placing it in the slow cooker.

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