Recently I went to Kohl’s, and with two different discounts, I bought a six-quart Instant Pot Nova. The big one I had was so big I had to tippy-toe to see inside of it. I gave it to friends who have way more family members then I do.

I also got a slow cooker. I know that the InstantPot also is a slow cooker, but I broke my Rival Crock Pot’s ceramic bowl in a parking lot two years ago. I liked the size and look of the old one, and a new ceramic bowl would cost almost as much as a new one.

The Instant Pot and the Crock Pot totaled just over $100.

What to make in my slow cooker, I wondered. Maybe a pork butt?

Then I peered into the big freezer and saw two three-packs of boneless pork chops. I bought ingredients I didn’t have at home (fresh sage and a can of whole-berry cranberry sauce), and early this morning, in just over 10 minutes, I had the whole entrée in the cooker.

I looked in just once, around 11 a.m., and by 3 p.m. it was ready. I took the pork chops out of the ceramic bowl, poured the juice into a saucepan and reduced it to gravy. I am so happy to have the appliances back.

Now, if someone would show me how to use the pressure cooker part of my Instant Pot, I would be one happy camper.

Pork Chops with Cranberry, Orange and Sage

Adapted from “The Great American Slow Cooker Book” by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough (Clarkson Potter Publisher, New York, 2014)

Serves 3 to 4

3 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 large, boneless pork chops

1 each teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper

1 can whole-berry cranberry sauce (the smooth jellied sauce is too sweet)

1 small to medium onion, finely chopped

3 stalks of celery, finely chopped

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 to 3 finely chopped fresh sage

Zest of one large orange

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chops with salt and pepper on both sides and brown on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. If all the chops do not fit on the skillet, do them in batches. Transfer the chops to the slow cooker.

Stir in the rest of the ingredients into a bowl and stir until the cranberry sauce begins to dissolve. Pour the mixture on top of the chops.

Cover and cook on low for five hours, or until the meat is fork tender. Serve with sauce on the side.

Serve it up: To make use of the rich sauce, serve the chops in a hot baked sweet potato that has been split open. Or place them over buttered noodles — or even mashed, roasted or steamed root vegetables.

On the Side

This is my favorite season. I love to bake and I love apples and pears. I make pies and tarts and cakes and I am crazy about the way my house smells when they come out of the oven. But I cannot stand slicing apples and pears.

I have had apple peelers and apple corers and they don't work at all. I always use a sharp paring knife, but I lose too much of the fruit, I sometimes slice my fingers and after half an hour, my fingers cramp.

When I complained to my friend, Katrina, asked me why I don't use a vegetable peeler. Well, I thought, why didn't I?

The next day I took a big Granny Smith apple and used my OXO peeler. I have two and bought them decades ago when there was still a Lechter's at a mall. I can peel five pounds of potatoes in under five minutes. Now I can peel an apple in less than thirty seconds. Thanks, Katrina.

Lee White lives in Groton. She can be reached at leeawhite@aol.com.