My grandmother made this comfort meal every winter. The sauce is incredible and it only uses 4 ingredients.

Every winter when the snow piled up against the farmhouse windows, my grandmother would pull out her old slow cooker and make these creamy Amish-style pork chops. She loved this recipe because it was simple as can be—just four humble ingredients—and yet the sauce tasted like something you’d fussed over all afternoon on the stove. The pork cooks low and slow until it’s fork-tender, tucked into a thick, rich cream-of-mushroom gravy with plenty of black pepper. If you’re looking for a cozy, stick-to-your-ribs supper that feels like a hug from an older kitchen, this is the one to set bubbling away on a cold day.

These creamy pork chops are wonderful ladled over fluffy mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or buttered white rice so they can soak up every bit of that rich gravy. On the side, I like simple country vegetables: buttered peas, green beans, or sweet corn right out of the freezer. A pan of warm dinner rolls or a slice of soft white bread is perfect for mopping up the sauce. If you want to lighten the plate a bit, serve with a crisp green salad dressed simply with vinegar and oil to balance the richness.

Servings: 4

4 bone-in pork chops, about 1-inch thick (2 to 2 1/2 pounds total)

Lightly trim any excess fat from the edges of the pork chops, but leave a little for flavor. Pat the chops dry with paper towels and set them aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the condensed cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix, and milk or half-and-half until smooth and well combined. This will be your creamy gravy base.

Spoon a thin layer of the gravy mixture over the bottom of your slow cooker to keep the pork from sticking.

Arrange the pork chops in a single layer in the slow cooker. If they overlap a bit, that’s fine, but try to keep them mostly flat so they cook evenly and stay tender.

Pour the remaining gravy mixture evenly over the pork chops, making sure each chop is well coated. Use a spoon to spread the sauce so no meat is left bare on top.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the pork chops are very tender and easily cut with a fork. Avoid lifting the lid often so the heat and moisture stay inside.

Once the pork chops are done, gently lift them out with a wide spatula or tongs and place them back into the gravy if they shift; they should be nestled and mostly covered in the thickened sauce.

Give the gravy a gentle stir around the edges to smooth it out, then taste and adjust with a little extra black pepper if you like. Serve the pork chops hot, smothered in plenty of the creamy mushroom gravy straight from the slow cooker.

For a slightly richer sauce, replace the milk with half-and-half or even light cream; the gravy will be extra velvety and cling beautifully to the pork. If you prefer boneless chops, choose thick-cut ones and reduce the cooking time by about 30 minutes so they don’t dry out. You can also tuck a few peeled, chunked potatoes around the pork before pouring on the sauce for a one-pot meal—just be sure they’re cut evenly so they cook through. If you like a deeper mushroom flavor, stir in a small can of drained mushroom pieces at the start (this will add an extra ingredient, but it keeps with the spirit of the dish). To make the sauce a bit thicker at the end, remove the lid for the last 20 to 30 minutes on HIGH so some steam can escape, or whisk in a tablespoon of instant mashed potato flakes to tighten it without changing the flavor. Leftovers reheat very well; store them in the fridge and warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of milk to loosen the gravy.