Cafe Rio Chicken

The chicken in these tacos were soo good! We made burritos with the leftovers the next day, definitely a keeper! This recipe came from crumbsandchaos.blogspot.com

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. CHICKEN BREAST
• 1 cup ZESTY ITALIAN DRESSING
• 1/2 Tablespoon MINCED GARLIC
• 1 packet RANCH DRESSING MIX
• 1/2 cup WATER
• 1/2 Tablespoon GROUND CUMIN
• 1/2 Tablespoon CHILI POWDER

Instructions

Place all ingredients in the crockpot.

Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high 3-4 hours.

Shred and serve how ever you like - as filling for tacos, burritos, nachos, quesadillas" href="http://crumbsandchaos.blogspot.com/2010/08/quesadillas-qdoba-style.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(239, 114, 154); text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; ">quesadillas orburrito bowls, etc.

It is easy to double or triple this recipe and freeze the extras.

Easy Crockpot Lasagna

I refuse to turn on my oven when it is so hot outside, so we have been all about bbq's and crockpots lately~This recipe came from thegirlwhoateeverything.blogspot.com
I added about 2 cups of chopped frozen spinach to the cheese mixture to make it a little healthier, and I thought it tasted great too.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (16 ounces) ground beef


• 1/2 cup diced white onion


• 1 teaspoon minced garlic


• 1 (24 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce


• 1/2 cup water


• 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese


• 2 cups mozzarella cheese


• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


• 1 whole egg


• 2 cups chopped spinach (optional)
  


• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried parsley


• 6 uncooked lasagna noodles

Directions:

1. In a large skillet brown beef and onion. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Drain.


2. Add spaghetti sauce and water and simmer for about 5 minutes.


3. Mix ricotta, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 2 Tablespoons Parmesan, egg and parsley.


4. Pour 1 cup of spaghetti meat sauce into a 4 to 6 quart sized slow cooker. Place half of the noodles and half of the ricotta mixture on top of the sauce. Cover with 2 cups meat sauce. Top with remaining noodles (If the noodles don't fit exactly break them to fit) and cheese mixture and meat sauce.


5. Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or until noodles are soft. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella and remaining parmesan. Cover with the lid to melt the cheese and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.


6. Do not overcook and don't try to speed up the process by cooking it on high.

Root Beer Pulled Pork Sandwiches

This recipe and pic came from thegirlwhoateeverything, it was really good! It really makes a huge difference cooking the pork in root beer all day...yumo!

Ingredients:

2-3 pounds pork tenderloin

Root Beer

Favorite BBQ sauce

Directions:

Cook pork in root beer all day (low 6-8 hrs). Drain root beer and shred, then add bbq sauce (as much as you want).

Serve on your favorite buns, enjoy!

Amazing Shredded Beef Chimichangas

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can beef broth

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Flour tortillas

3 Tb melted butter

Salsa

Guacamole

Sour Cream

Directions:

1.Brown roast in large pan with some olive oil or butter. After a few minutes, add onion and garlic to pan. Make sure roast is browned on all sides (about 10 minutes or so.)

2. Place roast, onion and garlic in crock pot. Add remaining ingredients. (I didn't measure when I added in the spices, and my roast was larger. You might want to add a little water if your roast is larger too).

3.Cook on low 8-10 hours, or until roast shreds very easily. (This is very important, if it doesn't shred easily let it cook longer.)

4.Fill tortillas with shredded beef and some monterrey jack cheese. After they have all been filled and rolled, you can either brush with melted over the entire tortilla, or spray them all over with cooking spray.

5.Bake in oven set at 450. Bake around 8-10 minutes or until crispy.

6.Serve with your favorites: Guacamole, salsa, sour cream, cheese sauce, etc.

Hawiiaan haystacks with coconut jasmine rice

I love Hawaiian haystacks, and I love using coconut jasmine rice whenever I can so I thought "why not combine the two?". It turned out great, but if we want to be healthier just use brown rice.

Makes 4-6 servings

Sauce Recipe

10 To 12 chicken tenders, cut in chunks

2 cans (10 3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

Preparation

Place chicken in greased 3 1/2 to 5-quart slow cooker.

Combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken.

Cook on high heat 3-4 hours or on low heat 6-8 hours.

Serve over hot rice with a variety of cold toppings that could include grated cheese, peas, pineapple tidbits, shredded coconut, raisins, Chinese noodles, olives, diced tomatoes, diced green peppers, sliced green onions, and other family favorites.

Coconut Jasmine Rice

• SERVES 4
• 2 cups Thai jasmine-scented white rice
  
• 2 cups good-quality coconut milk
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 2 heaping Tbsp. dry shredded unsweetened coconut (baking type)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. coconut oil, OR other vegetable oil

Preparation:

1. Rub oil over the bottom of a deep-sided pot. You will also need a tight-fitting lid.
2. Place rice, coconut milk, water, shredded coconut, and salt in the pot and set over medium-high to high heat. Stir occasionally to keep rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning.
3. Once the coconut-water has begun to gently bubble, stop stirring and reduce heat to low (just above minimum). Cover tightly with a lid and let simmer 15-20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. To check, pull rice aside with a fork. If most of the coconut milk-water is gone, go on to the next step.
4. Replace the lid and turn off the heat, but leave the covered pot on the burner to steam another 5-10 minutes, or until you're ready to eat. Tip: Your Coconut Rice will stay warm this way for up to 1 hour or more, great for when you're expecting company

Taco Soup

I really just improvised on this recipe but it came out pretty good, it makes a ton so be sure to invite some friends over for this one!

3 chicken breasts or 1 pound ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can kidney beans with liquid
1 can corn, drained
1 8 oz. tomato sauce
2 cups water
2 (14.5 oz) cans petite diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles
1 package taco seasoning
1 package ranch mix

Brown beef in skillet, drain and transfer to crock pot. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low 8 hours. Fry some corn tortilla strips and serve over soup (or use crushed chips if you are feelin lazy). Top with cilantro, cheese, avacado, sour cream.

The BEST refried beans ever!!

My friend Deseree makes these crockpot beans that are to die for, I finally got the recipe..now I just need to invest in an immersion blender! 2 lbs of beans (I used pinto) Garlic to your liking (I used about 4 TBLS) 1 onion minced (I love the purple onions, but this time I used a sweet onion) Large Pot of boiling water Salt Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. While water is starting to boil, clean 2lbs of beans and place in a large crock pot, (mine is about a 5.5 quart size). Add garlic and onion with the beans in the crock pot. If your family loves garlic add lots, if they don’t like it just do a little. For the onion, if you have picky eaters like I do who like onion flavor but not the texture of the onion, this is what I have done in the past: first option just use onion powder maybe 3 or so TBLS of powder? (again if you like onion flavor use a lot if don’t – use less). Second option place whole onion in pot and after it is done cooking squeeze out flavor and remove the entire onion. Both options are fine. The third option and best option in my opinion is to invest in an immersion blender “) (I have a kitchen aid one which I LOVE right now – my older one that broke after about 4 years was cheaper but lasted 4 years and it did great too it was a Braun) after cooking puree the onion. Fourth option is just to dice the onion. Stir beans, garlic, and onion to combine. Once water has started to boil pour boiling water over beans and fill your crock pot. Quickly close lid and cook on high for 4 hours. Pinto beans take 4 hours, black beans take about 5 hours. Crock pots do vary so you might have to experiment a little at first with time. After 4 hours remove excessive water and reserve the water in a bowl. (I use the extra water to cook my rice with when we have rice with our beans- it gives the rice a little extra flavor). If you like your beans whole (for salads or chili) add salt to your liking and you’re done. If you want refried beans mash beans with a potato masher or immersion blender to the texture you like, add the reserved bean water to make it thinner. Remember your beans will thicken after a while. Add salt to taste. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup

2 tbsp. butter
1 medium onion chopped
2 lbs butternut squash peeled and cubed
2 cups water
½ tsp. dried marjoram
¼ tsp. Pepper
4 chicken bullion cubes
8 oz cream cheese
Sauté onion in butter until tender. Add all ingredients except cream cheese to crock pot. Cover and cook on high for about 4 hours or until squash is tender. Puree in batches in blender with cream cheese until smooth. Return to crock pot and heat through.

Italian Chicken

This is one of my fav crock pot recipes. Not the healthiest, but sure is the yummiest!
2-3 Chicken Breast
1 block cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken
1 packet itallian seasoning
splash of milk

Throw chicken in crock pot, and mix all other ingredients in bowl then pour over chicken. Cook on low or high, about 6 hours or so. Serve over rice or potatoes.

Red beans and rice

Did miss her.......

So I've been all about the crock pot lately since it's 800 degrees in our house and I don't dare turn on the oven.

3 cans red beans

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 pkg Polska Kielbasa

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic

1/2 green pepper, chopped

2 dashes Tabasco sauce

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp thyme

1 tsp dry mustard

1 Tb Worchestershire sauce

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp Cajun spice

(Drain most of the liquid off the beans) Also, you may substitue 1/2 tsp garlic salt for the garlic clove. Place all ingredients directly into the crockpot - Add 3/4 c water. Cook on low for 3-5 hours. I serve it with brown rice in an attempt to be healthy. Sometimes I buy the lowfat Polska Kielbasa too...of course it is not nearly as good!

This recipe came from Sisters Cafe

Mango Chicken & Rice

Rumbi Island Easy Mango Chicken and Rice
4-5 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)

1 can corn, drained

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

3 cups mango salsa

Cumin to taste

Lemon Pepper to taste

Coconut Jasmine Rice

Put chicken breasts in crock pot. Add spices. Cover and cook chicken until tender. Shred chicken on a plate and return to crock pot. Save juices in separate bowl.

Add corn, beans and salsa. More salsa can be added to taste. If mixture seems dry, add some of reserved juices.

Serve over coconut jasmine rice for that Rumbi Island Grill taste (To make just buy jasmine rice and cook it with coconut milk in place of water) Garnish with cilantro or parsely, if desired.

*You could use regular salsa for a Mexican taste and serve over regular rice or tortilla chips.

Green Chile Burros

Green Chile Burros
3 pounds pork roast or beef roast, fat removed as much as possible (*If using a roast any larger than 3 lbs, I always double the remaining ingredients)
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic crushed
1 10oz can green enchilada sauce
1 4oz can diced green chilis
1 14oz can diced tomatoes with chilis
2 chicken bouillon cubes
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp oregano
¼ tsp pepper

The original recipe says to brown the roast with the onions before putting in the crock pot. I haven't tried that yet, but I'm sure its yummy. I just put it all in the crock pot and let it cook for a good 8 hours or so. I shredded it last time, but cubed would be just as good. Serve in a tortilla with cheese, sour cream and el pato. ( And whatever else is on hand).

Black Bean Salsa Chicken-Crock pot

Combine all of the following in a slow cooker:

2-4 chicken breasts (I usually do 3 and have tons of left overs, but have added up to 6 when we were having guests over)

1 cup salsa

1 15 oz can of corn, drained

1 15 oz can of black beans, drained

1 pkg taco seasoning

I usually just put the chicken in the bottom then mix everything else up in a mixing bowl before pouring over. The chicken can be frozen or fresh, whatever you have.

Cook for 3-4 hours.

shred the chicken about 30 min before you are ready to serve. It will be so tender at this point you can easy just reach into your slow cooker with 2 forks and break up the chicken breasts. Leaving for another 30 minutes will allow the chicken to then soak up all the juices that are in there, otherwise it will be kinda watery.

After shredding it you can add 1/2 cup of sour cream and 1 cup grated cheese, or for a healthier version just use the sour cream and cheese as toppings. I do both!

Great with tacos, burritos, and quesadillas