Easy Tostadas

1 large chicken breast (shredded)
1 C. salsa
1 can beans (pinto or black)
Lettuce, shredded
Cilantro, shredded
1 tomato, chopped
Corn tortillas or Tostada shells
Cheese
Sour cream

Cook chicken and salsa together in a Crockpot for several hours. When cooked shred chicken. Next toast corn tortillas in the toaster or oven or use tostada shells; spoon on chicken/salsa mixture. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, and cheese. Serve with additional salsa and sour cream.

Crockpot Applesauce Chicken

My husband found this website: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com, "A Year of Slow Cook: Crockpot". It is excellent. I am trying out recipes he is selecting and amazed at the tasteness and quality of the recipes. Here is one we tried tonight and really liked!



Ingredients:
--4 frozen chicken breast halves or thighs (I used 2 of each)
--1 1/2 cups of applesauce
--1 T dried onion flakes, or 1 yellow onion, chopped finely
--1 T apple cider vinegar
--1/4 tsp cinnamon
--1/2 tsp black pepper
--2 cloves garlic, minced
--1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, I used them, and added more to the adult servings)

The Directions.

A 3 or 4 quart crockpot is the best size for this, but I did use a 6 quart. If your pot cooks fast, err on the lower end of cooking time.

Put the frozen chicken pieces into your crockpot. Add the onion (if you are using the dried onion, wait and add it to the applesauce). In a bowl, mix the applesauce, vinegar, garlic, and spices together. Pour on top of the chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours, or on high for 3-4.

Crock Pot Spaghetti

I usually do horrible at crock pot recipes but this really turned out good. I did add 1/2 cup of water with all the other ingredients at the beginning and then an extra 2 cups of water when I added the noodles. I didn't want the spaghetti to burn. Just be careful not to add toooo much water or the noodles will taste weird.

CROCK POT SPAGHETTI
Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 tbsp. dry onions
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms
3 c. tomato juice
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 (4 oz.) pkg. spaghetti, broken in pieces

Directions:
1. Brown ground beef in skillet. Place in crock pot.
2. Add all remaining ingredients (except dry spaghetti) and stir together.
3. Cook on high 4 to 5 hours. Add dry spaghetti and stir in. Cook on high for 1 hour more.
AND of course coat with Parmesan Cheese to make it "Cheezy".

Serves 3-4. See comments on how to double this recipe.

Easy North Carolina Pulled Pork Barbeque

Ever been to a pig-pickin'? If, not, you've missed out! This is a simple slow-cooker recipe for those of you who, like me, enjoy that vinegar-based, "pulled-pork" barbeque that is a North Carolina specialty. Real barbeque is cooked for hours and hours in an outdoor cooker with hickory chips. This recipe is a fantastic, easy substitute for the real stuff! This is usually eaten on a sandwich, using any soft bun you like. I served this with coleslaw, pickles and grapes. This sauce is also a really good marinade for grilled chicken.

2.5 lb. pork roast (or pork shoulder)

buns

Rub

1 T. paprika

1 T. pepper

1 T. brown sugar

1/2 T. salt

Sauce

2 c. vinegar

1/2 T. brown sugar

1 t. cayenne pepper

1-2 t. red pepper (depending on how hot you want it!)

1/2 T. hot sauce (opt.)

1-2 T. ketchup

1 t. Liquid Smoke (opt., but good: found in a smallish bottle near Worcester Sauce at WalMart)

Mix the rub ingredients together and rub onto your roast. For best flavor you can put the rub on the night before and let it sit in the fridge overnight (I didn't do this, but I'm sure it tastes even better).

The next morning, put your roast in your slow cooker. Pour the 2 c. of vinegar around the roast. Yes it smells terrible, and will for half of the day, but it's worth it! Do not bother with the other ingredients for now. Put the lid on, and cook on low for 10-12 hours. Meat can be cooked on high and will be done in 4-5 hours, but will be less tender. Mine was mostly frozen, so I cooked it on high for 2 hours, then turned to low for 4 hours.

Once your meat is done, remove it from the cooker, and shred it finely with a fork. Add in remaining sauce ingredients to the vinegar in the slow-cooker, mixing well. Liquid Smoke gives things a slightly smokey, outdoor-wood-chipped-barbeque flavor. Put your shredded pork back in the pot, mixing well. The meat really soaks up the sauce, so you may find yourself making more sauce if needed. Keep pork on low or warm for another 30 min. or until ready to serve. Serve with more sauce if desired.

Serves 6

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

3-5 lb pork loin or pork roast

1 1/2 cans Coca Cola (2 c. or 16 oz) (I used Coke Zero and it worked fine)

1 c. sugar

7 oz. can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

2 t. dry ground mustard

2 t. ground cumin

2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced

1. place can of peppers in bowl and cover with coke. Once the peppers are no longer coated with adobo sauce, remove them and throw away (you can leave a few in if you like it super HOT!)

2. Combine all ingredients (except pork) in a blender and mix.

3. Place pork roast in crock pot and pour sauce over the top. Cook on high 4-6 hours or low 7-9 hours. Carefully turn roast over halfway through cooking.

4. Remove pork and shred, then throw back in a mix with juice. use slotted spoon to remove.

5. serve on rolls, in flour tortilla, lettuce wrap or with Cafe Rio Cilantro-Lime Rice.

Slow Cook Burritos

These are so easy and yummy!
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 cup salsa
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. cumin
2 Tbs. chopped chilies (or green peppers diced)
2 chicken breasts
Tortillas

Layer chicken, salsa, and beans. Add the remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 6 hrs (or high for if you don't have that much time). Shred chicken before serving and stuff tortillas with mixture. You can even add some cut tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, and avocado.

Chicken Queso Dip (slow cooker)

This is a crowd-pleaser! I've served this more times than I can count for parties, showers, dinner, etc. Serve with corn chips. When done in a slow-cooker, allow at least 3-4 hours to complete if meat is thawed.

Combine the following in your slow cooker:

2-3 chicken breasts

1 sm. can green chilis

1 lrg. can red enchilada sauce

Cook on low until chicken is cooked through and is easy to shred--2-6 hours, depending on if meat is thawed or frozen and on your slow cooker. Shred the chicken (as fine as you have patience for).

Add to slow cooker:

1 block cream cheese

1 (8-10 oz) bag of Cheddar Cheese

1/2 red pepper, diced small

1/2 green pepper, diced small

Stir in and mix well. Cook for 1 more hour or so on lowest heat setting, stirring occasionally. Stir and serve warm! I serve it right from the crockpot. Makes 6+ servings. I double the recipe for parties.

Shredded Beef Soft Tacos

This is another recipe from Myra. She makes the easy crock-pot roast below, and the Mexican rice and Pico de Gallo, homemade refried beans (let me know if you want that recipe), and serves it with chips and salsa. It's an excellent, flavorful dinner. Most of the prep can be done in advance. It's one of Cameron's favorite meals, which says a lot!

Mock Tender Roast or shoulder roast cut of beef

Brown Gravy powdered mix packet

garlic salt

pepper

squeeze of lime (opt.)

Toppings suggestions:

Shredded Lettuce

Grated Cheese

Avocado

Sour Cream

Pico de Gallo (onion, tomato, cilantro)

Put 1/2" or so of water in the bottom of your crock-pot, mix in 1 packet of brown gravy mix. Place your meat in, and season it with garlic salt, pepper, and lime juice. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours. When meat is cooked, shred it finely with a fork.

Use warm flour or corn tortillas to make soft tacos, quesadillas (we make these for the kids so it's less mess, while we eat soft tacos), or burritos, adding your favorite toppings.