Crockpot Shredded Chicken
I am going to be putting two recipes on here, one for the "normal" meat we do, and then another with some yummy extras! Both are super fantastic. The first one is our main go to meat, that is fast and easy!
Ingredients:
2lbs Chicken Breast
1/2 to 1 Cup of your favorite Salsa
1/4 Onion
Chili Powder
Paprika
Granulated Onion
Granulated Garlic
Cumin
Black Pepper
Directions:
Sprinkle each side or your chicken breast generously with your seasonings, then place into a frying pan over medium heat. Add your onions to the pan at the same time. You don't need to add any oil, but you can lightly brush a small amount in the bottom if you want. There are two reasons to cook it a bit before you put it in the crockpot, 1. it will help remove some of the "water". Have you ever made a crockpot meal, and it came out all watered down? I have!! 2. It will help give it even more delicious flavors. So, cook each side for about 1 minute. Then place it all into the crockpot, and pour your salsa over the top. Put the lid on your crockpot and cook for 6-8 hours on low or 4-6 hours on high! It will fall apart with your fork, mix it all up to evenly disperse all the flavors. It is ready to serve in soft tacos, enchiladas, tostadas, burritos, or on top of nachos.. :)
Now to spice it up with a little homemade salsa Verde.. :) First, I washed and cleaned 4 tomatillos, 1 Jalapeno, and 1/4 of an onion. Then I roasted them in a pan. I then put them in a blender with a small handful of cilantro and two cloves of garlic - blended it up! I added this to my normal ingredients from above. You could reduce your normal salsa amount by 1/2 or not use it at all. Up to you. :) Just put in all the ingredients, cover and cook just like the previous recipe. :) This is what the meat looks like in the crockpot after I shred it up a little. It falls apart so quickly! :)
Chicken Enchiladas
I have been making enchiladas since I was about 15, but I always used a can of enchilada sauce, and would add things to it. But, as we began our quest for healthier eating, all premade foods went out the window. So, I have been playing with homemade recipes for enchilada sauce. I have made one similar to this 2 times now, and we have enjoyed it, I am sure I will continue to tweak it, since it has only been two times, but for now it works, and it is yummy!
Enchilada Meat:
1 tsp Safflower Oil
3/4 Medium onion diced
1/4 Red Pepper (you could use 1/2 of one type if you want)
1/4 Yellow Pepper
1/2 tsp flour
1 - 8 oz can low sodium Tomato Sauce
1 - 16 oz can low sodium diced tomatoes
1 can Diced Green Chilies
1 1/2 Cups Organic Low Sodium Chicken Broth
2 TBSP Chili Powder
3/4 tsp Granulated Garlic
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Parika
1/8 tsp Dried Oregano
less then 1/8th tsp Cayenne Pepper
Pinch of Salt (if you want, we dont use it)
2 lbs uncooked boneless/ skinless Chicken Breast
Sauce:
1 tsp safflower oil
1 tsp flour
1 1/2 cups Organic Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 can low sodium diced tomatoes
1 - 8 oz can low sodium tomato sauce
2 TBSP Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/4 tsp Granulated Garlic
1/4 tsp Onion Powder
1/8 tsp Dried Oregano
a dash of Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Diced Green Chilies
Extras:
Corn or Flour Tortillas
Freshly Grated Cheddar Cheese
Fresh Cilantro
Directions:
Meat -
In a large stock pan, or dutch oven over medium heat place oil, onions, and peppers. Cook until softened and browning. Then, add flour stir until it is browned a bit. (this will help your sauce thicken - you do not have to add it!). Now, add the remainder of the ingredients. Bring to a soft boi, reduce heat to simmer/low just enough that it is at a soft boil while covered, and cook for about-2 hours. Then, remove lid, and using some tongs simply squeeze the meat it should fall right apart, if it doesn't you need to cook it longer! Once, the meat is all shredded, stir and then allow to sofly boil for another 1/2 hour uncovered, this will thicken it up a bit more. If most of your moisture seems to be gone, then just keep it covered for the last 1/2 hour. -- Once, cooked place a small amount into a tortilla (we use corn), roll, place your enchilada sauce over the top, with a bit of cheese, and then place in a microwave or oven to melt the cheese. Top with fresh Cilantro!
*We do sometimes make up a large batch at once, in a casserole dish, but I generally just make them up per person, and freeze the extra meat!
Enchilada Sauce:
In a small sauce pan over medium heat place oil and flour cook until brown (again if you dont care about your sauce being thicker skip this part - but note it will be very "watery"). Once the flour is browned add the remainder of the ingredients, cover and let simmer for about 1 hour, uncover and simmer for another 1/2 hour, spoon over the top of your rolled enchiladas.
*Sometimes, I add a 1/2 tsp of Chipotle Seasoning to the sauce too!
Asian-Ginger Grilled Chicken
While searching on pinterest the other day, I found a recipe for asian inspired grilled chicken. After glancing at that recipe, I came up with an idea for something we would really enjoy! -- It came out fantastic.
Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts Fileted in 1/2
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
1/2 Cup Reduce Sodium Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Tropical 100% Juice (you could use a mixture, orange, or pineapple)
1/2 tsp Freshly grated ginger root
2 Cloves Fresh Garlic Minced
2 Green Onions Sliced Thin
1 tsp Organic Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Sesame Oil
1/2 tsp Oyster Sauce
1/2 tsp Rice Vinegar
Directions:
In a small bowl combine all marinade ingredients, stir together well - reserve about 1/4 cup of the marinade to use for basting during grilling, pour the remainder into a larger bowl or a ziploc bag, and add the chicken. Allow to marinate in your fridge for 2-3 hours, remove chicken from marinade and place onto a preheated bbq/grill. Cook until done, (depending on the thickness & grill temp this time will very), approx. 5 minutes on the first side, and 3-4 on the second.
 Asian-ginger chicken served with steamed vegis.
Black Bean & Green Chilies Cheeseburger
Everyone in the house really likes hamburgers, although, I am not a huge fan. So, when I make them I always try and change up the flavors. I thought tonight a southwest inspired one would be tasty, and it came out fantastic!
Ingredients:
1 lb Organic Ground Beef (93/7)
1 Cup Southwest Black Beans (smashed up a bit - see recipe below)
1 Tbsp Green Chilies
1/2 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/4 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Granulated Garlic
Directions:
In a bowl mix together all the ingredients, place in fridge and let marinate for about 1 hour. Remove from fridge, form into balls, and make patties. Heat a frying pan over medium heat, and place patties into pan, cook first side for 3-4 minutes and then flip. Place a slice of cheese on the done side, and cover the pan for 2-3 minutes until the burgers are done. We serve them on whole wheat organic buns, but lettuce wraps would be super too! We topped with sliced onions, black bean salsa and romaine lettuce!
Spanish Style Black Beans:
Combine one 15 ounce can of rinsed organic black beans, 1 cup broth or water, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/8 tsp granulated garlic, and pinch of black pepper. Bring to a soft boil, uncovered for a about 8 minutes, then drain off excess liquid and serve .
Roast Beef Sandwich I saw a recipe from the pioneer woman, that inspired the making of this meal. :)
Ingredients:
1 TBSP Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion
2 lbs stew meat (you could use a chuck roast or another roast that you like, but using stewmeat saves us money.)6 Cups Beef Broth
6 Cups Organic, Low sodium beef broth
2-3 TBSP Italian Seasoning
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 large loaf of french bread (or seperate rolls of choice)
Cheese of your choice, I used about 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees, and then in a dutch oven, over medium heat place olive oil, and sliced onions. Next, add meat and seasoning to the pot. I did not stir this I wanted the onions to remain on the bottom of the meat. Then, I added 6 cups of beef broth, covered it, and brought it to a boil. Once, it was boiling I placed it in the oven and allowed it to cook all day (approx. 5 hours.) You could do this in a crockpot as well. When the meat is done, you can use a potato masher to gently press on the meat and it will all fall apart, like shredded beef.
Once, you are ready to eat, slice your french bread in half, length wise, and sprinkle with a bit of granulated garlic, place under the broiler until golden brown. Next, drain off the meat and cover one side of the bread, top that with some cheese and return to the oven just until the cheese begins to melt! Slice into single sandwiches, serves 4-6
If you want to use the broth as a dipping sauce, au jus, then you need to place the broth into the fridge for about an hour so that the fat can come to the top and harden, once you remove it, and reheat the broth it is a very tasty dipping sauce!
Garlic - Honey Pork Chops Ingredients:
(marinade)
4 Cloves Garlic
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
1/3 Cup Honey
8 Pork Chops
Directions:
In a small bowl mix together the ingredients for the sauce. Place porkchops into a ziploc of a shallow dish, and Pour about 1/2 of the marinade over them. Allow them to marinate for at least 30 minutes. Heat a grill, or frying pan and cook until done (thin pork chops do not take too long, several minutes on each side, but you want to ensure they are cooked through) . Use the extra marinade to coat if grilling or to cook them in, if frying. Enjoy!
Lumpia Ingredients:
2 lbs Ground Pork
Egg Roll Wrappers
1/2 cup chopped cabbage
1/4 sweet onion
3 baby carrots
2 Cloves Garlic
1 TBSP soy sauce
1/2 tsp Oyster Sauce
1/4 tsp Johnny's Seasoning Salt
Directions:
Place all ingredients except the Ground Pork and Wrappers into a food processor. Process until everything is the same consistancy. When ready mix in with the ground pork, using your hands make sure it is mixed together well. Cover, and place into fridge for atleast one hour. However, the longer it sits the more flavor! I usually allow it to sit for 2-3 hours. I then slice my egg roll wrappers in 1/2, if you have to much wrapper its harder to cook the meat on the inside, and the wrapper takes away the meat flavor. Using a spoon take about 1 TBSP of meat mixture and make a line across one ege of the wrapper, then wrap tight. Fill a small dish with a little water, and using your finger rub a small amount of water on the edge of the wrapper so it will stick together. Place in deep fryer and cook until golden brown. We enjoy using sweet chili sauce to dip them!
*I will add pictures soon, I didn't get a chance to take pictures this time. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Dry Rub
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Spicy Montreal Steak Seasoning
1/4 tsp Crushed black pepper
1/8 tsp salt
Steak
1 TBSP Olive Oil
1 TBSP Butter
1/4 Onion Sliced Thin
1/4 Cup Sliced Thin White Button Mushrooms
Directions:
Mix rub together in a small bowl or plastic bag. Sprinkle each side of your steak with the rub, place into a plastic bag and allow to marinate for 24 hours. When ready to cook turn on the broiler and then preheat a large frying pan over medium/high heat. Once the pan is hot add butter, oil and vegetables. Now, add your steak to the pan sear each side for 30 seconds. Place the entire pan under the broiler and allow to cook for about 3 minutes, turn meat over and stir vegetabl and allow to cook for 3 more minutes. The steak is fully cooked, however if you like your steak well done you may want to cook for several more minutes. Remove the pan from oven, and remove steak from the pan allow to rest for several minutes. While its resting you can use the pan to make gravy if you like!
Flank Steak Roll Up
Ingredients & Directions:
Ingredients:
1 Flank Steak
Cooking Twine, or String
Marinade:
2 tsp White Vinegar
1 TBSP Lime Juice
2 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
2 TBSP Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Dried Cilantro Flakes (or 2 TBSP Fresh Cilantro chopped)
Combine all marinade ingredients with flank steak in a large ziploc bag, or bowl. Let sit for at least 1/2 hour in the fridge. (no more then 2 hours)
Stuffing:
1/4 Onion Sliced into thin strips
1/4 Green Pepper sliced into thin strips
1/4 Red pepper sliced into thin strips
2 TBSP Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Grated Monteray Jack Cheese (Tillamook is my fave!)
In a small frying pan, place 2 TBSP of olive oil, onions, and peppers. Saute until soft about 3 minutes.
Pre-heat oven to 375 degree
Remove Flank Steak from bag and lay out onto a cutting board, or clean surface. Lay top side down, cover the flank steak with the grated cheese, and the sauted vegetables. Now, roll the flank steak against the grain (grain is the lines in the meat.) Using your string tie it tight in several spots. Heat a frying pan over medium/high heat, that has an oven safe handle, with 1 tsp of olive oil. Place rolled, tied flank steak into the hot pan and sear each side for 30 seconds to 1 minute, NO MORE!
Place the entire frying pan into the oven and cook for 30 minutes, for medium well. Use a meat thermometer to check the temp. which will also allow you to cook for more or less time depending on how rare you would like your meat.
After 30 minutes, (or the amount of time you would like it to cook), remove from the oven. Tent your meat with a piece of aluminum foil and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Now, slice your flank steak against the grain, so that it makes circles.
Meats for Fondue for the Melting Pot experience at home Great un-cooked Meat/Entree Choices:
Sirloin Steak, Shrimp, Chicken Breast, Salmon, Lobster, Duck Breast, Raviolis, Pot Stickers, Lobster, Filet Mignon, New York Strip Steak, and Pork Tenderloin.
Great Vegetable Choices:
Broccoli, Mushrooms, and Potatoes.
Sauces: Terriyaki sauce, BBQ Sauce, Butter Lemon & Herb Sauce, Sweet Chili Sauce, Garlic & Herb Cream Cheese, and any other of your familys favorite marinades or dipping sauces.
Prep Directions: De-vine and peel shrimp. Then cut meats into 1" x 1" squares, and remove any fat. Now, place them on a plate together. For sauces I make the butter and cream cheese myself. For butter sauce, take 3 tbsp melted butter, and add 1 garlic clove minced very fine, and 1/2 of a green onion, or chive and chop very fine. Mix them into the butter and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes, so the flavors can marinate. Cream cheese, great for mushrooms, 3 TBSP cream cheese, 1/2 garlic clove minced fine, 1/2 green onion, or chive chopped very fine, now mix them together and allow to marinate.
Cooking Directions: Place your court bouillon into our fondue pot, and bring to a boil. You want to keep the broth at a soft boil. I place my potatoes, mushrooms, and broccoli into the pot as soon as it begins to boil. Next, using your fondue skewer pick a meat and place into the bouillon. Allow to cook for at least the recommended time below. Remove meat and place onto a clean plate, and use a fork to eat to avoid cross contamination of raw meat on the skewer. Use your dips and marinades for extra flavor!
Chicken - 2-3 minutes
Steak - 1-3 minutes depending on how rare you like it
Shrimp and Salmon- 1-2 minutes
Pork - 2-3 minutes
Duck - 2-3 minutes
Raviolis and Potstickers will take at least 5 minutes
Potatoes take about 10 minutes
Broccoli & Mushrooms take about 3-5 minutes to become soft. But, can be eaten at anytime.
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