Crockpot Chicken Enchiladas

I don't have a picture for this one yet because we were so hungry that I didn't even think of taking a picture before digging in. This recipe comes from my friend and co-worker Carin. This is her infamous potluck dish, everyone asks her to bring it when we have a potluck. I didn't add or delete anything from this recipe because I like it just the way it is :) Enjoy!


Ingredients:

1 – 1 ½ lb meat cooked (ground hamburger, ground turkey, chicken, sirloin…)
1 small onion chopped
2 cans cream of something soup
(I normally use Cream of Mushroom w/ Roasted Garlic & Cream of Chicken w/ Herbs)
1 can original Rotelle tomatoes
(Use whichever heat level you want – Mild, Original, or Hot)
1 small can chopped green chili’s
8 oz. sour cream
Pepper to taste
2-4 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
(Original recipe calls for 2 cups – I always use much more)
8-10 large flour tortilla shells


Directions:

Cook meat and cut into bite size pieces. Add onion and cook a little more until onion is tender. Season with pepper. Add soups, tomatoes, chili’s and sour cream. Mix well.

Spray crock pot liberally with Pam cooking spray. Layer like lasagna:
1/3 of the tortilla shells ripped into small pieces
1/3 of the meat mixture
1/3 shredded cheese
Continue until all ingredients are used.

Cook on low heat for 4 hours

Pulled BBQ Pork Sandwiches

This is so far the easiest recipe yet and I think the best tasting that I have done in the crockpot. I served with coleslaw (purchased coleslaw mix and dressing) and potato chips for a classic meal.

4lbs Pork Shoulder Roast
2 Bottles BBQ sauce (one for now and one for later) I used Famous Dave's Sweet and Tangy.
Sandwhich buns

Place pork roast and one bottle of BBQ sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 10hrs. After cooking pull pork out on to a baking sheet with edges and shred. Spread out all over baking sheet. Pour about half of the other bottle of BBQ sauce on meat along with a little bit of the juices left in the crockpot and lightly mix. Place in oven on Broil for a few minutes. Take out stir and serve.

Crockpot Meatloaf

This was super simple and not bad on taste. The original recipe called for ground turkey but I haven't aquired a taste for that yet. I think I will try a few more variations on this to see if it can get any better. I used one pound of 93% lean ground beef and one pound of 83% and there was quite a bit of grease at the end. I think using all 93% lean would work just fine.

2 Eggs
3/4 Cup Milk
2/3 Cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs
2 TSP Dried Minced Onion or Garlic
1 TSP Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Marjoram
1-1/2 Ground Beef
1/4 Cup Ketchup
2 TBSP Brown Sugar
1/2 TSP Worcestershire

In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Crumble the beef over the mixture and mix well. Shape into a round loaf; place in the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours. In a small mixing bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, and worcestershire sauce. Gently pour it over the meat loaf. Cook for about 15 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for about 15 - 20 minutes before cutting.
We served with Baked potatoes done in the microwave. Just clean 4 to 6 russet potatoes puncture a few times with a fork and place in microwave for 5 min on high and then turn them over and cook again for another 5 to 7 minutes. Top with butter, cheese, sour cream salt and pepper.

Shredded Chicken Soft Tacos & Spanish Rice

I am trying out some new things with my crock pot so I can have some meals ready in the evening when we get home from work. While not completely done in a crock pot you could have this meal completely ready in about 45min!

The food presentation is pretty bland and if I had thought about it sooner I would have grabbed some lime and cilantro to brighten it up a bit!

Shredded Chicken Soft Tacos

2-3 lbs Boneless skinless chicken breasts
15oz can Enchilada sauce

Place these items in crockpot either 8hr low or 6hr high and leave alone.

Flour or Corn taco size tortillas
Taco toppings:

Sour cream

Shredded Cheese

Lettuce

Salsa

Anything else you like!

Spanish Rice

I have an rss feed to Simply Recipes this has got to be my most favorite site for food! No need to mess with anything when it's already perfect!
http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/000040spanish_rice.php

While the rice is cooking I take the lid off of the crock pot, shred the chicken with 2 forks and leave the lid off for about the last hour of the chicken cooking.

When rice is completed assemble tacos and serve with rice and refried beans! Enjoy!

Guacamole

I think I only used a recipe once to make Guacamole and now I just whip it up with no instructions what-so-ever. I must have done pretty good because I won a guacamole contest at work for this and one of the judges had just gone through culinary school!
I only make small batches because even if you put a lot of acidity in the dip the avocados will still turn brown after awhile. So unless you have a huge party that you are making this for keep the portions small.
I have also had a hard time finding just the right ripened avocados at the store so what I have started to do is plan ahead and pick up ones that aren't ripe yet and let them sit out on the table for a day or two at home. When ripe their skin will turn black and will just start to be soft to a light squeeze.

3 large Avocados (5 if they are small)
Onion - diced (I use red ones to give some color)
1/2 of a lime squeezed for juice
1 large Jalapeno - diced (leave the seeds if you want more heat)
Cilantro
Garlic - minced
Salt
Pepper
If you want more color you can also add some diced up roma or cherry tomatoes, they don't mess with the flavor much but add some nice color to the dip.

If you make this in advance only make it a few hours in advance and make sure it is sealed in an air tight container

Enjoy!

Gramma Shirley's Bacon Wrapped Waterchestnuts

My husband's Gramma would bring these every Christmas eve to the family get together and everyone would be waiting for her to show up with them, she past away this last year but her tradition will continue!

What you need:
1 lb of bacon
2 cans of waterchestnuts (drained)
Toothpicks
Cookie sheet with edges

Slice bacon in half so all slices are half their length. Take one half slice of bacon and wrap it around one waterchestnut and secure with a toothpick. Place on cookie sheet and bake in oven at 350 degrees until bacon is crisp but not over cooked. Serve while warm.

Steamed Buns

My friend Emily gave me this recipe and challenged me...If I could make her Steamed Buns then she would teach me how to make her Mini Egg Rolls, the most coveted food at work and by anyone that knows her! I made these last weekend and it took me all afternoon but it was worth it and I took one to work for Emily to try and....I PASSED! So I will soon be on my way to making Mini Egg Rolls and once I do I will pass it on, maybe :)
But with out further delay here is the recipe for Steamed Buns

Dough:
Steamed Bun Flour - Steamed Bun flour can be found at your local Asian market, don't be shy to ask for help! Warning...there are about 20 different Steamed Bun flours! Just pick one and try it and if you don't like it try another one next time (sorry, its the best advice I can give you!)
Prepare Steamed Bun flour per package instructions
Divide into 3 sections and roll each into "log" rolls that are 2" to 3" in diameter
Slice "logs" into 1" circles
Knead each circle out into a thin circle that is about 5" to 6" in diameter

Filling:
Mix all the following together
1 lb. Ground Pork (uncooked)
1 small yellow onion diced
3 or 4 green onions
1 small Jicama diced (found in the produce area of your grocer or at an Asian market)
1 Tbls vegetable oil
Sugar
Salt
1 or 2 tsp. Soy Sauce
Lots of Black pepper

On the side
2 or 3 hard boiled eggs sliced into 8 pieces (cut once the long way and then 3 the short way)
Chinese Sausage sliced in thin diagonal pieces
Mushrooms (canned, drained, optional)

Building Steamed Bun:
Take one circle of dough and place a about a tablespoon of the Filling in the center of the dough. Then add a piece of egg and a few pieces of Chinese Sausage and mushrooms to the sides of the filling.
Lift one side of the dough and begin to pleat the edge. Squeeze each pleat to make it stick do this all the way around. At the end you should have a bundle of pleated dough on top of the filling. Pinch together to close gap over filling. Place a small piece of typing paper under the bun (enough to cover the bottom) and place in steamer.
Steam for 20 minutes
Let cool for a bit and then enjoy OR if you want to enjoy them later(after cooking) you can wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag in the freezer. When you are ready to eat just pull them out, let it thaw and heat them in the plastic wrap in the microwave!