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Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

May 22, 2012 By 9 Comments

I have a mild obsession with Mexican food.

Like… I may or may not have just eaten a Taco Cupcake…. for breakfast.

Anyway, my favorite meal is chicken tacos.  I can seriously eat them any time day or night.  Nothing tops lean chicken, lettuce, cheese and sour cream all smushed together.   It’s heaven in a tortilla.

The bad news:  My family isnt quite as obsessed.

Which leaves me wanting chicken tacos and having to suffer through… well anything else.

Until now.

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

First of all, this is so stinkin easy, I can not believe I am 32 years old and this is the first time I have cooked this.

Wait, yes I can.  Have you seen me try to boil eggs?

Sorry, where was I?

Ingredients

  • boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • taco seasoning
  • 1 jar mild salsa
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • taco shells and toppings of choice

Ready for these instructions… throw everything into the Crockpot.  Mix well.  Cover and let sit to do its thing for 6 hours on medium.  When it is done the meat will be so tender it will just fall apart into shredded chicken goodness.

The HARDEST part of this whole recipe  – if you work from home like I do – smelling it cook all day without being able to eat it!

I KNOW. 

Rio Bravo is going to miss me….

 


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Taco Cupcakes – Another Pinterest Success

May 21, 2012 By 11 Comments

I absolutely love Pinterest for finding amazing dishes that real people are cooking and sharing the recipes for.   I have found some new family favorites (like the Cowboy Casserole) and enjoyed experimenting with new ideas and making up new concoctions.

Months ago when I saw the Taco Cupcakes I knew I wanted to try it out.  But, like most things on Pinterest, I repinned… and never looked at again.  This week while shopping I noticed a package of won tons and remembered the Taco Cupcakes.  I grabbed my iPhone – with the Pinterest app – and next thing I knew I was grabbing the ingredients.  There were about 5 different pins for Taco Cupcakes – all with a little bit different ingredients.  So in true Diva fashion I just basically threw them all together in one.  It was perfect.

Why Taco Cupcakes?  Besides the fact that they are absolutely ridiculously delicious, they are CUTE.  And remember my Lasagna Muffins?  It’s PORTION CONTROL PEOPLE.   Eat one… two at the max… and voila!

Taco Cupcakes

Ingredients:

  • 1lb ground chuck
  • taco seasoning
  • 1 can black beans, drained
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 jar chili con queso
  • 1 jar mild salsa
  • 1 package won top wrappers
  • shredded cheese
  • sour cream or guacamole (optional)

Brown your meat and drain well.  Add water, taco seasoning, and black beans.  Let cook down until all water is dissolved.  (this part is important – too watery and your wontons wont hold up right.  TRUST ME)  Set aside.

Grease your muffin tin and gently press a wonton wrapper into each muffin.  Try not to poke holes in them with your nails like yours truly did.  Then begin by putting in a layer of chili con queso, then meat mixture then salsa.  Add another wonton wrapper and repeat, topping “cupcake” with shredded cheese.  Cook for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and wonton wrappers are brown and crispy.

Let cool for a few minutes before adding the “icing” of sour cream or guacamole.  (or both!) Serve with homemade Spanish Rice.

For those of you who learn better with pictures:

The girls absolutely LOVED these little “cupcakes” and even my Dad came over to say hi and enjoyed one himself.   And I always share my concoctions with my neighbor, whose boys attacked the plate upon my arrival.  (funny, it was “taco night” at her house too)

I loved how they easily fit right into a large Tupperware container to save for lunch tomorrow, and I was able to really monitor the amount that I ate, because it was really only the size of a cupcake.

Next time I am going to add in some corn and maybe some Rotel – kinda like my Taco Soup …. but in a cupcake!


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CrockPot Taco Chili Recipe

December 7, 2011 By 4 Comments

Yesterday we were all gloating… it was 75*.  We laughed in the face of Winter, happily sporting our flip flops and uploading images of the thermometers in our cars to InstaGram.  We rolled down our windows and walked our dogs in Tshirts, toting water bottles for when we “broke a sweat.”   We laughed on Facebook at how thankful we were to live in Florida, and how we would take our “White Christmas” laying out on the Worlds Whitest Beaches.

Apparently Winter didnt find the humor.

Today is a dreary, rainy, windy day… with a freeze warning in effect for tonight.  *sigh*  BUT it is a perfect night for Crock Pot Taco Chili….

Crock Pot Taco Chili

It is a well known fact that me in the kitchen most often results in either smoke or stitches, but this week I actually concocted something edible.

A few months ago we went to Wednesday Night Supper at church where they were serving “Taco Chili” – I nearly turned on my heels and left. I didn’t think that even SOUNDED appetizing. It isn’t that I don’t like tacos or chili… I just never would have put them together in one bowl. However, since my friends were there and the girls were “starving” we stayed. I have to admit – it was AWESOME. Like, I was considering getting seconds.

I mentioned it to my friend Jeannie and apparently she has been cooking it for years – I had never even HEARD of it until that night at Church… probably because it is not on any restaurant menu in Pensacola. Anyhow, she sent me the recipe but naturally I left it at home, so I called from the store parking lot and then tried to remember what she told me when I went inside. I know.

So my plan for shopping was anything Mexican-y or Chili-y was going in it! I just kept throwing stuff in the buggie and here is what I ended up with:

  • Ground Chuck
  • One yellow onion
  • 2 packages of Taco Seasoning
  • Large can of tomato Sauce
  • Original Rotel
  • One can Mexican Chili Beans
  • One can Black Beans
  • One can MexiCorn (didn’t know THIS existed either!)
  • Small can of niblet corn
  • One can dark red kidney beans
  • Tortilla Chips
  • Shredded cheese
  • Sour cream (optional- the girls liked it)

I did this in two pots but Jeannie says she does hers in one. Since I AM a pro with the Crock Pot, I decided that was probably my best strategy. SO -

I browned the meat and onion together in one pan, added a cup-ish (I mentioned I don’t measure stuff, right?) of water and one package of Taco Seasoning. In the Crock Pot I put everything else -including the second Taco Seasoning -and then mixed in the meat and onions. I left the Crock Pot on low for about 3 hours.

Then I lined the bowls with Tortilla Chips and spooned the Taco Chili right into the center. I topped mine with a little bit of cheese, and the girls liked cheese and sour cream on theirs.

I have to tell you – it was AWESOME. I was pretty proud of myself. (not that this took any real skill here, but let me have my moment, k?) It also isnt too bad fat/calorie wise either…

Note: It’s EVEN BETTER the next day… so all you “no-leftover” people… just send it all to me!