Crock Pot Mania: Chicken Straight Up or Enchilada Style

Well today we are getting back to my go-to kitchen appliance and making some goodness in the crock pot. This is another one that I made up out of my pantry one day in a pinch. The first time I made this I did not have cheddar cheese soup so I experimented with broccoli cheese soup and it came out great. I served the chicken whole and we had pasta and steamed vegetables. As I served that meal I told my husband this would be awesome shredded in an enchilada. 

So for this recipe I made a few simple changes and enchiladas is what I ended up with. This is what you will need: 

1 package of boneless skinless chicken breast
1 can Campbell's cheddar cheese soup
1/2 cup of chicken broth
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 can of RoTel tomatoes and chilies (or diced tomatoes)
1 cup Mexican cheese blend
A package of corn tortillas

Begin by washing patting dry chicken breast and placing them in the bottom of the crock pot. 

Whisk together in a small bowl the can cheddar cheese soup, taco seasoning mix and RoTel tomatoes, and 1/2 cup chicken broth. 

I use diced tomatoes if I'm serving this to the kiddies. Pour this mixture over the chicken and cook in the crock pot 3 to 4 hours on high, or 6 to 8 hours on low. 

Once the chicken is cooked take it out of the pot and place onto a cutting board, shred the               chicken with two forks the meat should fall apart. Add about 3/4 cup of the sauce to moisten           the chicken and use this to stuff the tortillas.

I warmed the tortillas on the skillet to make pliable, I then dipped one side of  the tortilla into the sauce in the pot. 

I filled it with chicken, rolled the tortilla and placed it seam side down in the pan.

 

Once rolled and placed in the pan I used a ladle to pour some of the sauce over the stuffed enchiladas (not pictured).

I covered with the Mexican cheese and then placed in the oven at 400 until melted and bubbly. I served this with the package Mexican rice my favorite is Mahatma Spanish rice.  

Truth be told I had some steamed broccoli on the side, I know it's not in keeping with the theme. If you prefer beans then I say go for it I think it would make a very nice plate. 

So there you have it easy chicken enchiladas.  I love that the crock pot does the hard part for me. Enjoy and remember to share with a friend.
        

        

Crock Pot Mania: Texas Style Brisket

You know how much I love a good crock pot recipe, so here's one I just had to make for New Year's Day. This is Texas Style Brisket from Taste of Home. I've made this one for a few years and it always gets rave reviews.  I will say that this time my eyes were bigger than 10 or 12 people's stomachs.  I went to the butcher to see if he had anything smaller than an eleven pound brisket.  He offered to trim and cut one in half for me.  Well after he cut all of the fat off it just looked naked and deflated so I took the eight pounds of brisket at the trimmed price, I am such a sucker some times I didn't want to hurt the brisket's feeling.   Despite that, it really was so delicious and it travels and reheats very well. Mine is never quite as pretty as theirs, probably because I cook mine until it falls apart like a woman at a chick flick.

Texas-Style Beef Brisket Recipe photo by Taste of Home

I started by cutting it in half to fit the crock pot and marinating it in a 2 gallon food storage bag. I placed it in the refrigerator before going to bed, when the baby woke up for his middle of the night bottle I went into the kitchen and put it in the crock pot so it would be ready in the morning when we woke up.

I had to cut it once more to fit the three pieces side by side in the crock pot. I poured in the beef broth and put the lid on and cranked it on high and went back to sleep.

I woke up the next morning to find this glorious sight of brisket done and ready.  

I placed it on my favorite bamboo carving board and shredded it with two forks; I chose not to cut it across the grain because it would have completely fallen apart.

Next I chopped the onions and measured my ingredients for the sauce.

I used my gravy separator to skim the fat off of the au jus from the brisket, to add that to the barbecue sauce. I love this gravy separator because it's over sized and has a strainer on the top. The recipe calls for one cup of au jus, with the remaining I measure 1 cup into freezer bags and freeze lying flat so I can make this sauce anytime I'd like.

I served this New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with the sauce on the side. I had enough leftovers to prepare another batch of barbecue sauce later in the week and we had barbecued beef sandwiches. I cut the leftovers across the grain and put back into the crock pot to warm with the sauce. I served it with toasted buns and potato salad.

Mmm-mm.  I definitely recommend adding this one to your repertoire. Enjoy, and remember to share with a friend.

Crock Pot Mania: Beans & Greens

Good afternoon, today we’re making beans and greens.  I worked in an office not too long ago that would get all the people in the department together for a Beans & Greens lunch.  At least that’s what I named it because the menu consisted of red beans & rice, and mustard greens. 

Now brace yourself because I have a confession to make.  Hi my name is Marta, I live in Louisiana and I don’t like red beans & rice.  Take a moment to recover and then read on.  I know it sounds crazy but I have never really cared for red beans.  Truth be told I didn’t eat any kind of legumes, I have always had an issue with the texture.  I will eat legumes in a pinch, if it’s my only option, or if I’m trying to be polite, or contractually obligated holidays like New Year’s Day.  This is why this post is going to come as such a shock to my family members. 

Last year a coworker made a bean mix of 10 or so kinds of beans and gave each person in my office some to make soup.  Not wanting to confess my dislike of legumes I graciously accepted her gift and took them home.  I am not one to waste food so when everyone started coming in with recipes for how they cooked theirs I knew I had to come up with something fast.  Thus Marta’s Bean Stew was born.  Don’t stop reading now, because I know it sounds strange but it really is delicious. I had no way of knowing what types of beans she mixed together so now I use a bean soup mixture. Here’s what you need. 

Marta’s Bean Stew

1 package Stew Meat
1 bag Bean Soup Mix
1 carton + 1 can of Beef Broth
2 Bay Leaves
1 Tsp. Tony Chachere’s Cajun Seasoning
1 Tbsp. dried Parsley
1 Tsp. dried Thyme
¼ Tsp. dried Sage
½ Tsp. Cayenne (Optional)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Begin by drizzling oil in a preheated pan and browning the stew meat.

 

Then place the all of the ingredients in the crock pot on low for 8-10 hours. 

That’s it.  I cannot think of one more sentence to add here.  What you will come home to is this amazing dish with the texture of red beans, but with a much more complex flavor. 

The meat will start to shred as you stir and will distribute all through the beans. It will be this luscious dark color and it taste so good. If you feel it needs more liquid add some water give it a stir, let it warm as you make rice. It is that simple, Scout’s honor.

This goes great with your favorite recipe for corn bread, which for me consist of a box of Jiffy Corn Bread mix. But after having Beans & Greens so many times at my office my new favorite side is mustard greens.

Now I mentioned Monday that I had two crock pots going, check it out. 

I got this small crock pot with a removable crock at an estate sale.  I have owned small crock pots before but there were too small for cooking, there were made for warming dip and often had no temperature control.  When I saw this one I had to have it. I will never scald Rotel Dip again, oh happy tailgating!  As a bonus it is big enough to cook in.  Seeing as how I am the only one who likes greens in this house it is perfect for cooking up a half a bag.  Be careful to follow the recipe not my picture here, I made just enough for me.

 A co-worker Miss Linda gave me this recipe.  Side note; if you grow up in the South all adults are referred to as Mister or Miss fill in the blank.  Never mind that I am in my 40’s and we worked in the same office, if someone is my senior they will always be Mister or Miss.

Anyway here’s what you need for crock pot greens.

Crock Pot Greens

1 Package frozen Mustard Greens
1 Link of Smoked Sausage
½ cup of beef broth (can substitute Bouillon Cube & water)
1 can Rotel Tomatoes & Chilies or 1 cup of Pace Picante Sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste

Begin by slicing the sausage and placing it in the bottom of the pot and cover with the bag of greens.  Next add the broth and the can of Rotel. Cook this on low for 4-6 hours, or high for half that. 

What you get are greens with a great smoky flavor.  This recipe is very forgiving.  If I am worried about it being too spicy I use the Pace Picante, if I want it to have a little kick I use the Rotel.  I have even been known to add a couple of tablespoons  of apple cider vinegar to add a sweet and tangy flavor.  Put a bottle of Tabasco or Peppered Vinegar on the table to give people options. 

I would love to show you the picture of the beans & greens side by side on the plate but dang it all I was so excited to eat these I forgot to take pictures until dinner was over.  You should have seen the look on my guest’s face when I dirtied up two more plates to give you all a look see.  Oh well, anything for the blog right?  Be brave and try these out, they are plenty good I promise.  Come back later in the week, I have some baking planned. Enjoy and remember to share these with a friend.

Chicken On The Fly

Okay, for today’s crock pot goodies we have a recipe that I made up based solely on what was in the pantry this particular morning.  I was working late on this day. Now I kind of like the late schedule because I don’t have to be at work until 9:30am, this gives me all kinds of time in the morning to do chores, write a post, or maybe just enjoy two quiet seconds in an empty house.  The draw back of course is I don’t end my work day until 6:00pm, and often times I am rushed to get dinner on the table before there is an all out mutiny.  This is part of the reason I have such an obsession with crock pot cooking. 

One morning last week I surveyed the contents of the fridge and decided the boneless, skinless thigh filets I purchased were just the thing for dinner from the crock pot.  So without having any plan what-so-ever I peered into the pantry stocked full of promise and came up with this recipe.  I knew I needed meat, a cooking liquid, texture and flavor.  I emerged arms loaded down with the following:

 

Marta’s Veggie Chicken

1 package of boneless skinless thighs

1 package Knorr Vegetable Recipe Mix

1 can Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup

1 can Swanson Chicken Broth

I began by washing and patting dry the chicken, now is the time to trim any fat with kitchen scissors if you’d like.  I always like to leave a little for the flavor.  I poured half the can of broth over the thighs arranged in the bottom of the crock pot. 

I then mixed in a small mixing bowl the remaining broth, cream of chicken soup and the Knorr Vegetable recipe mix.  I poured this over the top of the chicken and set my crock pot on low for 9 hours.  That was it, it was that simple. 

I would imagine you could do this with any cut of meat you’d like, this just happen to be what was on sale that week.  There was plenty of gravy, so I served this over rice with a side of carrots. 

 

The carrots I peeled and chopped, then I sautéed half a diced onion added the carrots and covered with water.  I brought the water to a boil then cut it down with a lid on it to simmer until the carrots were tender.  I love to make fresh carrots this way, the sweetness really comes through. 

 

So there you have it my recipe for chicken on the “fly.”  Get it? I crack me up.  Enjoy and remember to share it with a friend.

Crock Pot Mania: Roast a la Marta

This recipe was adapted from a recipe on the back of a Lipton Recipes Secrets box.  The flavors sounded fantastic to me, but I didn’t really feel like stroganoff, so this one was Marta-fied.  Here is what you need to make this irresistible crock pot roast.

Irresistible Crock Pot Roast

1  3-5 lb Beef Rump Roast

1  packet of Lipton Recipe Secrets Beefy Onion Soup Mix

1  4oz can of Mushrooms drained

1  can of Rotel Tomatoes & Chilies or Diced Tomatoes

1  can of Beef Broth

¼  Cup of All Purpose Flour

Drizzle of Olive Oil

Start by preheating a pan on medium high until it begins to smoke slightly. Drizzle with olive oil and place the roast in the hot pan largest surface down.  Let brown for 3-5 minutes then turn repeating this process for all sides.  Tongs are a great utensil for browning, you will need to hold the roast steady to brown on all sides.

Once the roast is browned on all sides place it in the crock pot.  Use some of the beef broth to deglaze the bottom of the pan, and whisk the flour into the hot broth enough to distribute evenly then pour this in the crock pot. 

 

Add the remaining ingredients and give it a quick stir.  Place the lid on top and let it cook for 8-9 hours on low or 4-6 hours on high.  If I am home I take the time to spoon some of the cooking liquids over the top of the meat occasionally.  This keeps the meat moist and gives it a beautiful color on top. 

I prefer my roast falling apart at the sight of a utensil, but some people like to a little more intact.  This is a personal preference and the roast will be cooked through, the extra hour is what will give it time to go to pieces.  You’ll notice it says Rotel or diced tomatoes; I use the Rotel if its adults only and diced tomatoes if this is for children and I am concerned about spiciness.  

 

I would have loved to show a beautiful picture of the roast presented on a serving platter with all the trimmings, but my meal plans were upended by all the wonderful food I enjoyed while watching the LSU Tigers beat Florida at my sister’s house.  I let my roast cool and then in the fridge it went to be enjoyed for Sunday dinner.  I sliced the roast and covered it with gravy in a Corning dish with a lid and microwaved it for 3-4 minutes.  Then I served it over rice with plenty of yummy gravy, a side of steamed broccoli, and garlic bread. It was mmm-mmm good. It is worth mentioning that if you are a fan of stroganoff, try taking leftover roast cubed in a frying pan with gravy and a couple spoons of some sour cream, mix and heat through then serve open face over a piece of toast.  Grab a knife, fork, and a bib because Roast on Toast one of the simple joys in life.  So there you have it my favorite recipe for crock pot roast, enjoy and remember to share it with a friend. 

 

Crock Pot Mania: Turkey Chili Update

For all of you out there getting out those stock pots and serving up turkey chili to the family this weekend.  It is worth mentioning that I have gone home during lunch and diced up veggies, browned meat and thrown all the ingredients in my rocking crock pot to cook up and get yummy while I finish my work day.    For chili I throw everything in , give it a stir and set it to low for 4-5 hours. Then I walk in the door and dinner is there waiting for me when I get home.



Target-Wedding Gift

My crock pot is a favorite kitchen appliance in my home and rarely ever gathers dust waiting to be used.  I received mine as a wedding gift. It is large and can hold large cuts of meat, or double batches of anything I can whip up.  I love that is it programmable for 3 temperatures, and many hours of continued cooking.  Then it will switch to keep warm and lower the temperature while waiting for me to serve up whatever goodness awaits the family. So don't let a time crunch sway you from this homemade goodness.  Enjoy your weekend.

Let's Talk Turkey...Chili That Is

I realize the holidays are fast approaching and turkeys everywhere are trembling in their turkey boots, but alas that is not the kind of turkey I am talking today.  Today I am talking chili, quick, easy and so yummy.  Here in Louisiana it is still hot as bejesus, but in other parts of the country it is beginning to cool a bit outside.  So grab your stockpots people and lets start cooking.

I bought ground turkey for another recipe to come later, but because of my busy mommy schedule I couldn't devote the time needed to the intended dish, so I started to think chili.  We are trying to eat healthier at Casa de Marcase and I hear so many good things about turkey chili.  So this is what I came up with out of the pantry. 

 Marta’s Turkey Chili

1   Yellow Onion
1   Red or Green Pepper
2   Stalks Celery
2   Large carrots
1   pound ground Turkey
1   pkg McCormick Chili Seasoning
1   15 oz can Tomato Sauce
1   can Kidney Beans undrained
2   tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
¼  cup Teriyaki Sauce
2   tablespoons each of dried Oregano and Parsley
Sprinkle of Garlic Powder
Drizzle of Olive Oil

Dice the onion , celery, carrot and pepper.  Drizzle olive oil into a preheated pot on medium high heat.  Saute the veggies until the onions begin to become clear. 

I use a large knife to cut the turkey across the grain to help it crumble while browning.  Add the ground turkey, dried herbs and garlic power to the veggies and continue to stir until the meat is browned. 

While the meat is browning stir in the Hoisin sauce and Teriyaki. The Hoisin and Teriyaki darken the flavor and color of the meat giving it a more familiar taste, the veggies help to fill you up and balance the spiciness with some sweetness. 

When meat is cooked through add the chili seasoning, tomato sauce and beans. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes. 

Because this is a family dish I am careful not to over season, but if you like it spicy I suggest adding a slice of pepper jack cheese to your bowl, it does the trick nicely. 

So there you have it Turkey Chile a la Marta. Enjoy and remember to share it with a friend.