Crock Pot – Taco Chicken Bowls/Enchiladas

Rendy Stillman

Ingredients

§  1½ lbs. chicken breasts (I’ve used just 1 lb and it still turns out great)

§  1 (16 oz.) jar salsa

§  1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained

§  ½ lb. (8 oz.) frozen corn (canned corn can be used with the noted changes below in the recipe)

§  1 Tbsp chili powder

§  ½ Tbsp cumin

§  ½ Tbsp minced garlic

§  ½ tsp dried oregano

§  ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

§  ¼ tsp salt

§  to taste cracked pepper

§  ¼ C water

§  2 cups dry rice

§  8 oz. shredded cheddar

§  ½ bunch cilantro (optional)

Instructions

1.       Add everything except the rice, cheese, and cilantro (and corn, IF you are using canned) to the slow cooker along with ¼ cup of water (for good measure). Give everything a good stir and make sure the chicken is covered in the mixture.

2. Secure the lid on your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hrs.
3. After 8 hours of cooking, carefully remove the lid of the slow cooker. Stir with a fork to shred the chicken (it should be super tender and will shred easily.

IF MAKING TACO BOWLS:

1.       Near the end of the cooking time, cook the two cups of rice according to the package directions. 

2.       Build the taco bowls by placing rice on the bottom, then the taco chicken mix, shredded cheese and fresh cilantro.

IF MAKING TACOS/ENCHILADAS:

1.       Serve on tortillas and add chopped extras as preferred (i.e. tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, olives, avocados, etc).

2.       When making Enchiladas, put taco filling inside shells, top with enchilada sauce and cheese and microwave for about 20-30 seconds (until cheese is melted), then top with chopped extras as preferred (i.e. tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, olives, avocados, etc).

Chicken Taquitos

Cyndie Call

1 pound of chicken cooked and shredded
2 tbs pureed chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
shredded cheese (we like cheddar or mozzarella)
tortillas (flour or corn. We prefer flour)

Mix shredded chicken with the pureed chipotle in adobo. You can add more or less depending on your preferred level of spiciness. place some of the chicken mixture down the center of a tortilla. Sprinkle a little cheese on top of that and roll the tortilla up as tight as you can. Repeat until you have used up all your chicken. Freeze individually on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, they can be transferred to a ziplock bag.
To cook
Take out amount of taquitos needed. Spray pan with non stick spray. Arrange the taquitos on the pan so they are not touching. Spray the tops of the taquitos with cooking spray. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until crispy and brown on the edges.

Measurements of all ingredients are to personal preference. Last time I made this I cooked almost 20 pounds of chicken and froze 75 taquitos! However, with that same amount of chicken I could have also made 100 or 50 taquitos. Just put however much meat and cheese you like. Enjoy!

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Krissy Thomas

3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1 1/3 cups purchased BBQ sauce, divided

1 pizza crust

12 oz mozzarella (or 6 oz provolone and 6 oz Gouda)

1/2 medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

Serving day

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Original recipe yields one large or 2 small pizzas.

Cooking day instructions

Marinate chicken in 2/3 cup BBQ sauce for 4 hours or up to overnight. Place chicken and marinade in small baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink. Remove from oven. Put pizza crust on round cardboard (purchased at any craft store in the baking section). Spread remaining 2/3 cup BBQ sauce over crust. Sprinkle cheese evenly over crust leaving a 1/2 inch border. Shred chicken and arrange over cheese topping with onion. Freeze covering pizza and cardboard with plastic wrap followed by heavy duty foil. 

Serving Day instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place frozen pizzas on preheated pizza stone and bake 10-12 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

No Rise Pizza Dough

Krissy Thomas

2 cups very warm water (not hot)
2 packages yeast
3 TBS flour
5 cups flour (can use all-white, 1/2 white + 1/2 wheat, or all wheat if freshly ground)
3 TBS sugar
1 TBS salt
Cornmeal (for dusting bottom of pizza)
1 TBS oil

Original Recipe Yields
2 Large pizza crusts (medium thickness) or 1 deep dish and 1 large crust (medium thickness)

Cooking day instructions
This recipe works best by preparing single batches.
In large bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and 2 tbs of flour. Sprinkle 1 tbs flour on top of mixture. Wait until flour is totally absorbed, then add remaining ingredients.
Knead the dough:
-by hand: 7-10 minutes or until very smooth and elastic, not stiff.
-by electric stand mixer: Knead, using dough hook, until dough begins to clean sides of mixing bowl (6-12 minutes, depending on your mixer) Do not allow dough to get too stiff.

Divide dough in two. Roll out on cornmeal-dusted pizza paddle, pizza stone, or counter. Brush crust lightly with canola or olive oil and prick with a fork every 1/2- 1 inch. Prebake 5-8 minutes in preheated 500-degree oven. Remove crust from oven and cool.

-To freeze unfilled pizza dough shells: Stack pizza shells using plastic wrap or waxed paper between each shell or freeze individually.
-To freeze topped pizzas: Top with desired ingredients. Freeze using plastic wrap and foil method.

Serving Day Instructions
Thaw slightly. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. If unfilled, add your favorite toppings. Bake pizza for 15-20 minutes of until crust is nicely browned and cheese is melted.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Dianna Tygard

1- 2# pork tenderloin

1-18 oz. bottle your favorite bbq sauce

1-12 oz. can or bottle root beer

8 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted

Place the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker, pour root beer over the meat.  Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily....6-7 hrs.  Drain well, stir in bbq sauce. Serve over hamburger buns.

Peppermint Muddie Buddies

Peppermint Muddie Buddies
By Mary Harris

Ingredients:
9 cups Chex cereal (I use Rice Chex)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup peanut butter
¼ cup margarine or butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Candy canes, crushed (I used 4)

Directions:
Melt butter, chocolate chips, and butter in microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally until melted. Add vanilla and stir. Pour Chex into chocolate mixture and stir until evenly coated. Pour into a large Ziploc or trash bag with powdered sugar and crushed candy canes. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool.

Chocolate Carmel Popcorn

Chocolate Carmel Popcorn
by Heather Ashby

1 c. white sugar
1 1/2 cubes real butter
1 c. Karo syrup
dash salt
1 t. vanilla
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
large bowl of popped corn
dark chocolate
white chocolate
cinnamon/sugar mix

Combine first 4 ingredients and cook in microwave for 5 minutes.  Stir and cook for 2 more minutes.  Add vanilla and baking soda.  Pour over large bowl of popcorn and stir until coated.  Pour onto wax paper and spread it out.

Melt dark chocolate in baggie in microwave.  Cut a hold in the corner of the bag and drizzle over the popcorn.  Repeat with white chocolate.  Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mix.  When cooled and hardened break apart into chunks.

Cranberry Salsa Dip

Cranberry Salsa Dip

submitted by Terrah Anderson

http://www.butterwithasideofbread.com/2013/12/cranberry-salsa-dip.html

12 oz. bag fresh cranberries

1 1/2 cup sugar

4 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp allspice

8 oz. cream cheese

Wassail

Wassail
by Trish Sluessar

1 gallon apple cider (I bought Tree Top at Walmart) 
2 teaspoons whole cloves
2 teaspoons whole allspice
2 three inch cinnamon sticks
2/3 cup sugar. 

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or longer. You can tie the spices up in cheesecloth if you want. Or just strain them out before serving.

Pumpkin Chili

Pumpkin Chili

http://www.thekitchn.com/vegetarian-recipe-pumpkin-chili-recipes-from-the-kitchn-196046

Submitted by Cyndie Call

Serves 8 to 10

3-pound pie pumpkin or other orange-fleshed squash such as butternut, Red Kuri, or Golden Hubbard

2 medium turnips, about 3/4 pound

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup finely ground cornmeal

2 red bell peppers, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

4 cups vegetarian broth

2 10-ounce cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, such as Rotel

2 16-ounce cans chili beans, drained

2 cups frozen corn

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon cumin

Several dashes vegetarian Worcestershire sauce

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Balsamic vinegar, to taste

Chopped green onions, to serve

Shredded cheddar cheese, to serve

Sour cream, to serve

Peel the pumpkin or squash and cut into 1-inch pieces. To make it easier to peel the pumpkin, cut in half, remove the seeds (and set aside for roasting!), then microwave each half cut-side down in a shallow dish of water for 5 minutes, or roast the halves at 450°F for about 15 minutes. When the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, shave off the skin with a sharp knife. (See our directions here on how to roast pumpkin and squash seeds.)

Peel the turnips and cut into 1-inch pieces.

In a large Dutch oven or soup pot (it should hold at least 6 quarts), heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. When melted, whisk in the cornmeal until smooth, then stir in the chopped pumpkin, turnip, bell peppers, onion, garlic, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes.

Add the broth, diced tomatoes, beans, and corn. Stir in the chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring back to a simmer then reduce the heat and cook for at least 1 hour, or until the pumpkin and turnip are tender. (It gets even better if simmered longer — a whole afternoon, if you have the time.)

Before serving, taste and season with salt and pepper and a dash of balsamic vinegar. Serve hot with chopped green onions, shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream.

White Chocolate Cranberry Cheesecake bars

White Chocolate Cranberry Cheesecake bars
by Cynthia Gough

2 cups Flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 sticks butter, softened
2 cups white chocolate chips
8 oz cream cheese, softened
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
16 oz can whole berry cranberry sauce
2 T cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9 in pan.

Combine flour, oats, and brown sugar in large bowl. Add butter, mix until crumbly. Stir in choc. chips. Reserve 2 cups morsel mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture into prepared pan.

Beat cream cheese in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and vanilla; mix until smooth. Pour over crust. Combine cranberry sauce and cornstarch in medium bowl. Spoon over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle reserved morsel mixture over cranberry mixture.

Bake for 35-40 min. or until center is set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cover; refrigerate until serving time. Cut into bars.