Crock pot chicken breasts for shredded chicken

I had great success with this crock pot chicken recipe and this tip for shredding chicken.

We often have cooked shredded chicken in the freezer for pizzas, casseroles, salads, quiches, etc.  My friend Lisa just found a deal for boneless skinless chicken breasts for $1.49/lb if you bought in bulk.  So, I signed up for 5lbs.  I put the chicken in the crock pot, sprinkled salt, pepper, garlic powder and a bouillon cube (ground up) on top, and poured in 1/2 cup water.  I cooked them on low for 8 hours.  Then, when done, I transferred the cooked chicken breasts to the stand mixer, turned it to speed 4 for about 10 seconds, and perfectly shredded chicken resulted.  I'm saving some out for chicken salad and for BBQ chicken.  The rest went into a freezer bag to save for later.

Pulled pork tacos

These are easy and delicious.

• 2 cups salsa, plus more for serving
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• kosher salt
• 2 1/2 lb boneless pork butt or shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
• 18 corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 lime, cut in wedges
  

1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the salsa, chili powder, oregano, cocoa, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the pork and turn to coat.
2. Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.
3. Twenty minutes before serving, heat oven to 350° F.
4. Stack the tortillas, wrap them in foil, and bake until warm, about 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, using 2 forks, shred the pork and stir into the cooking liquid. Serve with the tortillas, cilantro, sour cream, lime, and extra salsa.

Crock Pot Ham

I made this ham for Easter (yesterday). It turned out really well! I combined several different recipes, including this one, this one, and this one.

6.6 lb fully cooked semi-boneless ham

20 whole cloves

3/4 cup orange marmalade

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup pineapple juice (I reserved the juice from the cans I used to make pineapple casserole)

Place cloves all over ham. Mix marmalade, mustard and sugar, and spread all over ham. Place ham in slow cooker with pineapple juice. Cook on low for 6 hours.

Remove ham from pot and place on side on cutting board; let rest 10-20 minutes, then hold with meat fork and slice with carving knife or electric knife. Serve with extra juices from crock pot (you might want to thicken it by cooking it on the stove with some cornstarch/ other thickener while the meat sits)

Coq au vin

When I was in college, Dr. Prill, the main French teacher, and her husband would have the French students over once a semester for a huge French feast. We would walk in and breathe in the wonderful aroma of the traditional French stew, Coq au Vin. Traditionally this was rooster slow-cooked in wine to make the meat more tender... I have always had it with regular chicken. This recipe can be adjusted based on the time you have to prepare it... for a crockpot: cut the liquid in half and cook on low for 6 hours. For a dutch oven, use 2/3 of the liquid and cook on the stove on low for 3-4 hours. If you only have an hour or 2, follow this recipe using a stock pot(adapted from this Whole Foods recipe and this Emeril recipe and another recipe I did at a Salud class that I cannot currently locate) :

Coq au Vin

serves about 6

(adjust ingredients and quantities based on your preferences... you really can't go wrong!)

-8 boneless skinless chicken thighs

-a pie plate filled with flour (about a half cup), seasoned with salt and pepper

-1/2 lb thick bacon, diced

-a couple of tablespoons of olive oil

-2 cups chopped yellow onion (if you are slow-cooking, just cut into quarters or sixths... you can also use pearl onions)

-1 lb white, button, or baby bella mushrooms, quartered

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-1 shallot, diced

-2 or 3 carrots, cut into chunks

-2 cups chicken broth

-3 cups red wine

-2 sprigs thyme

Coat chicken on both sides with seasoned flour and set aside. Fry bacon until crispy, and move to a paper towel lined plate with a slotted spoon. Brown the floured chicken in the bacon grease, about 2 minutes per side. Set chicken aside. Adding olive oil when necessary, sautee the onions until tender, and place in a stock pot. Brown the mushrooms, add to pot. Sautee shallots and garlic, add to pot. Sautee the carrots, add to pot. Cover the vegetables with broth and turn burner on medium-high. Add chicken, bacon, wine, and thyme and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour (or turn burner lower and simmer longer). Remove thyme before serving.

You have several options for serving... serve in a bowl as a stew, serve on a plate over couscous, mashed potatoes, or beside a crusty baguette.

Crockpot pork chops with apples

Pork Chops with Apples

8 boneless pork chops

4 Granny Smith apples, cut into wedges

2 onions, quartered

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 cans Golden Mushroom soup

½ can water

1 Tablespoon thyme

Combine all the ingredients in crock pot; cook on low for 8 hours.

Pot Roast

Incredible Pot Roast

Recipe from Pamela Hendrix in Lyon… people consistently tell us that this is the best pot roast they have ever had!

2-4 lbs chuck roast (depending on how many you are cooking for)

1 cup water

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 package onion soup mix

8 small carrots peeled and cut into 1” chunks (or, you can buy a small bag of baby carrots)

5 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

2 medium onions quartered

paprika

salt and pepper

parsley

Heat 2 Tablespoons oil in large saucepan. Place meat in pan and turn until each side is browned. Place the meat in bottom of slow cooker. Spread mushroom soup on meat and sprinkle with onion soup mix. Layer vegetables on and around meat and sprinkle with paprika, salt, pepper, and parsley. Cook on low heat 6-8 hours.

Chicken Parisienne

Chicken Parisienne

6 boneless chicken breasts (about 1 ½ lbs), but into cubes

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon paprika

1 can condensed cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup

8 oz sliced mushrooms, drained

½ cup white wine

1 cup sour cream

hot cooked egg noodles or rice

fresh Italian parsley

Place chicken in slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika. Add soup, mushrooms, and wine to slow cooker; mix well. Cover, cook on high for 2-3 hours. During last 30 minutes of cooking, add sour cream. Serve over noodles or rice. Sprinkle with parsley

BBQ Marmalade Chicken

BBQ Marmalade Chicken

3 lbs chicken

½ cup BBQ sauce

¼ cup orange marmalade

Orange juice

Rinse chicken, place in crock pot. Whisk together BBQ sauce and marmalade and pour over chicken. Pour enough orange juice to cover chicken. Cook on high 3-4 hours.

You can also make this in a casserole dish in the oven... bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes.