Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Tacos

1 1/2 Pounds Chicken Breasts
15 oz. Jar of Salsa
1 Packet of Taco Seasoning
1/2 - 1 Package of Cream Cheese

This version of Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos is so yummy in either a taco salad, hard or soft shell tacos, or to make enchiladas .

Combine the chicken breasts, salsa, taco seasoning, and cream cheese in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours. Once cooked, remove chicken from the crockpot and shred using two forks. Place shredded chicken back in the crockpot and stir to combine in sauce before serving. The serving options are endless -- over salad, in taco shells, over rice, use as enchilada filling, etc.

Chili's Copycat Salsa

This is a family favorite at our house. I love this recipe because you can make it anytime of the year and just not during tomato season.

2 (14.5 oz) Cans Whole Tomatoes, Drained
1/4 Cup Onion, Chopped
1 Teaspoon Garlic Salt
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Lime Juice
1 (4 oz)Can Diced Jalapenos (I only use about half a can. You can decide on how much heat you like.)
2 Roma Tomatoes, Diced

Place all ingredients together in a blender and blend until smooth.

Baked Tacos

My mother-in-law made these one night for Bryon and Sam while they were down there for dinner. Sam couldn't stop talking about these. I decided to give them a try. My mom made them for my family one weekend while she was up helping me. They lived up to their reputation! They were a hit for everyone in my family.

Serves: 8-10

2 Pounds Ground Beef
4 Teaspoons Dry Minced Onion
2 Teaspoons Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Cornstarch
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
1/8 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 (8 Ounce) Can Tomato Sauce
1 (16 Ounce) Can Refried Beans
2 Cups Colby Jack Cheese, Shredded
18-20 Hard Taco Shells

Toppings:
Shredded Lettuce
Diced Tomatoes
Salsa
Guacamole

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl combine minced onion, chili powder, cornstarch, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and set aside.

In a large skillet, brown ground beef over medium-high heat. Drain off any excess liquid. Add refried beans, tomato sauce and bowl of seasonings. Mix well.

Spoon the taco meat mixture into the taco shells. Place in a 9x13 baking dish, standing up. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the taco meat in each shell. Place into the 400 degree oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the tacos are heating through. Remove from the oven and garnish with toppings.

If you are short on time or seasonings, you can replace all the above seasonings for a package of taco seasoning.

Mango Pico De Gallo

This recipe is to be served with the Lime-Chili Steaks that recipe is posted on this blog. However, this is a fabulous recipe and would make a great mango salsa to be served with chips.

1 Cup Small Cubes Mango (About 1 Medium to Large Mango)
1/2-1 Large Jalapeno Pepper (1/2 without seeds is nice, mild-medium heat; go from there)(If you are making this to go with the Lime-Chili Steaks, I would not add any seeds. The steaks already have a kick to them and so adding seeds I think would make it too hot. Only do that if you like intense heat.)
1/4 Cup Cilantro, Chopped
1/4 of a Medium Red Onion, Finely Chopped
Juice of 1 Lime
2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
Kosher or Sea Salt To Taste

Combine ingredients. Serve. I try to prepare it a couple hours ahead of serving so that the flavors can blend together. This will keep for a day or so, but after that, the mangoes will go mushy.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

We had this recipe for dinner one night at our dinner group. It was delicious!

2/3 Cup Salsa
2 Cans Black Beans (Do not drain or rinse)
2 Cans Corn
2 Cans Red Beans
1 Can Diced Tomatoes with Chilies
1 8 oz. Can Tomato Sauce
1 Small Can Diced Chilies
2 Cans Cooked Chicken Breast (Break Up With a Fork)
1 Package of Dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
3 Cans Chicken Broth
Dash of Lime Juice
Cook in slow cooker for 6-8 hours on low. Serve with tortillas that are crumbled, sour cream, and grated cheese.

Chicken Quesadillas

I made this last week for dinner. It is perfect for those nights when you need something fast for dinner. I got it off of life-should-be-delicious.blogspot.com.

2 Chicken Breasts, Cooked and Shredded
1-2 Cups Montery Jack Cheese
1/2 Cup Prepared Ranch Dressing
1/4 Cup Diced Green Chilies
1 Small Can Shoepeg Corn
1/2 Cup Salsa

Flour Tortillas
Butter

Combine chicken, cheese, dressing, chilies, corn and salsa. Mix well. Butter one side of tortilla. Place chicken mixture on unbuttered side of tortilla and fold in half to seal. Place on greased baking sheet. bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crispy. Serve with guacamole, salsa, and more ranch dressing.

I used the normal size flour tortillas and got about 10 quesadillas out of this recipe. Also, I had never bought shoepeg corn before. I googled it and found that it is a white, sweet corn. We found it on the canned vegetable isle. I do think you could probably use canned corn and it would be just fine. If you do use canned corn, I probably wouldn't use a whole can.

Cafe Rio Tacos

Meat:
4 Pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken or Pork Loin
1 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Cup Salsa
1 Can Cola Beverage or Root Beer

Put everything into the crock pot for 8 hours on low. Remove meat and shred. Skim fat off juices. Put meat back into crock pot and let juices absorb into meat. Works well to make ahead and freeze.

Cilantro Ranch Dressing:
1 Package Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
3 Tablespoons Salsa Verde
1/2 Teaspoon Tabasco Sauce
1/2 Bunch Fresh Cilantro
2-3 Small Cloves Garlic
3/4 Cup Mayonnaise
2/3 Cup Sour Cream
Grated Lime Peel and Juice From One Lime
Buttermilk to Thin to Correct Consistency

Place all ingredients into blender and mix until smooth.

Cilantro Lime Rice
1 Cup Uncooked Converted White Rice
1 Teaspoon Butter
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Teaspoon Grated Lime Peel
1 Can (15 ounces) Chicken Broth
1/4 Cup Water
2 Tablespoons Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
2 Teaspoons Sugar
3 Tablespoons Freshly Cilantro, Chopped

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, lime zest, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook 15-20 minutes, or until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, combine lime juice, sugar, and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice. Serve warm.

Assembly for Salad or Tacos:
Lettuce
Chicken or Pork
Purple Onion, Chopped
Tomatoes, Diced
Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
Cheddar Cheese, Grated
Sour cream
Salsa
Cilantro Dressing
Cilantro Lime Rice

Serve over tortilla chips or flour tortillas.

Vegetarian Enchiladas

I will say up front that I do not like beans. When my friend introduced this recipe to me I really didn't think I would like it. I was surprised to find that I really did like it. It is also super easy to make and not to mention cheap which are always a huge plus in my book!

2/3 Cup Water
1 Package Enchilada Seasoning
2 Cans (15 Ounces Each) Black Beans
8 Ounce Carton Sour Cream
Flour Tortillas
10 Ounce Can Enchilada Sauce
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese, Grated
2 Tablespoons Green Onions, Chopped

Start by draining off the juice from the black beans and rinsing them well. Combine water, the package of enchilada seasoning, and the black beans in a skillet. Mix well. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture starts to boil. Take off the heat and stir in 3/4 cup sour cream. Take a flour tortilla. Put a spoonful or two of the mixture down the center of the flour tortilla. Drizzle a little enchilada sauce over the mixture that is down the center of the tortilla. Sprinkle with a little grated Cheddar Cheese. Roll up like a burrito. Place in a 9x13 baking dish. Repeat until all the bean mixture is gone. Drizzle the remaining enchilada sauce over the top. Sprinkle with grated Cheddar Cheese. Sprinkle with chopped green onions. Cover the 9x13 pan with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until heated through. Serve. The remaining sour cream can be served over individual servings of the enchiladas.

Taco Soup

I know there are a lot of recipes out there for Taco Soup. This is the recipe that I use when I make Taco Soup. With this cold snap we are experiencing lately, it just puts you in the mood for a big bowl of soup!

1 Pound Ground Beef
1 Package Taco Seasoning
1 Can Chili Beans
1 Large Can Tomato Puree
1 Can Kidney Beans
1 Small Can Chopped Green Chilies
1 Can Whole Kernel Corn
1 Onion, Chopped
8 Oz. Can Tomato Sauce
8 Oz. Water
Cheddar Cheese, Grated
Freeto Chips

In a skillet, brown ground beef with chopped onion. Drain off excess fat. Add taco seasoning. In a large pot add chili beans, tomato puree, kidney beans, green chilies, corn, tomato sauce, and water. DO NOT drain the liquid off any of the cans. Add ground beef. Simmer for 2 hours. Serve with grated cheddar cheese and Freetos. You may also want to top with green onions, olives and sour cream.

Enchilada Casserole

A good friend gave me this recipe. I was a little hesitant about it but it was great and all my kids had seconds. We didn't have a single drop left over. Plus it was very easy to make which is always a bonus! Recently the local newspaper used this recipe when featuring my family and I in a Food Stuff section.

1 Bag Nacho Cheese Doritos
1 Pound Hamburger
2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
1 Clove of Garlic1 Onion, Chopped
1 16 Ounce Can Tomato Sauce
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Cup of Milk
Cheddar Cheese

In a skillet brown hamburger with the onion and garlic. After it is browned, add the chili powder and the tomato sauce. In the blender combine the cream of chicken soup and the milk. Then in a greased 9x13 pan line the bottom of it with half the bag of Dorito chips. Then layer the meat and tomato sauce mixture over the top of that. Then add another layer of chips, using the rest of the bag. Drizzle the milk and soup mixture over the top. Add a layer of shredded cheese and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. You can serve Ranch on the top of it but my family liked it just plain.

Mexican Rice

This is a recipe I have used for years. It is delicious.

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 Medium Onion, Finely Chopped
1 Clove Garlic, Crushed
1 Cup Uncoocked Non-Instant Rice
14.5 Oz. Can Mexican Stewed Tomatoes*
1-2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Oregano
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Chicken Broth

*On the tomatoes, if you like chunks in your rice, add it straight from the can. My family isn't too hip on chunks so I put it in the blender before adding it to the rice.

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil, onion and garlic. Saute. Stir in the rice, tomatoes, and spices. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until liquid has absorbed and rice is tender.

Enchiladas

Like I have mentioned before, I follow a recipe to a "T". I even measure the water when making Ramen Noodles! As you can imagine, I don't do well with recipes that call for "a little of this" and "some of that". This is one of my all time favorite recipes. My mom made it all the time growing up. She use to use corn tortilla shells and deep fry them. It was delicious. Over time, we have gone to using flour tortillas (no deep frying) to make this dish a little healthier. It is because of my love of this dish that I am going to try to share this recipe so that hopefully you can enjoy this dish as much as I do. I have taken some pictures of the process so that you might get a better understanding of what I am talking about. I hope this makes sense, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me!

46 Ounce Can of Tomato Juice

1 Pound of Hamburger

Flour

Chili Powder

Cheddar Cheese, Shredded

Lettuce

Tomatoes, Diced

Sour Cream

In an electric skillet, brown the hamburger. Once the hamburger is browned, drain off the excess fat. Next add some heaping tablespoons of flour (I would say start with about 4). Stir that into the hamburger. Next pour the tomato juice over the top of the hamburger/flour mixture. Stir together so that there are no clumps of flour. You want your mixture to be somewhat thick. This is where you might have to add a little more flour to make it a little thicker. Remember to add sparingly. You can always add more flour but you can't take it out once it is added. Next you are going to add chili powder. You can add as much as you like for you desired taste. However, this is a Mexican dish and you are going to need to add quite a bit to get any flavor in this dish at all. Your mixture will now go from that "tomato juice red" to more of a "brick red" color. For this meal it is easier to dish up from the skillet. I heat one flour tortilla in the microwave for about 10 seconds (just long enough to take off the chill). Then you place it in your electric skillet with the sauce. This will coat the underside of the shell. With a big spatula turn the tortilla so as to coat the other side. Then take out of the skillet and immediately place on dinner plate. Top with shredded Cheddar Cheese. Repeat this step for each serving. Then place the plates on the table and let family members top their own enchilada with lettuce, tomatoes and a dollop of sour cream.

Taco Salad

I know you are wondering why in the world I would post a recipe for taco salad! If you know me, you know that I follow recipes to a fault. I even measure the water when making Ramen Noodles so of course I need a recipe for everything. I love this recipe. My mom made it while we were growing up and I still use it to this day.

1 Head Lettuce, Cut up
4 Tomatoes, Chopped
1 Avocado, Cut up
1 Can Olives, Drained and Sliced
1/4 Pound Cheddar Cheese, Grated
1 Onion, Chopped
1 Package Tortilla Chips
1 Pound Hamburger
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Can Kidney Beans, Drained and Well Rinsed

In a pan, brown hamburger with salt. Drain off the grease. In a large bowl add all of the ingredients except the Doritos, including browned hamburger. Mix together while the hamburger is still hot. Add your favorite salad dressing (We are Ranch Dressing fans at our house. Chiz's Ranch is our favorite.) You can also include your favorite salsa. We put the salad on our plate and then top with crumbled chips, salad dressing, and salsa. Putting the chips on individual servings instead of the big bowl prevents the chips from going soggy if there are leftovers.