Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Tacos

There's nothing better than knowing dinner will be a breeze to put on the table for my hungry family. These shredded chicken tacos are cooked in the slow cooker with sliced peppers, onions, garlic, and spices. I found these fun little peppers at Super Target and picked them up for our dinner and fresh salads throughout the week. The big peppers are outrageously priced no matter the season, so until I plant some in my garden, these little peppers are perfect. I love how it has all three of my favorite sweet pepper colors in one package.

If you like your tacos spicy, you can add some chipotles in adobo into the slow cooker for even more flavor. When ready to serve, set out your favorite toppings and let your family create tacos their way.

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 packets low sodium taco seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp cumin
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
1 cup Tri-color sweet peppers, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 chipotles in adobo, minced (optional)
Toppings of choice: sour cream, shredded cheese, avocados, jalapenos, sweet peppers, pico de gallo

Add the taco seasoning, black pepper, cumin, and chicken broth to slow cooker and stir.  Add the onions, sweet peppers, and garlic. Add the chicken breasts and nestle into the mixture. Cover and cook for 3 hours on high or 5 hours on low, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken, shred, and return to slow cooker. Set out toppings and have fun creating your favorite tacos.  Enjoy!

Healthy Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

I love healthy, flavorful soups, especially when they are quick and easy to make.  I found this recipe on Pinterest recently and saved it to my Soups board.  This soup starts with a roux based sauce on the stove top, then you add all the ingredients to the crock pot and let it simmer all day long.  The chicken is so moist and the soup has an amazing rich smoky flavor. You can top it with your favorites, like shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, olives, jalapenos, etc.  I topped mine with sliced avocados, and my hubby and kids always use shredded cheese on all soup.

Ingredients:

3 T olive oil
3 T flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup 2% milk
1 - 15 oz. can enchilada sauce
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp Mexican oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 - jalapeno, finely diced
1 - green bell pepper, chopped
1 - yellow onion, chopped
1 - 15 oz. can corn, no salt added
1 - can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 - can mild Rotel tomatoes, with juice
1 - lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
kosher salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
Toppings of choice: shredded cheese, avocados, sour cream, green onions, olives, jalapenos

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour.  Cook for a minute, then stir in the chicken broth and milk.  Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer until thick, whisking constantly.  Add the enchilada sauce, cumin, paprika, chili powder, Mexican oregano, and garlic powder and whisk to combine.  Turn off heat.

In a crock pot, add the jalapeno, green bell pepper, onion, corn, black beans, and Rotel tomatoes (with juice) and stir.  Place the chicken breasts on top of veggies and pour the sauce all over.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours, or until chicken is cooked through.

When you are ready to serve, remove the chicken and shred.  Add it back to the soup and stir.  Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.  Top with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!

Adapted from Dainty Chef

Loaded Potato Soup ~ Crock Pot Recipe

My Mom used to make the best potato soup for me when I was sick, and that's the only time I would ask for it.  It just made me feel better.  When I got older, I would order the loaded baked potato soup at Bennigan's almost everytime.  This recipe is a cross between the two.  I also added a can of cream style corn thinking my kids might actually eat this soup, and it worked.  They absolutely loved it and ate every bite!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can cream style corn
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 quart chicken broth
1 lb cooked bacon, crumbled (divided)
1 1/2 cups half n half
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided)
green onions, chopped
avocado, chopped

Add the potatoes, onions, garlic, corn, butter, salt, pepper, chicken broth, and 1/2 of the cooked bacon to the crock pot.  Stir well, cover, and turn on Low.  Cook for 8-9 hours, or until potatoes are fork tender. 

Turn crock pot off and mash potatoes until slightly chunky.  Stir in the half n half and 1 cup of the shredded sharp cheddar cheese.  Serve up in bowls and top with additional cheese, green onions, bacon, and avocado.  Enjoy!

Sjoblom's French Dips~Slow Cooker Recipe

Who doesn't love a great go-to slow cooker recipe?  Especially on a day full of after school activities.  You just throw all the ingredients into your Crock Pot, put the lid on, turn it on, and go about your busy day.  When you get home, the delicious smell hits you as you walk through the door and your dinner is ready.  This is another amazing recipe from Keeping Up Cookbook, by Grace Ivory Rock and Amy Henriksen Foulger.

The story behind this recipe is that when Grace had a new baby, her friend Amy Sjoblom brought these French Dips over...what a sweet friend.  These sandwiches have been a go-to dinner in Grace's home ever since.  They are now a go-to meal in our home too!  My family absolutely loved them.  

Don't forget to come back tomorrow and Friday because I have two more recipes featured from Keeping Up Cookbook.

Crockpot Ingredients:

1 (3-lb) rump or eye of round beef roast
1 (10 3/4 oz) can beef consomme
1 1/2 cups water
1 Good Seasons Italian dressing packet
1 au jus gravy packet

For Sandwiches:

Sliced swiss cheese
Hoagie buns (or your favorite...I used croissants)

Add all ingredients to the crockpot except for the roast and whisk well. Add the roast and turn over to coat all sides. Turn crockpot on high and cook for 8 hours, or until you can easily shred with a fork. Remove roast and shred. Strain crockpot juices for au jus dipping sauce and set aside. 

Turn on oven broiler. Place shredded meat on buns and top with swiss cheese slices. Broil open faced until cheese melts. Assemble and serve with au jus. Enjoy!

Crock Pot Beef Burgundy

This is my friend Shelby's recipe.  She shared it with me when I was dating my husband. Todd's a meat and and pasta lover, so this recipe definitely won over his heart.  I used the crock pot to make it because of this very hot summer.  You can also cook it in the oven for 2 hours.

Ingredients:

2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into bite size pieces
1 quart fresh mushrooms, cut into quarters
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 T butter
3 T Worcestershire
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 package Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup red wine, or beef broth
fresh pasta, cooked per package instructions (I used fettuccine)

Thickener:
2-3 T corn starch
1/4 cup cold water

In a crock pot, add the stew meat, mushrooms, sliced onions, butter, and Worcestershire.  Spread the cream of mushroom over top.  Sprinkle 1/2 package onion soup mix and pepper over soup.  Pour over red win (or beef broth).  Do not stir.  Cover and turn the crock pot on high.  Cook for 5-6 hours on high until the stew meat is tender.  
Note:  You can also cook in a dutch oven at 350 degrees for 2 hours.    

When ready to serve, make the thickener by stirring together the corn starch and cold water in a glass.  Add to the beef burgundy, stir well, and let simmer until thickened.  Serve over pasta.  Enjoy!  

Slow Cooker Roast French Dip Sandwiches

My hubby and I love a good French Dip sandwich.  I decided to make them using a chuck roast, low simmered in a Crock Pot all day with mushrooms, onions, garlic, and all the same spices I use when I make Prime Rib.  The house smelled really good all afternoon, and I kept sneaking bites of the roast when it started to become nice and tender.

The au jus was very flavorful and the mushrooms were incredible after cooking in the roast juices all day.  I only put a handful of mushrooms since they were more for me to eat than to add flavor to the sandwiches.  See the whole mushrooms waiting for me in the au jus bowl?  I served these with some homemade oven baked onion rings 2 ways. 

Ingredients:

1 Chuck Roast
1 white onion, chopped into large chunks
4 cloves garlic, smashed
handful of whole white button mushrooms
1 T dried rosemary
2 tsp dried thyme
kosher salt
black pepper
2 cans beef broth
1 cube beef bouillon
2 T worchestershire
Hoagie buns

Toss half of the the onions and all of the garlic in the crock pot.  Add the chuck roast, the remaining onions, and then the mushrooms.  Add all the spices, beef broth, beef bouillon, and worchestershire.  Cover and let simmer on high for 6 hours.  You could also cook it on low for 10 hours. 

 When it easily pulls apart, remove the roast to a cutting board and shred.

This is the way we eat our French Dip sandwiches...Split and butter the hoagie buns and lightly toast in the oven.  Slather on some mayonnaise, add lots of shredded roast and top with provolone cheese slices.  Return the loaded up bottom half to the oven to melt the cheese.  Ladle the au jus into little bowls for dipping and dunking.  Enjoy!