Stew

This is an easy dinner that cooks itself.  Throw it all in a stock pot and let it simmer for 3-4 hours, serve with bread and a salad and dinner is done!

~Recipe~
2 packages of beef stew meat from the butcher. **you can get tenderized meat**
1 package carrots
5 potatoes, peeled and cut up
1/2 onion, choped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
**sometimes I add corn**
2 bay leaves
2 can veggie broth
2 boxes beef broth
Simmer for 3-4 hours...add more broth or water if it needs it form time to time.  Serve with rolls and salad! Enjoy!

Chili

This is a Fall favorite of ours.  I serve it 2 ways, In a bowl and over Fritos. Both are great!

~Recipe~
1 1/4 lbs ground beef chuck**I use ground turkey**
11 ounces of bulk Italian sausage
3 cans of chili beans, drained** you can use all 3 spicy beans or just 1 can spicy beans**
1 1/3 cans (28 ounce) diced tomatoes with the juice
2/3 of a 6 ounce can of tomato paste
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 tsp chopped garlic
2/3 cup each red and green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 1/3 roasted green chile, seeded and chopped**you can use canned**
2 tsp bacon**you can use store bacon bits**
3 cubes of beef bouillon
1/3 cup beer or water
2 Tbsp and 2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dried oregano
1 1/4 tsp cumin
1 1/4 Tabasco sauce
3/4 tsp each dried basil, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, white sugar

In a large stock pot cook the meat until evenly browned and drain.  Pour in the chili beans, tomatoes, and tomato paste.  Add the onion, celery, peppers, chile peppers, bacon, bouillon and beer.  Season with the rest of the ingredients.  Simmer over low heat for at least 2 hours.  Stir occasionally and taste after 2 hours, adjust your salt, pepper and chile powder if yoi need to.  The longer it simmers the better it tastes! I serve with fritos, cheddar cheese and sour cream.  Enjoy!

Chicken Fried Steak With Creamed Gravy

This is traditional Wyoming food. I have never liked it and only have ever tried it 1 time.  I saw this recipe on a food blog I follow, Mommy's Kitchen and thought I would give it a try. Eh...I am not sold but Brenn and Tony loved it.

~Recipe~

4 - large thin rib eyes cut in half
1 1/2 - teaspoons salt, divided
1 - teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 - sleeve saltine crackers, crushed
1 1/2 - cups all-purpose flour
1/2 - teaspoon baking powder
1 - teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)
1 1/2 - cups milk
2 - large eggs
Peanut or canola oil
Combine cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, and ground red pepper (if using). In a second bowl or dish whisk together the milk and both eggs. Dredge chicken in cracker crumb mixture; dip in milk mixture, and dredge in cracker mixture again. Pour oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in a 12-inch skillet. Heat oil to 360°. Fry steaks in batches, about 10 minutes, adding oil as needed. Turn and fry a couple more minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack that has been place inside of a jellyroll pan. Place pan in the oven to keep the steaks warm at 225° oven.
Gravy

1/3 - cup flour
2 - 3 tablespoons pan drippings
1 1/2- cup water mixed with 1 1/2 - cups milk
or use all milk
salt & pepper to taste

Carefully drain the hot drippings, reserving cooked bits and 2 -3 tablespoons of the drippings in skillet. Add 1/3 cup flour to the skillet with the drippings. Cook over medium high heat. Using a whisk mix the flour into the drippings until it starts to brown and become a paste. This is called a roux. If the roux looks to oily and runny you can add another tablespoon or so of flour and mix again. Whisk constantly until the paste becomes nice and brown.
Slowly add the milk and water mixture whisking constantly and blending the liquid with the flour mixture until combined. Let the gravy come to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer until the gravy thickens up. If the mixture thickens to much add more milk as needed until the gravy is the consistency that you want. This could end up being more then the required 3 cups. Season generously with salt and pepper and serve over the chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Roasted Pears with Honey, Cinnamon and Cloves

This is perfect fall fruit...hot and with ice cream! It smells so good as it is baking and tastes heavenly. I found it on the Foodnetwork recipe site and HAD to make it!

~Recipe~

• 4 ripe but firm pears (about 2 1/2 pounds), halved, cored **I use a melon baller to core the pears and they look nice too**
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 (3-inch) piece cinnamon**I put 3 sticks in for 3 pears**
• 4 whole cloves**I tossed a few more in because I like the spiciness of the sauce**
• • Whipped cream or ice cream
  • • Heat oven to 400 degrees F and arrange a rack in the middle. 
  Place pears cut side down in a 3-quart dish. Drizzle the pears with honey, water, dot with butter, and add brandy, cinnamon stick and cloves. 
  Roast pears, basting every 5 to 10 minutes, until pears are knife tender in the thickest part and sauce is slightly syrupy, about 35 to 45 minutes. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream and spoon roasting juices over the top. Enjoy! 

Chocolate Lava Cake

I was searching my KA cookbook for something new and fun for dessert tonight...my family loves chocolate and I don't so this is a plus because I won't eat it! Anyway this recipe takes a long time and has a lot of steps but it smells delish. Next time I am going to make individual mini cakes in a muffin tin and not use the almond flavoring...maybe raspberry or vanilla. In the photo you can't tell that the liquid center is hot and warm and gooey, but it is!

~Recipe~
Milk Chocolate Lava Truffle
4 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
2 Tbsp heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp butter
1 1/2 tsp rum or other flavoring**This is where I used almond extract....we did not care for it**
  In a heatproof bowl combine the mils chocolate, cream, butter and flavoring.  Place over 1 inch of simmering water and melt, stirring constantly until smooth and creamy.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Spray a salad plate with non stick cooking spray.  Pour the melted chocolate onto the plate and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.


Cake
4 ounces semi sweet chocolate, chopped
8 Tbsp butter
4 large eggs, separated
2/3  cup of sugar
1/4 cup of cocoa, sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
  Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl over simmering water until completely melted and smooth, remove from heat and set aside.
  In a large mixing bowl beat the egg yolks with 1/3 cup of the sugar until they are thick, lemon-colored and fall in a ribbon from the beater.  Add sifted cocoa, vanilla and salt to egg mixture. Stir until combined. Fold in the melted chocolate. In another bowl beat the egg whites with the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar into soft peaks.  Fold these gently into the chocolate mixture 1/3 at a time taking care not to deflate the whites.  Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the batter.

For a  9 inch cake
Pour the rest of the batter(minus the 1 1/2 cups) into a greased 9 inch cake pan and bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes remove pan from oven.  Peel the hardened chocolate truffle mixture from the plate and place it in the center of the cake, press very lightly.  Cover the truffle completely with the rest of the batter, sealing it completely in the cake.  Return the cake to the oven and bake for another 25 minutes until the cake pulls away from the from the edge of the pan and the top looks set. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 20 minutes.
Put a plate on top of the cake pan and then flip everything to invert the cake and then again to bring it right side up.  Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm. Enjoy!

An important note....

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Just a reminder to schedule your mammogram for the year!

We all know someone that has been affected...do your part! Remind someone today!

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

My friend Karyn passed this along.  It was a lunch box hit for Brenn's lunch table. I added the drizzle.  The center is more like a custard, I was expecting a cake texture so it was a shock.  The 2nd day I tried it I liked it much better.  It could be a brunch cake as well, served warm.  Another great pumpkin recipe!

~Recipe~
1 Package yellow cake mix
1 can (16 oz.) pumpkin
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup melted butter
whipped topping

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease bottom of 9x13pan. Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt in bowl. Pour into pan. Sprinkle dry yellow cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle chopped pecans over cake mix. Drizzle melted butter evenly over everything. Bake for about 50 minutes. Cool completely and serve with whipped topping. Refrigerate left overs. Enjoy!

Apple Fritters

These are so easy and they are so yummy! I threw them together on a Saturday morning and they were done in no time and they were all gone.

~Recipe~
1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3-1/2 cup milk
1 large egg
3 Tbsp melted butter
1 1/2 cups chopped, peeled apples
oil to cook in
Mix flour, baking powder, sugars and cinnamon together.  Add milk, egg and melted butter.  Stir to combine.  Peel and dice the apples and add to the batter and stir together.  Pour oil into a large skillet about 1 1/2 inch deep.  Heat oil and drop be tablespoonful into the hot oil.  Cook until brown and then flip and cook that side.  Make sure both sides are browned and they are fully cooked inside. Transfer to a cooking rack and let drain onto a cookie sheet lined with paper towels.  Dust with powder sugar.  I also drizzled my "go to" icing on top (powder sugar and milk). Serve warm...YUM!  Enjoy!

Gingerbread

It is the time of the year I love to bake things with 'warm' scents.  I got this out of my favorite recipe book King Arthur. I serve it with vanilla whipped cream or vanilla bean ice cream. It is a great dessert!

~Recipe~
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 stick butter, melted
1/4 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup boiling water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a medium bowl mixthe sugar, molasses, syrup, meltetd butter, oil and eggs. Beat until smooth and stir in the flour, soda, spices and salt. Carefully stir in the boiling water and scrape the sides as you mix it in. Mix well. Pour batter into a bundt pan or a 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until tests done. Enjoy!

5 chip cookies

I got this recipe from my friend, Karyn last night.  I knew this was a have-to-make-NOW recipe. I make my son something sweet every day and take it to school for him and his friends to have at lunch. His eyes grew wide when Itold him all that was in this cookie...YUM!!

~Recipe~
Five-Chip Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup each milk chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, vanilla chips and butterscotch chips **Of course you can add what you want, cherry, mint, caramel, I added 1/3 cup of Heath bits this time**

In a mixing bowl, cream butter, peanut butter and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in chips. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks. 

Carnitas

This is a great dish! It takes all day to cook, but it is well worth it! I serve it with all the regular Mexican toppings and add a fresh queso to top it off. It has become a favorite of ours.

~Recipe~
3 pound pork shoulder roast
1 cup orange juice(more for adding as it cooks)
6 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp salt
water

Cut pork into pieces and arrange in a skillet. You want a pan you can cover and the base is large enough for the pork to be on the bottom of the pan, or close to.
Add garlic, salt orange juice and enough water to cover the meat

  Bring to a boil and simmer, adding water or juice as it evaporates until the meat is tender and all the liquid is evaporated.  There should be some fat in the pan.  Break the meat into small parts with a fork.  Turn heat to medium and fry the meat until it is brown and crispy.  Serve with tortillas and all the Mexican topings you like!  Enjoy!

Red Beans and Rice

This is a great recipe of you have all day to keep an eye on a pot. This is Tony's grandmother's recipe from Sicily. It is comfort food for us. It may take a while to make but it is sooooo good!
~Recipe~

1 small package of red beans

2 Tbsp bacon fat

1 chopped onion

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 stalk celery diced

1 hambone and cut and diced ham

the red beans(do not soak overnight)

3 bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Tobasco

Saute' the onions and celery in bacon fat, add garlic~ careful not to burn in a heavy soup pot over med-high heat.

Once the onions become translucent add the ham, beans, bay leaves, cayenne the add water to cover by 2 inches. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low and allow the beans to slowly simmer for 3-4 hours. Stir sometimes to make sure the beans don't sick to the bottom of the pot. Add water as necessary keeping the beans covered by at least 1 inch of water. Continue cooking the beans until they are creamy and beginning to fall apart when they are stirred. Season with black pepper and salt and Tobasco to your taste.

Serve over white rice~ stir together....YUMMY! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie

It is fall and I cannot get enough of the spices and baking to make the house smell warm and cozy. This is a terrific recipe and so good.  I was not sure how I would feel about the cream cheese and the pumpkin together...but it was heavenly. The recipe calls for crystallized ginger and I thought it added a great flavor, my kids did not enjoy that., but loved the rest so you make that call for your own tastes. I took this recipe from KAF...my FAVE!! 

Crust
I use my favorite crust form KAF but you can use any crust you choose or a store bough to save time!

Cheesecake Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup (2 ounces) sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup diced candied ginger **my kids did not care for this**

Pumpkin Filling
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 15-ounce can pumpkin* OR 1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup (8 ounces) light cream or evaporated milk
3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Cheesecake Filling: Allow cream cheese to to warm to room temperature, then add the sugar and beat till fairly smooth. It may appear grainy, or a few lumps may remain; that's OK. Stir in the egg, vanilla and ginger, if you're using it, and spoon the filling into the pie crust.

Pumpkin Filling: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt and spices. Add the pumpkin, cream or evaporated milk, and eggs, and whisk gently until smooth. (You don't want to beat a lot of air into this mixture; just be sure it's thoroughly combined.) Gently spoon the pumpkin filling atop the cheesecake layer, filling within 1/4-inch of the top of the crust. Note: Do this carefully at first, so as not to disturb the cheesecake layer; once you've covered the cheesecake, you can be less careful. Depending on the exact depth of your pie pan, you may have leftover filling. Simply pour it into a custard cup or other small baker, and bake it along with the pie, removing it from the oven when it appears set, and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Place the pie in a preheated 425°F oven, and bake it for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F, and continue to bake for 40 to 45 minutes, covering the edges of the pie with a crust shield or aluminum foil if they seem to be browning too quickly. The pie is done when it looks set, but still wobbles a bit in the center when you jiggle it. (If you have an instant-read thermometer, the pie will register 165°F at its center when it's done.) Remove the pie from the oven, allow it to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it till serving time. Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream flavored with a pinch of ginger and teaspoon of vanilla.  Enjoy!

Baked Potato Soup

I tried this recipe for the first time last night.  Brenn said it tasted like cheese fries from our favorite place in South Lake. It was amazing.  The unfortunate thing is that I made the recipe and it only fed 3 of us,  not overly big bowls either. Brooklyn was not here to eat so it was ok, but I would definitely double the recipe next time. AND I will add jalapenos as a topping on mine so it tastes JUST like the cheese fries at Snuffers.

~Recipe~
4 ounces bacon, small dice
1 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
5 medium garlic cloves
1 medium russet potato, large dice **I use 2 of this potato as well**
2 medium red potatoes, large dice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 quart (8 cups) chicken stock
1 sourdough baguette, cut into1-inch pieces**I use french bread**
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Green onions if you like that on the top. Me kids don't like that.
Directions~
Heat bacon in a large pot over medium-high heat until crisp and fat is rendered, about 7 minutes. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plated, discard all but 1 Tbsp drippings.

Return pot to stove and add onions and garlic. Season with salt and black pepper**I have used white pepper as well, it is a little spicier** and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Add potato and stir to coat. Add vinegar and scrape up any browned bits. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until potato is fork tender, about 20 minutes. Heat oven to 450degreesF.

When soup is ready put into oven safe bowls and top with two baguette slices. Pile cheese and bacon on top and repeat to make 4 to 6 servings. Place on a baking sheet and place in oven until cheese is melty and browned, about 5 minutes.

Remove from oven, let cool slightly, top each bowl with a dollop sour cream and a sprinkling of green onions and serve. I will add jalapenos and more bacon for the top next time. Enjoy!

Lasagna Soup

This is the best!!  My friend, Laura sent this recipe to me a couple of years ago and it is a fall/winter favorite of ours. My whole family(Brenner included) loves it. Tony, being Sicilian, loves Italian food... This is an easy way to get great, rich flavor and not spend a lot of time! I highly recommend it!! It is a great meal with french bread and salad.

*2 tsp olive oil

*1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage(bulk)

*1 onion chopped

*4 garlic cloves minced

*2 tsp oregano

*1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

*2 Tbsp tomato paste

*1 (28 ounce) can of diced tomatoes

*6 cups chicken broth

*2 bay leaves

*8 ounces fusilli pasta (I used rigatoni)

*1/2 cup fresh chopped basil

*8 ounces ricotta cheese

*1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp salt

*pinch of pepper

*2 cups shredded mozzarella

Step 1...In a large pot, over medium heat heat the oil. Add the sausage and break apart into small pieces, cook until no longer pink( 5-7 min). Drain and add onions and saute until soft(about 6 min). Add garlic oregano and red pepper flakes and saute for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and saute until the paste turns a rusty brown color, about 5 min. Add tomatoes with juice, broth and bay leaves..bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Step 2....Add pasta and increase heat to boil the soup until the pasta is tender. Discard bay leaves, stir in basil...season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 3...In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan and 1/4 tsp salt and pinch of pepper. To serve place 1 1/2 Tbsp of ricotta mixture in each bowl, sprinkle mozzarella on top of that and then ladle the soup on top. I added parm to the top as well and more fresh basil. Enjoy!

Chocolate Pound Cake

I love pound cake and my family loves chocolate...so this is a good mix. It takes some time to make but it is so worth it. I can make it and it will be gone that night(or the left overs go into the lunch box the next day!) This recipe came from my favorite cookbook again**Thanks Dina** King Arthur Flour. It is a great treat..make one this afternoon!

~Recipe~
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon espresso powder
3/4 cup  Dutch-process cocoa powder
4 large eggs
1 2/3 cups  Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup (8 ounces) buttermilk or sour cream

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and cocoa till everything is cohesive. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl midway through this process. The batter may look a bit grainy at this point; that's OK. Add half the flour to the butter mixture, beating at medium speed to combine; then all of the buttermilk or sour cream; then the remaining flour, beating all the while.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the cake for 90 to 95 minutes (tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after 75 minutes), until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, and after 5 minutes loosen the sides, and gently turn it out of the pan to cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature; store well-wrapped at room temperature. Enjoy!

Spaghetti and Meatballs with Pomodoro Sauce

This is a super duper easy Italian dinner. This is a new metball recipe and it is a keeper. Brenn's favorite is meatballs so it is a big night when I am making new meatballs.  He really watches me and is the official yes-no man on the meatballs.  These have bacon, which I do not usually use, but it added a bit of taste. We love the sauce and it is easy Italian with not a whole lot of effort. 

~Recipes~

Mini bacon meatballs I adapted the recipe from here.  It is a new magazine I ordered. Don't rush out to subscribe, it is not worth it! 

*I doubled this recipe and had a littleover 2 dozen meatballs*

2 strips bacon diced

1/4 cup onion, diced

1 cloved garlic, minced

1/2 lb sirloin*I used 1/2 sirloin and 1/2 turkey*

1/4 cup dried bread crumbs

2 Tbsp fresh parlsey, minced

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1/2/ tsp pepper

1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray. 

Cook bacon in a skillet over med-high heat until starting to crisp, remove and drain on paper towl. Poor all but 1 Tbsp of the fat and add the onion to the fat. Heat until soft and add garlic and cook 1 minute more.  Combine the meat, cooked crumbles bacon, onion, garlic, bread crumbs, parsley and spices in a large bowl. Stir in beaten egg.  Form into 1 inch metballs and place on broiler pan.  Bake until funny cooked, about 10-15 minutes.

Pomodoro Sauce

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion chopped

3 cloves garlic chopped

1/4- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

2 (28 ounce) cans San Marzano tomatoes, drained and crushed by hand, liquid reserved

Salt and Pepper 

1/4 cup basil leaves, torn into pieces

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over med-low heat.  Add onion and garlic and cook until veggies are soft. Carefully add the tomatoes and 1/2 cup of the liquid and season with salt and pepper.  Cook until sauce is thick, around 15 min.  Tat and adjust salt and pepper.  Boil, stirring to break up the rest of the tomatoes.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes.  Stir in basil an season again. Enjoy!

Zucchini Bread

My mom used to make this bread when I was little. It is a comfort food for me.  I usually only make it in the fall and I don't know why...I guess because my mom did.  This year I shredded enough zucchini to freeze for the winter so we can enjoy many recipes.

~Recipe~
3 beaten eggs
1 cup canola oil
2 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp soda
2 cups peeled and grated zucchini
3 tsp cinnamon
Grease 2 loaf pans
Mix all together and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until tester comes out clean. So easy! Enjoy!

Chicken Fajita Melt

This is an easy-throw-together-kid dinner that I just tried and my kids love them. I served them with re fried beans, tortilla chips and queso. We had a lot going on so I substituted the chicken with a rotisserie chicken from the store and took all that time off. You can switch up the toppings  for whatever you like.

~Recipe~
3 Tbsp vegetable oil**I used canola**
6 chicken breasts **I used the rotisserie chicken, skinned and shredded**
1/2 cup sliced onion
1/2 cup red pepper
1/2 cup tomato juice
2 Tbsp taco seasonings**I used Mama G's Creations** You should check that website out. I just found the seasoning at a fair this past weekend. I highly recommend!
Salsa
Sliced french bread
 Cheddar Cheese

Heat oil in large skillet over med-high heat and add chicken.  Cook and stir until it is slightly browned. Stir in veggies and stir and cook until they are tender.  Add tomato juice and taco seasoning and mix well.  Cook until juice has thickened and chicken is well coated.
Preheat broiler. Spread salsa on bread**I used only a little and the bread was still quite soggy, you can always add the salsa to the top** Spoon chicken mixture on the bread and top with cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly!  Enjoy!!

Braised Pork with Lemon and Sage

Wowzzzza! This makes your house smell sooo warm and inviting! I love my slow cooker and this recipe, while a bit more time consuming than a regular slow cooker recipe, is well worth it.
 I found the recipe here while I was looking for something new. Try it out!

~Recipe~
3  pounds  boned pork shoulder roast, fat trimmed

• 2  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  kosher salt
• 2  teaspoons  fresh-ground pepper
• 2  tablespoons  olive oil
• 4  cloves garlic, minced
• 5  fresh sage leaves
• 3 1/2  cups  whole milk
• 1  teaspoon  grated lemon peel

1. Rinse pork and pat dry. In a small bowl, mix flour, salt, and pepper; sprinkle mixture over pork. Pour oil into a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat; add pork and turn to brown well on all sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer pork and any juices to a slow-cooker (at least 5 qt.).

2. Let pan cool slightly, then add garlic and sage and stir over medium-low heat until garlic turns golden, about 1 minute. Add to the slow-cooker, along with milk and lemon peel.

3. Cover and cook on high until pork is tender when pierced and sauce is golden brown and reduced by about half, 7 to 8 hours; about 3 hours before pork is done, uncover the crock to let the pan juices reduce and thicken.

4. Transfer pork to a rimmed board and slice. Serve meat with sauce on the side. Enjoy!