Authentic Pork Carnitas

**Pleas note this is an updated recipe but not an updated after pic.  My husband and kids ate the food so fast last night I did not get a picture of it. However this was by far the most moist, and flavorful carnitas I have made to date.
1 large 2-3 pound pork shoulder/butt
1/2 medium white onion chopped
6 cloves garlic chopped
1.5 tbsp sea salt or kosher
2 tbsp black pepper
2 Bay leaves
1 Tsp cumin
1 Cube chicken bullion

warm flour tortillas (or corn its a preference really)
1/2 white onion fine diced
cilantro fine minced

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 8-9 hours.  Shred with a fork and allow pork to simmer in juice for ten minutes. Serve. Mix diced white onions and cilantro. Place pork on warmed tortilla, top with onions and cilantro and enjoy.

Slow cooker BBQ pulled pork

 Pork:
4 - 5 pound pork shoulder
1 chicken bullion cube
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 garlic cloves minced
1/2 yellow onion chopped

BBQ Sauce:
1/2 yellow onion cubed
4 cloves garlic

 1 can tomato paste
2 Tbsp dijon mustard
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 can pineapple chunks with juice

2 Tbsp pure maple syrup

Combine all ingredients for BBQ sauce in blender and puree until smooth.  Taste for seasoning.  I added a little more balsamic vinegar after tasting.  It is going to taste tomatoe-y until it's cooked down.  Add pork, half of sauce, and all ingredients for pork into crock pot.  Cook on low for 8 hours.  Store remaining sauce in blender, covered in the refrigerator.  After the 8 hours using a large spoon drain half of juice from cooked pork, shred and cover with remaining half of sauce.  Allow to cook for another hour until sauce thickens.  Serve and enjoy.  I served mine on a whole wheat bun spread with a little salted butter, and sliced fresh tomatoes.  The boys devoured it.

This sauce can be cooked longer, or even ahead of time.  You can simmer it on low for 2-3 hours then add it to any meat you desire.  The pork can be cooked a day ahead of time, drained and then put back in the crock pot with the sauce and cooked on low in the crock pot for 8 hours if you want the sauce to be really thick. 

Fiesta chicken soup

I know I usually post step by step photos on here, but since there is one step only in this recipe you only get a picture of the finished product.  My husband hates soup and he ate a giant bowl of this, and then texted me numerous times while I worked last night to tell me how much he loved it.  That is a big win coming from someone who is not a fan of soup.  This recipe is so easy my four year old could make it.

1 Can petite diced tomatoes

1 Jar mild salsa (I used Newmans Own this time)

8 Boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 Cup frozen corn

1 Can mild green chilis

1/2 Tsp cumin

1/2 Tsp chili powder

1 Tsp garlic powder

1/2 Tsp onion powder

1 Cup water

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and stir to mix well.  Cook for 4 hours on high or six hours on low.  Serve over like that or pour it over rice.  That's it, you are done.  If you cook it for the six hours peek in after a few hours to make sure it has enough water still.  My husband topped his with some hot sauce and said it was absolutely perfect.  Also this wasn't too spicy so the kids cold eat it.  I'm definitely keeping this recipe handy for nights I have to work late catering and don't have much time to throw anything together. Beans would be a nice addition to this but the hubby won't eat them so I left them out!

Slow Cooked Three Bean Turkey Chili

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 pounds ground turkey or beef
1-15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1-15 ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1-15 ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
3-14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes with jalapenos
1 large onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. In a skillet, cook turkey or beef with onions, garlic and bell pepper. Cook over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain excess fat.
2. Transfer to a slow cooker. Stir in beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4 hours. Serve topped with cheddar cheese, onions, sour cream, tortilla chips or your favorite toppings.

NOTE: This is not spicy. Too kick it up add some cayenne pepper and crushed red pepper.

Slow Cooked Pot Roast

INGREDIENTS
1 3-pound beef chuck roast
salt
pepper
garlic powder
3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 package dry onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can of water
4 small potatoes, quartered
1 large carrot, quartered in 3 inch pieces
rosemary

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large skillet heat oil over medium high heat. Season roast with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Brown the roast in the skillet about 3 minutes on each side or until browned.
2. In the slow cooker, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water. Place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture.
3. Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours, or on low for 8 to 9 hours.
4. About 2 hours before the roast is done, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the potatoes in a large baking dish. Season with salt, pepper and rosemary. Cook for 30-45 minutes until the potatoes just start to brown. Add the potatoes and carrots to the roast for the last hour of cooking.
5. Remove roast and vegetables. Serve the roast and vegetables topped with the gravy.

Garlic Basil chicken

So I don't have a picture of prepping this meal because....well I just dumped some stuff in a crock pot. Here is what happened. I had some chicken and I had ZERO idea what to do with it. I threw it in the crock pot with some onions and garlic and walked outside and BOOM the recipe flourished from there.

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken
1 can diced tomatoes with garlic
5 cloves garlic chopped
1 medium red onion diced
2 tbsp fresh basil chopped
1 tbsp fresh greek oregano chopped
2 tbsp fresh lemon thyme
1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Add everything in the slow cooker. Stir. Cook on high for three hours or low for six. Serve and enjoy!

Mexican Style Ribs

INGREDIENTS
1 rack of baby back pork ribs
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt
pepper
garlic powder
1 can Ro-Tel diced tomatoes with habaneros
16 ounces tomato sauce
½ jalapeno pepper, sliced seeds removed
cooking spray

DIRECTIONS
1. Slice rack of ribs into single ribs and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add in the ribs and allow to brown, about 5 minutes.
2. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and jalapeno pepper into a blender and puree.
3. Spray inside of crock pot with cooking spray. Add in ribs, then pour pureed tomato sauce over the top. Stir around to make sure all the ribs are fully coated.
4. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Check regularly, ribs may need to be stirred around.

NOTE: These aren't as spicy as you would think. My 4 year old ate them and proclaimed "Mommy these aren't spicy at all!"

Baked apples

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 similar sized gala apples
  
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into 6 teaspoon-size pieces
• 1 cup spiced apple cider (or apple juice)

Preheat oven to 350. Combing first three ingredients. Core apples (don't puncture through to the bottom). If you do not have a corer a metal 12 teaspoon works great to dig out the insides. Peel off the top half of the apple skin. Line a deep baking dish with foil and place apples in. Fill the inside half full with sugar mixture and sprinkle remaining on top. Pour juice in the bottom of pan surrounding apples. Add 1 teaspoon of butter to each apple. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Check apples for softness if they are done serve them if not pop em back in for another 10 minutes.

I don't have the best picture of this because I was so goddamn excited to eat it I started eating before taking he picture. Also you can make the sugar mixture and just keep it in a tupperware and use it for one or two apples as needed. Last night I just made one for Brandon.

Finally you can put these in the crockpot on low for about 2 hours and your house will smell amazing leaving you with a delicious desert too!

Lime chipotle chicken

1 cup sliced onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
2.5 pounds skinless chicken thighs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
4 minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce with 4 teaspoon sauce from can
5 cloves garlic minced
1 cup chicken broth

Arrange onion, celery and carrots in bottom of slow cooker.
Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and arrange over vegetables.

In a medium bowl, whisk together tomato sauce, lime juice, chicken broth, chipotle chiles with sauce, and garlic. Pour mixture over chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours

Serve over rice.

Slow cooker ribs with recipe update

I have included pictures of the main ingredients below so you can know what you are looking for at the store

Anyway I used my crock pot and I bought the Reynolds slow cooker bags. They kick major ass people. Especially since I don't feel like cleaning right now.

Here is my recipe it is for a half slab not a full slab, for full slab double recipe but I don't know how it would fit in the slow cooker

1/2 slab pork spare ribs cut into two halves (about 3-4 ribs on each piece)
1/2 bottle Sweet Baby Rays Original sauce
1/2 bottle Sweet Baby Rays Hickory & Brown Sugar sauce
1/2 bottle Lawry's Baja Chipotle Marinade
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 ring of pineapple
.5 tbsp salt
.5 tbsp pepper
1 tbsp McCormicks Grillmates Spicy Montreal seasoning
1 tbsp McCormicks Grillmates Pork Rub
1 can Bud Lite

Combine all ingredients besides ribs and pineapple ring in slow cooker in off position. Mix well. Add ribs and turn in sauce several times. Put pineapple ring on top. Turn on low for 2 hours. Open and stir ribs and rotate top to bottom. Replace lid and turn to high for two hours. Ribs will be done. Please note, my husband does not like his ribs falling off the bone, he likes them tender but he still likes to pick up the bone and chew the meat off. This cooking method will give you chewy yet extremely tender ribs. If you prefer yours to fall off the bone you need to cook them all day on low!

**Updated to add: Tonight I made these and I guess I had run out of pineapple juice. I substituted for apple juice and the ribs were just as delicious.

I served these with my potato salad.

Slow Cooked Spanish Chicken

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 pounds chicken breasts
1 medium white onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbl ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 small cans El Pato Mexican tomato sauce
1 small can Rosaritas enchilada sauce (red)
1/2 cup water

DIRECTIONS
1. Spray inside of crock pot with cooking spray. Place all ingredients in the crock pot except for enchilada sauce.
2. Cook on low heat for about 8 hours. Stir chicken with a fork, this will easily shred the chicken. Add the enchilada sauce and cook another hour.
3. Stir again and serve. Serve with Spanish rice, or use for burritos or tacos.

NOTE: To speed up the recipe cook on high heat for 5-6 hours.

Slow Cooked Barbeque Ribs

INGREDIENTS
1 rack pork baby back ribs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons liquid smoke
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1/2 cup coke
1 1/2 cups bbq sauce (My fav is the Emeril's Kicked Up)

DIRECTIONS
1. Spray inside of slow cooker with cooking spray.
2. Mix brown sugar, salt, pepper, liquid smoke and garlic; rub mixture into ribs. Cut ribs into 4-inch pieces. Layers ribs and onion in slow cooker. Pour cola over ribs.
3. Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 9 hours or until tender. Remove ribs from slow cooker. Drain and discard liquid.
4. Pour barbecue sauce into bowl. Dip ribs into sauce. Place ribs in slow cooker. Pour any remaining sauce over ribs. Cover and cook on low heat setting 1 hour.

Note: The ribs will be very tender and fall off the bone easily so be careful when taking them out to add the bbq sauce.