Cuban Ropa Vieja

Ropa Vieja

Week 4 - still crockpotting! I even have friends at work crockpotting now. You really should dust your crockpot off and throw some frozen meat in it! Only thing, even on low, my crockpot still boils. Do you think that is normal? I may need to get a new crockpot...hmmmm!

Here is the list of ingredients:
3 1/2 lb. beef or pot roast
S&P
Olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 green pepper, chopped
Can of tomato sauce
2 bay leaves
1/2 c. dry wine

S&P beef, brown in pan with olive oil. Pour tomato sauce in crockpot, add wine and 1/2 of diced onions and 2 cloves of crushed garlic. Top with beef. (I put some of the sauce on top of the beef). Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Pull beef out, shred.

Saute remaining onions and garlic, just until clear. Add green peppers and saute a few minutes more. Add shredded beef and desired amount of juices from crockpot. Cover and simmer on low for 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve with yellow rice and black beans! If you try it, let me know what you think!

White Chicken Chili

3rd week -still crockpotting! I'm having fun, but for some reason I'm doing more dishes. Probably because we are eating out less and eating at home more, which is great for family time and for our budget.

Here is the White Chicken Chili recipe
Chicken
Salsa
White Beans
Monteray Jack Cheese

I dumped a jar of salsa in bottom of crockpot, added frozen chicken breast and cooked on low for 8 hours. When I got home I added another jar as salsa and 2 cans of white beans (including liquid). I bumped temperature up to high and when everything was heated through (about 20 mintues) I added shredded cheese. Serve when cheese melts.

Garlic Chicken

Dedicated to keep my Crockpot Resolution, but also dedicated to staying within my budget (thanks Dave Ramsey), last week I made Garlic Chicken. Michael's birthday dinner threw my grocery budget over the edge, but no fear....I have lots of things in my freezer, refrigerator and pantry. As a result of cooking from my pantry, I came up with a "keeper recipe" for my crockpot.

Here is a list of ingredients....sorry,no measurements.
Frozen chicken breasts
Soy Sauce
Water
Spicey Brown Mustard
Lime Juice
10 whole cloves of garlic

I cooked the above on low for 8 hours and served it over pasta the first night and shredded in quesadillas the second night.

Let me know if you try the recipe and if you like it.

The year of CROCKPOTS!

I visit my blog regularly to see if any of my sidebar friends have blogged. Today, on a whim, I read through my past blog posts. It was like looking through a scrapbook, only better because I have videos in several of my posts. So, in an attempt to start blogging again...here is my first post of 2011!

(Thanksgiving 2010)

Busyness has overtaken my life. The kids are busy, I'm busy, Michael's busy....we are all TOO busy. Eating together as a family, each night, is increasingly more difficult to do. Last year my New Year's resolution was to 1. have more fun and 2. eat kid's meals whenever possible. Last year was a fun year and I did eat more kid's meals....So, this year I think I'll keep 1 and 2 from last year, but add a 3rd - use my crockpot A LOT! I found this great website...she has all kinds of crockpot recipes. On Sunday I made Baked Potato Soup in the crockpot. It tasted great!

Do you have a great Crockpot recipe? If so, please share it with me. I'd love to try it out this year!