Monday, January 13, 2014

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken


This is a dish I keep seeing floating around on facebook and Pinterest, but the picture I always saw, didn't match the recipe provided. So, I did some looking on my own, found a few good recipes and adapted this one. I really liked how it turned out. Super easy and pretty healthy...if you didn't pile it high on a mound of spanish rice like I did, or top it with cheese and sour cream like I did either...
ok, so maybe not very healthy. Whatever, I never said this was a "healthy" food blog anyway!

What you'll need:
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (I made three cause it's just me, Cory, and the girls, which turns out this was too spicy for them anyway so next time I'll make just 2)
1 jar of your favorite chunky salsa (I used a medium heat and it was perfect)
1.5 cup frozen corn
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
taco seasoning
salt & pepper
olive oil

toppings-
shredded cheddar
fresh cilantro
sour cream

In a skillet, heat a little oil. Salt and pepper your chicken. Sprinkle some taco seasoning on the chicken too. Brown the chicken in the pan. Turn off heat and set aside.





In your slow cooker, combine the salsa, corn, and beans..



Top with chicken. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.




I made some spanish rice to go with this, but it would be great shredded up and made into burritos too. Enjoy!


Stuffed Jalepenos


I didn't reinvent the wheel or anything with these, I'm sure everyone has had them before, but I thought I'd share the way I make them. I've tried several ways. I've tried slitting them open and stuffing them whole, I've tried all kinds of cheeses, different peppers etc. I've done them on the grill and in the oven, the grill gets way too messy! These are the ones I always fall back on though. Everyone just loves them!

You'll need:
(this makes 24)
12 jalepenos
8 mozzarella string cheese sticks (you can use shredded mozzarella if you prefer)
8 oz. cream cheese
24 slices of bacon


Rinse all the jalepenos. Slice them in half the long way, and clean out the seeds and membrane. Be careful not to use your fingers to do this, you'll be burning all day, if not all weekend. I use a pairing knife but gloves would work too. The more membrane left, the spicier your pepper. (I like them with a little punch)


Cut each string cheese stick into 3 pieces and put one piece into each pepper halve.


Scoop a spoonful of cream cheese into each pepper halve after the mozzarella, wrap with a slice of bacon and set on a foil-lined cookie sheet. 
Bake at 425 for approx 20-25 min, just until bacon begins to crisp.
Enjoy!