Sweet Pulled Pork

Yum. I finally tried another Sweet Pork recipe; my first one being in 2009. I used to make that one all the time, but then stopped for some reason. I spotted this one on Carlsbad Cravings and wanted to give it a try. Like all of the recipes on that site, this is super flavorful and there is a lot involved if you want to add even more flavor (making some Cilantro-Lime Ranch), BUT, you can prep a lot ahead of time. One should make the dressing ahead of time so it thickens and becomes more flavorful. I have a good recipe for Cilantro-Lime Ranch already that goes with my old Sweet Pork recipe, but I tried this one and it was also wonderful. I used green salsa in place of the tomatillos. 

The first night, we ate the pork and sauce in tacos (1st pic). The second night, we used the leftover meat with leftover Cilantro Lime Rice in the best rice bowls I have ever had in my life. (Other pics.)  (Click on this recipe and scroll all the way to the bottom for the Cilantro Lime Rice recipe- made in a rice cooker.) We topped the bowls with the leftover Cilantro Lime Ranch (recipe below) fresh cilantro, pickled jalapenos, and sliced avocados. Omgosh- I absolutely loved this meal. It was SO GOOD. I love sweet pork tacos but maybe I'll make this again just for rice bowls. 

Note: For the enchilada sauce, I used the leftovers from this recipe. But you can use a small can. 

Sweet Pulled Pork  

adapted from Carlsbad Cravings

4-5 lbs boneless pork shoulder (pork butt) trimmed of excess fat
1 1/2 Tablespoons EACH chili powder, garlic powder
1 ½ – 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
1 1/2 tsp EACH salt, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin
3/4 teaspoon pepper

SLOW COOKER PHASE 1

3/4 cup Coke, NOT diet
1/2 cup mild salsa
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 4 oz. can mild diced green chilies

SLOW COOKER PHASE 2

3/4 cup enchilada sauce
1/4-1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 4 oz. can mild diced green chilies
All remaining Mixed Spices
salt to taste
Hot sauce to taste

1.  Mix all of the mixed spices together in a resealable container. Set aside. Lightly grease slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. Transfer pork to slow cooker. Separate out 1 ½ tablespoons spices to use after the pork is cooked. Rub all remaining spices evenly over all sides of pork (it will seem like a lot but use all of it).

2.  Add all Slow Cooker Phase 1 Ingredients to the pork. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or until pork is tender enough to shred. Shred pork into larger sections in crock pot and continue to cook on LOW for 30 minutes.

3.  Transfer all of the slow cooker contents to a strainer to drain off excess liquid from pork. Transfer pork to cutting board and shred into smaller pieces and discard any excess fat. Add pork back to slow cooker (along with any accumulated green chiles, etc.) then stir in all of Phase 2 ingredients starting with just 1/4 cup brown sugar. Cook another 15-30 minutes on LOW or until heated through OR just keep on the warm setting if you aren’t serving immediately. Taste and add additional brown sugar for sweeter, hot sauce for spicier or more enchilada sauce for saucier.

4.  Serve in tacos, enchiladas, burrito bowls, etc. with Cilantro Lime Dressing (recipe below) along with Cilantro Lime Rice and any toppings you desire.

Cilantro Lime Dressing

adapted from Carlsbad Cravings

1/3 cup packed cilantro
1 tomatillo, husks removed and roughly chopped (or a few TBS green salsa)
1 jalapeno deveined, seeded, roughly chopped, or some pickled slices
1garlic clove, peeled
1/2 cup real mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream; may sub Greek yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice 
1 tablespoon dry ranch seasoning mix (I used Penzey's buttermilk dressing mix)
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika optional 
Milk as needed

1.  Add all of the ingredients to a blender puree until smooth, scraping sides down as needed. Add milk, a tablespoon at a time to reach desired consistency. Chill before serving. Dressing will thicken in the refrigerator. Keeps well for 5-7 days in the fridge. 

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Crispy Baked Chicken Tacos + Cilantro Lime Rice

These tacos were so tasty, with a great crisp texture, as well. I want to use this method with other filling and make crispy baked tacos galore. This recipe made 10 crispy tacos, which was enough for my fam to have 2 each, and everyone wanted more. This recipe used homemade red enchilada sauce, homemade Cilantro Lime Rice (optional; recipe at bottom of this post) and a homemade cilantro sour cream dressing. I'll include all recipes below. (Note: you'll only need about 1/2 recipe of the enchilada sauce... I used the rest in a new Sweet Pork recipe.... I'll post that one later.  OR, you could just make 1/2 recipe.)  I made the enchilada sauce the day before, and de-boned a rotisserie chicken the day before, so that when it came time to make dinner, I just had to assemble everything. One could use a can of red enchilada sauce, but I've never enjoyed the flavor of the canned stuff. If you do though, by all means, try it in this recipe!

One could make these for Cinco de Mayo!! 

Crispy Baked Chicken Tacos 

adapted from Carlsbad Cravings

1/2 recipe Homemade Enchilada Sauce, recipe follows
4 cups shredded chicken (I used rotisserie chicken)
12 soft white corn tortillas
2 cups favorite shredded cheese (I used cheddar)

Cilantro Lime Sauce: 

1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons lime juice
1-2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup packed cilantro, finely chopped (measure before chopping)
2-4 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapenos (optional)
1/2 tsp EACH garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, dried chives, dried dill

salt, pepper to taste

Red Enchilada Sauce (make 1/2 recipe if not needing it for another recipe):

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons chili powder NOT cayenne pepper
1 tsp EACH ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, ground coriander
1/2 tsp EACH smoked paprika, salt, dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional for spicier
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or other neutral oil
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon sugar
a pinch of cinnamon
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Optional Toppings: 

Guacamole
Pico de Gallo
Pickled Red Onions
Hot Sauce

1.  Cilantro Lime Ranch: Whisk all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve. I made this a day ahead.

2.  Enchilada Sauce. Whisk the flour and all seasoning together in a small bowl (through oregano or optional cayenne pepper); set aside. Melt the butter in the vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour mixture and cook while whisking for 2 minutes. Whisk in the tomato paste until completely combined and continue to cook for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low, then gradually whisk in the chicken broth. Continue to whisk until smooth and the lumps are dissolved. Whisk in cocoa powder, sugar and cinnamon. Bring the sauce to a simmer and continue to simmer, whisking often, until it thickens to your desired consistency, about 5-7 minutes. Keep in mind the sauce will thicken a little as it cools. Remove from heat and stir in apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired with additional salt, cayenne, sugar or vinegar. If the sauce thickens too much, simply whisk in additional chicken broth, a little at a time until it reaches desired consistency.

3.  Preheat the oven to 425 F. Chicken: Add desired amount of sauce to the shredded chicken in a large bowl (more or less depending on how "saucy" you like your tacos) and stir to combine.

4.  Prep tortillas: Working in 2 batches, place 6 tortillas between two damp paper towels and microwave for 30-60 seconds, or until pliable. Lightly brush the top of the tortillas with olive oil then flip over (the oiled side should now be face down, touching the baking sheet so it gets crispy).

5.  Assemble: Add a layer of cheese to the bottom half of the tortilla and top it with about 1/4 to 1/3 cup chicken. Fold the tortillas over in half and lightly press so they stay folded, you may need to flip the whole taco over so it stays. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

6.  Bake: Bake at 425 degrees F for 8 minutes, flip the tacos over and bake an additional 8 minutes. If the tortillas aren’t crispy, then flip and bake an additional 5 minutes OR until crispy. Stuff with desired toppings and eat. If desired, serve with Cilantro Lime Rice, recipe below.

Cilantro Lime Rice (Rice Cooker)

adapted from Carlsbad Cravings 

1 cup white rice (I used jasmine)

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon onion powder

dash cayenne pepper

1 4-oz can diced green chiles (I used Hatch)

1.  Add rice, chicken broth (check amount according to your rice cooker), 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon onion powder, dash of cayenne pepper, and 3 tablespoons mild diced green chiles.

2.  Set rice cooker to cook setting. Once rice is cooked, stir in butter to melt and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in 2 tablespoons lime juice and ½ cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped. Serve with tacos.

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Slow Cooker Smothered Frito Taco Bowls

I really liked this recipe- I almost didn't try it because I love making homemade chili and using that for Frito Pies.  However, I usually don't serve it with lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, etc.  I really liked the bean recipe and also adding these extras on top.  It took regular Frito Pies to a whole new level.  

Slow Cooker Smothered Frito Taco Bowls

adapted from Sweet Little Blue Bird

Beans:

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onion (yellow or sweet)
2 cans (16 ounces each) Bush’s Best Chili Beans (pinto beans – mild chili sauce) – do not drain
8 ounce can tomato sauce
1 can Original Rotel (10 ounce can) – do not drain 
taco seasoning packet (1 ounce)
1/2 cup water

Taco Bowl Fixings:
Fritos
Favorite taco toppings suggestions – cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, jalapenos, sour cream, hot sauce, avocado, fresh lime juice, fresh cilantro, etc.

1.  Brown beef and chopped onions in large skillet over medium-high heat until beef is no longer pink and onions are translucent. Add taco seasoning, 1/2 cup of water, mix well – remove from heat. *If you are using higher fat ground beef, be sure to drain excess fat before adding taco seasoning.*

2.  Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Pour chili beans, tomato sauce and Rotel in slow cooker. Next add browned beef mixture to the slow cooker and mix well.  Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 5-6 hours.

3.  In individual serving bowls, add a handful of Fritos, a large spoonful of the beefy taco mixture then top with your favorite taco toppings. 

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Slow Cooker Carnitas

These were so good!  I already have two other Carnitas recipes, but I think I like this recipe the best- because it's the easiest, but still has outstanding flavor.  For my other recipes, you have to cube the raw pork butt, which is a huuuuge pain in.... the butt.  Ja ja ja!!! (Ha ha ha!!)  For this one, you cook it in the slow cooker and then shred.  I think the end results are the same- no reason to cube.  I'd use this method on my older recipes, too.  You do sear the roast first on the stove, but on one of my other recipes there was cutting + searing.  I loved the end result, but it was too hard to make regularly.  Not anymore though!

Slow Cooker Carnitas
adapted from Carlsbad Cravings

4-5 lbs pork shoulder/pork butt trimmed of excess fat (can use smaller, too)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
2 bay leaves
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, deveined, deseeded, chopped, optional

Wet Spice Rub:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tsps EACH dried oregano, salt
1 tsp EACH chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder
1/2 tsp EACH smoked paprika, pepper
1/2-1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper (optional; adds heat)

1.  Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Using tongs or 2 forks, sear pork on all sides until lightly browned. Transfer pork to a large plate or cutting board until cool enough to handle.

2.  Meanwhile, whisk together all of the Wet Spice Rub ingredients in a medium bowl. When pork is cool enough, massage Wet Spice Rub evenly all over, then transfer pork to slow cooker. Add orange juice, lime juice, liquid smoke, and 2 bay leaves to slow cooker. Top pork with onions and optional jalapeno. Cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 5-6 hours OR until pork is fall apart tender and easily shreds with a fork.

3.  Remove pork from slow cooker to cutting board, shred, and add back to slow cooker and toss with juices. Cook on low for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil.

4.  After 20 minutes, remove pork (do NOT discard juices in slow cooker) and add shredded pork to baking sheet in an even layer. Drizzle with some of the remaining juices (about 1/4 cup) and bake for 15 minutes then broil to desired crispiness, watching closely so meat doesn’t burn (about 5-10 minutes). Drizzle with additional juices and toss. (If you have leftovers---- they are SO good warmed up on the stove in a non-stick skillet.  They get all crispy in places that way. I can't figure out how to broil in my Euro oven, so i actually preferred the stovetop method.)  

5.  Serve warm in tortillas, on rice, salad, etc. with favorite toppings.

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Central Washington State

On our Northwest trip last summer, we made a stop in Central Wa to see relatives before going on to the Oregon coast.  We always enjoy our visits here.  A few years ago I posted these pics.  This time, we went to Soap Lake just to drive around and touch the water, lol..  Pic below.

This area has some super great Mexican food.  We went with my aunt and uncle to their summer church picnic, and a local restaurant had catered these tacos.  They were some of the BEST tacos I've ever had! I got seconds even though I was full.  The beans were good too.  I wish I could have them again!!!

We also went to Leavenworth, Wa.  We love going there.  We tried a cute little bakery with tin-can cakes.  So good! It was a beautiful day.  We left some kids with at my Aunt's house to enjoy the farm- they didn't want to go so it was a win-win for everyone.

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White Chicken Enchiladas

These totally gringo enchiladas are very tasty and easy to make.  I made them twice recently.  You can use rotisserie chicken in this.  I just cooked a few frozen chicken breasts in chicken broth with some spices (in the crockpot for a few hours until done).  Then, shredded the chicken and strained the broth and used that to make the sauce.  The recipe calls for Monterey Jack cheese.  Next time, I'd use Pepper Jack to add some more flavor.  As written, the recipe is tasty but could use a bit more flavor.

White Chicken Enchiladas 
adapted from Joyful Momma's Kitchen

10 large flour tortillas
2-3 cups cooked, shredded chicken *see notes*

2-3 taco seasoning or spices of choice
2 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (can try Pepper Jack)
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 can (4oz) diced green chilies

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×14 pan.

2.  Mix shredded chicken and 1 cup of cheese in a bowl. Roll up the chicken into the 10 tortillas and place seam down in the prepared pan.

3.  In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and stir while cooking for 2 minutes.  Add in the broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly. This will take anywhere from 2-10 minutes.  Turn off the heat and stir in the sour cream and green chilies and stir well. Pour sauce over the enchiladas in the pan.  Top with the remaining 1 1/2 cup cheese.

4.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.

**To make shredded chicken, use about 3 chicken breasts (frozen is fine) and sprinkle with 2-3 tsp taco seasoning, or whatever spices you want, plus 2 cups chicken broth and cook on low in the slow cooker all day.  When chicken is done and you are ready to make these, strain and reserve the broth for making the sauce.  Shred the chicken and proceed with the recipe **

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Naan Wraps with Cucumber Raita

Ok, so my wraps are in tortillas, not naan.  The first time I made this, I actually made homemade naan, but this is supposed to be a quick and easy meal, and homemade naan made it neither of those things.  I went to make this again, and got an Italian flatbread thing (piadina), but, they were super delicate and flaked apart when I opened the package.  It was so bad I had to toss them.  They were all sticking together and tearing everywhere; it was a mess.  So- if you have access to good, store-bought naan or other flatbread, use that.  If not, your favorite tortillas will be just fine.  To make them tastier, I brushed them with a tiny bit of oil and cooked them a bit on my electric griddle.  I really like them that way. 

For this recipe, you just cook a spiced ground beef mixture, make some homemade Raita (Indian cuke-yogurt sauce) and chop some lettuce and red onions.  If you have cilantro, add that.  These are so flavorful!!  I really loved this recipe. 

**Note: You can make the raita ahead of time.**

Naan Wraps with Cucumber Raita
adapted from The Kitchn

1 tablespoon oil
1 medium red onion, divided use
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
1 pound ground beef or lamb
4 pieces naan bread or tortillas (we used 6 tortillas)
1/2 cup whole-milk yogurt (feel free to use a little more-I used Greek)
1/2 cup diced, seeded cucumber (about 1/2 cucumber)
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh mint or cilantro leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 medium head iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced

1. Get a large griddle of cast-iron skillet ready to heat the tortillas or naan. 

2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Meanwhile, cut the red onion in half and half again.  Keep 3/4 and set aside 1/4 for later.  Chop the remaining (3/4) onion, and add the onion, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1 teaspoon of the cumin to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Add the beef or lamb and season with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Break the meat up into smaller pieces and sauté until cooked through and browned, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the naan and make the raita.

4. Brush each tortilla with a tiny bit of oil and cook briefly on the griddle or cast-iron skillet.  Set aside on a plate.  Slice remaining 1/4 red onion thinly to use as a topping.

5. Place the yogurt, cucumber, mint or cilantro, coriander, lemon juice, remaining 1/4 teaspoon cumin, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and stir to combine; set aside. ** Can make ahead to save time later**

6.  When the meat is ready, remove from the heat. Place the warmed naan or tortillas in a single layer on a plate. Place a handful of iceberg lettuce on the center of each naan. Divide the meat over the lettuce, top each with a couple tablespoons of raita, and divide the sliced red onion over the raita. (I just put everything on the table and let everyone make their own.) Serve warm.

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Easy Taco Dip

We enjoyed this Taco Dip a few weeks ago before we went on vacation.  Well, actually I had to get my wisdom teeth out, but whatever.  I got a few good days in beforehand! This dip is super easy and served cold or at room temp.  (No baking.)  Summer is the perfect time to make this and use good summer tomatoes.

Easy Taco Dip
adapted from Center Cut Cook

16 oz cream cheese, fully softened (can use Neufchatel)
16 oz container sour cream (can use light)
1 Tablespoon taco seasoning
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 tomato- diced
Shredded lettuce

Sliced black olives, optional

Tortilla Chips, for serving

1.  In the bowl of your mixer, combine cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning and mix until the dip is light and creamy. You can also use a food processor. If there are clumps, it likely means you didn’t let the cream cheese soften enough.

2.  Top with shredded cheese, lettuce, tomato and olives, if using.  Serve with tortilla chips.

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Crunchy Black Bean Tacos

These tacos were quick, easy, and very tasty.  They're also meatless and gluten free, if you use corn tortillas.  They're kind of like quesadillas.  The grown-ups loved these but some of the kids didn't, for some reason.  They're weirdos, sometimes.  

Crunchy Black Bean Tacos
adapted from The Kitchn

2 cups cooked black beans
1/2 cup minced red onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
Pinch of salt
4 to 6 ounces (1 heaping cup) grated Pepper Jack or Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
8 corn tortillas

Toppings:
Avocado
Hot sauce
Salsa
Sour cream

1.  In a medium bowl, add beans along with red onion, cilantro, cumin, and paprika. Add a pinch of salt and lightly mash all the ingredients together. Grate the cheese and have it ready.

2.  In a large, nonstick or cast-iron skillet, add the 2 tablespoons oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add one corn tortilla at a time and let each get hot in the oil for a few seconds. Then add about 1/4 cup of the bean filling to one half of the tortilla. Top with a sprinkle of grated cheese. Try not to overfill the tacos, or you might have issues flipping them without losing filling.

3.  Using a spatula, carefully fold the other half of the tortilla over to form a shell. Press down lightly on the tortilla so it holds its shape. It's ok if some cheese spills out.  As the first taco cooks, move it to the side and begin a second one. Depending on the size of your pan, you can cook two or three tacos at once. A griddle will hold even more.

4.  Cook each taco until they are nicely browned and crispy, about 3 minutes per side. When flipping the taco to cook on the other side, use a spatula and flip the taco toward the fold so the filling doesn’t fall out. If your pan is very dry between batches, add another drizzle of oil.

5.  If you wish, place the cooked tacos in a warm oven while you finish the rest. If the tacos are very greasy, blot them with a paper towel before moving them to the oven.  Serve tacos with toppings like hot sauce, salsa, avocados, and sour cream.

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Creamy Black Bean Taco Soup

It might be getting hot in some parts of the world, but I'm always up for a good soup.  I actually made this a few weeks ago when it was quite a bit cooler than it is now.  This is a nice variation on the good ol' taco soup recipes out there.  It's different because it's a bit creamy.  Note: I doubled the recipe but did not double the meat.  The meat amount was perfect.  Therefore, I will cut the meat amount in half when I post the recipe below (not doubled).

Creamy Black Bean Taco Soup  

adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

1/2 pound lean ground beef or turkey
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk, divided (meaning you'll use 1 cup first and the other cup later)
4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese or Pepper Jack cheese (about 1 cup)
15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
4 ounce can diced green chiles
Chopped, fresh cilantro for serving (optional)

1.  In a 4- or 5-quart pot, cook the ground beef or turkey over medium to medium-high heat with the salt and pepper, breaking the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Once it is cooked through, drain any excess grease.

2.  Add the onion powder, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and oregano to the meat and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Scrape the meat to a plate and set aside.  Return the pot to medium heat and melt the butter, scraping up any browned bits from the meat. 

3.  Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute or so, whisking constantly, letting the mixture brown and bubble. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the milk. Continue stirring while heating the mixture to a gentle simmer. Moderate the heat on the stove so the soup just bubbles but doesn't boil vigorously. Cook for 1-2 minutes to let it thicken slightly.  Stir in the cheese and let it melt completely.

Add the black beans, diced tomatoes, green chiles, remaining 1 cup milk, and reserved cooked ground meat. Simmer gently for 5-10 minutes.

4.  Serve with fresh cilantro (can also serve with crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, shredded cheese, etc.)

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Chipotle's Copycat Barbacoa Meat

We used this delicious slow-cooked beef in tacos (instead of burritos).  I'd like to make this again and use it for burrito bowls.  It was very flavorful!  Of course, the rice and Pico de Gallo helped with the whole experience.  When making the sauce ingredients, I used my immersion blender, and for some reason, everything exploded all over the counter.  Not sure why!  But I'd use a regular blender next time.  Or maybe my immersion blender is just weird.

Chipotle's Copycat Barbacoa Meat
adapted from The Slow Roasted Italian

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3-4 pound chuck roast, fat trimmed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 bay leaves

Sauce:
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
6 cloves garlic
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
4 chipotle peppers (from a can, packed in adobo sauce)
1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from the chipotle pepper can)
1 cup chicken broth (or 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon chicken base)
¼ cup fresh lime juice

1.  Prepare roast. Make sure all visible fat is trimmed. Cut into 8 chunks. Sprinkle all sides of cut beef with ½ teaspoon of salt, reserving the remaining 1/2 tsp. Set aside.

2.  In a blender or food processor combine the sauce ingredients. Blend until smooth. Set aside. If you do not have a food processor or blender, mince the garlic and chipotle peppers. Combine sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined.

3.  Warm a heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat, until water dripped over top sizzles. Add oil. Sear all sides of cut beef. Once all sides are seared, place seared beef into slow cooker. Set slow cooker temperature to high. Pour sauce over top. Add bay leaves. Cook for 5-6 hours on high (or 8 hours on low) covered.

4.  After about 5 hours (or 7 hours on low) shred beef using 2 forks to pull it apart. Taste, and add additional teaspoon of salt (if needed), stir to completely coat in sauce. Cover and cook for 1 more hour. After this time you can serve and enjoy or turn slow cooker to warm until ready to serve.

To create burrito: Layer pico de gallo, Cilantro Lime Rice and Chipotle’s Copycat Barbacoa Meat on a large flour tortilla. Additional toppings of  guacamole, sour cream and cheddar cheese are also great. (Or serve in tacos with the same toppings, like we did.)

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Greek Tacos

My daughter and I made these for dinner last week.  Well, I prepared both the tzatziki sauce and cuke-tomato salsa ahead of time and made the flat breads; she made the meat filling.  She really enjoyed making them and then eating them.  :)  

Greek Tacos

adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Cucumber Tomato Salsa:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 firm large tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 English cucumber, seeded and diced
1/2 cup diced red onion
Salt and black pepper to taste

Feta Tzatziki:
1/2 English cucumber
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Salt and black pepper to taste

Turkey Mixture:
2 pounds ground turkey (we used 20 oz.)
1/2 teaspoons salt, use more or less to taste
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup minced red onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup broth (chicken, vegetable or beef)

For the pitas:
6-8 non-pocket pita or soft wrap breads (we used this soft wrap bread)

1.  At least one hour or as early as one day before, prepare the salsa and tzatziki. For the cucumber salsa, toss the olive oil, vinegar, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions in a bowl and season with salt and black pepper as needed. Cover and refrigerate for one hour or up to 24 hours to marry the flavors.

2.  For the tzatziki, peel the cucumber (optional) and shred on the large holes of a box grater. Place the shredded cucumber in a clean kitchen towel and wring out the excess water until the cucumber is very dry. In a medium bowl, stir together the strained cucumber, yogurt, feta, and garlic. Again, season with salt and pepper to taste. The tzatziki can be refrigerated up to 24 hours. Give it a good stir before serving.

3.  For the meat, heat a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the ground turkey with the salt, pepper, onion and garlic, breaking up the meat into small pieces and cooking until the meat is cooked through, 8-10 minutes.

4.  Drain any excess grease. Stir in the oregano and tomato paste and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the broth and let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

5.  Warm the pita breads in a cast iron skillet or in the microwave until soft and heated through. Serve the tacos by spooning meat into the center of a pita bread and topping with cucumber salsa and tzatziki.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Carnitas II (Can Make in the Crockpot!)

After trying another recipe for Carnitas, I saw Closet Cooking's version.  His was slightly different, plus he included a slow cooker version, so I made it right away.  My husband and I really loved this version, too, and I LOVE that the bulk of the cooking is done in the crockpot.  You just have to reduce the sauce and broil the meat after.  Since I made it in the crockpot, I reduced the water down to one cup.  

This time, I had the ingredients on hand to make Guacamole Salsa from Domestic Creativity.  (Scroll down for recipe.)  I also made some Pico de Gallo.  All of these flavors together was SO good; almost too much to take in all at once!!  I LOVED this meal.  I don't want to make it too often, because the cut of meat you have to use (Pork butt or Boston butt or shoulder; all the same thing, and from the shoulder, NOT the derriere!) is so fatty that I try not to.  Although I have a pork butt in my fridge right now..... but I might freeze it for later.  (You have to buy stuff when you see it, here, or it may be a while until you see it again!)  

Carnitas II (Slow Cooker)

adapted from Closet Cooking

• 1 (2-4 lb) pork butt or shoulder, fat trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
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• 1.  Season the pork with the salt.  Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, add the pork, sear on all sides and set aside.  Add 1 cup water and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
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• 2.   Place everything in a slow cooker and cook until the pork is falling apart tender, about 4-5 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.  Remove the pork from the liquid, set aside to cool and shred, removing any fat.  Place pork on a rimmed baking sheet, lined with greased foil.
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• 3.  Meanwhile, skim any fat from the liquid and simmer (in a large skillet) to reduce to 1 cup.  Mix the liquid into the pork on the baking sheet, spread it out in a single layer, and broil until crispy on top, about 4-6 minutes.  Flip and broil until crispy, about 4-6 minutes.  Enjoy on by itself or in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, etc.  

Guacamole Salsa

adapted from Domestic Creativity

1 8oz jar salsa verde (my sub since I cannot get tomatillos here)

1 jalapeno pepper or pickled jalapenos

1/3 bunch cilantro

1 thick slice of onion

juice of 1 lime

1 garlic clove

1 avocado

salt, to taste (I omitted since salsa was salty)

1.  Blend everything in a food processor or blender and serve it over the Carnitas meat in tacos.  Keeps in the fridge for a week in a sealed container.

 

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **