Crock Pot Carnitas Tacos

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless country- style pork ribs or pork shoulder (Boston Butt), cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
1/2 large onion, cut into 4 pieces
1 large avocado, halved, pitted & sliced
fresh cilantro & sliced red bell peppers
tortillas (corn or flour)
green chile salsa

Directions:

1. Toss pork in bowl of slow cooker with salt, pepper, and oregano to coat. Place onion pieces atop pork. Cover slow cooker and cook pork on low setting until meat is very tender and falling apart, about 6 hours.

2. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to cutting board. Discard onion pieces. Using fingers, shred pork; transfer carnitas to platter. Place avocado slices, cilantro sprigs, and sliced red bell peppers, if desired, alongside. Wrap corn or flour tortillas in damp kitchen towel; microwave until warm, about 1 minute. Serve carnitas with warm tortillas and green salsa.

Tips:

*If you need to prepare this recipe as GLUTEN FREE, just be sure to use a GF corn tortilla instead of flour.
*If you need to leave the slow cooker for longer than 6 hours, the pork will be just fine. We left ours in the slow cooker for 10 hours and it was tender as can be.

Healthy Fish Tacos with Chipotle Sauce

FISH:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound tilapia

CHIPOTLE Sauce:
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
2 Tablespoons light sour cream
2 teaspoons canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped

TACOS:
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups green cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup corn
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
lime wedges

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Pour over the fish fillets and let marinate for 20 minutes. Put the yogurt into a strainer lined with a paper towel and place over a bowl to drain and thicken for 20 minutes.

2. Remove the fish from the marinade and grill on a preheated grill or nonstick grill pan over a medium-high heat until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Set the fish aside on a plate for 5 minutes.

3. In a small bowl, combine the thickened yogurt, mayonnaise (or sour cream) and chipotle chiles.

4. Heat tortillas on grill or grill pan for 30 seconds on each side.

5. Flake the fish with a fork. Top each tortilla with 1 Tablespoon of the chipotle cream. Top with fish, cabbage, corn and cilantro; serve with lime wedges.

Croissant Chicken

Ingredients:

3 ounces cream cheese 
3 Tablespoons butter, melted (divided) 
2 cups chicken, cooked & diced 
salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tablespoons milk 
1 Tablespoon onion, finely chopped 
1 (8 ounce) can croissant dinner rolls 
3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Blend cream cheese and 1 Tablespoon butter until smooth. Mix in chicken, salt, pepper, milk and onions.

3. Separate dough into 4 rectangles- press perforations to eliminate seams. Spoon 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture onto the center of each rectangle. Pull 4 corners of dough to the top. Twist and seal to form a round ball.

4. Brush butter over each ball and roll in crumbs. Bake on un-greased cookie sheet 20-25 minutes.

Tips:

*Using low fat cream cheese is fine.
*Pillsbury now sells rectangular-shaped croissant dough in one large piece. These are easier to cut and use since you don't have to worry about trying to seal two triangles together.
*For easy bread crumbs, pulse two pieces of bread (crust removed) in the food processor. Saute the bread crumbs in 1/2 Tablespoon butter in a saute pan; add salt, pepper, garlic or onion powder & dried parsley

Asian Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
1 medium shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 pound ground turkey or ground pork
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup bottled chili sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/3 cup minced peanuts
1 head butter or Boston lettuce, separated
mint leaves

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet. Stir fry shallots in hot oil for several minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and stir fry for 1 minute. Add the ground meat and separate for even cooking. Stir in soy sauce, chili sauce, fish sauce and sugar.

2. Cook until meat is brown and crumbly and the liquid is reduced, stirring frequently. Stir in cilantro. Spoon the meat mixture into a serving bowl. Place mint leaves and peanuts in small bowls and the lettuce on a platter.

3. Self serve: Spoon meat mixture onto a lettuce leaf and top with a couple of mint leaves and minced peanuts, and roll tightly.

Apricot Balsamic Chicken

Ingredients:

1 teaspooon vegetable oil
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 pound chicken breasts, skinless & boneless
1/3 cup apricot jam
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes.

2. Sprinkle thyme and 1/4 teaspoon salt over chicken. Add chicken to pan; sauté 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

3. Reduce heat to medium. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, preserves, vinegar, and pepper to pan, stirring constantly until preserves melt. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve immediately.

Tips:

*I always pound out my chicken breasts a little bit to thin them out and even out their thickness. They cook up quicker and more evenly that way.
*I love the sauce for this chicken, but the flavor might be overwhelming for kids. Serve a dish of the sauce on the side for the little ones- then they can dunk their chicken into the sauce if they wish.

Chinese Grilled Chicken Salad

Nice, light dinner (or lunch). The simple, tangy dressing gives it the flavor it needs. Be sure to let the salad "marinate" in the dressing for 10 minutes & keep tossing to keep coating it with the dressing.

Ingredients:

1 pound bag shredded cabbage salad (coleslaw mix)
1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded & thinly sliced
4 medium radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon Asian (dark) sesame oil
2 teaspoons reduced- sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons honey
1 pound thin-sliced skinless boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup Chinese-style (or Korean) barbecue sauce

Directions:

1. Combine cabbage, bell pepper and radishes in a large bowl.

2. Whisk together vinegar, oil, soy sauce, and honey in a small bowl. Pour over cabbage mixture; toss to coat, and let stand for 10 minutes, tossing every couple of minutes to re-coat the salad with the dressing.

3. Meanwhile, heat a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the chicken breasts lightly with the barbecue sauce. Cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Turn and brush with any remaining barbecue sauce. Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes longer. Alternately, you can cook the chicken directly on your outdoor grill (use a saute pan in a pinch). Transfer to a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes before thinly slicing. Chop the chicken and toss with the coleslaw mix.

Tips:

*Look in the Asian aisle of your market to find sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar and Chinese-style barbecue sauce. This salad derives its distinctive taste from the Chinese-style barbecue sauce, so don't skimp on that! Make sure that the rice vinegar you are using is seasoned rice vinegar.
*If you can't find thin-sliced chicken breasts, place regular chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound it thin with a meat mallet or a rolling pin.
*Use a pan with ridges to get the "grilled" look on your chicken, or use your outdoor grill!

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookie Brownie

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (12 ounces) milk chocolate chips
1 pkg Double Stuffed Oreos
1 Family Size (9×13) Brownie mix
1/4 cup hot fudge topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream the butter and both sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well to thoroughly combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt, then slowly incorporate into the mixer until the flour is just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread the cookie dough in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish that’s been lined with wax paper and sprayed with cooking spray. Top with a layer of Oreos. Mix together brownie mix, adding an optional 1/4 cup of hot fudge topping to the mix. Pour the brownie batter over the cookie dough and Oreos. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes.

To half this recipe for an 8×8 brownie mix, just half the chocolate chip cookie dough ingredients. Enjoy!

Grilled Guacamole

Ingredients:

4 ripe avocados, cut in half, pit removed, left in skin
Olive oil, for brushing the avocados
Juice of 1 large lime
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon diced jalapeno
3 tablespoons diced red onion
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/3 cup freshly chopped cilantro
Salt and black pepper, to taste

directions:

1. Heat the grill to medium heat. Lightly brush each avocado half with olive oil.

2. Place the avocado halves flesh side down on the grill. Grill for about 5-7 minutes or until the avocados have black grill marks.

3. Remove the avocados from the grill and let them cool to room temperature. Scoop out the avocado flesh and place in a medium bowl. Smash the avocados with a fork and stir in the lime juice, garlic, jalapeno, onion, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with tortilla chips.

Beef Fajita Nachos-Man Food For Dad's Day

Ingredients

• Flank Steak
• 1 whole Flank Steak
• ⅓ cups Olive Oil
• 2 whole Limes, Juiced
• 4 whole Canned Chipotle Peppers, With A Little Sauce
• 4 cloves Garlic, Peeled
• 1 whole Handful Of Cilantro
• NACHOS
• 2 whole Yellow Onion
• 2 whole Bell Peppers, Cored And Sliced (can Use Different Colors)
• Olive Oil (for Frying)
• Sturdy Tortilla Chips
• 8 ounces, weight Cheese, Grated (cheddar, Jack, Pepper Jack, Etc)
• Guacamole
• Salsa
• Sour Cream

Preparation Instructions

To prepare the steak: Combine olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chipotle peppers, and cilantro in the bowl of a food processor or a blender. Blend until totally combined. Place flank steak into a large plastic bag or baking dish. Pour in marinade and make sure it adequately coats the meat. Seal bag or cover tightly and refrigerate for 24 hours at least.

When ready to make the nachos, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat an outdoor grill or an indoor grill pan (or you can use a skillet). Drizzle a little olive oil on the grill and grill the meat over very high heat, about 4 minutes per side. (Turn 45 degrees halfway through on both sides to get nifty grill marks.) Remove steak from grill and set aside to rest.

In a large skillet, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and peppers and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until vegetables are somewhat soft and starting to get black bits. Remove from heat and set aside.

Slice half of the flank steak into strips against the grain, then chop slices into smaller bites. Place sauteed veggies on a cutting board and roughly chop to get them into smaller pieces.

Arrange tortilla chips on a large ovenproof platter (or cookie sheet.) Sprinkle plenty of cheese all over the top. Place platter in oven for 3 minutes or so, just long enough to melt the cheese (but not burn the chips.) Remove from oven, then generously sprinkle peppers, onions, and chopped steak all over the top. Return to oven for no more than another minute—just long enough to heat up the meat and peppers (but not cook the meat all the way through.)

Remove from oven and plop guacamole all over the top. Serve immediately with salsa and sour cream.

Use the rest of the meat for more nachos…or make real fajitas!

Salsa Fresca

Ingredients:

• 1 large tomato, diced
• ½ white/yellow onion, finely minced (I used about a little over ¼ of an extremely large white onion)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ bunch of cilantro, washed and chopped (I just tore the leaves off, I didn’t chop)
• 1 – 2 jalapeños, seeded and minced (you can leave the seeds in if you want a hotter flavor, I used one)
• 1 lime, juiced (about 2 – 2 ½ tablespoons, for you measurement-obsessed freaks)
• 2 big pinches of salt

Directions:

1. Mix everything together in a glass or ceramic mixing bowl. Let stand for at least 15 minutes before serving, but half an hour is even better.
2. Store leftovers (if there are any) in a glass canning jar.