Chicken in the crock pot

I only have a minute...but I just wanted to share with you my new favorite way to cook chicken! Chicken is a lot cheaper if you buy it whole, but I use this method with a whole chicken, bone-in chicken breasts, or even boneless chicken. It is easy and makes some yummy, juicy chicken and you get some wonderful chicken broth too:) Just be careful when you take it out of the crock pot. It is so tender, it just falls apart.





Directions: Put your chicken in the crock pot and season as desired. I just sprinkle it with some salt and pepper. Add 1-2 cups of water. Let it cook 3-4 hours on high for 6-7 on low, until cooked through(this will vary, depending on the amount of chicken you are cooking). When it is done, I shred the chicken and use it for different meal throughout the week. I put the skin and bones back in the crock pot and add a couple stalks of celery, a couple carrots, half an onion, more salt and pepper and some thyme. Also add ~4 cups of water and continue to cook for an hour or two. Strain and you have yummy broth for later.

I will be posting a chicken enchilada casserole that I made with half of this chicken, probably next week:), but maybe later today.

BYU Mint Brownies

I bookmarked this recipe a few years ago, knowing that I would want to try them. I am glad that I FINALLY got around to making these!! The other days my boys wanted to make some brownies, so decided to try these. They were SO yummy!! I am looking forward to making them again soon.

I had my 6 year old and 3 year old helping me with these. While we were making the mint icing, my 6 year old said, "Mom, you are making gum." My 3 year old smelled and said, "mmm, really good gum." :)

BYU Mint Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup margarine
• 1/2 c. cocoa
• 2 T. honey
• 4 eggs
• 2 c. sugar
• 1 3/4 c. flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 c. chopped walnuts (I left these out)
• 12 oz. chocolate icing (I used my favorite butter cream frosting(from my mother-in-law) w/a couple T of cocoa added, I'll include the recipe at the end of this post)

Mint Icing

Ingredients:

• 5 T. margarine
• dash of salt
• 3 T. milk
• 1 T. light corn syrup
• 2 1/3 c. powdered sugar
• 1/2 t. mint extract
• 1-2 drops green food coloring (I used 2)

Directions: Melt margarine and mix in cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9-by-13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool.

Prepare mint icing: Soften margarine. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and food coloring. Mix. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate icing.

Butter Cream Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. powdered sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cube margarine (softened)
• 1/4 c. evaporated milk
• 1 1/2 t. vanilla

Directions: Beat margarine until soft and creamy. Add powdered sugar and salt, mix. Add milk a little at a time so it doesn't get too thin. If necessary, add a little more milk to thin or powdered sugar to thicken. Add vanilla.

*I added 2-3 T of cocoa to the powdered sugar before mixing it with the margarine.

Beef Fajita Quesadillas

This is how we used up our leftover beef fajita meat, peppers and onions. These were SO good! I think the boys enjoyed these more than the fajitas, since the peppers and onions weren't so noticeable:)

Beef Fajita Quesadillas

Ingredients:

• Beef fajita leftovers, chopped
• pinto beans
• cheese
• lime
• tortillas
• salsa
• sour cream

Directions: Place tortilla on griddle. Layer with beans, fajita meat, lime juice(squeeze a lime wedge over meat and beans), cheese and top with another tortilla. Cook until the bottom tortilla starts to brown. Flip over and finish cooking until heated through. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Beef Fajitas

We loved these fajitas!! I found the marinade recipe here at the Culinary Cafe. The meat was very flavorful. Unfortunately, I didn't get any good pictures of this. I find it hard to get a good picture of dinner when my 5 boys(including my husband) are starving and in NO mood to wait for the pictures. I saved a little of the marinade to saute with the peppers and onions.

Beef Fajitas

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. skirt steak
• marinade(below)
• 2 bell peppers, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• tortillas

Directions: Marinade beef for at least 4 hours. Grill or broil until cooked through. Saute peppers and onions in oil. Add a little of the reserved marinade to the vegetables and cook until heated through. Slice steak and add to the vegetables. Serve in warm tortillas with cheese, cilantro, salsa, sour cream and a squeeze of lime juice.

Marinade

Ingredients:

• 4-5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 t salt
• 1 T chili powder
• 1/2 t red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 T dark soy sauce
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped roughly

Directions: Mix everything above together. Let beef marinade in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and chicken for at least 2 hours. Then grill over charcoal for best results but it is also good in the broiler.