Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos

I started my new job last week (hooray!) and before I headed back to the grind I decided that I should make a few slow cooker favorites while I had time to be at home and supervise the slow cooker. Yes, I said supervise the slow cooker because we all know that after you throw the ingredients into the pot there isn't much left for us to do but wait.

My husband loves Mexican food and jumps at the chance to eat it as often as possible. I made these tacos for him last week and he adored them. They are juicy, tender and full of Mexican flavor. We topped them with fresh avocado, monterey jack cheese, salsa and sour cream although feel free to doctor up your tacos to your own preference.

Source: Gimme Some Oven

You Will Need:

1-2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 pounds beef (boneless chuck roast)

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1 cup beef stock

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced (If you like spice, use two)

1/2 large sweet onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

Flour tortillas

Taco toppings (avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, lettuce etc.)

Here We Go:

• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat
• Meanwhile, combine the chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika in a small bowl
• Rub the spice mix into the beef, covering each side evenly
• Once the oil is hot, place the beef in the skillet and sear on each side
• Remove the beef from the skillet and place in the bottom of a slow cooker
• Leave the pan on the heat, and add in the beef stock to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan
• Add the tomato paste and minced chipotle and whisk into the pan sauce
• Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly
• Add the diced onion and minced garlic on top of the seared beef in the slow cooker
• Pour the pan sauce down over the onions, garlic, and beef
• Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours
• Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred with two forks
• Use a slotted spoon to remove the onions from the slow cooker, and mix into the shredded beef.
• Serve the beef in the flour tortillas, topped with your favorite taco toppings

Makes 8-10 Tacos
Happy Feasting!

Slow Cooker Santa Fe Chicken

Cinco de Mayo is tomorrow and that means you should absolutely indulge in a complete Mexican feast! I love an easy slow cooker recipe that involves dumping the ingredients in the pot, turning it on, and returning after several hours to a delicious and home cooked dinner. This slow cooker santa fe chicken is healthy and satisfying. You can through all of the ingredients into the slow cooker and come home from work with dinner waiting for you. Pair this with ice cold margaritas, queso, mariachis and sombreros for the perfect Mexican fiesta!

Source : Skinny Taste

You Will Need:

• 24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
• 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
• 15 oz can black beans
• 8 oz frozen corn
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
• salt to taste

 Here We Go:

• Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the slow cooker
• Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top
• Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours
• Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred with fork
• Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in
• Adjust salt and seasoning
• Top with shredded cheese, scallions and sour cream if desired (Also great when served with cornbread muffins!)

More Cinco de Mayo Ideas
Chicken Fajitas
Fish Tacos with Creamy Lime Guacamole and Cabbage Slaw
Gucamole

Guacamole



I am definitely one of those people who could eat guacamole on almost anything - chips, tortillas, crackers -all delicious! I was craving some guacamole with my chicken fajitas and about 10 minutes later I was dumping spoonfuls of this recipe on top of my dinner. I didn't have any cilantro on hand so I didn't end up adding it to this recipe. Nonetheless, I was very pleased with the results and might not put cilantro in my guacamole moving forward as I think cilantro can sometimes overpower the other flavors.

You Will Need:

• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 1 cup diced cherry tomatoes
• 2 avocados (feel to make sure they are fairly soft/ripe)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 lemon, halved

Here We Go:

• Dice onions and cherry tomatoes and put into medium sized bowl
• Peel avocados and remove pit
• Coarsely chop avocados and add to bowl
• Add salt, garlic powder and pepper
• Squeeze the juice from one lemon (be careful of seeds)
• Mix all ingredients together delicately as to not completely mash up the avocado (it should be somewhat chunky)


Serves 2-4
Happy Feasting!

Chicken Fajitas

Who doesn't love fajitas? Chicken, Beef or Shrimp - they are all delicious! I would consider fajitas a relatively healthy option on a Mexican restaurant menu, considering the only thing that puts them over the edge are the toppings you add yourself! This can be somewhat avoided with lower calorie substitutions like salsa, fat free sour cream and reduced fat shredded cheese. And we all know that guacamole is made from avocados so it has to be healthy, right?

This was my first attempt at making my own taco/fajita seasoning. My usual move is going to the spice aisle at the grocery store and buying whatever McCormick or Old El Paso mix I find. I have to give myself a pat on the back for this one because my husband gobbled these up before I had the chance to tell him that it wasn't store bought!

You Will Need:

• 1 boneless chicken breast, cubed
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 Tbsp Olive oil, divided
• 1/2 onion, cut into thin strips (I used sweet onion)
• 1/2 green pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 yellow pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 whole wheat tortillas
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp dried minced onion
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt

Here We Go:

• Mix chili powder, garlic powder, dried minced onion, crushed red pepper, oregano, paprika, cumin and salt in a small bowl and set aside

• Cut peppers and onions into thin strips

• Add 1 Tbsp olive oil and minced garlic to small saute pan and cook chicken on medium/high heat for 7-10 minutes or until no longer pink
• While chicken is cooking, add 1 Tbsp of olive oil to large saute pan or wok and saute peppers and onions until soft (about 7 minutes)
• Add cooked chicken to wok with vegetables
• Add 1/2 cup water and homemade fajita seasoning
• Saute together on medium heat for 4-6 minutes
• Top with your favorite fajita toppings (We used homemade guacamole, reduced fat shredded cheese, fat free sour cream and Harris Teeter's Black bean and white corn salsa which is amazing!)



Serves 2-4
Happy Feasting!