Crockpot Pozole

While my stove is getting repaired, it doesn't stop me from cooking a home-cooked meal. But after a series of paninis, grilled chicken fajitas, gyros, turkey burgers...the family started missing mexican hot soups. Since, I usually make either menudo or pozole once a month. Today I decided I would try to make it in a crockpot. The challenge: Balancing out the time and space for all the ingredients that come in this delicious soup. There's only 3 major ones, not including spices. But those 3, must be equally cooked or else there's a chance the soup will be off and you can get sick. So how did I manage to cook this soup in crockpot for under $10!  Easy.  I stalked the ads, last week chicken drumsticks/thighs were on sale. So, I froze some, thawed them out yesterday and tada!

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 3-4hrs on HIGH

5 Chicken Drumsticks -washed-
4-5 Pork Neckbones cut into small pieces -ask your butcher to do it for you-
1 pack of Guajillo Chiles -4-5 chiles-
1 pack of Ancho Chiles  -4 chiles needed-
1 6oz. can of tomato sauce
2 teaspoons of garlic powder -separated-
2 teaspoons salt -separated-
1 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves -whole-
1/4 of a onion
1 6oz. can of tomato sauce
1 medium size can of white hominy
6 cups of water and 1/4 cup of water -separated-
Blender

1. Heat your crockpot for 10 mins prior. Place all spices in crockpot and 4 cups of water into the pot. Give it a stir and add chicken drumsticks,onion, and neckbones.

2. Take the chiles and use kitchen shears to cut stem off and open them from the side. Take all seeds out and place in bowl together. Add 2 cups of water into the bowl, heat with chiles in microwave or stovetop for 10 mins.

3.  After the chiles have slightly cooled. Place in blender with tomato sauce, salt, garlic powder and blend into it comes to a smooth paste. If its running that's ok too, don't add more water.  *Use a glass bowl, since these chiles are used to tint things, it will tint your bowl* Give it a stir.

4.  Let it cook for 4-5hrs on High. Add hominy to pot 30 minutes before serving.

5. Enjoy!

My wRapping Bird Burger

Turkey Burgers Wrapped in Bacon

Turkey Meat can easily become dry, in order to retain its moisture we're wrapping it in bacon! Mm...sounds good right? My easy recipes makes its fast, easy, and delighful!

2-2 1/2 lbs of Turkey Meat
1 pack of Bacon *your choice*
1/2 cup of onion minced or chopped
1 cup of seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup of water
3 Tablespoons of Parm cheese grated
1-2 Tablespoons of poltury seasonings
1 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic pepper
salt & pepper to taste
1 egg
Feta cheese *optional for stuffing inside*

1. Take All ingredients and mix together (no egg) in a small bowl. In another bowl, drop turkey meat and fork around. Drop ingredients and egg into bowl and fork until everything is mixed together. Let it stand for 10 mins.  This will create a small marniate time for that poltury seasoning to marry with all the flavors.

2. Take the meat and make round patties, remembering that the meat will shrink 1/3 of it's size.

3. To wrap bacon on burgers, take the thin side of the bacon strip hold snug and wrapped around. Place the wrapped burger will ends on grill first to it will secure bacon on your burger.

4. Grill on a Foreman or regular grill for 7-8 minutes, flipping once in between.

5. Add all your garnishes and you're ready to eat! Enjoy

BBQ Chicken with BBQ potatoes a la Crock!

Another another Crock Pot Recipe, I wanted to see if I could BBQ my potatoes and having them like a mash with a BBQ flavor. This recipe was delicious, it came out almost like a stew. If you're interested in a little sweetness, add some peach preserves (1/4- 1/2 a cup) to this recipe, it will be delicious!

Supply List:
Package of drumstick, as many as your crock can hold- cleaned
4-5 potatoes- cleaned, scrubbed, and quartered
1/2 an onion julienne
1 teaspoon  of yellow mustard
1 3/4 cup of chicken stock or buillion or less
House Seasonings *garlic powder, salt, pepper*
House Flakes
1 bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's Honey Chiptole BBQ sauce
a large bowl

1.  Marinate the Chicken in BBQ sauce, set aside.

2. Place veggies into crockpot and add chicken stock.

3. Mix in chicken drumsticks, add seasonings, yellow mustard, and then add more bbq sauce to your liking. Give it a stir.

4. On High, cover chicken for 2 1/2hrs. Check if chicken is fully cooked with a fork. Enjoy!

Chicken Crockpot Roast..wannabe Pot Roast

Crockpot Chicken Roast

Hi Everyone!
After many comments and facebook emails on how to make this dish, I'm typing it up for you guys! This is truly a no muss, no fuss cooking tonight. All you need is some fresh ingredients and crockpot and  viola!


Here's what you need:

Crockpot
5-8 chicken quarters (depending on the size of your crockpot)
House seasonings (i.e., garlic, salt, pepper, pepper flakes, italian seasonings)
6 potatoes quartered
1/2 juilienne onion
Corn cut into halves, carrots, broccoli (optional)
1-1 1/2 cup of chicken stock or chicken buillion
Salt to taste
Non-stick pan

1. Wash ckn and coat in dry rub (house seasonings) and sear in a non-stick pan. No oil or water, make sure pan is hot, it must sizzle when you place chicken in pan.

TIP: Searing; will seal in the chicken juices and give the chicken a nice coating.

2. Place potatoes, onions,and corn  in crockpot. Add chicken stock. Add some fresh pepper, salt to taste.
TIP: There should be only enough chicken stock to cover only half of veggies, too much liquid will result in mushy veggies. If you do add soft veggies like broccoli, make sure they are on top and aren't in the chicken stock.  The chicken juices will steam them.

3. Place chicken in once seared and place cover on. Set for 5hrs on low (be sure to check at 5hrs if your chicken is fully cooked, for potatoes check you should be able to stick a fork in them without it falling apart) ONLY if you seared the chicken. If you didn't sear the chicken, it will take 6-7hrs on low.

Enjoy!

Tostadas Meat Mix

Tostadas Mix

Taco Shops in San Diego, charge way too much, when it comes to this type of stringy meat. Cook it yourself in a big batch and your can save it for later. Very simple to do, pop water, seasonings, and meat, and Fudda get about it lol. Two hours later, you're ready for some nice mouth-watering tostada mix. Not only is this for Tostadas, but also for filling in Sopes, Burritos, etc.

3-5 pounds of meat to shred (ask butcher to point out meat)
1 large onion ( 1/2 julienne, 1/2 whole)
2 cups of juliene chiles, a combination of Bell Peppers, Red Onion
1 cup of tomato paste
1-2 basil leaves
3 tablespoons of garlic powder
1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 teaspoon of chili powder
2 tablespoons of dried oregano
11/2 cup of beef broth
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
2 cloves of garli

Boil water and add, 1/2 onion whole, basil leaves (crushed before adding), 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper, and cloves of garlic. Cover and let boil for 90 minutes. Check the tenderness, if meat is still a little pink, place back for 15 mins and check again. It shouldn't take more than 2 hrs to complete. Reserve beef broth. In a Shallow Pot or Dutch oven, sautee onions and peppers, for 8-10 mins in oil. After, tomato paste

In a Dutch oven add rest of ingredients, your a wooden spoon to mix meat, break down with spoon let simmer, then turn off burner and cover for 5-8 mins.

Get all your tostadas, beans, lettuce, salsa, sour cream cheese and shredded cheese, You're ready to dig in.

Chicken Tikka Masala..you!

Chicken Tikka Masala

I have a love for Indian Films, I love Bollywood movies, they're just so cool. The breaking-into song and dance in the middle of a conversation, the colors and outfits, it's all wonderful.

When it comes to Indian food, I eat it and not make it, so I decided to research some recipes and find something that was simple and delicious. I made a couple of tweets to the recipe, so take a load of and watch a fabulous Bollywood movie with this dish

Supplies:

 1 1/2 lb.  boneless chicken, sliced small-medium pieces
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1/2-2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tablespoons of paprika
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 Tablespoon of Gran Masala curry powder
1 1/2 Tablespoons of Grandulated Garlic or Garlic Powder (not Garlic Salt)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/3 cup of heavy cream
2 tablespoons of butter
1cup of onion
1 can of diced tomatoes, undrained.
1 tablespoon of corn starch

1. Melt butter and add chicken and onion, cook until it's not pink.  Add onions and spices, except Red Pepper flakes.

2. Add tomatoes and stir in. Then, add corn starch, stir until smooth. Add, cream and red flakes, give it a good stir.

3. Turn off burner and cover lid for 5 mins.

4. Serve dished on top of white basmati rice.

Belgium Waffles...Homemade Whipped Cream...once you go homemade you never go back....

Homemade Waffles with Scratch Whipped Cream

Hi Everyone!
I decided that my family should be able to enjoy Belgium Waffles just like the sell at IHOP or Dennys. But making it from scratch is the best flavors and after making this I won't be ordering this dish from a restaurant any time soon.

Supplies: 

For making Batter

2 cups of flour
1 3/4 cup milk
2 eggs beaten
1/2 cup of  vegetable oil
4 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

It took me forever to get a great recipe for waffles, but after making this it's similar to my pancake mix, except for subtles in the recipes.

1. Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl, then add wet ingredients.
2. Whisk for about a minute or so. Until most lumpiness is gone.
3. Ladel on waffle maker according to size of iron.


For Homemade Whipped Cream

First of all, let me start by saying, this is so easy and fast to do. I'll never go back to buying whipped cream from a bottle/can.

Supplies:
Blender
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup of sugar
This is so simple all you need to add ingredients to blend and hit whip ( lazy way, or you whisk by hand for 10 minutes)

4. To be served on top of hot waffles with diced fruit.
5. Enjoy!