Slow Cooker Enchilada Bowls

We've made these enchilada bowls several times and I'm finally getting around to adding it to the blog so I don't have to look up the recipe every time. It's a crock pot recipe so it's great for busy days when you still want a great meal. 

Crock Pot Enchilada Bowls

Ingredients:

2 lbs. chicken thighs

2 tsp. olive oil

1 med. onion

4 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. salt

3 cups enchilada sauce (I often make my own but also like Trader Joes sauce)

1/4 cup sour cream

6-8 corn tortillas (cut into strips)

1 (15 oz) can black beans

1 cup shredded cheddar 

Optional Toppings/bowl ingredients-

minced jalapeno

chopped avocado

sour cream

cilantro lime rice (or jasmine rice)

Instructions:

In a large skillet saute onion in olive oil until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Season with cumin and salt.

Place onion/garlic mixture in the bottom of a slow cooker. Add the sauce and 1/4 cup water. Add chicken, tossing slightly to cover with some of the sauce. 

Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Once chicken is cooked and tender, shred with a fork.

Mix in tortillas (cut in strips) and black beans. Top with cheese, recover slow cooker, and continue cooking for 15 minutes until tortillas and beans are warmed through and cheese is melted. 

Serve over rice and top with desired toppings.

Apple Pie (with Great Grandma Odetta's pie crust)

 Mayze made this delicious pie for a school project and it was delicious! The crust is my great grandmother's recipe which Mayzie executed all by herself. I didn't have a filling recipe so we found one on pinterest and it did not dissapoint. Here is the recipe in it's entirety, enjoy!

Grandma Odetta's Never-fail pie crust

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cup flour

1 cup shortening or lard

1 tsp. salt

2 T. lemon juice

2 T. water

1 egg (beaten)

Instructions:

Blend flour with shortening or lard and salt. Add lemon juice, water, and beaten egg. Make 3 pie crusts (1 double and 1 single).

Apple Pie Filling (from Dinner then Dessert)

Ingredients:

4 gala apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1 tsp. lemon juice

2 1/2 cups water

1 cup sugar

3 T. cornstarch

3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. salt

Instructions:

Peel, core and slice apples and toss with lemon juice. Add apples to a large pot or dutch oven. Add water. Whisk in sugar, cornstarch and seasonings. 

Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 8-10 minutes until apples are softened and sauce is thickened. Cool completely. 

Assembling and Baking the pie:

Preheat over to 425 (make sure it is good and hot!)

Roll out pie crust (1/3 of crust recipe) and press in bottom of a 9 in. round pie pan and press to stick. Fill with cooled apples. Top with second pie crust fashioned however you want. Mayzie chose a lattice design (pictured) but you can look up all kinds of designs online or make up your own. Just make sure there are slits or holes for the heat to escape. Brush top pie crust with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 T. water) and sprinkle with a little dusting of sugar.

Place pie on baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 40-45 minutes or until edges are brown and the rest of the crust is light brown and filling is bubbling.

Strawberry cake

 

I've had this recipe since back in my home bakery days and it's always a crowd pleaser! Super easy and delicious. In fact, the pictured cake above was baked by Alex before Mayzie and I frosted it. Pictures of her bloody murder cake (to go with her host a murder birthday theme) are below! 😆

Strawberry Cake

Ingredients:

1 box white cake mix

1 small box strawberry jello

3 T. flour

4 eggs

3/4 cup veg. oil

1/2 cup milk

3 pureed strawberries (fresh or frozen berries will work)

Red food dye (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat over to 325 and prepare three 8-inch round cake pans (you can also use two 9-inch pans). 

Combine all ingredients with a mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 30 min. or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Frost with cream cheese or buttercream frosting. 

Lemon Chicken Orzo

Trying to catch up on my blog so that I don't have to keep trying to find where I wrote down recipes or remember where I saw them before. This recipe is a perfect case in point because I made it several times and then the recipe vanished! So I've mostly pieced it together from memory and similar recipes until I found just the right combination. Even my pickiest eaters will eat it and it all cooks in one pot!

Lemon Chicken Orzo

Ingredients:

1 rotisserie chicken (or 3 cups cooked chicken)

2 T. olive oil

1 med. onion (diced)

2 tsp. garlic (going to be honest I'm garlic crazy and always add more)

1 16oz box of orzo pasta

2 tsp. italian seasoning

half a med. lemon (or more to taste) juiced

6 cups chicken broth

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup shredded parmesan

3-4 cups fresh spinach (chopped)

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Prepare you chicken or chop up the rotisserie. Set aside. 

In a large pan heat olive oil and diced onion and saute until soft. If the onion begins to brown too fast you can add a little more oil or a splash of water. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add orzo, italian seasoning and lemon juice and slightly toast the pasta until light brown. 

Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally to make sure the orzo doesn't stick to the pan. Once the orzo is beginning to soften add cream and parmesan and continue cooking until orzo is cooked to your preference and sauce is reduced/thickened. Add the chicken and spinach and cook until all ingredients are heated and combined. Salt and pepper to taste.