Recipe - Stuffed Baked Potato

Found this idea on a message board. Tried it and liked it! I am the kind that feels that a baked potato needs to be dressed up with butter, sour cream, green onion, etc. I eat these plain!


Stuffed Baked Potatoes


Scrub a baking potato. Cut a "V" in it about 1/4 of an inch at the thickest part. Fill the "V" with onion slices and lay a slice of bacon over the "V". Wrap good in foil and cook like you would a baked potato.

Recipe - Crockpot Pot Roast

OK guys... This one is very simple and one of my favorite meals. Jus finished eating a big ol plate full and I'm stuffed!


Crockpot Pot Roast

3-4 Lbs Chuck Roast
7 or 8 Red Potatoes
1 Onion
5 or 6 Garlic Cloves
Carrots - Small Bag, already peeled
Mushrooms - Small container already sliced
Salt
Pepper


Wash the red potatoes and cut them in half. Place them in the crockpot first. Next put a handful of the carrots in the crockpot.

Peel the cloves of garlic and using a sharp knife cut a slit for each clove spread evenly in the roast. Insert a clove of garlic in each slit. Salt and pepper the roast on both sides and place it in the crockpot.

Peel the onion and cut it into quarters. Spread the onion on top of the roast. Wash the mushrooms and place then on top of the roast with the onions.

Turn the crockpot on low and cook for about 9 or 10 hours. Don't lift the lid and peek. This will only release heat and lengthen the cook time.

As far as the gravy goes, I have no clue of how to make brown gravy. I will get the recipe from my wife and post it later.

Hint - When cooking in the crockpot, I always use the "slow cooker liners". It makes cleanup so much easier and quicker! They are by the foil and plastic wrap in the grocery store.

Recipe - Chicken Ratatouille

Made this the other night and it was pretty good. A quick and easy meal!
Got this recipe from Recipezaar.com

Chicken Ratatouille

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 small zucchini, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1/2 lb mushroom, sliced
1 large tomato, cubed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Saute chicken in oil about 2 minutes per side.

Add zucchini, onion and mushrooms.

Cook 10 minutes.

Add tomato and remaining ingredients except.
cheese and simmer 3-5 minutes more.

Arrange chicken on top of vegetables and sprinkle cheese over chicken.

Cook 1 more minute until cheese melts.

Serve over barley or rice.

Recipe - Chicken Tacos

This is a fairly quick and easy recipe. Good too!


Chicken Tacos


6 skinless, boneless whole chicken breasts, about 3 pounds
4 cups (1 l) fat-free low-sodium canned chicken broth
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 jalapeño chile pepper, left whole
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried oregano leaves
1/4 cup (59 ml) purchased medium or hot taco sauce
1/4 cup (59 ml) fresh lime juice
corn tortillas

Optional:
1 bunch fresh cilantro, well washed and stems trimmed, leaves picked off the stems
1 onion diced

Rinse chicken breasts; pat dry with paper towels. Trim away and discard any fat.

In a large heavy, deep skillet, bring chicken broth, garlic clove, chile pepper, and oregano leaves to a boil. Add chicken breasts; reduce heat to simmer; and poach, uncovered, until chicken is opaque throughout (cut to test), about 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove from stove and cool for 15 minutes in poaching liquid.

Shred the breast meat. Combine taco sauce and lime juice. Pour over shredded chicken and toss. Transfer chicken to a large platter. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat the tortillas according to package directions. Place heated tortillas in a tortilla holder or I used an aluminum pie pan and covered with foil. That worked just fine.

Recipe - Pork Carnitas

I borrowed this recipe from Rick Bayless "Mexico One Plate at a Time" on PBS. I haven't made this yet, but I love Carnitas and I will be trying this soon although I will scale the recipe back some.


Pork Carnitas

Makes 10 to 11 pounds of boneless meat, serving 25 to 30
Recipe from Season 6 of Mexico - One Plate at a Time



Ingredients
18 pounds bone-in pork shoulder (skin-on picnic shoulder is a good choice, too), cut into 2-pound chunks
½ cup fresh lime juice
½ cup salt
About 4 gallons lard or vegetable oil
If using oil:
1 pound piece of slab bacon, cut it into 6 or 8 pieces



Directions
Marinate the meat. Lay the chunks of pork in one or more large tubs (I’ve used vegetable bins from my “extra” refrigerator in the basement as well as roasting pans). Mix together the lime juice and salt. Smear the mixture on all sides of each piece of pork, cover and refrigerate for several hours.

Cooking the carnitas. Set up a turkey fryer: fill with oil to the level marked on the turkey fryer for a 16- to 18-pound turkey, attach the thermometer (I always test mine in boiling water to insure that it’s accurate), and, if your model has one, slide in the raised perforated plate that will keep the meat from resting on the bottom of the pan. Heat over medium-high heat until the lard or oil reaches about 275 degrees. Carefully lower in the pieces of pork, but none of the juice that may have collected around them. (Add the bacon, if you’re using it.) Adjust the heat to between medium and medium-low. After the oil’s initial frenzy of having received the moist pork, it should settle into what looks like a brisk simmer when you have the temperature right. You’ll notice, too, that the temperature will have dropped to just above 212 degrees—the boiling point of water—indicating that the meat is literally simmering in the oil. Using a pair of long tongs or one of those large Chinese wire strainer/skimmers, gently move the pieces of meat every 10 minutes or so.

In about 1 ¼ hours, the meat should be completely tender, but not falling apart—I’d start checking it at about 1 hour. When it is completely tender—meaning you can pretty easily pull it away from the bone—remove it to a large paper towel-lined pan. The carnitas are ready to eat—though they may not be as brown as you’re expecting. (They will, however, take on more of a golden color as they begin to cool.) To give them a richly browned exterior, raise the heat under the lard or oil and let the temperature rise to 325 degrees. A piece at a time, lower the meat into the oil and let brown—it’ll only take 45 seconds to a minute. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in a low oven until you’re ready to serve. (Though I use the bacon mostly for flavor, I like to brown it with the other pieces of meat and chop it up for my guests to enjoy.) You may wish to pull the meat off the bones in large chunks, removing as much fat as you like in the process. Set out for your guests to make soft tacos with warm corn tortillas, guacamole, salsa, and, if you wish, beans.