Bajio's Slow-Cooker Chicken

This recipe isn't an authentic Bajio's recipe, but it tasted exactly like something at that restaurant. It was delicious and super easy, so I thought I'd post it.

Ingredients:
-2 cans black beans
-1 can diced tomatoes (no salt added)
-16 oz. mild or medium* salsa verde (it's green sauce for those of you like me who didn't know what that was. *This is quite spicy, so I'd only go with hot if you really love heat in your food.)
- 1 small can green chili peppers
-4 small frozen chicken breasts (I used two large ones)
-3 oz cream cheese
-tortilla shells (optional)

Throw all of ingredients into a slow cooker except for cream cheese. Cook on high for about 5 hours. Drain half of excess liquid and put in cream cheese a half hour before serving.

The chicken falls apart and is perfect for a stew or for a delicious chicken enchalada. This is how we had it, and it was perfect. With a salad on the side, you'll feel just like you're at Bajio's.

Kahlua Roast Pork

This is a recipe that I was supposed to get to Darla a long time ago, but I am only now getting to. (Sorry about that!) Since I was sharing with her anyway I thought I would put it on here :)

Kahlua Roast Pork
-7 to 8 lb. picnic pork roast (or any pork roast with a bone)
-1 to 2 tsp. plain salt (to taste)
-1 (4 oz.) bottle liquid smoke
-6 to 8 cups water
Place roast in crock pot or roasting pan; add water to surround roast. Pour smoke flavoring over roast. Sprinkle salt over roast. Crock pot: Cook on HIGH for 8 to 10 hours. Oven: Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 hours.]

*I have never followed the directions strictly and its always been great. I just use smaller portions of all of the ingredients (an 8 pound pork roast would last Jer and I WAY too long- I always get the smallest one I can find). Serve it over rice and it is wonderful!

Pound Cake

I'm out of my slump. I've started making things again, so I'll hopefully be posting more :)

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 cups sugar

5 eggs

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp almond flavoring

Preheat oven to 325

Combine ingredients in mixing bowl and mix on medium speed for 10 min. 

Pour into greased and floured bundt pan, (batter will be very thick)

Bake for 1 hour. Test with toothpick

I accidentally forgot to put in the Almond Flavoring and it was still pretty good. 

Snickerdoodles

For the topping:
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
For the cookie dough:
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon and set aside.

To make the cookie dough, stir together the first five ingredients.
In a different bowl with a paddle attachment, cream the butter. Add the sugar and continue to mix, then add the eggs, corn syrup, and vanilla, and mix thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients and mix until blended. Chill dough 1 hour if it's sticky or difficult to handle.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll balls of dough about the size of a walnut then roll them in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Place on an un-greased sheet pan 2 1/2 inches apart. Bake for no longer than 10 minutes (if you like the soft, chewy ones) until puffed up and the surface is slightly cracked. Let cool on the sheet pan a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.

Note: I thought that I had corn syrup when I started, but I didn't so I used HONEY instead and they turned out phenomenally! (Plus healthier, huh?) Can you substitute corn syrup for honey all the time or was I just really lucky?

Authentic Mexican Tacos and Salsa

Ok so here is one for ideas. One thing that is yummy and not so healthy in some ways is mini potato tacos. This is totally hispanic but it is pretty inexpensive.
For the tacos you need:
Corn tortillas (soft ones)
Mashed potoatos (be it instant or real)
Cheese (your prefered kind)
Oil

For the Salsa:
3-4 roma tomatos
2-3 tomatillosFresh Garlic
Japanese Chilies (They come in little dried packets in the hispanic section and they are small and red)
Salt

First take your ingredients for the salsa except for the chilies and the salt and put them in a pot with a little water, cover and simmer on low.

While that is simmering heat up your tacos in a pan. (warm up the pan and cook both sides of the taco so they are soft and warm or hot) You want to heat them up so that they are soft enough to fold into tacos. Put the heated tacos inside a towel to keep them warm. At the same time heat up a pan with oil in it to fry the tacos. When the oil it ready take your tacos and fill them with cheese and potoatos. I know this sounds like a wheird combination but it is really yummy. Fry the tacos and pull out and set them on a paper towel.

For the salsa once the salsa seems pretty cooked and soft put all of the ingreidents into the blender. If you want not very spicy salsa only use one chilie. If you would like a little more spice in your life use a little more but beware they are pretty hot if you get just the right one. Salt to prefered taste and blend in blender. (If you have a plastic top for your blender it would be better to use a plate as the lid so some of the steem can get out....learning from experience if you don't you could have one great explosion:)Note: if you want tomatillo salsa instead use more tomitillos instead of roma tomatos.

Then once finished cooking tacos and Salsa is finished salsa up your tacos and enjoy!!!If you have any questions let me know. I know there are not really exacts on things but this is authentic so you know how those kind of recipies go. I got it from a lady in our branch when I helped her make these and when I asked her for amounts she said whatever I wanted!!! Got to love those kinds of recipies leaves room for the imagination :D I guess!?#@!!

Grilled Slow Cooker Ribs

Ok, this is for you meat eaters, or rather for your husbands. I have never really been a fan of eating tons of red meat, but these are soooo tender , flavorful, and delicious (and take very little preparation time). Even if you've never loved ribs before, I encourage ya'll to try this. It is delightful!!!

3 1/2 pounds pork loin back ribs
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons liquid smoke
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 cup cola
1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce

1. Spray inside of 4- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
2. Remove inner skin from ribs. Mix brown sugar, salt, pepper, liquid smoke and garlic; rub mixture into ribs. Cut ribs into 4-inch pieces. Layers ribs and onion in slow cooker. Pour cola over ribs.
3. Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 9 hours or until tender. Remove ribs from slow cooker. Drain and discard liquid.

4. Heat coals or gas grill. Place ribs on grill. Brush with barbecue sauce. Cover and grill 4 to 6 inches from medium heat 15 minutes.

or another option for step 4:
4. Pour barbecue sauce into shallow bowl. Dip ribs into sauce. Place ribs in slow cooker. Pour any remaining sauce over ribs. Cover and cook on low heat setting 1 hour.

Dinner Rolls

3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, softened
1 tsp. salt
1 package regular or quick active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
1/2 cup very warm water
1/2 cup very warm milk
1 large egg
Butter or stick margarine, melted, if desired.

Mix 2 cups of the flour, the sugar, 1/4 cup butter, salt and yeast in large bowl. Add warm water, warm milk and egg. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Place dough in large greased bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm plae for 1 hour or until double. Push fist into dough to deflate. Shape dough as desired into rolls and let rise again for another 30 minutes or until double. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Do ahead option: once the rolls are shaped, cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate 4-24 hours. Remove from fridge before baking and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for 2 hours or until double. Bake as directed.