Day 195 - Avocados Stuffed wtih Shrimp Salsa

Avocados Stuffed with Shrimp Salsa, Mandarin Orange Segments, Wheat Crackers

 
I love walking into the farmer's market these days and seeing all the fresh, delicious produce.  I saw some avocados this week that looks delicious, and then I started thinking that a lot of the leftovers I'd have this week (shrimp, corn, tomatoes) and some of my pantry staples (oil, vinegar, lemons, frozen edamame) would make a delicious stuffing for those Avocados.  And so, the  "avocado stuffed with shrimp salsa" was born!  Ok, not born, I know other people have made them, too, but I made this recipe out of leftovers, and it's the first time I've made it!

So.  Delicious.


Had half for a snack last night, packed two halves for lunch today, and I have another half which I may feed to by boyfriend tonight, if he's really, really lucky!

I packed my two halves for lunch today with mandarin orange sections and some wheat crackers.  You definitely need to try this one!

Avocados Stuffed with Shrimp Salsa

2  ripe avocados
1/2 cup cooked shrimp
1/3 cup cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup cooked corn kernals
1/3 cup shelled edamame
1 T olive oil
1 T lemon or lime juice, divided
1 T minced jalapeno, optional
1 t finely chopped cilantro
dash of salt and pepper, as needed

Cut avocados in half and discard the pits.  Scoop out just a little of the center of each avocado to make room for your stuffing.  You may chop up this avocado and put it in your salsa, or just eat it as you scoop it out like I did!  Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice over the faces of the avocado, coating the surface of the flesh well - this will prevent them from browning.  Chop shrimp and tomatoes into smaller pieces, about the size of the edamame.  Stir together shrimp, tomatoes, and remaining ingredients in a small bowl.  Spoon mixture in equal parts into avocados.  You may either serve immediately, or chill a few hours in advance of serving.

This is how open your avocado "cup" for the stuffing should be after you scoop out some of the avocado flesh.  Isn't that beautiful?!

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Day 170 - Cinco de Mayo Rice Bowl!

Steak Fajita Rice Bowl, Refried Beans, Orange

Of course I have Cinco de Mayo leftovers.  Have you not yet figure out how much I love Mexican food?   I made steak fajitas Sunday, which were delicious, and decided to bring the leftovers for lunch.  Instead of just bringing more fajitas, however, I made a modified rice bowl in my lunch box.  Rice box?  I don't know.  Anyway, we've got a bed of Fiesta Rice, fajita steak and veggies, refried beans, and segments of a Cara Cara orange.

Yum!! Pin It Now!

Day 159 - Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas, Strawberries, Blueberries, Carrots, Celery.

 I made chicken enchiladas last night!  This is one of my favorite recipes that I learned in college, and it's turned out to be a great, quick meal for busy nights.  I often bring it, or something like it, to my friends after they've had babies or non-stomach-sensitizing surgery.  Last night, however, I made it all for me!  I packed the leftovers today with strawberries, blueberries, carrots, and celery.  Pictured is actually one enchilada cut in half.  The recipe only makes six enchiladas, but I promise that just one is enough to fill up most people.

This is, without a doubt, one of my favorite ways to make use of a rotisserie chicken!

Enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas

6 burrito sized flour tortillas
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 cups cheese (I use queso quesadilla or a mexican blend), divided
8 oz can green chilies
10 oz red (or green) enchilada sauce

In a large bowl, mix together chicken, chilies, and 1 3/4 cup cheese.  Put just under a cup of chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla, rolling up and making sure that the filling is tucked well into the ends.  Place each enchilada into the bottom of a well greased 9x13 baking pan.  Cover with enchilada sauce and remaining cheese.  Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.  Serve with sour cream, rice, and a good salad!

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Day 148 - Taco Casserole

Taco Casserole

Ok, last day of casseroles!  I made a taco casserole last week...and, I gotta be honest.  It was meh, and nothing more.  Would actually make a better dip than a casserole, and would be better served for kids or teenagers who like basics.  It was good, I'd experiment with it again, but not the best thing I've ever made.  Still, I'll share the recipe just in case you have no idea what to cook for dinner tonight!

Taco Casserole

1/2 pound ground beef
1 cup shredded cheddar jack  cheese
1 16 oz can refried beans
1 16 oz can black beans, drained
1 14 oz can chopped tomatoes
2 8 oz cans green chilies
1  bag of tortilla chips
1 T chili powder
1 t cumin
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t onion salt

In a large skillet, brown beef, adding in spices as beef is cooked.  Stir in both cans of beans and cook until heated through.  In a 9x9 pan (mine was 8x11), crush enough chips to cover the bottom.  Spread half of bean mixture on top, and then spread 1 can of chilies over beans.  Repeat chip, bean, and chili layers.  Pour can of tomatoes over the top and sprinkle on cheddar cheese.  Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.  Let rest for a few minutes before serving.

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Day 129 - Frijoles Charros and a Week of Ham

Alright, friends, this week we have a theme.  Drum roll please!  This week's theme is....One Ham Bone, Four Lunches!  This involves one of my favorite thrifty secrets.  Honey Baked Ham is a big deal down here in the south, but those hams cost anywhere from $6-$12 a pound, which is absurd.  Who has money for that?  Well, lots of people, apparently.  But not me!  However...you can buy a ham bone, with plenty of meat on it, for $2.50 a pound.  So, I got a beautiful ham bone for only $5.95, sliced the meat off, and will feed myself lunches from it all week!

Observe:

Now, this is about a 2.5 lb ham bone.  You could get a much bigger ham to feed more people, but even as it is...look at all that ham!  Notice I've got a lot of ham left over on the bone, too.  That will come in handy!  I've also managed to get some ham slices and ham bits off the bone, which will show up next week.

Now, onto today's lunch!

Frijoles Charros, Rice, Avocado, Collard Greens, Red Plum

So, dinner last night and lunch today came from the ham bone itself.  I made frijoles charros in the slow cooker, and wow they were good.  Frijoles charros basically translates to "cowboy beans," and it's essentially a southwestern version of what we call baked beans in the south.  Or, at least that's how I see it. Pork, tomatoes, and chilies are slow cooked with pinto beans in the original varieties, so I just added my own little spin to a basic.  This was great served over rice last night, and today I had them with rice, avocado, collards wilted in chili oil, and a red plum.  So good.  I highly recommend this for a thrifty and filling hot meal!

Frijoles Charros in the Slow Cooker

1 cup dried pinto beans
1 cup dried kidney beans
1 large ham bone with some ham attached
1 can Rotel
12 oz beer (I used Corona, but any kind is fine)
12 oz water

Combine all ingredients in a 4 quart crock pot.  If you're ham bone isn't entirely covered in liquid, that's ok!  Cook on low for 8 hours.  Stir well and remove bone and any little bits of ligament or bone.  Serve hot over rice and enjoy! Pin It Now!

Day 106 - Lighter Bean Chimichangas

Bean Chimichangas, Guacamole, Blue Corn Chips, Mandarin Oranges

I guess I'm still on my Southwestern kick from last week.

Today's lunch included mini chimichangas, a Wholly Guacamole 100 calorie pack, blue corn chips, and a cup of mandarin oranges.  Yes, I got one of my chimichangas a little too crispy, but I like it that way!  To make the chimichangas, which are really just deep fried burritos, I used up rice from last week, leftover refried beans, and the last of the pinto beans from yesterday's lunch.  You may fill yours with whatever you want - chicken, beef, pork, black beans, peppers, even scrambled eggs - as long as the filling is something that heats well.  I'd save the guacamole and lettuce for toppings.

These are easy, hot, and will fill you up quickly!  I call them "lighter" because they are sauteed in a pan rather than deep fried, as is traditional.  I also didn't cover them in cheese, which is my favorite way to eat them when I'm at a restaurant.  You can make them as healthy or as indulgent as you wish, depending on what you fill and top them with.  I pictured one of them upside down so you could see how I folded it, in case you're curious!  The recipe makes two, but feel free to expand to as many as you want.

Lighter Bean Chimichangas

2 fajita sized flour tortillas
3/4 cup southwestern or Mexican food leftovers (I used 1/4 cup refried beans, 1/4 cup pinto beans, and 1/4 cup rice)
1 T shredded monterray jack cheese
1 t corn oil

Heat oil in a small cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Mix your leftovers and cheese well in a small bowl; divide evenly between tortillas, and roll up like a burrito, with no filling exposed.  Holding your bundle of goodness together carefully, gently place seam side down in your skillet.  Be quick with pulling away your hands, the oil might sputter at you!  Cook until brown and crispy, about 2-5 minutes.  Flip and cook until other side is just as brown and crispy.  Allow to cool for a few minutes or completely before serving! Pin It Now!

Day 104 - Chili Lime Chicken

Chili Lime Chicken, Sauteed Peppers and Onions, Rice, Blue Corn Chips, Wholly Guacamole, and Strawberries.

 
So, if it hasn't been apparent thus far, I've been in a mood for spicy food lately.  And today, I seemed to cram in as much pre-packaged stuff as possible...because it's just the end of the week and sometimes that's how that goes.  Last night I had chicken breasts baked with Chili Lime Fresh Takes, which is one of the pre-packaged foods I truly love, and a baked potato.  I cooked one extra chicken breast, so for lunch today I had chicken, leftover sauteed vegetables from fajita night, Uncle Ben's Spanish Rice, Wholly Guacamole 100 Calorie packs of guacamole, blue corn chips, and strawberries.

I ended up slicing up the chicken and peppers and eating it over the rice.  It was delightful!  Not as healthy as I would have liked, though.  I should have left out the rice, but it was so good.  Next lunch will be full of vegetables and fruit, promise!   Pin It Now!

Days 102 & 103 - Skirt Steak Fajitas and Burritos

Two lunches made from fajita leftovers!

Alright, friends, another day of two lunches from one set of ingredients!  Last night I made skirt steak fajitas for dinner, so I had the leftovers for lunch today and then made burritos for lunch tomorrow.  Obviously, I'm craving a little spice in my culinary life this week.  Both of these lunches can be made from one list:  marinated skirt steak, frozen fajita veggies, black beans, tortillas, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, sour cream, and Uncle Ben's Spanish rice.

Skirt steak fajitas, tortillas, rice, cheese, lettuce, and sour cream.

The first lunch, Day 102, includes skirt steak and pepper fajitas, tortillas (wrapped in foil), lettuce, cheese, sour cream, and  Spanish Rice.  I intended to microwave this but ran out of time, so I ate it cold and it was still really great.

Two mini steak and black bean burritos, sauteed peppers and onions, sour cream.

The second day I had just a little bit of leftover beef and rice, so I chopped up the beef and mixed it with the rice, cheese, and some canned black beans.  I wrapped it up two fajita sized tortillas and had leftover pepper and onions on the side, and some sour cream.  Because sour cream makes everything better.  I microwaved this one so that the cheese got all melty and delicious.  Which reminds me of chimichangas...mmmmmm...Anyway, these burritos would be great with leftovers from restaurant fajitas, as well.

These both require a recipe for Skirt Steak Fajitas, which is below.  It is important that when you cook the skirt steak, you cut it against the grain.  What in the heck does that mean, you ask?  Check out the pic below.

Skirt Steak, in the skillet

Obviously, the first thing you notice is the cut  in the middle of the steak that I made with my knife.  If you look closer, though, you'll see natural stripes and grooves in the meat that goes against the line of the knife cut.  Those lines are the grain of the meat, and my cut is going against it.  In other words, cut it like that, in thin strips.  This will give you a more tender taste from a pretty tough meat.

Skirt Steak Fajitas

24 oz package of pre-marinated skirt steak (found in refrigerated meat section of the grocery - or, come up with your own marinade!)
2 cups frozen fajita vegetables (bell pepper and onions)
1 T olive oil

In a cast iron  skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Take beef out of packaging; mine was rolled up, so I basically had to unroll it like wrapping paper and cut it into smaller strips to all fit flat in the skillet.  Once you've done that, if necessary, place steak in skillet; you should immediately hear it sizzle.  Cook on both sides for about 3-5 minutes each to get a medium rare steak.  Remove steak and place on a cutting board.  Add vegetables in the skillet and stir to coat with remaining oil.  Reduce heat to low and allow  to saute until tender, stirring occasionally.  While veggies cook, thinly slice steak against the grain.  Add back into skillet, mix with vegetables, and serve immediately in heated tortillas.  And ejoy! Pin It Now!

Day 91 - Quesadillas!

Quesadilla with sour cream and lettuce.

We're continuing our clean out the pantry and eat cheap before Christmas lunches!  Last night was taco night at home, so today became quesadilla lunch!  In college, we always had chicken tender Tuesday and quesadilla Thursdays, so cheap and quick cheese quesadillas are always a nostalgic comfort food for me.

I always have tortillas on hand, and usually some kind of cheese, so quesadillas are often a go-to quick meal for me.  Today, I had some leftover refried beans and some mexican blend cheese.  I spread those out between two tortillas like a big sandwich and grilled them with a little smart balance in my cast iron skillet.  I added leftover sour cream and shredded lettuce on the side.  I microwaved the quesadilla just a little for lunch, but it would be pretty good cold, as well.

I ended up snacking on office Christmas cookies in the afternoon, so you might want to pack some healthy snacks if you're going to bring this one to work! Pin It Now!

Day 58 - Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

 Today was slow cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup!  It's got a lot of the same flavors as a white chili, but it's much lighter.  I did find myself wishing that I had added white beans, but it was pretty darn good as is.  Right amount of heat for me, good broth flavor, tender chicken...just a good, basic soup with a little extra kick.  I'm definitely remembering this one for cold season.

I got the recipe from the blog Bake by Rachel, with a few of my own alterations.   The recipe below is what I made, but I'm sure that her's would be a great option as well.  She gives some helpful hints for shredding chicken, as well.

Pics are obviously from yesterday...I find that my thermos keeps things nice and hot, but since I have to pack it that way in the morning, and there's no sunshine in the morning these days...you know, bad pictures.

Anyway, recipe!:

Chicken Tortilla Soup

3/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, trimmed
3/4 lb boneless skinless chicken thigh, trimmed
15oz can sweet whole corn kernels, drained
10oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
6C chicken stock
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 t minced garlic
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp ground pepper, divided
Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Seasoned tortilla strips or chips

Add all ingredients, saving cheese and tortillas, to a slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.  Shred chicken with a fork into bite sized pieces.  Skim any fat off the top as desired and serve hot, topped with cheese and tortilla strips.



Does well both in the fridge and the freezer!

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Day 53 - Brisket Huevos Rancheros

Brisket Huevos Rancheros

 Ok, I'm cheating.  I didn't take this to lunch today.  In fact, I didn't go to work today.  But this was such a delicious brunch that I had to share!

I also can't take full credit for this recipe.  A similar recipe came about a few months ago when I was having dinner with my friends Kate and Frances.  We wanted to cook, and started talking about what we already had at home.  Long story short, we combined ingredients and leftovers we already had, took them to Kate's house, and made some delicious brisket huevos rancheros.  Then I had huevos rancheros at a diner the other night, and decided to re-create the brisket version this weekend!  And, being me, I used the slow cooker to do it.

Brisket isn't a traditional choice for huevos rancheros.  The dish usually consists of a corn tortilla, some sort of chili sauce, and a fried egg.  The chili sauce is where everyone gets creative - sometimes it's as simple as a smooth red sauce, or it can be chili with beans, beef, vegetables, or whatever else.  My version is a little less "soupy," which I like.  If you like all the sauce, though, you could easily take the liquids from the slow cooker and thicken them like a gravy.

This has tons of protein - one small serving will last you all day.  I added beans to amp up the protein level (and save money on the amount of brisket I had to buy - $6 a pound is crazy!), but you could leave them out if beans aren't your thing.  Accompanying it with avocado, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, hot peppers, or even some nice breakfast potatoes would be lovely.  I'm also writing the recipe assuming you want to make about 3 servings - but you can stretch the brisket mixture as far as you want.  You could make as few as two servings or as many as 5 or 6.  For more servings, I'd recommend adding more beans, or even more brisket (at the same cooking time).

This takes a lot of very simple prep time, so be sure to read ahead before you commit to cooking.   The timing is perfect for you to soak your beans on your way to work Friday, toss the recipe into the slow cooker before bed Friday night, and wake up to a delicious brunch on Saturday morning!

Brisket Huevos Rancheros

1 lb brisket
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup dried pinto beans
1 T paprika
1 t chili powder
1 t worcestershire
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
12 oz beer (I prefer corona, but used Yuengling this time...because that's what was in the fridge)
6 fajita sized tortillas
2 T butter or oil
3 jumbo eggs

Soak dried pinto beans for at least 8 hours (or overnight).  Drain beans and place them in the bottom of a slow cooker (I used a 2qt size - your 4qt crock should be ok).  Add onion, bell pepper, and brisket.  In a separate bowl, whisk together all spices with beer and pour over brisket.  Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours, or high for about 6 hours.

When brisket is ready, set slow cooker to warm setting.  Lightly butter each tortilla and place, butter side up, on a single layer on a cookie sheet.  Bake for about 5 minutes at 375F, or until puffy and slightly browned.  While tortillas are cooking, cook eggs as desired (fried or poached is recommended - you want the yolks to ooze and be delicious).

On a plate, layer 2 tortillas, desired amount of brisket mixture, and one egg.  Serve immediately.

Serves 3.

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Day 49 - Black Beans and Rice

Black beans on saffron rice, red plum, sour cream, colby jack cheese

Remember the Creamy Chicken Paprika from last week?  Today's lunch was a play on those leftover.  I used the leftover saffron rice and topped it with the black beans I had on the side.  I dressed the black beans up, however, as is usual for me.

This is a pretty standard and quick recipe in my kitchen.  If you like canned black beans, you should try it!


Seasoned Black Beans

1 can black beans, un-drained
1 can Rotel, drained
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 T cumin
1 t minced garlic
1 t olive oil
Sour cream and shredded cheese for topping, optional

In a medium pot over medium heat, drizzle the oil and heat til warmed.  Add the garlic, onion, and cumin, sauteing for about five minutes.  Add in the black beans and Rotel.  Cook, stirring frequently, until hot, about 10 minutes.  Serve over rice with sour cream and cheese, or any other delicious toppings! Pin It Now!

Day 36 - Fajita Leftovers

Fajita chicken with peppers and onions, Spanish rice, red grapes.

I had this great plan to make a sausage quiche with leftovers from this week with a fruit salad.  I had it all planned out, groceries purchased, even knew how many leftovers I'd have for lunch.

But y'all, I am beat this week.  I could barely keep my eyes open last night at 8:30.  I'm either getting old, or working too hard.

Anyway, I threw my cooking plans out the window and went out to eat.  So for lunch  today I had some delicoius fajita leftovers -  chicken, peppers, rice, and grapes.

Seriously, sometimes slacking off is so much better than being responsible. Pin It Now!

Day 28 - Mini Burritos

Mini Turkey and Black Bean Burritos, red plum, dried green beans.

You know those delicious peppers from yesterday?  Well, when I cooked them two nights ago, I actually doubled the filling and used the leftovers for burritos last night (and today for lunch).  I liked it just as much as the peppers from last night!  The only alteration I would make is maybe adding some extra salsa and sour cream...but they were delicious even without those.  Added a red plum and some dried green beans, and this was a good meal.

The burritos packed a ton of protein, so this is a great meal if you need to eat quickly and stay full for a while.  You could also use regular burrito sized (10 inch) tortillas for a larger burrito - I just used fajita tortillas because that's what I had on hand, and everything is cuter when it's mini.  Seriously.  For instance...

See how tiny and cute he is?!  And he's next to soup, so he obviously loves being a mini-fluffy-chef.

I rest my case.

Anyway, burrito time.  Remember, the way I organized this was to double the recipe for the filling (what gets cooked in the skillet, minus the cheese), using half for the Roasted Stuffed Peppers and the other half for burritos the next day.  The recipe below, however, is just for the burritos.  Only.  Smaller quantities, equal deliciousness!



Mini Burritos

1/4 lb ground turkey
1/2 small onion, diced
1 Tablespoons taco seasoning
1/2 can black beans, drained
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup red tomato salsa
1/4 cup frozen corn
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
8 6-inch (fajita size) flour tortillas

Brown turkey in a large skillet.  Add onions and cook until onions are translucent.  Stir in the following 5 ingredients, through corn, and cook until heated through.  Gently fold in cheese until just melted.  Remove from heat and divide evenly between tortillas, rolling them up as you go along.  Serve or refrigerate immediately.  Pin It Now!

Day 27 - Roasted Stuffed Peppers

Roasted Bell Pepper with arugula,  cucumber slices, mini rice cakes.

Last night was a listen-to-Billie-Holiday-and-get-creative-in-the-kitchen kind of night. So I tried out a new recipe for Southwestern Stuffed Peppers from Simply Love  Food blog.

It was delicious.  So delicious.  I served it last night with roasted potatoes with hot peppers and an arugula salad. Had one leftover for lunch today which I had with more arugula, cucumber slices, and mini rice cakes.

I made the pepper fairly true to the original recipe, with a few changes.  I also cut the recipe in half, as below, but doubled the filling which I will use for dinner tonight!  Burritos may be on the lunch menu tomorrow!

Roasted Stuffed Bell Peppers

2-3 bell peppers,any color
olive oil, to taste
1/4 lb ground turkey
1/2 small onion, diced
1 Tablespoons taco seasoning
1/2 can black beans, drained
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup red tomato salsa
1/4 cup frozen corn
1/3 cup shredded Mexican cheese

Cut peppers in half, removing seeds.  Place open side up in a baking dish, drizzling lightly with olive oil.  Bake at 400F for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, brown turkey in a large skillet.  Add onions and cook until onions are translucent.  Stir in remaining ingredients, saving cheese, and cook until heated through.

Twice as much as the recipe calls for, but you get the picture.  The beautiful, delicious picture.

 
Once peppers are crispy-tender, remove from oven.  Gently spoon in turkey filling, sprinkling the tops of each with cheese.  Bake for an additional 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and slightly browned.  Serve hot.

Sizzling goodness.

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Day 8 - New Foods!

Black beans, quinoa, kiwi, and pepino melon. 

Lots of leftovers, obviously.  Quinoa and beans (they look plain but are heavily seasoned..although they needed cheese!) and some kiwi. Fruit was in baking cups today so that I could remove them while I microwave the entree.  I especially wanted to keep the fruit cold and fresh since I discovered a new one at the farmer's market...the pepino melon!

Pepino Melon

Also called the pepino dulce, this is a South American fruit that I stumbled upon while trying to find kiwis.  It's part of the nightshade family (eggplants, tomatoes, etc), and it's considered to have a very sweet flavor.  It's eye catching, too - creamy golden skins with eggplant purple stripes.  I decided to branch out and try it.  It was...ok.  The texture was similar to a honeydew, and tasted something between a pear and a banana.  The flavor was very mild to the point of being too mild.  To be fair, I may not have let it ripen enough before eating it, I actually have no idea.  But it was very cold and juicy, which I liked.  It might be better as part of a fruit salad....ooooo, or maybe grilled!  With honey!  Hmmmmmm....

As it was, not a home run for me, but it was a fun experiement!  I'd love to hear feed back from others who have eaten this fruit. Pin It Now!

Day 7 - Chicken for One

Mixed green salad with ranch dressing, shredded chicken, apricot.

Today's lunch is a mixed green salad with ranch dressing, croutons, tomatoes, and black beans; also included were cold chicken from yesterday's lunch and a ripe apricot. 

The food is all pretty self explanatory, but this is probably a great time to talk about how I make just enough shredded chicken for myself.  First, I keep a bag of frozen chicken thighs in my freezer almost constantly.  "Chicken thighs?!" you say.  "Aren't they sooo fatty?"  No, not really.  Yes, they have more fat than chicken breasts (which is why they get a bad rap), but they are way leaner than beef and even many kinds of pork.  They also do much better in the crock pot than chicken breasts.  Chicken breasts tend to get dry and stringy in the crock pot no matter what you do to them.  Chicken thighs, however, turn juicy and fragrant and delicious.  Trust me, it's just better.  And cheaper!  If you can't stand the idea of eating that much dark meat, try mixing equal parts thighs and breasts - I find that's a fairly effective compromise. 

Sometimes, a single girl just needs one serving of chicken.  Sometimes I want a sandwich or a taco, or something else.  So what I do is cook one - yes, only one - chicken thigh in the crock pot.  Yes, that crock pot again.  I'm obsessed, didn't I tell you?

You can season it any number of ways, but here's what I did for tacos yesterday and the side today...feel free to cut in half for just one serving:

Slow Cooker Chicken for One (or Two!)

2 chicken thighs, frozen
1/2 can diced tomatoes (Remaining can frozen for later use.  Not the actual can, obviously.  Just the contents)
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper to taste

In a 2 quart crock pot, plop your frozen chicken into the pot and cover with remaining ingredients.  It's ok to thaw the chicken, too, I haven't found it makes much difference.  Cover with the lid and cook on low for 5 hours.  Remove chicken from the pot and shred with a fork.  There will be lots of leftover liquid in the pot - discard or save for a yummy fiesta style soup! Pin It Now!

Day 6 - Cooking Black Beans in the Crock Pot

Corn Tortilla with black beans, shredded chicken, tomato, and avocado.  Sides are pico de gallo and kiwi.

Lunch today was a delicious black bean and chicken taco, with some pico de gallo and sliced kiwi on the side.  Not pictured is a snack sized bag of whole grain corn chips. 


I cook dried beans at least once a week - black beans, blacked eyed peas, pinto beans, red beans, split peas, all kinds.  Beans are a great source of protein and vitamins, and they are dirt cheap.  That last part is the most important. :)  They also work very well with both southern and Mexican foods, which are two of my favorite cuisines.

When I cook dried beans, I do so in the crock pot.  I'm a little bit of a crock pot...enthusiast.  I have three - the classic 4 quart that I got from Target in college, a 5 quart with a timer, and a 2 quart.  Since I usually cook for myself or maybe one other person at a time, I use my 2 quart crock pot all the time.  I cook single serve pot roast, risotto, soup, chicken, pasta, and, of course, dried beans!  Dried beans will take anywhere from 6-8 hours cooked on low.  It requires a little pre-planning, but it's well worth your time and is much more fool proof than cooking on the stove.

There are lots of ways to cook beans, but here's the way I cooked up these black beans for tacos:

Slow Cooker Black Beans

1 cup dried black beans
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded
1/2 onion
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 Tablespoon onion salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 quart water, cold or room temperature

Layer ingredients in order in a 2 quart crock pot.  No, you do not have to soak the beans before you cook them - these are bone dry beans straight from the bag.  Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until desired tenderness.  Drain liquid.  Remove onion and bell pepper; these can be discarded or chopped and stirred back into bean mixture.  This will produce around 3 cups of cooked beans.  Serve hot or cold, as desired.  Leftovers may be frozen.

This made enough for far more than one meal for me. I'll have some tonight in a quesadilla and later on this week for lunches. Pin It Now!