Category: International

Slow Cooker Pork Paninis, Two Ways!

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Slow Cooker Pork Paninis, Two Ways!
Recipe Type: Sandwiches
Cuisine: Cuban, Mediterranean
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6-10
Two delicious sandwich recipes using slow-cooked pork tenderloin. Two styles- Cuban and Mediterranean! Enjoy one of these for your next potluck or dinner party. And great for using up leftover Easter pork loin, too!
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs pork tenderloin
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp corn starch
  • For sandwich toppings:
  • 2 tbsp good quality dijon mustard (I used TJ’s whole mustard seed dijon)
  • 2 tbsp tzatziki sauce
  • 1/4 cup baby spinach
  • 1 tsp dry dill weed (or pickles- but Ben doesn’t like pickles so I had to be creative!)
  • 6 slices deli ham
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup sliced peppers
  • 6 thin slices of tomatoes
  • 3 slices swiss cheese
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese
  • 6 sweet bread sandwich buns, sliced
  • Olive oil
Instructions
  1. Place pork loin in crock pot.
  2. Mix soy sauce, lime juice, orange juice, garlic, mustard, and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl. Pour over pork. Set crock pot to low for 7-8 hours, or high for 3-4 hours.
  3. Just before assembling sandwiches, heat about 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Reserve 3/4 of onions in a small bowl and set aside. Add peppers to remaining onion mixture and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
  4. When pork is ready, remove from crock pot and set to “warm.” Add 1 tbsp corn starch to crock pot and whisk in with remaining sauce until it thickens.
  5. Slice pork into thin slices. It should really just fall apart at this point! Spoon a little more of the juices on top of the meat to keep moist!
  6. Meanwhile, slice buns lengthwise and lay out on counter (I also toasted mine for about 1 min in the already hot oven!)
  7. Spread one side of three of the buns with dijon mustard (about 3/4 tbsp each), and the remaining buns with tzatziki (again, about 3/4 tbsp).
  8. On other half of the buns with mustard, sprinkle a pinch of dill weed or pickles, and top with 2 slices each of ham.
  9. On other halves of the buns with tzatziki, layer spinach.
  10. Next, layer a few slices of pork onto each sandwich.
  11. Cover Cuban sandwiches (the mustard ones) with a scoop of cooked onions, followed by a slice of swiss.
  12. Cover Mediterranean sandwiches (the tzatziki ones) with the pepper and onion mixture, followed by tomato slices and about 1 tbsp each of feta cheese.
  13. To each sandwich, drizzle a bit of the thickened sauce left over in the crock pot. The sauce should really just seep into the bread!
  14. Close sandwiches with other half of the bun.
  15. Preheat George Foreman grill (or panini maker, or just a regular frying pan!) to medium high heat, or about 350 degrees. Spread with olive oil or layer with tin foil.
  16. Place each sandwich on the press. Drizzle a bit of oil on top of each to prevent sticking.
  17. Press down (ya’ll know those tasty grill lines we’re going for!) and cook for 3-5 minutes, until browned and the cheese is melted!
  18. Slice in half and serve. These go just perfectly with the Corn and Sweet Potato Fritters (see previous post)!

DSC00980Pork goes in the pot!

DSC00994Onions cook.

DSC00996Peppers cook.

DSC010054 hours later…

DSC01007I don’t even like red meat and this looks amazing to me.

DSC01008Ben lost his self-control.

DSC01013Layer on the mustard, ham and pork slices.

DSC01016Add the onions and swiss, and little more of the sauce.

DSC01017Layer on the spinach, pork, peppers and onions, and some extra sauce for good measure.

DSC01018Andddd the tomatoes and feta!

DSC01021All set to cook!

DSC01030Ta-da! Perfectly pressed Cuban.

DSC01033And a delectable Mediterranean! Both served with my Corn and Sweet Potato Fritters on the side.

Happy Monday, everyone!

ClaireLeave a comment

Corn and Sweet Potato Fritters

Corn and Sweet Potato Fritters
Recipe Type: Side
Cuisine: Hispanic
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 10
A quick and easy side for your next BBQ or picnic! Perfectly spicy and great for leftover corn on the cob!
Ingredients
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp grated black pepper
  • 3/4 cup corn (frozen or leftover)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Grate sweet potatoes into a large bowl.
  3. Add oil and egg, and toss to combine.
  4. Add spices and stir until well distributed.
  5. Stir in corn.
  6. In a 9×9 casserole dish sprayed with olive oil or cooking spray, spread the mixture in a thin layer and pat down firmly.
  7. Bake, uncovered, at 400 deg for 30 min, or until top is brown and crispy.

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ClaireLeave a comment

Chicken Mole Enchiladas

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Chicken Mole Enchiladas
Recipe Type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6-8
Shop your pantry for staples that are crying “use me! I’m three years old!” like refried beans, corn, beans, and enchilada sauce! Mix together with a quick mole spice blend and roll into tortillas to make quick chicken mole enchiladas. Perfect for any weeknight!
Ingredients
  • 6-8 flour tortillas
  • 1 can refried beans
  • 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • Handful of baby spinach
  • 1 small can black olives, sliced and drained
  • 1 package 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
  • 1 large chicken breast
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 2 1/2 tbsp mole seasoning
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • S&P
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 can red enchilada sauce
  • Sour cream or plain greek yogurt, for topping
  • Shredded Mexican style cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, combine refried beans, kidney beans (you can mash them a bit with the back of the spoon if you like a bit smoother texture!), cream cheese, cumin, 2 tbsp mole seasoning, chili powder, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Mix until smooth. Microwaving the bowl may help to soften the mixture before mixing!
  3. Layer tortillas with a large spoonful of bean mixture and spread around the center of the tortilla, leaving about 2″ around the edges. Top with about 2 tbsp corn kernels, a few black olives, a few leaves of spinach, and a small handful cheese. Top with additional cumin and chili powder if desired.
  4. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring water to a rolling boil. Drop one chicken breast into the water and cook until done- about 15 minutes (if frozen; probably more like 8-10 if thawed!)
  5. Remove chicken from saucepan with a slotted spoon and place in a small bowl. Using two forks, shred chicken. Add lime juice and remaining mole seasoning and toss until chicken is coated.
  6. Spoon about 2 tbsp chicken on top of each tortilla.
  7. Fold tortillas in at the sides and then roll. Place tortillas seam-side down onto a oiled baking sheet (I lined mine with foil first to make clean-up easier!)
  8. Pour enchilada sauce over top of enchiladas. Top with additional cheese.
  9. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.
  10. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or plain greek yogurt!

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ClaireLeave a comment

Turkey Pastelón (Sweet Plantain Lasagna)

I’ve been wanting to try this one for forever. Ever since I first had plantains at a Brazilian Steakhouse, Chamas, in downtown Durham, I’ve been obsessed with them. I think they were my favorite part of that dinner. And if you’ve ever been to a Brazilian steakhouse before, you know that that is saying a LOT. If you haven’t, let me fill you in. First of all, they have this ginormous salad bar with every single vegetable and side dish you could EVER want. Marinated mushrooms, olives, soups, spinach and roasted veggie salads, breads, cheeses… apparently Brazilians also consider smoked salmon a vegetable?

Then, when you’re already basically full, you get these little cards with a green side and a red side. Waiters (who hardly ever speak English, they only speak “green,” “red” and “meat”) come around to all the tables with these HUGE skewers (no, not like the kind you make kabobs on for your grill- these are like life-sized, “are you sure you are not about to put my body on that stick?” kind of skewers. They mean business! If the green side of your card is up, the waiters know to approach you with these big hunks of meat- lamb, pork, beef, chicken, you name it. Did I mention the meat is unlimited? (I probably appreciated this more in my less red-meat scorning days) And don’t even let me get started on talking about dessert.

Anyway, what was I talking about again? Oh yes, plantains. With all that said, the plantains were still my favorite part of the entire meal. They bring them out on little plates, sweet, soft, and lightly fried. And they are actually just supposed to be for “cleansing the palate” between each hunk of slaughtered baby cow- er, delicacy!

Plantains, for those of you who don’t know, are like oversized bananas that are SUPPOSED to get really black when they are ripe (for all you green banana lovers out there… you know who you are. I will never understand your ways!). They are a bit starchier than bananas and have less sugar, which is probably why they’re used for cleansing the palate. They can range from less sweet to really sweet, depending on the ripeness and variety, but are also used in appetizers and desserts (and for the purpose of this post, main courses!). Typically they are cooked as opposed to eating raw, and are preferable to bananas for this purpose because they hold up much better, even when ripe. I had trouble finding them (even at Whole Foods!) but had luck at Target. Who knew Target was a lover of exotic fruits? I was able to get 4 plantains for $2.94, which I considered a bargain!

Ever since having plantains for the first time (Ben also raves about having them at one of our favorite Cuban restaurants, Gregoria’s, where they are served as “Plátano Maduro Relleno”- plantains fried in butter, stuffed with ground beef, coated with a creamy sauce and sprinkled with ‘Chicharrones’, or fried pork rinds). I’ve considered them quite the delicacy ever since.

So you can imagine my delight when I saw this recipe on Skinny Taste, one of my favorite blogs. I love how Gina lightens up traditional dishes like this Puerto Rican one to make them healthier without skimping on flavor or insisting that being healthy means that you only ever eat kale and greek yogurt and oatmeal. The combination of plantains, ground meat, and cheese in this dish immediately reminded me of those apps at Gregoria’s, and I made it my life’s ambition to try it.

Enter Target plantains and an adventurous-feeling Sunday afternoon. While Ben, aka the sleeping giant, was taking a nap upstairs, I decided to surprise him by making this in advance (I hoped it would save us time on prep later and we could eat outside while it was still 60 degrees and sunny out… but I was wrong. We still ended up eating at 8:30. Oops… But Thor was on!)

I love how this Puerto Rican lasagna-like recipe uses plantains instead of pasta noodles to hold it together and to get that same starchy texture without the extra calories. It also uses ground turkey instead of beef, of which I was a fan! To the meat, you add a ton of yummy spices and herbs, including cumin, oregano, bay leaf, and cilantro, as well as veggies like tomatoes and green peppers. I decided to also add chopped up sweet potatoes to give the lasagna a little more heft (I wanted to make a 9×13 casserole instead of the suggested 9×9 size). And then because I was using sweet potatoes, I decided to sprinkle on a little ginger, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes for good measure. Why not, right?

Layer the plantains on the bottom, followed by the ground turkey and potatoes mixture, a thin sprinkling of Mexican-style cheese, the rest of the meat, and a final layer of plantains and cheese on top. Then, you whisk together one egg with three egg whites with a bit of milk to pour over the top to help the casserole stay together (genius!).

The result? Ha. I’ll let you tell me after you try it for yourself!

All I will say is that I think that I would like to move to Puerto Rico and eat Pastelón for all of my days.

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Turkey Pastelón (Sweet Plantain Lasagna)
Recipe Type: Main Dish, Dinner, Casserole
Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes” (Adapted from Skinny Taste)
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
A delicious sweet plantain lasagna with sweet potatoes, ground turkey, and plenty of flavor without breaking the calorie bank! This recipe can be made in advance and refrigerated to be baked later, too!
Ingredients
  • 1.3 lb 93% lean ground turkey
  • 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into small chunks
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 tbsp (about 3 stems) cilantro, minced
  • 8 oz (or about half a 15 oz can) tomato sauce
  • 2 tbsp capers, plus 2 tbsp caper brine
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp dried bay leaves
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 4 ripe plantains, sliced thinly lengthwise
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 3 large egg whites, beaten
  • 2 tbsp low-fat milk
  • 1 1/2 cups reduced fat shredded Mexican blend cheese
  • kosher salt
  • fresh ground pepper
Instructions
  1. In a large skillet, season turkey with salt and pepper. Cook on medium until lightly browned, breaking up into smaller chunks with a wooden spoon.
  2. Add potatoes, onion, and garlic and continue to cook until potatoes are slightly tender- about 4 minutes.
  3. Add tomato, bell pepper, and cilantro, and reduce heat to low. Add capers and 2 tbsp of caper brine, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, ginger, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg.
  4. Add tomato sauce and about 1/4 cup water, and stir well. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray a 9×13 baking dish with oil or cooking spray.
  6. Slice plantains lengthwise into thin slices. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat, and spray generously with cooking spray or olive oil*
  7. Cook plantains for about 2 minutes on each side, until golden. Set aside.
  8. In casserole dish, layer half of the plantains, followed by turkey and potato mixture and about 1/2 cup of cheese. Add remaining turkey and potato mixture, and finish with the other half of the plantains, as well as the rest of the cheese.
  9. Whisk together egg, egg whites, and milk, and pour over top of casserole. Wait about 2 minutes before baking for the eggs to seep into the rest, as this will help the casserole set!
  10. Cover tightly with foil and bake 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes before cutting into squares, as this will help the slices stay together better!
Notes
*I highly recommend at least a little bit olive oil here, even if you’re watching your calories, because it definitely helps the plantains soften down a bit more, which will bring out more flavor!

DSC00811Gather your ingredients.

DSC00813Chop, chop.

DSC00815Season the turkey.

DSC00817Chop veggies and herbs while the turkey is browning.

DSC00818Add potatoes and onions and garlic to the browned meat.

DSC00821Add veggies to skillet and reduce heat to low.

DSC00822Add spices.

DSC00823Add tomato sauce, a bit of water, and stir well.

DSC00824Cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes.

DSC00828Oh hello, ripe plantains!

DSC00833Slice plantains into long strips.

DSC00834I was amazed at how THICK the plantain peels were!

DSC00836Into the pan they go!

DSC00839Cook till golden- about 2 minutes each side.

DSC00843Layer plantains on bottom of dish.

DSC00844Follow with turkey and potato mixture.

DSC00846And some of the cheese… and repeat.

DSC00853Finish with plantains on top.DSC00856And… what’s left of the cheese.

DSC00854Pour beaten eggs over top. Cover and bake!

DSC00900 After 40 minutes of salivating… 

DSC00905Massaged kale salad on the side!

ClaireLeave a comment

Sweet Potato Masoor Dahl

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For some reason I have been craving Indian food all week. Maybe I’ve just been needing a change in flavor, with the holidays just behind us and too much chocolate and peppermint flavored yummies in my tummy. Or maybe I just like Indian a lot. After all, I’m a sucker for spices. And with this cold, blustery January day, I felt like it was high time for a solid crock pot recipe to warm up my bones. Okay okay, I know I’m not fitting into that “1 in 3 Americans affected by the Nor’ Easter Hercules” as many of my friends and family in CT (I actually almost convinced my mom earlier that I’d been wearing shorts and flip flops all day here), but hey! We get chilly days in Durham, too. And I’m a Southern girl now, which means my blood is not accustomed to anything lower than 40 degrees.

Moreover, as I see post after post on the Internet about New Year’s resolutions including eating healthier, exercising more, and striving to lose weight, I figured a heart-healthy and vegetarian dish that doesn’t skimp on heartiness or flavor would be welcome to many of my readers! [**Spoiler alert** If you don’t like curry or lentils, sorry, you’re out of luck for this one. Go visit my Pesto Chicken Monte Cristos post and be quiet.] Packed with vitamins and nutrients, this recipe is a complete protein when served over a grain such as brown rice or quinoa. Whether you’re looking to cut down on calories without sacrificing flavor, or you just want a healthy meal that’ll stick with you, this sweet potato dahl is the perfect choice. I can’t wait to share it with you!

I used masoor dahl here, which basically means red lentils. You can also use green/black lentils or even split peas, but I hear they take longer to cook. I prefer red lentils for that classic yellow hue that I always associate with Indian stews.

What I love about this recipe is that you can really add any veggies you want, as long as you chop them up thinly enough! (I might stay away from asparagus or sprouts, but that’s just me.) I used diced tomatoes (canned, of course- this recipe is for lazy people!), sweet potatoes (because as we all know, they are my weakness), yellow onions, cauliflower (frozen!), carrots, and baby spinach. Kale would also be amazing (they were out at the store, otherwise I probably would’ve used it for a bit more texture and chewiness).

Sweet Potato Masoor Dahl
Recipe Type: Slow Cooker, Easy Dinners
Cuisine: Indian
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8-10
The easiest red lentil dahl you will ever make! Throw all the veggies, lentils, and spices in the crock pot and set to high for 4 hours. Add cilantro and lemon juice just before serving. Ladle over quinoa with a dollop of plain yogurt on top.
Ingredients
  • 2 cups masoor dahl (red lentils), rinsed
  • 4 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock to keep it vegan!)
  • 10 oz fresh baby spinach (kale would work great too!)
  • 2 medium sized sweet potatoes, chopped into small chunks
  • 4 whole carrots, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen cauliflower
  • 1 14 oz can low-sodium diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp ground ginger
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground mustard seed
  • 1 tsp ground coriander seed
  • 1 tsp whole coriander seed (optional)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 4 tbsp lemon juice
  • handful of chopped cilantro, to taste (plus more for garnish)
  • plain Greek yogurt, for serving
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa or brown rice, for serving
  • multigrain flatbreads, for serving
Instructions
  1. Prepare veggies by chopping sweet potato, onion, and carrot.
  2. Add to crock pot.
  3. Add lentils, stock, and all spices.
  4. Set slow cooker to high for 3-4 hours, or low for 6-7 hours. You’ll know when the dahl is done when the lentils have broken down and gotten all mushy! (sounds gross but you know… I like that sort of thing :P)
  5. Just before serving, add spinach, cilantro, and lemon juice. Set slow cooker to warm.
  6. Warm flatbread in oven for a few minutes (for example, while you simmer the quinoa) or in microwave oven.
  7. Serve over rice or quinoa, with a dollop of plain yogurt and additional cilantro on top! Also great with flatbread for dipping, especially if you have a husband who’s a sucker for bread.
Serving size: 1 1/2 cups dahl and 1/2 cup cooked quinoa Calories: 130 Fat: 1 g Saturated fat: 0 g Carbohydrates: 22 g Fiber: 6 g Protein: 9 g

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Gather all your ingredients- veggies, spices, and lentils. This is probably the hardest step of the entire recipe. You think I’m joking. Just wait.

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Chop away at those veggies! (Ok, maybe THIS is the hardest part). Mmmm… sweet potatoes.

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No lack of spices in this recipe. Gotta love Indian food for that. 🙂 I don’t know why I put them all in a bowl first. Probably because they look prettier that way.

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Toss it all into the slow cooker and set to high for 3-4 hours, or low for 6-7.

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What it’ll look like when it’s almost done!

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Add your spinach, cilantro, and lemon juice…

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Ready to serve!

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Ladled over quinoa, and topped with a dollop of plain greek yogurt, more cilantro, and multigrain flatbread. Sweet Potato Masoor Dahl FTW!

ClaireLeave a comment

No-Fuss Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

Happy, happy New Year! I hope you all had a fantastic holiday and a blessed time with your family and friends. I know I did! Ben and I spent a week in CT visiting my family, followed by a few days back here in Durham with his family visiting from Pittsburgh. What a blessing to be able to see both sides! It was the best of both worlds. 🙂

I have been having a blast learning more about my new camera, which Ben got me for Christmas after insisting that it was “much” too expensive. *Ahem.* Yeah right. He spoils me! It’s been so much fun playing with it, though. I got lots of shots of my parents’ new puppy, as well as many a round of Dutch Blitz by the fire. Best of all, I swear it makes my food look wayyy better than my old pics taken with my iPhone. I can’t wait to share some brand new recipes with you, just in time for 2014!

While Ben’s family was here, I tried out a new recipe for crock pot chicken tacos. It seemed like a good choice, since tacos are the kind of thing that everyone can create the way they like. There’s also something cozy about sitting around the table and constantly passing each other the topping ingredients (or at least it helps everyone work on their “please” and “thank-you”s). This was honestly one of the easiest recipes I have ever made (do I say that too much? :P), and they kept raving about it, so either they are just being extremely polite, or it really is a keeper. I like to think the latter?

Anyway, this recipe was adapted from Iowa Girl Eats, one of the regular bloggers I follow. It literally has three ingredients (a few more if you make your own seasoning) that you probably already have in your pantry! Chicken, salsa, and taco seasoning. That’s IT! Shredding the chicken and returning it to the saucy goodness of the crock pot before serving allows it to soak up all the salsa and stay nice and juicy. Because we all know there is nothing worse than dry taco meat.

I also served these with my tried-and-true Black Bean and Corn Salsa, a recipe which everyone always seems to like, and with awesome leftover potential!

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No-Fuss Crock Pot Chicken Tacos
Recipe Type: Easy Dinners, Slow-Cooker
Cuisine: Mexican
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8-10
This recipe literally uses 3 ingredients! Just throw them all into the crock pot and set to low heat for 6 hours or until chicken is done, shred, and serve! So easy and soooooo good!
Ingredients
  • 6 chicken medium breasts, sliced in half
  • 1 packet low-sodium taco seasoning*
  • 24 oz. jar of mild chunky salsa
  • 10 flour tortillas
  • Toppings: shredded cheese, rice, guacamole, avocado slices, lettuce, green onions, sour cream or (plain greek yogurt), diced tomatoes, cilantro, beans, corn, extra salsa, tortilla chips… the list goes on and on! (seriously though, what DOESN’T go on tacos?)
Instructions
  1. Lightly spray bottom of crock pot with cooking spray.
  2. Carefully place halved chicken breasts in a single layer across bottom of the crock pot (if your pot is too small for a single layer like mine is, you can do two layers instead- just make sure to only use 1/2 of the taco seasoning and salsa for each layer!).
  3. Top with taco seasoning.
  4. Top with jar of salsa (yes, the WHOLE jar! trust me, it works.)
  5. Carefully lift up the chicken with a fork to allow the salsa to spread underneath a bit.
  6. Set crock pot to low heat for 4-6 hours or high for 2 hours, or until chicken is cooked through. Chicken should fall apart when you pierce it with a fork!
  7. Siesta time! After all, it IS New Year’s Day! You deserve it.
  8. When chicken is cooked through, remove from crock pot with a slotted spoon and transfer to a medium mixing bowl.
  9. Using two forks, shred chicken and return to crock pot.
  10. Mix chicken in so that it gets evenly combined with those yummy salsa juices!
  11. Set crock pot to warm until ready to serve.
  12. Meanwhile, cook rice and prepare toppings.
  13. When ready to eat, nuke tortillas for 30 sec to 1 min or until heated through. Cover with foil to keep warm.
  14. Top your tortillas with chicken and your favorite toppings (I reliably fill mine and cut ’em up, adding more lettuce, to make a big taco salad!)
  15. Serve with my “Black Bean and Corn Salsa” (https://clairetastes.com/black-bean-and-corn-salsa/)
Serving size: 1/10 recipe (w/ sour cream, cheddar cheese, tomato, and lettuce as toppings) Calories: 377 cal Fat: 12 g Carbohydrates: 33 g Fiber: 3 g Protein: 33 g
Notes
*Instead of using store-bought taco seasoning, you can easily make your own by combining 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Oh… and I couldn’t help but to post this picture of my new chef’s jacket, given to me by Ben’s grandmother for Christmas. Don’t I look official now? Whew- Claire Tastes is in for some major improvements in 2014! I can’t wait!

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Claire1 Comment