Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

I call these game night tacos.  That is to say, with 4 kids, it's almost alwzs game night and we are either gone early or home late so how nice to have dinner ready to go.  These tacos are at the top of the kids requests list and are super simple and very healthy.  None of that pre-packaged msg laden taco packets. 

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 cup of salsa ( I prefer Herdez)
smoked paprika (optional)
Ground smoked chipoltle seasoning (optional)
dried minced onion (optional)
Shredded cheese
taco shells (either hard or soft tortillas)
lettuce
tomatoes
jalepenos
sour cream
actually, whatever acoutriements you desire

Place the chicken breast in the crock pot, cover with the salsa and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6+ hours.  Once done, use two forks to shred the chicken and if the chicken is a little watery from the salsa, add some shredded cheese for consistency.

Assemble your tacos the way you like them.  The above picture is what you are looking for in consistency in the crock pot.

Lobster Bolognese

This dish is definitely one of the finer things in life.  Don't let this particular post scare you away from my blog because most of my dishes are simple, yet elegant.  This one is more detailed but just make a double batch so the next time all you have to do is pull it out of the freezer.  It's worth it, I promise.

Ingredients:
12 oz lobster tail (I buy two small ones, they are cheaper)
1 can of lobster stock (found on the soup aisle- you can forgo this if you can't find it)
1 bottle of clam juice (found by the tuna fish)
1/2 lb of bulk sausage or basically 2 links and take the sausage out- I use habnero chicken but italian will do
Olive oil for sauteeing onion
1/2 yellow onion finely diced
10 garlic cloves minced
10 very ripe Roma tomatoes or other really red tomato coarsley chopped
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
2 Tablespoons of white truffle oil- not optional and you should always keep this on hand
1/4 cup of heavy cream or half and half
salt, pepper- I like smoked salt
12 basil leaved juliened (means to roll them up and cut them into strips)
6 small fresh mozzerella balls cut in half (this is also optional)
your choice of pasta.  I recommend pappardelle or spagetti

Cut the lobster shells up the back and pull the lobster meat out and set aside.  In a sauce pan, add the lobster stock and the clam juice AND the lobster shells (this is why it's ok if you don't find lobster stock- you are making your own- add 1 cup of water if you don't have lobster stock and cook a little longer).  Bring to a boil and then continue to simmer. 

Sautee the onion and garlic in a very large skillet.  Add the sausage and cook until brown.  If it is chicken sausage, you should not need to drain the fat, otherwise, drain excess fat. Make sure that you have made the sausage as fine as possible with the spoon or spatula.  It is not the star of the dish, more a subtlety. Add the diced tomatoes and cook until they begin to soften.  Using a ladle, add one ladle of your simmering lobster stock to the skillet.  As it reduces you can add additional ladles.  all in all you will probably add 4 ladles in the course of cooking the sauce. If you chose to use anchovy paste, add to the sauce.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for your pasta.  By the time it boils, your sauce will be close to ready so you can add the remaining lobster stock to the pasta water for additional flavor.

Dice the lobster into 1/4" sections and add to the sauce.  Cooking the lobster too long will cause it to be rubbery.

Now it's time to season the sauce with your salt, pepper and truffle oil.  Right before you drain your pasta, add the cream to your sauce.  Turn off the sauce and add the halved mozzerella balls and the basil.

These porportions would serve 6 generous portions.  When I have frozen the sauce, I'm astounded how much better it is the next go 'round.  It's so rewarding to have an impromptu dinner with lobster bolognese so don't skimp on the sauce!

I know this sounds awfully difficult but it really isn't.  I would love to hear your feedback when you make it!

Bon Apetite!

Beef Bourgenoine

I guess if you need to have some left over beef, I should give you a reason.  This recipe is a take on the traditional but is lighter because it uses tenderloin and doesn't take 3 hours to cook.  Very filling but quite good!

Ingredients: This served 2 adults and 4 kids

1.5 lbs of a tenderloin of beef sliced into 1" steaks

6 carrots peeled and chopped in 1" slices

15 pearl onion

2 cloves of garlic

1 T butter

1 T olive oil

6 sprigs of thyme

1 bottle of red wine (decent)

1 box of beef broth

4 slices of bacon diced

package of sliced baby bella mushrooms

In a heavy skillet (iron) brown the tenderloin slices but not for long if you like your beef rare.  You will cook it more later.  Remove and set aside.  Add the bacon a cook until crispy.  Remove and set aside.  Drain the bacon grease leave a little.  Add the minced garlic and pearl onions carrots and cook for about 10 minutes.  Add half the bottle of wine and deglaze the pan.  Add half the beef stock and the thyme. Continue to cook until the sauce thickens and the veggies are tender.  Along the way, you will need to add more wine and stock.  Once the carrots are tender, you will want to add the beef and bacon to the pan but if you like it rare, you will only want it to cook for about 3 to 5 minutes.  Meanwhile you will sautee the mushrooms in butter until they are perfect.  Salt and pepper the mushrooms and the other skillet to taste.  Add the mushrooms to the other skillet once they are done and you are ready to serve.  I made this with mashed potatoes but it was really too much.  Not sure what the option would be on that- just be hungry!