Crockpot Cheddar Beer Chicken Tacos

serves 4+

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3/4 cup beer (I used an amber ale)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

pinch of cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoons pepper

3/4 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese + more for topping

taco shells

your favorite toppings: greek yogurt, avocado, cilantro, salsa, chopped onion, black beans, shredded lettuce, etc.

In a bowl, mix together chili powder, cumin, garlic, onion, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper. Measure out 3/4 cup of your favorite beer, and whisk 1 1/2 tablespoons of the taco seasoning into the beer.

Place chicken in the crockpot and dump in beer with seasoning. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4 hours.

When you first remove the lid, it will seem as though there is a lot of liquid and the chicken is just sitting in it, but take two forks or kitchen tongs and shred, shred, shred until it all comes together. Taste and season with additional taco seasoning if desired, then let sit in the crockpot for another 15 minutes or so. Turn the crockpot completely off, and right before serving toss in cheddar cheese. Once combined, immediately transfer the chicken to a large bowl so the cheese does not stick to the crockpot. Make your tacos!

recipe from http://www.howsweeteats.com/2012/01/crockpot-cheddar-beer-chicken-tacos/

Frozen Mamas: put chicken in frozen or thawed follow recipe with the taco mix in baggie and cheese. After meat is done and shredded spoon into shells that are provided and top with your favorite taco toppings! Enjoy!

Bacon and Egg Muffins

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, cooked crisp and finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup whole milk
7 large eggs (1 in batter, 6 on top of muffins)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease 6 jumbo muffin tins (or 1-cup ramekins) with the oil spray and set aside.

Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, bacon, chives, and cheese in a large bowl. Combine the milk and one egg in a small bowl, and add to the dry ingredients, along with the melted butter. Fold the ingredients together gently until no dry spots remain.

Spoon about 1/4 cup batter into each of the muffin tins. Using a soft spatula, spread the batter up the sides of the tins a bit, leaving a depression in the middle of the batter. Crack an egg into the center of each cup, and divide the remaining batter between the cups, making sure you cover the yolk. (It’s easiest if you work with small dollops of batter.)

Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, until the visible egg white is set and the muffins are just barely beginning to crack. (They won’t be very brown.) Cool 5 minutes, then run a small knife around the edges of each muffin to release. Serve hot.

FROZEN MAMAS
Substitutions – I used 10 slices of Canadian bacon instead of regular bacon, I omitted the chives and used 2% instead of whole milk.

CHECKLIST
Freezer bag containing Bags 1-4
Bag 1 – dry mix (flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and Parmesan)
Bag 2 – Canadian bacon, chopped
Bag 3 – milk + 1 egg
Bag 4 – butter
6 eggs
Jumbo muffin tin

Melt butter then combine with contents of Bags 1-4, mix until no dry spots remain. Remaining 6 eggs DO NOT go in the batter. Follow directions above for spooning batter into tins and cracking 1 egg into each of the 6 muffin cups.

From Edible Seattle Magazine
http://www.ediblecommunities.com/seattle/recipes/bacon-and-egg-muffins.htm

Ham and Cheese Quiche

1 9 in pie shell, thawed
1 cup cubed ham
3/4 cup minced onion
2 TBSP butter
2 eggs
1 cup half and half
1 tsp salt
6 oz swiss cheese, shredded

Bake pie shell 3 min at 375.  Saute ham and onion in butter. Combine and beat eggs, half and half, and salt.  Spread ham and onions in baked pie shell, pour in egg mixture.  Sprinkle the swiss cheese over egg mixture.  Place pie on a baking sheet and bake at 375 for 45 min or until knife comes out clean.  Serve hot or rooom temperature.

Pie crust - I used homemade pie crust and found that I needed to blind bake it for 15 min before filling. I use Martha Stewart's recipe which I will post separately.

Quiche recipe is from Deanna Duskin and is found in the Shoreline Covenant Church Cookbook, Taste and See that the Lord is Good, 2004, pg 67


Frozen Mamas:  thaw and bake at 375 for 45 min

Ham & Cheese Hash Browns

6 c. frozen hash browns
2 c. Ham, chopped
10 3/4 oz. can Cream of Chicken Soup
8 oz. Cheddar Cheese, shredded
3/4 c. Sour Cream
1/4 c. Butter, melted
1/2 c. Milk
2 Tbsp. Onion, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F. Thoroughly combine all ingredients except the hash browns. Add hash browns to ham and cheese mixture and stir until all ingredients are well mixed, put in a greased 2 quart baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes.

Frozen Instructions:
Thaw, uncover, bake as directed.

Ham and Cheese Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup finely chopped 33%-less-sodium ham (about 3 ounces)
3/4 cup fat-free buttermilk
2 large egg whites
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in cheese and ham. Combine buttermilk and egg whites, stirring with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 4 to 5 times with floured hands. Pat dough into an 8-inch circle on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cut dough into 8 wedges, cutting into but not through dough. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 wedge). Pair with salad or soup for a light meal.

Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2002

Freezing this recipe:
Bag 1 - dry ingredients (with butter already cut into them)
Bag 2 - ham and cheese
Bag 3 - liquid ingredients

Preparation from Frozen:
Thaw.  Mix bag of dry ingredients with ham/cheese then add liquid ingredients and stir just until moist. Then proceed with recipe.