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So, how’s it taste?

Oh my gosh this has been one of my favorite meals. It turned out way better than I expected, which is a good thing considering how much shredded pork this makes! I have a pretty big slow cooker and used a 5-pound pork shoulder and it was trying to escape! I had to weigh down the lid and part way through cooking, I had to ladle out some of the juices as it was spilling over. Live and learn. I’ve cooked a ham in Coca-Cola before, so cooking with soda wasn’t new to me. It tenderizes the meat so well, but I was really expecting to get some of that Dr. Pepper flavor and couldn’t taste it at all. It may be because my meat was too big for my slow cooker and produced a crazy amount of juice, so the soda got lost in it. I also didn’t feel much heat or taste much from the chipotles. I used half of a can, but that was still four chipotles and quite a bit of adobo sauce. Again, I’ll blame the juice from the meat. Regardless, the final product was awesome. Perfectly tender and easy to shred.

The slaw turned out to be a great condiment for the tacos. It’s got that crunch I was looking for, plus the sweet orange, slightly bitter lime, and fresh cilantro. It’s not too hot from the Sriracha, so if you really want to turn up the heat, add more. I made this slaw with regular salt and then another batch using seasoning salt, and the second batch was best. Cabbage is pretty much flavorless and so is the greek yogurt, so it needed a lot of help. Combined with the pepper jack cheese, the heat level was just enough for me in the finished taco. I added more cilantro and just a dollop of sour cream. You could make the slaw with sour cream if you prefer. The possibilities for these tacos are endless. I’d like to throw in a couple of slices of avocado next time I have them.

Slow Cooker Pork Tacos with Spicy Citrus Slaw

pork by The Pioneer Woman
spicy citrus slaw adapted from The Novice Chef

Ingredients:

Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork
1 large onion
1 (5 to 7 lbs.) pork shoulder or pork butt
salt & freshly ground black pepper
11 oz. chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
24 oz. Dr. Pepper
2 tbsp. brown sugar (optional)

Spicy Citrus Slaw
2 cups fresh bagged coleslaw mix
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 tsp. zest and juice from 1/2 large orange
zest and juice from 1 lime
3 tbsp. fat-free plain greek yogurt
1/2 tsp. Sriracha
seasoning salt & black pepper to taste

Tacos
flour tortillas
pepper jack cheese, shredded
cilantro
sour cream
any toppings you like

Directions:

1. For the pork, peel the onion and cut it into wedges. Lay them in the bottom of a large slow cooker. Generously salt and pepper the pork roast, then set it on top of the onions in the slow cooker.

2. Pour the can of chipotle peppers over the pork and include the sauce. (Use less if you don't want it as spicy.) Pour in the Dr Pepper. Optional, add brown sugar to the juice and stir in.

3. Place lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Check the meat at six hours; it should be falling apart (use two forks to test.) If it's not falling apart, continue cooking for another hour, then check again.

4. Remove meat from slow cooker and place on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred meat, discarding large pieces of fat. Strain as much of the fat off the top of the cooking liquid as you can and discard it. Return the shredded meat to the cooking liquid, and keep warm until ready to serve. (You can also refrigerate the meat and liquid separately, then remove hardened fat once it's cold. Then heat up the liquid on the stovetop and return the meat to the liquid to warm up.

5. For the slaw, combine all ingredients into a medium bowl and stir to incorporate. Season with seasoning salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. You can use it immediately, but it gets better and better the longer it sits in the refrigerator.

6. To serve, warm the flour tortillas. Top with shredded pork, pepper jack cheese, slaw, sour cream, and cilantro. Or use whatever taco toppings you like!

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So, how’s it taste?

It was pretty fantastic. Meat out of the slow cooker is so tender and this recipe has corn, black beans, and tomatoes. I used a medium heat level salsa and it was packed with heat. Use mild if you prefer. The jalapeno adds more heat, but you want to discard it after it cooks so it doesn’t continue to add heat to your leftovers. This dish has so much flavor with all the spices. I just loved it. One serving is a cup, which is a lot, and is only 195 calories! Bonus! I served a scoop of this over half a cup of rice. A nice, very filling, low-calorie meal.

Another plus is that this meal freezes well. I froze 1-cup servings in freezer bags, so I can heat one serving at a time as needed. Great for a quick dinner. Do make a note to check your chicken for doneness at about 4 hours. I think cubing the chicken makes it cook faster than adding the chicken breasts whole. Mine was a tad bit overcooked at the 5 hour mark. If you want to skip cubing the chicken, you certainly can. Simply mix all your spices in with the salsa mixture and stir. Add your chicken breasts to the top. They will take longer to cook, but the results should be the same. Shredding may be easier with whole chicken breasts as well.

I hope you enjoy this easy meal as much as I did. Check out Amy’s cilantro-lime rice recipe. It goes great with this chicken! Also, if you like this dish, you’ll also enjoy my Slow-Cooked Jambalaya-Style Red Beans & Rice. Time to get your slow cookers ready!

Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken

by Fearless Homemaker adapted from Skinny Mom
makes 8 servings
per serving: 195 calories, 1.5g fat, 25g carbs, 5g fiber, 22g protein

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, cubed
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 16 oz. jar salsa (I used medium)
1 14 oz. jar diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 15 oz. can black bans, rinsed and drained
1 8 oz. bag frozen corn (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 jalapeño pepper, stem removed, pierced several times with a fork
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, toss cubed chicken with chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne, onion powder, black pepper, and salt until well coated. Set aside.

2. Combine salsa, tomatoes with green chiles, black beans, corn, jalapeno, and cilantro in the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Add the seasoned chicken to the slow cooker; stir to combine.

3. Cook on low for 5-6 hours (check at 4 hours for doneness). Remove jalapeno and discard. Remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir. Serve over rice or fill in tortillas. Garnish with more cilantro.

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So, how’s it taste?

I let my pot roast cook for almost 10 hours. I wanted the beef to fall apart and get really tender. Cook it for 8 hours if you prefer slicing it. Don’t be afraid of the horseradish. After that long in the slow cooker, it’s a fabulous flavor and not the sinus-opening root you’re used to. I was surprised that the onion soup mix wasn’t the predominant flavor. The soup mix, cream of mushroom soup, and horseradish blend beautifully into this gravy that is unbelievable. I wasn’t kidding when I wrote that I drenched each serving in it. The sour cream is mixed into the juices from the slow cooker at the end making a gravy that’s tangy and rich, but not very thick. I used the healthier, lower calorie cream of mushroom soup and low fat sour cream in my dish to reduce the calories a bit. Didn’t hurt the flavor at all!

Pot Roast with Sour Cream Horseradish Sauce

Betty Crocker Simple Home Cooking, January 2005
makes 8 servings
per serving: 470 calories, 25g fat, 38g protein, 28g carbs, 5g fiber

Ingredients:

3 lbs. beef boneless chuck roast
1 lb. baby-cut carrots
6 small red potatoes, cut in half
2 dried bay leaves
1 jar (5 oz.) prepared horseradish, well drained (1/2 cup)
1 envelope (1 oz.) onion soup mix (from 2 oz. package)
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup (can use Healthy Request version)
1/2 cup sour cream (can use low fat)

Directions:

1. If beef roast comes in netting or is tied, remove netting or strings. In 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, place carrots, potatoes, and bay leaves. Rub horseradish over beef; place beef on vegetables. Sprinkle with dry onion soup mix. Pour mushroom soup over all.

2. Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 10 hours. (Cook for 8 hours to slice the pot roast. Cook for 10 hours and it can easily be pulled into pieces using two forks.)

3. Remove beef from cooker; place on cutting board. Cut beef across grain into 1/4-inch slices or use 2 forks to pull beef into serving pieces. Remove and discard bay leaves. Remove vegetables from cooker with slotted spoon. Place beef on serving platter with vegetables. Stir sour cream into cooking juices in cooker with wire whisk. Serve sauce over beef.

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So, how’s it taste?

One of the best parts about this time of year is getting out the slow cooker. I’m a sucker for it. I love prepping everything in the morning, putting that baby on low, and having my whole house slowly start to smell fantastic. It’s a teaser all day long to smell delicious food and not be able to eat it for a few hours. This soup is so unusual with it’s flavors, that I had to try it. Butternut squash, apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger. It’s begging to be made during the Fall. The butternut is slightly sweet and earthy, but the apples help to brighten it up and add just one more note of sweet to make it perfect. The spices may seem too much for this type of soup, but they are very subtle in the background. Although this soup is creamy and a touch decadent from the whipping cream, it still tastes like you’re eating a really light soup. It’s not rich at all. And bonus, it actually is light. One cup is a measly 160 calories, so I bump up my serving to 1 1/2 cups and eat it with bread (great for dipping!) to make a meal.

I’m not going to sugar coat the prep for you though. It is a major pain in the butt to peel and cube butternut squash. I’ve done it three times in my lifetime and I bitch and moan the whole time. I finally got a Y peeler to make the job a little easier, but it’s still no walk in the park. If you’ve got any tips, feel free to share! I suggest tackling the butternut squash first, then peeling the apples seems like a breeze. I would also recommend getting an immersion blender if you don’t  have one. I love mine. It’s great for blending in your slow cooker (like this recipe or my cauliflower soup recipe) and it makes milkshakes easily, too!

To make this dish vegetarian, use vegetable broth instead of chicken. I recommend using regular broth instead of low sodium. I made mine with low sodium chicken broth and ended up adding what felt like a boatload of salt to the final product. I also added some freshly ground black pepper to taste. The leftovers freeze well and this soup tastes just as delicious cold, too!

Yield: 8 (1 cup) servings

Spiced Apple Butternut Soup

Ingredients:

8 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 3 lbs.)
2 large apples, peeled, chopped (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 carton (32 oz.) chicken or vegetable broth (4 cups)
1 cup apple juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 cup whipping cream

Directions:

1. Spray 4- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, mix all ingredients except whipping cream.

2 Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 to 10 hours.

3 Blend soup in cooker with immersion blender, or blend soup in batches in blender container on low speed and return to cooker. Stir in whipping cream.

per serving: 160 calories, 5g fat, 27g carbs, 3g fiber, 3g protein

Source: Pillsbury Pot Pies & Casseroles, September 2009

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So, how’s it taste?

This was such a fantastic bowl of comfort food. Normally I get sick of soups pretty quickly, but I looked forward to every bowl of this one. It’s a shorter cooking time than most meals in the slow cooker, but the only ingredient that really has to cook is the barley. I couldn’t find wheat berries, so I used barley and it worked great. You could pretty much use any hearty grain you like. Farro would work well, too. I love the colors in this soup. The carrots really stand out against the peas and the barley, and the flecks of green throughout from the spinach are so pretty. I added more spinach than the recipe called for just to make the soup even more heartier. I think I added about half a bag! This soup is definitely filling.

I know it sounds odd, but trust me on the optional flavor additions before serving. The horseradish and Dijon mustard add an unbelievable boost. You will LOVE it. I added a teaspoon of each to start, but you could add more or less to your liking. I liked it so much, I think I’ll add more to my next serving. This soup would also be great with a big piece of bread dunked into it!

Black-Eyed Pea & Sausage Soup

Betty Crocker Slow Cooker Meals, October 2002
makes 6 servings
per serving: 270 calories, 8g fat, 37g carbs, 24g protein, 11g fiber

Ingredients:

2 cans (15 to 16 oz. each) black-eyed peas, drained, rinsed
14 oz. smoked turkey kielbasa sausage, cut lengthwise in half, then sliced crosswise
4 medium carrots, chopped (2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup uncooked wheat berries or barley
1 cup water
3 cans (14 oz. each) reduced-sodium beef broth
2 cups shredded fresh spinach
1 tsp. dried marjoram leaves
2 tbsp. prepared horseradish, optional
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard, optional

Directions:

1. In 3- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix all ingredients except spinach and marjoram.

2. Cover and cook on low heat setting 5 to 6 hours or until wheat berries are tender.

3. Stir in spinach and marjoram. Cover and cook about 15 minutes or until spinach is tender.

4. To serve, add 1 teaspoon each of horseradish and mustard to individual bowls of soup, if desired.

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So, how’s it taste?

I loved this. Every morsel of it. The smell while it was cooking was insanely good, but the taste was even better. The recipe called for chicken thighs and they work so well in slow cooker recipes. The meat was perfectly tender and juicy. I used turkey sausage to cut the calories instead of regular kielbasa and it turned out great. The flavor in this dish was just incredible. I don’t like green peppers much, but added them anyway and they were so good! The jambalaya was savory, but had a hint of sweet from the tomato paste. I thought it was an odd ingredient, but it made all the difference. Splash on a few drops of hot sauce and you’re in business. This has to be in my top five all-time favorite slow cooker recipes.

Slow-Cooked Jambalaya-Style Red Beans & Rice

Pillsbury Slow Cooker Recipes, January 2002

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped
3/4 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, quartered
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 dried bay leaves
1 can (15.5 oz.) red beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained (I used garlic & herb flavor)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 package (12 oz) frozen cooked deveined peeled small shrimp, thawed (I used 1 lb. fresh, uncooked)
1/2 lb. cooked kielbasa or Polish sausage, halved lengthwise, cut into 1-inch slices
4 cups uncooked instant white rice
4 cups water
Red pepper sauce, if desired

Directions:

1. In 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, layer all ingredients in order listed, except shrimp, sausage, rice, water and pepper sauce.

2. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.

3. About 10 minutes before serving, gently stir shrimp and sausage into chicken mixture. Remove and discard bay leaves. Increase heat setting to High; cover and cook 5 to 10 minutes longer or until shrimp and sausage are hot.

4. Meanwhile, cook rice in water as directed on package. Serve meat mixture over rice. Serve with pepper sauce.

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