Pork Loin

3lb pork loin

1/4 cup chipotle sauce (it's in the same place as hot sauce in the store)

2 cans diced green chiles

3 cloves of crushed garlic

1/2 cup of water

little bit of salt

Cut pork into 2 inch wide pieces add to crockpot.  Season with salt, add garlic and green chiles then add the water.  Cook on low for 6-7 hours.  Shred meat in crockpot, (take garlic cloves out) and mix all together let cook on low for 15 minutes-enough to get the juice and meat mixed.

That's how you make it and what you do with it can vary.  Most first night meals we eat with rice, lettuce, black beans, cheese and sour cream.  Sometime was make burritos, after a night or two break I make "can" soup out of it. 

This is why I call it can soup:

one can of mexi-corn

one can of black or kidney beans

one can of red beans

two cans of chicken broth

one can of rotel

1/4 cup cilatro (I don't like cilantro so I skip this-but most people like it)

1-2 cups of the leftover pork

Add all ingredients together and cook until hot.  Serve with avocado slices and sour cream on top!  YUM!

Pasta amatriciana (this makes a great lunch with lots of leftovers!)

INGREDIENTS
• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
• 1 pound linguine pasta, uncooked
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook diced bacon in a large saucepan over medium high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of drippings from the pan.
2. Add onions, and cook over medium heat about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds. Add canned tomatoes, undrained; simmer 10 minutes, breaking up tomatoes.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of 4 quarts boiling salted water until al dente. Drain.
4. Stir basil into the sauce, and then toss with cooked pasta. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese. 

Salsa and Sour cream Chicken

Ingredients:
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1 package reduced-sodium taco seasoning mix
1 cup salsa
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup light sour cream

Directions:
Spray the crock pot with cooking spray. Add the chicken breasts. Sprinkle with Taco Seasoning. Top with salsa. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

When ready to serve, remove the chicken from the pot. Place cornstarch in a small amount of water. Stir well. Stir the cornstarch mixture into salsa sauce. Stir in sour cream.

Cook for 6 hours on High. So Yummy!

Black Bean Soup

10 slices bacon, finely chopped
2 medium onions, chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
6 garlic cloves, pressed
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups canned chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
4 (15 1/2-ounce) cans black beans, drained but not rinsed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch cilantro
juice of 1/2 lime
Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
Sour cream, for garnish
Grated cheddar, for garnish

Put the bacon into a large heavy pot and place it over medium heat. Cook until it starts to give up its fat, about 4 minutes. Stir in the onions and cook, stirring, until they start to turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until you can smell it, about 1 minute. Add the broth, tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire, and chili powder. Stir in the beans, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the soup is bubbling gently and cook 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, pick off all the thick stems from the cilantro. Wash it and shake dry. Chop the cilantro coarsely and stir it into the soup when it has been simmering 10 minutes. cook until the soup is thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice. Serve with the garnishes.

Zesty Italian Chicken (SUPER EASY)

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (Medium thickness)

1 Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing 12oz container

Parmesean Cheese (the stuff in a shaker)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees,Clean chicken and place in a glass lasagna pan, Pour Zesty Italian dressing until chicken is half submerged and sprinkle parmesean cheese on top of chicken generously and cover with foil then bake at 350 for 45 minutes.  Take out and put more parmesean cheese on top of chicken and recover with foil bake another 15 minutes then let sit for a few minutes and serve. 

ham/asparagus/swiss Crepes

CREPE RECIPIE:  2 eggs,  1 1/4 C. Milk, 1 C. Flour, 2 Tbsp. Veg oil or melted unsalted butter, and 1/4 tsp. salt....                                          mix all ingredients together and chill at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

YOU WILL NEED:  8 oz. cooked ham, chopped (but i use sliced deli ham, chopped), 1 C. shredded Swiss Cheese, pepper to taste, 1 lb. fresh asparagus spears, trimmed and cut in half, and 10 prepared crepes.

FOR THE SAUCE: 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 1/4 C. flour, 1 C. low-sodium chicken broth, 1 C. milk, 1/4 cup stone-ground mustard, s&p to taste, chopped fresh chives.

1) preheat oven to 400 degrees. coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray.

2) Combine ham, swiss, and pepper in a bowl. Place 1/4 Cup ham mixture and 4 asparagus (which i steam while making crepes... i don't like crunchy asparagus) halves down the center of each crepe; roll.

3) arrqange crepes seam side down on prepared baking sheet. bake crepes until cheese4 has melted 15-20 minutes.

4) while crepes are baking, melt butter for the sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. whisk in flour; cook about 1 minute. whisk in broth and milk; bring mixture to a boil. reduce heat to med and simmer sauce for 3 minutes. whisk in mustard, s&p, and chopped chives; simmer to heat through. top crepes with sauce. this makes about 6 crepes for me... the recipie says 10, but i disagree.... guess i make them too fat :) 

Mac and Cheese Recipe

Ingredients
1 lb box of macaroni
1 stick butter
1 lb extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded minimum
1 TBS dry mustard
25-20 oz whole milk
2 TBS sifted flour
1/2 cup italian bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375
1. Prepare Macaroni according to box, drain and set aside
2. In a very large frying or sauce pan on MEDIUM heat, melt butter
3. Add dry mustard and cook for 3 minutes
4. Add flour and cook for 3 minutes
5. Add milk stirring continuously. DO NOT LET BOIL
6. Blend 3/4 shredded cheese stir continuously until melted. DO NOT LET BOIL
7. Mix macaroni & cheese sauce until well blended. Pour in large baking pan.
8. Sprinkle bread crumbs and remaining cheese on top and bake for 45 minutes or until top is golden brown