* Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken *

I found this recipe on Pinterest and it turned out delicious!  I am a huge fan of Mexican food.  It's usually so quick, easy, and tasty so any variation is appreciated by me!  Give it a try.  Oh and bonus...it's made in the crockpot which is perfect for summer!  Recipe found here.

* Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken *

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (frozen is fine)

1 cup salsa

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 packet taco seasoning

1/2 cup sour cream

6 tortillas

Place chicken in the bottom of your slow cooker. Sprinkle taco seasoning on chicken. In a bowl, combine soup and salsa. Pour over chicken. Cook on high 4 hours. Shred chicken with two forks and stir in sour cream. Serve on tortillas or as desired.

* Cafe Rio Shredded Beef Knockoff *

We had this for dinner last night and it was yummy!!! I am a huge fan of the Cafe Rio/Costa Vida restaurants and although I haven't tried their shredded beef, this was delicious and super easy! I found the recipe here! I also served it with a homemade Spanish Rice recipe I got from a friend in my ward (I will have to share it soon) and a new black bean recipe (I'll share that sometime too!)

*Cafe Rio Shredded Beef *
3lb Chuck Roast
1 Can Green Chile Sauce
1 C Beef Broth
1 Small Can Tomato Sauce
1 T Cumin
1/2 Onion
3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

Place chuck roast in crock pot, pour green chile sauce, beef broth, & tomato sauce over the top and add cumin & garlic. Cut an onion in half a place full onion rings on top of the roast to flavor(they will be removed when the roast is cooked and discarded). Cook on low for 8-9 hours, or until meat falls apart easily. Shred meat into a different container, strain juices from the crock pot and pour over shredded beef.


You can use this on tacos, burritos, salads, chimichangas, nachos, taquitos, quesadillas...I'm pretty sure the list could go on and on. It made a lot of beef so I froze half of it to use for another meal!

I also have knockoff recipes for the Costa Vida/Cafe Rio Chicken and Costa Vida/Cafe Rio Pork. (click on the names to take you to the recipes).

* Apple Pie Filling, Chunky Applesauce, & Apple Butter (for canning) *

To start of canning week, here are a few basic canning tips I've found useful (this is really only my 3rd year of canning so I'm still a newbie. Feel free to offer any tips or suggestions of your own or to let me know if I'm doing it wrong, etc.)

*Run jars and rings through dishwasher cycle to sanitize them. Leave them in the dishwasher until you are ready to fill them so that they will stay warm and clean.

*After filling the jars, run a small plastic spatula or knife around the jar sides and through the middle of filling to get air bubbles out of the jar.

*Heat water in a bowl in microwave until boiling. Put new lids in boiling water for a few minutes before putting on filled jars. Make sure the wipe the jar rims off with a clean dishcloth before putting the hot lids on them.

*Bring the jars in water bath pot to a boil and start timing them once the water starts boiling

*Place processed jars on a towel on the counter after they are done processing. Do not let a fan or open window blow cool air on the hot jars…they will burst.

*Lids should “pop” when they are sealed although not all of them will make that sound. After 24 hours, you can test the jars 3 ways to make sure they are sealed.
1) Push on lid. If it pops up and down, it is not sealed.
2) Using a metal spoon, tap on lid. If it makes a high pitched ping, it is sealed. If it makes a low pitched sound, it is not sealed.
3) Take of ring and pick jar up holding onto the lid. If it pops off, it is not sealed.
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Onto the recipes:

I found this apple pie filling recipe here. Random story about Apple Pie Filling: when I first moved to Idaho, a super nice girl by the name of Natalie befriended me. She taught me how to sew, can, etc. She is amazing! She gave me a similar recipe for canned Apple Pie Filling. It was the same as this recipe but didn't call for the 10 cups of water. Everytime I made it, it turned out SO THICK and gelled up. I couldn't figure out why until I looked up a recipe online and realized that the water had been left off the recipe. It still tasted good but it's definitely better with the water :)

* Canned Apple Pie Filling *
4 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. cornstarch
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
10 c. water
6 pounds of apples, washed, peeled and thinly sliced

Note: Slice apples into a solution of 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to 1 quart of water to avoid discoloration. Drain the fruit well before packing in jars.

In a large pot, blend together sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir in the water and lemon juice with a wire whisk. Cook and stir until bubbly and thick; remove from heat. While the filling cooks, slice the apples and add them into a solution of 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to 1 quart of water to avoid discoloration. Drain the fruit well before packing in jars. Pack apples into clean, hot canning jars leaving an inch from the top of the jar. Fill with the hot syrup, leaving 1/2 inch space from the top of the jar. Remove air bubbles by running a knife around the insides of each jar. Close the jars with hot, sterile lids and rims. Process in a boiling water bath for 20 -30 minutes Use a jar tongs to remove the jars from water. Place the jars on a dish towel to dry and allow the jars to cool for several hours Check the seals to make certain the lids are sealed properly (the lids should be lowered in the middle and not move up or down)

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This next recipe is from my Grandma Williams (and my mom...after I lost the one from my grandma) I LOVE this stuff and so do my kids! It is so yummy and the pieces are cut into the perfect size for kids! I'm not sure why it is called "sauce" since it is definitely not "saucy"...it should probably be called Baked Apples. My grandma uses this as a side dish, in jellos, etc. My sister and I were also thinking you could use it in apple cake, cinnamon roll filling, etc.

* Chunky Applesauce *
6 quarts apples: peeled, cored, cut into chunks
2 c. water
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
4 Tbsp. lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in large pot. Bring to simmer and cook for 30-45 minutes until soft. Bottle and process for 25 minutes. Makes 8 pints. (on this one, I don’t worry about cutting the apples into a lemon juice/water solution to stop them from browning because you are going to cook them in cinnamon so they will turn brown anyways.)

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Lastly, apple butter. So so yummy! Ill be honest...I haven't technically made this yet. I am in the process of it as I type! The apples are cooking in the crockpot and it smells heavenly! I used the recipes found here and here (I found the allrecipes one first but used the second one for the canning directions)

*All Day Apple Butter *
5 1/2 pounds apples - peeled, cored and finely chopped
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt

Place the apples in a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Pour the mixture over the apples in the slow cooker and mix well.
Cover and cook on high 1 hour.
Reduce heat to low and cook 9 to 11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown.
Uncover and continue cooking on low 1 hour. Stir with a whisk, if desired, to increase smoothness. (can also puree with a hand blender)
Spoon the mixture into sterile containers, cover and refrigerate, freeze, or process in waterbath for 15 minutes for pints and 20 minutes for quarts.

A special thanks for my parents for providing us with the apples :)

* Crockpot Meatloaf *

Oh crockpot...why do I love thee? Let me count the ways:
I love that almost every meal I cook in you requires hardly any real prep work--I usually just dump stuff in and I almost always put all my meat in frozen...so easy! I love that my house smells yummy all day while you cook for me. I love that I don't have one of those "Oh crap, it's 5:00pm and I don't know what to make for dinner...again" moments when I remember to use you. I love you crockpot..."don't you go dying on me!" (name the movie)

When I saw the recipe for crockpot meatloaf (found here) I thought, really? Won't it turn out all mushy or weird cooked in the crockpot? Well, I'm here to tell you, my friends, that it turns out AWESOME in the crockpot! I halved this recipe and it was the perfect amount for our family dinner and for leftovers in the hubby's lunch the next day.

*Crockpot Meatloaf *
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 lg. bell pepper, chopped (didn't use this...I'm not really a pepper person)
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup of milk
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs or cracker crumbs
1 envelope onion soup mix
2-3 lbs ground beef

Line crock pot with foil

Mix together the eggs, milk, dry crumbs, & onion soup mix. Add meat and onions (and peppers)and mix all thoroughly. Shape into loaf, put in crock pot and cook on low for 6-8hrs.

2 hrs before done you can put ketchup on top of loaf and let cook the last 2 hrs. (instead of doing just ketchup, I mix ketchup, mustard, and a bit of brown sugar together...so good!)

* Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches *

While browsing Pinterest (my new FAVORITE website), my hubby was looking over my shoulder at the computer and we saw this recipe posted. He loves buffalo chicken stuff so he wanted me to "pin" this recipe for future use. The original recipe is found here. We tried it out and it was good! I am not so much a buffalo chicken-spicy type of girl but this was pretty good. We halved this recipe and it was the perfect ammount for our family.

* Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken *3 lb. bag of frozen chicken breasts
1 bottle Frank's Wings Buffalo Sauce
1 packet Ranch Dip Mix
2 TBSP butter

Put frozen chicken, wing sauce, and ranch dip mix into crock pot.
Cook on low at least 6 to 7 hours
Using two forks, shred chicken & return to crock pot.
Add butter.
Cook on low for an additional hour.
Serve on buns and enjoy!

* Crockpot Italian Chicken *

I found this recipe out of my sister's ward cookbook. It is super super easy and yummy!! We eat it a lot on Sundays...perfect to throw in the crockpot a few hours before church gets out!

* Crockpot Italian Chicken *

5 boneless chicken breasts
1 c. water
1 dry Italian dressing envelope
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 (8 oz) cream cheese

Combine chicken, water, and dressing. Cook for 4 hours on low. Add the soup and cream cheese. Cook for 2 more hours. Serve over rice or noodles.

(Most of the time, I just dump everything into the crockpot at the same time and it turns out great. I actually like it better because the cream cheese melts a little more)

(You can also cook it in the oven at 375* for 45-60 minutes)

* Costa Vida Chicken Knock off *

For Max's birthday party dinner, I wanted to do something easy, yummy, and that could feed a good number of people. I found this yummy recipe at Your Homebased Mom and it was perfect for our dinner.

*Costa Vida Chicken*
(I forgot to take a picture...sorry!)
1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breast

(this recipe can be easily halved or you can make the full batch and freeze the leftovers for another meal! Good menu planning!)

Cook all together in a crock pot for 4 hours, shred meat and cook 1 additional hour. Serve in tacos, burritos, tostadas, quesadillas, on nachos, on salads, etc.

* 3 Envelope Roast *

I am not really a pot roast person. I like roast with BBQ sauce or french dip sandwiches...you know...the kind of recipes with a little something mixed in so it's not just a hunk of meat? Well, I decided I was going to make a nice Sunday dinner with roast and potatoes. I found this recipe at Real Mom Kitchen and it was actually pretty yummy and very easy!

* 3 Envelope Roast * 3 pound beef roast (I used a chuck roast)
1 envelope of dry Italian salad dressing mix
1 envelope of dry ranch salad dressing mix
1 envelope of dry brown gravy mix
2 cups water

Put the water in a measuring cup that is larger then the amount of water you are using. Add and mix all three envelopes of dry salad dressings to the water. Mix until blended completely. Brown the roast (if desired--I did not brown mine...in fact, I put my roast in the crock pot still frozen). Add the meat to your cooker. Pour the water, salad dressing mixture over the roast. Cook it on high for about 4-5 hours on low about 8-9 hours.

You can also make gravy using the drippings from the roast and dressing mixture. I mixed 2 T. cornstarch with 1/4 c. of the drippings until it was no longer lumpy. I then added 2 cups of the drippings/dressing mixture and 2 beef bouillon cubes. I brought it to a boil (or until it thickened) and served it over mashed potatoes. It was actually really good!

* Crockpot Taco Soup *

This is the easiest meal you'll ever make...seriously. I got this recipe out of a crockpot cookbook called "Fix it and Forget it: Recipes for Entertaining." It's actually a combination of two recipes. Basically you brown the meat, open cans, and throw it all in the crockpot. You could even make it easier by using canned chicken instead of ground beef--then all you have to do it open a bunch of cans and let it cook. It's super easy and super yummy!

*Crockpot Taco Soup *
1 lb ground beef
1 can corn
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 small onion
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 envelope ranch seasoning (the best part about the recipe)

Brown the ground beef. Pour into crockpot. Add the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Serve with corn or tortilla chips, sour cream, and shredded cheese.

* Crockpot Fajitas *

We got some orange bell peppers in our Bountiful Basket last week and I am not a pepper person. I decided that I need to get over my childish fear of "gross foods" and planned to make fajitas. I found this recipe at A Year of Slow Cooking (awesome crockpot recipes, by the way). I did not have a packaged fajita seasoning mix so I found this fajita seasoning recipe online and it was great!

*Fajita Seasoning Mix*
3 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp sugar
2 ½ tsp crushed chicken bouillon cube
1 ½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp cumin

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Pour the mixture in a small glass or plastic air tight container and store in a cool, dry place. 2 Tbsp. = 1 Seasoning Packet

*Crockpot Fajitas*2 lbs of thin sliced beef (I used round steak because we have a lot of it but usually it's made with flank steak...pretty much any steak would work though)
1 packet of fajita seasoning mix
1 onion
2 bell peppers
1/2 cup of water

Dump your meat into the crockpot. It can be frozen or thawed. Cut the onion and the peppers in strips, and add to the crock. Add the seasoning and water. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours, or high for 6. The meat is done when it reaches desired tenderness.

We really enjoyed this meal! The only thing that some may not like is that the peppers and onions are cooked really well...so well that they pretty much blend in with the meat and you can't really tell they are there. That was great for a pepper-hater like myself but for someone who loves the crunch of the vegetables, I'd suggest adding them in later...maybe a few hours before you plan to serve it.

* Easy Sweet Pork Roast (Cafe Rio Knockoff) *

I LOVE Cafe Rio (yummy Utah-based Mexican food)! I crave them all the time and we just recently got a Cafe Rio up here in Idaho which is so great! Before we got the restaurant up here, I had to make do with a homemade sweet pork roast. This recipe is my favorite because it is so easy and I always have the ingredients on hand. It doesn't taste exactly like Cafe Rio pork roast but it is very yummy! **I've had a few people tell me that you can add a can of Coke or Root Beer and it will taste a bit more like Cafe Rio/Costa Vida pork...I haven't tried it but let me know if you do!

Sweet Pork Roast
*2-3 lb. pork roast
*2 c. salsa
*1 c. brown Sugar

Place pork roast in crockpot. Sprinkle brown sugar and salsa over the top. Cook on low 7-8 hours. Shred and let pork simmer in the juice for another hour. (At this point, I add in a few more spices, although the recipe doesn't call for it. I add a little bit of garlic salt, cumin, and taco seasoning.) I use this in tacos, burritos, on salads, etc. So yummy!