Serret's Infamous Crockpot Chicken

Do you ever have those days where you are just run down and don't want to stand in the kitchen for hours making an elaborate meal?? Yeah. Me too.

Eight years ago, The Hubble and I had wedding showers galore. During one of these wedding showers we received a big ol' crockpot. Over the years, the only thing I've ever used that crockpot for was to keep my queso warm after I cooked it. Nice right??

Well, one day I was on Facebook and my friend Serret polled her friends to see if anyone would be interested in a couple crockpot recipes she had thrown together. I immediately jumped on with a big "yes, please!"

Serret went on to explain that her infamous crockpot chicken has been served at several dinner parties. Her guests would devour the dish and ask for more.

When I looked at the recipe and saw how easy it was (that and the fact that it was a ton of cheese, with some chicken thrown in) I ran to the store to get the ingredients. Serret is not wrong. This dish was delicious! The Hubble, Little Butt and I really enjoyed it and now that I'm typing this, I'm thinking I'm going to have to make it again soon. Luckily the air is turning crisp and I can feel the chill coming so I will have yet another excuse to break out the crockpot again!

I asked Serret if I could share her recipe with you as well and she said yes! So here it is:

Ingredients: 2 packages chicken breast tenderloins, 2 cans nacho cheese soup, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, 1 box rotini pasta and 1 stick of butter. Easy right??

Start by laying out your chicken tenderloins and sprinkling them with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. You control how much you put on them. This is what mine looked like when I was done.

NOTE: I did not trim anything off these tenderloins but when they were finished cooking I realized I should have cut off the piece of white stuff at the top of the tenderloin. I think it's a fatty piece or gristle or something...but you should definitely cut them off. It's much easier at the end. Trust me.

After the chicken is seasoned to your liking, dump it in your crockpot.

Then dump in the cans of nacho cheese soup.

 

Stir it all up and make sure the chicken is well covered with the cheese soup. Now cover and cook on low for about 6-8 hours. 

I cooked mine on low for the 6 hours then turned it up for another 1/2 hour to hour. It looked like this when finished cooking.

When the chicken is nice and tender, take two forks and shred it. We wanted ours pretty chunky so I just broke up the chicken into pieces.

At this point you want to cook your rotini as per the directions on the package. When the pasta is done cooking, drain it and melt a stick of butter in the pasta.

Then sprinkle it with a bit of salt and pepper.

Serve the noodles in a bowl, topped with the cheesy chicken and you have yourself a darn good, super easy meal that everyone in the family will enjoy (even those who don't like cheese: i.e. The Hubble).

Linked up with Family Friendly Friday's with Mommie Cooks.

Serret's Infamous Crockpot Chicken

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Ingredients:

• 2 packages chicken breast tenderloins
• 2 can nacho cheese soup
• garlic powder, to taste
• onion powder, to taste
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 1 package rotini pasta
• 1 stick butter

Directions:

1. Trim fat off chicken.
2. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder; place in crockpot.
3. Add nacho cheese soup making sure chicken is well covered.
4. Cover and cook in crockpot on low 6-8 hours until thoroughly cooked.
5. When chicken is finished fully cooked, shred with two forks.
6. Cook rotini as per directions on package; drain.
7. Melt butter over rotini and coat well; sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Serve chicken mixture over rotini.
9. Enjoy!

Gangsta Burgers (aka Bruschetta Burgers)

I have this problem lately. Apparently...I am a slacker blogger. Yes. You heard me.

My poor little blog has not been feeling much lovins lately and I'm sad about it. Life took over lately and I have truly missed everything that this blog has provided for me.

Least of all...this blog has provided me the opportunity to "meet" and "get to know" some other amazing food bloggers in the food bloggy world.

I've already waxed poetic about my intense slight obsession love for Julie. And today I want to talk about another love of mine...Monica from Lick the Bowl Good.

Monica was one of the very first food blogs I started reading. Her pictures were amazing. Her food always looked delicious. And she blogged about both sweet yumminess and savory dishes. I was completely smitten from the start.

One day, Monica posted about these little bacon and egg candy things. I thought they were so adorable that I had to comment!

As my blog tried to find it's voice (it started as a book blog, became a personal blog, and landed as a food blog) and I continuously changed my name (from Litvixen to mannadonn and finally Maranda) it was no wonder that Monica had no idea who I was.

Until one day I emailed her. I emailed her to tell her how much she had inspired me and how much my heart went out to her and her family. What I received in response was more than I could have hoped for. Monica was sweet, kind and welcoming and I was shocked to find out she lives in the same town my mother lives.

Now, for Father's Day Monica posted an amazing looking meal. Bruschetta burgers. I ran out to get the stuff to make these for The Hubble the following weekend. What I didn't realize at the time was that this small dinner would turn into a small gathering.

Everyone loved these burgers so much that they were given a new name and became a staple over the summer. We've had them probably 5 times or more over the last couple of months.

Now it is my pleasure to pass these on to you. Because "my gangsta burgers bring all the boys to the yard" and they will to yours as well!

Let's go:

First we start with the ingredients (now keep in mind that I was making this for a get together of 24 people so if the portions look large, they were! The recipe at the end will be for 2-3 people.):

For the burgers: hamburger patties, hamburger buns and mozzarella slices.

For the bruschetta topping: roma tomatoes, minced garlic, Mediterranean basil, garlic salt, pepper, shredded parmesan cheese. (And extra virgin olive oil, but I forgot to put it in the picture).

For the pesto may: good quality mayonnaise and prepared pesto.

Please allow me to talk about this stuff for a moment. This stuff, this basil pesto, is pretty much...magical. I love this stuff! I use it on sandwiches, in pasta sauce and yes...on gangsta burgers! If you ask me, this should be a staple in everyone's kitchen. It is in mine!

Now. We are going to core and seed our tomatoes. I started by slicing the tops off the tomatoes, cutting them in half, then using a spoon to scrape out all the seeds and stuff inside the tomato.

Then do a little dice, dice action to those bad boys.

Dump in your minced garlic. Yes. I'm lazy and Anthony Bourdain would yell at me because I use the pre-minced stuff. Don't forget I was making a huge batch of this stuff...that's a lot of garlic!!

Now we toss in our basil. I really like the Mediterranean basil but you can use any you like...or hey, use fresh if you are into that sort of thing! It's difficult to get fresh basil in the middle of nowhere though so I do what I can.

Now stir all of that stuff up until it's well mixed.

I totally forgot to take a picture of this earlier so here it is. Now add your olive oil. Mix it up nice and good and put it in the fridge so all the flavors can marry up. We'll make everything else while the tomatoes, basil and garlic and getting to know one another. (Do not add the garlic salt and pepper until immediately before serving. The salt will cause the tomatoes to release their juices and you don't want that).

Next, you want to make your pesto mayo. Basically...well...not basically...really. Just toss your mayo into a bowl, dump the pesto on top and mix it all up. You can set that in the fridge for now too.

Now for the burgers. We used the pre-formed frozen kind but you can make your own if you want. Just sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper and toss them on the grill (or pan fry or use an indoor grill, whatever you prefer).

When the burgers are almost done, top with a slice of cheese and allow to melt.

Now for our trip through the daisies...because no summer is complete without a couple kids with watermelon slices the size of their heads and juice running down their chins. I would say Little Butt and her best friend Z-Man really enjoyed their watermelon.

Oh wait. What? You don't want yours? You want mommy to eat it?? Well....if you insist! I'll jump on that grenade for you Little Butt.

When the burgers are done and you have finished your daughter's piece of watermelon, toss some garlic salt and pepper into the bruschetta and mix it up. Spread a healthy dose of pesto mayo onto your bun, place a burger on the bun, top with the bruschetta and shredded parmesan.

Then top with the bun and enjoy!!!

I must also warn you that if you make these for anyone outside your family, they will pretty much expect them EVERY time they come over after their first taste.

Thank you.

The end.

Gangsta Burgers (aka Bruschetta Burgers)
Adapted from Lick the Bowl Good

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Ingredients:

For bruschetta topping:

• 3 ripe roma tomatoes; cored, seeded and diced
• 1 Tablespoon pre-minced garlic (or 2 garlic cloves, minced)
• 1 teaspoon Mediterranean basil (or fresh)
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• Garlic salt and pepper to taste
• Shredded parmesan cheese

For pesto mayo:

• 3 Tablespoons good quality mayo
• 1 Tablespoon prepared basil pesto

For beef patties:

• Beef patties (frozen or homemade); salt and pepper to taste
• 1 slice mozzarella cheese per hamburger patty

Directions:

For bruschetta topping:

1. Core, seed, and dice tomato. 
2. Add minced garlic, basil and extra virgin olive oil; mix well to combine.
3. Immediately before serving add garlic salt and pepper.

For pesto mayo:

1. Place mayo and prepared pesto into container, mix well.

For hamburger patties:

1. Place patties on grill, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. When burgers are almost to desired temperature top with mozzarella cheese; cook until cheese is melted.

Gangsta burger assembly:

1. Spread a generous helping of pesto mayo on both sides of hamburger bun.
2. Place cheese topped hamburger patty on bun.
3. Top with bruschetta topping and parmesan cheese.
4. Eat and enjoy!

Pork Tocino

I was reading a blog recently...please don't ask me which one because I don't remember how I found it...and I came across another blog called Table for 2....or more. On this blog was a recipe that looked absolutely to die for!

Naturally, I had to make it. I mean, first of all...it's pork. Secondly, it's like barbecued pork. Third of all...it's pork!

Traditionally, this meal is served with eggs for a breakfast dish but I wanted it for dinner. So that's what I did. I made it for dinner.

Luckily, we were having dinner guests so I knew exactly what I would serve! However, I then read the recipe and realized the pork needed at least a 48 hour marinade time so I had to push the dinner party from Wednesday to Friday but no one complained once they took their first bites! And what better to serve with pork tocino than Baked Alaska for dessert?!?!?

Now, the original recipe was kind of small so I adapted it to a larger hunk of meat and more people. I'm glad I did too because The Hubble and I fought over the leftovers the next day. And that was after the 4 of us the night before each had seconds. This makes quite a bit but you won't be sorry.

Let's get to it.

Ingredients: Pork shoulder, brown sugar, low sodium soy sauce, garlic powder, salt, pepper, ketchup, coke or pepsi and pineapple juice.

Don't forget! You need to do this at least 2 days prior to serving this meal!

Start by slicing your pork shoulder (fat and all) into slices or thin strips. I went with the thin strip but I've seen them fatter. Place them in a ceramic baking dish.

In a large bowl we are going to make the marinade. Start with the pineapple juice.

Add in the coke.

Dump in the ketchup.

And the soy sauce. Notice it's not quite a cup.

Now add in the brown sugar.

The garlic powder.

The salt.

And the pepper.

And whisk it all together until all the dry ingredients dissolve and everything is well combined.

Now pour the marinade over the pork shoulder strips. Cover tightly and place in the refrigerator for at least 48 hours or up to 5 days.

After the pork is nice and flavorful, dump the meat and marinade into a large pot and cook it on high heat until boiling.

In batches, remove the meat from the pot with tongs and place into a large skillet. Grab some of the sauce from the pot and pour it over the meat. Pan fry the meat and sauce until the sauce thickens and the meat is well cooked.

Then serve and enjoy! I served mine with regular white sticky rice and spinach. But you can have it with eggs the next morning as well! Yum!!!


Pork Tocino
Adapted from Table for 2....or more

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Ingredients:

• 6 lb pork shoulder
• 2 1/2 cups pineapple juice
• 1 1/3 cups coke or pepsi
• 1 1/3 cups ketchup
• Just under 1 cup of low sodium soy sauce
• 2 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons salt
• 3 teaspoons ground black pepper

Directions:

1. 48 hours in advance, slice the pork shoulder and place in ceramic baking dish.
2. Make the marinade: Whisk together pineapple juice, coke, ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
3. Pour marinade over meat making sure meat is well covered by the sauce.
4. Cover tightly and refrigerate no less than 48 hours and up to 5 days.
5. When ready to cook, pour meat and marinade into large sauce pot and cook on high until boiling.
6. In batches, move meat from pot to skillet using tongs and cook until sauce reduces and thickens and meat cooks thoroughly, about 5-7 minutes. 
7. Serve and enjoy!