Crock Pot Cafe Rio Chicken

Crock pot meals are totally where it’s at right now in our humble abode. As I said before, picking up Joel from work every day is totally cramping my cooking style so I have to adjust until a darn space in a parking garage opens up.

The ingredients combine to create a zesty, smokey and slightly spicy chicken that is just perfect in tacos and burritos or atop tostados and salads. Trust me, I have had it in all these forms. I think my favorite was definitely the tostado which is pictured below. I’ll be sharing the recipe for some delicous {crock pot, duh} refried beans that was just perfect to go with this yummy chicken.

I have never been to Cafe Rio so I can’t make a comparision but it was so great that it will become a regular around here. But if I ever get the chance, I will totally be there.

Cafe Rio Chicken
recipe from Mandy’s Recipe Box

2 lbs chicken breasts
1 cup Zesty Italian dressing
1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 packet ranch dressing mix (mixed with 1/2 cup of water)
1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin

Mix Italian dressing, garlic, ranch dressing mix, chili powder and cumin in the crock pot. Add chicken and cook for 5-6 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Shred with a fork and serve.

Crispy Chicken Black Bean Tacos

We seriously love us some tacos around here and would probably eat them once a week without complaints. The only way we differ is that I prefer corn tortillas and Joel prefers flour. I usually have each available so that we are both happy but Joel totally jumped on the corn train when I served these.

I usually fry the corn tortillas then fill them but with this recipe, you place the tortilla in the hot oil, fill and fry. They were incredibly crispy and satisfying and though I made them weeks ago, I am still dreaming about them.

This recipe is from Cornerstone Cooking, the cookbook of food blogger Nick of macheesmo.com. I am an avid follower and really enjoy all of the unique, creative recipes he shares on his blog. Make sure you check it out!

Crispy Chicken Black Bean Tacos
recipe adapted from Cornerstone Cooking via Endless Simmer

2-3 large chicken breasts (I used polo asada from Trader Joe’s), cooked and thinly sliced
1 cup black beans, cooked
1/4 cup red onion, minced (I omitted these)
1/1 tsp. cumin
1/1 tsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
4-6 ounces pepper jack cheese, grated
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 avocado, sliced
Pinch of salt and pepper
8 corn tortillas
Hot sauce
Salsa
Sour cream

1.  In a medium bowl, add beans along with red onion, cilantro, and spices. Add a pinch of salt and lightly mash all of the ingredients together. Grate your cheese and have it ready as well.

2. In a large, non-stick skillet or cast iron skillet, add a few tablespoons of oil and heat over medium-high heat.

3. Add one corn tortilla at a time and let each get hot in the oil for a few seconds. Then add about 1/8 cup of the bean filling to one half of the tortilla. Top with a few slices of chicken and a sprinkle of grated cheese. Be careful not to overfill or they will not fold.

4. Using a spatula, carefully fold the tortilla over so it forms a shell. Press down lightly on the tortilla so it holds its shape.

5. As the first tortilla cooks, move it to the side and do a second one. Depending on the size of your pan, you should be able to get 2 or 3 tacos at once. If you have a griddle you can do even more at once.

6. Cook each taco for about 3 minutes per side until they are nicely browned and crispy.

7. When flipping the taco to cook on the other side, use a spatula and flip the taco toward the fold so the filling doesn’t fall out.

8. Serve tacos with toppings like hot sauce, salsa, avocados and sour cream.

Oven Tacos

I have never really been a big fan of ground beef tacos. I rarely had them as a kid because my mom makes a mean shredded beef that is incredibly easy so that was almost always what filled our taco shells. I surprisingly haven’t shared that recipe, I need to get on that.

Although I’m not a ground meat taco fan, I was intrigued by the name of these tacos so I had to take a closer look. They sounded a lot like a simplified version of enchiladas that you could throw together on a busy weeknight. And that’s how they tasted too. The original recipe made a large amount of tacos so I halved and tweaked it a bit to fit our tastes. These tacos were simple and required few ingredients with great results. They will be going on our regular menu rotation this fall!

Oven Tacos
recipe adapted from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures

1 lb. ground turkey
8 ounces of  canned refried beans (1/2 a can)
8 ounces tomato sauce
1 batch homemade taco seasoing (or half if you like things less spicy)
3/4 cup shredded cheese
Approximately 10-12 hard taco shells
Lettuce, salsa, sour cream, for serving

1. Brown ground turkey. Drain off any fat and add refried beans, tomato sauce, and seasoning.

2. Spoon mixture into taco shells.

3. Place filled shells into a baking pan, standing up. Sprinkle with cheese.

4. Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes or until heated through.

Baja Fish Tacos

Summer is on the way and if you haven’t noticed by now, I’m kind of obsessed with grilling. And this is the perfect light and refreshing summer supper. It involves a few components but they are quick and easy to throw together and totally worth the work. Even better, the sauces can be mixed up hours ahead of time and refrigerated and the veggies can be chopped so all you have to do is grill the fish then assemble.

The sauces are just delicious together…the avocado is thick and creamy while the mayo sauce is thin and tangy. I love the crunch of the cabbage (or lettuce if you don’t have cabbage on hand) and when it combines with the mayo sauce it tastes a bit like coleslaw. It’s so refreshing with the light, grilled fish.

Baja Fish Tacos
recipe from Taste and Tell

Fish: 4 (6- 8-ounce) mahimahi fillets, I used tilapia
olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
juice of 1 lime

Avocado Sauce:
Flesh of 2 medium-ripe avocados
juice of 1 lime
handful of fresh cilantro leaves
pinch of cayenne pepper

Tangy Mayo Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons water

10 to 12 (6-inch) soft flour tortillas
1 small head cabbage, shredded
2 medium tomatoes, diced
4 scallions, thinly sliced

1. Preheat a grill to high.  Drizzle fish on both sides with olive oil ans sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Grill 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until opaque.  Remove from heat and drizzle with lime juice.

2. In a small food processor or blender, process avocado, lime juice, cilantro and cayenne until smooth, the consistency of thick cream.  (Add water to thin, if necessary.)  Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

3. Place tortillas on top grill rack and heat through, 30 to 60 seconds.  Arrange food on a table for self-service.  To assemble, hold a tortilla in your hand and spread a spoonful of avocado sauce on it.  Add some fish and drizzle with tangy mayo sauce.  Top with cabbage, tomatoes, and scallions.

New Orleans Food Tour {Part II}

I am going to start the second installment of the food tour with our favorite meal of the whole trip. We were wondering Magazine Street and found ourselves hungry. After trying to go to several places that were closed (since it was Sunday) we finally stumbled upon The Rum House. It’s a Caribbean inspired place that served the most amazing and unique tacos I’ve ever had. Oh yeah, and the most amazing drinks! So what if it was Sunday lunch, we were on vacation.

I ordered a jerk chicken taco and a calypso beef taco with fried plantains and mac-n-cheese. I know the mac-n-cheese doesn’t quite go with tacos but I just can’t resist it. And I’m so glad I couldn’t because it was some of the best I’ve ever had. It was cheesy, creamy, a bit tangy and packed full of garlic! They had so many delicious and unique side dishes so I decided to try something out of the box for me. I have never had fried plantains so I ordered them and hoped for the best. They were crispy on the outside and still a bit firm inside and a bit sweet. I didn’t love them but I didn’t hate them either. {The Rum House – New Orleans, LA}

The jerk chicken taco was topped with a sweet mango salsa which I was a bit weary of before I tried it. I understand that the sweet mango balances out the spicy jerk seasoning but I just don’t usually like fruit with meat. Well, I’m glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and gave it a try because it was pretty darn delicious. As good as the jerk chicken taco was, the calypso beef was just out of this world. The beef was incredibly tender and was topped with citrusy lime sauce and big dollop of guacamole. Seriously, the best taco I have ever had! {The Rum House – New Orleans, LA}

Joel had fried oyster tacos that were topped with a caper relish and spicy remoulade. I can’t say that I tried them because, well, I didn’t like anything on them. But he said they were the best tacos ever so I thought I would share them with you all. {The Rum House – New Orleans, LA}

And we can’t forget the rum drinks we enjoyed at The Rum House. I partook in a Key Lime Coconut Punch while Joel had a Caribbean Punch with Homemade Strawberry Juice. Both were in a word, incredible! I’m not a big drinker. I just don’t like the taste of alcohol and always prefer a soda over a mixed drink. I absolutely could not taste the alcohol in either of these drinks making them just amazing. The Caribbean Punch was super refreshing and fruity while the Key Lime Coconut Punch was a bit stronger and zingy and I just loved that it was rimmed with graham cracker crumbs. {The Rum House – New Orleans, LA}

When I announced on Facebook that we were going to New Orleans I was told that I had to go to Cafe du Monde for beignets and cafe au lait. And when you are told by someone who has visited many times to go somewhere, you just have to listen. And who is going to turn down fried, sugar covered doughnuts? Not these guys. I’m not a coffee drinker so I skipped out on that but Joel had one and really enjoyed it. It was half coffee and half hot milk. He doesn’t like strong coffee so this was right down his aisle. The beignets were so airy, crispy, chewy and doused with powdered sugar. Our faces were quite amusing after we were done eating them. {Cafe Du Monde – New Orleans, LA}

The last stop on our food tour is the Cajun Cabin on Bourbon Street. We enjoyed true Cajun food there with red beans and rice and a crawfish po’ boy. The red beans and rice was served with andouille sausage and crispy chicken strips. The beans were so creamy and flavorful which made it very difficult to stop eating them. I tried a bite of Joel’s po’ boy and was pleasantly surprised by the crawfish. I have never had them before and thought they tasted like a subtle version of shrimp. This place was a definite winner. {The Cajun Cabin – New Orleans, LA}

New Orleans Food Tour {Part I}

We had a great time during our trip to New Orleans! I especially had a great time eating all the local grub! We didn’t get to eat as much Cajun food as we would have liked (because of the times of the games we had to eat at the dome a few times) but still managed to eat (and drink) quite a bit of unique fare that we couldn’t get around here. So here are our favorites….Joel thought that when we went on vacation he would escape the obsessive photo taking of our food but he was wrong. And embarrassed, which isn’t easy to do. If you ever travel to New Orleans, be sure to check out these eats!

Our first meal was at The Ruby Slipper which uses all local products from the sausage to dairy to bread. They also have a great story behind the name of the restaurant. The owners are big Wizard of Oz fans so when they came back to the city after Katrina they decided on this name because “there is no place like home.” They serve breakfast, lunch and brunch offerings with a New Orleans flair. Joel decided on the BBQ Shrimp and Grits while I had a Cheese Omelet with Breakfast Potatoes and a Biscuit. There other breakfast items sounded amazing (check out the pancakes and french toast options) but I just wasn’t in the mood for sweet and they all came with meat which I was trying my hardest to avoid.

The omelet was good but the breakfast potatoes and biscuit definitely stole the show. The potatoes were so brown and crispy while the biscuit had a crunchy bottom (in a good way) and soft, moist middle. {The Ruby Slipper, New Orleans – downtown and midtown}

The BBQ Shrimp had an amazing, spicy Cajun rub that was great on the shrimp. I can’t be a judge on the grits because well, I hate grits. I tried them because I haven’t had them in awhile and thought maybe I wouldn’t mind them but the hate remains. Joel enjoyed them though and they looked yummy. {The Ruby Slipper, New Orleans – downtown and midtown}

We stayed about 45 minutes outside the city in Picayune, MS and when we were driving in the first night, I spotted this little place and my heart skipped a beat. When we walked inside I just about died because it was even better than my wildest dreams!

They displayed case after case of pretty much any Southern (or any other region for that matter) pastry you could imagine. Needless to say, it was extremely difficult to make a selection…so we went a second time in order to get the full effect. I didn’t get any pictures inside the shop because Joel looked like he just might die if I pulled out the camera.


Joel indulged in his first ever eclair and it was pretty heavenly to say the least. He tried to compare it to a Long John and thought the doughnut version was better but let’s be honest…he is crazy and doesn’t know what he is talking about. The pastry was light and airy, the filling creamy and the chocolate rich. Yum! {Paul’s Pastry Shop – Picayune, MS}

I had my first cannoli and it was divine! It has definitely moved to the top of my “to make” list. The shell was sweet and crispy, the filling was light, fluffy and slightly sweetened and the chocolate chips added that extra richness. Oh, I’m still dreaming about it! {Paul’s Pastry Shop – Picayune, MS}

On our last day we stopped by one last time for a cream puff, mounds macaroon and little key lime cookies. The cookies were tart and melted in your mouth. The macaroon was sweet, dense and rich…everything it should be. And the cream puff was just as heavenly as the eclair. I actually enjoyed it more since I am not a huge fan of chocolate. If you are EVER in the area, you have to stop by and try one of everything! You won’t be disappointed. {Paul’s Pastry Shop – Picayune, MS}

Another favorite spot we visited was L.A. Pines Cafe in Slidell, LA. We were there for our swamp tour and had seen this little place featured on Diners, Drive-In’s and Dives so it was on our list of places to try. Their specialty is the Smoked Prime Rib Sandwich. It consists of delicious French bread slathered with horseradish sauce and topped with an enormous amount of smoked prime rib, caramelized onions and melted cheese. They had a lot of business that day due to all the people in town so they were running short on the prime rib and I managed to snatch up the last one. Score! It was the first Sunday I cheated during Lent and it was so worth it. I don’t normally cheat on Sundays but I made an exception since we were on vacation. The prime rib was so incredibly tender and paired so well with the horseradish sauce (which I normally don’t like and almost asked for the sandwich without it). The bottom half of the roll is dunked in au jus…need I say more? {L.A. Pines Cafe – Slidell, LA}

Taco Seasoning Mix

You will never buy another package of taco seasoning again.  This is super cheap to make and tastes fresher than any store bought packet.  Another perk to this seasoning is that there isn’t anything you can’t pronounce or nasty stuff like MSG or extra sodium.

Sprinkle a few tablespoons on ground beef or turkey (while cooking) for easy weeknight tacos or nachos.  Double or triple the recipe so that you have extra on hand when you need to throw something together quickly.  Just be sure to store it in an airtight container.

Taco Seasoning Mix
from allrecipes.com

1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe linked to Totally Tasty Tuesday, Full Plate Thursday, Fusion Friday, Mangia Monday and Strut Your Stuff Saturday.

Chipotle Pork Tacos

This simple marinade makes a taco that is sweet, spicy and smoky. The chipotle peppers are what give the smoke and heat so those can be adjusted according to your taste. I think it’s perfect just how it’s written. I put more peppers in them once and my husband’s eyes watered the whole time he ate (he is not a fan of spicy foods).

These are great for a busy weeknight since they basically take 3 minutes to put together and only about 8 minutes to grill. I throw all the marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag, close it and shake it up. Then I marinate the pork all day.

These delectable tacos are on our regular summer menu rotation and my husband always cheers when I tell him that we are having them for dinner. We also enjoy them a lot in the winter using my grill pan instead of the outdoor grill.

If you are looking for an easy, tasty weeknight meal give these a try!

Chipotle Pork Tacos
recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book

4 boneless pork loin chops, cut 3/4 inch thick
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Dash ground cloves
2 chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons) – I also add about a tablespoon of the sauce from the can
4 cloves garlic, minced
Flour tortillas
Shredded lettuce
Chopped tomato
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Sour cream

1. Place chops in a resealable bag. For marinade, combine vinegar, brown sugar, thyme, salt, cumin, pepper, clove, chipotle peppers and garlic. Pour marinade over pork; seal bag. Marinate in refrigerator for 2-4 hours, turning bag occasionally. Drain, discarding marinade.

2. Preheat grill. Place pork on grill and cook until no longer pink (6-8 minutes). Slice pork across grain into bite-size strips.

3. Place tortillas on grill for 20-30 seconds or until warm. Serve pork on tortillas with lettuce, tomato, cheese and sour cream.