challenge day 4: favorite recipes

i live to eat. not the other way around. i don't have many of my favorite family recipes on hand, simply because i know that i could never reproduce things like my aunt judy's taco salad, my dad's bacon-mushroom mostaccioli, my mom's shepherd pie, or my mother-in-law's lasagna. but there are a few staples that i find myself making time and time again, and they both involve the slow cooker 1. because i'm lazy, and 2. because i work full time and don't always have the time to prepare a culinary masterpiece when i get home. and word to the lazy, er, wise: save yourself the time of scrubbing out your slowcooker by using reynolds slow cooker liners. seriously. life changing.

super slow cooked bbq pulled pork (slow cooker): before going to bed the night before you want to serve this, peel 2 large spanish onions, cut into 1/4s, and separate into petals. cover bottom of slow cooker with portion of petals. set one large boneless pork shoulder/boston butt on top of the onions, fatty side up, and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. bury with remaining onion petals. fill cooker with water about 3/4 of the way up the pork. cover and cook on low overnight. in the morning, remove shoulder from cooker and discard water and onions. pull apart pork with two forks, discarding excess fat. return to slow cooker. dice one medium onion and add to pork, along with a large bottle of your favorite bbq sauce. stir together and cook on low another six hours (stirring occasionally, since the bbq sauce can burn), or on high for two or three (stirring even more frequently) if you're pressed for time. serve on buns, with coleslaw if desired.


salsa chicken (slow cooker): mix a can of either cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup with a jar of salsa and pour 1/3 of the mixture to coat the bottom of your slowcooker. sprinkle taco seasoning over 4 chicken breasts (can be frozen), then cover with remaining soup/salsa mixture. cook on low 6-8 hours (or all day if you're at work). pull out chicken and shred with two forks. add back to slow cooker and pour in a can of strained black beans and a can of strained corn. cook another 20 minutes until beans and corn are heated through. serve over mexican rice and top with shredded cheese and sour cream, or serve as a filling for tacos or burritos with all your favorite toppings.
my other favorites include:

the pioneer woman's butter chicken

and

my friend june's creamy macaroni and cheese with ham



.......aaaaaaaand now i'm hungry.