This is an easy to make, great tasting main dish that can be used as a key ingredient in most any Mexican style dish that calls for meat.

Ingredients
2 pounds chicken breasts
olive oil
1/2 cup medium salsa
3-4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 4 ounce can mild diced green chilies
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper
1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke

Instructions
Rub chicken breasts liberally with olive oil and place in the bottom of your slow cooker.

Cover the chicken with the salsa as much as possible.

Sprinkle the brown sugar over everything, keeping it as even as possible.

Add the diced chilies to the slow cooker.

Add the tomatoes, spreading them evenly across the chicken.

Measure the remaining dry ingredients into a small bowl. Once mixed, sprinkle the spice mixture over all the chicken.

Drizzle the Liquid Smoke over the mixture.

Cover and cook on high for 2-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours or until chicken is tender enough to shred.

Remove chicken to a cutting board, and let rest 5 minutes before shredding (there will be liquid remaining). Return shredded chicken and let cook on low for an additional 20 minutes to absorb some of the liquid/juices.

Shredded Mexican Chicken

Serve as taco meat, for nachos, burritos, enchiladas, etc..

(I shredded the chicken with 2 forks in the Crockpot itself, much easier than messing around taking it out only to put back in.)

I use this on all sorts of pork cuts; ribs, tenderloin, chops, you name it. This works well on nearly anything.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon granulated onion
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Store in an airtight container. Pack on the dry rub onto your next rack of ribs.

Note, for a really great pulled pork, cover your pork shoulder in yellow mustard, then use this rub all over. Let it set in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours, then roast as normal.

Similar if not identical to Lawry’s Seasoned Salt.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons white sugar
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch

Directions
Whisk salt, sugar, paprika, turmeric, onion powder, garlic powder, and cornstarch together in a bowl.

Use as your taste dictates.

The slow cooker is your secret weapon for the easiest, richest hot cocoa for a crowd.

Ingredients
1 1/2 c.ups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
6 cups whole milk
Mini marshmallows, for garnish

Directions
Combine all ingredients except marshmallows in a slow cooker. Stir to combine.

Cook until everything is melted, stirring occasionally, 2 hours on Low.

10 minutes before serving, add marshmallows and let them melt a bit. Garnish with more mini marshmallows, if desired.

Note, if you are serving this at a party, I encourage you to double up the recipe. It’s that good!

Looking for holiday menu inspiration?

This one is from the @chefandthef archives, a showstopper for Thanksgiving

Buttery Turkey with Warm Sorghum Vinaigrette
Photo by Jennifer Hitchcock

from Chef Vivian Howard of the Chef & the Farmer, Kinston, NC

Ingredients

Buttery Turkey
One fresh 12-18 pound turkey
Salt and black pepper
4 sprigs rosemary
4 sprigs thyme
1 orange, halved
2 pounds butter
1 lemon, halved
2×2-foot square of cheesecloth folded to cover the breast portion of your bird

Warm Sorghum Vinegar Sauce
1/2 cup small diced red onion
1/2 stick butter
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup sorghum syrup
1/4 cup honey

Directions

Buttery Turkey

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Remove the giblets from your turkey and rinse both the inside as well as the outside of the bird. Pat your turkey dry and season his skin and cavity thoroughly with salt and pepper.

Stuff the cavity with the rosemary, thyme, and halved orange. Place the turkey in a roasting pan and slide him into the oven.

Melt the butter along with the halved lemon in a small saucepan. After about 30 minutes of roasting, dip the cheesecloth into the lemon butter and lay it over the top of the turkey breast. Repeat this every thirty minutes (remove, dip in lemon butter, and replace) for the duration of the cooking time. The turkey is done when the juices run clear between the leg and the thigh, between 2½–3½ hours.

Remove the turkey from the oven and allow him to rest for 20 minutes before carving.

Warm Sorghum Vinegar Sauce

In a medium saucepan, sweat the red onion in the butter. Cook until onions are soft and translucent. Add the nutmeg, black pepper, and vinegar. Bring this to a boil and add the syrup and honey. Simmer until it’s reduced by half. Serve warm.

Roast Turkey w/ Warm Sorghum Vinaigrette

Roast Turkey w/ Warm Sorghum Vinaigrette

This is a new favorite of mine.

If you are looking for something new and different for your meal, give this a try.

Fresh Celery

Ingredients:
4 cups celery, cut diagonally in ½-inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup pecan halves
buttered bread crumbs

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400° F.

Grease a 1 ½-quart casserole.

Boil the celery in enough water to cover until tender; drain.

Melt the butter over medium heat; stir in the flour and slowly add the milk to make a cream sauce, stirring until thick and smooth.

Add the salt and well-drained celery.

Spoon into the prepared casserole, top with pecans, and cover with buttered bread crumbs.

Bake at 400° F. for 15 minutes.

I served these at my family Thanksgiving in 2017. They were a hit!

Ingredients
2 lb. carrots peeled and sliced on a diagonal
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Instructions
In a large, deep skillet, bring 1 inch of water to a boil.

Add carrots; boil 3 minutes. Drain.

In the same skillet, melt butter, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until bubbly.

Add carrots and cook 2 minutes more.

I am beating my deadline for a Thanksgiving Day Feast!

Yay me.

So here are some dishes that make up a great dinner.

Turkey Brine
Dressing
Green Bean Casserole
Cranberry Sauce
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Glazed Carrots
Creamed Celery with Pecans
Pumpkin Pie

Note, I usually add a couple of vegetable dishes as well as rolls to my dinner. Whole kernel corn, and others.

This is the traditional holiday pumpkin pie. This classic recipe has been on Libby’s Pumpkin labels since 1950. This pie is easy to prepare and even easier to enjoy. Just mix, pour, bake for a delicious homemade tradition.

Ingredients
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin
8 ounces evaporated milk, (Or substitute with equal amount Lactose-Free or Almond Cooking Milk)
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
Whipped cream (optional)

Instructions
Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

Pour into pie shell.

Bake in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Top with whipped cream before serving.