Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 (16oz) can chili beans
• 1 (16oz) can black beans
• 1 (15oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 (12 fluid oz) can beer ~or water~
• 2 (10oz) cans diced tomatoes w/green chilies, undrained
• 1 (1.25oz) pkg taco seasoning **
• 3 whole skinless, boneless, chicken breasts
• shredded Cheddar cheese (opt)
• sour cream (opt)
• crushed Tortilla chips (opt)

Directions:

1. Place onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer/water and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for Low heat, cover and cook for 5 hours.
2. Remove chicken breasts from the soup, allow to cool and then shred. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup and continue cooking for 2 hours.
   
3. Serve topped with cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips, if desired.

** Make-Your-Own Taco Seasoning
1 Tb chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper

Slow Cooker Pork Tacos

Ingredients:

• 1 boneless pork sirloin roast (2 pounds), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1-1/2 cups salsa verde
• 1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• Dash hot pepper sauce
• 10 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed
• Reduced-fat sour cream, thinly sliced green onions, cubed avocado, shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese and chopped tomato, optional

Directions:

1. In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine the first 11 ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or until meat is very tender.
2. Shred pork with two forks. Place about 1/2 cup pork mixture down the center of each tortilla. Serve with toppings if desired. Yield: 10 tacos.

Slush

Ingredients:

• 16oz box of strawberry jello
• 1c sugar
• 42oz pineapple juice
• 4c boiling water
• 6oz frozen lemonade

Directions:

1. Mix jello, sugar and water until dissolved. Add pineapple juice and lemonade. Pour into a 5qt ice cream bucket. Stir after 6-8 hours. Stir every 4 hours after that. Serve with sierra mist or sprite. You can also substitute the jello flavor of your choice.

Special K Bars/Scotcheroos

Ingredients:

• 1c sugar
• 1c white corn syrup
• 1c peanut butter
• 6c special K cereal
• 1c chocolate chips
• 1c. butterscotch chips

Directions:

1. Boil the sugar and syrup together. Add the peanut butter. Pour over the special K cereal. Mis together in a bowl and then slightly press into a greased 9X13 pan. Melt the cocolate chips and spread over the top. (Alaina I finally posted this just for you!)

Apple Dumplings

Ingredients:

• 2 pkgs crescent rolls
• 2 granny smith apples peeled and cored (8 peices for each)
• 1 can of Mt.Dew
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 1/2 t cinnamon

Directions:

1. Place each apple section on a crescent roll and roll up covering the apple slice completely. Place in 9X13 baking pan.
2. Mix together sugar, butter, and cinnamon-mix well and spoon over each apple roll.
3. Pour 1 can of Mt.Dew over the rolls.
4. Bake @ 350 for 40 minutes.

Bran Muffins

Ingredients:

• 5c flour
• 3c sugar
• 5t baking soda
• 1 1/2 t salt
• 15oz box bran flakes
• 1 quart buttermilk
• 1/2 cup veg oil
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• 4 eggs beaten

Directions:

1. Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and bran flakes together. Add buttermilk veg oil, applesauce and the 4 beaten eggs. Mix well. Bake at 400 for 15 min or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. *(When I think bran muffins I think old people (sorry) and gross. These are delicous! I had our 14 year old neighbor kid tell me they were the best bran muffins he's had.)