Crockpot Shredded Barbacoa Beef

Every year in Hunter's family, we do a big Christmas Eve party. It's filled with laughter, cousins running around, a gift exchange, sweets, activities, and really good food! We've done several different things over the years, but this year's menu was definitely a crowd favorite! We had a taco bar and every couple brought a different meat. Carne Asada and Pollo Asada got taken pretty quick so I decided to get creative. I loooveee Chipotle. I don't care what you have to say about how it really isn't good for me and what not... I would eat at Chipotle every week if I could! I love their barbacoa and always have. I always say I'm going to try something new, but literally always go back to the barbacoa. Sooo I thought, why not try to make it?? Barbacoa is a really tender shredded beef with a smoky, spicy, chipotle sauce on it. I did some research and decided to experiment. The experiment definitely worked because this stuff was soo yummy! Anddd... so easy! Gotta love crockpot dump and go meals! I'm sure it could be made in the instant pot too, but I loved that I could just dump it all in when I wasn't busy in the morning and let it cook all day so I used the crockpot.

Ingredients:

-Chuck Roast. I don't have a specific pound requirement. I just buy a 2 pack at Costco and use one of them!

-1 small can of chilis in adobo sauce. 

-1 cup beef broth

-4 tsp minced garlic

-1 1/2 tbsp ground cumin

-1 tsp salt

-1/2 tsp black pepper

-1/4 tsp ground cloves

-juice of one lime

-4 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions:

1) Thaw your meat. I usually buy the 2 pack of chuck roast from Costco, separate them in different bags, then freeze them. I'll usually take one bag out and put it in the sink to thaw it overnight. 

2) Heat oil in a non stick skillet. To test if it's hot enough, flick a little water on the oil. If it starts to crackle and pop like crazy, it's ready!

3) Coat both sides of your roast in salt and pepper then sear in oil. Searing usually takes 3-4 minutes per side. You'll want a golden crust on both sides. Use tongs to make your life easier!

4) Stick your roast in the bottom of the crockpot and make your sauce. I use a Vitamix to make it, but I'm sure any blender on high speed will work. Add allll of your ingredients other than oil and roast obviously... If you can't handle spice very well... only do 1/4 to 1/2 the can of chilis. I do the whole can and it definitely is spicy but can be mellowed out with sour cream. Soo add all remaining ingredients to blender and blend on high speed. Once all ingredients are combined to make a thick sauce, you'll know it's ready!

5) Pour sauce over roast and cook on high for a minimum of 6 hours. After 6 hours shred your meat. It should literally fall apart. If it doesn't, cook it longer! Once it's shredded, you can stick on low or keep warm setting until ready to serve.

6) You can serve it two ways. You can either keep it in the crockpot with all the spicy juices or mellow it out by scooping out the meat and leaving the juices behind. So far we've eaten it in tacos and burritos and loved both!

Let me know what you guys think!

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

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Tasty Tuesday: Perfect Sunday Crockpot Roast

Okay, so you don't have to only make this on Sunday haha.

It's just more of a Sunday meal for us!

I love making a big meal on Sundays because I have the most time and I just want to keep it a tradition in our little family.

Sundays are a special family day for us so I like to make a special meal that we wouldn't have any other day of the week.

Hunter is obsessed with pot roast.

Like, if you want him to be in a good mood all day... just make pot roast haha. 

I remember when we first got married, he said he always looked forward to Sundays because he knew there was a good chance his mom would make a pot roast.

Because of that, I decided to make my first ever roast!

I was SO disappointed when it was tough, chewy, and dry.

There was zero flavor to it and it was almost hard to eat haha.

I was so bummed because I knew it was Hunter's favorite, so I tried out different things and finally found a combination of things that work!

So, here's what I do to make our Sunday roast :)

Ingredients:

-Chuck Roast or Chuck Tender Roast (either of these work, but stick with chuck! No rump or anything else)

-Potatoes (I usually either use russet or red. I quarter them and do probably 6 red or 4-5 russet)

-1/2 Yellow onion sliced

-1 packet dry onion soup mix

-3/4 cup water

-Salt and pepper

-Garlic Salt

-Garlic powder

-2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

1) Put your oil in a frying pan and get it sizzling

2) Coat your thawed roast in the dry onion soup mix with salt and pepper

3) Add your meat in the sizzling oil and sear for a few minutes on each side until browned. 

4) Stick your roast in the crockpot and add your potatoes and sliced onion over the top. Pour the water over the top. Sprinkle with garlic salt and garlic powder (about a tsp each) and cover.

5) Now here's the part that you HAVE to make sure you do. You need to SLOW cook it to get it to fall apart. And i mean like realllyy slow. I do like 7 hours on high or I'll do 8-10 hours on low. Remember, the longer the better! 

6) Take a fork and twist it in the meat. You know it's done when it is tender and easily breaks apart. If it feels tough, let it go longer. 

7) Place on a plate and and serve the potatoes and onion on the side. Use your drippings to make a gravy as well. I usually strain the drippings to just get the liquid. I'll do about 1 stick of butter melted in a saucepan and add 3 tbsp of flour to make a roux. Then I add my drippings and whisk together. I usually just add a little water if it seems too thick and more salt if needed. Then serve with some rolls and veggies!

I hope this works for the rest of you that just couldn't seem to get your roast right.

This is tried and true and the only way I do it now!

The browning of the meat gives such a good flavor and the slow cooking just makes it so tender!

Now go ahead and make yourself a delicious roast ;)

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

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Tasty Tuesday: Crockpot Tomato Tortellini Soup

I originally took these photos back in December.

Then pregnancy sickness hit and even looking at pictures of food made me want to throw up.

It was so sad! 

All I really wanted was gatorade, popsicles, in n out, and french fries. Awesome diet I know haha.

Once we got out of the first trimester I got my appetite back and found these pictures and was SO excited to post this recipe!

This is one of the easiest, if not THE easiest soup recipe, like ever.

Hunter also approves because it's definitely filling with tortellini and sausage... he's usually not a soup fan because he has to eat like 5 bowls to get full haha.

Crockpots are quite possibly the best invention ever.

And soup is the best meal when Utah decides to still be cold in March...

Enjoy friends!

Ingredients:

-32 oz chicken broth

-1 can diced tomatoes (even better if they're Italian style)

-3 cups tomato juice

-1 cup heavy whipping cream
-1/4 cup tomato paste

-1 pound mild Italian sausage

-1 bag frozen cheese tortellini

-1 bunch spinach

-1 tsp dried basil 

-1 tsp dried oregano 

-1 tsp garlic powder

-2 tsp garlic salt

-salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes, tomato juice, tomato paste, seasonings, and sausage to crockpot. (I've made this where I cook the sausage in a pan first, and I've made it where I add the sausage raw and let it cook in the crockpot. I think I prefer making it on the stove first but either way is good!) Stir it up and cook on low for 6 hours.

2) After six hours stir it again and add heavy whipping cream and tortellini. Recover and continue to cook for about 30 minutes or until tortellini is no longer frozen and cooked. At this point I also taste the soup to see if I want to add any more salt or pepper.

3) Right before serving I add the spinach in and let it wilt. 

4) Serve in bowls with a good amount of freshly grated parmesan cheese  and crusty bread!

You guys that's literally all you do!

Technically the fourth step isn't even really a step so there's like 3 steps to this!

#winning

That's all from me today!

I sure hope you guys enjoy this simple yet tasty soup!

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

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Tasty Tuesday: Chicken Pot Pie

Are you guys as shocked as I am that I'm actually posting a recipe??

Geez I was doing soo good with Tasty Tuesday recipes then pregnancy happened and I was sick all the time... haha.

But food actually sounds good again, I have a little more energy, and I've actually missed this!

Sooo I decided to re-start this off with one of my most frequently asked about recipes, Chicken Pot Pie!

I absolutely hated chicken pot pie growing up.

I only ever tried the gross frozen ones that basically have McDonald's chicken in them... gross.

One day after we got married I heard someone say they were making chicken pot pie for dinner and I decided I would take on the challenge of actually making it taste good ;)

And I mean, I think it tastes pretty darn good haha.

Sooo... here it is!

Ingredients:

-Pie Crust. I mean you could make your own but let's get real here... ain't nobody got time for that. I like the store bought pillsbury crust just fine :)

-2 Chicken breasts cooked and shredded

-4 red potatoes cooked and diced

-1 bag of frozen peas and carrots 

-1/2 yellow onion diced

-1 cup whipping cream

-1 can chicken broth

-1/4 cup butter

-5 tbsps flour

- a dash of italian seasoning, salt, and pepper

Directions:

1)Preheat your oven to 400. Then I always start by boiling two pots of water for the chicken and potatoes. Once it's boiling I cook til potatoes are tender (cube before adding to water to cook faster. I do the potatoes in sixths or eighths depending on size) and chicken is no longer pink inside. You could also just do the chicken in your crockpot or instant pot to make it quicker!

2) Set the potatoes aside and now add your frozen peas and carrots (like 3/4 of the bag) plus diced onion to the water to flash cook. (meaning don't overdue it and make them soggy... strain as soon as they are warm) In the meantime shred your chicken. Use a kitchenaid, it'll change your life. Set chicken aside. 

3) In the now empty pot your chicken was in, melt down the butter. Once it's melted down, quickly add your flour to make a roux. Slowly add your whipping cream and broth whisking while doing so.  Add your spices in now as well. I do about a 1/2 tsp of each. Bring to a boil for two minutes to thicken. Then turn the heat to low and add you shredded chicken, potatoes, and veggies. Stir and let simmer.

4) Place your first piece of crust in a pie dish and then pour your mixture on top of it. Add your top crust and pinch the edges to seal the deal. Cut a few slits at the top for ventilation.

5) Bake for 40 minutes or until top crust is golden brown. 

And there you have it!

This meal will feed us for a few days because of how filling it is.

It's perfect for this snowy weather Utah can't seem to get rid of...

I hope you all love it as much as we do!

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

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Tasty Tuesday: Chicken and Dumplings

Today has been lame... Car problems, a million more stinky diapers than usual, and a whole ton of laundry...

But, we're breathing, have plentiful food, and running water... and today is Tasty Tuesday!

So, it can't be thattttt lame right?

I absolutely love a hearty chicken noodle soup, but there's something so warming about chicken and dumplings. 

I made this on our first snow this year and it warmed us right up!

I love creamy soups and this one is just that!

As much as I love summer, I think I may like soup season more ;)

Ingredients:

-3 cans chicken broth

-1 cup water

-1 cube chicken bouillon

-1 dried bay leaf

-1/2 cup cream

-2 cups shredded chicken

-1 package frozen peas and carrots

-salt

-pepper

Dumplings:

-1-1/3 cups flour

-2 teaspoons baking powder

-3/4 teaspoon salt

-2/3 cup milk

-1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions:

1) Pour chicken broth, water, bay leaf, and bouillon in a medium/large pot over medium high heat and bring to a boil.

2) In the mean time prepare your dumplings. Whisk together dry ingredients and form a hole in the middle like a volcano. Whisk together melted butter and milk then pour into the hole. Fold the dry mixture into the hole until everything is combined.

3) Drop dough by the spoonfuls into boiling soup. Cover and let simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes. 

4) Take out your bay leaf and add in your shredded chicken. I cheated and used a rotisserie chicken from Costco but feel free to cook and shred your own chicken. Add in the frozen peas and carrots as well as about a tbsp salt and tsp pepper. Give it a good stir and let simmer covered for another 15 minutes. 

5) Mix in your cream and salt and pepper to taste. I always add more ;) You can serve immediately or let it sit for a few more minutes. Enjoy!

I have a few cookie recipes I'm excited to share with you guys!

However, I also have some fun healthier recipes I'm excited to share too. 

Those will probably come after the new year though ;)

Countdown til Christmas is on!

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

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