Crockpot Mexican Chicken

William and I love this. I will be making it again and again and again and again and again.

Crockpot Mexican Chicken

(from See Jane in the Kitchen)

3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken

1 1/2 cups italian dressing

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1 Tablespoon chili powder

juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup cilantro

Place chicken in a 4-6 quart slow cooker. Pour dressing over top and sprinkle with chili powder and garlic. Cover and cook for 7-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high. Remove chicken from crock pot, shred with a couple of forks, then put back in crock pot. Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes. Add lime juice and cilantro.

Of course, I serve mine with this salsa... just plan on making that salsa on a weekly basis.

William's Refried Beans

First, let me apologize for the gross-looking beans picture. It is EXTREMELY hard to make refried beans look appetizing in a photo.

But take my word for it: these are the best. Every time William makes them, I eat a bunch. And when other people are around, I get a little jealous because they are eating what COULD be my bean burrito lunch the following day.

So I'm telling you to make your own beans so you won't eat mine:

William's (Amazing and Easy) Refried Beans

(Disclaimer: TAKES ONLY MINUTES TO PREPARE, BUT 2 DAYS TO MAKE)

Ingredients:

1 pound dry refried beans

water

1 diced onion

1 can diced green chiles

1/2 package uncooked bacon (about 7-8 slices)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

4 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheese (we usually add medium cheddar or monterey jack)

1 1/2 tsp of chipotle peppers (These come in a can, we puree them in a blender. You may also choose to use more/less, depending how spicy you want it.)

Directions:

1. Soak dry beans in 8 cups of water for 8 hours

2. Drain water.

3. In a crock pot, add drained beans, diced onions, 4 cups of clean water, green chiles, bacon, garlic powder, and salt.

4. Cook in crock pot low for 6-8 hours.

5. Mash beans

6. Stir in cream cheese, shredded cheese, and pureed chipotle peppers.

Serve in "bean blankies" (tortillas) with this salsa... or as chip dip... or side dish... or whatever, just serve it okay? And invite me over to taste test it.

(If you can tell me where the term "bean blankies" derived, you are certified awesome.)

2 Funny Things

After tasting this salsa, my sister-in-law Mary wrote me an email:

"Thanks again for the yummy salsa! Since you like drawing "diagrams" on your blog, I thought I'd draw one of me eating your salsa."

She then attached this awesome picture:

I'm amazed with the details. See the cilantro floating in the salsa? And the eyelashes?! And the amazing jar drawing? Mary's got skillz.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, here's the second funny thing:

The following is a 22-second video of June right after she took a bath in the sink. (Disclaimer: There may be some adorable baby nudity.)

There are 3 things to look for in this clip that make me laugh everytime.

1) Right after William says "Bum.", June squeezes her bum cheeks in ever so slightly.

2) She plays the "Mirror Game" where she looks in the mirror until you look at her and smiles.

3) She's at a stage where she tries to grab EVERYTHING out of our hands, and William loves it.

Did you see everything? Watch it again, it's cuter the second time anyway.

You know it must be impossible for a Spanish person to order seltzer and not get salsa. - George

I can never go back to store-bought salsa. It seriously tastes like tomato paste to me.

Homemade salsa is SO easy, and I make this one all the time. Of course, I got this recipe from See Jane in the Kitchen, who got it from Pioneer Woman.

Restaurant Salsa

1 can (28 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes With Juice

2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies)

¼ cups Chopped Onion

1 clove Garlic, Minced

1 whole Jalapeno, Quartered And Sliced Thin

¼ teaspoons Sugar

¼ teaspoons Salt

¼ teaspoons Ground Cumin

½ cups Cilantro (more To Taste!)

½ whole Lime Juice

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse 10 to 15 times, until desired consistency. Taste and season more if needed.

Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour.