Slow Cooker Pork Loin with Caribbean Rub and Mango Salsa

This recipe is adapted from a Cooking Light recipe for pork chops.  I love it with the pork loin in the slow cooker because it's low prep, smells delicious while cooking and tastes great!  This recipe goes well with a Southern Living recipe for Black Beans and Coconut-Lime Rice -- yum!

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 3-4lb pork loin
• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup diced peeled mango
• 1/2 cup diced plum tomato
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
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• Combine the first 7 ingredients in a small bowl. Rub pork loin with spice mixture.
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• Heat a saute or sauce pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; brown on each side.  Put pork in slow cooker with 1/2 cup of beef broth.  Cook on low for eight hours or until pork is fork tender. 
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• Combine mango and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; toss gently. Serve salsa with pork.

Cheesy Chicken Tacos

This is a variation of a recipe that I learned when I was first married and living in Provo.  The portions I am listing will feed to so expand it as needed to feed your group.

1 large chicken breast, frozen
2 oz cream cheese
1/2 c salsa
Lettuce
Shredded cheese
Chopped tomatoes
Tortillas

Put chicken breast, cream cheese and salsa in crock pot and set to low for 6-7 hours.  Shred chicken.  Layer up the tacos with meat and toppings.

Game Birds in a Slow Cooker

Matthew enjoys going quail hunting and it's always a challenge how to make these tough little birds come out tasty.  This recipe from slowcookerrecipes.org.uk is pretty tasty and lets the sage flavor of the bird meat come through.  I usually let it cook longer than the recommended 7 hours if I can.


1.4 kg game bird, cut into pieces or 1.4 kg of smaller birds in parts (3lb)
2 cloves garlic
¼ cup of chopped yellow onions
2 tablespoons of olive oil
¼ teaspoon of thyme
¼ teaspoon of poultry seasoning
salt and pepper
1 cup of chicken broth, bouillon or homemade stock
2 tablespoons of honey
¼ teaspoon of dried rosemary
½ cup of sour cream
2 tablespoons of flour
1 cup of cream, half and half or milk

Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves. Peel and chop the yellow onions. Heat a large heavy frying pan to medium high and add the olive oil (use more if needed). Add the chopped garlic and the chopped onions to the frying pan and sauté them until they are limp but not browned or caramelized.

Remove the garlic and the onions from the frying pan leaving behind the oil and set them aside. Add the pieces of game bird to the frying pan and add a little more oil if needed and lightly brown the pieces on all sides. Do them in batches if you don’t have enough room.

While the game bird pieces are browning, start the covered slow cooker on low heat. Once the pieces are browned, place them in the slow cooker. Pour the chicken stock, broth or bouillon over the bird and add the garlic and onions, the thyme and poultry seasoning, the salt and pepper to taste, and the honey. If you like cooking wine or sherry now is a good time to add a splash or two. Mix everything around well then sprinkle the rosemary over the top.

Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low heat for about 6 hours. Remove the lid and add the sour cream to the mixture and stir it around. Replace the lid and cook on low for another hour. Poke the game birds while your adding the sour cream. If they seem tough, you can add more cooking time or increase the heat to high.

In a blender or shaker, combine the cream, half and half or milk and the flour. Make sure the mixture is smooth. Remove the lid from the slow cooker again and pour the mixture in and stir around. Replace the lid and cook for another hour.

Serve the slow cooker game birds over or with rice or stuffing.

Sweet Chicken Enchiladas

Yummy enchilada recipe from Katie Tucker!

6 Tbs honey
4 1/2 Tbs lime juice
1 Tbs chilli powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and toss with 1 lb shredded chicken (I crock pot the chicken). Fill tortillas with chicken and shredded montery jack cheese. Pour green enchilada sauce on bottom of 9x13 pan and over filled tortillas. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 min.