Chicken Tacos, Re-fried Beans and Too Much To Do

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One of my new Online BlogCon friends, Rachel from I Love My Disorganized Life was talking the other day about how when you are a stay-at-home-mom suddenly a lot more is asked of you. I know that this is true in my own life. I constantly hear “Oh, Brenna, you are free, can you run here? Do this?” Being the person that I am, I am now committed to too many things, and wondering how I will ever get to my own list of projects.

A perfect example of how my life has been lately can be reflected in this weeks “Cooking From Scratch” Challenge. When I went to make this weeks meal, I threw it in the crock-pot and ran out the door to do errands (that were not my own.) Well, you can probably guess what happened. By the time I got home, my meal was overcooked and horribly dry. It was then that I realized I have to much on my plate. I have been so busy I can’t even get around to working on the things I enjoy, cooking and sewing.  Not to even mention how my busyness is effecting my poor 2-year old, who just wants mommy to play trains. Things have to change! I refused to be that person the who is stressed out, run around all the time. I am not sure where to start, but some different planning and prioritizing is definitely on its way. Most importantly I must say “No” more! But that is easier said, than done.

I have rambled on enough. This week I am directing you to someone who CAN cook Chicken Tacos, Aubrey from Real Housemoms. This is a fabulous recipe. The way she cook the chicken is very versatile, and leftovers can be used for enchiladas, salads or a favorite around here quesadillas. That makes it a great recipe if you ask me.

Our side this week, was Slow Cooker Refried Beans-Without the Refry. I did get home in time to save them, and they turned out wonderfully. I found this recipe through Six Sisters’ Stuff. I actually halved the recipe and wished I hadn’t (below is the full recipe.) The Refried beans were so good that they were gone the first night  It was a great addition to our tacos and made into a wonderful dip, that we kept snacking on after dinner.

Slow Cooker Refried Beans- Without the Refry

Ingredients:

• 1 Onion, Chopped
• 3 Cups dried Pinto Beans, Rinsed
• 1/4- 1/2 Fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 1- 3/4 Teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 Teaspoon ground cumin
• 5 Cups of water
• 4 Cups of chicken broth

Instructions:

• Place all your ingredients in the slow cooker, adding the water and broth last. Allow to cook on high for 8 hours, adding more water if needed.
• If one cup or more has evaporated while cooking, turn you heat down.
• Once your beans have cooked and are very tender, drain, reserving the liquid. Using a potato masher or a fork, mash the beans, adding some of the reserved liquid until the desired consistency is reached.
• To make our dip we just topped our beans with a little salsa, cheese and sour cream. For more ideas check out the Six Sisters’ dip recipe.