Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

OK y'all, next week is Cinco de Mayo. And this year it falls on a Monday. A Monday... Uggg!! Well, what does that mean? It means we don't let the "Monday Blues" get the best of us!! We rally!! So, in my opinion... we have two options.
Option 1: You can sit back and celebrate on Sunday afternoon with a large back porch fiesta and make this awesome taco recipe to impress all your friends. Margaritas and Modelo required!! Live it up, but remember work starts very early on Monday morning!!
Option 2: You throw all these ingredients in your crock pot Monday morning and have tasty tacos waiting on you and your friends when you get home from work. This will assure that you have adequate time to mix large batches of margaritas before the party starts. (Those Coronas should be chilling in the fridge before work too!!)

It is not too late to send out those E-vites!! A little planning goes a long way. Due to this gentle reminder, you now have no excuses for missing out on this holiday!!  And don't forget, once you have impressed all your friends with this easy recipe and an awesome party, toast the host/hostess. Yes, I know that is YOU!! That is the point!!!

Cheers!!

Slow Cooker Chana Masala

I have become addicted to this dish and have been buying the pre-packaged, prepared version that is microwavable. It is one of my new go-to, easy foods that I look forward to making after a long day. The fact that makes this meal so convenient also makes me a little wary of eating it too often. The drawback- microwaving food in a plastic bag. It seems...hmmmm... not so natural. Right? We hear so much about carcinogens and PCBs, yet these options are still available, Why are they so alluring? Because we are all busy and need food fast!!! While microwave beans and rice are still more healthy than the "fast food" alternative, it still is not a prime food choice. So I decided that this would be a great recipe to make in bulk with fresh ingredients. No.. it is not as quick but, the truth is, one Sunday afternoon before I went out to work in my garden, I threw the ingredients in the crock pot and in about 6 hours it was finished. Not bad when you consider all the "yucky stuff" that you are eliminating.  Feel good about yourself and your food and serve up another bowl.

Mini Frozen Citrus Pies

Summer is fast approaching! And for me it can not come fast enough! One thing I love about summer is the fact that my back porch becomes my second living room. Most nights you can find me outside reading with my golden retriever Charlie at my feet, blogging on Bonbons and Biscotti or laughing with friends while sipping some red wine. Everyone knows when they come to my house that if you knock on the front door and no one answers, walk around to the backyard and you will find me- on my porch. Every year, I decorate my porch with pots of fresh herbs and flowers and last year my Mom and I went shopping for some great new bright cushions and accessories that make this area the cheeriest place in my house. It really is THE place to be from April till October.

So why am I sharing this recipe? This recipe is the perfect little individual dessert to have in the freezer whenever those surprise guests show up for some porch sittin'. Make these mini cream pies ahead of time in whatever citrus flavor that you like and keep them on the ready. These are refreshing and tart.  They are perfect for an after dinner treat, a talk with a friend or a decadent snack when you have had a bad day. Go ahead eat two! You deserve it!