Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Breast

This is another one of those recipes that doesn’t need a recipe. Like, I could post this as an infographic and it would be just fine.

But what fun would that be?

This is an easy, 4-ingredient dinner that takes the stress out of cooking. I hate it when slow cooker recipes require you to sear things, mix sauces, add ingredients later, etc. I want things I can make and forget about.

This fits that bill perfectly. You put everything in about 4 hours before you eat. You toss a salad or nuke some veggies. Dinner is done. Maybe slice up some avocado or scoop some sour cream if you’re there today.

INGREDIENTS:
4-6 Chicken Breasts
1 can Mexican style Corn
Salt & Pepper & Cumin, optional to taste
1 jar salsa of choice
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

To Prepare: Place Chicken Breasts in bottom of slow cooker. Season with salt, pepper, and cumin. Pour in the remaining ingredients and cook on low four hours, until done.

Brownie Affogato Sundaes

I will never understand people who actually like the flavor of coffee. Don’t get me wrong- I can enjoy a blended coffee drink with all the milk and sugar and chocolate. But the actual flavor of coffee itself? Nope!

However, my father is a lover of coffee. He truly finds the flavor itself to be something special.

So, for a dessert that both of us would love, I wanted to find a way to add coffee flavor, but control the amount for each of us. A customized coffee dessert?

Affogato was the answer. What is affogato? It’s a classic Italian treat featuring a layer of gelato with hot espresso poured over it. It’s like the Italian version of a root beer float- but hot!

However, simply buying ice cream and brewing coffee didn’t seem special enough. I wanted to actually put some effort into making dessert!

The answer? A layer of rich, homemade brownies. Honestly, brownies are the answer to nearly everything.

So, this is a dessert with layers of rich ice cream, strong coffee and gooey brownies.

To customize it, I used less coffee than everyone else- Dad got lots of coffee, I got just a sprinkle.

You ready?

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 sticks butter 
• 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped 
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder 
• 2 cups sugar 
• 1 tablespoon vanilla 
• 3  eggs 
• 1 1/4 cup flour 
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 
• four shots of espresso
• your favorite ice cream- I used vanilla swirled with fudge and chocolate chips
• chocolate covered coffee beans

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 9×13 cookie sheet (not a cake pan- they’re really good as thin, crispy brownies in this because they absorb the cream and coffee!)

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt together butter and chocolate.

Once melted, stir in the cocoa powder. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.

Stir the sugar and vanilla into the chocolate mixture. Add the eggs one at a time.

Stir in the flour until half mixed. Add the chocolate chips, finish stirring!

Pour into the pan and bake for 25 minutes. Let cool completely.

To make the sundaes, take three mugs.

Put a layer of crumbled brownie, a scoop of ice cream, another brownie, more ice cream.

Pour hot coffee over the top. Top with chocolate covered coffee beans.

Serve immediately!