I’m in California this week, exploring San Francisco & drinking wine in Napa. But please don’t hate me; never have I felt more deserving of a break! So my lovely readers won’t get lonely, I’ve asked three of my favorite bloggers to hold down the fort for me. First up, meet Natalie!

Anyone who knows me knows I love to eat. When selecting my guest bloggers for this week, I knew I had to get a true foodie to help me out. Natalie from Natalie’s Killer Cuisine is one of my favorite food bloggers. Delicious food, beautiful pictures, & easy-to-follow recipes. What could be simpler? So y’all, settle in & learn how make some of these. And then invite me over. Stat.

xo,
LfT

Lauren is from Texas (duh) and so am I. Cool! So when she asked me to guest blog, I said absolutely, and whatever I make must be Texan. Well, when I think Texan I definitely think Tex-Mex, and when I think Tex Mex I think rice, beans, chile rellenos and taquitos. My favorite being the taquitos. I love the super crispy corn tortilla on the outside of the flavorful filling. I always make mine with shredded beef rather than shredded chicken, and that’s just because I love any excuse to make this slow cooked shredded beef recipe. It produces quite a bit, which also goes great in quesadillas, tacos, enchiladas and so on.

And don’t worry about the use of a slow cooker in this warm summer heat (at least here in TX anyways). I have a way to get around that. Just start the process before you go to sleep, rather than in the morning. The meat will be finished 6-7 hours later, and you can wake up and remove to let cool. It is kind of weird to wake up to the smell of shredded beef rather than coffee, but it makes you really, really anticipate your dinner that night!

Slow Cooked Shredded Beef

1 1/2 lb Boneless Beef Chuck Roast
2 TBS Butter
Salt, Pepper
2 cup Beef Stock (or water with Beef Bouillon)
1 Onion, medium dice
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 package Taco Seasoning Mix
1 (7oz) can Green Chiles
1. Cut the boneless beef chuck roast into three even sized pieces. Add salt and pepper to both sides and set aside.
2. Meanwhile add the stock, diced onion, salt, pepper and taco seasoning to your slow cooker. Set on high.
3. Melt butter in a large pan (cast iron if possible) until hot and sear meat on each side. You do not want to cook the meat, you just want a nice sear (1-2 minutes) on each side.
4. Add meat to slow cooker. Cook on high for 6-7 hours.
5. After meat has cooked strain any remaining liquid. Beef should be tender enough to shred in your slow cooker, but add the beef to a large bowl and shred with a fork if necessary, and return to the slow cooker.
6. Add the green chilies to the beef and gently stir. Salt and pepper beef to taste. Turn crockpot to warm setting until ready to serve or cool on the counter at least 2-3 hours before placing in the fridge.

To prepare Taquitos
Corn Tortillas
Oil, for frying

1. Roll a small amount of meat in a flour tortilla as tightly as you can without breaking.
2. Heat oil in a deep pan to 374 to 400 degrees.
3. Once rolled, deep fry each flauta until evenly browned and crispy. Use a toothpick to keep its shape and remove after frying.
4. Enjoy with sour cream, salsa and guacamole.

Natalie’s Killer Cuisine