As a homeschooling mama of five, life can be hectic and busy. I must be very intentional about spending time with God and His Word in order to hear from Him. When our schedule gets too overwhelming, I must simplify life as much as possible to make this happen. And to make dinner easier, I pull out my trusty slow cooker.

Proverbs 31:27 (ESV) reads, “She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” In busy seasons of life, let me tell you, there is no time for idleness. Looking well to the ways of my household sometimes means working smarter, not harder. My slow cooker helps me to feed my family without spending all day in the kitchen. This two-for-one recipe is a simple, set-it-and-forget-it crowd pleaser.

Two Slow Cooker Meals in One:

SHREDDED CHICKEN TACOS & LAYERED TACO CASSEROLE

Plus, a Bonus Recipe for Homemade Taco Seasoning!

By: Brandi Carson

Shredded Chicken Tacos

Ingredients:
2-4 pounds chicken breasts
1/3 cup homemade taco seasoning (see recipe below) or one package of store-bought taco seasoning
1 can of chopped green chiles

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to your crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours.
2. Shred chicken with two forks and mix it in with all the yummy juices. Serve the chicken on tortillas, and add your favorite taco toppings. Serve with your favorite Mexican side dishes such as rice and beans.

Note: This makes a lot of chicken! You will use your leftovers for the second recipe. Use them right away or freeze the leftovers and use them the next time you need a quick and easy meal.

Add all ingredients to your crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours.

Shred chicken with two forks and mix it in with all the yummy juices.

Tip: Use a hand mixer to shred your chicken quickly. This whole pot only took a minute to shred!

Serve the chicken on tortillas, and add your favorite taco toppings. Serve with your favorite Mexican side dishes such as rice and beans.

LAYERED TACO CASSEROLE

Ingredients:
Approximately 2 cups of shredded taco chicken
2 cans of kidney beans, drained or 2-3 cups homemade cooked beans
8 ounces shredded Mexican blend, or your favorite cheese
16-ounce jar of your favorite salsa
20 count package of corn tortilla chips

Note: If you want to sneak in a bit of the green stuff, microwave a couple cups of frozen spinach or kale and drain and mix it in with the shredded chicken. I frequently sneak veggies into meals that wouldn’t have them otherwise, like Mexican food, to add a little more nutritional value for our family.

Directions:

1. Spray your slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
2. Spread a couple of spoonfuls of salsa on the bottom of the slow cooker.
3. Layer three corn tortillas on top of the salsa. (Hint: place two tortillas on each end, tear the third tortilla in half, and fill in the empty gaps to complete the layer).
4. Spread a couple of spoonfuls of salsa evenly over the tortilla.
5. Next, spread a couple of spoonfuls of beans evenly on top of the tortillas. Repeat with chicken, then sprinkle a small handful of cheese on top.
6. Repeat layers until all the beans and chicken are used up.
7. On the top, add a final layer of tortilla with just salsa and cheese on top.
8. Cook on low in your slow cooker for 2-4 hours and top with your favorite toppings: salsa, sour cream, green onion, etc.

If you want to get creative, you can also add corn, pepper, and/or jalapeños to the layers or switch to black beans for more of a Tex-Mex feel.

Steps:

Spray your slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.

Spread a couple of spoonfuls of salsa on the bottom of the slow cooker. Layer three corn tortillas on top of the salsa. (Hint: place two tortillas on each end, tear the third tortilla in half, and fill in the empty gaps to complete the layer).

Spread a couple of spoonfuls of salsa evenly over the tortilla.

Next, spread a couple of spoonfuls of beans evenly on top of the tortillas.

 Repeat with chicken,

then sprinkle a small handful of cheese on top.

Repeat layers until all the beans and chicken are used up. On the top, add a final layer of tortilla with just salsa and cheese on top. Cook on low in your slow cooker for 2-4 hours and top with your favorite toppings: salsa, sour cream, green onion, etc.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Note: Measurements in parenthesis are a quadruple batch quantity. I use taco seasoning often, so I like to have a big batch on hand.

Ingredients:

(1 cup) 1⁄4 cup chili powder
(2 tbsp) 1 1⁄2 teaspoons garlic powder
(2 tbsp) 1 1⁄2 teaspoons onion powder
(4 tsp) 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
(I usually add less because this can make it a
little spicy for the kids, so keep that in mind)

(2 tbsp) 1 1⁄2 teaspoons dried oregano
(2 tbsp) 1 1⁄2 teaspoons paprika
(4 tbsp) 1 tablespoon cumin
(4 tbsp) 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
(4 tsp) 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together until completely incorporated.
2. Store in a mason jar or airtight container.

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Brandi Carson

Hey mamas, My name is Brandi Carson, and I am a homeschooling mama to 5 littles, first generation Christian, lover of food, friends, and dark chocolate, frugal thrift shopper who loves to find a good deal or a new project to work on and create. I am a mama that became a Christian after I started having babies.

My husband and I got married very young and started a family right away. Life has been a series of many trials that we have had to work through, like having a daughter with severe ADHD, moving to 4 different states in 2 years, health problems and just life in general. Through the years the Lord has shown me so much grace and love and has taught me so much about how to be humble, show love and grace.

Each day I strive to be the best mama and wife I can be and fulfill the calling the Lord has placed in my life. I have a passion to help other mamas in any way I can. I am still a work in progress and make mistakes like everyone else and am nowhere near perfect but I am learning to pick myself up, forgive myself and keep seeking the Lord in all I do.

We are finally settled in beautiful Colorado Springs, Colorado for the past few years where the Lord has allowed us to build a house and grow roots. He brought me the Help Club for Moms and the amazing community I get to be a part of.

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