Crock Pot Tuesdays and a new study

This perfect Tuesday was spent cooking, playing with Cohen and studying scripture.

The girls in our community group are doing a study on Beth Moore's book To Live Is Christ. In our busy lives, we plan to meet just as girls twice a month. So, we're meeting tomorrow for the first time. I'm so excited to finally have a study to look forward to with them, I'm just giddy! I've been working straight weekends since June... meaning I've missed a lot of church. I've been once. On my birthday. Poor me, right? Well, the Lord provides. This book is a study of Paul's life and dedication to Christ. I can't wait to see how God uses this book to open my eyes to more of His plan for me.

My favorite verse, from today's reading:

 ⁴ Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. ⁵ Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
                           ----Deuteronomy 6:4-9


I wrote this out and hung it in our home. It's a convicting reminder of how we need to be teaching our children the Love of Christ and his laws any chance we get. 



Now, for what you probably clicked on this blog for........ Crock Pot Tuesday!!!


I took a very plain recipe from the Crock Pot Girls facebook page for Carnitas.. It called for a pork roast and a jar of Herdez salsa verde. I'm not a HUGE fan of pork (besides bacon.. don't get me started) so, I meshed that recipe with some aspects from a recipe for brisket tacos I got from a super chef friend, Diedre. (<----And this chick can cook!)


Ingredients:
3-5 pound beef roast
2 small cans Herdez salsa verde
2 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper
cumin
chili powder
(I had beef stock on hand in case it got dry, but the beef produced its own beautiful stock)

My roast was just over 3 pounds.

con toda confianza: "with confidence" found in the Hispanic aisle near chipotle peppers and mole sauce

Rub the meat with salt and pepper, then the cumin and chili powder. Rub it good.

Sear in in a hot pan, just for a second, to seal in the flavors. You can use any pan, I used a cast iron Dutch oven with a little canola oil in the bottom.

I poured one can of salsa in the bottom, placed the roast over that, rubbed in some minced garlic, then poured on another can of salsa. Close up shop. Sit on low for 6-7 hours.

Are you ready for the reveal? OK.. here it is:

I let my hubby pull it apart, then I drizzled the leftover sauce onto it.

Hector, in case you didn't know, is originally from Mexico. With that, comes a wealth of knowledge of Mexican cuisine. To go along with our tacos, he made his famous arroz Mexicano, frijoles negros and a salsa roja con chile de arbol. Now, who can translate all that? Go ahead, make my day!

Our other sides included queso fresco, avocado slices and lime.

Can I just say, we gave taco stands a run for their money. (At least on their brisket tacos, my husband sweetly added.) He's a long time fan of taco stands. 

I was thrilled with this dish. Absolutely thrilled. I seriously hope someone reads this, tries it and tells me how amazing it is. The meat was so tender, so flavorful... Make sure to use little corn tortillas, like a taco stand. Heat them in a little skillet, on both sides, no oil. Crumble queso fresco on top. I added avocado slices and black beans to my tacos. Hector added his salsa. Oh, and squeeze some lime juice in there.. you won't regret it!

I will make this again, and I won't change a thing. Unless you guys make some awesome suggestion to me. :)

So this brings an end to another Crock Pot Tuesday!

While we were eating [delicious] tacos, Cohen was in his high chair eating chunks of banana and avocado! Yes, chunks! 

He got very frustrated because the banana got slippery in his hands and he couldn't get it into his mouth. But he managed to eat all that banana and then some more I cut up. Plus the avocado, not even pictured!

I think he likes feeding himself! (mama is the one who isn't ready for that!)

Today is Cohen's 8 month birthday! I'm going to do his update tomorrow. :) Thanks for reading!