Easy Homemade Wonton Soup

No need for takeout - make this incredibly easy wonton soup at home.

Just a few ingredients are needed for this rich and flavorful broth. The wontons also only have a few ingredients, and once you get the hang of wrapping them, you will put this together in no time.

One quick tip - make a big pot of broth and then only drop in the wontons you plan on eating that night and freeze the rest. The next day you can pull out your pot of broth, heat it up and drop the frozen wontons in. This worked much better for us than cooking all the wontons at once as they would be soggy the next day.

Enjoy!

Easy Wonton Soup
Adapted from: Spend With Pennies

The Broth 

Broth Ingredients

• 3 32 oz cartons chicken broth (not low sodium)
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 4 slices of fresh ginger
• 3 Tbsb low sodium soy sauce

Broth Directions

• Add all broth ingredients to a large pot and bring to a boil.
• Reduce to a simmer for one hour.
• Once ready to cook your wontons, remove the garlic and ginger and increase to a steady simmer. 
• Drop wontons in and let cook about 6 minutes. Serve immediately. 

The Wontons

Wonton Ingredients
Note: I made 50 wontons with these ingredients. The broth will be able to cook 30 total; the rest of the wontons can be frozen for future use. 

• 1 package wonton wrappers (50)
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
• 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 3 tsp cornstarch 
• Other things needed: water, flour (about 2 Tbsp), parchment paper

Wonton Directions

• Mix the pork, green onions, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornstarch in a large bowl until combined. 
• Prep your area - put a small bowl of water and a small plate of flour near your wrapping station. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a clean cutting board or other flat surface in front of you.
• There are several ways to wrap wontons and they all work! I used this process, but you could take a look at some videos online before choosing how to wrap yours: Place a wonton wrapper on the cutting board. Spoon 1 tsp of the filling onto the center of the wrapper. Wet the edges with water, and then fold the wonton wrapper in half to form a triangle, pressing the edges together tightly. Wet the 2 pointed ends and pull them together, pinching tightly. Dip the bottom in flour and place on your parchment paper lined baking sheet. 
• Continue until you have wrapped all of your wontons. 
• At this point, either place them in the freezer and once frozen place in freezer baggies, or drop into the broth to cook. Or do like I did - cook half and freeze half! 

The Perfect Roast Chicken - Includes a Step by Step Guide to Brining (Turkey or Chicken!!)

This may just be the perfect Sunday dinner. Juicy, tender chicken with homemade gravy and a plate reminiscent of Thanksgiving - mashed potatoes, veggies and stuffing.
Roasting a chicken can seem intimidating - there are so many decisions. Brine or no? Stuff or not? What to season it with? Roast in a bag or not? And how to make gravy without lumps? 
I am going to take you through it step by step, and I'll make all the decisions for you. Honestly, it's easy. As long as you plan ahead so you have enough time to make and cool your brine, the steps are really simple. 
In this post I share details of each step with pictures, but just so you don't get overwhelmed, here is a simple, sample timeline. At the end of this post I'll give you easy to read, step by step instructions. 
Based on Sunday Dinner, adjust as needed: (this can be used for Turkey, too!!!)  - Friday night: make and chill the brine  - Saturday morning: add the chicken to the brine   - Saturday night: remove the chicken from the brine and dry it in the fridge overnight  - Sunday, 4 hours before you plan on eating: season and stuff the bird, truss and cook. 

So yes, I did decide to brine for the first time ever and now I will ALWAYS brine! Why? The skin was crispier, the chicken was juicier, and the overall flavor was out of this world.  (note - if you buy a Kosher chicken it has already been brined). 

I did a lot of research on brines before making my own, and I decided to go with the advice of Chef Daniel Boulud and use a boiled brine that you chill as well as the drying method. If he can charge $75 a plate for his brined chicken, I'm sure his method has to produce some darn good chicken.  

Basically you bring your water and salt mixture to a boil (1 c salt to 1 gallon water). Adding sugar and other spices/herbs is optional, but I recommend doing it to maximize the flavors the brine will add. Once boiled, it is important to completely cool your brine. Putting your chicken into a warm bath to sit for 12 hours will just breed bacteria. So give yourself the time and completely chill the brine (use my timeline above).  

I brined the chicken for 12 hours. After that, I dried it and set it on a serving tray to dry in the fridge. This is something I hadn't heard of before, but Boulud says that it "really helps improve the purity of a chicken’s flavor and, especially, the crispness of its skin." I was a bit freaked out about leaving an uncovered chicken in my fridge overnight so I used my garage fridge which only holds beer and water :) 

On Sunday morning it was time to finish prepping the chicken by adding more flavor. I always stuff my turkey with herbs and garlic, so it was a no brainer to do it with the chicken, too. I chose fresh thyme, chunks of lemon, onions and garlic. I often add sage and rosemary, too.  Flavoring the skin and meat is important too. Make a mixture of butter (or oil), garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. Use your fingers to gently lift the skin so you can season the meat. Be generous with it! You'll also want to season the skin. 

The final step is trussing the chicken, and I really like this tutorial. A woman behind the butcher's counter at the supermarket tried to tell me that you only need to tie the legs together, but following this tutorial helps to keep everything tucked in nice and tight. 

Put that bird on a roasting rack in a roasting pan that has been layered with carrots and onions. Feel free to add celery, garlic, or any other aromatics that you like. This is what is going to help flavor your gravy. If you don't plan on making mashed potatoes, throw some potato chunks in there too for amazing roasted potatoes. 
I like the high heat method of cooking chicken to get golden brown, crispy skin. Start your bird on 425 degrees F for 15 minutes, and then lower it to 350 degrees for the remainder. Plan on 20 minutes per pound. 
To summarize all of that, here is a timeline based on Sunday Dinner:  - Friday night: make and chill the brine  - Saturday morning: add the chicken to the brine   - Saturday night: remove the chicken from the brine and dry it in the fridge overnight  - Sunday, 4 hours before you plan on eating: season and stuff the bird, truss and cook. 
Look at this beauty!!! Is that a perfect chicken or what?? 

When you take the chicken out of the oven, you'll want to let it rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. In that time you can make the perfect gravy - I share my recipe below which is a spin on my husband's recipe from his mom. Creamy, lump-free and perfect every time!

Gorgeous. Mouth watering. The perfect Sunday meal. 

Whole Roast Chicken Based on a 7-8 lb chicken
Step 1 - The Brine

• 1 gallon of cold water
• 1 c salt
• 1/2 c sugar
• 2 Tbsp black peppercorns
• 4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme

In a pot large enough to hold your chicken, combine the water, salt and sugar and stir until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Let cool to room temperature and then cover and transfer to your fridge to chill overnight. 

24 - 30 hours before your planned dinner, add the chicken to the brine. Keep in the fridge for 12-16 hours. 

Step 2 - Drying the Chicken

Remove the chicken from the brine and pat it dry. Transfer to a large plate and place in the fridge, uncovered, for 12 hours. 

Step 3 - Stuffing and Seasoning the Chicken

• 1 lemon, roughly chopped
• A few sprigs each of fresh herbs - thyme, sage, rosemary
• 4-6 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• 1/2 of a white onion, roughly chopped

Put all of the above ingredients in the cavity of the bird. 

• 1/2 c olive oil (or 4 Tbsp butter, softened)
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1 Tbsp black pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed/crushed
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs (same as what you use to stuff the chicken)

Combine the above ingredients. Gently lift the chicken's skin and apply the mixture directly to the flesh of the breasts. 

Additionally, brush your bird with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 

Step 4 - Trussing the Chicken

Follow these steps: 

• With the breast meat facing up, tuck the wings under the shoulders
• Place a long piece kitchen twine across the breast and using both hands, flip the chicken over. 
• Tie the twine
• Flip the chicken back over
• Using your right hand only, wrap the twine around the smallest part of the drumstick two times (I'd call it the ankle :). Repeat with the left side.
• Tie the twine tightly so the legs close over the cavity. Now we're all trussed up with somewhere to go!

Step 5 - Cooking the Chicken

• 4 carrots, chopped into chunks
• 1 onion, chopped into chunks
• Other optional ingredients: cloves of garlic, celery, potatoes - all roughly chopped. 
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Toss the veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper and place in the bottom of your roasting pan.  Place the chicken on a rack in the roasting pan. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 350 and cook 20 minutes per pound, until the internal temperature reaches 180 (breast) and 190 (thigh). Another way to test is to cut between the leg and the thigh and see if the juices run clear. 

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board (make sure it has a well, the chicken will leak!) and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the veggies to a serving bowl. 

The Gravy

• 1 c plus 2 Tbsp water or chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp flour

Place your flour in a bowl leaving a well in the center. Slowly add 1 c of the liquid, whisking as you add. 

Place your roasting pan on the stove over medium heat. Add the 2 Tbsp of liquid, whisking it around the pan as you scrape up all the good brown bits. 

Slowly add the flour/liquid mixture - just a bit at a time - whisking constantly. Continue adding until you have the consistency you want. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. 

If it is too thick, add more liquid. If it is too thin, make another flour/liquid mixture and continue to add it until you have the gravy you desire. 

Grandmom's Macaroni Salad

This is one of those dishes that takes me back to childhood, and now I make it often for my family. It is such a simple recipe with simple ingredients, but is one of my favorite sides for burgers, dogs, grilled chicken, or really any summer party or BBQ food.
You know those mac salads that you sometimes get at a diner in a little cup and they are all wet with way too much mayo? And they are a bit too sweet? That's not this salad.

I have a few tips to make this the best mac salad you will every try. First, you have to cook the pasta to al dente. You want it to still have a bite, so definitely rinse it with cold water as soon as you drain it. Overcooked, soft mac mixed with mayo is not what you are going for! 

I use only carrots, red onion and green pepper. It's important to dice them into the smallest dice you can get. You don't want them to stand out in the salad, but simply give flavor and some texture. 

I add my mayo in 2 steps and end up with a perfectly creamy mac salad. The first time I add it I mix it up and let it sit in the fridge for about an hour. When you take it out it will look almost dry. That's when I add the rest of the mayo and veggies. Oh - and it must be Hellman's Mayo!!!!

Finally, don't be scared to season it! Salt and pepper only, but be generous and keep tasting every time you mix. 
Timewise, this is a really quick salad to pull together. The water takes a few minutes to boil and then the pasta only takes 5 minutes to cook. During that time I chop my veggies, and then the mixing only takes a few minutes. I'll even pull this one together for a weeknight meal as long as I have an hour to let it chill in the fridge. 

Add caption

So forget those sweet, wet mac salads that have given macaroni salad a bad name and give this one a try! I guarantee it will be the one everyone asks for! 
Grandmom's Macaroni Salad
Original family recipe
Ingredients

• 1 lb macaroni/elbow noodles
• 6 Tbsp mayonnaise, separated (amount is approximate)
• 1 carrot cut into a small dice
• 1/4 red onion cut into a small dice
• 1/2 green pepper cut into a small dice
• Salt and pepper, approximately 1 Tbsp each

Directions

• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt it generously and then add your noodles. Cook to al dente, approximately 5 minutes. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water and drain well. Transfer noodles to a large mixing bowl.
• Add half of the mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Stir to combine, cover, and place in the fridge for one hour. 
• Add the veggies, and slowly add more mayonnaise until you get the creaminess you want - remember, you don't want it to be too wet. Continue to season with salt and pepper, tasting as you go.
• Chill until you are ready to serve, stirring before serving. 

Beef and Bean Burritos

Ground beef, pinto beans and salsa fill this crispy, oven-baked burrito. Personalize them with your favorite toppings for a great dinner everyone will enjoy! 

I crave the flavors of Mexican food (or at least Tex-Mex) at least weekly. Some of my favorite things include jalapenos and cilantro! And then there's the cheesy dishes and dips you get with Tex-Mex - I cannot resist!

Last week's package of ground beef was begging to be turned into an amazing Tex Mex dinner, and I just happened to be craving it, so this happened - ground beef, pinto beans, and salsa all stuffed in an oven baked burrito and personalized with out favorite toppings.

Usually when I make tacos I just brown the meat, add the spices and let it simmer for a few minutes until I'm ready to start assembling. With some extra time to spare last week, I let this meat mixture simmer for 45 minutes to give it some really amazing flavors.

When stuffing the burritos it is really important not to include the liquid from the meat. You'll naturally get some in there, but use a slotted spoon so most of it drains. Once stuffed, I placed them on a rack on a foil lined baking tray and sprayed them with cooking spray. 20 minutes in the oven and they were perfectly crispy.

The best thing about build-your-own meals (things like pizzas, tacos, baked potatoes, etc.) is that everyone can top their food with their favorite things.

My husband chose salsa, cheese, lettuce, tomato, jalapeno slices and avocado slices with some sour cream on the side.

I love creamy and cheesy sauces, so I made a creamy cheese sauce with a kick from a special spice blend that my friend makes. It has so much heat and the best flavor! I also topped mine with jalapenos, tomatoes and cilantro.

I was so excited to cut into these. The meat had such a robust flavor from simmering in the salsa and spices, and the cheese sauce combined with everything for such an amazing, flavorful bite.

Give these a try and let me know how you like to top yours!

Beef and Bean Burritos
Original Recipe by Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

Ingredients

• 1 lb of lean ground beef (I prefer 96%)
• 1/2 of a medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 24-oz jar of your favorite chunky salsa 
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 can pinto beans (or black beans if you prefer)
• 6 burrito sized tortilla shells
• Cooking spray
• Toppings: cheese (cotija or queso blanco would be my choice), tomatoes, lettuce, jalapenos, sour cream, cilantro, avocado, cheese sauce (recipe follows)

Directions

• Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and top with a rack. A cooling rack works perfectly for this. 
• Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add your ground beef and brown, breaking it up into smaller pieces. 
• Once browned, add the onions and garlic; stir 1 minute. 
• Add the salsa, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Stir and let simmer, uncovered, for 15-45 minutes, depending on how much time you have. Stir occasionally.
• Place a tortilla on a flat surface. Spoon 2 spoonfuls of the meat mixture below the center of the tortilla. Fold in the bottom to cover the mixture, fold in the 2 sides, roll away from you. Roll in the sides again and roll until everything has been tucked in. Place seam side down on the rack and spray quickly with cooking spray. Repeat to make all of the burritos.
• Bake for 20 minutes, turning the broiler on for the last 2 minutes. 
• Plate and top with your preferred toppings. Serve immediately.

Creamy Cheesy Sauce

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 c whole milk
• 1 Tbsp of your favorite chili/spicy spice blend OR chili powder/salt/ground cayenne pepper/black pepper mixture
• A few dashes of your favorite hot sauce
• 1/2 c shredded Mexican blend cheese

Melt the butter and oil in a small pot. Whisk in the flour until completely combined. Slowly whisk in the milk and add your spices and hot sauce; continue to stir. Once the milk comes to a light but steady simmer, remove it from the heat and add in your cheese. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve over the baked burritos. 

Classic Chicken Pot Pie

Classic Chicken Pot Pie - comforting, traditional home cooking from scratch. 

When Jon and I got married I really didn't cook much at all. I was a vegetarian at the time, so I had the tofu and vegetable stir fry meals perfected, and could make stuffed peppers and tacos using both real and "fake" ground meat, but that was about it.  Jon loves to tell the story of the first time we hosted dinner for friends and I decided to make a roast pork tenderloin. I wanted to infuse it with some garlic flavor, so instead of marinating or rubbing it, I decided to put full cloves of garlic in the pork. Well, that's fine and all, but I didn't push the cloves all the way in, so they were all sticking up all over the pork. Jon jokes that I made porcupine pork.  Not my proudest moment, but I was inspired to learn more and keep trying. I started reading recipes like crazy, but never liked to cook from them exactly, not even the first time making something new. That is what started my love of experimenting and cooking, and is a big part of why I don't like to bake - too much measuring!! I'd rather wing it and go on flavors.  I started this blog almost 10 years ago when I was still very much a beginner. I look back at some of my recipes from 10 years ago and besides being horrified at the pictures, they make me laugh but also smile because I see how much I have learned. And I'm so glad that I truly LOVE to cook and that my daughter thinks I am the best cook ever :)  It is for that reason that I have started to revisit some of my much older posts not only to take updated pictures, but to make some changes to the recipes. Most recently I updated a Chicken Pot Pie recipe. 

Chicken Pot Pie is such a comforting and traditional dish. And really, it's not that hard to make, even completely from scratch. Ok, I can't lie - you know that I didn't make the crust from scratch. But with so many good store bought pie crusts out there, I don't see a reason. What is important to me is a good stock as the base. You won't find any cream soups in this recipe. 

So here it is - my updated Classic Chicken Pot Pie based on my old adaptation of a Martha Stewart Recipe. 

Don't be overwhelmed by the list of ingredients and steps. I'll break it down like this for you -  Step 1 - cook your chicken which also is the stock making step.  Step 2 - chop and saute your veggies.

Step 3 - add liquid to make the sauce.  Step 4 - put in a dish, cover with pie crust and bake. Enjoy!!!

One final tip before we get to the recipe. Look at that picture above - see how some of the sauce bubbles out and down the sides of the dish? To avoid making a total mess of your oven, place a large piece of foil or a cookie sheet on the rack below the rack the pot pie is on to catch any drips. 

Classic Chicken Pot Pie Loosely adapted from Martha Stewart Ingredients
For Step 1: 

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 stalk of celery cut into chunks
• 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 2 c low sodium chicken broth
• 1 c water

For Step 2: 

• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1 brown Russet potato, diced into small bit sized pieces (if you do this ahead of time, just store the diced potatoes in a bowl covered with water)
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced (same size and potato pieces)
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 large white mushrooms, chopped
• 1/4 c frozen corn
• 1/4 c frozen peas
• 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

For Step 3: 

• 4 Tbsp flour
• 2 cups of reserved stock (from step one, cooking the chicken)
• 1/2 c heavy cream

For Step 4: 

• 1 refrigerated pie crust

Directions

• Step 1: Place the chicken in a pot with the thyme, peppercorns, bay leaves, celery, onion, pinch each of salt and pepper. Add the chicken broth and then add water slowly until your chicken is just covered. Bring to a boil and then let simmer until the chicken is cooked through (180 degrees), about 15-20 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate. Pour the contents of the pot through a colander into another pot; discard what is left in the colander and reserve the stock. Cut chicken into bite sized cubes.
• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. 
• Step 2: Melt the butter in a large saute pan. Add the potatoes and saute for 5 minutes, until turning translucent. Add the carrots, red pepper and onion and saute for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, peas and corn and stir. Season with salt and pepper. 
• Step 3: Add the flour to the pan and stir, coating all of the veggies. Slowly add the stock, stirring as you add it to thicken the sauce. The slower you add the sauce, the thicker you will be able to make your sauce. Once you have added all of the stock, add the cream and stir. Bring to a simmer, stirring often, and let simmer 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken. 
• Step 4: Transfer the chicken-veggie mixture to a deep dish pie plate. Top with the pie crust, cutting off anything hanging over the edges. Cut a few slits in the top. Bake until the crust is golden, about 30 minutes. Make sure you put a piece of foil or a cookie sheet on the rack below the pie as it may bubble over. 
• Let the pot pie sit for several minutes before serving. 
• Tip: makes great leftovers! 

Cheese Tortellini Primavera in a Light Garlic Cream Sauce

Cheese Tortellini with Fresh Vegetables in a Light Garlic Cream Sauce - A quick and easy meal that comes together in 20 minutes! 

Yes, you read that correctly. 20 minutes! 
Tortellini is a great pasta to use when you need to cut down on cooking time. Where other pasta shapes can take 8-12 minutes to cook, you will have perfect tortellini in about 5 minutes. 
As far as timing, chop your veggies and get out your other ingredients while the water is coming to a boil. Once the water boils, toss your veggies in for one minute. Blanching the veggies will cut down on your sauteeing time. Then, you make the sauce when you drop the tortellini. The sauce and tortellini will be done at the same time, and then all you need to do is toss it all together. 

This is a great Meatless Monday meal, a perfect quick weeknight dinner, and makes great leftovers (if you have any!) for lunch the next day. 

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Cheese Tortellini Primavera in a Garlic Cream Sauce

by Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations 
November-4-2016

Ingredients

• 1 small head broccoli, chopped into florets
• 1 large carrot, sliced
• 1/2 each red and green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 of a small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 12oz bag of frozen tortellini
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Splash of white wine
• 1/2 c low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/4 c light cream
• A few pinches each salt and pepper
• 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning (like McCormick's Perfect Pinch)
• 1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Once it is at a full boil, toss in the broccoli and carrots. Cook for one minute and then remove with a slotted spoon into a colander and run under cold water. Drain well. Return the water to a boil and put in the tortellini.Cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until the tortellini pops to the top of the water.
- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan.
- Toss in the onions and garlic; saute 1 min.
- Add the broccoli, carrots, red and green pepper, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning; saute 1 min.
- Add the white wine, stir for 20 seconds before adding the broth. Bring to a gentle simmer and then add the cream and Parmesan cheese.
- Drain the tortellini and add to the veggie/sauce mixture. Toss and serve.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 20 mins Yield: 4 Servings

Shredded Flank Steak for Tacos (Slow Cooker)

The main thing I use my crock pot for is making shredded meat - pulled pork, shredded chicken, and shredded beef. And most of those things get used for tacos because tacos are awesome! I may have a slight taco obsession...

But in all seriousness, taco night is a great night in our house. The only thing we all need to agree on is the meat. After that, everyone can choose their own tortilla - I prefer corn, Jon prefers flour and the little one prefers crunchy. Same goes for the toppings - we all dress our tacos differently. My favorite toppings are pickled red onions, cilantro, queso fresco and some fresh lime juice - how about you?

On this taco night I chose to go with beef and picked up a nice flank steak. The preparation is easy - just rub it up with a nice spice mixture and put it in the slow cooker with a few more ingredients. Let it cook for several hours, shred with a fork and serve.  When I make shredded meat I always make enough for at least 2 nights. One night we'll have tacos, and then we can have tostadas, nachos, sandwiches, or something completely different all together, like a pasta or rice bowl.  I can check off so many boxes with this recipe - prep ahead, easy, weeknight meal, makes great leftovers, and makes everyone happy!  Shredded Flank Steak for Tacos Original Recipe by Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations
Ingredients

• One 2-lb flank steak
• Spice mixture - 1 Tbsp each chile powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder; 1 tsp each oregano (or Mexican oregano), salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper. 
• 1 can chopped tomatoes with juices
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 1/2 white onion, sliced
• Handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• Juice of 1/2 of a lime
• 8 oz low sodium beef broth or cooking stock

Directions

• Mix all of the spices and rub all over the beef
• Put the beef in your slow cooker and add the tomatoes with juices, jalapeno, white onion, cilantro, lime juice and broth.
• Cook on high for 4 hours and turn to low for 4 more. 1 hour before serving, shred the beef with 2 forks. Keep on warm until ready to serve.