by David Wilhite

Students are always on the go and often have a hard time getting a good meal. Don’t let a busy schedule keep you from good eats. Guaranteed to be better than fast food or a vending machine, here are a couple of recipes that are simple, delicious, and tailored to people on the go. These recipes are for crock pots which simplify cooking to the point of being nearly foolproof. Crock pots can be bought new starting under $20 and can be found for $2 – $5 at yard sales and thrift stores everywhere.

 Foolproof Pollo Verde Tacos

This is one of those recipes where you do most of the prep work ahead of time. Student and professor tested and approved!

• 2 large chicken breasts
• 1 lb. jar of your favorite salsa for cooking (I like salsa verde for this recipe, but more traditional red salsa or picante sauce also works well. My family likes medium to hot food, so I get medium salsa for the cooking part and use hot sauce on my completed tacos.)
• 1 lime (Chemistry majors know this is part of the cooking/tenderizing process.)
• “Taco shreds” lettuce or shredded up iceberg lettuce,
• Taco shells (The vessels of deliciousness.)
• Mexican blend shredded cheese
• Taco sauce, hot sauce, or salsa for topping

Before you leave for school or work in the morning, get out your crock pot and pour in the whole jar of salsa verde, then put in the chicken. Cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice over the chicken and cover crock pot.  If you are going to be home for lunch in about 4 hours or so, put the crock pot on high.  If you won’t be home all day, like 6-8 hours, then put the crock pot on low.  When you get home from school or work, a wonderful smell will greet you at the door. You will be eating in 10 minutes— just enough time to heat the shells.

After you get home, warm up taco shells in oven at 350 for 5-7 minutes. Remove lid from crock pot and use 2 forks to shred chicken and roll in marinade juices that have collected in the bottom.

Build tacos and eat!

Mojo Pulled Pork Sandwiches

This is another crock pot recipe you can get started in the morning and it will be ready when you get home from work or school. It’s ready to eat 10 minutes after you get home, just long enough to toast the rolls.

• Pork roast (I prefer a Boston butt for the way it shreds apart at the end of cooking.)
• A ½ Boston butt (About 2 lbs. is ideal for one or two people for a couple days, or a family for a meal.)
• 24 oz bottle of mojo criollo
• Muenster or Cheddar cheese slices
• Sub sandwich rolls
• Garlic powder
• Sweet pickle chips
• Butter
• Your favorite barbecue sauce

Before you leave the house: Trim excess fat from outside of pork roast. Don’t worry about it getting too dry, there’s enough fat inside the roast that will cook out. Put your roast in the crock pot with fattiest side up, so the juices will work their way down through the meat as it cooks. Pour in bottle of mojo, covering roast evenly. Turn on crock pot and put on the lid. If you are going to be home for lunch, like 4 hours, put the crock pot on high, if you won’t be home all day (6-8 hours) put the crock pot on low. Go to school or work.

When you get home, you’ll be almost ready to eat! Make sure you butter rolls and sprinkle garlic on them. Toast open rolls at 400 degrees for 3-5 minutes. While rolls are toasting, use a large spoon to remove excess grease floating around or on top of roast. Then use two forks to shred the pork roast. Pile up the pork on the garlic toasted sub rolls, add your favorite BBQ sauce and pickles, and then throw the cheese on the top and chow down.