From Our Kitchen To Yours

Baked Chicken Stuffed with Pesto and Cheese

2012-02-10T22:20:00.000-08:00

This is one of those meals I'm going to be thinking about until I make it again. It was that good!

From "Kalyn's Kitchen"

Ingredients:

4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 (heaping) T pesto or your favorite commercial pesto
4 (heaping) T low-fat sour cream
4 (heaping) T (or more) grated mozzarella cheese
2 eggs, beaten (or if they're large eggs one will probably be enough)*
Finely grated Parmesan cheese
6 T almond flour (or almond meal, but almond flour is better for this because it's more finely ground)*
black pepper to taste

(*I didn't even use the egg or flour. I just used Parmesan as a "crust." --Kristen's note)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Spray a small casserole dish with non-stick spray. Trim any visible fat from chicken breasts, then put them one at a time inside a heavy plastic bag and pound with meat mallet until the chicken is as thin as you can get it. Don't worry too much about the shape or whether there are some loose pieces, you can tuck them in when you roll up the chicken. (Kristen here again, I didn't pound my meat. I cut a "pocket" in my chicken to fill with the mixture.)

In a small bowl mix together the basil pesto, sour cream, and grated mozzarella. Use a rubber scraper to spread a thin layer of this mixture over each chicken breast, stopping about 1/2 inch from the edge of the chicken (so it doesn't run out so much as it cooks.) Roll up the chicken breasts and secure them with a couple of toothpicks. (I roll them so the finished piece is as thin as I can get it so they will cook quickly.)

Prepare two bowls, one with the beaten egg and the other with the grated Parmesan-almond flour mixture, seasoned with black pepper to taste. Dip each chicken breast roll first into the egg mixture and then into the Parmesan-almond flour mixture, patting it on so the chicken breast roll is well-coated with the mixture.

Put chicken breasts into the casserole dish and bake until the chicken is firm and lightly browned. (Start checking after about 25-30 minutes; total baking time will be 30-35 minutes.) Serve hot.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Chimichurri

2011-09-15T21:08:00.000-07:00

Our Best Bites has become a favorite of mine. And I don't have the cook book yet...gasp!! I can't even stand it! Here's one I got off their website, and I cannot tell you how much delightful moaning I heard at the dinner table that night. If the way to a man's heart is through is stomach, Nate's heart has never been more mine.

Ingredients:

2-3 pound pork tenderloin
1 1/2 c chopped parsley
1 1/2 c chopped cilantro
1/2 c loosely packed oregano leaves (or 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp dried oregano leaves)
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp chopped garlic (6-7 cloves)
1 t kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place pork tenderloins in a ziplock bag and set aside.

Place parsley, cilantro, oregano, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse several times until finely chopped. Remove mixture and place in a bowl. Add red pepper flakes and then stir in olive oil by hand.

Remove 1/2-3/4 c chimichurri (the herb mixture you just made) and place in bag with pork tenderloins. You just need enough to coat them well. Be sure not to cross-contaminate since you will be serving the remaining chimichurri over the top of the finished meat. Seal bag and set aside to marinade for an hour or longer if you need to. Place wrap over the remaining chimichurri and set aside until ready to serve.

When ready to cook, preheat grill. Remove tenderloins from bag and let excess marinade drip off. Place on grill and cook for about 5-8 minutes before flipping to the other side. You want the internal temperature to be about 160 degrees. Remove from grill and let stand 5 minutes before cutting. Slice, and serve with remaining chimichurri drizzled on top.

Chile Lime Chicken Tostadas in the SLOW COOKER

2011-09-15T20:54:00.000-07:00

Okay. This is one of our favorite meals. Ever. My girls LOVE it!! If they love a meal, and we love a meal, it's a winner!

I'm pretty sure I got it from Real Mom Kitchen.

Ingredients:

1 can diced green chilies
4 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
3 tbsp lime juice
1 diced medium onion
2 boneless chicken breasts
1 can refried beans, warmed
tostada shells
desired toppings such as shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, sliced olives, guacamole (we use them all!)

Add chicken and onion to slow cooker. In a bowl, combine green chilies, garlic, chili powder, and lime juice. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.
Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred.
Spread warmed refried beans on tostada shells. Top with chicken and other desired toppings.

Take a bite and learn what food in Heaven will taste like!!

Breakfast Pizza

2011-09-15T20:47:00.000-07:00

This is so good, I could eat it all by myself. Seriously.

I got it on allrecipes.com

1 (8 oz) can refrigerated crescent rolls
1 pound bulk sausage or bacon (I prefer bacon)
1 cup frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed (I used a bit more...just a good covering)
1 cup shredded cheese (again, use what you like)
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Unroll crescent dough and place on a greased 12-in pizza pan (I used a 9X13 casserole dish). Press seams together and press up sides of pan to form a crust. In a skillet brown sausage or bacon. Drain and cool slightly.
Sprinkle meat, hash browns, and cheddar cheese over crust. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk and pepper. Pour over pizza. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 375 degrees for 28-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 10 min before cutting.

Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells

2011-09-15T20:40:00.000-07:00

I'm not even sure where I got this recipe, so I'm sorry I can't give credit where credit is due. I'll tell ya what, though, they deserve it!! This is so good!! It's a lot of work, but it's worth it.

44 uncooked jumbo pasta shells (about 1 1/2 12-oz boxes)--I've used Manicotti noodles before, and it's actually faster...
2 c chopped cooked chicken
2 c fresh chopped spinach
1 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (5 oz) package shredded Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 c shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (26 oz) jar prepared spaghetti sauce (any variety)

Cook shells according to package directions; drain and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2-13X9X2 inch baking dishes.
In a large bowl, combine chicken and all the rest of the ingredients except mozzarella and spaghetti sauce. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella. Spoon into shells. Spread half of the spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dishes. Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake, covered for 40 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Bake for 5-10 more minutes.

Makes 8-10 servings.

Sweet Pork Burritos

2011-09-15T20:31:00.000-07:00

My sister Liz introduced me to these. They are so delish. And what's better is that they are SO easy!!

Ingredients:

Pork (I use either a roast or country style boneless ribs)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup salsa
1 can of Sprite

Throw all of it in the crock pot. Cook it all day. Shred the pork.

It's the best in freshly made tortillas, topped with cheese, beans, guac, and maybe some rice. Sooooo delicious!

Easy Chicken Tosadas

2011-09-12T08:44:00.000-07:00

Easy Chicken Tostadas

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 can refried beans
sliced black olives
shredded cheddar cheese
shredded lettuce
salsa
1 large avocado, sliced
4 flour tortillas

For the marinade:
juice of 3 large limes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 heaping teaspoon brown sugar
handful cilantro, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the chicken and marinade in a large ziploc bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Remove the chicken from the bag and discard the marinade. Grill chicken pieces over medium-high heat for about 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally, until fully cooked.

Heat the refried beans in a small pan over medium heat until hot (I like to stir in a little liquid smoke and a splash of jarred jalapeno juice to jazz it up).

Spray the tortillas with a little cooking spray and place on a baking sheet; bake for about 5 minutes, until crisp. Spread each tortilla with a thin layer of beans then top with the cheese, black olives, salsa, chicken, lettuce and avocado. Serves 2.

Recipe source: Sing For Your Supper original

Crock Pot Chile Verde

2011-08-30T08:54:00.000-07:00

1 small onion, diced
1 (4 ounce) can diced chile (mine were mild, your choice)
Pork roast (shoulder or chuck)
1 green bell pepper seeded and diced
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
10 tomatillos, diced (peel off the outer wrapper, if they have one)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons sage
1 Tablespoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

The Directions.

I used a 6 quart. Trim any visible fat from the meat, and plop into your slow cooker stoneware. Add diced bell pepper and onion. If your tomatillos have the leafy-outer skin left on them, take the skin and stem off, and dice finely (I used the pampered chef chopper thingy. You can pulse in a food processor, instead, if you'd like). Pour in the contents of the diced chile can and the tomato can. Add spices. Stir a bit to get the spices down the sides of the meat. Add chopped cilantro to the top.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, high for 6, or until meat shreds easily with a fork. After 7 hours on low, my meat was still pretty tough, so I chopped it into large chunks, and put it back in the pot for another 2 hours. By then, it had shredded nicely for me.

Teriyaki Marinade

2011-07-07T09:41:00.000-07:00

This is an amazing marinade for chicken, and super easy.

1/2 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Oil (I used EVOO)
6 oz Sprite
1/2 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
1/2 Tablespoon Horseradish (optional)

Mix all ingredients together and poor over chicken in ziplock bag. Refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours. Then grill chicken.

Chinese Chicken Salad

2011-07-02T19:26:00.000-07:00

2 chicken breats, cooked and shredded
After chicken is cooked and shredded marinate in:
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup garlic salt

Salad:
1 head of lettuce chopped or broken up
1/2 cup to 1 cup green onions, finely sliced
2 Tablespoons slivered almonds (I used more)
2 Tablesppons toasted sesame seeds
1 8-ounce can mandarin oranges
2 ounces won-ton shells, fried and broken up (I used more)
2 ounces rice sticks, fried and broken up (I didn't have these but I'm sure they'd be amazing)

Dressing (or you can use any oriental style dressing)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup sesame oil (I did not have this but I will get it for next time)
3 Tablespoons rice vinegar (I used 4)
1 teaspoon accent (optional)

Strawberry-Blue Cheese Spinach Salad

2011-07-02T19:21:00.000-07:00

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
12 ounces of fresh baby spinach
1 (16-ounce) container of fresh strawberries, quartered
1 (4 ounce) package of crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup sliced sugared or toasted almonds

Dressing:
2 large shallots, minced
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Okay, here is my opinion on this salad: it is delish but the next time I ate it I added shredded chicken and crumbled bacon. It was so much tastier and more filling. Also, I used Briana's Poppy Sead dressing instead I liked it better.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

2011-01-04T20:17:00.000-08:00

yum...

4 lrg Baking potatoes
2/3 c. Butter or possibly margarine
2/3 c. Flour
6 c. Lowfat milk
3/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black pepper
1/2 tsp White pepper
4 x Green onions, minced and divided
12 slc Bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 1/4 c. Cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
8 ounce Lowfat sour cream
Directions
Wash, dry and prick potatoes with fork. Bake in 400-degree oven for 1 hour or possibly till done. Let cold. Cut into half lengthwise and scoop out pulp; set aside. Use skins for something else, such as stuffed potato skins. Heat butter in heavy saucepan over low heat; add in flour, stirring till smooth.
Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add in lowfat milk, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly till mix is thickened and bubbly. Add in potato pulp, salt, pepper, 2 Tbs. green onion, half the bacon and 1 c. cheese.
Cook till thoroughly heated. Stir in lowfat sour cream. Add in extra lowfat milk if necessary for desired consistency. Serve with remaining green onions, bacon and cheese.

Potato Cheese Soup

2010-11-08T19:35:00.000-08:00

Mmmmmm.....we LOVE this one at our house. I borrowed this recipe from my mom, and I've never returned it. Oops. If you're like me, Cheez Whiz isn't a regular staple in your pantry, but it makes this soup oh, so yummy. What's wrong with a little fake cheese every once in a while? You won't regret it!

3 c chicken broth
1 c diced celery
1 diced onion
5 c cubed, cooked potatoes
1 can sweet corn
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 c butter
1 qt milk
3/4 c flour
1 8 oz jar Cheez Whiz

Boil celery and onion in broth until tender. Add cooked potatoes. In separate pot, melt butter. Whisk in flour. Stir in milk. Stir until thick and add Cheez Whiz. Add mixture to potato broth mixture. Add seasonings and corn. Stir. Serve. ENJOY!!!

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

2010-11-04T19:49:00.000-07:00

My mom makes the BEST chicken noodle soup EVER. When I found this recipe, I thought it was hers (don't ask me why I didn't just get it from her). I do, however, like the THICKNESS of this and the CREAMINESS of this, so it's become MY recipe for chicken noodle soup.

I found it on The Sisters Cafe blog.

2 cans chicken broth (14oz) (I use 3 cans. You can use 4 if you don't want it so thick. It's really thick with 3, so 2 would be EXTRA thick.)
1 t chicken bouillon (I just use a cube)
1 c. carrots, chopped
1 c. celery, chopped
1/2 med onion, chopped
16 oz. noodles, homestyle egg pasta (Country Pasta)
1 1/2 lbs cooked, cooled, chopped chicken breast
2 c. cream of chicken soup
1 12oz can evaporated milk

Boil the broth, bouillon, carrots, celery and onion for 20 minutes, or until tender. Add noodles and boil for another 10 minutes. (I actually cook the noodles first while the vegetables are boiling, so the noodles don't soak up all of the broth, but I do cook the noodles with a bouillon cube so they get some flavor. And then I add them.) Then add chicken, cream of chicken soup and canned milk. Heat thoroughly. Add pepper to taste.

Creamy Vegetable Soup

2010-11-04T10:39:00.001-07:00

This is a family favorite and it's so healthy it will help you live to be 100!

1 turnip, peeled and cubed

3 potatoes (I like to sub 2 big sweet potatoes instead), peeled and cubed

1 carrot, peeled and cut in chunks

1-2 celery sticks, cut in pieces

1 small onion, quartered

1 large tomato, peeled and quartered (I don't peel mine)

2 tsp. salt

5 cups water

Cook all together for 45 minutes. Do not drain. Blend in a blender. Enjoy.

Southwest Chicken Wraps

2010-08-30T09:19:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Realmomkitchen.com

I just tried this recipe last week, and we all LOVED it. It's more of a burrito than a wrap, and it is oh, so delish!

1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (I just put them in the crockpot all day with some water and chicken bouillion)
3 Tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced (green and white parts)
1/2 roasted red pepper, diced (see instructions below or purchase at store, you can also substitute with 1/2 can fire roasted chilies)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 2/3 cups shredded taco blend or Mexican blend chicken
8 burrito-sized flour tortillas (I used uncooked whole wheat flour tortillas...yummo!)
1/4 cup melted butter (I used canola oil)
Sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole

1. Mix together rice, chicken, lime juice, chili powder, cumin and garlic salt.

2. Add beans, green onion, peppers, and cilantro to the rice mix.

3. Brush rolled up wraps with butter. Place on a heated panini maker or George Foreman grill. Cook for 3 minutes and serve with sour cream, guacamole, and/or salsa for dipping.

Note: this can be made in a skillet if you don't have a Foreman grill or panini maker. Heat a large skillet (or griddle) over medium heat. Arrange 2 wraps, seam side down, in a pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Serve.

TO MAKE A ROASTED PEPPER:

For grill method: Grill pepper on the grill until charred and black

For oven method: Brush pepper with vegetable oil and place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper (I just put it on a folded piece of aluminum foil . Broil until pepper is black and charred.

Place black and charred pepper in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Keep in bowl for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes remove plastic wrap. remove skin, stems, and seeds from the pepper.

Texas Pork Burritos

2010-07-29T20:20:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe in my Taste of Home magazine. That's the BEST $4.00 for a magazine subscription I've ever spent! It was soooooo good.

Ingredients
1 boneless pork shoulder butt roast (3 to 4 pounds), cubed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cans (10 ounces each) green enchilada sauce
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 cans (2-1/4 ounces each) sliced ripe olives, drained
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons ground cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
10 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend

Directions

Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, brown meat in oil in batches. Transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker. Combine the enchilada sauce, onion, carrots, olives, broth, cumin, garlic and oregano; pour over meat. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender.

Combine flour and sour cream; stir into meat mixture. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cilantro.

Spoon 2/3 cup pork mixture onto each tortilla; top with about 3 tablespoons cheese. Roll up tightly. Yield: 10 servings.

***Here are the changes I made: I didn't cook the pork prior to putting it in the crock pot. I just put the whole thing in there, and after 6 hours, I shredded the pork. Much easier. Also, I omitted the carrots. That seemed like an odd addition. Next time I make it, I'm going to use a 1/2 tsp of chicken bouillion (instead of chicken broth), in order to avoid it being so soupy (possibly less enchilada sauce as well. It was pretty soupy. I may make it AS a soup come this winter!). I also heated up some black beans and topped the burritos with those. YUMMY!!!**

Grilled Chicken Tostadas

2010-07-29T20:07:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on realmomkitchen.com. I think I would prefer the Cafe Rio style dressing to the Lime Crema, but Liz says she's got a good recipe for Lime Crema, perhaps you could add it, Liz?

These were DELISH. And a great summer meal!
2 limes

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

3 boneless skinless chicken breast (about 1 1/2 pounds)

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

1 cup sour cream

6 (6 inch) corn tortillas

additional olive oil

guacamole (oooh, Nate makes the BEST)

pico de gallo

In a gallon sized ziploc bag, combine juice from 1 lime, olive oil, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken and marinate for 1 hour.

While chicken marinates, mix 1 cup sour cream with 1 tsp. lime zest and 1-2 Tbsp. lime juice (from remaining lime) to make a lime crema. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Preheat grill to high. Grill chicken for about 4-6 minutes per side until juices run clear.

Brush tortillas with olive oil and toast on grill for about 30 seconds per side or until nice and crisp. Remove from grill and sprinkle with salt.

Slice cooked chicken breasts into slices and build tostadas. To build: Spread tortilla with guacamole then top with chicken slices, pico de gallo, followed by lime crema. Serve with Bush’s Texas Ranchero Grillin’ Beans on the side. Makes 6 tostadas.

Recipe for Pico de Gallo (also from realmomkitchen.com):

2 medium tomatoes, seeds removed and diced

1/4 onion, diced
2 Tbsp. cilantro
1 clove of garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
a squirt of lime juice (optional)

Blend ingredients together in a bowl and serve.

Smokey Beef Tacos and Three Dressings (yes, use all three)

2010-02-15T14:08:00.000-08:00

From Martha Stewart

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo
1/2 cup ketchup
8 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 3 pounds), excess fat trimmed
16 corn tortillas (6-inch), lightly toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, stir together chiles, ketchup, 1 cup water, garlic, oregano, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Cut beef into 4 equal pieces. Add to pot, and turn to coat. Cover, and bring to a boil; transfer pot to oven. Bake, covered, until beef is fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
Transfer beef to a bowl. With a large spoon, skim off and discard fat from cooking liquid. Shred beef with two forks; moisten with cooking liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve beef with tortillas and desired toppings.

(Um...I just put it all in the crock.)

Avacodo - Red Onion Relish

2 diced avocados
1 finely chopped medium red onion
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper

Corn and Tomato Sala

1 10-ounce box thawed frozen corn
1 cup quartered grape tomatoes
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
Salt and pepper

Cilantro Lime Crema

16 ounces reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper

White Chili

2010-01-30T21:20:00.000-08:00

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small white onion, diced
6 to 8 small garlic cloves, minced
1 (7-ounce) can diced green chiles, drained
2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, undrained
4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup sour cream, plus additional for topping
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro
Chopped tomatoes

1. Cook the chicken by the desired method. Cool and tear into pieces. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook and stir until the onion is translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken, chiles, beans, broth, chicken bouillon, cumin, oregano, and cayenne. Simmer 30 to 45 minutes. Chili can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated or frozen for serving later.

3. Add the 1 cup sour cream and cheese, and continue cooking until the cheese is melted. Keep warm until serving.

4. Serve in bowls and pass cilantro, tomatoes, and additional sour cream.

Serve with ciabatta bread. Broil it a couple of minutes until crisp. Let your family or guests tear the bread instead of serving it sliced. Pass the butter.

Variation: For a thinner chili, the consistency of soup, add more chicken broth, up to 6 cups total.

Steps 1 and 2 can be done ahead of time.

Crockpot chicken and stuffing

2010-01-20T21:01:00.000-08:00

Before giving you all the info. I just want to say I LOVE crockpot cooking bags. They are wonderful and I would suggest using them every time you cook with your slow cooker.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can chicken broth
chicken stove top stuffing
paprika
salt
pepper
butter

To be cooked separately:
Instant rice - wheat would be better but I was out
Broccoli

Directions:
Mix dry stuffing with a small amount of melted butter. Layer the bottom of the pan. Place chicken breasts on stuffing and repeat the first step. Add chicken broth. Spread the cream of mushroom soup on top of the chicken breasts and sprinkle with paprika, salt, and pepper.

Cook for 4 hours and enjoy!

Easy Chicken Dinner

2009-10-22T20:24:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 jar (12 ounces) chicken gravy
1 bag (1 pound) Green Giant Select frozen broccoli, carrots and cauliflower.
1/2 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes

1. In 12 inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. add garlic; cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; add to skillet.
Cook 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until chicken is no longer pink in the center.
Remove chicken from skillet (cover).

2. In same skillet, mix gravy, frozen vegetables and tomatoes. Cover and cook 6 to 8 minutes or
until vegetables are crisp-tender.

3. Return chicken to skillet; cover and simmer about 2 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly heated.

I obviously didn't use any tomatoes but only because they were SO expensive. One tiny basket was four bucks!
So we went without but it still tasted delicious.
Even my one year old dug in!
Enjoy!

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

2009-10-18T20:38:00.000-07:00

6 Boneless chicken breasts, halved
12 pieces bacon
1 can cream of mushroom soup (or Cream of chicken)
1 cup sour cream

wrap 1 slice of bacon around each of the 12 pieces of chicken and lay in casserole dish. Mix mushroom soup and sour cream; spoon over top of chicken. Cover with foil and bake at 300 for 2 1/2 hours. Take foil off and let brown on top, about 15 minutes.

Hot Rolls

2009-10-18T20:29:00.000-07:00

1/4 c sugar
1/4 c oil or melted shortening
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 c boiling water
1 pkg yeast, dissolved in 1/2 c lukewarm water
3 c flour

Put sugar, oil, salt, and egg in a bowl; mix. Add boiling water to preceding mixture, them add yeast and 3 cups flour. Let rise 45 minutes. Form into rolls; let rise again. Bake at 350 till brown.

Betty Cowdell

Manicotti

2009-10-15T16:18:00.001-07:00

This has become our favorite manicotti, it is so much easier than dealing with those darn shells!

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-index/dinner-recipes/Three-Cheese-Manicotti

Cake mix cookies!

2009-10-14T18:56:00.000-07:00

These are always delicious!

1 cake mix - any kind
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 - 2 Tablespoons water (as needed for dough to hold together)
Any baking chips

Mix all ingredients and bake on a cookie sheet at 350 for 11 - 13 minutes!

My last combo was a white cake mix and mint chocolate chips. Yummy!

Pesto Ravioli

2009-10-11T22:08:00.000-07:00

This is great for kids' lunch.

2 T. olive oil

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thinly

1/2 cup shredded carrots (or buy pre-packed carrot strings)

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1-9oz. package cheese filled ravioli

1/4 c. pesto

4 T. grated parmesan cheese

Saute pepper and carrots in oil over medium heat until tender. Set aside. Boil ravioli over medium heat until cooked. Add cooked ravioli, vegetables, and 1/4 c. of the broth together and toss with pesto and grated parmesan.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

2009-10-11T21:55:00.000-07:00

I found this one on allrecipes.com. It's fabulous, and not as hard as it looks!

Ingredients:

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
6 slices Swiss cheese
6 slices ham
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp. paprika
6 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup dry white wine (I use white cooking wine)
1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup heavy whip cream

1. Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.

2. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine andn bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

3. Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm.

Sweet Potato Casserole

2009-10-11T21:48:00.000-07:00

3 lbs. sweet potatoes

1/2 c. butter (1 stick)

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 t. vanilla

1/2 c. milk

Topping:

1 c. brown sugar

1/3 c. flour

1/3 c. softened butter

1 c. chopped nuts

Boil (or bake) potatoes with skin on until soft. Peel and mash with mixer until smooth. Mix butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and milk to mashed up potatoes. Pour into 9x13 inch pan. Mix topping ingredients (will be crumbly). Sprinkle on top of potato mixture. Bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes, should be nicely browned. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Southwestern Chili

2009-10-11T21:43:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 bell pepper, chopped
1 fresh chili pepper, chopped
2 yellow onions, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil

Saute until tender, then add:

1-15 oz can black beans
2-15 oz can white beans
1-15 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
1 lb pre-cooked ground beef (you could do cooked and shredded chicken as well)
1 can corn
1/2 can chicken or beef broth
1 tsp basil
1 Tbsp chili powder
3 tsp cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

Cover and simmer for two hours. Garnish with green onions, grated cheese, and sour cream.

Shredded Beef Burritos

2009-10-11T21:32:00.000-07:00

Place the following in your slow cooker for 8-10 hours on low:

One cross rib roast
One package taco seasoning
8 oz. tomato sauce
Small can green chilies
One can green enchilada sauce

Shred the meat with two forks. (It will not shred well if it is not cooked long enough)

Fill tortillas with the meat and your favorite toppings:

Tortillas
Tomatoes
Whole kernel corn
Green onions
Cheese
Avocados
Lettuce

Broccoli Cream Cheese and Chicken Casserole

2009-10-11T21:23:00.000-07:00

6-7 chicken breasts boiled and cubed
3 bunches broccoli buds (I use a frozen package of broccoli florets)
2-8 ounce packages of cream cheese
3 cups milk
2 tsp salt*
1 tsp garlic salt*
1 cup parmesan cheese

*This may make it a tad salty for you, so you may want to add less.*

Mix cream cheese, milk, salt, and garlic salt. Bring to boil and stir until smooth (or semi-smooth). Layer in 9 X 13 pan all broccoli, 1/2 sauce, all chicken, remainder of sauce. Top with parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes (or longer). Allow to sit until it thickens a bit.

Applesauce Cookies and Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-10-11T21:17:00.000-07:00

4 c flour
1 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1 t cloves
1 c shortening
2 c sugar
2 t soda
2 c applesauce
2 eggs

Cream shortening, add sugar, gradually add flour and dry ingredients. Add applesauce and eggs. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

2-8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in refrigerator after use.

Blender Rolls

2009-10-11T21:16:00.000-07:00

So Easy! I am a big fan of whole wheat. However, using 100% whole wheat flour in bread makes it way too dense. So, for this recipe I use 1/2 white flour and 1/2 wheat flour.

Put in Blender:

2 1/2 c. warm water

1 cube melted butter (1/2 cup)

1/2 c. sugar

2 t. salt

2 eggs beaten

Turn on blender for 1 minute, then add 1 1/2 T. yeast. Mix well in blender. Pour mixture over 7 c. flour. Stir with a wooden spoon. Cover and let rise 1 to 3 hours. Divide in half and roll out each half into a circle. Cut into triangles and roll. Place on baking sheet and let rise for 45 minutes. Bake at 400 for 8 to 10 minutes. Brush with butter.

Oh Henry Bars

2009-10-11T21:10:00.000-07:00

1 cup sugar
1 cup Karo Syrup
1 cup peanut butter
5 1/2 cups Rice Krispies

Frosting:
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips

Bring sugar and Karo Syrup to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Slowly stir in Rice Krispies. Spread in pan. Melt together chocolate and butterscotch chips. Spread over top of Rice Krispies. Allow to cool and cut into squares.

Yellow Bread

2009-10-11T21:02:00.000-07:00

1 large instant vanilla pudding mix
1 yellow cake mix
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract

Combine all and mix well.

Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 2 T cinnamon. Spray pan with Pam. Sprinkle bottom of two loaf pans with 1/3 cinnamon mix. Pour cake mix into loaf pans and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon mixture. Bake @ 350 for 40 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean).

Pecan Pumpkin Cake

2009-10-11T20:54:00.000-07:00

2 - 15oz. cans pumpkin

12oz. evaporated milk

1 c. sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 pkg. yellow cake mix

1 c. butter - melted

1 1/2 c. chopped pecans

Mix together pumpkin, milk, and sugar. Then add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan lined with wax paper. Sprinkle with dry cake mix, drizzle with butter, then sprinkle with pecans.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Cool completely on wire rack.

Invert on serving tray.

Topping:

8 oz. cream cheese

1 1/2 powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

12 oz. cool whip

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla together. Mix in cool whip.

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

2009-10-11T20:51:00.000-07:00

1 pkg yellow cake mix
1 sm. instant butterscotch pudding
4 eggs
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes. Cool in pan before removing to wire rack. Serve with whipping cream.

Breakfast Casserole

2009-10-11T20:29:00.000-07:00

Two words: Dee. Lish.
Two more words: Fat. Enning.

1 pkg. frozen shredded hashbrowns
4 eggs
1 c milk
shredded cheese
cooked and diced or crumbled meat (sausage, ham, bacon)

Spread hashbrowns in 9 X 13 pan. Poor some melted margarine or butter on top. Add cooked meats. Mix together eggs and milk. Pour over all, and top with shredded cheese. Cook at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes, or until knife comes out clean (I usually have to cook it a bit longer.)

Cilantro Rice

2009-10-11T20:21:00.000-07:00

3 cups water
4 tsp. chicken bouillon
4 tsp. garlic, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 can green chilies
3/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 onion, minced
3 cups rice

Blend cilantro, chilies, and onion together in food processor. Bring water to a boil and add all ingredients, simmer covered for 30 minutes. (This makes a large batch, but it freezes great and is so good with other Mexican-style meals.)

Cafe Rio Insipired Chicken Salad

2009-10-04T23:00:00.000-07:00

The dressing tastes EXACTLY like Cafe Rio's...seriously. I had their dressing and this dressing next to eachother and tasted them at the same time! The chicken doesn't taste the same, but it is de. lish. And oh-so-easy!! Here goes:

Dressing:

1 buttermilk ranch dressing packet (make as per recipe)
2 tomatillos (green, tomato like vegetable with a husk around them)
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1 clove of garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (use the seeds too, if you like it spicy). I substitute a few drops of green tobasco.
Blend all ingredients and refrigerate.

Chicken:

1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian dressing
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast (I never use that much though)

Cook all together in a crock pot for four hours; shred meat and cook one additional hour.

Put over lettuce
Top with black beans, cheese, cilantro rice (optional, recipe to be added later), guacamole, salsa, etc.

Bacon-Feta Stuffed Chicken

2009-10-04T22:49:00.000-07:00

**This comes straight from Liz S.'s house (literally), and she says it's good, so I'm adding it for her, and for YOU.**

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 c. crumbled cooked bacon
1/4 c. crumbled Feta cheese
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 T. pepper
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 T. dried basil

Carefully cut a pocket in each chicken breast. Fill with bacon and cheese; secure with toothpicks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil. Drain 1 can of tomatoes, discarding juice; add to the skillet with the undrained can of tomatoes. Sprinkle with basil. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover; simmer 5 minutes longer or until the chicken is no longer pink and the tomato mixture is thickened. Yield: 4 servings.

Stuffed Flank Steak

2009-10-04T22:47:00.000-07:00

Mmmmm, Blue Cheese and red meat! Need I say more?

1 flank steak-1.5 to 2 pounds

1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese...or more!

1 jar (7 oz.) roasted red peppers, drained and chopped

2 tablespoons seasoned dry bread crumbs

1 egg yolk

3/4 teaspoon garlic salt

3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

Heat oven to 425F. Starting at a long side, slice steak like a "book" and open it up. In medium sized bowl combine spinach, cheese, peppers, bread crumbs, egg yolk, 1/4 teaspoon each of the garlic salt and pepper. Season steak with remaining salt and pepper. Press cheese filling into steak leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Roll up steak beginning on a short side. Tuck any loose filling back into ends. Tie steak with cotton twine at two inch intervals to secure. Rub outside with oil and sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper. Roast at 425F for 35 minutes, then increase heat to broil and broil for 10 minutes turning once. Let meat rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Butternut Squash Soup with Sage and Parmesan Croutons

2009-10-04T22:12:00.000-07:00

Yummy fall soup! To save myself a lot of time I peel and cube the squash the night before and then I can throw this soup together in about 20 minutes. It is sooooo good!

Butternut Squash Soup:

1 3-pound butternut squash- peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch cubes (5 to 6 cups)

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons kosher salt

pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon butter

1 large yellow onion-diced

3 stalks celery - chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage (about 6 large leaves) YOU MUST USE FRESH SAGE

6 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a large bowl, toss the squash with 2 tablespoon of the olive oil, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and pepper. Place the squash on a rimmed baking sheet and roast in oven for 15 minutes. Turn cubes over and continue roasting for another 10 to 15 minutes; set aside.

In a large stockpot, heat the butter and remaining oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, sage, and saute, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are translucent and tender. Add the squash, broth, and remaining salt and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the liquid is flavorful. Remove from heat. Using a blender or food processor, blend the soup in batches until smooth. Return to the pot and keep warm. Top with parmesan and Sage and Parmesan Croutons.

Sage and Parmesan Croutons:

3 ounces rustic white bread- torn into 24 1-inch pieces.

1 large clove garlic - minced.

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage (about 6 large leaves)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan.

Preheat oven to 375F. Toss all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl to coat. Spread the bread evenly on a baking sheet and toast in oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.

Banana chocolate chip bread!

2009-09-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

I started making this a few years ago for my mom because she is allergic to nuts. It is delicious!

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas
2 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 bag of chocolate chips

Cream shortening and sugar well. Add beaten eggs. Add flour sifted with soda and mashed bananas. Stir in chocolate chips!

Bake at 350 for 1 hour or (I do four mini loaves at 350 for about 25 minutes)!

Enjoy!

Market Street Au Gratin Potatoes

2009-09-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

So delish and so easy...

3-4 large russet potatoes
1.5 cups heavy whipping cream
1.5 cups smoked gouda cheese (grated)
salt and pepper to taste

Peal and slice potatoes (about 1/8 inch slices) DO NOT RINSE. In a large bowl combine potatoes and cream and add cheese and salt and pepper until all ingredients are combined.

Move to a 9x13 pan and spread no more than an inch thick.

Bake at 350 for an hour and serve piping hot.

Sweet Apple Dumplings

2009-09-17T21:12:00.000-07:00

These may well be my FAVORITE dessert. Well, this and cheesecake, but who has the time to make cheesecake?

AND...they are so easy, but look like something you spend DAYS making!

1 can Pillsbury Grands refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (see how easy this is already?)
8 tsp butter or margarine
4 small to medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and halved
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 350. Lightly grease 9 X 13 glass baking dish.

Flatten biscuits with rolling pin. Place 1 tsp butter in the core area of each apple half. Wrap each biscuit around 1 apple half. Place seam side down in greased baking dish. Combine sugar, water, melted butter and vanilla; pour over dumplings. Sprinkle cinnamon over dumplings.

Bake uncovered at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and apples are tender.

Serve with HEAPING scoops of vanilla ice cream, and prepare to die and go to heaven!!!! Oh, just typing this makes me want to whip some up right now!!!

Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cheese Bars

2009-09-17T21:04:00.000-07:00

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
2 t grated orange peel
2 cups (12 oz pkg) semi-sweet chocolate morsels (I always use milk, or better yet, white)
1 cup Craisins
1 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 can (14-oz) sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13 X 9 baking pan.

Beat butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in flour, oats, and orange peel until crumbly. Stir in morsels and cranberries; reserve 2 cups mixture. Press remaining mixture onto bottom of prepared baking pan.

Bake for 15 minutes. Beat cream cheese in small mixing bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk. Pour over hot crust; sprinkle with reserved flour mixture. Bake for additional 25 to 30 minutes or until center is set. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

ENJOY!!!! THESE ARE SO YUMMY!!!

The BEST Apple Crisp....

2009-09-17T20:56:00.001-07:00

YOU'LL EVER EAT!!!

6 cups sliced apples
1 t cinnamon
1 T water
1 t lemon juice

OR

1 (21-0z) can apple pie filling

Topping:

1 cup rolled oats (I've used both kinds)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

Heat oven to 375. Place fruit in ungreased 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon, water and lemon juice (or just put your pie filling in!).

In large bowl, combine all topping ingredients. With pastry blender or fork, mix until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over fruit.

Bake for 25-35 minutes or until fruit is tender and topping is golden brown. Serve warm with ICE CREAM, cream, or whipped cream.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

2009-09-17T20:43:00.000-07:00

3 eggs
1 c vegetable oil
2 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 c grated zucchini
3 c flour
1 t soda
1 t salt
1/4 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
3/4 bag milk chocolate chips

Beat eggs until light; add oil, sugar, and vanilla. Mix well and add zucchini and dry ingredients. Grease and 'sugar' two loaf pans (same as using flour, just use sugar instead...makes for a crispy sweet exterior!). Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

Frito Corn Chip Salad

2009-09-14T08:43:00.000-07:00

1/2 c. purple onion diced

1/2 c. green pepper diced

1/2 c. red pepper diced

1/2 c. chopped celery

2 cans corn, drained

3 Tbsp. ranch dressing

1/2 c. Mayo

1-1/2 c. shredded cheddar

10 oz. bag chilli cheese Frito chips

Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Devour!

Note: Do not add chips and cheese until just before serving. Soggy chips are gross!

Cowboy Salsa

2009-07-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

Look Kristen...I am finally doing it! I'm posting my first recipe. Are ya proud of me?

Drumroll please......

1 can black beans, rinsed and well drained

1 can sweet whole kernel corn, drained

2 lg. tomatoes, chopped

2 lg. avocados, sliced and diced

1 sm. bunch green onions, chopped

1 med. bunch cilantro, finely chopped

Italian dressing

Mix black beans, corn, tomatoes, avocados, green onions, and cilantro together. Add just enough Italian dressing to coat ingredients without making it too "saucy". Unless of course you like things "saucy" :) Add salt and pepper to taste. This is great for chip-dipping or can be used as a topping for tacos and burritos.

Ocean Breeze Cooler

2009-06-30T20:53:00.002-07:00

DELISH SUMMER BEVERAGE...

Ingredients:

4 large bananas
1 12 oz can pineapple juice concentrate (thawed)
1 mint mango or pineapple sorbet (thawed)
2 liters ginger ale
2 cups fresh pineapple chunks

Combine 2 bananas and half of the pineapple juice concentrate and blend until smooth. Stir together banana mixture, sorbet, and remaining thawed juice concentrate. Add gingerale.

Slice remaining bananas, add to the punch with pineapple and blend.

Note: This will make A LOT of beverage...so I halfed it.

BBQ Pork for Sandwiches

2009-06-29T21:40:00.001-07:00

Another favorite of ours. I LOVE this recipe because it's SOOOOO easy and SOOOOO TASTY!!!

Ingredients:

1 can beef broth
3 pounds boneless pork ribs
1 bottle barbeque sauce

Pour beef broth into slow cooker (see how easy????), and add boneless pork ribs. Cook on low all day, or on high heat for 4 hours, or until meat shreds easily. Remove meat, and shred with two forks.

Drain crockpot of beef broth and stir in BBQ sauce. Cook on high for 30 min. to 1 hr. Stirring every so often to avoid BBQ sauce burning around edge of crock pot.

Serve on bread or buns. Great served with fries and fresh fruit.

Tacos

2009-06-29T21:26:00.000-07:00

Okay...don't be put off by the title "Tacos." These are not your ordinary tacos...they are so different, I'm not sure they can even be classified as a taco. No cheese, no lettuce, no tomato (that is, unless you want to add that stuff, of course). Just the filling and the shell. DELISH!!

As a side note: One day I told Nate that we would be having these tacos the next day. At dinner the next evening, he told me he had been looking forward to having these all day long...that's how good they are. If you know they're comin', LOOK OUT!!

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 to 3/4 onion, chopped (I use a yellow one)
1 can tomato sauce
approx. 2 Tbsp. ketchup
dash chili powder (I shake a few times, I like more than a 'dash')
2 Tbsp. sugar
Tobasco sauce (you decide...I use 4-5 drops)

Corn tortillas

Brown ground beef and onion and drain. Add tomato sauce, ketchup, chili powder, sugar, and Tobasco. Reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes.

Deep fry tortillas and fill with beef mixture while tortillas are still soft and warm. Sometimes I fold them, some times I roll them and secure with a toothpick. (The other day, as a way to eliminate a few calories, I just warmed these up with some Pam Spray. Not as good...tortillas were kind of flimsy...but good, nonetheless.)

Enjoy!

Great served with Spanish Rice.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

2009-06-25T20:24:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
6 pieces Swiss cheese
6 slices ham
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon paprika
6 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used white cooking wine, didn't want to go to the Liquor Store)
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.

2. Heat the butter in a large skillet over med high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

3. Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2009-06-24T22:46:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Poached chicken (place chicken breasts in skillet with 1 inch of water, cover and cook), cubed
Romaine lettuce leaves
Slivered almonds
Craisins
Chopped green onions
Grapes (red, for color)

dressing:
poppy seeds
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Raspberry vinaigrette (to your liking)

Mix dressing first. Combine all other ingredients (except lettuce) and fold dressing into mixture. Serve on Romaine lettuce leaves. YUMMY!!!

Asian Chicken Salad

2009-06-24T22:39:00.001-07:00

SO YUMMY!!! I promise! The ingredients seem a bit strange to combine, but when you reach the finished product...look out!!!

Dressing:

1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce

Combine and bring to a boil, stirring often. Boil for two minutes stirring constantly. Cool.

Salad:

1 head lettuce, any kind (or a combination)
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
Salted cashews
Water chestnuts
Snow peas (frozen works if not in season)
Chow mein noodles
Chopped green onion

You can either toss salad and dressing together, or you can choose your toppings and top the salad with the dressing (my preference).

Web address

2009-06-19T21:06:00.001-07:00

Kelly must've forgotten to add the link to the Pioneer woman, but I've found it:

www.thepioneerwoman.com

She's quite entertaining, this one!

Catalina Chicken

2009-06-19T20:52:00.000-07:00

Super easy, and super yummy!!

Ingredients:

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 bottle Catalina dressing
fresh mushrooms, sliced
rice (your choice, white, brown--this is what I use, minute)

Place chicken in crock pot. Pour bottle of dressing over chicken. Cook on low for 4-5 hours. (Add mushrooms last hour or so).

Remove chicken. Mushrooms and sauce are served over rice.

(Not a big mushroom fan, so I always omit them)

Broccoli Salad

2009-06-19T16:15:00.001-07:00

Cook one package of bacon - drain grease, let cool, and crumble.
(Or use bacon bits)

Mix:
1 Cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar

Chop:
2 bunches of broccoli

Pour dressing mixture over broccoli.
Stir in one cup of sunflower seeds and crumbled bits of bacon.
Stir until well coated and enjoy.

I let this sit for at least thirty minutes in the fridge
before eating to allow time for the vinegar to settle in!
This also travels well!

Pioneer Woman Cooking

2009-06-11T10:02:00.000-07:00

Rather than creating work I am adding a link to Pioneer Woman Cooking. Honestly, I have tried many recipes, and so far they have all been a hit. Be warned she is a bit like Paula Dean, not afraid of butter. I have found you don't need to use as much as she says although it is certainly better if you do. Some of our favorites are:

Marlboro Man Sandwich
Chicken Spaghetti (great for leftover chicken or turkey)
Sweet Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes
Migas
Apple Dumplings
Ranch Style Chicken

The recipes are generally very easy with easy to find ingredients and, she has beautiful, step-by-step color photography. And if you get bored, it is a great blog to follow. I recommend starting with Black Heels to Tractor Wheels.

Pan-Roasted Corn Salad

2009-05-28T06:19:00.000-07:00

Great Salad for a summer Barbeque.

Ingredients:

4 ears of corn, husks and silks removed

2 to 3 tablespoons, butter

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic glove, minced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup green onion, thinly sliced on diagonal

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 to 3 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

8 ounces feta cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Juice of 1 lime

2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely slivered

Directions:

Cut kernels off each ear of corn. This should be about 3 1/2 cups of corn kernels.

In large non-stick fry pan, heat butter and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add garlic and saute for about 30 seconds. it is important not to over cook the garlic. Add corn and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add thyme and green onions and saute for 1 more minute. Season with salt and pepper. This step can be done, by dividing everything in half if your fry pan can't hold the entire amount. Transfer to large bowl and let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

In another bowl, combine the tomatoes, cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the tomato mixture, the lime juice and basil to cooled corn. Adjust seasonings if needed by adding more salt and pepper and lime juice. Serve at room temperature.

Serves 4 to 6.

Perfect Fryer Chicken

2009-05-21T21:58:00.000-07:00

I was nervous about baking a fryer chicken, until my sister, Holly, told me how to do it. It turns out perfectly every time! Golden brown outside, tender inside. Tasty inside and out!

Ingredients:

1 fryer chicken
1 packet of chicken or turkey gravy
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper

Remove giblets from cavity of chicken, and rinse chicken thoroughly. Place chicken in roasting pan (or cake pan, if you don't have a roasting pan) breast side up (I put it in the pan upsided down my first time, how embarrassing). Rub gravy mix all over chicken. Place bay leaf in cavity. Season with salt and pepper.

Make a tinfoil 'tent' over the pan, making sure all edges are sealed and that the foil does not touch the bird (I make a large square by folding two sheets together).

Bake at 350 degrees for 2.5 hours (after preheating, of course). DELISH!

Stuffed Shells

2009-05-19T16:27:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1/2 12 oz. package Jumbo Shells
2 cups part skim ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Paresan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 cup chopped spinach
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups spaghetti sauce

Instructions:

Boil pasta for about 10 mins (should be soft but firm enough to stuff without difficulty). Meanwhile in large bowl stir together cheeses, salt, pepper, parsley, and spinach. When the shells are ready, fill each shell with approx. 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture. Top with spaghetti sauce (I added ground beef also).

Place in a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes (you can also spread 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce in pan before adding shells). Serve with garlic bread and salad.

Carmel Popcorn

2009-05-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

Prefect treat for Family Home Evening or a picnic.

10-12 cups freshly popped popcorn

1/2 cup butter

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Place popcorn in a lightly greased large bowl; set aside.

Place butter in a large (at least 6 cup) bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Microwave for 4 minutes.

Remove from microwave and stir in vanilla and baking soda. Pour over popcorn and stir until all is coated and no sugar mixture remains on the bottom of bowl.

Spread popcorn mixture evenly over a cookie sheet and bake in 350 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes. Or if in a hurry, microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring each minute.

Cool and break up into pieces. Store in airtight container.

Yummy Summer Dessert

2009-05-14T21:53:00.001-07:00

1/2 carton pineapple or raspberry sherbet (approx 1/4 gal)
1 carton vanilla ice cream (approx 1/2 gal)
2 bananas, sliced
1 package frozen raspberries
1 can crushed pineapple with juice

mix together and serve

**can be frozen, but let thaw a bit before serving. You want it to be the texture of a soft serve ice cream cone.

Grandma Pat's Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-05-14T21:44:00.000-07:00

courtesy of Grandma Pat! These are THE BEST chocolate chip cookies EVER!!! You'll see why after you read the ingredients.

1 c. shortening
1 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
3 eggs
3 tsp. vanilla
5 c. flour (more if too thin)
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 bag chocolate chips (I use ONLY milk chocolate)

Mix shortening and butter together. Stir in sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Stir flour, soda, and salt together and gradually stir into wet mixture. Add chocolate chips.

Roll into 1 inch balls. Bake on greased cookie sheet (or wax paper, like I do) for 6-8 min at 350 degrees (or until the bottom of the cookie is golden brown...sometimes it takes mine a little longer).

This recipe makes a ton of cookies! You can use 1/2 of the dough and freeze the other half to bake later! Or bake 'em all and eat 'em all!! That's what I'd like to do!!

Chicken Fajita Quesadillas

2009-05-14T21:32:00.001-07:00

courtesy http://www.missionmenus.com/

Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 10

10 large flour tortillas
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 fajita seasoning mix
1 tbsp. oil
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 8 oz package cheddar cheese*
1 8 oz package Monterey Jack cheese*
(*or just get a 16 oz pkg of cheddar jack, that's what I do)
1 8 oz container of sour cream

Cut the chicken into small pieces. Combine with the fajita seasoning and mix thoroughly.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink (approx 5 min)

Stir in peppers and onion. Cook for 10 minutes, or until veggies are tender.

Layer half of each tortilla with chicken mixture and cheese. Fold each tortilla and lightly brown each quesadilla for 2-3 minutes per side until cheese is melted.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream (and, of course, guacamole)

Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

2009-05-14T21:24:00.001-07:00

courtesy of allrecipes.com

(I've made a few changes as per comments on the website, so I'm putting what I do.)

2-3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 lime, juiced
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
chopped fresh cilantro (I use 1-2 tbsp)

10 flour tortillas

Saute chicken in a medium saucepan over medium high heat for about 20 minutes. Drain most of the juices. Mix all other ingredients together and simmer for an extra ten minutes.

Serve in flour tortillas with diced tomatoes, lettuce, Monterey Jack cheese, salsa, and guacamole.

Shredded Chicken Taco Soup

2009-05-14T21:18:00.000-07:00

Given to me by my friend Abby

3-5 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I usually just use 2 big ones, and they can be frozen or fresh)
One small can green enchilada sauce plus 1/2 can water
One small can diced green chiles
One package taco seasoning

Cook in crock pot on low for 6 to 8 hours. Shred chicken and add any or all of the following ingredients (don't drain anything):

One can diced tomatoes (I like petite diced)
One can kidney beans
One can black beans
One can corn
One can green beans

Heat on high for 30 min. to an hour.

Top with tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream.

Chicken Skillet Italiano

2009-05-07T18:16:00.000-07:00

So easy you don't need a picture!!!!

1 (8 ounce) package Rice-A-Roni chicken flavor

2 Tablespoons butter

2 1/2 cups water

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 pound chicken ( breasts or tenderloins) cut into large bite size pieces

2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup chopped tomato

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Combine rice-a-roni and butter in large skillet and saute over medium heat, stirring frequently. until lightly browned. Stir in water,contents of seasoning packet and basil.

Top with raw chicken; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat. Simmer 15 minutes.

Top with broccoli and tomato. Cover, and continue cooking 5 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with mozzarella.

Make 4 to 6 servings

Cake Balls

2009-05-07T17:52:00.002-07:00

Sorry there is no picture to add to this recipe. I can't make these now because I am on a diet, and this is just something I could not resist, but if you want to see what the finish product is suppose to look like log on to http:simpledailyrecipes.com/cake-balls-the-new-candy-truffle/. Here in Texas, Neiman Marcus is selling them for $75.00 for 18.

CAKE BALLS

1 (18.25 ounce) boxed cake mix

1 (16 ounce) can prepared frosting

Almond Bark Coating or Confectionery Wafer Coating

Prepare and bake the cake mix according to package directions. While warm, crumble the cake into a bowl and with a electric mixer mix to a fine texture. Mix in 3/4 of a can of frosting to make a paste. Chill the mixture for at least 2 hours.

Using a mellon baller, your hands or a small Ice Cream scoop, form into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place balls on wax paper, and freeze at least 6 hours.

Working in small batches, remove balls from freezer and coat with melted bark coating or wafer coating. Place on wax paper to harden. You can drizzle with contrasting melted coating to decorate. Makes 30 balls.

ALMOND BARK COATING

In double boiler, melt one (20 ounce) package vanilla or chocolate flavored almond bark, stirring constantly. Or microwave at short intervals, stirring between, until melted. When melted add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. If desired stir in oil based coloring.

COMBINATIONS

Devil's Food Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Dark Chocolate Coating

Yellow Cake with Buttercream Frosting and Orange-Colored Vanilla Coating

White Pillsbury Funfetti Cake, White Frosting adding more rainbow sprinkles and rolling in sprinkles after coating.

Orange Julius

2009-05-01T19:50:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know this is lame but I seriously love an orange julius. My mom used to make them for us and I made some tonight...perfect summertime treat. So, if you didn't know how to make them like I didn't know here are some instructions.

Ingredients:

6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
15 ice cubes

Instructions:

Combine and blend all ingredients except ice. Add ice after other ingredients are mixed.

Yum...

Coconut Macaroons

2009-04-29T16:25:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 egg whites, at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

Combine coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla in large bowl. Set aside. In electric mixer,using whisk attachment, whip egg whites and salt on high speed until they make medium-firm peaks. Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.

Using ice cream scoop, drop batter onto parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool.

Optional: Melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips with 1-2 Tablespoons heavy cream in microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir. If not melted, microwave a little longer, being careful not to overcook.

Dip 1/3 to 1/2 of the cookie in chocolate. Let firm up and them wrap individually in plastic wrap to store.

White Bean Chili

2009-04-28T21:14:00.000-07:00

This soup is a new twist on traditional chili and full of flavor. It has a bit of a spicy kick, but can easily be toned down. If you are sensitive to heat, cut down on the cumin and red pepper flakes.

ingredients

4 chicken breasts, shredded (or 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded from bone)

4 Tbsp. olive oil

2 onions, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 (4 oz.) cans green chilies

2 tsp. cumin

1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

2 (16 oz.) cans white beans

1 (16 oz.) can white kidney beans

5 c. chicken broth

3 c. monterey jack cheese, shredded

salt and pepper to taste

sour cream (optional)

avocado (optional)

preparations

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Stir in the garlic, green chilies, cumin, oregano and red pepper. Saute for 2 minutes. Add undrained beans and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add salt and pepper. Add chicken and cheese and stir until cheese melts. Garnish with sour cream and avocados.

Alfredo

2009-04-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

From the kitchen of Kate Boyle with minor modification from me

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp. flour
1 1/3 cup milk
2 tbsp. sour cream
1 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
Hot cooked fettuccine

Instructions:

Saute garlic in butter. Stir in flour. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook 8 minutes.

Stir in the sour cream. Cook 2 minutes.

Add the parmesan cheese. Stir until melted. Pour over hot pasta. Top with fresh chopped parsley.

Note: Kate's recipe calls for cream cheese but I substituted that for sour cream and I think it was delish. Also, her dish is vegetarian. I cut some chicken breasts into strips and fried them with garlic salt and pepper to top the pasta. This dish took about 35 minutes to prepare and cook. It was very tasty and quite easy.

Taco Soup

2009-04-28T08:57:00.000-07:00

From the kitchen of Betty Cowdell and Chandra Colton

Ingredients:

1 can kidney beans
1 can corn
1 can diced green chilis
1 packet taco seasoning
1 pound lean ground beef

Instructions:

Empty all cans, including juices into a crock pot and cook on medium.

Brown hamburger and add 1/4 packet of taco seasoning.

Add hamburger and remaining taco seasoning to soup and let cook for 1-2 hours stirring occasionally. If you want to leave it in the crock longer just put it on low heat.

Serve with sour cream and cheese on top.

Note: This is a super easy dish and it's one of my favorites. It takes about 15 minutes to prepare.

To Get Things Started....

2009-04-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

I will post a couple of recipes mostly just to get things started. I will add labels to all of my recipes such as: main dish, chicken, pasta, soup, etc. so we can have a list of labels on the side of the blog that will allow us to choose what we'd like.

I found these pics online because I didn't take pics and really all alfredo and all taco soup looks the same.