Chicken Tortilla Casserole

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

4 Tbsp butter

1/4 c. flour

1 can tomatoes with green chilies, drained

1 can chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

8 oz. sour cream

1 lb. chicken, cooked & cubed

8 oz. shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

1 pkg. 6-8" flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in saucepan and stir in flour. Cook for 2-3 minutes and whisk in broth. Bring to a boil and let it thicken slightly. Add tomatoes, soup, and sour cream. Stir in cooked chicken. Spread small amount on the bottom of a 9x13 dish and top with tortillas. Spoon 1/2 of mixture over tortillas. Repeat layers ending with chicken mixture, and top with cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.

Warm Christmas Punch

I found this recipe in a magazine about 10 years ago. I love to make it for our family brunch on Christmas morning. It is so warm, comforting, such a pretty color red, and most importantly...Christmas-y!!

Just a little note -- I used to find the red hot candies at the grocery store, but the past few years I haven't found them there. These days I usually can find them at the d0llar store. Last year I used hot tamales because I couldn't find the red hots. The tamales worked fine, but the red hots dissolve much faster and have better flavor. If you can find the red hots, definitely use those over hot tamales!

 

Warm Christmas Punch

1 bottle (32 oz) cranberry juice

30 oz. unsweetened pineapple juice

1/3 cup red hots candies

1 (3-1/2 inch) cinnamon stick

In a 3 or 4 qt crock pot, combine the juices and candies. Add the cinnamon stick. Cook on LOW for 2-5 hours. Discard the cinnamon stick before serving.

Turkey Breast in Crock Pot

I have wanted to try cooking a turkey breast in the crock pot for a long time. It was SO easy and yummy!!

It tasted like it was oven roasted, but it didn't dry out at all! This is the way I will make all my turkey breasts from now on!!

I didn't thaw it first, just tossed it in frozen. It was in the crock for 8 hours and completely fell apart when I took it out.

I cooked a 7 lb turkey in my 7 qt crock pot. Once I unwrapped it, I realized that the turkey was too tall and the lid didn't fit. Crud!

To solve the problem, I used foil as a lid. I wrapped two sheets over the pot and then placed the lid on top. After a few hours, the turkey had shrunk down enough that the lid fit perfectly, so I removed the foil and placed the lid back on for the remainder of the cooking time.

Crock Pot Turkey Breast

Turkey breast (small enough to leave room on the sides of the crock); no need to thaw

Half stick of butter or margarine
salt & pepper

Liberally coat turkey with butter. Generously salt and pepper turkey.

Place breast side down in crock pot. Cook on high for 1 hour; reduce heat to Low and cook for 7-8 hours.

Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti

Here's another pinterest find! Yummy!! I loved this because with my diet for gestational diabetes, I was able to have pasta with lots of protein added in! Mmmmm....

This is another recipe that I doubled...one to bake that night and one to freeze. I cooked my own sauce in the crockpot all day and used it instead of jarred sauce. The recipe only calls for a 1/2 cup of sauce, so I was able to freezer the rest of the sauce for future meals!

Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti

8 oz uncooked spaghetti

1 lb. ground beef (I use ground turkey)

1 (26.5 oz) jar spaghetti sauce

1 Tbsp. butter or margarine

1/2 cup green peppers, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

8 oz cream cheese

2 Tbsp. milk

grated Parmesan cheese

 Small can of French Fried Onions

DIRECTIONS:

Cook spaghetti; drain and set aside.

Brown ground beef; drain grease. Add sauce to beef and heat.

Combine onions, peppers, and butter in microwavable bowl. Cover and microwave for 4 minutes until soft.

Add cream cheese and milk to veggies and mix well.

Assemble casserole in 10x6 dish. Place a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish. Place spaghetti on the sauce. Top spaghetti with cream cheese mixture. Add the rest of the spaghetti sauce. Top with your desired amount of Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Top with fried onions and bake an additional 5 minutes. Don't let them burn!

**********************

To freeze: Prepare casserole ahead of time and freeze without the fried onions.

Recipe Source

Turkey Parmesan Meatloaf

With our second baby due to arrive in 9 weeks, I've been working on stocking our garage freezer with meals. I have found so many recipes through pinterest lately, and they have all been new favorites! This one is no exception. I made it last night and put another loaf in the freezer for later.

The original recipe calls for ground chicken, but we like and use ground turkey at our house.

Turkey Parmesan Meatloaf

1 lb. ground turkey (or ground chicken)
1 egg
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, grated
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup pasta sauce (either homemade or store bought)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a loaf pan with cooking spray, set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic, onion, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. To not over handle the mixture otherwise it will get tough. Place the mixture in the greased loaf pan and form into a loaf. Top meatloaf with pasta sauce.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded cheese. Place the meatloaf back in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted.

Remove meatloaf from oven and let it sit 5-10 minutes before slicing.

*******************

To Freeze:

Prepare meatloaf and place in loaf pan. Do not top with pasta sauce. Freeze loaf and sauce separately.

Thaw completely, top meatloaf with sauce and bake per directions above.

Recipe source

White Chicken Chili

This is a simple white chicken chili that can easily be doubled! I doubled the batch the other night and I got 3 separate meals for our family...we ate the chili that night and I froze two more batches for future meals!

White Chicken Chili

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (more if you like it really spicy)

1 (14.5 oz) chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

3 chicken breasts (no need to thaw or cook, toss them in frozen)

3 (15 oz) cans white beans

shredded cheese

Place all ingredients in a 4-5 qt crockpot. (Use a 6 qt if you are doubling the recipe)

Cook on low for 7-8 hours. Remove chicken and shred with two forks.

Serve with cheese.

*******

NOTE: You can puree one can of beans before cooking to make the chili thicker.

Mini Pumpkin Pies

I made these mini pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving yesterday. They turned out so cute, like little tarts. I saw these on pinterest and thought they looked like a fun spin on original pie.

They're unique and the perfect serving size, but I think baking an entire pie is the easier way to go! I spent a lot of time cutting out the crusts and arranging them in the muffin tins.

I used 3 premade pie crusts & this pumpkin pie recipe.

Unroll pie crust. Using a 4" round cookie cutter or bowl, cut out 4 circles per crust. I took the scraps from the crusts and rolled them out again to cut more circles. I ended up with 20 mini pies from 3 crusts.

Preheat oven to 425*.

Generously spray muffin tins with cooking spray. Place each crust into muffin tin and press down on the bottom and sides. Using a fork, prick the bottom of each crust to keep it from bubbling while cooking.

Prepare your pumpkin pie filling of choice. (For 20 mini pies, I used a recipe for one 9" pie. I still had a little filling left over, but ran out of crust)

Pour filling into each crust, filling to the top.

Bake at 425* for 15 minutes. Reduce temp to 350* and bake for additional 25-30 minutes.

Cool on wire rack. Store pies in refrigerator.

Mallow-Topped Sweet Potatoes

I got this recipe out of a Taste 0f H0me magazine many years ago. Since then, I make it every year for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner! It really tastes like a dessert!

One year, I crumbled oatmeal cookies over the casserole before putting the marshmallows on...YUMMY!!

I believe the original recipe called for baked sweet potatoes, I always use canned.

Mallow-Topped Sweet Potatoes

2 (29 oz) cans sweet potatoes

1 c. milk

6 Tbsp. margarine

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

marshmallows (either mini or large...your choice)

Drain potatoes. Using an electric mixer, mix all ingredients (except the marshmallows) together until smooth. Put mixture in a greased 2.5 qt. baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Top with marshmallows and bake for another 5-10 minutes.

Rotel Chicken Spaghetti

I found this recipe on Pinterest. Honestly, I was hesitant at first because I'm not a big fan of velveeta cheese.

However, this was really good and very simple to prepare!

The original recipe didn't specify whether or not to drain the Rotel. I did drain most of the liquid out because I didn't want it too spicy for my 13 month old. It turned out great; just a little kick of spice. If you want it spicy, I wouldn't drain the tomatoes at all.

Rotel Chicken Spaghetti

3-4 large boneless chicken breasts

1 can (10 3/4 ounce) Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can (10 ounce) Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
 1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tablespoon Margarine or butter
1 (8 ounce) Velveeta cheese, cubed
8 ounces spaghetti, cooked and drained

Cut up chicken into bite size pieces. In a large skillet, melt butter or margarine. Add cubed chicken, garlic & onion. Cook over medium-high heat until chicken is no longer pink and no liquid is left in skillet. Stir in soup, cheese and Rotel Tomatoes. Reduce heat to low, and cook until the cheese melts, stirring constantly. Stir in spaghetti and pour into a lightly greased 2 quart casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through.

recipe source

Crunchy Chicken

I wish I had remembered to take a picture, but when you have a toddler who is ready to eat sometimes that's all that seems to be important!

I modified this recipe tonight from a few I found on allrecipes.com.

The Dijon really added the extra boost of flavor that made this a keeper!

Crunchy Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

French fried onions, crushed

Dijon mustard

4 slices provolone cheese

Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Place each piece of chicken on sheet. Spread a fine layer of Dijon on the top of each chicken breast. Top each chicken with a generous topping of fried onions -- press them gently into the Dijon so they "stick".

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until juices run clear. Top each chicken with a slice of cheese. Bake for additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Pepperoncini Beef Sandwiches

I have seen this recipe all over the internet, but the first place I saw it was here.

I love pepperoncinis, but wasn't sure how their pungent flavors would work as only one of two ingredients in this recipe. Well, after cooking in the crockpot for 8+ hours, they are amazing!!

The peppers are not spicy (especially after cooking all day), so don't worry about little kids eating it. My 11 old month ate the meat and loved it!

You can freeze any meat leftovers, too!

Pepperoncini Beef Sandwiches

2 lb. beef chuck roast (no need to thaw if it is frozen)

1 jar (16 oz) pepperoncini, whole or slices (if whole, cut off stems before cooking)

hoagie rolls

swiss or provolone cheese

Place roast in crockpot. Add jar of peppers, including juice from the jar.

Cover and cook on low for at least 8 hours. Shred the meat and serve on rolls with cheese.

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

This is such an easy meal! Simply toss in a few ingredients and let it cook all day!

 

This is my go-to dish that I bring to new moms. I bring a box of hard taco shells and a bag of tortillas -- for variety. Toss in a bag of shredded cheese and a container of sour cream and you have an easy meal to deliver to a new family. Of course, I always bring my creamy orange jello too!

 

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

4 chicken breasts (no need to cook them, toss them in frozen or thawed)

1 can Rotel

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

1 packet taco seasoning

Place chicken breasts in crockpot. Sprinkle chicken with half of the taco seasoning. Top chicken with corn, Rotel, and beans. Sprinkle remaining seasoning on top.

Mix slightly and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Remove chicken and shred with two forks; return to pot and stir.

Serve in your favorite taco shell with cheese, sour cream, and salsa.

Pioneer Woman's Best Baked Beans Ever

When it comes to baked beans I used to dump them in a crock pot, add a few extra ingredients, stir it, and then heat them for a few hours. They always turned out good, but I never knew they could be better!

When I found PW's recipe for The Best Baked Beans Ever (click the link for more detailed directions), I knew I wanted to give them a try. Let me tell you, they did not disappoint!! Baked beans always seem to be the ho-hum side item that you take, but aren't always a favorite. The sauce runs all over the plate, the beans aren't well flavored, etc.

These cook at a low temp for 2 hours thus turning them into something so yummy! Give them a try....I promise, they are that good!

The Best Baked Beans Ever

Serves up to 18

8 slices bacon, halved

1 medium onion, cut into small dice

1/2 medium green pepper, cut into small dice -- I use a whole green pepper

3 large cans (28 ounces each) pork and beans -- I use 6 (15 oz) cans

3/4 cup barbecue sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup distilled or cider vinegar

2 teaspoons dry mustard or 2 tablespoons Dijon

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Fry bacon in large, deep sauté pan skillet until bacon has partially cooked and released about 1/4 cup drippings. Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels. Add onions and peppers to drippings in pan and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add beans and remaining ingredients bring to a simmer. (If skillet is not large enough, add beans and heat to a simmer then transfer to a large bowl and stir in remaining ingredients).

Pour flavored beans into a greased 13-by 9-inch (or similar size) ovenproof pan. Top with bacon, then bake until beans are bubbly and sauce is the consistency of pancake syrup, about 2 hours. Let stand to thicken slightly and serve.

Beefy Shells & Cheese

Hubby loves shells & cheese, but I don't care for them. Soon after we got married, I decided to improvise so he could have his shells & cheese and I didn't have to eat them plain.

I came up with this quick meal that has been a staple since early in our marriage.

Beefy Shells & Cheese

1 box shells & cheese (like ve1veeta brand)

1 lb ground beef

1 can kidney beans (or canned beans of your choice), rinsed

1 small onion, diced

1 tsp. minced garlic

taco seasoning

salsa

Boil the shells according to box directions.

While the shells are boiling, brown ground beef with onion and garlic; drain grease. Add taco seasoning to the meat -- to your liking. Over medium-low heat, add beans to meat mixture.

Drain shells and add to the meat. Mix cheese packet with the shells and meat. Mix salsa into the mixture.

Enjoy!

Taco Salad

This recipe is from my friend, Heather, who insisted it was "the best taco salad EVER, and you have to try it!" Sure enough...it is!

One word of warning, this makes a HUGE amount of taco salad. Be sure to mix it in the largest bowl you own! :)

Taco Salad

1 lb. ground beef

1 large head or bag of shredded lettuce

3 large tomatoes, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 bag (13 oz.) Doritos, crushed

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

2 pkg. taco seasoning

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix

1/2 c. Italian dressing

Prepare ranch dressing according to directions on packet, add Italian dressing and chill.

Brown, drain, and cool ground beef. Add taco seasoning (without water!), mix well.

Add lettuce, tomato, onion, and cheese to ground beef. Refrigerate until serve time. Just before serving, add dressing. Mix well, stir in Doritos.

Feeds a HUGE crowd!

Crock Pot Chicken & Dumplings

I love my recipe for made-from-scratch Chicken & Dumplings. The only problem is it can be time-consuming and messy.

I had heard of chicken & dumplings cooked in the crockpot, but it didn't sound like it would be as good as made-from-scratch ones. This recipe is thisclose to being just as good!!

I love that I can toss everything in the pot in the morning and not have to roll out the dough, cut it, and stand over the stove while the dumplings cook. I wasn't sure how the biscuits would taste as dumplings...they are SO good!!!

To make this a more complete meal, you can add in a can or two of mixed veggies or some frozen mixed veggies with the other ingredients.

Crockpot Chicken & Dumplings

4 chicken breasts (no need to cook them first, toss them in frozen or thawed)

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 small onion, diced

water or chicken broth (the broth gives it much more flavor)

2 cans refrigerated biscuits

Place the chicken in the crock pot. Mix together the soup and onion and place over the chicken. Pour enough water or broth in the crock pot to completely cover the chicken and soup mixture. Cook on low for 5-6 hours if your chicken is thawed; if chicken is frozen, cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Once chicken has cooked completely, remove the chicken from the pot and shred with a fork. Return chicken to the pot.

1 - 2 hours before serving, tear the raw biscuits into pieces and drop in the pot. Let the biscuits cook for an hour. (The liquid will cook the raw biscuits and turn them into dumplings). The biscuits will absorb the extra liquid.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

This is such a flavorful main dish that is so simple to throw together at the end of a long day!

My favorite part about this recipe is that you do not cook the chicken first. For some reason, I don't like recipes where you have to cook the chicken first (even though I do still make them from time to time).

 

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts; cut into bite-size pieces

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained (I sometimes use the Italian ones)

1 pkg. stuffing mix (like St0vet0p)

1/2 c. water

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried basil leaves

1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and place chicken on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle basil and cheese over chicken.

Mix together tomatoes, dry stuffing mix, water, and garlic until moistened. Place mixture over chicken. Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is done.

Butterfinger Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert

I made this dessert for Easter. I knew the weather was going to be in the 80's, so I thought something cold would be perfect and it hit the spot after our great meal.

There are lots of versions of this recipe, but I made up my own with butterfinger and hot fudge. You can use peanut butter, carmel, peanuts, peanut butter cups....there are many options!

Butterfinger Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert

18 ice cream sandwiches

1 large container of whipped topping

1 jar hot fudge topping

Butterfingers, crushed (I think I used 12 of the fun size bars...I used a lot for extra crunch and flavor)

In a 9X13 glass dish, put one layer of sandwiches. You will probably be able to use 6 whole and cut a few into halves and quarters. Don't worry about how it looks, just make sure the bottom is covered in sandwiches.

Top the sandwiches with half of the whipped topping. Drop all the hot fudge by spoonfuls over the whipped topping. Put a generous layer of crushed Butterfingers on the fudge. Repeat a layer of sandwiches and whipped topping; top dessert with crushed Butterfingers. **The pan will be very full** 

Freeze for at least 4 hours. Remove from freezer 20 minutes before serving. 

Cheesy Broccoli Rice

This is a great side dish that could easily be made into a main dish by adding chicken.

Cheesy Broccoli Rice

1/3 sleeve buttery round crackers, crushed

1/4 c. margarine, melted

1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed

1 small onion, chopped

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1 c. uncooked instant rice

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350. Pour crackers into a bowl and add the melted margarine; stir until combined. Stir the broccoli, onion, cheese, rice, mushroom soup, and milk together and place in a greased 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with cracker crumbs.

Bake until bubbly and brown, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Cowboy Beans

This recipe is my mother-in-law's. It's one of Hubby's favorite meals, and ever since I joined their family it's become a favorite of mine. It's great served with corn bread.

Cowboy Beans

1/4 lb. (4 oz) crumbled bacon
1 1/2 lb. ground beef or turkey  (no need to cook it first, toss it in frozen or thawed)

small onion, chopped

1 can (16 oz) pork & beans, undrained

1 can (16 oz) lima beans, undrained

1 can (16 oz) kidney beans, undrained

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. ketchup

1 tsp. mustard

Microwave bacon & crumble. Brown meat and onions. In large crockpot add all ingredients and stir until blended. Cook in crockpot on LOW for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally.

**Note: If you put the groud beef/turkey in raw and let it cook, you will probably have to skim the grease off the top before serving. However, if you cook the beef/turkey in the crock pot the results are so much better!

Chicken Fajita Tortilla Soup

Hubby, my sweet non-soup eater, has declared this "the BEST soup you've ever made!"

The changes I made are at the bottom of the recipe...because as we all know, I rarely follow a recipe completely! :)

 

Chicken Fajita Tortilla Soup

(Recipe courtesy of The Food Network)

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 packages chicken tenders, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds
1 Tbsp. coriander, a palm full
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves, 5 to 6 sprigs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 large bell pepper, quartered & thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded & thinly sliced
1 (28-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 quart chicken stock
1 bag white corn tortilla chips
1 cup shredded pepper Jack or sharp white Cheddar
1 ripe avocado, diced
1 lime, juiced
4 scallions, chopped
Handful fresh cilantro leaves or fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Heat a large skillet with extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add chicken, begin to brown 4 minutes, add coriander, thyme, salt and pepper, to taste, onions, bell pepper and jalapeno, season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes and stock, heat through.

While the soup is working, lightly crush some tortilla chips and divide among 4 bowls. You need a couple of handfuls per bowl. Top the chips with a little cheese. Toss the avocado with lime juice. Top the chips with ladles of soup. Garnish soup with avocado, scallions and cilantro or parsley.

************

My changes:

• used 3 chicken breasts, next time I'll use a rotisserie chicken for even more flavor.
• I didn't have coriander so I omitted it
• added cumin and garlic powder
• added a can of yellow corn
• used dried thyme
• omitted scallions, parsley, and cilantro
• used cheddar cheese

Caramel Pecan Pie

I normally only make this during the fall, but it's such a great recipe that I thought I'd share it with you. It's a ridiculously easy pie to make and so very YUMMY!

Caramel Pecan Pie

3 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 (12 oz) jar of caramel ice cream topping
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
1 (9 in) unbaked pie shell

In mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a fork. Add sugar, stir until dissolved. Stir in topping and butter; mix well. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into pie shell.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until set. Cool completely before serving. Store left overs (if there are any!) in the refrigerator

Chunky Taco Soup

Chunky Taco Soup

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 cans (15 oz each) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
2 cups water
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz) cream-style corn
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
1 envelope taco seasoning

In a large pot, brown beef and onion; drain fat. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 - 30 minutes.

Spicy Cheese Soup

This recipe is a must for the fall and winter. It doesn't get any easier for a crock-pot recipe! Just brown the meat, open the cans and dump it all in!! The juices from the canned veggies give all the liquid needed for the soup, so don't drain them!

I don't add the jalepeno because we don't like it super spicy.

Spicy Cheese Soup

1 lb processed cheese cube (like Velveeta)
1 lb ground beef, cooked & drained
1 (8.75 oz) can whole kernel corn, do not drain
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, do not drain
1 jalepeno pepper, seed & dice
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilis, do not drain
1 (15.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes, do not drain
1 envelope taco seasoning

Combine all ingredients in a 4.5 - 5.5 qt crock pot.

Cover and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours.

Serve with sour cream and corn chips.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

You must make this just for the simple fact of using only 3 ingredients!

I put the pork on buns, but feel free to serve in whatever way your heart desires. It freezes great too!

 

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

1 (2 lb) pork tenderloin

1 can or bottle of root beer

1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

Place the pork in the crock pot; pour root beer over the pork. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or until well cooked and shreds easily.

Drain well. Shred meat; stir in BBQ sauce.

*************************

Updated 6/22/11: I recently made this with a pork butt (which is actually a pork shoulder). This is SO much better using the shoulder than a tenderloin. You will have to remove the bone, but it is only one and it's pretty large. The meat is so much more flavorful and tender...also, pork butts are much cheaper than tenderloins! :)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is such a yummy, perfect-for-winter soup. Beware, this is not exactly friendly for your New Year's resolution to lose weight...but, it is SO worth it! :) It's that good!

 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

4 whole Chicken Breasts (no need to cook them first, toss them in frozen or thawed)
4 cans Cream Of Chicken Soup (10 Ounce Cans)
1 can Rotel Tomatoes And Chiles (10 Ounce Can)
2 cups Milk
2 cups Half-and-half
1 pound Mexican (or Regular) Velveeta
Tortilla Chips

This makes a lot, so use at least a 5 qt crock pot.

Mix all ingredients (except tortilla chips) together in crock pot and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours. Before serving, remove the chicken and shred with two forks. Return chicken to pot and stir into soup. Serve over tortilla chips.

 

************

My changes:

• Added taco seasoning

Easy Chicken Divan

Here's a great recipe for an easy weeknight meal!

Easy Chicken Divan

2 (10 oz) pkgs. frozen broccoli spears

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; cooked and cubed

2 (10 oz) cans cream of chicken soup

3/4 c. mayonnaise

1/2 c. chicken broth

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 c. shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cook broccoli (either steam or boil) until tender; drain. Place broccoli in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Put chicken over broccoli. Combine soup, mayo, broth, and lemon juice; pour over chicken. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 35 minutes or until bubbly.

Ground Beef Stroganoff

This very easy recipe that can be made in less than 30 minutes. It serves three but can easily be doubled or tripled.

 

Ground Beef Stroganoff

1/2 lb. ground beef

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 can condensed cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

3 cups cooked egg noodles

1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream

In a large skillet, cook the beef, mushrooms, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the soup and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through. Reduce heat. Stir in noodles and sour cream; heat through.

3 Servings

Applesauce Muffins

Applesauce Muffins

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground allspice

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 cups applesauce (I use unsweetened)

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 cup raisins

In a bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, allspice and baking soda; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, applesauce and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in raisins. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove to a wire rack.

This reciped makes 2 dozen so there will be plenty to freeze.

Monterey Chicken and Potatoes

I received this recipe from my friend, Heather.

Monterey Chicken with Potatoes

6 medium red potatoes, cubed

1/2 cup butter, melted and divided

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup salsa

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with aluminum foil.

Toss potatoes with about 1 tablespoon of melted butter until coated. Arrange in a single layer in the bottom of the baking dish.

Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove pan from oven, and push potatoes out to the sides of the dish. Place the chicken breast halves in the dish. Stir together the remaining butter and lime juice. Brush onto chicken. Return to the oven.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear. In a small bowl, toss together the cheese, cilantro and salsa. Sprinkle over the chicken and potatoes. Return to the oven for a few minutes, until the cheese is melted. Serve with lime wedges.

**************

My changes:

*Hubby doesn't care for cilantro so I usually put in on only one half or just omit it

*I dice the chicken before cooking

*I use russet baking potatoes and leave the skins on (just wash them really well)

*I don't separate the baking time; I add the potatoes and chicken at the beginning and let it cook

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Hubby told me a long time ago that he really liked Brussel sprouts. Of course, he hadn't had them since he was little but wanted to try them again. I hadn't had them since I was young too, but I didn't really remember thinking they were that great.

I decided to give them a try so a while ago I steamed some and added cheese. The results? Not that great. Some were bitter and they were just OK.

Well, I started seeing and hearing about roasted Brussel sprouts. I read lots of recipes online and I decided to give them another try. The results? AMAZING!!!

These are SO good! I've made them many times now and they just keep getting better. Most of the recipes I read said to roast them for about 40 minutes. I've found that is too long...they burn. 25 minutes works great for me.

ROASTED BRUSSEL SPROUTS

Fresh brussel sprouts

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut off the ends of the Brussel sprouts and slice them in half. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Season with salt & pepper. Place in the oven for 25 minutes or until tender.