Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

I am well aware that I haven't posted in FOR-EV-ERRRR. But, oh well.  I don't write this blog to gather a massive following, or to get a book deal.  I post this blog for me.  For fun.  To keep track o what I do and what I like.  Not that there is anything wrong with feeling compelled to continuously write the blog in order to get a book deal.  In fact, I think cooks across America are now benefiting from Smitten Kitchen's dedication to blogging and her new amazing cookbook! Yay!

Anywho, new recipe, why not.  This one is great, easy, and freezes well, so we can have it for lunches when I don't have time to actually pack other lunches.  And did I mention it was easy?  Check this out:

Ingredients:

5 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts

1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce (the red kind)

1 package taco seasoning

about 40 tortillas

Cheddar cheese- optional

A few dashes hot sauce- optional

Combine enchilada sauce, taco seasoning, and hot sauce if using.  Place in crock pot.  Add chicken.  I know, it doesn't look like enough liquid, but it's fine.

Cook on high 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours.  Now it looks too liquidy, but trust me, it's fine. Shred chicken and mix around in the sauce.

Divide chicken between tortillas, add cheese if using. Roll up tortillas and either eat now, or wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for quick meals later.  Just take out of the plastic wrap and microwave on a paper towel for a few minutes.  If you are eating it fresh, you can add other toppings like lettuce and tomatoes, but I would not put those in the ones for the freezer.

Told you it was easy!

Pioneer Woman's Spaghetti and (Turkey) Meatballs

Since I made this dinner for 2 of my good friends, I will let them give you an intro into Pioneer Woman's Spaghetti and (Turkey Version) Meatballs:

J: The meatballs were really really really moist and delicious

K: I liked it very much.

Neither minded that I made the meatballs with all turkey, and in fact, one said she preferred it to the typical, all-beef meatball

The Sauce for the meal came out WONDERFULLY. I had twice before tried to make homemade pasta sauce with either tart or bland results. This came out great (though I did tweak a little to get there).

Also of note- these freeze very well. Which is good since it makes way way WAY more than the 3 of us could eat.

Pioneer Woman's Spaghetti and Meatballs- Turkey Version

Ingredients

Meatballs:

• 1.5 lbs ground turkey
  
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• ¾ cups Bread Crumbs
• 2 whole Eggs
• ¾ cups Grated Parmesan
• ¼ cups Flat-leaf Parsley, Minced- I used a little less and used some dried
• dried basil to taste
  
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• Splash Of Milk
• ½ cups Olive Oil

Sauce:

• 1 whole Yellow Onion, Diced
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 whole (28-ounce) Can Whole Tomatoes
• 1 whole 28 Ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
• pinch of red pepper flakes
  
• ½ cups Red Wine
  
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• dried basil, parsley and oregano to taste
  
• ¼ cups Flat-leaf Parsley, Minced
• 8 whole Fresh Basil Leaves, Chiffonade
  
• 2 pounds Spaghetti, Cooked To Al Dente

Preparation Instructions

To make the meatballs, combine meat, garlic, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, eggs, salt, pepper, parsley, basil, and a splash of milk in a mixing bowl. Mix together well with hands. Roll into 25 1 1/2-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet into the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes (or fridge for about 30 min) to firm up.

To brown the meatballs, heat olive oil in a heavy pot or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs 5 at a time, turning to brown. Remove and drain on a paper towel after each batch. Set meatballs aside.

In the same pot, add the onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes, or until translucent. Pour in whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, red pepper, and wine. Add salt, pepper, sugar, dried herbs and parsley. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat for 20-30 minutes.

Add meatballs to pot and stir in gently. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring very gently a couple of times during the simmer.

Just before serving, stir in basil if using.

Serve over cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan.

Chicken Caesar Casserole

Much like my Harlequin Chicken, this is one of those recipes that I kept putting off making. I felt like I wasn't in the mood, or it took too much time, or something, but it kept being put off. Finally I made it and I am glad I did. It was delicious. Last night I even had a huge craving for it! It was so good!!

Caesar Chicken Casserole

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked, cut into 1/2" to 1" pieces
1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/3 cup light creamy caesar dressing
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese, grated
1 12-oz package tubed pasta (such as penne), cooked and drained
1/2 cup croutons

Combine all ingredients but croutons. Pour into a 2 quart baking dish or about 5 small aluminum grill pans. Crush croutons and sprinkle on top. Allow to cool and freeze, or continue to next step.

From freezer: Thaw casserole. Bake in 350F preheated oven for 30 minutes or until topping is browned and casserole is bubbly

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

I am well aware that I fail as a regular blogger. I won't even dare to comment on how long it has been since my last post except to say that it has been too long. I hope that my next post comes far sooner. However can I make it up to you? How about some chocolate chocolate chip muffins?

I baked these during the school year when I somehow ended up with buttermilk in my fridge, and I needed a way to use some of it up. A google search revealed these little delights that satisfy a sweet tooth. But don't go claiming "they're muffins! They must be healthy and a great breakfast!" because, well, they are in no way healthy. But, when it comes to chocolate, healthy is not something I personally look for. I cared more about the fact that they were moist and soft with a slight crunch at the top and they fulfilled my chocolate craving perfectly.

I ended up bringing these to my classmates, and it seems my positive review was universal. One girl in my section declined a muffin for her diet's sake, then, after hearing the raves from the others sitting next to her, she retracted her refusal and gobbled down one of the scrumptious muffins. These are diet-breaking good.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

INGREDIENTS
1 bag, chocolate chips, divided
1/3 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with papers.
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt 1/2 of the chocolate together with the butter. Let stand until cooled, about 10 minutes.
Lightly beat the egg. In a small bowl, stir together the chocolate-butter mixture with the buttermilk, sugar, egg, and vanilla, until blended well.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, soda, and salt. Make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in the chocolate mixture, and stir until just combined. Stir in the remaining chocolate chips. Spoon the batter into the lined muffin cups.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove muffin tin from oven and let stand at least 5 minutes, before removing the muffins and letting them cool on a wire rack.

*Note- recipe says these can be frozen, though I have not yet tried it. They were all gone within a day!

Baked Pesto Chicken

"I think this is the best thing you have ever made"- The boy

Enough said? If not, let me just tell you it is phenomenal! Chicken, basil pesto, fresh tomatoes and mozzarella. So good.

If you take the chicken and put it in a ziploc bag, you can pour the pesto in and then freeze it. Then, just defrost it overnight, put it on the baking sheet and continue as directed.

Baked Pesto Chicken

• 4 boneless skinless chicken cutlets
• 1/2 cup basil pesto
• 2-3 plum tomatoes, sliced
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Line baking sheet with foil.
3. Place chicken on pan and spoon pesto over it. Once all chicken cutlets have pesto on them, smooth the pesto all over the surface (do this afterward so that you don't contaminate the pesto)
   
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.
5. Remove from oven; top with tomatoes and cheese.
6. Bake for an additional 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

I am entering this pesto chicken into Foodie Films: Italian.

Dinner Rolls

After many test runs of different rolls, I made these for Thanksgiving. Glad I did because they were received by rave reviews. I love when that happens.

Tips: while the above picture shows it a bather dark gold, you should probably not let it get quite so dark or else you will likely burn the bottom. If I had any clear pictures from Thanksgiving I would show you, but it is more of a pale golden brown.

Dinner Rolls

• 2 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature, plus more for bowl and baking sheets
• 1 envelope active dry yeast (1 scant tablespoon)
• 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)
• 5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Directions

1. Bring milk, sugar, salt, and 2 tablespoons butter to a simmer in a large saucepan, stirring until sugar and salt have dissolved and butter has melted. Remove from heat, and let cool to 110 degrees.
2. Meanwhile, sprinkle yeast over warm water in a small bowl, and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir into milk mixture. Add 5 cups flour, and stir until a stiff dough forms (if dough is too sticky, add more flour, 1/4 cup at a time).
3. Turn out dough on a lightly floured work surface, and knead until smooth. Transfer to a large buttered bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
4. Divide dough into 24 pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Space 2 inches apart on buttered baking sheets, and cover each with a towel. Let rise until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and lightly brush on top of rolls. Bake until light golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Rolls can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days or can be wrapped and frozen.

Mandarin Chicken

I am once again restocking my freezer with meals so that I can eat quickly but well during the semester. I look forward to bringing out this really easy dish during one of those hectic days.

Looking at these pictures, I am starting to wonder if I forgot to add the flour. I don't think so, I am pretty sure I added it, but sometimes my mind plays tricks on me. The sauce as I had it was a little runny, so I used a slotted spoon to serve the chicken. Perhaps this is a sign that I forgot the flour? If so, I am ok with that because it was tasty as is...just don't pour all the liquid over your rice.

Mandarin Chicken

5 cups cooked chicken, cubed
4 tsp flour (did I use it?)
1 1/3 cups chicken broth
1 can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup sliced green onions
2 chicken bouillon cubes

On serving day:
2 (11 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained
Hot cooked rice

Combine flour (?), broth, frozen orange juice concentrate, green onions and chicken bouillon cubes over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and add chicken, simmering uncovered for 3-4 minutes. Cool and pour into freezer containers.

On cooking day, thaw orange chicken mixture. Heat chicken in a saucepan until heated through and bubbly, then add mandarin oranges, continuing to heat mixture. Serve over rice.

Garlic Bread Twists with Cheese

You know those times when you try a recipe and you know you will be making it forever? This is one of those times. I have already made this recipe 4 times, and 2 of those times I made a double batch.

I don't know how, but these rolls come out so soft and almost buttery, yet there is no butter in them! They certainly remind me of restaurant quality rolls, and my friends who have had them seem to agree.

Garlic Bread Twists with Cheese

3 cups all-purpose flour, divided use
2 ½ tsp active dry yeast
1 TBSP granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp salt
1 ¼ cups warm water (110F)
1 TBSP canola oil
1 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
olive oil for brushing

1. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Combine half of the flour with yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl; add warm water (110F) and oil; mix until smooth.
3. Stir in garlic and as much of the remaining flour as needed to make a stiff dough (usually I need all of it).
4. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times or until smooth and elastic.
5. Divide dough into fourths; shape each portion into a ball then divide each ball into 10 portions. Shape each portion into an 6-inch stick. Brush 1 stick with water and twist it with another stick, pressing at the top and the bottom. Arrange the twists on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining sticks.
6. Place twists 2-inches apart on baking sheet. Brush the twists with olive oil and sprinkle cheese on top. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 50 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake until lightly browned (just a very light brown in places), 12 to 15 minutes.

Tip: after baking, can wrap and store in freezer bag. Reheat in microwave.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

So, I am back from the no-man's land that is law school finals. WOOO! I have a life again. WOO! I still don't have time to blog. Boo... Oh well, at least I am kind of back.

This chicken dish definately helped me get through finals. I made a big batch and froze it back when I had time, so during finals, I would just defrost it overnight and have dinner with 1 minute of active work while studying. Easy enough! And so good! I love the parmesan and oats together! Delicious! This is even good with or without the sauce.

I recomend this delicious meal as a keep on hand item, replacing those store-bought chicken strips with these cutlets will make you feel so much better during those rushed days, which, let's be honest, we ALL have far more frequently than we would like to admit ;)

Parmesan Crusted Chicken (Adapted from Robin Miller's Quick Fix Meals)
Vegetable oil spray
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
4 chicken cutlets
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon water
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
2 teaspoons salt-free garlic and herb seasoning
Sweet-N-Hot Mustard Dip (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with vegetable oil.

In a shallow dish or plastic bag, combine the flour and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add the chicken and turn or shake to coat completely.

Whisk the egg and water in a separate shallow dish. In a third shallow dish, combine the Parmesan, oats, garlic seasoning and remaining salt and pepper.

Dip the flour-coated chicken into the egg, then transfer to the Parmesan mixture, turning and pressing to coat completely.

IF STOPPING TO FREEZE: wrap in plastic wrap and freeze. Thaw completely in fridge before baking.

IF COOKING: Place on the prepared pan and spray with vegetable oil. Bake until crust is golden brown and chicken is cooked through, about 20-25 minutes, turning half way through.

Serve with dipping sauce.

SWEET-N-HOT MUSTARD DIP

1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
2 packs of Chinese mustard (like you get with Chinese take out)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Stir together all ingredients for the dip.

Makes 4 servings

Three Bean Cassoulet

I don't know whether I would call this a stew or a solid entree, but whatever it was, it was good! I really did not think I would like it, I made it just because it would be cheap, but it was sooooo good! I ate it with a crusty roll and a spoon as my utensils and loved every moment if it.

Need MORE reasons to make this dish?
-its good for you! Very high in fiber and protein and counts as 2 or 3 veggie servings if you eat an entree size portion
-super easy. Chop. Mix. Bake, mixing occasionally.
-freezes well. I froze the leftovers in individual portions and microwave them for a great quick lunch
-Did I mention it is cheap and delicious? It cost about $5 to make 5-6 dinners that I loved!
-It makes an entry for Legume Love Affair

Three Bean Cassoulet

• 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) stewed tomatoes
• 1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15-1/2 ounces) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) butter beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup finely chopped carrots
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme- I didn't have, so I used oregano
  
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

In an ungreased 3-qt. baking dish (I used a 9x13 pan), combine all ingredients. Cover and bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaf.

Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters

Kind of in a hurry to finish up my torts outline, so this will be quick. I got this recipe from the Tuesdays with Dorie group and it is delicious. Was a huge hit. I describe them as kitchen sink cookies because they are the 3 best cookies mashed together (PB, oatmeal and chocolate chip, yum!). I was even able to freeze these and just bring to room temp or microwave to have a dessert in an instant.

Tips: Don't overcook. About 12 minutes is perfect. I baked them in cold balls without flattening so that they didn't become any thinner then they needed to. Any more and they tended to get hard and too crispy for my tastes. Also, I liked adding a few peanuts to the top to add to the peanut butter look and taste.

3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup peanut butter--I used chunky and would do so in the future as well.
1 cup sugar
1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chunks, or 1 1/2 cups store-bought chocolate chips or chunks

Whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, spices and salt.

Beat the butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, beating only until blended. Mix in the chips. If you have the time, cover and chill the dough for about 2 hours or for up to one day.

Preheat oven to 350 and line cookie sheets w/ parchment.

If the dough is not chilled, drop rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets. If the dough is chilled, scoop up rounded tablespoons, roll the balls between your palms and place them 2 inches apart on the sheets.

Bake for 11 to 15 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back after 7 minutes. The cookies should be golden and just firm around the edges. Lift the cookies onto cooling racks with a wide metal spatula - they'll firm as they cool.

Stuffed Shells

Now THAT'S what I call a frozen or TV dinner! Stuffed shells in a wine tomato sauce. Not only is it delicious, but this dinner was on my table in 20 minutes last night. Before school started I made a big batch of stuffed shells and froze all but one portion of them for easy school night dinners. And it worked out beautifully. These taste just as good out of the freezer as they do fresh!

I will admit, they certainly are not photogenic, but isn't taste what really matters? These babies have the taste down, but looks...well the first time I made them I was afraid they would taste horrible because the look is less than grand. I think the reason they look different is because I used ground chicken instead of beef and chicken is a much lighter color. It tasted just great, but maybe next time I would use ground turkey, just for appearances sake.

Also, you will note that I used regular size pasta shells, not jumbo shells. I did this because my tiny, city grocery store does not sell the jumbo shells and I was far too lazy to travel to get them. But, that being said, I think I will use the normal shells again, just because I love pasta and this upped the pasta to filler proportions. If you don't have time or want more meat to your pasta, bump it back up to jumbo shells, but whenever I have time I will certainly keep making it with these small ones

I am submitting this recipe to Monthly Blog Patrol: Sauces for the great tomato red wine sauce that you pour over top. I would gladly use it on any pasta!

Stuffed Shells (adapted from Blog Chef)
Ingredients:
1lb ground chicken (or perhaps turkey)
1 large onion (diced)
1 garlic clove (minced)
1 (8oz) bag shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
¼ cup fresh parsley (finely chopped)
1 egg (beaten)
1 (26 oz) jar of spaghetti sauce
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 box large pasta shells (I used the large, not the jumbo)
salt and pepper (to taste)
1/3 cup dry red wine

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Cook shells according to package directions. Meanwhile in a pan brown ground chicken, garlic and onion. Drain off any excess fat and let cool. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Step 2: Combine chicken, mozzarella cheese, egg, breadcrumbs, parsley and season with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Mix spaghetti and tomato sauce in a medium bowl and pour 1/4 of it into the bottom of a 13×9 inch oven safe dish (I used about 5 "grilling pans" to make individual portions)
Step 4: Stuff the cooked and drained pasta shells with the meat mixture and place on top of the sauce in the pan. Add red wine to the remaining sauce, mix well, and pour over the top of the shells. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Step 5: Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

Note: If you are freezing, stop after step 4, wrap in 2 layers of aluminum foil, put in a ziploc freezer bag and freeze until ready to use. When ready to use, defrost in fridge the night before, then bake as directed.

Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Man, I must be all about the stuffed peppers! Switching gears from Italian to Mexican this time though, for yet another meal that is friendly to a law student budget (aka cheap). I got this recipe from Thursday Night Smackdown. I foresee many other recipes coming from there thanks to the "cheap a** mondays." Good stuff, too. Check it out.

This recipe (if it can be called that thanks to its versatility and ease) was delicious! I made what was supposed to be 3 servings (one and a half peppers stuffed with rice-y goodness), but it was so good, I ended up making it only 2 servings (I was really hungry and could not resist the cheesy goodness!). Even after making the 3 servings, I had plenty of rice mix leftover which I popped in single serving size baggies in the freezer to be used on other, cheap eats nights.

This recipe will be the first one entered into my 3 new categories: cheap, easy and frozen. While the first 2 sound like a high school boy's ideal date, they are really categories many full grown boys are looking for in dinner. I was talking with the boy this weekend and he mentioned how he never knew which recipes he could pull off, so the "easy" section is for him. If it were 1950 and home-ec was still only taught to girls, I would call it the "boy capable food" section. But, welcome to the 2000s! The cheap category is pretty self explanatory and will hold the food I will make on weeks when the loans start running out. Finally, frozen will be the category of food that freezes well for quick meals later. Hope this helps!

Mexican Stuffed Peppers

serves 2 plus leftover rice stuffing for later

1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded and halved
2 cups cooked yellow rice
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 10 oz. can black beans, drained
1 10 oz can corn, drained
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
handful of cilantro, chopped
5 oz. shredded Mexican four cheese

sprinkling of taco seasoning

Pre-heat your oven to 375.

Put the cooked rice, 4 ounces of the cheese, and the cilantro into a large bowl. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the filling.

Add the olive oil to a medium skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until just turning golden, 6-7 minutes; add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the beans, corn, cumin, chili powder and cook for a few minutes to combine the flavors. Check the seasoning and adjust the salt.

Add the bean mixture to the rice, cheese and cilantro and stir to combine.

Lay the pepper halves in a baking dish and heap with stuffing. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top. Sprinkle with taco seasoning. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until peppers are crisp-tender. Turn on the broiler for the last few minutes of cooking to brown the cheese, if you like.

Put any leftover filling in single serving size ziplocs and freeze. When ready to use, defrost in the fridge overnight and fill peppers as directed and top with cheese and bake.