Slow Cooker to the Rescue

 

I was in the mood for Mexican food this night, but I wasn't in the mood to put in the amount of work required for good Mexican food. However, this recipe did the trick quite nicely (with a lot less work).

Tex-Mex Chicken with Black Beans & Rice

Directions:

6 chicken leg quarters, skin removed
1 envelope taco seasoning, divided
1 can (14.5 oz) Mexican diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 large onion, chopped
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
1 cup uncooked white rice
1 can (14.5 oz) canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup sour cream
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips, optional
Minced fresh cilantro

Directions:

Place chicken in a 5-6-qt. slow cooker and sprinkle chicken with 1 tablespoon taco seasoning.

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, soup, onion, chilies, and remaining taco seasoning; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours or until chicken is tender.

Prepare rice according to package directions. Stir in beans; heat through.

Remove chicken from cooking juices; stir sour cream into cooking juices. Serve chicken with rice mixture and sauce. Sprinkle servings with cheese, tortilla chips, and cilantro.

Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition information: 1 serving equals 590 calories, 26 g fat, 139 mg cholesterol, 1,451 mg sodium, 46 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 38 g protein.

Source: Taste of Home. You can find it here.

Notes: This was so good, and the leftovers were even better. I initially mixed in a little salsa with the rice and beans for flavor, but this isn't necessary because this makes a LOT of sauce. When I was storing the leftovers, I mixed the rice/bean mixture with the remaining sauce...it made the leftovers SO good! The sauce is fantastic. I actually used a 10 oz can of spicy/hot Rotel. It made things very spicy. In the future, I will use mild/medium Rotel.

I also used 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of 6 leg quarters. This recipe is versatile and would work with leg quarters, breasts, thighs, etc.

Versatile Vegetable

Cauliflower is pretty cool. I mean, it is fantastic raw dipped in a little ranch dressing. It is great cooked (steamed or boiled). It is awesome roasted. Don't get me started on cauliflower au gratin. Oh, and you can mash it too! How cool is that?

Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, smashed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon reduced-fat cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup milk, or more, as needed

Directions:

Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add cauliflower, cover, and steam until tender, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat; cook and stir garlic until softened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Transfer half the cauliflower to a food processor; cover and blend on high. Add remaining cauliflower florets, one at a time, until vegetables are creamy. Blend in garlic, Parmesan cheese, cream cheese, salt, and black pepper.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Andie. You can find it here.

Notes: I don't have a steamer (I need to get one), so I boiled my cauliflower until it was tender. I also don't have a food processor (the motor died on mine, so I need to get another). So, I made this in the blender. It worked, but I had to help it out with a spoon and I had to add some milk (not called for in the original recipe) to get it to blend. Even so, this was fantastic! A great way to change up your vegetable side dishes.

Don't Forget the Sauce!

 

Fish sticks without tartar sauce are just pointless! However, with the sauce, they are addicting. Also, dress up your fish sticks by making them into fish tacos! Just add a flour tortilla and your favorite taco fixings, along with this tartar sauce, of course.

Tartar Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. bottled minced garlic
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1-2 tsp. dill pickle relish
1/2 tsp. onion salt
1 green onion chopped, green parts only

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together. Serve. Refrigerate leftovers.

Source: I made this one up because I like my tartar sauce with a lot of kick and a lot of flavor. Get creative. You can also add some ground red pepper, or a few drops of Tabasco sauce too.



Above: This sauce is so good.

Above: Yummy fish tacos!

 

No Recipe Required Fish Tacos

Ingredients:

Fish sticks (3 to 4 fish sticks per taco)

Flour tortillas

Lettuce

Chopped tomato

Shredded cheese

Tartar sauce

Directions:

Top tortillas with lettuce followed by fish sticks, tomatoes, shredded cheese and tartar sauce. Enjoy!

Source: I just came up with this when I was thinking of a way to use up the fish sticks in our freezer. Now I need to buy more fish sticks because I am craving these again!

Notes: The crunch from the fish sticks in these tacos is so good.

Applesauce Inspired

 

 

This was one of those recipes that I had marked to try for a very long time...and for one reason or another, it just kept getting put off. Now, I wish I had tried it sooner. Try this one...and don't put it off!

Applesauce Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus more for cake pan
3 large apples, peeled, cored, quartered, and cut into chunks
1/2 cup light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Confectioners' sugar (optional), for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8-inch round cake pan. In a medium saucepan, bring apples and 1/4 cup water to a simmer over high. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until apples are very tender, 12 minutes. Mash apples with a whisk, stirring to dry mixture slightly, 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk brown sugar into apples, then oil. Whisk in eggs, then flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Transfer batter to ban and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 20 minutes. Invert and let cake cool on rck. To serve, dust top with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Recipe notes: This recipe makes great muffins, as well. Simply reduce the baking time to 15 minutes.

Source: Martha Stewart, Everyday Food magazine, April 2010 issue. I can't actually find this online anymore. There is another applesauce cake recipe on the Martha Stewart website, but it isn't this one. I will have to hunt some more, and if I find it, I will post the link.

Notes: This was slightly time-consuming, but not intense or difficult, so it is definitely worth the extra time. This cake is SO moist! I need to try this in muffin form, as suggested as an alternative for the recipe. Definitely a keeper.

 

Above: Yummy without powdered sugar...

 

Above: Yummy with powdered sugar too! 

Above: Check out those delicious chunks of apple!

It's Time for Chicken Tonight

 

Oh, chicken. I just love you. I can make you as a main dish and then make so many different sides to go along with you. Thank you, chicken. Thank you for everything.

Montego Bay Chicken

Ingredients:

1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon rum extract
1 teaspoon minced fresh gingerroot
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)

Directions:

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the soy sauce, juice, sugar, garlic, hot pepper sauce, extract and ginger; add chicken. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Drain and discard marinade. Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil; using long-handled tongs, lightly coat the grill rack. Grill chicken, uncovered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 5-8 minutes on each side or until a termometer reads 170 degrees F.

Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition information: One serving equals 138 calories, 1 g fat, 66 mg cholesterol, 379 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 27 g protein.

Source: Taste of Home. You can find it here.

Notes: This was really a good mix of flavors and very easy. Always a good thing!

Above: I broiled my chicken rather than grilling it. Maybe not as pretty as it would have been had I grilled it, but still just as tasty!

Apricot-Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/3 cup apricot spreadable fruit
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

Directions:

Flatten chicken to 1/2-inch thickness. Combine the curry powder, salt, and pepper; sprinkle over chicken.

In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 170 degrees F. Remove to a serving plate; keep warm.

Add the spreadable fruit, water, and lemon juice to the pan; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until syrupy. Serve over chicken; sprinkle with lemon peel. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition information: 1 chicken breast half with 1 tablespoon sauce equals 261 calories, 6 g fat, 94 mg cholesterol, 377 mg sodium, 15 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 34 g protein.

Source: Taste of Home. You can find it here.

Notes: I just sprinkled the chicken with curry powder to my taste. Plus, I cut the chicken into cutlets. I also used more than 1/3 cup of apricot jam (I used homemade freezer jam rather than apricot spreadable fruit). Yum. This was so good.

Crispy Apricot Chicken

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
6 tablespoons butter, melted, divided
1 cup biscuit/baking mix
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons orange juice

Directions:

Flatten chicken to 1/4-inch. thickness; set aside. Pour 5 tablespoons butter into a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine biscuit mix and parsley. Dip chicken in butter, then coat with biscuit mixture.

In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil and remaining butter over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side or no longer pink.

Meanwhile, in a small microwave-safe bowl, combine preserves and orange juice. Cover and microwave on high for 30-40 seconds or until preserves are melted; stir until combined. Drizzle over chicken; cook for 1-2 minutes or until heated through.

Yield: 4 servings.

Source: Taste of Home. You can find it here.

Notes: This was really tasty. Even my picky boys loved it and gobbled it up. Delicious! Oh, and doesn't apricot jam just make everything better?

Soup Season is Approaching!

Is there anything better than chicken tortilla soup in the fall? There might be a few things, but not many.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound shredded cooked chicken
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas
vegetable oil

Directions:

Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, ,and then spread on a baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Bena. You can find it here.

Notes: I didn't use shredded chicken. I used frozen chicken, cooked it, removed it, and then shredded it and returned it to the soup. I also used a lot more than 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro. You can also use crushed tortilla chips in place of the baked corn tortilla strips, if you like.

I also topped it with shredded cheese, sour cream, and additional cilantro.

An Old Family Favorite

When I was growing up, this used to be my brother's go to choice for his birthday cake. It isn't your everyday classic kind of birthday cake, but it is still really delicious. I would suggest serving this cake with a big glass of cold milk.

Peanut Butter Crunch Cake

Ingredients:

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup water
1/4 cup oil
3 eggs
6 oz. chocolate chips
1/3 cup nuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan. Beat dry cake mix, brown sugar, and peanut butter in a large bowl until crumbly on low. Reserve 2/3 cup. Beat in the water, oil, and eggs on low until moist. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour batter in pan. Stir nuts into crumb mixture over batter. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake until it springs back--about 40-45 minutes.

Source: I have no idea where this recipe came from. It has been in our family for probably 20-25 years.

Notes: This is rich, and the peanut butter will make you thirsty. Seriously, serve this with some cold milk. Yum! I used chopped almonds for the nuts. The original recipe suggested pecans...but you could also do chopped peanuts (since there is peanut butter in the cake).