Bacon Ranch Slowcooker Chicken

 ***This took literally 5 minutes to prep-I even threw my chicken in frozen and it worked perfectly! We all loved the taste and it was so easy to make! Definitely going in the rotation!***


Bacon Ranch Slowcooker Chicken
source

4 Servings

2 butterball turkey bacon strips, cooked and shredded
1 tsp minced garlic
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 10.75 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup (98% fat free)
1 cup fat-free sour cream
16 oz. chicken breasts
8 oz. pasta (I used rigatoni)

Combine the first five ingredients. Place chicken in slowcooker and pour sauce over the top. Cook on high for 3.5 hours. Serve over hot noodles.

One-Pot Southwest Chicken and Rice

From Mel's Kitchen Cafe
(can you tell I love this blog?)

*Serves 4-6
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (10-ounce) package frozen corn
4 ounces cheese (used a combination of Monterey Jack and sharp cheddar)
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Salsa and sour cream for serving

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large pot, heat the canola oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. The chicken will cook more in a subsequent step. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

To the pot, add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Add the rice and cook until the edges are just slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the broth and bring the mixture to a simmer.

Return the chicken to the pot. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook at a simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter or plate. Stir the black beans and corn into the pot. Add the cheese and cilantro. Season the rice mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the rice with the chicken, adding salsa and sour cream, if desired.


This was tasty and satisfying. And I only used ONE skillet...I adore those meals.

Grilled Rosemary Buttermilk Chicken  

from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

*Note: this recipe is so flexible and easy you can double and triple to your heart’s delight. The idea is basic – just add enough buttermilk to cover the chicken and throw in as much rosemary as your soul can take. I like a lot of rosemary flavor. Use what you like. 

*Serves 4
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 quart buttermilk
5-6 sprigs fresh rosemary
Place the chicken breasts in a large ziploc plastic bag. Pour in the buttermilk to cover the chicken. Add the rosemary sprigs. Seal the bag and refrigerate overnight, about 8-10 hours.
Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. With tongs, take out each chicken breast one by one, shaking off excess buttermilk and removing the rosemary sprigs. Grill for 4-6 minutes per side, until the chicken is cooked through but still moist. Tent with foil for about 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.


This made some delicious chicken, very moist...we prefer a bit more flavor though-some salt and pepper helped, after grilling. Still, it was so easy to make! That gives it big points in my book. 

Cowboy Quesadillas

Delicious, easy, and fast! Plus the whole family loves them, and they are great for using up leftover rice!

Cowboy Quesadillas
Recipe by Our Best Bites

1/2 C white rice
1/3 C black beans
1 cup diced cooked chicken
1/3 C fresh frozen corn kernels (no need to thaw)
2/3 C diced tomato
3 Tbs sliced green onion
1 1/2 C shredded cheese (any type or combo you like)
1/4 C bbq sauce (our fav and hands down best, is Sweet Baby Ray's)
6 small tortillas (fajita size, about 6″)

Dipping Sauce
equal parts bbq sauce and ranch dressing

Combine rice, beans, chicken, corn, tomato, green onion and shredded cheese.  Add bbq sauce and stir to combine.  Place about 1/3 C of mixture on half of each tortilla and fold over to close.
Heat a skillet to medium heat on the stove top.  When hot, spray lightly with cooking spray, or drizzle with canola or olive oil.  Place quesadillas in pan and cook for 2-4 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crisp.  Flip and repeat on opposite side.  Cool for a few minutes and then serve with BBQ-Ranch dipping sauce.

Skillet Lemon Chicken

Skillet Lemon Chicken
adapted from Ready, Set, Eat

I used the recipe on Ready, Set, Eat as a basic guideline, but there were quite a few things I changed due to what we had on hand :) This is how I did it, but you can go to the website for the original recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked white rice

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

3 Local Deals for:
boneless skinless chicken breast

Store Brand Chicken Breasts Breasts, boneless / skinless
$1.88 thru 2011-05-10
Lucky

Store Brand Chicken Breasts Breasts, boneless / skinless
$4.49 thru 2011-05-10
Raley's & Bel-Air

Store Brand Chicken Breasts Split
Loyalty Card Required
$2.49 thru 2011-05-10
Safeway

1• 2

3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

16 ounces fresh broccoli florets 
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cloves garlic, minced 
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions:

Start cooking the rice.  While it's cooking, place chicken in medium bowl, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper and toss slightly. At this point I cooked the fresh broccoli so it would be ready to add to the skillet by the time the chicken was done cooking.

Use the rest of the olive oil to coat a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until no longer pink. Add broccoli and garlic; stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes. 

Stir together broth and cornstarch in small bowl until well blended. Gradually add to chicken mixture; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring constantly. Stir in lemon juice and zest. Serve over rice.

Enjoy!

This was really simple and had a lot of good garlic and lemon flavor. After we had dinner we started to think of what else we could use this with. It would work really well over pasta with some freshly grated parmesan cheese, or by itself alongside some garlic mashed potatoes. Bonus: my daughter ate it all! Yes! Really good basic recipe to have on hand, I didn't even have to go shopping for ingredients on this one!

~Cassy

BBQ Chicken Pasta

Since I can pretty much guarantee that Rory will eat almost anything slathered in BBQ sauce...(minus eggs and maybe cookies, cause that's just gross)...I knew this dish would be a hit with him. I just wasn't expecting it to be such a hit with the Sadester. She gobbled her portion up and was begging for more, before we had even taken a bite or two of it. No. Joke. So...it's a kid favorite as well as a hubby favorite...at least in our house. I loved it too, by the way.

The best thing? One. Skillet. For the whole meal! Hooray for less dishes!


BBQ Chicken Pasta
from My Kitchen Cafe

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks
1 red onion, diced (I left these out since Rory is not a fan)
3 cups water
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 ounces penne pasta
2/3 cup barbecue sauce
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat (you could also use a large pot if you don’t have a skillet this big). When hot, add the chicken and onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken and onions to a plate and set aside.
In the same skillet, add the water, chicken broth, penne and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the liquid is almost absorbed, the pasta is tender and the mixture is thick and syrupy. Stir in the barbecue sauce and sour cream. Once mixed, add in the reserved chicken, onions and shredded cheese. Stir to combine and cook until everything is heated through.
Serve immediately and garnish with additional red or green onions and shredded cheese.

Penne with Chicken, Asparagus and Lemon Alfredo sauce

ok, the real name of this dish is Penne with Chicken, Asparagus & Lemon Alfredo sauce...but that wouldn't fit on the picture.

Penne with Chicken, Asparagus and Lemon Alfredo sauce
adapted from Woman's Day (found the recipe a LOONG time ago)

Ingredients

1 lb penne rigate
1 lb thin asparagus, ends trimmed, spears cut in 1 1/2 inch long pieces
1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch wide strips
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 jar (16 oz) alfredo sauce
1 tsp grated lemon peel
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tomato, halved, seeded, and diced
fresh ground pepper, to taste

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water as package directs, adding asparagus 3 minutes before pasta is done.

2. Meanwhile sprinkle chicken with salt, then toss with flour to lightly coat.

3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add chicken, saute until golden and just barely cooked through. Add alfredo sauce, peel, juice and cheese. Bring to a simmer and cook until chicken is done.

4. Drain pasta and asparagus, return to pot. Immediately add sauce, tomato, and pepper. Toss to mix and coat.


***I looved this dish. and let me tell you, I HATE jarred alfredo sauce. I was hesitant about trying this recipe for that reason. This was doctored enough that was very yummy though. Sorry about the craptastic picture, they are leftovers so don't look as pretty (but taste just as good!), and my rebel is being borrowed by my uncle, so I was using our point and shoot. Anyways, this was a super quick and yummy meal! Definitely adding this to the rotation!

bourbon chicken

Bourbon Chicken
adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:

2lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1-2 tablespoons oil (for pan-frying)
cornstarch (for dusting, optional) (i didn't use it, out of laziness)

Sauce:

1 garlic clove (minced)
¼ teaspoon ginger (I used ground ginger)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ cup apple juice
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
½ cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce

Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces, and if you choose lightly dust with cornstarch. Heat oil in your wok and fry chicken bits in batches until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels and set aside. In a bowl combine all sauce ingredients. Pour into wok and bring to a boil. Add chicken bits back to the pan, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over rice.

**easy peasy chicken! and oh so flavorful! and don't worry, no booze in it, though the name might make you think otherwise. rory liked it a lot, and so did I, it had a great kick at the end from the red pepper flakes. yum...another great way to serve chicken!

Creamy Chicken and Pasta Bake

i've noticed my food photography got progressively worse as it got darker earlier this winter. last summer, i had great light when i finished dinner...now...not so much. well, anyways, this dish is simple, quick, and so yummy! sorry again about the craptastic pic.

rory was sick all day yesterday and sadie woke up er..being sick last night too...poor things. luckily they're doing better, but cross your fingers/pray i don't get it!


Creamy Chicken and Pasta Bake
adapted from Kraft Foods

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups small pasta (bow tie, rotini...)pasta, uncooked

1 small bunch broccoli, cut into florets (about 3 cups)

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

1/2 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) cream cheese, cubed

1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

2 Tbsp. Grated Parmesan Cheese

HEAT oven to 375ºF. Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, adding broccoli for the last 3 min.
MEANWHILE, heat large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 min. or until no longer pink, stirring frequently. Stir in broth; simmer 3 min. or until chicken is done. Add cream cheese; cook and stir on low heat 1 min. or until cream cheese is melted. Stir in 1/2 cup mozzarella.
DRAIN pasta and broccoli. Add to chicken mixture; mix lightly. Spoon into 8-inch sq. baking dish; cover.
BAKE 15 min. or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake, uncovered, 3 min. or until melted. Let stand 5 min.

***the kraft recipe calls for 2 oz. cream cheese, but i like the sauce to be thicker, so i use 4 oz. changes shown above! :D

Olive Oil Pizza Dough/Garlic Chicken Pizza

so when i was a teen, friday nights, my brother and i would go to papa murphy's and get a huge garlic chicken pizza to split...and eat it all! (pretty evenly too, i might add) i always said that their garlic chicken pizza was the thing i would choose to eat if someone made me choose only one thing to ever eat again. yumm. so of course, i had to try and recreate it at home! and this was pretty darn close.


Olive Oil Pizza Dough
from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day

(makes about 4 pizzas)

2 3/4 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Mix the water, yeast, salt, sugar and olive oil in a 5-quart, lidded container (or bowl).

Mix the flour in, without kneading. Use a wooden spoon, a stand mixer, or a food processor.

Cover, not airtight, and let sit at room temperature for about 2 hours, until the dough rises and then flattens on top.

Store in the fridge, keep it covered, but not air tight, and use within 12 days.

On the day you are going to make pizza, bring the dough out of the fridge. Dust the surface of the dough with some flour and pull off a one pound chunk (using a serrated knife or kitchen shears), a about grapefruit size. Put the rest of the dough back in the fridge to be used another day. Using floured hands quickly shape into a ball and then roll out to the thickness you like, just like you roll any other pizza dough. Using flour when needed to keep it from sticking. There is no need for it to rest, you can proceed directly with your pizza recipe!

so...it seems their garlicky sauce is a combo of ranch dressing and garlic! huh. so simple. so, mix up your sauce of ranch dressing and chopped garlic (whatever amount you need...rory doesn't eat this so it's just me, and janae if she's over. she always manages to make it over on pizza night. hmmm...) spread it on your dough, and top with cooked diced chicken (i use canned stuff to make it super easy), chopped tomatoes and green onions, and mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 525 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. then....devour! yumm...

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup
adapted from Life with Little Ones

3 Chicken Breasts cut up into chunks

1 medium onion diced

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 packet taco seasoning

3 cups Chicken broth

1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes

2 cans pinto beans

corn tortillas or chips

cilantro, chopped

shredded cheese, sour cream,avocado- for garnish

Heat the oil in large soup pot to med-high heat. Add chicken, cook until browned. Next, add onions-cook until tender. Add seasonings-garlic, chili powder, taco seasoning. Stir well. Pour in the chicken broth, and cook until boiling. Turn soup down and add the tomatoes, chilies and beans, all undrained. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

While soup is simmering, cut 7 tortillas into thin strips and bake in a 375 degree oven, or fry until crisp.

Serve soup in individual bowls, top with tortilla strips or chips, cheese,cilantro,sour cream and avocado.

Enjoy!

***a few things i did differently: i'd probably add a second can of beans next time, just to bulk it up:)..on the garlic and chili powder i reduced it to just one tbsp of each, and i left out the green chilies cause rory's not a huge fan of them.

so...it was delicious! soo scrumptious. the fresh cilantro makes it! (though i'm biased, i loove cilantro) anyways, thanks for sharing, Corey! it was fabulous!

chicken stir fry

i love this recipe because i love easy and quick meals, and hey-this one has quick right in the title! obviously i swapped rice for pasta, since we had a pasta-filled week. also i used a frozen stir fry veggie mix, but since rory picked out most of those veggies, i think i'll stick with just broccoli. at least he'll eat that!

link here

Speedy Chicken Stir-Fry from kraft

1/2 lb. angel hair pasta (capellini), uncooked

2 cups small broccoli florets

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

1/2 cup KRAFT Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/4 tsp. each: ground ginger, garlic powder, crushed red pepper

1/3 cup chopped PLANTERS Dry Roasted Peanuts

COOK pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, adding broccoli to the boiling water for the last 3 min.
MEANWHILE, spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 6 to 8 min. or until done, stirring occasionally. Stir in dressing, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and pepper; cook 1 min., stirring occasionally.
DRAIN pasta mixture; place in large bowl. Add chicken mixture; mix lightly. Spoon evenly into 4 serving bowls; sprinkle with peanuts.

grilled chicken pasta with tomato cream sauce

this is what we had for dinner last night...and it was scrumptious! i've never had a tomato cream sauce before but it was very flavorful and yum. sadie loved it too.

I used half and half instead of heavy cream cause it was a lot less $$ and i am a cheapskate. rory liked it ok. he would be happy if i baked bread every night for dinner though. or pizza. foodie he is not. i'm not either, but i like to mix it up. whatever. it's good, and i'm making it again, so there.


link here

Grilled Chicken Pasta in a Tomato Cream Sauce

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Montreal Steak seasoning
1/2 pound pasta of your choice
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 to 1 tsp salt & pepper (to taste)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
6-8 fresh basil leaves, chiffonaded

Rinse chicken breasts in cold water. Layer between sheets of wax paper and pound to even thickness. Season both sides with Montreal Steak seasoning. Preheat grill for medium high heat, lightly oil grate, and grill chicken breasts on medium high heat for 6-8 mins each side. OR heat 2 tbsp butter & 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter and olive oil is nice and hot, add chicken breasts and cook 5 mins each side. Set chicken aside to cool.

In a large pot, boil water with 1 tbsp salt. Add 1/2 lb penne pasta noodles and boil according to package directions.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is tender, but do not let the garlic turn brown (about 3-5 mins). Add the chicken broth to the pan and allow to reduce by half. Meanwhile, slice chicken. Once the broth has reduced, stir in tomato sauce. Add the heavy cream and stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat to low.

Chop the parsley and basil, add to sauce and mix well. Drain pasta and add to sauce. Stir well to coat. Serve pasta on plates, top with sliced chicken.

Chicken with Peanut Sauce and Noodles

yum. rory raved about this, which is funny cause i wasn't sure how he'd like the peanut sauce. turns out, he likes peanut butter in just about anything! also, the leftovers are delish! of course, i had to cook the mushrooms separately and add them into my portion. rory hates mushrooms. he has a big book of grievances against many foods. (name the TV show character who has one of those-minus the food part!) i also left out the carrots cause i thought we didn't have any. then i found a bag under the parsley. grr.


Chicken with Peanut Sauce and Noodles
from Pillsbury One Dish cookbook

1/2 box of spaghetti
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup water
t tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups small fresh broccoli florets
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup baby carrots, quartered lengthwise
1/2 lb cooked diced chicken

Cook noodles according to package directions. In a small bowl, beat peanut butter, ginger, pepper flakes, and 2 tbsp of the soy sauce with wire whisk until blended. Gradually beat in remaining 2 tbsp soy sauce and the water until smooth. Set aside. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Cook broccoli, mushrooms, and carrots in oil 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add chicken; cook and stir until hot. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in sauce and cooked noodles until coated. Cook and stir until hot.

eat!

beachcomber chicken and risotto

Beachcomber chicken adapted from an old ward cookbook

Marinade:
1/2 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup dijon mustard
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp parsley
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme

Mix all ingredients for marinade. Marinate chicken breasts for several hours. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes.


Basic Risotto adapted from Joy of Cooking

Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large pan over medium heat. Meanwhile, simmer 6-8 cups chicken stock. (I heated it in the microwave a bit at a time, and only ended up using 6 1/2 cups)

Stir into the butter: 2 cups rice. Stir the rice and cook about 3 minutes.

Then start stirring in the stock, 1 cup at a time. Each cup must be absorbed before the next is added. Stir the risotto continuously to keep it from sticking. When 6 cups stock have been absorbed, add the stock 1/2 cup at a time and start tasting the rice. It should be tender but still a little firm to the bits, never mushy. Take the risotto off the heat when the rice still has a little more resistance than you would like.

Fold in 1 tbsp butter and 2/3 to 1 cup grated parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let the risotto stand for a moment or two. Serve mmediately.


*both were delicious...the risotto didn't need much salt...but pretty much i was just proud of myself for making risotto.

cafe rio

what can i say about the cafe rio salads that hasn't already been said a thousand times? that i pine for them, and dream about the day when i will go back to utah for a visit and eat a dozen of them?

ok, that might seem a bit extreme, but i seriously miss these salads. i'm sure all of you that have had one will agree/commiserate with me. yes?


we used to eat there at least two times a month, more if i could convince rory. so, since we don't have them here in cali, i tried the knockoff recipes circling the web. it was soo good. the dressing was spot on. it tasted just like i'd remembered it. the thing you must do with this salad is layer. layer layer layer. first a tortilla (we love the ones you cook yourself from costco), melt some cheese on top of that too, yum. then comes the black beans, lime cilantro rice, and meat. then the lettuce, tomatoes (or pico de gallo), avocado if you have it, more cheese...and tortilla strips. i forgot those, but it was still delish! next time i won't forget them!

now, i know you can't see the good stuff, and it just looks like some lettuce with dressing. but what lurks underneath that healthy stuff is the deliciousness.

now on to the recipes.

Creamy cilantro tomatillo salad dressing adapted from Becky Higgins

1 packet dry hidden valley ranch dressing
1/3 c. buttermilk
1 c. mayo or sour cream
2-3 tomatillos (peel off outer leaf/shell)
1 clove crushed garlic
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
juice from 1 lime (about 2 tsp.)
salt & pepper

Blend all ingredients in the blender. Refrigerate.


Cafe Rio Lime Cilantro Rice adapted from various recipes on the web

2 cups uncooked rice
4 cups water (mixed with 3-4 tsp chicken bouillion)
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
3/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp butter

Saute garlic and butter until soft, don't let it burn! Add rice and cook for a minute or two, on medium heat. Add water and bouillion mixture, and remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. After it begins to boil rapidly, reduce heat to low and cover with lid. Stir occasionally, and let simmer for about 20 minutes.

Lime Chicken from The "I don't cook" syndrome cookbook (so not really a "cafe rio" recipe, but it was very tasty!)

1/2 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup minced cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, minced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Mix all ingredients and let chicken marinade in the fridge for several hours. Cook chicken however you like, grill, stovetop, or oven.

Or try it with some pork barbacoa!

Pork Barbacoa
from Wonder Mom Envy

2 pounds pork
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can sliced green chilies
3/4 can RED enchilada sauce
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry). Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours.

crockpot chicken

i know this is not the most appetizing photo, but trust me, it's good.

i got this out of an old recipe book called "The ...something... for the I don't cook symdrome". (I added the "something" part, it's falling apart so the cover is AWOL)


Crock Pot Chicken

3 tbsp butter or margarine
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
1 envelope good seasons italian salad dressing mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 package of cream cheese, cubed
rice or noodles

Melt butter in a slow cooker. Coat chicken breasts with butter on both sides and place in a slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then dry salad dressing mix. (don't add water) Cover and cook on low heat 5 to 6 hours.

About 45 minutes before serving, mix soup and cream cheese, pour over chicken. Cover and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cream cheese is melted and sauce is heated thoroughly. Serve over cooked rice or noodles. Serves 6.

sweet and sour chicken

sweet n' sour chicken. super easy, super delish!

found it in my recipe binder (which i reorganized today, thankyaverymuch) and it says it's from a 1991 friends magazine, so there ya go. easy enough for primary kids, easy enough for me, i always say.


Sweet and Sour Chicken

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes.

***i was a rebel and baked it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, turning once and adding pineapple after 15 min. i needed it to finish at the same time as the rice...turned out great!

chicken pot pie

Chicken pot pie (from The Joy of Cooking)

2 cans chicken, drained
1 can chicken broth (2 cups)
4 tbsp +2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
1 cup whole milk, half and half (I used 2% which is what we had on hand, and it tasted fine)
lemon juice
salt and pepper
nutmeg
pie crust/biscuit dough (i used the half leftover from my strawberry pie recipe)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup carrots, chopped
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed

Melt 4 tbsp butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add 1/2 flour and whisk until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Add 2 cups chicken broth/stock, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in milk. Increase the heat to medium and bring the mixture just to a simmer, whisking to break up any lumps. Return the pan to heat and, whisking, bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the chicken, cook for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper, and a pinch or two of nutmeg. Preheat oven to 400 F.

Melt 2 tbsp of butter in large skillet. Add carrots and onions, cook, stirring often, until barely tender, about 5 minutes. Stir the vegetable mixture into the chicken mixture along with the peas and parsley if you wish. Pour into a casserole dish. Roll out the pie crust to roughly fit, then lay it on top and tuck the edges under. Cut a few slits in the top for venting. For a golden brown glaze, brush the top with an egg wash. Bake until the chicken is bubbly and the topping is nicely browned, about 25 to 35 minutes.