I love soup of all kinds. I love my slow cooker (have I ever mentioned that?). This recipe won first prize at a church chili cook-off. Enough said.
INGREDIENTS
2-3 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 medium onion, chopped (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder OR 2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
2 cans Great Northern Beans, drained & rinsed (I could only find mixed cans of pinto and northern beans, which turned out just fine)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 or 2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chilies (I used one and it was not very spicy at all)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
(1)Add everything except sour cream and heavy cream to your slow cooker (even the frozen chicken).
(2)Cook on low 5-7 hours.
(3) Take your chicken out and shred or chop it up, then add it back to the slow cooker.
(4) Add your sour cream, heavy cream, and cornstarch (the cornstarch will make it a little thicker if you want). Stir it up.
(5) Let it cook for a few more minutes until warm. Enjoy!!
(Adapted from HERE)
Friday, October 7, 2011
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
French Dip Sandwiches
This recipe, found HERE, wins on all counts. It is painfully easy. The hubby (and the rest of us) loved it. AND it cooks itself in my favorite appliance ever--the slow cooker. Ka-chow! That's a Lightning McQueen reference for those of you who don't have little boys :) Here's what you need:
INGREDIENTS
-buns, like hoagie sandwich buns
- a 2 to 4 lb beef roast (I got "eye of round roast" because it was on sale...just get something that says "roast")
-one packet McCormick Au Jus Gravy mix (usually on the soup aisle with the other gravy packets)
-swiss cheese slices
-OPTIONAL: sliced onion, green bell pepper, & red bell pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
(1)Put meat in slow cooker.
(2)Dissolve gravy packet in 3 cups cold water. Pour into slow cooker.
(3)Turn slow cooker on low*. Let it cook 6-8 hours. (If you want the peppers and onions, throw them in for the last hour.)
(4)Shred up meat. It should be very tender. Mine pretty much fell apart.
(5)Put it in your buns. Add a slice of cheese.
(6) Stick in the oven and broil for a minute or two to melt the cheese.
(7) Now for the "dip" part. Get a bowl and pour some of the leftover liquid from the slow cooker in it. Use it to dip your sandwich in and enjoy. Soooo good.
*My slow cooker is a new one, and is apparently nuclear. I NEVER EVER use the high setting. Even frozen meat is completely done in less than 5 hours in my slow cooker. So, if you find your slow cooker meals continually burning or being dry when you use the high setting, try it on low. Hopefully that will work and you can sit back and enjoy some effortless meals!
INGREDIENTS
-buns, like hoagie sandwich buns
- a 2 to 4 lb beef roast (I got "eye of round roast" because it was on sale...just get something that says "roast")
-one packet McCormick Au Jus Gravy mix (usually on the soup aisle with the other gravy packets)
-swiss cheese slices
-OPTIONAL: sliced onion, green bell pepper, & red bell pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
(1)Put meat in slow cooker.
(2)Dissolve gravy packet in 3 cups cold water. Pour into slow cooker.
(3)Turn slow cooker on low*. Let it cook 6-8 hours. (If you want the peppers and onions, throw them in for the last hour.)
(4)Shred up meat. It should be very tender. Mine pretty much fell apart.
(5)Put it in your buns. Add a slice of cheese.
(6) Stick in the oven and broil for a minute or two to melt the cheese.
(7) Now for the "dip" part. Get a bowl and pour some of the leftover liquid from the slow cooker in it. Use it to dip your sandwich in and enjoy. Soooo good.
*My slow cooker is a new one, and is apparently nuclear. I NEVER EVER use the high setting. Even frozen meat is completely done in less than 5 hours in my slow cooker. So, if you find your slow cooker meals continually burning or being dry when you use the high setting, try it on low. Hopefully that will work and you can sit back and enjoy some effortless meals!
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Scones
I know everyone is crazy about the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, but have you had the Pumpkin Scone?? AMAZING. It would be a crime for me not to share this with you. I have had this recipe for several years. I don't remember where it came from, but it is spot on--just like the real thing. The con is that it is a little labor intensive (not difficult, just lots of steps), but it is so worth it. Here goes...for the scone you will need:
PUMPKIN SCONE INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
7 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3 tablespoons half-and-half
1 large egg
6 tablespoons cold butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
SCONE INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
(2) Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger in a bowl.
(3) In a separate bowl whisk pumpkin, half-and-half, and egg.
(4) Cut COLD butter in small cubes and add to dry ingredients. Use a fork or food processor to combine until mixture is sort of like cornmeal in texture.
(5) Fold wet ingredients into mixture and form dough into a ball.
(6) Pat out dough onto a floured surface and form into a 9"Long x 3"Wide x 1"High rectangle. No need to be super precise.
(7) Slice dough width-wise into three equal portions.
(8) Take each piece and cut it diagonally. You should end up with six triangular slices or dough.
(9) Bake 14-16 minutes on a lightly greased baking sheet. Allow to cool. Glaze and ice (see below).
GLAZE INGREDIENTS & INSTRUCTIONS
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
(1) Combine with electric mixer until smooth.
(2) Brush over cooled scones.
ICING INGREDIENTS & INSTRUCTIONS
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch ground ginger
pinch ground cloves
(1) Combine with electric mixer.
(2) Drizzle over glazed scones.
(3) Allow to dry for one hour...This is seriously part of the instructions; however, I have never actually let them dry for an hour :)
PUMPKIN SCONE INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
7 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3 tablespoons half-and-half
1 large egg
6 tablespoons cold butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
SCONE INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
(2) Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger in a bowl.
(3) In a separate bowl whisk pumpkin, half-and-half, and egg.
(4) Cut COLD butter in small cubes and add to dry ingredients. Use a fork or food processor to combine until mixture is sort of like cornmeal in texture.
(5) Fold wet ingredients into mixture and form dough into a ball.
(6) Pat out dough onto a floured surface and form into a 9"Long x 3"Wide x 1"High rectangle. No need to be super precise.
(7) Slice dough width-wise into three equal portions.
(8) Take each piece and cut it diagonally. You should end up with six triangular slices or dough.
(9) Bake 14-16 minutes on a lightly greased baking sheet. Allow to cool. Glaze and ice (see below).
GLAZE INGREDIENTS & INSTRUCTIONS
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
(1) Combine with electric mixer until smooth.
(2) Brush over cooled scones.
ICING INGREDIENTS & INSTRUCTIONS
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch ground ginger
pinch ground cloves
(1) Combine with electric mixer.
(2) Drizzle over glazed scones.
(3) Allow to dry for one hour...This is seriously part of the instructions; however, I have never actually let them dry for an hour :)
Saturday, June 4, 2011
To Die for Blueberry Muffins
Sorry for two blueberry recipes in a row, but I am trying to use the rest of what is in my freezer :) I am super excited to share this recipe with you for two reasons: (1) I am not a big fan of blueberries and (2) I am not a big fan of muffins. So, why am I sharing this recipe? Well, while both of the above statements are true, I LOVE these muffins. So do my blueberry-hating husband and blueberry-hating children. So, even if blueberries are way down the list of fruits you like, I would still give this a chance...the same applies to the last blueberry recipe. So make these one night, and you are good for breakfast for a few days...unless you eat two...to test them...then your kids test them too...then your husband comes home and eats some as a bedtime snack...then you will still need to figure out breakfast. Sorry. Here's what you need (This recipe is slightly modified from HERE):
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar (or Splenda for Baking)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup applesauce (or 1 egg)
1/3 cup milk (I used 1%)
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (I used frozen and thawed them in a bowl in the microwave for a few seconds)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (half a stick) butter, cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 8 holes of a muffin pan or use little paper liners.
(2)Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cups sugar or Splenda, salt, and baking powder in a bowl.
(3)Add 1/3 cup vegetable oil to a one cup measuring cup. Add your applesauce (or egg) to that. Add you milk to that...the mixture should all equal about 1 cup.
(4) Mix the wet mixture into the dry mixture. It will be thick. Fold in your blueberries (make sure you thaw them in the microwave if they are frozen).
(5) Fill the muffin cups right up to the top.
(6)For the topping mix 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour, and half a stick of butter (cubed) with a fork. This takes a little work--just mush it all together. Sprinkle this over each muffin liberally...this is the only time I will ever tell you to be liberal (hahaha...did you get my joke?!).
(7) Bake 20 minutes. Let cool and devour.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar (or Splenda for Baking)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup applesauce (or 1 egg)
1/3 cup milk (I used 1%)
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (I used frozen and thawed them in a bowl in the microwave for a few seconds)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (half a stick) butter, cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 8 holes of a muffin pan or use little paper liners.
(2)Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cups sugar or Splenda, salt, and baking powder in a bowl.
(3)Add 1/3 cup vegetable oil to a one cup measuring cup. Add your applesauce (or egg) to that. Add you milk to that...the mixture should all equal about 1 cup.
(4) Mix the wet mixture into the dry mixture. It will be thick. Fold in your blueberries (make sure you thaw them in the microwave if they are frozen).
(5) Fill the muffin cups right up to the top.
(6)For the topping mix 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour, and half a stick of butter (cubed) with a fork. This takes a little work--just mush it all together. Sprinkle this over each muffin liberally...this is the only time I will ever tell you to be liberal (hahaha...did you get my joke?!).
(7) Bake 20 minutes. Let cool and devour.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Blueberry Deliciousness
I don't have a lot of desserts posted on here, because we just don't really eat a lot of desserts. However, we do have a handful of favorites that we indulge in occasionally. This one is our pastor's wife's recipe, and it is goo-ood...that's good with two syllables. Mrs. Melita graciously shared this with me, I altered it only slightly (substituting Splenda for sugar) and we have put quite a dent in it since it came out of the oven only a few hours ago.
INGREDIENTS
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained
3 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen...Wal-mart's frozen ones were half the price of the ones at 2 other stores)
3/4 cup sugar or Splenda (I have had it both ways and can't tell a difference)
1 box yellow cake mix
6 tablespoons butter (the recipe called for 8, but 6 worked fine)
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup sugar (I would use real sugar for this part)
INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13x9" dish.
(2) Combine first three ingredients in a bowl, and pour into baking dish.
(3) Spread dry cake mix over blueberry mixture.
(4) Cover top of cake mix with thin slices of butter (all 6 tablespoons).
(5) Mix pecans and 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl and sprinkle over top of butter.
(6) Bake 45 minutes. Top with vanilla ice cream if desired. It is perfect all by itself, though!
INGREDIENTS
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained
3 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen...Wal-mart's frozen ones were half the price of the ones at 2 other stores)
3/4 cup sugar or Splenda (I have had it both ways and can't tell a difference)
1 box yellow cake mix
6 tablespoons butter (the recipe called for 8, but 6 worked fine)
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup sugar (I would use real sugar for this part)
INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13x9" dish.
(2) Combine first three ingredients in a bowl, and pour into baking dish.
(3) Spread dry cake mix over blueberry mixture.
(4) Cover top of cake mix with thin slices of butter (all 6 tablespoons).
(5) Mix pecans and 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl and sprinkle over top of butter.
(6) Bake 45 minutes. Top with vanilla ice cream if desired. It is perfect all by itself, though!
Monday, May 16, 2011
Pioneer Woman's Coffee Cake
Today is day two since we returned from our anniversary trip to Charleston...which means it is day two of me missing the AMAZING breakfast at the AMAZING bed & breakfast where we stayed. So, I decided to kick breakfast up a notch this week. The coffee cake we had for the third course of breakfast one day (yes, we had three course breakfasts...it was amazing...am I saying amazing too much?) was one of James' favorite dishes, so I found this recipe on the Pioneer Woman's website and it seemed pretty close. It's called "The Best Coffee Cake. Ever." and, indeed, it is.
Please don't freak out when you see how much butter is in this thing. Keep in mind that this is an entire 13x9" cake. A normal sized piece for breakfast followed by a generally healthy lunch and dinner will be fine. Around our house we usually go with the "all things (well, most things) in moderation" idea. Since we don't drinks sodas, rarely eat out, and rarely have desserts I have no problem making cinnamon rolls, coffee cake, and the like for breakfast on occasion. So grab you butter and let's get baking.
Click HERE for PW's super detailed instructions with photos.If you scroll all the way down to the bottom you can read and print the recipe.
I used a 9x13 glass casserole dish and substituted 1 % milk in place of whole milk, and it turned out beautifully. I am thinking of mixing up some kind of cinnamon roll-ish icing to drizzle over the top :)
Please don't freak out when you see how much butter is in this thing. Keep in mind that this is an entire 13x9" cake. A normal sized piece for breakfast followed by a generally healthy lunch and dinner will be fine. Around our house we usually go with the "all things (well, most things) in moderation" idea. Since we don't drinks sodas, rarely eat out, and rarely have desserts I have no problem making cinnamon rolls, coffee cake, and the like for breakfast on occasion. So grab you butter and let's get baking.
Click HERE for PW's super detailed instructions with photos.If you scroll all the way down to the bottom you can read and print the recipe.
I used a 9x13 glass casserole dish and substituted 1 % milk in place of whole milk, and it turned out beautifully. I am thinking of mixing up some kind of cinnamon roll-ish icing to drizzle over the top :)
Friday, April 29, 2011
Bacon & Cheese Potatoes and Ranch Chicken
The reason I have not posted any recipes for nearly two weeks is that my week of recipe "winners" was followed by a week of "flops." It usually happens that way...not sure why. This week I am just cooking whatever to try to use up what is left in my pantry (as I usually do at the end of the month). But last night, we had a pretty good side dish, that was born entirely from the need to use up some random leftover ingredients. I had half a bag of potatoes, some shredded cheddar, and bacon...so I tried to go the restaurant-style cheese fries route, and it turned out really well, if I do say so myself. This is super easy. Here's what you need:
BACON CHEESE POTATOES INGREDIENTS
-enough potatoes cut bite-sized to cover a 13x9 dish in a single layer (I used about 1/3 bag of yukon gold potatoes...they are the best...you could use other potatoes, but I make no guarantees that it will be as yummy)
-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or as much as you want)
-3 or 4 sliced of cooked bacon, crumbled
-1/4 cup olive oil
-garlic salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Preheat your oven to 425. Put your potatoes in the 13x9 dish.
(2) Pour 1/4 cup olive oil over potatoes, and stir them around to coat.
(3) Season with garlic salt.
(4) Bake for 30-40 minutes, until potatoes are done.
(5) Add crumbled bacon and shredded cheddar over the top, and put it back in the oven for a couple minutes just to melt the cheese.
In other news, I tried the crock pot pork chop recipe with chicken, and (as expected) it was equally yummy. So go here for the recipe and just substitute chicken breasts for chops.
BACON CHEESE POTATOES INGREDIENTS
-enough potatoes cut bite-sized to cover a 13x9 dish in a single layer (I used about 1/3 bag of yukon gold potatoes...they are the best...you could use other potatoes, but I make no guarantees that it will be as yummy)
-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or as much as you want)
-3 or 4 sliced of cooked bacon, crumbled
-1/4 cup olive oil
-garlic salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Preheat your oven to 425. Put your potatoes in the 13x9 dish.
(2) Pour 1/4 cup olive oil over potatoes, and stir them around to coat.
(3) Season with garlic salt.
(4) Bake for 30-40 minutes, until potatoes are done.
(5) Add crumbled bacon and shredded cheddar over the top, and put it back in the oven for a couple minutes just to melt the cheese.
In other news, I tried the crock pot pork chop recipe with chicken, and (as expected) it was equally yummy. So go here for the recipe and just substitute chicken breasts for chops.
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