Slow Cooker Upside-Down Chicken Pot Pie

This a favorite at our house, but how can you go wrong with a classic like Chicken Pot Pie?
My kids give this recipe a 5 Star rating; I have been making it for a couple of years now and can't believe I couldn't find it when I came searching on my blog for it.  I love this classic comfort food and that I can throw my chicken thighs in frozen and still have it done in 6-7 hours on low.
Make your favorite biscuit.  I usually use Bisquik because it keeps things simple, but any favorite biscuit will act like the crust if you will.  Split the biscuit and place in bowl and spoon some of the hearty stew over the top. Or if you are filling extra motivated you could bake pasty puff shells in place of the biscuits.  It's even good without biscuits if you don't have time to get to them.


Slow Cooker Upside-Down Chicken Pot Pie

1 1/4 pound of boneless chicken thighs (3 Costco size thighs)
1/2 cup chopped onions (Instant onions could be used here 1 Tablespoon. I prefer fresh always)
1 dried bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 jar (18 oz) chicken or Turkey gravy or 2 envelope pouches made as instructed on package
2 medium celery stalks, diced
Add the last 15 minutes of cooking:
1 (12 oz) bag of your favorite frozen mixed vegetables

Place the chicken in a 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker. Top with onions, bay leaf, pepper and gravy.  Place celery on gravy.  Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. (If you have an older crock pot it may take 8-10 hours just check your chicken to make sure it is cooked through).

About 30 minutes before serving, make and bake your biscuits.  Meanwhile, gently stir in frozen vegetables into the chicken mixture.  Increase heat to high setting, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Serve with your favorite biscuits as preferred- over the top or on the side whatever makes the crowd happy.  My in-laws like this served over mash potatoes. Its versatile.

MAKES 8 (3/4 cup each) SERVINGS

This recipe is adapted from a recipe I got from Betty Crocker Kitchens

Korean Beef

I have an inspiring bunch of ladies I run with early in the morning.  I am so grateful to have them! We run and visit about many topics of interest. One morning I asked if any of them had cooked anything new that they liked lately.  Des said she had tried this Korean Beef recipe from pintrest and even her picky eater liked it! My kids aren't to picky so I thought I would give it a try. I searched pintrest for the said" Korean Beef" and found many to choose from-that's always hard to pick which one to print out. It was good, my family liked it!  I find that we are liking the things we can copy cat at home more than eating out and it saves lots of money. :-)

Korean Beef is a very standard dish. Nearly every Chinese restaurant sells it but it's usually made with flank steak and sauteed with broccoli. This recipe I adapted from http://elizabethbryant.blogspot.com/2010/05/korean-beef to our liking. Using hamburger as suggested makes this  recipe is less expensive and easier than a flank steak. I like to use as lean of beef as I  can get for this dish so it will be oily and gross.  

KOREAN BEEF

1 pound lean ground beef

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce (I use low-sodium or use regular and add 1-2 Tablespoons of water))

1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced (see note)

1/4 teaspoon crushed red peppers (to desired spiciness original said 1/2-1 tsp.)

salt and pepper

1 bunch green onions, diced (don't skip this!)

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown hamburger with garlic in the sesame oil. Drain most of the fat and add brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper and red peppers. Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors. Serve over steamed rice and top with green onions. 

Note: Fresh ginger doesn’t keep forever but it can be frozen.  I have found that it zest on my microplane grater really well when its frozen.  I almost prefer to use it this way. Or I also love my garlic twist -its not just for garlic it does wonders on ginger too! One of my favorite kitchen gadgets Jack has given me.  

Yaki Udon

Our family has really developed a craving for sushi or Japanese cuisine. We give the credit to Jack for that! He has become quite the sushi maker and we the connoisseurs-aren't we lucky!   Jack recently made some "organic Udon authentic Japanese wheat noodles" they were great but I think a thin linguine will be a great substitute (One we will probably have to use more often then not.  We can't come by Japanese noodles easily in our parts.) When we get around a "World Market" we like to see what fun things we can try.  Jack picked noodles up and we tried the recipe on the back of the package. These were a huge hit at our table, so much so, that Jack had to make them again the next day for lunch.  The kids loved them and could eat the whole recipe by themselves if we would allow it.  Gotta love a recipe like that!

Yaki Udon
(Serves 5 according to package)

9.5 oz Hakubaku Udon Noodles or Thin linguine
7.5 oz Chicken breast, finely sliced
1/2 Medium onion, finely sliced (we used our favorite sweet onion here)
1 Carrot, finely sliced
3 oz Cabbage, finely sliced
3 Spring onions, cut on angle
3 Tablespoon Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
Pinch of salt
Ground black pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the Udon Noodles for 4 minutes, (for linguine according to package for al dente) drain, then rinse well under cold water. Put olive oil into frying pan and heat up.  Cook chicken thoroughly, then cook onion, carrot, cabbage, and noodles lightly.  Once everything is warmed up, add spring onion, pinch of salt, pepper, and soy sauce.  Toss in pan. Serve

Scrambled Egg, Tomato, and Avocado Sandwiches

I made this for Jack's breakfast-in-bed Father's Day. It got a 5 Star rating from Jack and the kids. It has become a breakfast favorite for everyday as well as special occasions; we also love it for dinner.  We love the mayonnaise on other sandwiches too. (Thank you emeals.com for another great favorite!)

I love to use my English muffin bread from Bountiful Baskets for this sandwich too! This is a classic that you are bound to fall in love with if you love eggs for breakfast.

Mayonnaise spread:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (or more to taste our favorite is Sriracha)
1/2 teaspoon season salt

Eggs:
4 large eggs, beaten
8 slices of your favorite bread toasted
1 avocado sliced
1 tomato sliced

Spread mayo mixture on your toast, top with eggs, tomatoes, and avocado if desired. ENJOY!

Serve with a fruit salad side

1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup halved seedless grapes
1/4 cup blueberries
1 banana, sliced
2 Tablespoons sugar

Toss fruits together and serve.

Slow Cooker Tuscan-Style Chicken Sandwiches

One afternoon I needed to find some good crockpot recipes to help me get through the meal times during soccer season when practice made it hard to have a meal on the table, homework completed, and kids in bed on a school schedule not a summer schedule. So I printed several to try. This was one of the first ones we put to the test. It did not disappoint us! We served it at a clinic staff party we held at our house. It received rave reviews then too. It is a 5 star recipe for me and many others. I give it stars for simplicity, flavor, and a time saving!

I can't readily find Foccia bread so I used Torta bread rolls from Costco and loved it! I have also roasted my own peppers from the garden. Both tasted well. I will say that the banana peppers vs red bell the major difference for me was by using the red it added a splash of color to the dish.

  

Slow Cooker Tuscan-Style Chicken Sandwiches

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/slow-cooker-tuscan-style-chicken-sandwiches

1 1/4 lb. (about 6) boneless skinless chicken thighs

2 gloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup roasted red bell pepper (from a jar), cut into bite-size strips

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup mayonnaise

3 Tablespoons pesto (See Homemade recipe below)

Foccia (Italian flat bread) or Torta bread

Tomato Slices

1. Place chicken thighs in 3 1/2 or 4-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with garlic, roasted pepper strips and salt.

2. Cover; cook on Low setting for 6 to 7 hours.

3. Just before serving, remove chicken from slow cooker; place on large plate. Shred chicken with 2 forks; return to slow cooker and mix well.

4. In small bowl, combine mayonnaise and pesto; blend well. Cut focaccia into 6 wedges; split each in half. Spread cut sides with mayonnaise mixture. With slotted spoon, place about 1/3 cup chicken mixture onto bottom half of each focaccia wedge. Top each with tomato slice and top half of focaccia.

Makes 6 sandwiches

Make the Most of This Recipe With Tips From The Betty Crocker^® Kitchens

Ingredient Info

Focaccia is a flat, round Italian bread with a dense texture that slices perfectly for sandwiches. Look for focaccia in the grocery store's bakery or deli, or stop by an Italian bakery.

Kitchen Tip

Freeze any remaining pesto to use on pasta or crostini, or to add a flavor-boost to sauce, soups, eggs and rice. Drop pesto in 1- to 2-tablespoon portions onto a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet; freeze until firm. Transfer the frozen pesto portions to a food storage freezer bag. Remove only what you need, then return the resealed bag to the freezer.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving (1 Sandwich)Calories 460(Calories from Fat 225),Total Fat 25g(Saturated Fat 5g,),Cholesterol 65mg;Sodium 920mg;Total Carbohydrate 33g(Dietary Fiber 1g,Sugars 2g),Protein 26g;Percent Daily Value*:Exchanges:2 Starch;3 Lean Meat;3 Fat;Carbohydrate Choices:2 ;*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Jill's HOMEMADE PESTO

1/2 cup pinenuts*

2.5 oz Fresh Basil

1 clove garlic

5 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Salt to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon)

Place in a food processor and processes all ingredients until texture is smooth and creamy.

*I have also used almonds, but the texture never turns smooth and creamy. It has bits of nuts in it, but still has a nice flavor. I have read that you can also make pesto with peanuts as well. I personally love the pinenut texture best.

Teriyaki Chicken and Noodles

It has been a while since I posted anything! I finally cooked something that got rave reviews from my kids and my nieces and nephews. My sister-in-law and her kids all gave this 5 stars and so did we. I snagged this recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up blog; almost everything I have cooked from her blog has gotten rave reviews. She is an excellent cook. I will say that I always CUT BACK the ingredients sometimes its been to cut back on the amount of cream of mushroom soup cans or the sugar for my health as well as the wallet. For this recipe I cut the sugar back by 1/4 cup. If I am going to eat that much sugar I want it to be in my treats not my main course. I think no matter how you may modify this recipe for your liking that you will find it a quick and easy meal that pleases those who like a little Japanese meal occasionally.

Teriyaki Chicken and Noodle Bowl (for the original recipe see www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com)

4 Chicken thighs, boneless and skinless

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

salt and pepper

3 Large Carrots

1 Red Pepper (I used several small sweet peppers from my Bountiful Basket)

8 Mushrooms

1/2 Sweet Onion (original calls for red)

1 16 oz pkg. Angel Hair Pasta or Thin spaghetti noodles

Teriyaki Saucea

1 1/2 cups COLD water

1/2 cup packed Brown sugar (Original recipe calls for 3/4 cup)

1/2 cup Soy Sauce

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

3 Tablespoons Corn Starch

1 teaspoon Sesame Oil

Cut chicken thighs into strips or bite size pieces. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add your chicken. Salt and Pepper to taste. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently; chicken should be golden brown on all sides.

While chicken is cooking, chop your vegetables-chopping them small, but not finely. When the chicken is cooked through, remove from pan, keeping it warm and letting it rest. Add remaining 1 Tablespoon of oil to your hot pan and cook veggies until crispy tender.

Meanwhile mix all Teriyaki Sauce ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Once the veggies are cooked remove from the pan and keep warm with the chicken. Pour your Teriyaki Sauce into the hot pan. Cook whisking frequently until mixture thickens; roughly 3-5 minutes. When sauce is thick remove from heat.

To serve**, place noodles with chicken and vegetables , and top with desired amount of Teriyaki Sauce.

** We served it up in individual portions which worked great. Where we doubled the recipe for company, everyone was able to eat their fill, and the left over noodles could be used for butter noodles or spaghetti noodles the next day because they weren't covered in sauce.

Ground Beef Roast

This recipe comes out of a cookbook my mother-in-law gave me for Christmas two years ago. She made this dish for dinner. I honestly don't care for meat loaf that much so I wasn't that excited about it, but I was SO HAPPY that someone else was the brainpower behind dinner (always a nice break ;-}). I was so surprise that I loved this dish! I don't know if it was because I was pregnant (no knowing it yet) and just need the extra protein, but I am banking on it just being a taste that suites me. I made it the other night when Cameron requested noodles and meatballs. I didn't feel like rolling individual meatballs, nor did I have the time, so this recipe came to mind. It was as good on my taste buds as it was two years ago. My kids LOVED it and requested seconds then expressing how many stars they thought it deserved. It was a hit for all of us. I was especially excited because of all the green bell peppers I have been getting in my basket and needed to use. This was a quick pull together meal, but it does need 1 hour to bake.

We like mashed potatoes or buttered noodle as or choice of side, as well as a salad or other vegetable. This is a family favorite and will make its appearance more in the rotation of favorites.

Ground Beef Roast (Big Flat Meat Loaf in a Baking Dish)

Original recipe from Nancy Schiffer, Kaycee, WY out of Eatin' with Sal cookbook p.11

2 pounds ground beef

1 pound ground sausage meat

1/2 cup milk

4 slices bread, torn in pieces, or 1 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup dry parsley or 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoons pepper

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

For the topping:

1 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup catsup mixed with 1.2 cup water

Place the bread and milk in a bowl, add the parsley, eggs, salt and pepper and soy sauce; mix well. Add the meats and blend all together lightly.I usually use my hands.

Pat the meat mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, or something sort of that size; sprinkle the onion and pepper over the top and drizzle with the catsup mixture over the top. Bake for an hour at 350.

**3 lbs of meat is a lot of meat for our little family so I halved the recipe:

Ground Beef Roast (1/2 recipe-my amounts and alterations)

1.5 lbs lean ground beef

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup Panko crumbs

1/8 cup (2 T.) Dried Parsley

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoons Pepper

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

Topping:

1/2-1 cup chopped Green Pepper **

1/2-1 cup chopped Onion (I use sweet onions 99.9% of the time) **

1/2 cup catsup mixed with 1/4 cup water.

**I mixed some of the peppers and onions in with the meat mixture thought my kids would like it better that way. Then I sprinkled the remaining pepper and onion pieces over the top of the catsup layer.

Place the bread and milk in a bowl, add the parsley, eggs, salt and pepper and soy sauce; mix well. Add the meats and blend all together lightly.I usually use my hands.

Pat the meat mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, or something sort of that size; sprinkle the onion and pepper over the top and drizzle with the catsup mixture over the top. Bake for an hour at 350.

Sand-Dollar Cookies

These tender and chewy cookies are requested by my Quin frequently. Maybe its because he dreams of going to the beach one day, and these cute little cookies are about as close as he is going to get to his beaching anytime soon. These would be a great cookie to serve at a beach themed gathering. We have the Friend magazine (July 2009) to thank for this cookie recipe.

Sand-Dollar Cookies

1 cup margarine or butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup milk

3 3/4 cup flour (I use 4 cups plus some. I think the dough is to runny without it)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Slivered almonds

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, mixed with 3 Tablespoons

Mix the margarine and sugar together in a mixing bowl until creamy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and milk, and mix until smooth.

In another bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Add the flour mixture to the margarine mixture. Mix well.

Roll dough into small balls and place them on a cookie sheet. Dip the bottom of a drinking glass in four, and use it to press the balls of dough into circles about 1/4 inch think. Press 5 slivered almonds on each cookie so the look like sand dollars. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

Bake the cookies at 375 degrees for 7-10 minutes.

You Scream I Scream...Snow Ice Cream

Okay we are really ready for SPRING! When the sky started dumping the white stuff out all over again I felt like screaming NO! I am feeling a little cabin fever and cooped up to be quite honest. I love spring and fall and am really ready for them to take place again. This is one dish we wish we could have in those hot dog days of summer. My kids have waited over a year to have this fun and CHEAP ice cream treat! Enjoy it kiddo's because it might be another 365 Days before we get to enjoy it again!

My twins brought home a recipe from preschool last year and every time it snows they want to know if we can make "their snow recipe". When we got a fresh 10" of clean snow I couldn't resist making their dreams come true.

You need a large bowl of snow. This is a 32 cup bowl (Tupperware's largest)

We have a couple of recipes that we have tried so I am posting them both. This is an easy pantry dessert/treat. This ice cream is more like milk ice. Some people like it better than ice cream; to each is his own. May you find joy in these last few cold and snow storms of winter. Pray that spring will not be to far off! ENJOY!

Snow Cream

1 (12 oz) can Evaporated milk

1 cup Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 BIG bowl of SNOW

Mix milk with sugar and vanilla. Pour over large bowl of snow and stir until mixture is thick and uniform in color. Serve it IMMEDIATELY!

* We also let the kids top it with a small drizzle of chocolate or strawberry topping.

Snow CREAM

Snow Ice Cream

8-12 cups snow

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

A Bon Bon Treat (Cake Balls)

I have a friend who makes these for many special occasions. To me they are her signature treat. When I learned how easy they are to make, I decided to try it. I ended up making these little cake balls for the kids teachers and a few of my friends for Valentines Day. The cake part of it is easy and quick, but it is the dipping of them that takes time.

Cake Balls

1-Box Cake Mix, made according to package instructions (Flavor of Choice)

1-container Frosting (Flavor of Choice)

Vanilla or Chocolate Almond Bark

After the cake is baked and cooled. Crumble the cake and mix in the entire container of frosting. Space mixtures into small balls. Place on waxed paper and freeze. (This step makes it easier for me. The cake stays together better as I dip them, but it does set the chocolate faster which is a factor is your are wanting to add sprinkles.)

Melt your almond bark and dip individual balls into it, remove, and place on wax paper to set.

*I used a chocolate cake mix with a cream cheese frosting.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Okay I admit it! I have not had the motivation to cook up a storm, make my menu, or anything of the sort! I have been preoccupied with house decisions and trying harder to focus on the things that matter most! Yep you guessed it my recipe blog becomes a low priority, but something I still enjoy so I am trying not to give it up completely. We all need a little pleasure in life right!

I finally got online and said that I was going to choose just a couple of recipes that might help jump start my enthusiasm for the kitchen duty again! I was looking for meals in 30 minutes or less or quick and simple meals. Does any one out there have some good standby's that they always go to when they are not wanting to spend all afternoon/evening in the kitchen? I would LOVE LOVE LOVE if you would share! (Yeah Linda I guess I am talking to you! LOL! You seem to be the only personal to leave me a comment from time to time. Thanks for checking on me. ;-) )

So I found another soup that is a keeper at my home. I got it off a blog who got it off a blog, etc. Then I modified it to my liking the original called for a ridiculous 4 cans of cream of chicken soups! I thought that was a little excessive. I cut it back the amount of canned soup and added more vegetables and it was a hit for my family. We like soups, so if you are soup loving like us you might enjoy this too.

Jill's Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

10 cups water

10 bullion cubes or 10 teaspoons Chicken Base (I love my ckn base. I buy it at Costco)

4 Chicken Boneless, skinless (You can start with it Frozen! LOVE IT!)

(I like a combo of white and dark so I use 2 boneless thighs and 4 chicken tenders--Costco chicken is my fav)

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 boxes Rice a Roni Wild Rice flavor

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cups chopped carrots

1 cup celery, finely chopped

1 small can stems and peices Mushrooms

2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup

Fill your pot with water bring to a boil. Add chicken, onion, bullion, salt, and pepper and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer about 25 minutes. Remove chicken pieces from the boiling broth after the 25 minutes. Use scissors or knife and cut or shred your chicken. Return chicken to the pot. The chicken should be cooked through.

Add the carrots, celery, mushrooms and boxes of rice (pour in the rice and seasoning packets that come along in the box). Cover and let simmer about 15 minutes more, until the veggies and rice are cooked.

Add the cream of chicken soups, turn up the heat and let it come to a boil. Once the soup is thickened (this takes just a few minutes after it comes to a boil again) it is ready to be served.

Serve it up with your favorite slice of bread and a side salad.

Turnover Chicken Crescent Rolls

This is a quick and simple dinner that my kids just love. I got the recipe from my mother-in-law a few years back. I don't make it very often, but my kids and husband probably wish I did. Chalk up a point for one that everyone loves, but it's not the healthiest dish there is--probably why it taste good.

Turnover Chicken Crescent Rolls

1 (3 oz) softened Cream Cheese

2 Tablespoon melted margarine

2 cups cooked cubed chicken

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoon milk

1 Tablespoon chopped green onion

2 Tablespoons pimento (optional)

Mix all ingredients together (can be made ahead of time and chilled)

1 (8 oz pkg.) crescent rolls

Roll crescent rolls flat with rolling pin. Put 1/4 cup chicken mixture on roll--fold up sides and seal. Brush top with melted margarine. Dip into bread crumbs. (I skip the butter and bread crumb part and it makes it all the more simple! My family doesn't seem to mind either.)

Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 250 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Top with chicken gravy and serve.

Chicken Gravy--

1 Can Chicken Gravy

1 can cream of Chicken Soup

Mix together and heat until hot.

Or if you want to keep it super simply I just use a can of Cream of Chicken Soup diluted. I keep it stocked in the pantry, but I don't stock gravy. My family likes it all the same.

Lemon Chicken

This morning I was asking my boys what we should make for dinner tonight. They said, "Pasgetti" so we might just have spaghetti and meatballs. I was curious what they thought of last nights Lemon Chicken, so I asked. How many stars was last nights dinner. One star, four stars...? Cameron replied 5 stars, Quin piped up and said 8 stars! Then Cameron said 100 stars. The number kept climbing so I said, "Did you guys really like it?" Their eyes got as big as their smiles as the nodded their heads. So folk I guess this one is a keeper. For me it is a keeper because it is so quick and easy and I always have everything on hand to make it. Once again this is a recipe my sister Echo, who is a great cook recommended. (I think she is going to get her on Label...guess that's like my cooking Hall of Fame. ;-)) Echo said this is her go to meal when she is short on time and doesn't know what she is making.

This is a east and quick gourmet dish that could be served with anything from a baked potato to noodles or rice of choice. A nice seasonal vegetable or salad rounds out the meal perfectly.

Lemon Chicken

3 Whole chicken breast, boned, skinned, and halved (I used tenders and pounded them into cutlet like pieces).

1 1/2 cup flour (I only used 1/2 cup for starters. You can always add more so you don't have waste.)

1/3 cup Butter

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Wash and dry chicken pieces. Pound them flat with a mallet. Melt the butter and oil in a large skillet. Put the flour in a plastic bag and drop the breast in to coat. Regulate the heat to moderately high, and put the chicken breasts in the skillet. Cook approx. 3 minutes on each side. When they are done, salt and pepper them and put them on an oven proof dish and into a 250 degree oven to keep warm while you make the sauce. (I personally added 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper right in with my flour before coating the breast so I didn't have to worry about it. I also didn't put mine in the oven while making the sauce. I simply covered it with foil. The sauce comes together so quickly I think its a waste of energy to warm the oven for that amount of time. Unless you have it on for something else.)

Sauce:

Add 4 Tablespoons butter to the chicken skillet and melt, scrapping up brown bits from bottom of pan. Remove from heat; add 4 Tablespoons finely chopped parsley (I didn't, tasted fine still), and the juice from 1/2 lemon. Pour hot sauce over breasts and serve. (I spooned it over each piece with a Tablespoon).

Orange Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry

I got this recipe from a blog called Jamiecooksitup. My family loved it. I used 9 chicken tenders when I tried it and Jack said there needed to be more meat in the dish. The kids and adults gobbled it down so I guess it was a hit. I passed the recipe on to my sister-in-law two doors down and her family had the same response. So Thank You Jamie-who ever you are- for this creation and for sharing it with us.

Orange Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com Time: 45 minutes Yield: 6 servings Recipe created by Jamie Cooks It Up! 4 chicken breasts 3/4 C flour 1/4 t salt 2 T olive oil 5 large carrots 1 onion 2 bell peppers (red, green or orange...you choose) 6 stalks celery (I will use a little less next time my kids weren't crazy about it) salt and pepper to taste (again with the "you choose") Sauce: 3/4 C fresh orange juice (I use from concentrate and it works fine) 1/4 C soy sauce 1/2 t ginger 2 t rice vinegar 1/2 C brown sugar 1/2 t sesame oil pinch red pepper flakes (Optional if you don't like the kick! Jack and I like it; kids not so much.) 2 T corn starch 1 C chicken broth Cut those chicken breasts up into 2 inch cubes. Combine the flour and the 1/4 t salt in a small bowl, and toss until coated. Heat up a large skillet. When it's nice and hot add 1 T oil and put your floured chicken into it. Toss the chicken in gently, now. Cook your chicken until it is golden all over. (About 10 minutes) While your chicken is cooking up, chop up your veggies. Make sure they are about the same size. When your chicken is pretty and golden, take it out of the pan and place it on a nice plate. Add another T of oil into the hot skillet. Add your veggies and cook over medium high heat until crisp tender...about another 10 minutes. While your veggies cook add all sauce ingredients to a medium sized sauce pan. Whisk them together until they are all combined nicely. Bring to a boil. Once it boils it should thicken up nicely for you. When your veggies are crisp tender add your thickened sauce and chicken into the pan. Serve over a bed of rice.

Chicken Spaghetti

I recently attended a reunion retreat with all the incredible women I had the opportunity to work with at Academy for Girls at BYU. It has all been changed now and is simply called EFY.

So to keep it brief and get to sharing great recipes, I have to say I am enjoying some fresh new recipe ideas from a cookbook of recipes complied from these women's kitchens. I love when people share their tried and true with me, so this cookbook has been a hit with me.

This Chicken Spaghetti recipe comes from my sister-in-law. Why she has been holding out on me until I got this AFG Cookbook I will never know! :-) It makes a TON of FOOD. We made it for dinner with another family of three. I took a portion of it to a friend expecting a baby in a few weeks (1 week ahead of me.), and we ate leftovers for at least 2 meals. (I didn't try freezing any of it, but wondered how it would work.) It was a hit with my husband, kids, and dinner guest alike. We will make it again. The only thing we would do is add more mushrooms. Jack said that he would like to try just make the sauce without the shredded chicken, leave the mushrooms bigger or leave them whole, mix it in with the noodles instead of serving it over the top, and then top it with some breaded chicken. I think that sounds good too, but I love the simplicity of tossing it in the crock pot and forgetting about it. Thank you Merrie for a great recipe--next time don't hold out on me when you have such a great find! ;-)

Chicken Spaghetti (Merrie Parrish)

Place in the crock pot:

6 chicken breasts (I added more just because I was planning on feeding more than just my family)

1 onion chopped (I always use a sweet variety)

1 pkg. sliced mushrooms

2 pks dry spaghetti sauce mix

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup butter (can substitute with chicken broth. I used 1/4 cup each butter/broth)

Cook in crock pot 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low. When done shred the chicken with a fork then add:

2 8 oz pkg. cream cheese

2 cans of cream of chicken soup

Stir. Cook o low for 1 hour longer. Serve over angel hair pasta.

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

I have had this recipe in my e-mails from a friend since February. Yesterday I knew it was going to be a wild busy day filled with morning and afternoon R.S. Society commitments and meetings. Not to mention it was going to be a good hot day of summer-that is motivation in and of itself for me to crock pot lately. I decided I would take Ang up on her recommendation. It was a big hit with my kids, husband, as well as my sister- and brother-in-law and all their kids. (This was my trade for her watching my kids while I went to my afternoon meetings and then when Jack and I snuck in a date-that rarely happens for us-that evening.) This will be a keeper for us for sure! Because of the nature of day I didn't get a photo snapped of it. Maybe next time!

The best part of this recipe is that I usually have all its ingredients on hand and it was tossed together in a jiffy. I am excited to have another use for my stew meat in addition to beef stews.

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

2 lb cubed stew meat (I took time to cut mine into smaller pieces)

2 (10.75oz) can condensed golden mushroom soup or regular cream of mushroom soup

1 chopped onion (I always use my favorite-sweet onions)

1 Tblsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 c. water

1 packet Lipton Onion soup mix

Spray cooker with non stick spray

Combine all above ingredients in slow cooker

Ingredients added at the END (each of these you can add more or less of)

8 oz cream cheese (I like to used reduced fat)

1/2 to 1 cup sour cream (low fat or fat free is my choice here too)

fresh mushrooms

Directions

Cook on low 8 hours or on high 5 hours

Just before serving stir in 8 oz cream cheese and 1/2 to 1 c. sour cream

I also sauté mushrooms in butter and add those at the end

We serve over Wide Egg Noodles or Rice with a baked squash or other season vegetable favorites. Salad would be a great crunch side to add some nice texture to the meal.

Hope you don't wait as long as I did to take Angela H. up on here great recommendation! ENJOY!

Chicken Nuggets (Cent$ible cookbook)

During the past month I had to come up with something to do with some extra chicken I had thawed out. The kids were starting to get hungry and I had no idea what I was going to feed them, so I thought I would try these nuggets because I had everything on hand and wouldn't have to make a trip to the store for one more day! They are different then the store bought breaded kind, but my boys didn't seem to mind. Where they are baked not fried I am sure they are far better for you too.

2 lbs, Chicken, cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 cup low fat plain yogurt or milk (I used 1 % milk)

1 cup cornflake crumbs

2 Tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon parsley

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt (Not originally called for--I just thought they needed something!)

1 Tablespoon canola oil

Place chicken chunks into a large bowl with yogurt or milk. Make sure all pieces of chicken are coated with yogurt or milk. Combine cornflake crumbs, flour, parsley, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder into a clean, resealable plastic bag and mix well. Drizzle in the oil and mix.

Add the chicken chunks to the crumb mixture, seal bag, and shake well to cover all the pieces. Spray a cookie sheet lightly with oil and place the coated chicken pieces on the cookie sheet. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes or until all chicken pieces are cooked through. Makes 8-10 servings.

Chicken Breast with Avocado, Tomato, and Cucumber Salsa

I was looking for a quick and easy Cinco De Mayo recipe that called for Chicken because we had eaten beef the last two nights and I wasn't really interested in making our usual tacos. I got this in one of my e-newsletters yesterday morning and thought we'd give it a try. It was quick and easy. The salsa was different and refreshing, the cucumber gave it a sweetness that I liked, but I love cucumbers and tomatoes anytime. We made our own chips with tortillas that the kids always gobble up!

Chicken Breasts with Avocado, Tomato, and Cucumber Salsa Baked tortilla chips make a crunchy companion for this simple summer supper. Try the salsa another night on grilled fish or shrimp. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 3/4 cup salsa) Cooking spray 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder (I used regular Chile powder 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped seeded peeled cucumber (about 1 large) 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved (I used diced Roma's) 1/2 cup prechopped red onion (I used white sweet onion) 1/2 cup chopped peeled avocado 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped (I used 1 teaspoon minced-in adult half only) 1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder evenly over chicken; add chicken to pan. Cook for 6 minutes on each side or until done, and remove from heat. 2. Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl, tossing well. Serve with chicken. CALORIES 243 (28% from fat); FAT 7.6g (sat 1.6g,mono 3.5g,poly 1.3g); IRON 1.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 94mg; CALCIUM 34mg; CARBOHYDRATE 7.3g; SODIUM 533mg; PROTEIN 35.6g; FIBER 2.7g Cooking Light, AUGUST 2008

Spring has Brought Me such a Nice Surprise-Popcorn Popping!

This is a new found recipe for baked carmel corn that is taking the top slot for the wedding favor. It is good and the white chocolate chips makes it different. Our family loves carmel corn no matter which method is used. If you like the simpleness of using a microwave for making the carmel and baking like we use with our Jell-O popcorn you may want to check out our Brown Paper Bag Popcorn too.

Spring Time Popcorn

6 oz Popcorn (my mom thinks that white puts off less kernel husks)

This is equivalent to about 1 cup of kernels.

Popcorn and then top with the carmel.

1 cup of white chocolate chips

1/4 cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place popped popcorn in a large stainless steel bowl or roasting pan. Spray pan lightly with cooking spray. (I have also used foil lined cookie sheets-which isn't as easy for the stirring)

In heavy sauce pan place white chips, butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Cook on medium. Stir constantly until mixture comes to a light boil. Place a small drop of coloring into saucepan if you desire a color; mix until combined. Remove from heat and pour carmel evenly over popcorn. Gently stir to coat popcorn . Bake in oven for 10 minutes stirring every couple of minutes. Remove from oven and pour popcorn out on waxed/parchment paper to cool. Break into pieces and serve.

Spring has Brought Me such a Nice Surprise-Popcorn Popping!

We have had fun this week at our house trying different popcorn treats. My little sister is getting married in a mid-May and she wants to give a carmel corn treat away to the guest as her wedding favor. We have lots of favorite family carmel corn recipes, but we went searching for more and tried a few out of our family cookbook as well as some new ones from the web.

For Family Night treat we tried a recipe that one of my co-workers gave me over 10 years ago! The kids loved it. You make it with Jell-O and cook it all in the microwave so this was a great recipe that allowed the boys to help me in the kitchen--Which they LOVE!

Jell-O Popcorn

1 Large Brown Paper Bag

Non-Stick Vegetable Spray

10 cups unsalted popped popcorn (we used closer to 12 or 14)

1/2 cup margarine

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 3-oz package of Jell-O any flavor

1/4 teaspoon soda

Spray bag with non-stick spray. Put popped corn in bag. Set aside. Microwave butter in a glass dish 45 to 60 seconds. Add sugar, syrup, and Jell-O and stir. Microwave on high for 3 minutes or till full boil is reached. Remove from microwave stir in Soda. Immediately pour over popped corn. Close the bag by rolling the top down until it will fit inside your microwave. Microwave bag of goodies for 1 minute on high. Remove SHAKE, return to microwave for 30 more seconds. Shake bag. Microwave for 30 more seconds. Pour out of bag onto wax paper to cool.

Enjoy a fruity fun treat one kernel at a time.

We have tried, Strawberry, Raspberry, Peach. The kids favorite is the Strawberry. The Raspberry is tart, the Peach is sweet and has a little tang to it.

This is our first batch-strawberry flavored. Turned out nice and PINK