Chicken Taco Salad

This recipe is too easy to just keep to myself. We're also in the middle of the longest stretch of heat I can remember in the Seattle area, and this is a meal that doesn't heat up your house! It is quick (made within 30 minutes!), cheap ($5 to feed my family of 5), easy (if you can use a stove & a can opener, you can make this!), and summer-friendly!! Like I said, since it doesn't use the oven and needs a short time on the stove, it won't heat up the kitchen!

The instant rice in this recipe is your real friend. It makes the cooking time so brief. Did you know that instant rice also comes in brown? I didn't until recently, and it works great in this recipe. It's basically a taco-seasoned rice and chicken mixture that is served over lettuce. It also happens to be one of the more nostalgic recipes I have, as it's one my busy mom often made while we were growing up. She could get home from work at 5 and still feed us 3 hungry kids in time (to inevitably run off to a practice or game of some sort...). As kids we chose to eat it without lettuce, but now of course I love a good crunchy Romaine with this.
 
Lastly- it is also a very good camping meal. I just need to pack the cans, the rice & taco seasoning in a Ziploc bag, and stick some lettuce and cheese in the cooler, and we're good to go. It works well on our little camping stove. NEW: I now make this in my Instant Pot while camping. (I have a small table set up near an outlet.) To do that, put all ingredients in the pot (except for lettuce and toppings), cook for 3 minutes on high pressure. Let pressure naturally release for 8 minutes, then open valve and stir.

Chicken Taco Salad
Printable version here

2 cups chicken broth
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (10 oz.) chicken, drained (or 1-1.5 cups shredded, cooked chicken)
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained (optional)
2 tbsp. taco seasoning, or equivalent (1 package or one recipe homemade mix, minus a little salt if you use this recipe)
1 1/2 cups instant rice (white or brown, note the different cooking times)
Chopped lettuce
Desired toppings (such as sour cream, lettuce, and salsa)

1. Put broth, tomato sauce, chicken, beans, and taco seasoning in a pan; stir well. Bring to a boil.

2. Pour in the rice, stir, then cook until rice is tender. WHITE RICE: after stirring in rice, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes. BROWN RICE: after stirring in rice, lower heat and simmer uncovered, 6 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.

3. Spoon rice mixture over chopped lettuce, add desired toppings & enjoy!

Serves 4-5

COST
Broth 0.14
Tomato sauce 0.27
Chicken 1.98
Beans 0.67
Taco seasoning 0.15
Rice 0.60
Lettuce 1.10
Cheese & sour cream 0.50
TOTAL: $5.16

Why I love it? Right now, the main reason is because it feeds our family without heating up the house! But it's also inexpensive, tasty, filling, and relatively healthy (for a convenience-type meal).

Freezer Beef and Bean Burritos

We all need some convenience foods every now and then, but the options at the grocery store can be lackluster at best. Food you make yourself is usually healthier and cheaper, not to mention way more tasty. These beef and bean burritos are perfect- they're homemade, delicious convenience food! I love having these in the freezer for a quick lunch!

Normally when I make these, I do a double batch- we eat some that night for dinner, and I freeze the rest. They're more involved than just opening a can of refried beans and plopping them in a tortilla (which happened to be our lunch today...), but the flavor is worth it! They have beans, ground beef or turkey, spices, rice, cilantro, and cheese! When topped with sour cream and guacamole, there's not a better burrito around!

Rather than taking the time to retype the recipe, I'll just direct you to where I found it. I make it exactly as written, except that I've found I prefer to add the sour cream at serving, rather than freezing it with the sour cream inside. I also use baked brown rice instead of white. I make this recipe, and use half of it for this recipe (plus the cilantro stirred in after baking) and set aside half for another use. Enjoy!

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/freezer-beef-and-bean-burritos/
 

Why I love it? They are HUGELY flavorful, healthy, and a perfect make-ahead meal!

Roasted Vegetable Broth

 Start with a bunch of fresh veggies

Roast until lightly browned

 

Voila! 8 cups of broth to freeze!

I know that broth is something easy to buy in a store- there are many options, and it's cheap- but there's just something about making it from scratch that can be irresistible.  I make turkey and chicken broth often, and this roasted vegetable broth is another good recipe to have on hand.  You could use it in soup, to cook rice, gravy, and more.

With having to buy the vegetables at the store, this isn't necessarily cheaper than buying broth- it cost me about $6.50 to make 8 cups (4 cans worth) of broth.  It is more flavorful and healthy though, so you just have to decide what you're wanting.  Sometimes I go for what's quickest & cheapest, sometimes I go for most healthy & flavorful- although I try to have it all!  This would definitely be cheap to make if you were able to grow some of your own veggies.

The basic premise is that you roast a bunch of vegetables in a large pan (I lined mine with nonstick foil, partly because my roasting pan's finish is chipping), cook them in a large pot with water and other seasonings, then strain.  It's not very difficult, but it does take some time- about 3 hours start to finish.  It's yummy though, and worth making at least once! :)

Roasted Vegetable Broth
Printable version here 

1 1/2 pound sweet onions, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 pound carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 pound tomatoes, cored
1 pound green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 pound turnips, cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons (approx.) olive oil
1 pound (bunch) celery
3 cloves garlic, minced/pressed
3 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
6 whole black peppercorns
1 bunch fresh parsley, roughly chopped
1 gallon (4 quarts/16 cups) water
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450º.  Meanwhile, begin rinsing and chopping vegetables- onions, carrots, tomatoes, bell pepper, and turnips.  Place in a large roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, and stir, making sure all the vegetables are lightly coated.

2.  Roast vegetables, stirring every 15 minutes, until the vegetables and browned and the onions start to darken.  This takes me about 1 hour 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a large stock pot (minimum 8 quart), add remaining ingredients (celery, spices, parsley, water, and salt).  I start this about 30 minutes before the vegetables are done, so that the water can begin heating, which saves time. Add roasted vegetables to the pot, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered until reduced by half.  Mine took 1 hour 15 minutes.

4. Pour the broth through a colander, catching the broth in a large bowl or pot. (Scoop out some of the vegetables beforehand to help it not splash quite so much.) Using a spoon or spatula, press on the vegetables in the strainer to extract as much liquid from them as you can.  Add salt and/or pepper to taste, and enjoy!  Extra broth can be frozen for up to a couple months.

Yield: 8 cups broth

Recipe Source: Allrecipes.com

Why I love it? This makes an incredibly flavorful, natural vegetable broth.  Like all homemade foods, it's nice knowing exactly what's in it, and it's especially helpful being able to control the sodium content.

Balsamic Chicken Noodle Bowl

A few months ago I went to a home show, and one of the products I came home with was this Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar (picture & link below).  I wasn't sure what to do with it, but my mother-in-law offered to buy me a bottle, so I obliged. :) I searched my favorite food blog for recipes that use balsamic vinegar, and found this beauty.  I'm HOOKED!  The key ingredients: chicken, red bell pepper, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and feta.  Delectable!

This recipe is pretty adaptable.  What's written below is exactly how I like it, after tweaking it a tiny bit each of the 6 or so times I've made it.  You can certainly add or omit ingredients according to your family's preferences.  Mel (the creator of this recipe) says that when she doesn't have shredded chicken already prepared, she cooks the diced chicken along with the red peppers.  I tend to cook the chicken while I'm cooking the rest of the ingredients, using this amazing method for shredded chicken.  Enjoy!

OMG Olive Oils

Balsamic Chicken Noodle Bowl
Printable version here

10 ounces spaghetti noodles
1 red bell pepper, diced
 4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil 
4 tablespoons good-quality balsamic vinegar (I use 1/2 regular balsamic & 1/2 raspberry balsamic)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil (or 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped)
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 1/2 cups shredded or cubed mozzarella cheese (or Monterrey Jack)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Heat a large pot of water to a boil.  Cook the noodles until just tender.  Drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small pan.  Add red pepper and saute for a couple minutes, or until crisp-tender.  Add garlic and cook for 30 more seconds, then remove pan from heat.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and basil.  Add cooked noodles, pepper/garlic mixture, shredded chicken, and mozzarella cheese.  Toss ingredients together with tongs or a pasta spoon, making sure the dressing coats everything.  Top each serving with feta cheese.

Serves: 5-6

Recipe source: Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Why I love it? It uses ingredients I tend to have on-hand (including my Costco-sized container of feta), and comes together fairly quickly- especially if the chicken is already cooked.  The flavors and textures work wonderfully together.  I also love that it makes good leftovers!  This makes enough for my family of 5 (2 adults and 3 kids) with about one serving remaining. 

Red Enchilada Sauce

One of the things that intrigues me about my Vitamix is that you can use it to heat/cook foods.  I never imagined that a blender could do this, but really it's just based on friction.  If you have it on long enough & high enough, it really does produce heat!  Like with this sauce- it comes out steaming!! I got this recipe from the cookbook that came with my Vitamix.  It comes out perfectly!  It has good flavor, but isn't too strong or spicy.  It makes enough that I can use it for 2 dinners (I freeze half for later).

If you don't have a Vitamix but want to try this recipe- I imagine it would work if you pureed everything in a regular blender, then transferred it to a medium saucepan, and simmered it for a couple minutes until hot and slightly thickened.  If you try this, let me know and I'll update this post!  Thanks!

Red Enchilada Sauce (Vitamix)
Printable version here

2 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Roma tomato, halved
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup all purpose flour

Place all ingredients in blender.  Cook on Soup setting on Vitamix (which is approx. equal to 6 minutes on High).

Yield: 3 cups sauce

Why I love it? It's cheaper than buying enchilada sauce in a can, it doesn't have a lot of sodium (like many canned foods), and it includes all natural, easy-to-find ingredients!

Chipotle Chicken Skewers

This recipe was my favorite new recipe of the summer.  I ate it several times, and each time I was so sad when it was gone!  The recipe says it serves 6-8, and I would definitely make the whole amount, even if you're serving fewer than that.  The leftover chicken is fabulous, straight from the fridge.  I may or may not have eaten it for breakfast, just because I was so excited about it...

This chicken packs an incredible amount of flavor.  Making this was the first time I had ever used chipotle peppers and adobo sauce- holy moly are they tasty!  If you haven't ever used them before, know that they come together in a little can.  Like this-

They can be spicy (and I'm sure would be by themselves), but they work in this dish because 1) you scrape out the seeds, which is where most of the heat is located, and 2) the accompanying dip cools them off!  I have been using the leftover peppers & sauce in so many ways, too (because this recipe only uses a portion of the can).  My favorite is to mix the sauce with sour cream for an amazing burrito or enchilada topping (here's my favorite bean burrito recipe), or you could also mix it with mayonnaise to perk up a sandwich.  I only wish it hadn't taken 31 years for me to discover this little gem...

Anyway, I absolutely love this dish, and I'm sure you will too!  (PS- don't be intimidated by the length of the recipe.  It's not too hard, and it's worth it!)

Chipotle Chicken Skewers with Creamy Dipping Sauce
Printable version here

Chicken Skewers
2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4-5 medium chicken breasts)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced (scrape out the seeds before mincing to reduce spiciness)
2 teaspoons adobo sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 bamboo or metal skewers 

Creamy Dipping Sauce  (*I always have more dip than we use, so feel free to reduce this somewhat)
3/4 cup lowfat sour cream
1/4 cup lowfat mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
1/4 cup lime juice, from 2-3 limes
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, minced
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Slice the chicken breasts into long, thin strips, about 1/2-inch thick. You should have right around 30 strips. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cilantro, chipotle chile, adobo sauce, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, and pepper. Toss the chicken with the brown sugar mixture coating all the pieces evenly. Cover the chicken (or place in a ziploc bag) and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
2. For the dipping sauce, in a bowl, stir all the ingredients together. Cover the mixture and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes until the flavors combine. Alternately, you can make the dipping sauce in advance and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Be sure to season the dipping sauce with additional lime juice, salt and pepper to taste before serving.
3. 30 minutes before grilling, cover the bamboo skewers with water and soak. Skip this step if using metal skewers.
4. Preheat an oven broiler or gas/charcoal grill. Weave two strips of chicken onto each skewer. Broil or grill the chicken for 5-8 minutes until cooked through, using nonstick cooking spray on a foil-lined pan if you are broiling. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

Recipe Source: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2013/05/chipotle-chicken-skewers-with-creamy-dipping-sauce.html 

Why I love it? It is full of flavor (it's sweet, spicy, fresh & creamy), and pretty healthy!  I've served this with various sides such as potato salad, fresh fruit, roasted potatoes, etc.  Next time I make this it'll probably be indoors (bye bye summer...), so I'll try to update this recipe with cooking directions for the stove/oven once I figure that out.

Baked Meatballs

I know what you're thinking... really, a mini muffin tin for meatballs??  Trust me though, this method is genius!  It's from one of my favorite chefs, Alton Brown.  His recipes are always delicious, precise (which I like because that means I can replicate them!), and well thought out.  Using a mini muffin tin is perfect for meatballs- not only do the meatballs stay round, but they get cooked on all sides without sitting in any pools of grease (which is not good eats, as Alton Brown would say!).

Meatballs are one of my husband's favorite foods, and these quickly catapulted into his #1 favorite meatball slot.  He told me that if I didn't already have this muffin pan, it would be worth buying just for this recipe!  This one is from Pampered Chef.  Another tool that makes this recipe easy is a large cookie scoop, for portioning out the meat.  I have a large (3 tbsp.) Pampered Chef scoop.

Thank you Alton Brown for this recipe, wherever you are!

Baked Meatballs
Printable version here

1 1/2 pound ground meat (I use a combination of beef & pork)
5 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and drained thoroughly (half of a 10 oz. package)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp. table salt)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, depending on how spicy you want it
1/2 cup bread crumbs, divided (I prefer Panko bread crumbs)

1. Preheat the oven to 400º.  Lightly spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick spray.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef, pork, spinach, Parmesan, egg, basil, parsley, garlic powder, salt, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs.  Using your hands, mix all ingredients until well incorporated.  Use immediately or place in refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

3. Place the remaining 1/4 cup bread crumbs into a small bowl.  Using a 3 tbsp. cookie scoop, portion into 20 meatballs (if using a scale, they will weigh 1.5 ounces each).  Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds, roll in the bread crumbs, and place the meatballs in individual, miniature muffin tin cups.  Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

Yield: 20 meatballs

Recipe Source: foodnetwork.com

Why I love it? They're not too difficult or time consuming, and they taste PHENOMENAL! I have never had a better-tasting, more perfectly-textured meatball! 

Creamy White Chicken Chili

I first had this chili at a little church in Burbank, WA.  When we go to eastern WA we like to visit our friends (the Cagles) and go to their church if we can.  The husband, Dan, is the pastor there.  Anyway, last time we picked a good time to visit, as it was their annual chili cook-off!  This was the winning chili, and me and several other people asked the lady who made it for the recipe.

I just made it for the first time, and I was reminded why it won!  It starts as a regular white chicken chili, but then it gets some magical ingredients added at the end- sour cream and heavy cream!  They make it so creamy and good!  It also helps balance out the spiciness from the cayenne pepper.  I reduced the amounts of these two things a little bit, and you can certainly play with the amounts, too (what's written below is the amount I used).  I used light sour cream and heavy cream, but you could also try it with fat free sour cream and maybe even half & half instead.  If I try those sometime, I'll update here!  

[Update- last time I made it I used fat free sour cream and half & half, and it was still delicious and creamy! Good to know!]

Creamy White Chicken Chili
Printable version here

1 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 pound boneless chicken cut into 1/2 inch cubes*
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15 oz.) cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups (or 1 can) chicken broth
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies
3/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup heavy cream or half & half

(*or you may substitute 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken)

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; add chicken and onion.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink.  Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.

2. Add beans, broth, seasonings, and chilies (and shredded chicken if using).  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

3. Stir in sour cream and heavy cream and serve.  Serves: 4-6

[I haven't tried this yet, but this chili should freeze just fine, as long as you set aside the portion to freeze before adding the sour cream & cream. Those ingredients don't freeze very well, but you could just add them in after thawing and heating the frozen chili.]

Why I love it? It tastes fantastic- it's a little spicy, creamy, flavorful, and dense! It's chock-full of protein and fiber!  It's also a reasonably quick dinner, as it takes an hour start to finish (and half that time is just simmering). 

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

Last week when I was making my menu/shopping list, I was feeling bored with my normal recipes (not sure how that's possible!), so I found a few new ones to try.  This one, Crockpot Beef Stroganoff, was an instant hit!  It was easy and turned out PERFECTLY!  I will most definitely make it again!

I found it on my most trusted food blog, Mel's Kitchen Cafe! :) The only things I changed were to reduce the recipe size a little (I only used about 1 1/2 pounds of stew meat, and a little less of the other ingredients), and omit the mushrooms.

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff
Printable version here

2-3 pounds stew meat (or a chuck roast, cubed)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
1/4 tsp. garlic salt (or garlic powder)
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 tbsp. ketchup
1/3 cup flour
6 tbsp. water (1/4 cup + 2 tbsp.)
4-8 ounces sliced mushrooms (optional)
1/2 cup light or regular sour cream

1. Place beef, salt, pepper, onion, garlic salt, Worcestershire sauce, broth, and ketchup into a slow cooker.  Stir to combine.  Cook for 7-9 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high.

2. About 30 minutes before serving, combine the flour and water in a small bowl, whisking vigorously to combine well.  The roux should be thick but still pourable, so add a tablespoon of water at a time to thin, if needed.  Pour the flour mixture into the slow cooker, whisking quickly to mix in the roux with the stew meat and juices to avoid lumps.  Add the mushrooms (if using) and stir.  Cook on high for 30 minutes.

3. Stir in 1/2 cup sour cream right before serving.  Serve over pasta, rice or baked potatoes.

*Freezable Meal: (I haven't tried this, but the original source from the recipe lists these instructions) The leftovers of the stroganoff can be frozen.  Store the leftovers in a freezer-safe container and then thaw in the refrigerator (usually takes about a day) and reheat over medium-low heat in a saucepan on the stove.

Why I love it? It was SUPER easy and delicious!  The meat was tender and the sauce turns out perfectly!  It is flavorful, creamy, and nicely thickened.  The fact that it is freezable is an added bonus!

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

I found this recipe several years ago on the back of a can of refried beans.  I no longer buy refried beans (since they're so easy to make!), but I remain grateful to Rosarita® for this recipe!  It's basically a creamy bean soup with chicken & tomatoes.  The original recipe also calls for corn (I just skip it since I'm not a fan!).

It's easy to make, and pretty adaptable.  This size recipe makes enough for my family of 2 adults, 1 medium-sized kid, and 2 kids with tiny/picky appetites.  I'm sure it could easily be doubled.  Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Printable version here

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes (with added green chilies if desired), undrained
2 cups (or 1-14.5 oz. can) chicken broth
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans (or 2 cups homemade beans)
1/2 cup corn (optional)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken

Topping suggestions:
Tortilla chips
Sour cream
Grated cheese

1. Combine half of tomatoes, plus broth and beans in a medium saucepan.  Heat over medium heat for a couple minutes.  [If you want the soup smoother than it is now- remove from heat and puree with either an immersion blender or a regular blender, remembering to keep the center cap off your blender lid.] 

2. Resume heating the soup over medium heat.  Add remainder of the tomatoes and the corn; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add chicken; cook a few more minutes to heat through. 

3. Taste for seasoning- you can add a pinch of cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, etc. for added flavor.  Divide into bowls and top as desired.

Why I love it? It is a very fast recipe to throw together!  It's also low in fat, and high in protein and fiber!  Last time I made this I skipped the tortilla chips and served it with quesadillas instead.  It was delicious!

Creamy Poblano Enchiladas

Recently I saw a recipe floating around Pinterest for creamy chicken enchiladas.  It looked fairly good, but I knew I could make it better!  I made it a little healthier & more flavorful, and found a way to incorporate one of my new favorite foods- poblano peppers.  These large peppers are very tasty and not too spicy.  Did you know that the larger a pepper is, the less spicy it is?  So those tiny habanero & serrano peppers will burn your mouth, but these poblanos aren't bad at all.  They sometimes go by the name of pasilla peppers.  These are the star ingredient in this sauce!

For the salsa that I use in the sauce, I use this Easy Blender Salsa.  I always have a batch in my fridge!  I'm sure you could make adjustments to this recipe, based on what you have & what your preferences are, but this is the version that my family LOVES!  I hope you like it!

My first step was to make homemade tortillas.  This was the first time I made these, and we loved them!  It was this recipe, which I cut in half, used half
wheat/half white flour, and made into 8 tortillas.

Dice the poblano pepper & onions into medium-sized pieces; they don't need to be really small since you're pureeing them anyway.

I love these Pampered Chef Salad Choppers for shredding chicken!  I've never used them for salad, but I'm in love with using them to shred meat!

The finished dish!  This made the perfect amount for my family of 5.  I don't think they even need any more toppings, since there is already salsa and sour cream in them!






 Creamy Poblano Enchiladas
Printable version here

Sauce ingredients
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 of a large poblano pepper, seeded & diced
1/2 of a medium onion, diced
2 tbsp. flour
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup salsa
1/3 cup sour cream

Enchilada ingredients
1 lb. chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
6-8 tortillas (depending on their size)
1 cup grated cheese, such as Monterrey Jack or cheddar

1. To make sauce: Melt butter in a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat.  Next add poblano pepper & onion, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add flour, stir, and cook for 1 minute.  Slowly whisk in chicken broth, stirring constantly until all the liquid is incorporated.  Add cumin, coriander (you may sub extra cumin if you don't have this ingredient), and salt.  Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to med-low and cook a few minutes until sauce starts to thicken.  Carefully pour sauce into a blender.  Add salsa and sour cream, then puree until smooth.  (Note- while pureeing the sauce, keep the small center cap off your blender to let steam escape, and instead cover that hole with a napkin)

2. Pour a little bit of the sauce in a glass 9x13 pan, and spread it around so the bottom is mostly covered.  Place the shredded chicken in a bowl and stir in some of the sauce (just enough to moisten the chicken).  Assemble enchiladas by adding a scoop of chicken and a sprinkle of cheese to each one, rolling it, and putting it in the dish.  Pour remaining sauce evenly over the top of the enchiladas, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

3. Bake in a preheated 375º oven, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.  Enjoy!

Why I love it?  The sauce is TO DIE FOR!  As it, I could just eat it straight off a spoon! It's creamy (but not too rich or unhealthy), not spicy, just so flavorful!  The poblano pepper & onion, plus the other seasonings, give so much depth to the sauce.  It is so fresh and unlike anything you can get from a can!

Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

This recipe is based on one I found on allrecipes.com.  I liked the idea of it, but it was way too unhealthy for an everyday dinner- it called for a stick of butter and 2 cups of heavy cream!  My version of it is much lighter, but still creamy & delicious.  I use whatever kind of milk I have on-hand, which is typically nonfat. 


I've only ever made it with this kind of rice mix, which I've been able to find in several grocery stores:

Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
Printable version here

1 6-oz. box long grain & wild rice mix (Uncle Ben's)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1. Cook rice as directed in 2 quart pan.

2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a 3 quart saucepan on medium heat.  Whisk in flour and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until bubbly.  Slowly whisk in milk and broth.  Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until mixture has thickened slightly. 

3. Add the cooked rice and chicken to the broth, and heat through.  Add salt & pepper to taste.  Serves: 4-6

Why I love it?  It's relatively quick to throw together, and we all like it.  It's really healthy for being a creamy soup!

How to Roast Red Peppers

Only in the past year have I discovered these red little beauties. Growing up, I thought I didn't like vegetables (besides maybe broccoli). It still isn't my favorite food group, but I am slowly finding more & more vegetables that I can eat.

I used to think that red bell peppers were spicy (it's a pepper, after all!), but at the encouragement of my mom I finally tried one. It was nothing like how I imagined it! It's one of the very few vegetables I will eat raw- I like it dipped in things, in salad, etc., but my FAVORITE way to eat it is roasted. It makes it so sweet, smoky, and delicious!

I add these to fajitas, pasta salads, burritos, eggs, and my new favorite- roasted red pepper hummus. I don't know how these compare to the kind you can buy in a jar (because I've never bought those), but I like that with these ones, you can make whatever amount you need, there are no preservatives, and they're super fresh. They keep for at least a few days in the fridge, or you could freeze them. Enough talking, now on to the directions. :)

1. Rinse & dry pepper(s), cut off most of the stem.


2. Line a metal baking sheet with foil, lay the pepper on its side on the pan.


3. Move the oven rack to its highest slot and turn broiler to high (or on). Put baking sheet in oven.


4. Watch closely. Remove from oven when top side is blackened (mine took 7 minutes), flip to the next side, and put back under broiler.


5. Repeat process until all sides are blackened. (The remaining sides only took a few minutes each.)


6. Put pepper in a paper bag & fold the top down a few times. Let sit for 10 minutes. (Alternately, you could put the pepper in a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap.)


7. Remove from bag, and peel the skin off.


8. All peeled! All that's left is to make a slit down the side, pull out the seeds, and cut into desired size pieces.


Printable version with pictures HERE, text-only version HERE.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake

Two exciting things have happened since I posted last- I turned 30, and I got a new nephew! :) His name is Teagan, and he's a little cutie!! He missed my birthday by just one day. Last weekend we made the 4.5 hour trip to meet him (and visit family). Right now I'm working on helping my oldest recover from a sickness, homeschooling, and preparing for a trip to California in 1 1/2 weeks!

This recipe is one I found online (from here). It was as good as I hoped it would be! I've made it a few times now. It's healthy & filling, and delicious! It has the taste of enchiladas but is quicker to throw together.

You can make this recipe ahead of time and refrigerate until you're ready to bake it, just add 10 or so minutes to the cooking time. I'm also testing to see if it works as a freezer recipe- I think it'll work, my only hesitation is that it has sour cream in it (which supposedly doesn't freeze well). I'll be sure to update here once I know!

*The original recipe calls for you to layer these ingredients, but I have since found that I prefer to mix everything together instead. It's your call.

First two layers- brown rice & black beans


With the next two layers- the chicken/sauce mixture and grated cheese


Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake
Printable version here

1 1/2 cups dry rice (10.5 oz), cooked (equals about 4 1/2 cups cooked)
1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 1/2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (2 medium chicken breasts)
1 (15-oz.) can mild green enchilada sauce
1 (15-oz.) can diced tomatoes, slightly drained
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp. table salt)
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish (or two 8x8 or 9x9 inch dishes).

2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients (using 1 cup of the cheese and setting aside the other cup).  Pour into baking dish, and then sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

3. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Yield: 1 8-serving casserole dish, or 2 4-serving smaller dishes

*Rice: I use this baked brown rice in this recipe.

Recipe source: picky-palate.com

Why I love it? It is pretty easy to prepare, and a lot of the prep work can be done ahead of time. You can fully make the casserole beforehand, or just get the ingredients ready (like cook the chicken and rice, and grate the cheese). I love the flavor of it, too, and it's not too spicy for the kids. I'm sure you could change up the ingredients a little if you wanted- like adding corn or sliced olives. I like this just how it's written! :)

Pulled Pork Chili

A few months ago my in-laws bought half a pig, and gave us many packages of meat from that. I normally don't use pork very often (I like it, I just don't think of it often), so this gave me an opportunity to try out some new recipes! One of them was this chili. I had torn the recipe out of a Kraft Foods magazine about a year ago. I read the reviews of it online, and made a few changes based on what I read. This version, I think, is perfect! It's flavorful, but not too spicy. The meat is nice and tender!

One change I made to the recipe was to sear the meat in a pan before putting it in the crockpot. I have heard that that makes meat more flavorful, but without trying the two versions side-by-side (one with searing, one without), I can't tell you for sure if it makes a difference. I always sear it and I love the end result, but most likely this would still be delicious if you skipped that. Just a thought!

Pulled Pork Chili
Printable version here

1-2 tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
1 boneless pork roast, about 1 1/2 lbs., trimmed of fat
1/2 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 large can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 1/2 oz.) red kidney beans, drained & rinsed
1 can (15 1/2 oz.) black beans, drained & rinsed
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander (or you can substitute an additional tsp. of cumin)
Toppings such as sour cream & grated cheese

1. (Optional step) Preheat a large skillet (I use a 12-inch cast iron pan) to medium-high. Drizzle the pan with oil. Next, place the pork roast in the hot pan, and leave undisturbed for 3 minutes to brown. Flip to the other side, and continue browning each side like this, until pork is browned on most surfaces. Remove from pan and place in slow cooker.

2. Add a little more oil to pan, then add diced onions. Saute until onions are lightly browned. Add minced garlic, cook for 30 more seconds, then add about 1/4 cup of the broth. Stir pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Pour this mixture in the slow cooker.

3. Add remaining ingredients to slow cooker, stir. (Alternately, just add all ingredients at once.) Cover and cook on high for about 7 hours (or low for 10-12 hours). Remove pork from slow cooker. Shred, then mix it in with the chili.

Adapted from Kraft Food & Family Magazine

Why I love it? It works very well in the crock pot. It takes me less than 1/2 an hour to prepare in the morning, then dinnertime is so simple! Normally I make chili with ground beef, so this is a nice change. The pulled pork turns out perfectly!

Chicken Fajitas

Last summer I decided that I wanted to conquer fajitas- a meal my husband loved, but one I didn't really make. (Partly because I didn't think I liked peppers- I have since found out that I love red peppers!) I found this marinade recipe on allrecipes.com, and adapted it to our tastes. It has turned me into a fajita fan! I typically serve these with crockpot "refried" beans.

The finished fajita mixture, cooked in my 12" cast iron skillet


Chicken Fajitas
Printable version here

Marinade ingredients
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp. olive oil (or vegetable oil)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, or more if you like it spicy
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke flavoring, optional

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 small onion, sliced
1/2 to 1 red pepper, sliced into bite-sized pieces, about 1/4" wide

1. In a medium bowl, mix together marinade ingredients. Pour over chicken, either in a glass or plastic dish, or a large zip-top bag. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or at least 30 minutes.

2. Drizzle some canola or vegetable oil in a large skillet and preheat over medium. Once oil is shimmering, remove chicken from marinade and place in skillet, reserving leftover marinade. Cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is nearly done (about 160º). Remove chicken from pan to a clean dish or plate, cover with foil, and set aside.

3. Carefully wipe out the skillet with a paper towel and drizzle fresh oil in it. Add sliced onion & red pepper, saute until vegetables start to become tender. Pour reserved marinade into pan and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until sauce thickens. Meanwhile, slice the chicken into thin strips. Add to the pan, stir to combine, then serve in tortillas. Suggested toppings: sour cream, cheese, lime, and chopped cilantro.

Why I love it? It really isn't that hard- I typically have all of the ingredients in my kitchen already. (Thanks to the bulk section at WinCo, I have pretty much every spice I could ever need!) You could also adapt this recipe- make it spicier, use it with a different kind of meat, etc. For me though, this version is perfect! The meal works for the kids, too- I take out their chicken before adding it in with the peppers & onions, because they're not the biggest fans of peppers & onions. That's okay, it means more for the adults! :)

Chicken & Pineapple Teriyaki

Chicken teriyaki is a dinner that seems easy enough to make (it's just rice, chicken, and sauce), but for the longest time I couldn't get it right. The sauce makes such a difference with this meal, and it's hard finding a good bottled teriyaki sauce. Well, I'm thrilled to now have a recipe to make this exactly how I like it!

I found a teriyaki sauce recipe in an old Cook's Illustrated magazine I had laying around. I kept not making it because I didn't have one of the ingredients (mirin, a sweet cooking wine)... but once I found that (at Safeway), I have made & enjoyed this recipe several times!

You could serve this several ways. How I made it tonight was with baked brown rice, and sauteed pineapple and chicken. You could definitely grill the pineapple and chicken instead, omit the pineapple if you don't like it, or add other ingredients (like diced red bell pepper). This makes enough sauce for my family (2 adults & 3 kids), but you could certainly double the sauce if you wanted more. Enjoy!

Chicken & Pineapple Teriyaki
Printable version here

1 tbsp. canola oil
Pineapple chunks (half a fresh pineapple, diced, or one large can, drained)
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
Cooked rice

Sauce ingredients
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. powdered ginger
1 garlic clove, minced (about 1 tsp.)
1 tbsp. mirin
1/4 tsp. cornstarch

1. Prepare baked brown rice (if using). Meanwhile, combine soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan. In a separate small bowl, combine mirin and cornstarch, then pour that into the saucepan. Bring sauce to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, then reduce to a simmer and cook until it begins to thicken, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and keep warm.

2. Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once pan is hot, pour in the pineapple chunks. Saute for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. You're trying to heat the pineapple and bring out some of its natural juices. Remove to a bowl, and cover with foil.

3. Pour a little more oil in the pan if it seems dry, then add the cubed chicken breasts. Sprinkle with a little salt & pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through. Add the cooked pineapple and a spoonful of the teriyaki sauce and stir to combine.

4. Put rice on the plates, top with chicken/pineapple mixture, then drizzle teriyaki sauce over the top. Serve extra sauce on the side, if desired.

Why I love it? It's my favorite teriyaki sauce ever! It's not too sweet or too salty. Plus you know it's fresh, and you can make exactly the amount you need! I just love the pineapple in it, too. It adds a sweet, juicy flavor.

Plus, this is a very healthy dish! It has protein, fiber, good carbs, vitamin C (pineapple), and is very low in fat! You can't buy chicken teriyaki that's this yummy & good for you!

*One last thing- if you aren't up for making the sauce yourself, my recommendation for bottled sauce is this kind. It also scored decently in Cook's Illustrated taste tests. I got mine at WinCo.

Chicken Nuggets

Lately I've been having fun taking a food I've never made from scratch before (or even though it was possible), searching for a recipe, and making it. Today that recipe was chicken nuggets! I've made baked chicken strips before, but never like this, with ground up meat. The chicken consistency was similar to McDonald's nuggets, but these ones tasted fresher and I'm sure have a ton less ingredients. (I just checked- these have 8 ingredients, the McDonald's ones have 28. Yikes!)

They passed the taste test of my 5 year old chicken-nugget-fiend! I liked them too, as did my other 2 kids. I made a half batch of this recipe and it was the perfect amount for us. I'm not sure that they would reheat well. If I ever get around to trying that, I'll update here.

Basically- these are very good chicken nuggets, healthier than ones you can buy, but they take a little time to make and it dirties quite a few dishes. But if you're like me and want to experiment, then by all means, try these! :) I don't have time to type it up right now, but the recipe is from here. I followed it exactly except for making a half batch (and I omitted the parsley flakes). Mine took 5 minutes to cook on each side.

Frying them in my new cast iron dutch oven

Ham & Broccoli Casserole

This recipe is one of the oldest ones I have- as in, I specifically remember eating it when I was a kid. Growing up, broccoli was my "most tolerated" vegetable, so I was much happier to be served this than other dinners (that included things like corn, which everyone else liked and I hated). It's a pretty flexible meal, and I don't really measure things when I make it.

The kids like this one, because it's similar to mac & cheese, and I like that it has protein & a vegetable in it! It's ready in about an hour, start to finish.



Ham & Broccoli Casserole
Printable version here

1 head broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
6 oz. cooked diced ham
7 oz. macaroni (approx.),
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 can cream of celery (or a half batch of this)
1 tbsp. mustard
1/4 cup bread crumbs

1. Cook noodles and steam broccoli, until both are al dente- tender, but not too soft.*

2. Mix all ingredients (except bread crumbs) in a large bowl, and pour into an ungreased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish (such as a 9x9 inch pan). Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs.

3. Bake uncovered at 350º for 20 minutes or until hot & bubbly.

*I haven't tried this, but next time I think I'll add the broccoli to the boiling noodles, when the noodles have about 5 minutes left. Normally I prefer to steam broccoli, but I think it would be fine to save a pot and cook it this way. I'll update this when I try it (or let me know how it works if you try it!).

Why I love it? It's pretty easy, and the kids eat it! I made it because I had some leftover ham to use up. I like that the mustard helps the sauce to be a little tangy. Someday I'll figure out how to make this without using the canned cheddar soup, but at least it's not too processed of a dinner. Some days you just need something quick! :)

Beef Stew

I have been cooking up a storm lately, but between housework & homeschooling, my blog time has been limited... I'll try to get a few up tonight though. I have a lot of posts that are about half done.

This is what I made for tonight's dinner. Everyone ate it & loved it, and I even have a little left over for tomorrow! I've made this beef stew many times. Like all crock pot meals, it was so nice to prep it in the morning, and have my afternoon be not so crazy! That gave me more time to make the rolls I served with this.



The prepped vegetables (next time I think I'll add more carrots)


Searing the flour-coated beef chunks before putting them in the crock pot (optional)


Beef Stew
Printable version here

1 pound cubed beef
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika

2 cups beef broth (or one can)
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf (optional)
2 carrots, peeled and diced into 1/2" slices
1/2 onion, diced
1 rib celery, diced into 1/2" slices
2 Yukon potatoes, diced into 1/2" cubes

1. Combine beef, flour, salt, pepper & paprika in a large Ziploc bag; shake to coat meat. Place into crock pot. (Optional- heat a skillet over medium heat, add enough oil to coat the pan, and add flour-coated beef. Brown on all sides, then add broth. Stir, bring to a simmer, then carefully pour into crock pot.)

2. Add all remaining ingredients to crock pot. Cook on low for about 6-7 hours or until done. Remove bay leaf, and serve. Serves 4.

*Note- supposedly searing the meat before putting it in the crock pot helps to add flavor. I've done it both ways, and I can't really tell a difference... next time I'll probably go back to putting it straight into the crock pot, without searing first.

Why I love it? Well it's not fancy, but it is yummy, hearty, and my favorite version of beef stew. It's a good all-in-one meal. You can add bread and/or salad, but for the most part, there's not much you need to do when it comes to serving time.