Salsa Chicken Slow Cooker Style!

Crazy crazy CRAZY easy recipe.  I saw different variations on a few different sites, so here is my variation!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 can cream of chicken soup ( you could use mushroom.  I don't dig fungi.)
• 1 cup salsa 
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 package taco seasoning OR 2 tablespoons of homemade taco seasoning 
• 1 cup sour cream 
• cilantro (optional)
• green onion (optional)
• shredded cheese (optional)

Directions:
1.  In the slow cooker add the chicken, soup, salsa, beans, and taco seasoning.  Mix well
2.  Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.
3.  If desired, remove chicken and shred.  Return to slow cooker.
4.  Mix in sour cream.
5.  Serve over rice and topped with your choice of toppings. 

Enjoy!

Crushed Oreo and Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love Oreos.  I love Chocolate Chip cookies.  I have seen around online Oreos baked into a chocolate chip cookie.  The idea of that turned me off a bit.  I didn't want to crunch a big cookie inside a cookie.  So I got to searching and found this recipe!  SO GOOD!

Ingredients:

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 6 Tbsp. sugar
• 6 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 11 Oreo cookies, broken/crushed
• 1 cup chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet )

Directions:

1.  Put the cookies in a plastic bag, I divided them into two bags, and get a spoon.  

This is the fun part. Commence WHACKING!

2.  Once fully whacked, preheat the oven to 350F.  
3.  Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until well combined.
4.  Add egg and vanilla to mixture and mix well.
5.  In a medium sized bowl add flour, baking soda, and salt.  Mix well with a whisk.
6.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.  I did this in about 3 parts.  Mix until combined.
7.  Stir in Oreos and chocolate chips until just combined.

8.  Scoop cookies onto your cookie sheet.  I used my cookie scoop.  This is about
     a tablespoon size and the  greatest thing ever invented.  You get round cookies
     and uniform size which means uniform cooking time.  If you don't have one, you
     need one.

I got this one at Bed Bath and Beyond.

See how nice they look with the scoop?

9.  Bake for about 9 - 11 minutes.  You want them soft, but not too soft.
10.  Cool on the sheet for 2 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack.

ENJOY!!

Why yes, Nate is eating his off a wooden spoon dipped in his milk. Doesn't your 3 year old do this?

From: What's Baking in the Barbershop?

Banana Bread

Cleaning the kitchen counters this morning I was excited to find out my bananas were super ripe.  First thought that went through my head was WOO HOO!  Banana bread time.

Being addicted to Pinterest, I decided to see if I could find any interesting recipes.  I found one, then I changed a whole bunch of things.  So I can say that this recipe is made, by me!  An original!  Woot!

Now, this bread is moister then most.  So it does not have the hard crunchy top, but fabulous. 

I love honey.  I think using it gives the bread an interesting flavor.  If you are not a honey fan, or don't have any, you can substitute 2/3 cup sugar in its place.  This will probably also help with the lack of crunchy top.  Also I am guessing this is why the bread has a darker color to it.  This is not burned in the least bit, but just darker then a normal loaf.

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons sour cream

1/2 cup honey, I used clover honey

2 extra large eggs lightly beaten, at room temperature

1 1/2 cup mashed very ripe banana, 2-3 depending on size

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon vinegar

 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 305*F.   Lightly spray an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with baking spray.
2. In one bowl mix the mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla, and vinegar.  Set aside.
3. In medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Set aside.
4. In the bowl for a stand mixer beat together the butter and honey for about 2-3 minutes.
5. Add in the flour mixture.  I added this in three batches so my kitchen did not get covered.  Mix until combined.
6. Add the eggs and mix until fully combined.
7. Using a spoon stir in the banana mixture until just combined.  Do not over mix.
8. Pour into your prepared loaf pan.
9. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Ravioli in Sage and Butter Sauce

There are two things i love right now in the world.  This blog and Pinterest.  Why is this you ask?  Because of this blog I am being forced to expand my regular cooking routine and Pinterest is helping me do that.  I now base my meal planning around that.

Because of that, I found this wonderful recipe.  I did not really change anything other then the amount made.  Kinda perfect the way it was.

Ingredients:

• 1 can of pumpkin puree (Make sure it is PURE pumpkin. NOT pie filling)
• 4oz of cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• salt and pepper to taste
• Wonton wrappers
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• a few sage leaves

Directions:

1. Mix together the pumpkin, cream cheese, cumin, salt, and pepper.
2. Lay out your wonton wrappers.  Place a teaspoon amount in the center of each one.  Do not put too much in.  If  you do, it will squish out when you seal them.

     3.    Wet the edges with water.  I had a small glass with water and I dipped my
             finger in it and then just  ran  my finger around the edges.  You want it wet,
             but not drenched.

     4.  Fold the edges over and press to seal.  Make sure you get a tight seal
          to ensure the filling stays inside.

     5.  Repeat until all are filled.  I doubled the original recipe.  This recipe

          should use the whole pack of  wrappers.

   6.  At this point if you have more then you and your family can eat you can freeze

        them.  Place some flour on the bottom of a pan and place the raviolis onto the 

        flour.  Place in the freezer.  Once frozen you can transfer these to a freezer bag.

   7.  For the ones you will be eating now, place them in boiling salted water for 2 to 3 

        minutes.

   8.  Melt the butter in a pan with the sage.

   9.  Cook JUST until the butter browns.  You do not want it to burn.

  10.  Toss with the sauce and contemplate removing the others from the freezer to eat

          right now.

Enjoy!

Recipe from Closet Cooking

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

I know what you are thinking...SOUP?  It was 94 degrees today?!?  Are you crazy?

Yes.  Yes I am.

For this soup that is.  Someone I know posted it on a message board I frequent and I thought I would give it a try.  After checking over the recipe I noticed a few things I wanted to change and did.  :)  So...here is my version! WARNING!  I like spicy foods.  Feel free to reduce the taco seasoning! 

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 (16oz) can chili beans, undrained (mine was kidney beans with chili sauce-vegetarian)
• 1 (15oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 12 ounces (1 1/2 cups) chicken broth
• 2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
• 1/3 cup taco seasoning
• 3 1/2 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• shredded cheese, optional
• sour cream, optional
• tortilla chips, optional

Directions:

1. Add onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, tomatoes, taco seasoning, and chicken broth to the slow cooker.   Stir well.
2. Add the chicken breasts on top and push them down into the mixture until covered.
3. Set slow cooker to low and cook for about 5 hours.
4. Remove chicken breast and let them cool a bit.  Once cooled enough to handle, shred the breasts with two forks.  Then return the breasts to the slow cooker and stir.
5. Cover and continue cooking for 2 more hours.
6. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

Chicken Souvlaki Pitas with Tahini Sauce

One of my favorite meals!  This is SO good.  Serve with Baba Ghanoush and Baked Pita Chips for a complete meal!

Ingredients:

• One recipe of Tahini Sauce
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound chicken breast pieces, cut into one inch chunks
• Cucumber slices
• Shredded lettuce
• Pita bread

Directions:

1. Combine lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt, pepper, and chicken pieces in a bowl.  Toss well.
2. Spray a pan with non-stick spray, and heat on medium.
3. Add chicken mixture and cook until done.  Flipping every few minutes. 
4. Remove chicken from pan.
5. Split pitas in half and then CAREFULLY separate the bread.  It will create a pocket.
6. In the pocket put cucumbers down one side, shove lettuce in the bottom, and place chicken on top. You can add tomatoes if you want.  I am anti-raw tomatoes.  That is why mine is tomato free.
7. Top with the tahini sauce.

Enjoy!

Recipe from Cooking Light March 2011

Pita Chips.

Pita chips are SO easy to make and this way they end up not being fried!

So easy.  Feel free to add other spices to spice it up!

Ingredients:

• Pita
• Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400*F
2. Cut each pita into 8 triangles.
3. Brush/spray with olive oil.  I have an olive oil mister and found that it works wonderfully and just puts a light coating on each one.
4. Sprinkle lightly, or heavily you are the one that has to eat them, with kosher salt.
5. Bake for 5-7 minutes until crisp.  Keep an eye on them.  They will burn easily.

Enjoy with your favorite dip!