Taco Soup

I have never been a fan of taco soup, until now!  I had a friend share this recipe with me and the whole family LOVES it!  I think it something to do with Hormel Chili in it, our favorite canned chili.  I usually have to double it for my family of six, giving me a little bit of leftovers for lunches the following day. The recipe comes from here.  It calls for chicken, but I have left that out and just added an extra can of black beans when I make this.  Doing it this way also makes for a quick prep time if you want to do it on the stove top.

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped

1 (16 ounce) can chili beans (I use Hormel Chili with beans)

1 (15 ounce) can black beans

1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 C Beef Broth

1 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained

1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning

3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts (I make it without the chicken and add one more can of black beans.)

shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)

sour cream (optional)

crushed tortilla chips (optional)

cilantro (optional)

fresh lime juice (optional)

Instructions:

1.         Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, broth, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.

2.         Remove chicken breasts from the soup and shred. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips cilantro, and lime juice, if desired.

Green Chili Chicken

Looking to add a little kick to your chicken?  This has good flavor but not too spicy and hot.

I changed the directions up a bit, but the original recipe came from here.

Green Chili Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

 1 1/2 cups shredded pepperjack cheese

 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers, drained

 1/2 packet dry GF fajita seasoning

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 9 inch square baking dish (or similar size) with cooking spray. Place fajita seasoning in a plastic bag.  Add chicken and shake to coat.

Place chicken into the baking dish and top with green chilies. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove baking dish from oven. Drain juices, and top with pepperjack cheese.  Return to oven and bake for 10-15 more minutes or until cheese is melted and browned slightly. Remove and serve.

Tiny Spicy Chicken

One of our family favorites!!
This recipe came from some dear friends of ours from way back when.  This meal takes a little extra preparation, but well worth it!  I would probably call this our special occasion dinner...anniversary, Valentine's Day and sometimes Christmas Eve.  Serve it up with a side of ham fried rice or white rice and a veggie.  This is definitely a crowd pleaser.

Tiny Spicy Chicken

Ingredients:
3 lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Garlic Salt
2 Beaten Eggs
Cornstarch
Frying Oil

Sauce:
1 ½ tsp Chili Garlic Sauce or Sambal Fresh Chili Paste
1 ½ cup White Sugar
¾ cup Ketchup
3 tsp GF Soy Sauce
¾ cup Chicken Broth
6 tbsp Brown Sugar
¾ cup White Vinegar

Procedure:
Cut chicken to bite size pieces, sprinkle with garlic salt and let sit for one hour. After an hour, dip chicken into egg and then into cornstarch. Brown the chicken in a deep fryer or in oil until golden brown. Put chicken into 9 x 13 pan.

Mix white sugar, white vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, salt, chicken broth, chili paste, and brown sugar. Heat until sugar has dissolved. Pour sauce over the chicken. The sauce will be liquid at first. Put the chicken in the oven at 325 degrees. Bake for one hour, turning chicken every fifteen minutes or so. After approximately 45 minutes the sauce should have thickened and be baked to the chicken. Finish cooking and serve.

Serve over Rice.

Korean Beef or Chicken

My husband has already made it very clear that this recipe must be added into our menu rotation.  It was amazingly quick to make and was very tasty.  This was another pinterest find!  I think it would work  to use any meat of your choice as well.  Next time we make this I will be trying it with chicken.

**Update...2/1/2013...We love it with chicken!

Korean Beef
1 pound lean ground beef  (or 3-4 chicken breasts cubed)
1/4 - 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup GF soy sauce 
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced (I just used dry powdered ginger)
1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red peppers (to desired spiciness)
salt and pepper
1 bunch green onions, diced (don't skip this!)

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown hamburger or chicken 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. 

Dijon Mustard Chicken

I am so in love with how many great recipes are on Pinterest.  I have a bunch on file to try over the next little while.  I quite enjoyed this dish.  You definitely have to like mustard for this one!

Dijon Mustard Chicken

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Rosemary

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together mustard, syrup, and vinegar. Place chicken breasts into sprayed 9×13 baking dish.  Season with salt and pepper.  Pour mustard mixture over chicken.  Bake uncovered for about 30-40 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 165 degrees. Season with rosemary. 

Recipe came from  here.

Salsa Chicken

 My sister called me the other day and mentioned that she was trying this new recipe.  I told her to let me know how it turned out.  Yep, good enough that I got a phone call saying I had better try it!  So here it is. Thanks for sharing Cozy!!  The recipe came from here, and I switched out the creamed soup for a GF version.

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts 
1/3 C  creamed soup mix (found here)
1  1/4 C water
1-2 tsp GF chicken bullion or chicken paste
1 cup salsa
1 TB taco seasoning
1/2 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 cup sour cream 
optional: grated cheddar cheese to sprinkle on top when serving

Directions: 
Add dry soup mix, water and chicken bullion on stove top and cook until blended and thickened slightly.  Place chicken, soup, and salsa in slow cooker. Sprinkle taco seasoning over everything. Cook on low for 6 hours. If shredding the chicken, pull the breasts out and shred; return back to slow cooker. Stir in sour cream and continue cooking until everything is heated through.  Serve over rice.

Chicken and Crackers

I was cruising through Costco the other day and they were sampling these little snacks.  I got really excited when I realized how easy these would be to pack up for school lunches!!

1 13 oz.can of Chicken Breast (I used Costco's brand)

Mayonnaise (I like to use the one with olive oil in it)

Garlic powder

Ground black pepper

Crunch Master multi-grain Gluten Free crackers (can be bought at Sam's or Costco)

Drain water from chicken.  Add enough mayonnaise to moisten chicken.  Add garlic powder and pepper to taste.

Spoon onto crackers and enjoy.  Refrigerate any leftover chicken mixture.

**The following day we added some dill relish to the leftover chicken and it was awesome!!

Calypso Spinach Salad - Rumbi Island Grill Copycat

We spent the last week and a half in Utah visiting family for spring break.  We went to eat at Rumbi Grill and this is the salad I chose.  It is so delicious!!  I would like to figure out how to make my own Balsamic Vinaigrette that tastes just like theirs, but until then, I just bought Smith's Brand Private Selection Creamy Balsamic Light.

Baby spinach
Grilled chicken pieces
Bacon bits
Mandarin oranges
Feta cheese
Carrots - grated
Red onion finely diced
Caramelized walnuts ( I did not use these)
Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Delicious...no other words...

I did use chopped ham this time only because we are still trying to use up leftover holiday ham.  I also just added the salt and pepper to the seasoned crumb mix rather than sprinkling it on the chicken.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 slices Swiss cheese
4 slices cooked ham
1/2 cup seasoned crumbs (recipe below)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat a  baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Pound chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thickness. Sprinkle each piece of chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Place 1 cheese slice and 1 ham slice on top of each breast. Roll up each breast, and secure with a toothpick. Place in baking dish, and sprinkle chicken evenly with seasoned crumbs. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from oven, and place 1/2 cheese slice on top of each breast. Return to oven for 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Remove toothpicks, and serve immediately.

Seasoned Crumb Recipe

1 1/2-2 C  Rice Chex cereal (then place in bag and crush with a rolling pin)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 TB parsley
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 tsp garlic powder

Mix together in a bag.

Chicken and Ham Veggie Soup

I love soup on cold days and I was looking for a way to use up some of our leftover ham from the holidays.  This is a very flavorful soup.

4 C chicken broth
2 chicken breasts
1 large onion chopped
3 celery ribs chopped
1 C carrots chopped
1 14 oz. package frozen corn
1 can black beans rinsed and drained
1  can petite diced tomatoes
3/4 C chopped ham
1/4 C ketchup
1/2 TBS sugar
3 TBS red wine vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp dried marjoram (I used Oregano)
2 TBS taco seasoning.

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a large pot.  Add uncooked whole chicken breast, onion and celery.  Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add carrots, continue simmering for 15-20 more minutes.  remove chicken from pot and let cool slightly.  Shred chicken and put back in pot.  Add all remaining ingredients, cover and simmer on low for 30 more minutes.

***Crockpot version
Cube chicken and brown in frying pan.  Place all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until veggies are tender.

Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

I seriously cannot believe that I have not posted this recipe....We use it all the time!!  I LOVE the Olive Garden's Alfredo sauce, and a couple of years ago I received a collection of recipes in a cookbook that has a imitation version of their alfredo sauce.  It is SO good, you almost don't miss the bread sticks !!

Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

1 pint of Heavy Whipping Cream

1 cube of real butter
2 TB Cream Cheese
1 tsp garlic ( a like to use about 2 tsp)
½ - ¾ C Parmesan Cheese
**I like to add Black Pepper (add to your liking)

Melt together whipping cream, butter and cream cheese. Add garlic and parmesan cheese. Simmer together for 15 minutes or until smooth. Will thicken slightly. Pour over cooked pasta. We like to add chicken and sometimes broccoli.

**My personal opinion...Trader Joe's has the best Brown Rice Noodles.  In our area you can get a 16 ounce bag for $1.99.  That is the cheapest price for the best tasting noodle!!

Pita Bread Pockets

These pita bread pockets turned out really well.  The first few I rolled out were a little on the small side, but I made the last two much bigger and they held a lot more of the yummy sandwich stuffing.  We tried it with chopped up turkey lunch meat as well grilled barbequed chicken.  My husbands last words were: "we can definitely have these again!"

Pita Bread

1 pkg yeast (2 1/2 tsp)
1/2 C warm water
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 C brown rice flour
1/2 C tapioca flour
1 C sorgum flour
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 C warm water
1 egg or 1 TBS ground flaxseed mixed with 3 TBS warm water

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 C warm water.  Add sugar and stir until dissolved.  Let stand for 10-15 minutes unitl water is frothy.

Combine flours, xanthan gum and salt in large bowl using a heavy duty mixer (Bosch or Kitchen Aid).  Pour in yeast mixture and egg and mix on meduim for 2 minutes.  Add enough water so that dough is soft and tacky, not liquid.

Coat large bowl with vegetable oil and place dough in bowl.  Turn upside down so all dough is oiled.  Allow to sit in a warm place for about 2-3 hours or until it has increased in size.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Using bottom rack of oven, place baking sheet in oven as it preheats.

Pinch of 12 small  pieces of dough and place them on a floured surface.  Roll each ball into a circle about 5-6 inches across and 1/4 inch thick.  Place several circles on preheated baking sheet and bake for 4 minutes (until bread puffs up).  Turn over and bake for an additional 2 minutes.  Remove pitas from baking sheet with spatula.  Serve immediately.

Fill pitas with favorite sandwich condiments...lettuce, meat, cheese, olives, pickles, mayo and mustard.

FYI:
I use SAF instant yeast which does not need to be proofed.  So I added the dry yeast and sugar to the dry ingredients.  Then when the recipe calls for the liquids, that is when I added the 1/2 C warm water, egg and remaining 1/2-1 C warm water.

Crispy Herb Baked Chicken

Crispy Herb Baked Chicken

2/3 C dry potato flakes
1/3 C grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic salt
1 TB Italian seasoning
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp onion powder
3 lbs of chicken, skin removed, cut into pieces (I used boneless, skinless breasts)
1/3 C olive oil

Heat oven to 375°. Grease or line with foil a baking sheet or a 9 x 13 baking dish.
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except chicken and oil. Stir until well mixed. Dip
chicken into oil and then roll in potato flake mixture to coat. Place in prepared pan.
Bake 45-60 or until chicken is golden brown.

Dirty Rice

I can't take credit for this recipe.  My sister Michelle passed this one on to me and it was delicious!

 Thanks Sis.

Dirty Rice

1/4 cup Oil

1/4 cup Flour (rice or sweet rice flour)

2 oz Butter

1 Onion finely chopped

2 Garlic cloves crushed

1 Green Pepper

1 Celery Stalk

6 oz of Chicken breast cubed

8 oz of  Sausage Sliced (I used Hillshire Farms Polska Kielbasa Sausage)

2 tsp Chicken Stock Powder

1 tsp Tabasco Sauce

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1tsp Onion Powder

1/2 tsp Dried Thyme

1/2 tsp White Pepper...I just use Black

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/2 tsp Dried Oregano

2 Cups Long Grain Rice

3 Cups Chicken Stock.

Heat oil in pan, when hot, sprinkle with flour, mix together and whisk for 3 or four minutes, (whisking continuously) until the mixture is nut brown in color, but not burnt. Remove the roux from the pan to stop further cooking.

Heat the butter in a pan and add onion, garlic, green pepper, and celery. Cook stirring often for five minutes, or until the the veggies are soft, but not browned. Transfer to a plate.

Add the chicken and pork to the pan and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Return veggies to the pan and cook another 3 minutes. Stir in the Roux, Stock Powder, Tabasco, the garlic and onion powder and the herbs and spices. Stir well for a minute or two.

Then stir in the rice and chicken stock. Bring slowly to a boil, reduce heat to very low and simmer, stirring often for thirty minutes, or until the rice is tender. Serve immediately.

Dijon Mustard Pasta

The first time I made this recipe, I made the whole thing...way to much for one meal!  The second time I halved it and that was about the perfect amount for our family of five with enough leftovers for Jon's lunch.  It is very rich and creamy.  Shout out to my sister Michelle for sharing this recipe!!  If you are on a diet or counting calories and fat grams, this recipe is not for you!  I feel like meals like this are okay once in a while.  

I have noted the changes I made in red (only because those were the ingredients I had on hand when making this recipe) 

Dijon Mustard Pasta
Sauce (Full recipe listed below, I would recommend halfing it)
7 ½ tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons chopped garlic
3 ¾ tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 ¼ cup chicken broth
2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
1 ¼ cup milk (3 C  1% milk, (more or less depending on desired thickness of sauce) combined with cream cheese)
2 ½ tablespoons dijon mustard
5 tsp. fresh rosemary (oregano)
1 ¼ tsp. salt
1 ¼ tsp. fresh thyme
¾ tsp cayenne pepper
4½ cups of heavy whipping cream (replaced with 8 oz. of lowfat cream cheese)
2 ½ cup parmesan cheese
2 cooked breast cut in bite size pieces
6 slices of bacon cooked cut in 1” pieces
16 oz. of dried GF penne pasta, cooked as directed on package

1. Melt butter and garlic (don’t brown).
2. Dissolve cornstarch in small amount of chicken broth.
3. Add all sauce ingredients EXCEPT FOR PARMESAN CHEESE, stir with a whisk; and simmer about 10 minutes until thickened.
4. Stir in 2 ½ cup parmesan cheese, set aside.
5. Layer cooked pasta with chicken and bacon in a well sprayed casserole dish.
6. Spoon sauce over top.
7. Top with additional 1/4 C parmesan cheese mixed with paprika (to add color).
8. Cook at 475 ̊F for around 10-15 minutes until bubbly.

Lime Chicken Tostadas

This one will add some kick to your chicken!  The recipe below is for tostadas, but we made tacos instead.  I have noted those changes in red.

Lime Chicken Tostadas
½ C lime juice
¼ C soy sauce
¼ C vegetable oil
1 TB honey
2 tsp minced garlic
1 ½ tsp chili powder (optional)
1 lb boneless chicken breasts or tenders (I used pre-cut chicken strips)
Corn tortillas (Taco shells)
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese (Cheddar Cheese)
Shredded lettuce
Refried Beans

Mix first 6 ingredients to make a marinade. Add chicken, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours (best if over night). Cook or grill chicken. Cut into strips.

For tostadas, brush each side of the tortilla with oil and place on grill or pan and brown each side. Sprinkle tortilla with cheese, lettuce and chicken.
For tacos, spread beans inside the taco shell,add chicken and then favorite toppings after that.

**Optional toppings: Salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cilantro and green onions.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

This one is definitely a keeper!

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 8 oz. cream cheese

½ C grated mozzarella cheese (I used 1 slice of Provolone per chicken and did not mix it with the cream cheese)

½ tsp garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Bacon, partially cooked (I used turkey bacon and did not partially cook it)

Favorite BBQ sauce

Pound out chicken breasts with meat tenderizer. Mix together cream cheese, mozzarella, garlic and salt and pepper. Divide mixture between chicken breasts. Spread mixture on each chicken breast and fold in half. Wrap with bacon. Use a toothpick to keep bacon from coming unwrapped.   Cover bottom of a casserole dish with BBQ sauce and place chicken in the dish. Pour BBQ sauce on top of chicken. Bake uncovered at 350° for 45 minutes.

Tuscan Pumpkin Soup

The name and color of this soup was very daunting to me but I really wanted to try it. It was actually pretty good. You don't really taste to much of the pumpkin, more so the chicken broth.  It tastes very similiar to chicken noodle soup, only orange!

Tuscan Pumpkin Soup

2 TB Olive oil
2-4 cloves minced garlic
2 celery stalks chopped
½ large onion chopped
6 C chicken broth
1 15 oz. canned pumpkin
2 C cut, cooked chicken or turkey
1-2 cans great northern white beans (rinsed and drained)
Parmesan cheese

Sauté in olive oil:
Garlic, celery and onions

Smooth together:
Chicken broth and pumpkin

In large pot, add chicken/turkey and beans with all other ingredients and heat thoroughly. Serve with parmesan cheese on top.

**After following the first two steps, I combined mine in the crock-pot and let it simmer for a few hours.

Santa Fe Chicken

I can't believe that a whole year has passed since I started posting recipes.  My goal for this coming year is to  meal plan for the entire month and to try at least 4 new recipes a month.  Wish me luck! So here is recipe #1 for the month of January. I will be the first to admit that this is one of those meals that is hard to make look good in a picture, but it definitely tasted great.  It has a little bit of a kick to it.  I served mine with rice and tortilla chips and sprinkled it with cheddar cheese. 

4-6 chicken breasts cooked and shredded
1 can black beans rinsed and drained
1 can corn rinsed and drained
1 jar of mild green salsa
1 8 oz. pkg of cream cheese

Place everything in the crockpot and cook on high for 5-6 hours.
We sprinkled ours with cheddar cheese and added tortilla chips on the side.

**This is half of the original recipe and it still made ALOT.  Plenty of leftovers!

Turkey and Rice Soup

Need something to do with those turkey leftovers? Homemade turkey and rice soup hits the spot on a cold winter's night!

Turkey leftovers

8 C broth (chicken or vegetable)

carrots

celery

onions

garlic (to taste)

pepper (to taste)

bay leaf

1 C rice (mine was already cooked)

Bring broth to boil and add vegetables and spices. When veggies are tender, add turkey and rice. Cook until heated through.

**Chicken could be used as well.