Crockpot Chicken Tetrazzini

This is super easy and yummy. It just takes a while to cook in the crockpot...


Ingredients

• 3 cups water
• 4 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 jar sliced mushrooms, drained (I didn't put this in. Yucky mushrooms!)
• 1 can Cream of Chicken or Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 2 cups cooked, cubed chicken or turkey
• 7 oz. uncooked vermicelli or angel hair pasta, broken into 2 inch pieces (I use elbow pasta)

Directions 

1. Place all ingredients in your crockpot EXCEPT pasta. Stir.
2. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low all day.
3. Add pasta, stir, cover, cut pot off and let sit with lid on for 1 hour. Stir and serve.

The Best Ham and Potato Soup

This is my favorite ham and potato soup ever! We even made it once without ham because we were on a vegetarian kick for awhile, and it was still yummy. If you are feeling a little adventurous, you can top with cheese, sour cream, green onions, etc. Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

• 7 cups peeled and diced potatoes
• ⅔ cup diced celery
• ⅔ cup finely chopped onion
• 1½ cup diced cooked ham
• 6½ cups water
• 4 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 2 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste (2 tsp os a bit much, I would put in less)
• 10 tablespoons butter
• 10 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups milk

Directions:

1. Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.


2. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.


3. Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Take about a cup of soup and blend it up in the blender. Mix back into the soup. Serve immediately.

Chocolate-Drizzled Strawberries and Cream Pie

I made this dessert for Easter, and it was a hit! It was a bit runny because I didn't mix the whipped cream mixture enough. Don't make the same mistake! It was still good though. I melted a Symphony chocolate bar and drizzled it on top. Mmmm...(Eat it the same day you make it, it doesn't sit well overnight.)

1 quart fresh strawberries (Don’t use frozen strawberries.)
1 8-oz. package cream cheese at room temperature (light is fine)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 9″ graham cracker crust (store-bought or homemade)
1-2 ounces chocolate

In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. In a separate large bowl, beat the whipping cream and powdered sugar until medium peaks form.  Add about 1 c. of the whipping cream mixture to the cream cheese mixture. Beat until smooth and well-combined. Add the remaining whipping cream mixture and mix until just combined.  Spread in the graham cracker crust and refrigerate for a few minutes while you prepare the strawberries.

Wash the strawberries and cut off the stems. Blot dry with a paper towel and then gently press, cut side down, into the whipped cream mixture. Set aside.

If using a chocolate bar, break it into equal pieces and place in a small Ziploc bag. Microwave for 1-1 1/2 minutes, stopping the microwave every 20 seconds to mash the bag. You want the chocolate to be melted but not hot at all. When the chocolate is melted, snip a corner off the bag and drizzle it over the strawberries. Refrigerate for at least three hours before serving. Serves 8.

Another Our Best Bites Recipe

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

I got this recipe from Our Best Bites cookbook. They are so yummy! I made them for lunch today, and Ryan said they were too good to be lunch food, he felt like we just had dinner. These are really easy to make, especially since I made the shredded chicken (Lisa's method) the night before. Yummy!

Ingredients:

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro (I didn't use this, yuck!)
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese
Small corn or flour tortillas
Kosher salt (Next time I would skip this too!)
Cooking spray

1. Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

2. Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well. You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

3. Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

4. Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll it up as tight as you can.

5. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

6. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Makes 12-16

Ryan and I dipped them in salsa. They are tasty!

The BEST way to make Shredded Chicken

I made shredded Chicken on Monday. It took me 30 minutes to shred the chicken. I hated every minute of it. I made shredded chicken today, and it took me less than a minute. Here’s what you do:

#1. Cook the chicken. I prefer to put the frozen chicken in a pot of water on super low for over an hour. That way I don’t have to keep an eye on it. It’s sort of like a crock pot. Or if you’re short on time, boil it the more traditional way.

#2. Drain the water out. I get salad thongs, remove the chicken and dump out the water really fast.

#3. Get out your electric mixer (or kitchen aid if you’re lucky enough to have one. I don’t.) Turn it on low and go at it. Some chicken may go flying, be careful. Then, once the chicken is broken up, put the mixer on a higher setting. You might have four or five small little fatty pieces that won’t break up, but I like to be able to find them easily after I’m done. Then I remove the fat by hand and tear it into smaller pieces.

#4.  Make enchiladas, chimichangas, or chicken salad. YUM!

I made enchiladas, but I didn’t want to roll up each one, so I made them lasagna style.

Layers: 1-tortillas, 2-chicken, 3-cooked onions and peppers, 4-sauce, 5-cheese, 6-tortillas, 7-chicken, 8-onions and peppers, 9-sauce, 10-cheese, 11-tortillas, 12-sauce, top-cheese.

Ta-Da! Chicken Enchilada Lasagna!

It’s in the oven now. I’ll tell you how it turns out.

(made using Julie/Mom’s recipe in the family cookbook)

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is already in the family cookbook, but I absolutely love it...so I'm going to post it again. This cookie recipe is unique because it has no egg in it, so Ryan doesn't feel guilty about eating the cookie dough. Seriously, best. cookies. ever.

1 cup soft butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 t baking soda
¼ cup boiling water
1 t vanilla
1 ¼ cup flour
½ t salt
2 cups quick oats
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips

1. Cream butter and sugar together.
2. Dissolve baking soda in boiling water, stir into butter/sugar mixture.
3. Add vanilla, then dry ingredients and chocolate chips.
4. Drop small balls onto ungreased  cookie sheet.
5. Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Enjoy!

Quick and Easy No Bake Cookies

Ryan asks for these every week. They are so easy to make! I would recommend using the quick bake oats instead of the regular ones though. The first time I made it, I used regular ones. They were good, but the oatmeal was really chewy. Lesson learned.

No-Bake Chocolate, Peanut Butter & Oatmeal Cookies

Yield: 2 to 3 dozen cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cooling Time: 30 minutes

½ cup (1 stick) butter
2 cups granulated sugar
½ cup milk
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
½ cup peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups quick-cooking oats

1. Add the first four ingredients (through the cocoa powder) to a 4-quart saucepan.
2. Bring to a rolling boil and let boil for 1 minute.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth, then stir in the oats.
5. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto wax paper-lined baking sheets.
6. Let cool until set. (And they really do set! I was skeptical...)

Another Brown Eyed Baker recipe. Yum!

Turkey Sandwich Rolls

I don't really have a recipe for these. I just kinda made it up by looking at the store bought ones. But I make them for Jason for lunch all the time and we both love them. I even brought them to a baby shower once and they were a huge hit. So here are the directions:

Ingredients:

Turkey sandwich meat (or any other kind of sandwich meat)

Sliced or shredded cheese, any flavor

Spinach leaves (lettuce can be substituted, but it doesn't roll as nicely)

Thinly sliced tomatoes

Mayonnaise

Mustard or Salad dressing (I like Ranch or Caesar)

Tortillas (white taste better than wheat, but I've used both)

Tooth picks

1. Spread out desired number of tortillas. Each tortilla makes three sandwich rolls. Spread thin layer of mayonnaise. Add mustard or salad dressing, mixing it with the mayonnaise.

2. Lay out slices of sandwich meat to cover the entire tortilla.

3. Spread shredded cheese over the top. If using sliced cheese, tear in half and make a line across the center of the tortilla, using about 2 halves (sometimes 3 if the tortillas are especially large).

4. Line tomato slices up next to the cheese slices.

5. Evenly spread the spinach leaves over the tortilla.

6. Roll the tortilla tightly, in the opposite direction of the cheese and tomato rows.

7. Insert three toothpicks: one about an inch from each edge and one in the center to hold the roll in place.

8. Cut the turkey roll between the toothpicks.

9. Enjoy!

I have tried several varietes. One combo is mayo/mustard with turkey and cheddar. Another uses Ranch dressing, provolone cheese and turkey. A Caesar variety uses Caesar dressing, shredded Parmesan cheese and turkey.

And make sure to remove the toothpicks before eating!

Introduction

Hi Family! I remember David mentioning over the break that we should have a place where we can continue to update our family cookbook. I thought this could work. Feel free to add whatever recipes are your favorites!

Vanilla Cupcakes

Last Sunday Ryan and I were craving cupcakes. We didn't have any cake mix or frosting. And it was Sunday, so we couldn't go to the store. Sad day...until I found this recipe. It was a lot easier to make than I thought I was going to be. Also this is the first cake recipe that I've tried that, in my opinion, tastes better than cake mixes. I was in love.

Yield: 12 cupcakes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 20 to 24 minutes

Ingredients:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
½ cup sour cream
1 large egg , room temperature
2 large egg yolks , room temperature
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin/cupcake tin with paper or foil liners.

2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add butter, sour cream, egg and egg yolks, and vanilla; beat at medium speed until smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula and mix by hand until smooth and no flour pockets remain.

3. Divide batter evenly among cups of prepared tin. Bake until cupcake tops are pale gold and toothpick or skewer inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 24 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from tin and transfer to wire rack; cool cupcakes to room temperature before frosting.


Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Yield: Enough to frost 12 cupcakes
Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2½ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice.

2. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla, mixing until incorporated. Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.

You can store any unused buttercream in the refrigerator in an airtight container; let it come to room temperature and then give it a quick whip in the mixer before using.

(Cupcake recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated; Frosting recipe is a Brown Eyed Baker original)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I found this recipe on thepioneerwoman.com. It is pretty tasty!

Ingredients

• 2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1-½ teaspoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• ½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 cup Diced Onion
• ¼ cups Diced Green Bell Pepper
• ¼ cups Red Bell Pepper
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 can Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies
• 32 ounces, fluid Low Sodium Chicken Stock
• 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 4 cups Hot Water
• 2 cans Black Beans, Drained
• 3 Tablespoons Cornmeal Or Masa
• 5 whole Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches

Garnishes:

• Sour Cream
• Diced Avocado
• Diced Red Onion
• Salsa Or Pico De Gallo
• Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
• Cilantro

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.

Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.

Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.

Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more if needed—add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.

Ladle into bowls, then top with sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, and grated cheese, if you have it! (The garnishes really make the soup delicious.)