Cupcake Pot Pies and My Issues with Chicken...

Chicken. I love chicken. But, I am picky with my chicken.

I don't want skin, and I sure don't want a bone. I don't do fried chicken. Well, I can cook some mean fried chicken - but, me eat it? No thank you! The texture of the skin - not my thing. I can't eat chicken off of a bone. In fact, I don't really like meat on a bone. I can eat ribs, but I am always told I waste meat. Something about maneuvering around a bone weirds this lady out! So, I have chicken on a bone with skin marinating for my family to eat tomorrow night for dinner while I work late at work. I don't want them to suffer for my weirdness with foods!  (Chicken rant over! Ask me one day about pickles...)

Chicken Pot Pies on my Birthday Bucket List to make. So here goes my attempt. I am going to make Cupcake versions for my kids for lunch. Wish me luck!

Ingredients

Prepping for the Pot Pie Cupcakes

• Canned Biscuits (I used my family's favorite & want I had on hand - Honey Butter Biscuits)
• Mixed Veggies of your choice (My kids love Sweet Peas & Carrots)\
• Chopped up chicken, cooked
• Can of Cream of Chicken coup (I had Cream of Potato with Bacon, so that is what I used - plus, you can NEVER go wrong with bacon)
• Cheese (which I omitted because we are a family who is 80% lactose intolerant, and the soup will be enough)
• Spices (Onion powder, garlic salt and basil)

HOW TO

Very simple:

• Take EVERYTHING, sans biscuits and mixed it up.
• Press the biscuits into your cupcake pans and press up the sides.
• Scoop your mixture in, and fill it up good.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes depending on your biscuits and voilà!

RESULTS

Final Product

And the results... The kids LOVED it. :) Bacon was a great addition. I had extra mix, so I also made a larger one for dinner! This will become a regular in my meal planning rotation!

An 8 Year Old, a 4 Year Old and a 3 Year Old...

A broken laptop and 50 Shades of Grey can cause someone like me to be MIA in the blogverse for 6 months. BUT... Have no fear:

my kids may still be 8,4 and 3... But, my laptop is working and I am done with the obsession known as Fifty Shades of Grey. :-) I am still Crockpot Crazy, Frugal as I can be while working full time and finding time to sleep when I am not reading. Which leads into my next portion of the lost 6 months...

Fifty Shades, Crossfire, the Host, a little Janet Evanovich, some Karen Marie Moning and Real Vampires with Gerry Bartlett... I have been all over the world in the last 6 months. While my husband will claim I haven't left the couch... These books took me places. Almost 2 years since Borders shut their doors, and I am still the crazy person who packed FIVE books for an 8 day vacation with my 2 youngest. I read TWO! Charlie Tango sighting ever since. One day, I will find myself embracing the book world for a living again. I ask one thing of each of you - DO NOT forget the adventures you had reading Goosebumps or Hardy Boys. The love you felt reading Twilight, for you TWIHARDS. Or the first time you stayed up til 2 in the morning reading a sci-fi book because you couldn't figure what was going to happen, and YOU couldn't go to sleep not knowing. I remember in 10th grade, when I first picked up Harry Potter. That was 1999-2000, and it wasn't until 10 years later when the saga ended. It was a part of my childhood. And if you read on your Nook, Kindle or that good old fashion PAPER book, don't ever stop. Our kids need to love getting lost in a book. My kids love bookstores and libraries. (THANK GOD for that, or they would be bored at the amount of time I spend in them.) I hear parents talking their kids out of the book they are asking for and offering a toy instead. ARE YOU CRAZY? Your kid wants to read!!! Embrace it. When they are in high school and have to read Dickens, Austen, Shakespeare and so on... They will have no fear... and NO cliff notes at the last minute in lieu of the novel...*off my literary soapbox now*

In short, I am back and curious as to what I am going to cook in my Crockpots next... For now, I am off to work y'all! Have a margarita for me on this chilly Cinco de Mayo!

Til next blog...

sMashed Potatoes (#24)

Thanksgiving Eve.

Just got off work, heading to the store for the items I forgot when I was pre-planning. Haha. I am doing a lot of firsts this go around. I don't do pies and I am making a low-fat Chocolate Cream pie and a Gluten Free Sweet Potato pie for my little sister-in-law. :) (And an apple pie!) Thinking I will head to the store in the morning, and try my hand at a Strawberry pie - kind of in a pie mood.

But the magic happened in my Crockpot. My in-laws are the masters of instant mashed potatoes. They are good, but this gal grew up with boiled, peeled and mashed deliciousness of homemade smashed potatoes. Crockpot mashed potato recipes are all over the Internet, but most start with boiling on the stove. I consider it a CP recipe if I cook it ALL in my partner in crime, Sir Crockpot.

Finally, I found one. I didn't add all the extra ingredients that the author of the recipe did. I just needed to know how long they needed to cook in the CP. I like potatoes enough to know they don't need all the bells and whistles.

What you need:

*5 pounds of potatoes (I used russet this time, but Red and Yukon's work great too!)
*2 cups of chicken broth (or 2 cups of water and a bullion cube)
*Milk
*Fat Free Cream Cheese

The How:

1)Quarter the potatoes and toss into the Crockpot.
***You can peel or leave the skins on. I am a fan of the skins and I use the excuse with others who don't like them, that they are where you get the good stuff from. You can also cut them smaller if you need them to cook quicker. Add your chicken broth, or water if you prefer.

2)Cook on high for 4-5 hours, low for 7-8 hours - and then mash. (Depending on the amount of liquid left in the potatoes, you might want to drain. I had very little, and left most in for flavor)

3)The rest is really to taste. Everyone has a preference with smashed potatoes: fluffy, thick, chunky, etc. You add 1/2 block of FF cream cheese, and blend. (More or less to your taste) And then slowly add milk until you reach the consistency that you love.

I have to tell you, these taste incredible. And plus, it left a spot on the stove top open and allowed me to nap while I was waiting for the oven to open up for my bird. I love turkey. :) I hope everyone has an incredible holiday. Make sure you thank God, not only today - but everyday, for all he has and will continue to bless you with. My pastor said something that has stuck with me all week:

"If you woke up this morning with only what you gave thanks to God for yesterday, what would you be left with?"

Now, that is food for thought! Till next time...

Loaded Baked Potato Soup (#23)

On nights when Michael works, the kids and I can indulge in soup. My hubby is not much for soup eating. I, on the other hand, LOVE soup! And tonight, we have Loaded Baked Potato Soup in the Crockpot!

The finished soup, garnished with basil
from my kitchen herb garden!

The Ingredients

2.5 Pounds of Russet Potatoes

2 Cloves of chopped Garlic

1/2 Chopped Yellow Onion

32 Ounces of Chicken Stock (low sodium)

1 Block of Cream Cheese (fat free)

Bacon (low sodium Turkey bacon)

Parmesan Cheese

 

 

Chop up your potatoes, we like bite-size chunks in our soup, so ours are a little bigger than we see at the restaurants. It is really what you prefer. I also leave the skins on because it is the good for ya part of the potato, and they are YUM. Toss in your garlic, onion and chicken stock and cook on low for 8 hours.

 

The first time I made this, I followed the recipe to a tee. They instructed to puree the cream cheese in the soup. It was more dishes to transfer the soup to puree it, and I found that having the cream cheese sit for about 30 minutes, and adding it to the Crockpot works wonders. It does require a little attention with the stirring, but I prefer to keep the large chunks of potatoes. Makes the meal seem more filling that way.

 

On to the garnish. :-) My favorite part. I substitute pork bacon for Turkey bacon, our local store has an amazing low sodium Turkey bacon that is to die for. My kids don't really know pork bacon, so they don't taste a difference. I chop up the bacon, cook it and stir it in the soup. True, that doesn't make it a garnish really, but I like bacon throughout. Low-fat Parmesan cheese is sprinkled on top and served.

 

This is one of my favorite soups, and GREAT for those cold winter days. I do hope you enjoy this version of Loaded Baked Potato Soup. So happy for it to be winter and the soup making to commence! Until next time...

 



Beer Chicken!!! (#22)

I have been in a rut! I have resorted to a good 10 to 12 Crockpot meals that are a guaranteed win for this family, and have not really ventured out of my comfort bubble. While watching all the morning shows that I do not normally get to watch with work - I heard someone talk about their 'go-to' meal of Beer Chicken.

Hmmm.... Can I do this in the Crockpot?

Yes I can, according to a fellow blogger at http://www.mydailydish.com/.

The Ingredients!!!

Ingredients

4-6 Chicken Breasts (You can use a whole chicken also, fresh or frozen.)
1/2 tsp Basil
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
1 bottle Beer






Toss it all in your Crockpot and walk away. How long do you ask? It depends:

FRESH CHICKEN
3-4 hours - HIGH
7-8 - LOW

FROZEN CHICKEN
4-5 - HIGH
8-10 - LOW

The recipe I found used Garlic Powder, Basil, Paprika, Salt and Pepper. She also stated, she used those because that is what she had. :-) Good deal, because I was out of Paprika, and we LOVE LOVE LOVE Crushed Red Pepper in the Crockpot! So please, take chances with the spices you and your loved ones enjoy! You know your taste buds best!!!

The finished product!
 

The Verdict:

YUM! Kids ate it with Mac & Cheese, Hubs ate it with Beans and Rice, and I ate my wrapped up in a corn tortilla. Totally a new one in the Crook Family rotation!!!

Crock Pot Pie (#21)

Hello Birthday Bucket List! #15 - COMPLETE!!!

Amanda will be proud, I finally made a Pot pie, and it was AMAZING.

The Ingredients

Ingredients

Chicken - 2 skinless, boneless breasts

Corn - 1/2 cup frozen

Peas - 1/2 cup frozen

Onion Powder - dash

Milk - 1/2 cup

Basil - dash

Butter - 2 Tablespoons

Flour - 3 Tablespoons

Chicken Broth - 1/2 cup

Salt - dash

Pepper - dash

Canned Biscuits - 1 can

 

 

I didn't have Cream of ANYTHING soup, so I had to improvise, and that is where a lot of the ingredients came from.

 

{1 Tablespoon of butter and  3 Tablespoons of flour to make a base. Ass the 1/2 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of Chicken Broth, salt and pepper and ta-da  - you have a substitute.}

 

The Finished Crust <3

First, you want to spray your Crockpot, and toss in cut up chunks of chicken. [I read in several recipes that many prefer dark meat, but we only had breasts] Next I added the frozen corn and peas. Again, every recipe had different veggies, and most had celery. This is what I had on hand. Add the spices of your choosing to the pot as well. Finally, you add your soup or soup substitute and mix well. Several different recipes had awesome dough recipes, and options to take your Crockpot liner out and toss the biscuits on and toss in the oven. I didn't have the time or the oven. I took a can of biscuits, and placed them on top of the filling. Added some honey to sweeten the "crust." Placed the lid on top and put a knife between the lid and pot to eliminate the condensation on the crust. Times varied from 3-4 hours on high to 6-hours on low. I choose 3-4 hours on high. At 3 1/2 hours the filling was smelling delicious and the crust was perfect.

 

I really did enjoy this recipe, and with the weather finally feeling like Fall - it was a perfect warm feeling meal. The kids loved the chicken and sauce. I loved the biscuits. Overall, a win for this family and I cannot wait to play with other substitutions with veggies and adding potatoes.

 



The Finished Plate

As you can see, I made a small portion. I was not confident in this recipe. It is something I was never made or ate in my life. You can just adjust the amounts accordingly. This was enough for 4 servings with a side of mashed potatoes.

 

Enjoy Y'all!

 

 

Crockpot Honey Cola Ham (#20)

As a mother of 3, I face struggles daily with picky eaters. I make shaped sandwiches, foods have silly names, and there are rewards systems for trying new foods. (Sue me! I know there are not supposed to be rewards attached to foods, but it works!) My biggest struggles right now are Malakai and his inability to try new things. At 7, he thinks he knows what he likes and that it that. And he knows he DOES NOT eat ham. (Sheesh, that is a harsh thing to hear for a Thanksgiving Dinner loving gal like myself) And then my sweet diva-like daughter, Alannah doesn't want to eat meat unless it is turkey bacon or grilled chicken bites.

While Malakai is at school today, and the kids and I have a play date, my Crockpot will be slaving over a Cola Ham. Let's see how this turns out.

 

Ingredients

These is how it looks PRE-Crockpot! <3 (Brown Sugar
is in the Cupcake)

Boneless Ham (size accordingly to what you need)

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

4 Tablespoons of Honey

I Tablespoon of Mustard

2 (8oz.) cans of Cola

 

You are going to want to make a paste out of the brown sugar, honey and the mustard. This will be rubbed on the sides of the ham that have been scored. (Keep in mind, you can score both sides - just don't go any deeper than an 1/8 of an inch.) Put that rubbed on ham into your Crockpot and pour the 2 cans of cola into the pot. Be careful not to pour directly onto your ham, otherwise all that rubbing will have been a waste. Toss the lid on, turn that knob to low and ENJOY your day for the next 7-8 hours. Alannah, Kal'El and myself are off to the park for a play date while our partner in crime, Crockpot, slaves over the ham.

When this is done, Alannah and I will whip up a quick bowl of Honey Mashed Potatoes. (Regular Mashed Potatoes with honey swirled in. The kids ADORE them!)

***SIDENOTE: I do use a lot of honey. And if you are curious as  to why - here goes. I grew up in a family with very little allergies. When we moved to the South, my little family's allergies exploded. And I was told a teaspoon of local honey will help fight the allergies. And honestly it does. I give them a straight up teaspoon sometimes, but cooking with it is fun. Now, the honey bear - Alannah and Kal'El love Sir Honeybear, so I pour the local honey into a cleaned out Kroger Honey Bear container, and they know to grab honey bear. :-) I love my kiddos!

THE VERDICT:
We all loved it!!! I used a pre-sliced ham, so that was even less work that I needed to do. :-)

101 Books to Read Before I die...

Hello World, Blogging about cooking has not been on my to-do list lately. I have been cooking, but nothing SPECTACULAR. I vow to get back into the groove, but with a kid to get ready for 2nd grade, a diva who keeps finding a way to cut her hair, and potty training the baby - there hasn't been a ton of time to experiment in the kitchen. I have been relying on my Ol' Faithfuls. I did receive a Cake Pop maker, and we have been enjoying Pancake Balls, Corn Dog Bites, Cheese Ball Bites, Muffin Balls and all that fun stuff. Kids (and the Hubbs and I) enjoy bite size foods! But this post is not about the kitchen - it's about my MISSION: MISSION BOOK BUCKET LIST...

Below is a list that has been made of the 101 Books they (whoever "THEY" are) suggest one should read. The plan is to tackle them at the pace of - 1 per TWO week period. I am not going to abandon my Vampires, the Fae, the New Jersey Police Department, Wares, Sidhe-Seers, Vampyres, Bounty Hunters, etc... so the book per 2 week period is in addition to the book I always carry in my bag. (Not purse, my husband claims I look like a BAG lady with my totes... Haha, I adore my totes!) So, here goes the list. I have read a few of these, but it has been a LONG time... so RE-reading is a must. I am hoping to get this fellow friend of mine to join me, in hopes that I can be able to vent about how terrible the book is, or how much I love it!!! We will see if she joins me. (Plus, then we can go out to eat every 2 weeks... YUM!) It will take about 4 years to get through the list - EKKK, that is a big commitment for someone who took a year to complete the 60 day photo challenge. HAHA Wish me luck! (Luck for completing, and luck for buying 100 additional books to the 5 or so I buy every 2 weeks...Do you think Michael will notice the additional packages? Haha, feel free to send me y'alls copies!!!! Save a nerd some money!!!)

1. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
2. Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
3. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
4. Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
5. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
6. Perfume by Patrick Suskind
7. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel G. Marquez
8. All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
9. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
10. Atonement by Ian McEwan
11. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
12. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
13. Beloved by Toni Morrison
14. The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
15. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
16. Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
17. The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank
18. Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
19. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
20. Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee
21. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
22. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
23. The Crow Road by Iain Banks
24. Dracula by Bram Stoker
25. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
26. Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres
27. The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber
28. The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey
29. A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
30. The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse
31. An Evil Cradling by Brian Keenan
32. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
33. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
34. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
35. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick
36. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
37. The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles
38. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
39. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
40. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
41. Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski
42. Hey Nostradamus! by Douglas Coupland
43. If This Is A Man by Primo Levi
44. What A Carve Up! by Jonathan Coe
45. If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things* by Jon McGregor
46. An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears
47. The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat by Oliver Sacks
48. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
49. Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
50. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
51. In Patagonia* by Bruce Chatwin
52. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
53. Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy
54. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
55. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
56. *Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
57. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
58. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
59. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
60. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
61. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
62. Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
63. The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
64. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
65. Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson
66. The Monk by Matthew Lewis
67. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
68. New York Trilogy by Paul Auster
69. Northern Lights* by Philip Pullman
70. The Odyssey by Homer
71. The Outsider by Albert Camus
72. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
73. Possession by A.S. Byatt
74. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
75. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
76. Rabbit, Run by John Updike
77. The Reader by Bernard Schlink
78. The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg
79. What We Talk About When We Talk About Love* by Raymond Carver
80. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell
81. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
82. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
83. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
84. The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins
85. Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
86. Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut
87. Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson
88. Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder
89. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
90. Stalingrad by Antony Beevor
91. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
92. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
93. Touching the Void by Jow Simpson
94. Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh
95. Waterland by Graham Swift
96. The Unbearable Lightness of Being* by Milan Kindera
97. The Wind Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
98. The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard
99. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
100. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
101. A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor

Chicken Tortilla Enchilada Soup (#19)

I have been playing with recipes for Chicken Tortilla soup, and nothing is quite like the one Albertson's used to sell. YUM! And I stumbled across one that uses enchilada sauce. So, I tried it. (This house LOVES us some enchiladas.) The recipe is super simple. It took me 15 minutes to gather and toss and the ingredients into the CP and I was on my merry way to work. Got home 8 hours later and the kitchen SMELLED amazing!

I adore soup! (As does my daughter, but that is it. The boys do not care for soup, so they had chicken nuggets...LOL) I like the chicken tortilla soup recipes that lean more towards the clearer broth, but this recipe was thicker and way more filling.

1 pound of skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce

2 cups of chicken broth (low sodium)

1 cup of diced tomatoes (fresh from a WONDERFUL co-workers garden!)

1/4 cup of diced green chills

1/2 ounce (1/2 shot) of minced garlic

1/4 cup of diced onions

1 cup of frozen corn

2 teaspoons of chili powder

pinch of salt (which was NOT needed!!!)

I sprayed the CP with a cooking spray and toss the chicken in, and then covered it with the remaining ingredients. Covered, and cooked on low for 6 to 8 hours. :-)

POST - CP

Pour into your bowl, top with Queso Blanco (or the cheese of your choice) and fried (or baked) tortilla strips and ENJOY!

I enjoyed this soup, and so did Alannah. She calls it "Momma's Special Soup!" Next time I will do without the salt, it was not needed at all. I made a pot and was able to eat from it for 2 dinners and a lunch. Looking for other variations to experiment with. Will keep you posted!

What Mexican dishes can you not live without? Mine is enchiladas! Tamales during the holidays. And I sure do miss a big ole serving of rolled tacos from Saritas! 

Parmesan Cream Cheese Sliders (#18)

Parmesan Cream Cheese Sliders - these are not made my in trusty Crockpot, but we LOVE these anyway! Perfect for quick dinner, of BIG lunches. We like them for football games and just about any occasion. The Hubby could get burgers 3 times a day!

1 pound Ground Beef

1/3 block of FF Cream Cheese

1/4 cup of Reduced Fat Parmesan Cheese

1/4 cup of Italian Bread Crumbs

OPTIONAL: Cheese for topping

Mix all the ingredients together, and divide into 16 portions. Shape these into sliders, and place on the grill. (We use our handy griddle, you can fry up, grill up, etc...) We like Sliders because they are bite size. Flip and cook the other side. When on side 2, add the cheese if you are making cheeseSliders. :-) You really don't need cheese with the cream cheese and Parmesan cheese. (My kiddos are CHEESE lovers, so we eat cheese on cheese!

Alannah my little mixer!!!

Malakai loves the recipes and preparing!

ME - flipping the Sliders!

Crook Sliders!

Kal'El likes Spoons! Haha

We will eat these on Hawaiian rolls, or cut-up hot dog buns... whatever we have on hand! Enjoy these tasty treats! And these are some pictures of my little chefs!

Stuffed Chicken Breast (#17)

I came across this recipe while watching the Today Show waiting for Janet Evanovich and Charlaine Harris to come on and tell me some good stuff to read this summer! :-)

I am going to prepare this for dinner for the family before I head off to work for a late night of RETAIL FUN!!! So, here's the how-to:

You will want to prepare the stuffing of your choice. I prefer the Kroger brand of original, but I am new to the stuffing game. (Back to the texture thing I struggle with, I like it dry - like a crouton, but am still working on the softer texture of prepared stuffing.) For this recipe, if you are using the boxed type, you will only need 1/2 of the box. ***I saw some suggestions of using Applesauce instead of water, adding onions and celery. Some of which I will experiment with the next time I make this. :-)

All the DRY ingredients

3-4 Chicken Breasts

Toothpicks

Butter

Cream of Chicken (2 cans)

Seasoning of your choice (I used Garlic, Basil and Salt)

I did not have toothpicks, so I used cooking string.

This is the browned stuffed
chicken in the CP, before
adding the Cream of
Chicken. :-) You could use bigger
pieces, the smaller pieces work
better for the kids.

Added the soup, salt, garlic and basil. Can't wait to see and TRY
the completed product!

You will want to split the skinless/boneless chicken breasts and fill with your prepared stuffing and roll up tight with a toothpick. You will brown the outside slightly in a buttered pan and then place in your Crockpot to cook. You will cover the stuffed chicken breasts with 2 cans of Cream of Chicken. (The recipes I found called for cream of celery, but I am not a fan of the flavor of cream of celery)

Cover for 5 hours on HIGH, and enjoy!!!

A little piece of chicken with sauce!

THE VERDICT:

This was amazing! The chicken was tender, and the stuffing inside was moist and to die for. I was fearful that the Cream of Chicken would be too much for a sauce, but everything flowed together. And since I used small pieces, some of the stuffing fell into the sauce, and the taste flowed with every bite. This is definitely one I will continue to make. Ingredients were cheap, and add some potatoes or rice and a veggie to it, and it will be complete.

Chicken will be the theme of the next couple of posts... so until, next time!!!

Sloppy Joes (#16)

WOW! It has been over a month since I have posted. :-( With work, potty training (with no luck yet) and reading more than I have in a while... I have neglected the creative meal planning. Now, I am still planning meals a month in advance, and spending $300 or less for a MONTH of meals for this family of five. (A skill that will be listed on my resume... LOL, as if anyone would NOT be impressed.) So, I am learning to balance a little more, at least that is what I would like to think. Last night, when I got home from work - I tossed a roast, potatoes and carrots in a Crockpot and then spent the evening watching movies with the Hubbs. (Rebound, with Catherine Zeta-Jones... EXCELLENT!) Then, when I got up this morning, Dinner for today was done. We spent the morning cleaning, and now the kids are playing... I am blogging, and I will have ample reading time today. :-) So, this is a meal that I have not shared yet, that my kids ADORE. I am not a Sloppy Joe fan, but the other 4 are... so on nights I close, this is the Hubby's go to meal. And the kids do not complain. In fact, I am sure they would eat it 3 nights a week, but that is NOT happening. (Once a week, yes. :-) Gives me a soup night, since I am the only soup eater...) So, here is the ingredients. (Now this is for 20 sloppy joes, which is what we do - Good next day lunch go to.)

3 pounds lean ground beef

1 large onion, chopped, about 1 cup

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1 (12 ounces) bottle prepared chili sauce

1 (6 ounces) can tomato paste

Sprinkle of Brown sugar, to taste

1 to 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

So, I will brown the meat (on my Griddle, since I am anti STOVE/OVEN) and add that and all the other ingredients to the Crockpot, and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. THAT'S it. I know what you are thinking... the canned stuff is good, but this is better. (Well, I have heard.) My kids prefer this kind, and plus I KNOW veggies are making it into this way of Sloppy Joes. Anywho... I will try to be more consistent. I have 6 weeks left until my goal date for my goal weight, and I have 1.4 pounds a week to lose to meet it, and so I am being more cautious, which will lead to more posts. I am LOVING my CP still, but becoming more adventurous with my waffle iron and Griddle. So, expect more fun stuff!

We have also been experimenting with S'Mores thanks to my best friend, Beckie and her hubbs, TJ. I love the Reese's S'More the best. Second comes Butterfinger, and third is classic. Not to fond of the Milky Way version, even though I LOVE THE CANDY BAR. More experimenting to come. Until next time...Happy Eating!

Teriyaki Beef Bowls/Sandwiches (#14 and #15)

No pictures because my camera DIED! But, this was delicious. And super simple. The kids LOVE teriyaki, and so do I.

All this required was tossing a beef roast in the crockpot, half a bottle of low sodium teriyaki sauce and a cup of water. I let it cook for 9 hours, and it feel apart. I had made a pot of rice in the CP the day before, so all I had to do was warm it up, top with some beef and carrots and we have DINNER. Everyone had seconds.

There was quite a bit left over since rice and carrots will fill you up. The next day we had the shredded beef on sandwich rolls with some sliced oranges for dinner. Leftover peas to go with it, and dinner was good. :-) The beef also covered lunch for me for 2 whole days. The $9 piece of beef made 12 meals. That is some good math if you ask me. Today I am trying again with a different Au Gratin potato recipe in the Crockpot. Wish me luck... this one should have photos... :-)

April was a Mess!

April was filled with frozen chicken nuggets, pizza rolls and so much more. (I am sure the kiddos were in HEAVEN!) But, I am back. I have figured that my Crockpot is a way to cook and still get my reading in. I am in the process of planning the ENTIRE remainder of May out for meals, and the ones from April that I will keep on my list are:

1) Chicken Tortilla Soup

2) Apple Coffee Cake

3) Baked Potato Soup

4) Chicken Parm

5) Orange Chicken

6) Honey Garlic Chicken, I made this - kids loved it, but did not use my CP.

The other recipes I am going to try this month are:

7)Asian Beef with Mandarin Oranges

8)Sloppy Joes

9)Sweet & Sour Chicken

10)Crock Potpie

11)Chicken & Rice

12)Lemon Chicken

In between, I will be playing with the idea of Spaghetti in the CP. I have not yet come up with one I like. And this is a staple dinner in my house. So, back to the drawing board. :-) Oh Happy May!.

Janet Evanovich :-)

So, my Crockpot April was interrupted by a series of 22 books so far. LOL, I only have 4 left and I will be back to blogging. As for my kids, they have 100% enjoyed a life of corndogs, mashed potatoes, frozen pizzas and corn. LOL.

Be back soon...

Au Gratin Potatoes (#13)





The Ingredients :-)

This recipe was not a success with the entire family. :-( I, personally, thought they tasted WONDERFUL. Pretty? No. But, I know the reason for their challenges esthetically - and I am OK with the trade-off. So, here it goes. I had to search quite some time for a recipe that wasn't heavy on the cream and milk. I found one, and it seemed too good to be creamy, but I was going to give it a shot anyway. Here is what the recipe called for:

 

1/4 pound of diced cooked bacon

4 thinly sliced potatoes

1/2 pound of shredded cheese

salt and pepper

butter

2 medium thinly sliced onions

 

I made some adjustments, so here is what I used:

 

4 thinly sliced potatoes

1/8 cup of fat free Turkey Bacos, the real kind

1/2 pound of FF shredded cheese

2 wedges of Garden Vegetable Laughing Cow Cheese

Salt & Pepper

2 Garlic Cloves, grated

 

Lined CP, full of DELICIOUSNESS

You then want to line your Crockpot with aluminum foil, and layer the potatoes (that have been seasoned with S&P) with cheese, bacon and garlic. Complete until you have used all the ingredients. The original recipe called for butter to be dotted on top. I was going to use butter, but during the last minute, I substituted the butter for Laughing Cow cheese. :-) I love that stuff. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. I then went to work and left the CP with the family. Called on my way home to have the hubby turn it on WARM, so it would not burn. He informed me that it smelled wonderful, but did look like it burned a little. :-( I was kind of sad to hear that. The entire time I was pregnant with my first, I could sit and eat an ENTIRE box of these. So, I got home, and assessed the situation.

Final product.

 

What I realized had happened, is that FF cheese does not melt the way regular cheese does. This resulted in delicious potatoes, and the Laughing Cow cheese was creamy, but the sharp was not. I had found a recipe that utilized Cheddar Cheese soup, but you cannot find a low fat version of that soup. The hubby and I enjoyed them. To the eye, they were not pretty. To the belly, they were GORGEOUS. And who knows, maybe the kids will eat them one day, but they are on a mashed potato kick. So, there. My first not so successful attempt for April. Made a good side, and an excellent lunch the next day. Happy Crockin...

Crockpot Sourdough Bread (#12)

I did not have the gadgets Google referred to, so  I Googled so more...

Ta-Da! Sourdough!!!

Besides another Crockpot, I have always said "I WANT A BREADMAKER!" I love baking bread, and it tastes SO delicious. :-) Thanks to the almighty Google, I have found that your Crockpot can double as a Bread Machine. So, now I need another TWO Crockpots. I can cook dinner, bread and dessert all at once. <3 This gal would be in kitchen heaven.

The dinner complete with
Cranberry Roast (a la
Crockpot) and my Sourdough
bread (a la Crockpot)

It may not be the PRETTIEST bread ever, but I had to use foil
in place of a trivet and a round pan.

About 1/2 way though its
cooking process :-)

Ready to rise!!!

So, I have an amazing Sourdough recipe that I will share, but for this trial run of my Crockpot's alter ego as a Bread Machine, I used a boxed mix. :-) The mix still required the yeast (packet included) with the allowing to rise, and all that jazz! While it was rising, I fashioned a shelf to place over the boiling water added to my CP. This will be where my bread is being baked my steam. When you add the bread to the foil cooking shelf, you will also want to cover it the top with foil, so the condensation from the lid does not soak your bread. I found it easier to wrap the lid with foil, so it just catches during the cooking process. It took 3 1/2 hours to cook to perfection. (On Low) I found a tip that said to flip the  bread about half way through to create a crust on both sides. And it worked. The top was cooked if you do not flip it. The difference is that is do not have the same crust you associate with bread. I flipped the bread during the last 30 minutes, and received a good crust on both sides. So, here are the simple steps:

1. Add water to cover the bottom of the Crockpot about 1/2 inch.

2. Crumble foil to create a shelf to protect the bread from the water. (It said you could use a trivet, and a pan made for your Crockpot, like an insert. I had neither, and so I used foil.)

3. After you have followed your favorite recipe, and it is ready for the "baking" setp, place the loaf in the Crockpot, and cover.

4. Let cook for 3 1/2 hours. Cooking times may vary, but this Sourdough took 3 1/2 hours.

5. Remove from the foil when done cooking. (It can go back in the Crockpot on "WARM" for up to 30 minutes before a meal and not hurt the bread)

6. Slice and ENJOY!

Now, I promised to share my favorite Sourdough recipe (which works wonders in the Crockpot too, got excited and made another loaf. Practicing on the shaping of bread)

Ingredients

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 3 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F to 115 degrees F), divided
• 7 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Cornmeal

Directions

1. In a bowl, dissolve yeast in 2 cups warm water; let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 2 cups of flour until smooth. Cover loosely with a towel. Let stand in a warm place to rise for 48 hours; stir several times daily. (The mixture will become bubbly and rise, have a "yeasty" sour aroma and a transparent yellow liquid will form on the top.) Stir in milk powder, butter, sugar, salt, remaining water and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. (Do not knead.) Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours. Turn onto a floured surface; punch dough down. (Do not knead). Divide in half. Shape each into a round loaf. Heavily grease baking sheets and sprinkle with cornmeal. Place dough on prepared pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. With a sharp knife, make three diagonal slashes across tops of loaves. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Brush loaves with cold water; bake 35-40 minutes longer or until golden brown. 

Final note: I think I love Sourdough because the kneading is not there. I am wanting to venture and make a cinnamon raisin bread for breakfast. :-) Exciting!!!  I would love everyone to share their favorite bread recipes. Making bread is one of my favorite "RELAXING" things. :-)        

Cranberry Roast (#11)

Unfortunately, this post does not come with photos. Today, I work 10 hours without a lunch. And you may wonder why this matters, but coming home to a house that smells THAT amazing means no "FINISHED photo." Good thing, this was SO good and flavorful, this will be a frequent meal.

1.  roast (I used a 4 pound rump roast, but I am sure a pork roast would do wonderful too)
2.  a couple of WHOLE gloves of garlic.
3.  a can of jellied cranberry sauce. (The recipe I used called for 2, but I feared this would be too sweet. I used one, and it was plenty...even enough to make a pretty delicious gravy)
4. salt
5. pepper

I rubbed the roast with the salt and pepper, and placed it in the Crockpot. Take the jellied cranberry sauce, and slice it. I covered the roast in the slices, and added a cup of water and the cloves of garlic. Cover and cook for 8 hours. While it is cooking, I will go over the cost breakdown...

roast - $9.63

cranberry - $1.65

garlic - $0.65

mashed potatoes - $0.95

mixed veggies - $1.00

I did not calculate the cost of salt, pepper, and flour (to be used later) since this is a regular in my cabinet. Total cost - $13.88. This made enough for 2 meals each for the 5 of us, which breaks down to a WHOLE $1.39 a meal. That is a GREAT bargain if you ask me. :-)

Back to the roast... it has been 8 hours, and it is done. Michael has made some instant mashed potatoes and mixed veggies to act as sides. I take a cup or so of the sauce in the Crockpot, and whisk it with a little flour until it reaches the consistency of gravy. This roast is as tender as you can expect from a Crockpot, but the flavor of the cranberry was amazing. The smell and taste reminded me of family holiday dinners. The gravy was served on top of the meat and potatoes, and made it that much better. I highly recommend this meal to anyone who loves a good roast. Who knew a big family dinner can be made while at work. Man, whoever invented the Crockpot is my hero! Until next time...

Cheesy Chicken and Veggies (#10)

This is one for the rotation. :) Simple, and everyone ate it. I will be honest, it isn't blow your mind flavorful, but I will experiment with adding more spice. So here it goes.

1. 1 can of reduced fat cream of chicken
2. 1 can of cheddar cheese soup
3. 16 ounces of mixed frozen veggies
4. Salt
5. Garlic
6. Black pepper
7. 4 chicken breasts

Toss it all in the Crockpot, cook it on low for 8 hours. :)  I walked into the house smelling INCREDIBLE. The chicken fell apart, and the sauce was a perfect touch to the mashed potatoes. It is not common, in a house of five incredibly different tastes to all eat seconds. So far, Crockpot April has been a success... Two recipes in and 2 successes. :) Til next time...

 

The finished product!

In the pot!

The Ingredients!

Rice Krispies in the Crockpot(#9)

YUM!!!

We love Rice Krispies and Marshmallows, so it only seemed like the kids would love Rice Krispies Treats! And in the Crockpot, the kids can help so much more than I could on the stove.
2 tablespoons of butter
10 ounces of marshmallows
6 cups of Rice Krispies
Turn your Crockpot on high, and add the butter. Then the marshmallows. Then the cereal. Place the lid on the Crockpot, and go read for an hour. Well, that's what we did. Fancy Nancy, Glow Eyes in the Jungle, and Peek-a-Boo Bard.
After an hour of whatever you choose to do with your free time, come back and give it a good mixing. If it doesn't seem done, just another 30 minutes is needed. Scoop out and spread in whatever you use for treats. Ours were done in just about 45 minutes.
Ours came out Delicious! On a sad note, my Wok died last night. :( This is a sad day in my world of appliance cooking. We mourn the loss of my Wok with Rice Krispies Treats! Hope you enjoy as much as we do!



So excited to help!

What?

Helping make the treats!

<3

The finished product!