I'm fairly certain the benefits of the crock pot have been loudly heralded here before. Nothings better- put your meal in a pot, add some seasoning, turn a dial, come back later and eat. Brilliant! This recipe is SO simple and it makes great tacos. Not to mention it can feed a small army. My kids are currently on a quesadilla kick, so when I made the tacos we had plenty of leftovers for quesadillas the next day.
I am never a fan of using water in the crock pot. No matter what seasonings I use, it always comes out tasting well...watery. So I used beef broth in this recipe and had great results. I'm sure you can use water and beef bullion cubes, or probably even just water to add the needed moisture. Add whatever you love to finish off your tacos, but I think these are GREAT with just cilantro, onion and some cheese. (I cannot have tacos without cheese, its against my religion.)
Give yourself a break next week and make these for dinner!
~Wendy
Crock Pot Beef Tacos
Recipe Type: Dinner
Author: Wendy
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 10-12
Ingredients
1 1/2-2lb Sirloin Roast
2 1/2 c. beef broth
1 large onion, cut into 3 pieces
2 Tbsp cumin
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
Instructions
Remove the roast from the refrigerator and unwrap. Let rest on the counter for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile mix all of the seasonings together in a small bowl. Place the onion pieces on the bottom of the crock pot.
Rub the seasonings into the roast, be sure to cover the entire roast.
Place the roast in the crock pot on top of the onions. Pour 2 cups of the beef broth into the crock pot AROUND the roast (not on top of).
Cook on low for 8 hours, check every few hours, add more broth if necessary.
Remove roast and shred the meat with two forks, put into a bowl and add the remaining 1/2 cup of beef broth.
Serve with warm taco shells, cilantro, chopped onions, and cheese.
Notes
I used a Sirloin Roast, you could likely use any type of non-fatty beef roast.
I've got another fab one-pot meal to share! Not to mention hot and cheesy. This is a perfect match for the dreary, cabin-fever-crazed days we have been having here in Chicago.
The first time I made lasagna soup my kids asked for seconds. And hold the phone.....even asked for leftovers the next day! This is unheard of, folks.
While this meal is easy, be sure to factor in some simmering time. 30 minutes is good, but more is great. I also subbed in cottage cheese for the ricotta called for in my inspiration recipe. Just my personal preference, but the two would be interchangeable here.
You might notice my picture above sports no tomato chunks. To avoid forcing diced tomatoes on my diced-tomato-hating 7 year old, I put the entire 28 oz. can though the blender before adding to the pot. I pick my battles. Either way will be delicious, so I encourage you to consider your own tomato eating preferences. Enjoy!
~Erin
Lasagna Soup
Author: Erin (adapted from Closet Cooking)
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp, red pepper flakes
4 cups chicken broth (32 oz. carton)
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 T. tomato paste
1 tsp. oregano
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. bow tie pasta
4 ounces cottage cheese
1/2 c. parmesan, grated
2 c. mozzarella, shredded
1 tsp. dried basil
Instructions
Brown sausage in a pan over medium-high heat with olive oil. When no longer pink, remove from pan, and reserving fat in the pan.
Add onion to pan and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute.
Add sausage, chicken broth, diced (or blended) tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to pan. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Add pasta to pan and cook until al-dente, about 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a separate bowl, combine cottage cheese, parmesan, mozzarella, and dried basil.
Anything better then a summer meal you can make ahead? AND not turn on the oven or stove? Big winner right here.
Oh, wait.....it's vegetarian too! And has more has fiber then you'll know what to do with.
Not convinced yet?
They taste awesome. Plus, I'm a fan of any recipe that turns simple, super healthy ingredients into something absolutely craveable. I found these on eatingwell.com a few years ago and they've quickly become a favorite of family and friends. The chilies in adobo sauce has smoky flavor and is quite spicy. Keep this in mind and adjust quantities to suit your tastes. The recipe calls for only a small portion of what comes in the can. I recommend freezing the remaining chilies to make more wraps down the road, or this salad. It's also one of those ingredients that I can't always find at every grocery store, so will often buy 2 or 3 to have on hand. You'll thank me for the tip. Enjoy!
~Erin
Avocado White Bean Wraps
Author: Erin (adapted from eatingwell.com)
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 T. cider vinegar
1 T. canola oil
2 tsp. canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. shredded red cabbage
1 medium carrot, shredded
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
1 avocado
1/2 c. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 T. minced red onion
4 wraps or tortillas
Instructions
For dressing, whisk together cider vinegar, canola oil, chipotle chili, and salt.
Toss red cabbage, carrot, and cilantro in dressing.
Mash together beans, avocado, cheese, and onion.
Assemble wraps with a thick spread of avocado mixture and cabbage. Serve.
Notes
If you are bothered by browned avocado and wanting to prepare these ahead of time, mash avocado into beans, cheese, and onion right before serving. Chipotle chilies in adobo sauce is found in a very tiny can in the International food aisle.
No one wants to turn an oven on when its 80 degrees + outside, especially not me! This recipe is an easy, super fast one that works really well for summer. I first saw it in a Betty Crocker magazine a few years back and it has made regular appearances on our menu ever since. In the fall, winter and spring I am 100% organized when it comes to our dinner menus. I plan them out in advance, do grocery shopping on Sundays and know what I am making every night of the week. Since the weather has been warm here I have not planned one meal. ;)
This is one of those recipes where you will likely have most of the ingredients already on hand. So if a summer day starts winding down and you realize you have NO plan for dinner, remember this one and dinner will be on the table in 15-20 minutes.
~Wendy
Quick Salsa Chicken
Author: Wendy
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 c. uncooked white or brown rice
2 c. water
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium zucchini, chopped up (about 2 cups)
1 c. mild salsa
1 can sweet corn niblets
1/4 c. sour cream
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped (optional)
Instructions
Cook rice in the water as directed on its package.
Meanwhile between pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper, place each chicken breast smooth side down; gently pound with flat side of meat mallet or rolling pin until 1/4 inch thick.
In a 12-in skillet, heat 1 Tbsp of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt & pepper and cook in the oil for 6-10 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through the middle. Remove the chicken from the pan and wrap to keep warm with foil.
In the same skillet heat the remaining olive oil.
Add the zucchini and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the salsa and corn, reduce the heat to medium; cook for 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
Serve the chicken over rice, and top with the vegetable/salsa medley. Top with sour cream and cilantro leaves.
Notes
You can cook the chicken breasts on the grill instead of a skillet. While the chicken is cooking follow the instructions for the vegetable medley using the skillet.
I'm fairly new to the quinoa world and when I came across this recipe on Pinterest from How Sweet It Is, I knew I would have to try it. The list of ingredients just sounded so flavorful and delicious that I figured it would be really tasty for a "healthy dish." Don't get me wrong, I know there are plenty of good-for-you dishes that are super yummy, but I've also experienced my share of bland misses. This one was far from a miss! It was sooooo good! My hubby and I couldn't get enough! He kept saying, "This is so good. Man, this is good. You need to make this again!" And I have! It's a little heavy on the cilantro which is a major plus in my book, but if you only somewhat like cilantro or just tolerate it (like my guy), you may want to cut it back a little bit.
~Leah
Thai Quinoa Chicken
Recipe Type: Dinner or side
Author: Leah (from How Sweet It Is)
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1/3 cup chopped carrots
1/3 cup shelled edamame
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
1 cup chicken broth (optional)
Sauce
2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon canned coconut milk
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon creamy peanut butter (it mixes in easier if it's melted)
1 garlic clove
1/2 lime, juice
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
Prepare quinoa according to directions. This is where the optional chicken broth comes in. You can use water but I prefer to use the broth.
While quinoa is cooking, combine all of the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and whisk well to combine.
Once quinoa has absorbed all of the liquid, stir in the sauce and toss well to coat.
Add in chicken, carrots, edamame and green onions, stirring to combine. Taste and season with a little salt and pepper if needed. Toss in half of the peanuts and cilantro, then serve in a large bowl, topped with remaining peanuts and cilantro.
Here's a quick and easy one for you. Pizza mixed with pasta = everyone will love it! I'd never thought of adding pepperoni to pasta before but the first time I tried it I was sold. The flavor is a really great mix. The fun part of this dish is that you can add whatever favorite pizza toppings your family likes -- spinach, sausage, pepperoni, green peppers, Canadian bacon, really anything would work. When I make this for dinner I often make two casseroles at a time, throw one in the freezer and save myself tons of time sometime later in the month. The whole wheat pasta and mostly-vegetables ingredient list also makes this a lot healthier than ordering a pizza!
~Wendy
Pizza Pasta Bake
Recipe Type: Dinner
Author: Wendy
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
A healthy, cheesy family dinner that works well for potlucks and make-ahead freezer meals!
Ingredients
1 box whole wheat rigatoni pasta
1 c. sliced mushrooms
1 small onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 jar spaghetti sauce, any flavor
1 c. chunky mild salsa
1 c. pepperoni, chopped
2 turkey Italian sausages, casings removed
3 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile in a dutch oven or big pot cook the sausage, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. Before the sausage is fully cooked through (about 1/2 way done), add mushrooms, onion, and green pepper and cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and the vegetables have softened, drain any remaining grease.
Drain pasta, add to the meat mixture.
Stir in the pasta sauce, salsa and pepperoni.
Grease a 13 x 9 in. baking dish.
Divide the pasta mixture in two and put 1/2 at the bottom of the greased pan. Cover with 1/2 of the mozzarella and 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese. Top with the remaining pasta mixture and then the remaining cheeses.
Cover with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and return to oven and bake 10 more minutes until cheese is melted/browned.
Notes
Should you want to freeze this dish for another time, just cover with foil and keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you're ready to bake it, remove from the freezer and put directly in the hot oven. Bake for 30 minutes, remove foil and back for another 10 minutes until the top cheese is golden brown.
I love cooking with fruit. Maybe it's the sweet tooth I can't EVER seem to shake. But combining a little sweet with the savory is a personal favorite. My friends (ahem....Wendy and Leah!) joke that they always know exactly what I will order off a menu even before I open my mouth. Let's just say they wouldn't be the least bit surprised (while chatting over the phone during the daily, dinner prep hour) to hear I'm making this recipe.
Another bonus here? It's a ONE SKILLET meal. Which means 3/4 of my kitchen isn't stacked around the sink when I'm done. It's adapted from a Good Housekeeping cookbook I reach for all the time. And stay tuned because I'm sure you'll see me refer to some of the other numerous winners I've pulled from it's pages.
I've used various combinations of apples, pears, dried cherries, dried cranberries, and raisins to make this. They are all good so feel free to use your favorite taste combo.
One Skillet Balsamic Chicken and Pears
Author: Erin (adapted from Good Housekeeping)
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 t. vegetable oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Bosc pears, cored and cut into thin wedges
1 c. chicken broth
3 T balsamic vinegar
2 t. cornstarch
1 1/2 t. sugar
1/4 c. dried cherries
Instructions
Heat 1 t. vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook through, turning once, until golden brown in color. Remove to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
Heat remaining 1 t. of oil in same skillet, add pears, and cook till softened and golden brown.
In a liquid measuring cup, measure out 1 c. of chicken broth. Add vinegar, cornstarch, and sugar and mix well with a fork.
Add broth mixture and dried fruit to pears in skillet. Heat to boiling while stirring constantly, then boil 1 minute till thickened.
Return chicken to skillet, coat in sauce, and heat through. Serve.
Notes
I will often use a thin sliced chicken breast for this recipe if I happen to find them. It just makes the cooking that much faster. If your chicken breasts are on the thick side, I would recommend pounding them a little thinner to reduce cooking time.
It was a drizzly 50 degrees here in Chicago today. For February this is heaven sent....even more so if you have children positively climbing the walls by this time of year. Before I knew it this afternoon, our garage appeared to have hurled every child oriented object out onto the driveway. Of course reuniting with these items entertains them for approximately 5 minutes. Then it's time to take the show on the road...or around the cul de sac in our case.
Today's stroll was special. My little guy just recently flipped the switch in terms of transportation. In otherwords, crawling is out. A stiff-legged, dead-armed stagger is definitely in. And I'll mark this day down as his first "walk." He's mastered the smooth terrain of the wood floors in our house, so the sidewalk was a new adventure all together. He actually stopped at the first few cracks, put his hands down, and lifted his legs over them one at a time. It was about as cute as cute gets, with him all zipped up in his little Hanna Andersson Teletubbie outerwear. Oh it's the little things!
So now onto salad! When you are SO ready for spring, is it possible to be "over" that cold weather need for comfort food? I made this salad (a family favorite) pretty recently on freezing cold January day. Maybe I was just longing for warmth and dinners by daylight on the patio, but it just sounded so good. I was not disappointed. I hope you'll find it a little something to tide you over too.
~Erin
Chipotle Chicken Chopped Salad
Author: Erin (adapted from Cooking Light)
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Dressing
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2/3 cup light sour cream
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
1/2 cup shredded cheese (my addition...I prefer cheddar)
Instructions
Mix together dressing ingredients well.
Toss dressing with salad ingredients in a large bowl.
Serve immediately.
Notes
You'll most likely find chipotle chile in adobo sauce in the International aisle at the grocery store. The only brand I have found comes in a (relatively) small can. Thank goodness, because you never need a lot for most recipes I've used them in. For a spicier salad dressing, add a teaspoon of the adobo sauce in addition to the minced chile.
Erik and I both love Thai food but unfortunately our taste for all things good and spicy has suffered a bit since having kids. Once in a blue moon I'll make something that I know will appeal to our heat-loving taste buds and make something different for the kids, but let's face it, even those of us who don't workstay at home "conduct hands-on field research in the area of early child development" (thank you S.K. on Mamapedia) sometimes don't have the time to make one decent meal a night, let alone a separate one for the kiddos.
So I was thrilled when I came across this recipe and we all loved it. I'm not quite sure where I found it originally, but I did trace it back to Better Homes and Gardens online. The only place the "spice" comes from is the fresh ginger (and please use fresh ginger!) so it's completely delicious and not hot. I love to make extra peanut sauce and use it as a dip for baked chicken tenders...or just eat with a spoon. :)
If you've never had Thai food and/or are not sure about it, this recipe is a great place to start -- it's easy and a fairly mild introduction into the cuisine.
~Leah
Thai Chicken Wraps
Recipe Type: Dinner
Author: Leah (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
6 8- to 10-inch plain, red, and/or green flour tortillas
3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast strips for stir-frying
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp cooking oil
4 cups broccoli slaw
1/2 medium red onion, cut into thin wedges
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
Peanut Sauce
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c creamy peanut butter
3 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp bottled minced garlic
Instructions
In a small saucepan combine all of the ingredients for the peanut sauce. Heat until the sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. Makes about 2/3 cup.
In a small bowl combine garlic salt and pepper. Add chicken; toss to coat.
In a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat; cook seasoned chicken until no longer pink. Remove from skillet; keep warm.
Wrap tortillas in foil and heat in 350 degree oven while you cook the chicken and vegetables
Add broccoli, onion, and ginger to skillet. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or til vegetables are crisp-tender. (I usually cook them a little longer but only to make it a bit more palatable for the kids...I like mine pretty crunchy otherwise.)
To assemble, spread each warmed tortilla with about 1 Tbsp Peanut Sauce. Top with chicken strips and vegetable mixture. Serve immediately with remaining sauce.
I've said it before and I'll say it again -- and I'm sure every year for the rest of my life because I can admittedly be annoying that way -- I will NEVER understand why the Super Bowl game starts so late in the evening on a Sunday! Now (and hopefully we don't lose readers from what I'm about to say) I could really care LESS about football. There I said it...take away my "American citizen" card but it just is what it is. I did enjoy going to games in high school and college and even a Bears game here or there, but I've never enjoyed sitting and watching on tv.
Ok, all that being said, I DO enjoy hanging out with friends and eating a ton of food so it irks me to no end that the game is when it is! Why can't it be moved earlier? Or to Saturday? Or (considering the way this country is with this game) declared a national holiday and have off on Monday? I feel like there are a lot of families who kind of get the shaft unless they a. host, b. have older or no kids, c. don't mind missing bedtime on a school night (which is pretty much a cardinal sin in my mind -- I know, I might need to loosen up a little bit).
So, for those of you who are hosting a Super Bowl party, or are signed up to bring something to a Super Bowl party, or are like me and will be hanging out at home (umm, I guess that covers everyone unless you're going to dinner and a movie or something), this is a great, easy recipe. I originally had it at one of my afore-posted-about sister-in-law's get togethers and immediately asked for the recipe. I've made it more than a few times for dinner and I cannot say enough about feeling like some domestic goddess when dinner is "made" at 9 am (I may have mentioned this before -- or maybe not -- or maybe it was Erin -- anyway I'm too lazy to go back and read all of our posts right now but I think I'm safe to say that on this blog, dinner in the slow cooker in the morning = domestic goddess). Enjoy! ~Leah
Crock Pot Beef Sliders
Recipe Type: Dinner
Author: Leah
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
3-4 lb sirloin tip roast
1 pkg instant onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 beef bullion cubes (I like to use the low sodium)
1 cup water
Hawaiian bread buns (the small ones)
Kraft horseradish sauce (optional)
Instructions
Place the meat in crock pot.
Mix all the ingredients up through the water and pour over the meat.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours then shred with forks in the crock and stir with the juice.
Keep crock on warm for serving.
Serve on rolls and top with horseradish sauce (optional).
Here's my constant conundrum... how do you make dinner for a family with such different tastes? A two year old who will only eat noodles, hot dogs or peanut butter & jelly, a four year old who ALWAYS responds to "whats for dinner?" with "yuck I don't like that" and two parents who don't want to eat mac n cheese every night of the week. Well luckily I've found a few quick recipes over the past few years that seem to please everyone. This skillet is one of those!
I originally found the recipe in a Betty Crocker magazine titled "115 Super Simple Recipes". From start to finish this skillet takes about 20 minutes to make. Noodles, cheese, ground turkey (or beef)...what's not to like?? I tell myself that the red bell pepper and cajun seasoning make this a grown-up meal too. :)
Serve with a side salad or some fruit and you'll be ready to go in no time. Perfect for Moms/Dads who work all day or stay-at-home parents who don't have time to spend hours on one meal. I'm almost willing to guarantee a family favorite with this one.
In a large non-stick skillet, cook turkey, bell pepper and cajun seasoning over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until the turkey is no longer pink.
Stir in hot water, milk and contents of the pasta and sauce mix pouches (from Hamburger Helper box). Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat. Cover; simmer 13 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until pasta is tender. Sprinkle with cheese.
Allow me to introduce you to the absolute BEST macaroni and cheese you will ever make. Its a bold statement I know, but so true! The recipe looks complicated- it's not. The recipe sounds spicy- it is. No worries though, see the notes section of the recipe for ways to lower the heat factor.
Each week I do my best to plan out dinners ahead of time for Monday-Thursday. I get bored with the same old things so I tend to make at least 2 or 3 new recipes every week. The Food Network magazine is one of my favorite sources for the new ideas. This recipe came from an issue a few years ago. My husband Jason loves buffalo wings so I thought I'd give it a try. After a few modifications I pulled a very yummy looking dish out of the oven and am happy to say we were not disappointed! It was/is awesome, awesome, awesome. I still have it on my dinner menu rotation and think it would be GREAT to take to a potluck.
~Wendy
Buffalo Chicken Mac N Cheese
Recipe Type: Dinner
Author: Wendy
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
Ingredients
7 Tbsp Butter, more for buttering the dish
1 lb elbow macaroni
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 can white chicken- shredded or chopped
1/2 cup hot sauce
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp dry mustard
1 c. milk (preferably at least 2%)
1 1/2 c. half and half
1 lb sharp cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
2 c. pepper jack cheese, shredded
2/3 c. sour cream
1 c. panko (regular breadcrumbs will work too)
1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese
2 Tbsp parsley (fresh preferred but not required)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a pinch of salt and pasta and cook until al dente, about 7-8 minutes
Melt 3 Tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium heat, add the onion and celery and cook until its soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add hot sauce and simmer until thickened, about another 1-2 minutes.
Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard until smooth. Whisk in the milk and half & half- stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses. Add in the sour cream and whisk until smooth.
Spread half of the macaroni in the prepared baking dish, top with the chicken mixture and then the remaining macaroni. Pour the cheese sauce evenly over the top.
Put the remaining 2 Tbsp butter in a medium microwavable bowl- microwave until melted. Stir in the panko (or breadcrumbs), blue cheese and parsley. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbling and slightly browned on top, about 30-40 minutes.
Let rest for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
You can add more or less hot sauce depending on your love of spicy foods. I have also substituted colby-jack or more cheddar cheese in place of the pepper jack to cut down the spice.
If your kids wont like the chicken, cut the chicken mixture part of the recipe in half. When you spread the chicken on top of the macaroni, only cover half the dish, leaving the other half plain macaroni and cheese.
In my year and a half on Pinterest I've come across a few recipes that have become staples and are in my rotation of meals at least monthly. This is one of them. The original recipe can be found here and it is what I followed exactly the first time. After making them, though, I decided they'd be better by adding some BBQ sauce to them. I've also found that they are a SUPER fast meal if you have some precooked chicken on hand (either your own or the frozen kind from the bag). I've made them starting with everything needing to be prepared (the bacon, chicken, etc) to having everything pre-cooked and just basically heating and assembling, to everything in between. Even if I use the pre-cooked frozen chicken slices, I still like to saute them a bit in the onions (and the bacon drippings if I haven't pre-made the bacon). I bet these will become a regular in your house too!
1 lb chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces, or pre-cooked chicken slices, prepared according to package and cut smaller
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp butter
4 med flour tortilla shells
1 avocado, diced
your favorite BBQ sauce
mild cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
Arrange bacon on a cooling rack (like for cookies) and set it on top of sheet pan. If you don’t have a cooling rack, you can just put the bacon straight on the sheet pan.Place bacon in a cold oven, turn heat to 400, and cook 15 mins per side.
Add 1/2 Tbsp bacon drippings to a skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and saute about 2-3 mins until softened. Add the chicken in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 mins or until chicken is golden and cooked through, flipping just once during cooking. OR microwave frozen, pre-cooked chicken strips according to package, cut into bite-sized pieces, and add to the skillet for a few minutes to brown and get some of the flavor from the onion and bacon drippings. Remove the chicken and scallions to a plate and rinse out the skillet.
Place about 1/2 tbsp butter in the skillet over medium heat. When foamy, add a tortilla and swirl it around to get it nice and buttery. Layer one side of the tortilla with chicken, bacon, avocado, BBQ sauce and a little cheese. Use tongs to flip the other half of the tortilla over and press down. Cook the tortilla for about 1-2 mins on each side or until golden brown and crispy.
Repeat with the rest of the tortillas, adding a little more butter for each tortilla as needed.
Oh how I wish there was a better name for these. I even tried to think of one, but at the end of the day these are, in fact, sausage balls. So there you go. Regardless of their name- they are great. They are also perfect for any holiday party. Easy to make in advance and season-appropriate if you make the cranberry sauce for dipping!
This recipe came to be during one of my "clean living" phases. About every six months I decide that I should be a better mother and limit my kids' exposure to all evil in the world, starting in my kitchen. So I start madly researching chemical-free, hormone-free, antibiotic-free... you get the idea. It usually begins with a large purchase from Trader Joes or Whole Foods and ends when I see the cost. My last round of clean living mania resulted in a meat share membership through a local farmer, and has actually stuck. Every month they deliver to members in our local area and we meet them in a predetermined location to pick up our portion. Its usually 18-20lbs of pork, beef, chicken and eggs; all hormone and antibiotic free. The farm name is Walnut Family Farms. If you're in Illinois look them up- its very reasonable and the meat/egg quality is fantastic. My favorite part of the membership is that each month you don't know what cuts of meat you'll receive. As I mentioned in my last post I like to be creative with my cooking. So when I get my shipment its like Christmas! I love to unpack the bag and think about what I can make in the upcoming weeks. I'm a food dork, I know.
One of our last shipments included a pound of pork sausage. After searching online, through cookbooks and on Pinterest I settled on making sausage balls. There are literally hundreds of Sausage Ball recipes out there. So as usual I took a little something from each one and came up with my own. And since cranberries were on sale at Aldi that week I decided to add a cranberry dipping sauce. You can make each one small for an appetizer dish or make them a bit larger and serve them as a main course with a side of veggies and mashed potatoes. Try them out and let me know if you like them!
~Wendy
Sausage Balls w/ Cranberry Dipping Sauce
Recipe Type: Dinner or Appetizer
Author: Wendy
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
Ingredients
Sausage Balls
1 lb pork sausage
1 stalk of celery, diced
1/4 c. diced green onion
1 1/2 c. bisquick
3 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp sage
salt & pepper to taste
Cranberry Dipping Sauce
12 oz bag fresh cranberries
3/4 c. brown sugar
6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate (about 1/2 of normal size can)
1 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
Sausage Balls
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Form into 1 inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 16-18 minutes. Remove from the pan almost immediately to avoid sticking.
Cranberry Sauce
In a medium sized saucepan combine the cranberries, orange juice concentrate and brown sugar. Warm over medium heat stirring frequently until the cranberries pop open. Add in the cornstarch and stir sauce until thickened, usually 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool before serving.
Notes
Other options for dipping sauce could be BBQ sauce or a mix of equal parts mayonnaise and mustard. I much prefer the cranberry sauce! If you intend on serving these as a main course, I would recommend making the sausage balls into 2 inch balls before cooking. Increase baking time by 3-4 minutes to insure they are cooked through the center.
If I ever have another baby I've decided that I will not give them macaroni and cheese, hot dogs or peanut butter & jelly until they're at least 5! Okay that's probably an exaggeration, but I swear those are the only three foods my kids will eat now. I could add ice cream and chocolate to that list but for the purpose of this post I'm staying focused on "main course" foods. Every day at lunch and dinner I try (hopelessly) to come up with something else to feed them. I've looked at every Pinterest post out there on "Creative Foods for Toddlers" to no avail. Although, seriously what kid will eat tofu-stuffed pita bread or salad??? One day I saw a recipe for Mac n Cheese soup on a Velveeta cheese box and it piqued my interest. I also decided that the Velveeta cheese box really shouldn't be my go-to recipe source, so I started searching the internet for a good soup recipe. I landed on the Skinnytaste blog. (One of my favorite by the way!) She has a great recipe posted for Mac n Cheese soup. I found it to be a little too skinny, with a bit too much onion so I made some adjustments and came up with this great dinner soup. My husband likes it, I like it and my kids each ate their whole bowl. Wahoo! We have a WINNER that doesn't come from a blue box! So if your family is like mine and Mac n Cheese is the holy-grail of mealtime, try this version out. ~Wendy
Mac N Cheese Soup
Recipe Type: Soup
Author: Wendy
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 carrots, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/4 c. diced onion
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 c. milk
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. chopped broccoli
1 c. chopped cauliflower
2 c. dry elbow macaroni
Instructions
Boil the pasta according to the box directions until cooked al dente. Drain and set aside.
In a large pot or dutch oven, melt the butter. Add the diced carrot, celery and onion and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the flour and stir until combined. Add the chicken broth, milk, and nutmeg- whisk until combined. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the broccoli and cauliflower and cook until softened- about 5 more minutes. Add the cheddar cheese and stir until completely melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Finally add the cooked pasta and serve.
Notes
You can use any variation of cheese that you would like. I like a combination of cheddar and colby, or even cheddar and pepper jack. I recommend using at least 2% milk. I've used skim and it does work fine, just comes out more watery. Finally, only add the macaroni when you're ready to serve. If you plan to save some of the soup for later, I would add the macaroni to each individual bowl instead of to the larger pot. Once the noodles are added they start to suck up the broth. If you add the noodles and refrigerate, by the time you eat the soup there will be very little liquid left.
I know there is a love/hate thing goin' on with Brussels sprouts. I even admit that they don't look hugely appetizing in our picture (I have since figured out that the The Food Network's photographers are big, fat cheaters when it comes to taking pictures. My Brussels sprouts were the pretty green like in their pic just after the blanching part. After I looked at the photos of my greyish looking, peeling a little bit sprouts, I even debated blanching new ones and just taking photos of those so MY Brussels sprouts could be a pretty bright green too. But truth in advertising won out.) Anyway. I happen to be someone who loves them. So when I was watching an episode of Giada years ago and saw Brussels sprouts prepared with pancetta, I was all over it.
I'm assuming most of you know that pancetta is a form of bacon, but if you didn't...it is. Another form of glorious bacon. It's just not smoked. You can usually find it near your deli by all the fancy cheeses and meats or even at the deli itself. I love to make this dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas because I tell myself, "I'm providing a vegetable...a nice, healthy vegetable........[with 3 oz. of pancetta per lb. of nice, healthy vegetable...but all that healthy stuff cancels out the pork fat, right?]."
If you care enough about the Brussels sprout to try to turn your kids (or your spouse) onto it or are willing to give it another chance yourself, I highly recommend giving this a shot. ~Leah
Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta
Recipe Type: Side dish, vegetable
Author: Leah (adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 oz. paper-thin slices pancetta, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth (LOW-SALT– I made the mistake once of just using regular because it was what I had. BIG mistake. The pancetta is salty!)
Instructions
Partially cook the Brussels sprouts in a large pot of boiling salted water, about 4 minutes and drain.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until it is starting to crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts to the same skillet and saute until heated through and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Season with pepper, to taste. Add the broth and simmer until the broth reduces just enough to coat the Brussels sprouts, about 5-10 minutes. Serve.
Notes
My times (except for the 4 mins for blanching) are a little longer than Giada's original recipe. I like to get the pancetta as crispy as I can get it and I prefer my brussels sprouts to be REALLY browned. So, you can go longer or shorter than the times I gave to get them to your own preference.
Listen up busy Mamas- this one's for you! Before I give the details let me just say that my Mom is a great cook. She really is. But when I was in high school our lives were REALLY busy. Like many of you are now, my Mom was balancing work, three kids in school, cheerleading, school clubs, friend overnights... the list goes on. So quick dinners were critical and there wasn't a lot of time to experiment. There are a few meals I remember eating a lot- spaghetti, tacos, and this pot pie. So when my life became crazy busy I pulled out some of those Mama Jack (her actual name is Jackie- but my childhood friends call her "Mama Jack") recipes. When I was working full time it was impossible to plan out my meals for the week. I often didn't know what time I'd be home, let alone how much time I would have to cook! This is an ideal recipe for that situation. It is so simple AND a crowd pleaser. Did I mention simple? There are five ingredients (most of which you likely already have) and it takes about 15 minutes to cook. Try it and you too will soon be indebted to my Mom! Warning though, this is not a fancy or beautiful dish. I believe Erin called it "rustic" looking. No worries though- I promise that the taste and simplicity will more than make up for it.
~Wendy
Mama Jack's Pot Pie
Recipe Type: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 lb of ground turkey or beef
16 oz bag of frozen mixed veggies
1 bottle of bbq sauce (recommend Sweet Baby Rays)
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
2 cans of crescent rolls
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Brown the ground turkey/beef in a skillet and drain grease. Return to heat and add in the frozen veggies and BBQ sauce. Stir over the heat until warm throughout.
Roll out one can of crescent rolls on a standard sized cookie sheet. Stretch the dough out smoothly to form a rectangle covering most of the pan. On the counter or on another pan do the same to the second can of crescent rolls. Spoon the meat/veggie mixture on top of the first rolled-out crescent roll. Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese. Cover with the second rolled-out crescent roll, pinching around all of the edges to insure it is a sealed rectangle.
Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove when the dough is a golden brown. Let pot pie sit for several minutes to cool slightly, cut into rectangles and serve.
Notes
I typically make this with ground turkey. If you use ground beef be sure to drain it well. If not drained fully the extra grease from the beef can make the bottom of the pot pie a little soggy. I prefer to make this with Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce. My Mom uses Hunts. They both work- as will any type you prefer- they just add subtle differences to the sweet and/or spiciness of the finished pot pie.
Well, first of all I suppose I could use an outlet.
As the mother of 3 children under the age of 6, I find myself engaged in an ongoing interior monologue. If you are at all familiar with children of this particular age group, you’ll know that their listening abilities can be spotty at best. And if this was your audience from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm, you’d resort to a little internalizing too. So bottom line, I've got things to say people!
And about what, you may ask? Well I’m not solving any world problems here, and sometimes I feel as though pregnancy brain has set up permanent residence. But I think I could pretty much talk passionately and (reasonably) intelligently about food at any time of day or night. And it just so happens that in my high-powered role as CEO of this household, food is a HUGE responsibility. 'Cause do you know what these kids do, day-in and day-out, without fail???
Eat.
And heck, let’s throw my husband in the mix since he eats every day too. And, he works (mostly) out of our house which means he also eats lunch at home. But he isn't really a PB&J guy. Or a cereal guy. I guess this would make him an ACTUAL LUNCH guy.
So basically, all day long I’m thinking about food. Planning, shopping, preparing, serving, cleaning up, and negotiating its consumption with the little ones. All so we can get up and start ALL OVER the next day. So what better topic for a blog than food? I’m also one of those people who wants everyone to know when I've eaten something great. As in, “you HAVE to try this!”
For my first post, I’m going back to a family favorite. This Mexican Lasagna appears on the first page of a cookbook my mom made for me as a wedding shower present. As I understand it, the recipe originally comes from my Aunt Patty who got it off a can of those fried onions...the ones usually reserved for green bean casserole. I will describe it with a term I am sure to use again and again throughout this blogging adventure....hot, cheesy goodness. And cottage cheese haters hang in there with me. I too am usually not a fan, but there isn't the weird texture you get with cold cottage cheese. It gets all melty and delicious, and is actually my automatic substitution for anything that calls for ricotta cheese (talk about texture!). Enjoy!
~Erin
Mexican Lasagna
Serves: 6
Ingredients
1 pound of ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 -16 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 package taco seasoning
1 -2.8 oz. can fried onions
1 -24 oz. carton cottage cheese
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs
12 flour tortillas
Instructions
In a large skillet, brown meat and drain. Add canned tomatoes and taco seasoning. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 can of onions.
In a separate bowl combine cottage cheese, 1 c. of cheddar cheese, and eggs.
Place 3 tortillas in the bottom of a greased 9x13 baking dish. Overlap 6 tortillas around sides of dish.
Spoon meat mixture evenly in dish and top with remaining 3 tortillas. Spread cheese mixture over tortillas.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and onions and bake for 5 more minutes.
