Go-To Crock Pot Chicken

Who doesn't need another go-to chicken recipe? Can't get enough of those! This one is quick-promise....and super yummy. Kids eat it-need I say more?


2-3 chicken breasts
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken broth
1 packet onion soup mix

Cut chicken in bite size pieces (before you put in the cp, or after it has cooked for a bit) and place all ingredients in the crockpot. Let cook for about 3-5 hours (depending on high or low cook setting) and Serve over pasta or rice (whichever your kids will eat better).

Caramel Popcorn

This recipe is probably familiar to a lot of you, but I think, from talking to others, that our version has a few small changes to the family one.  We love it!  We had a bowl of it and a bowl of buttered popcorn every Sunday night growing up and would watch of movie together. 

I usually pop about two batches of popcorn per recipe of caramel because we like it sticky and gooey!

 

Boil for one minute:

1/2 C butter or margarine (I prefer butter….)

1/4 C Corn Syrup

1 C Brown Sugar

2 Tbs liquid (I usually us milk, but sometimes water or even evaporated milk.  I’ve even tried sweetened condensed milk!  Creamier = Yummier! The liquid also helps keep it a little softer.)

You can also add vanilla if you want.

I usually boil it  just under a minute, again, to keep it a softer.  I don’t really like hard caramel popcorn.

Just before pouring onto popcorn, add a pinch of baking soda and stir it in.  This makes it foam up a little and easier to coat the popcorn. 

We like to add marshmallows.  You can add them before the caramel and they will melt and make it really gooey, but we usually add them after and just have marshmallows in it.  You can also add nuts, chocolate chips, etc. 

I always like to eat the caramel out of the bottom of the bowl after the popcorn is gone!  Hope you like it!

Banana Cream Pie Trifle

Banana Cream Pie Trifle

This was SO yummy! Pretty much consists of layers of crumbly pie crust, instant banana pudding, bananas, and cool whip. Easy! (Don't let the length of the recipe scare you, it really is easy!)

Crumble pie crust - 2 Crusts

 (If you want you can just double either Crust 1 or Crust 2 if you don't want to do both types of crust.)

Crust 1:

1            cup all-purpose flour

1/4         cup packed brown sugar

1/2         cup firm butter or margarine

Heat oven to 400°F. In medium bowl, mix flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter, using pastry blender, until mixture is crumbly (or use hands to mix, I just used a gallon-sized baggie to protect my hands from getting messy). Press evenly on the bottom of half an ungreased 9x13 pan.

Crust 2:

1 box of vanilla wafers (crush to small to medium chunks and crumbs)

½ firm butter or margarine

In medium bowl, mix crushed vanilla wafers and butter. Press evenly on the bottom of the other half of the ungreased 9x13 pan.  Bake about 15-20 minutes or until light brown. Stir to break up into chunks and crumbs. Mix both types of crumb crusts together. Cool completely, about 1 hour (or put in freezer to cool quickly).

2*        boxes (4-serving size) banana instant pudding and pie filling mix

*(I had extra, so start with 1 box, it may be all you need)

2          cups cold milk (per box of instant pudding)

3-4       ripe medium bananas, sliced***

2**      containers (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

**(I had extra, so you may only need 1)

In large bowl, make pudding mix as directed on box, using 2 cups milk. In Trifle dish (or 2-quart serving bowl), layer 1/3 of the crumb mixture, pudding, bananas and whipped topping; repeat layers. My top set of layers I only had the crumb mixture and bananas. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Top with peanuts if desired. Store in refrigerator. 

You really can’t go wrong with this, just layer until your bowl  is full!

***(After I sliced the bananas I dipped them in a bowl of watered down lemon juice to keep them from browning. 1-2 cups water 2-3 tsp lemon juice.)

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Over the last couple of years several of my friends have sent me the link to this recipe. I've let one negative experience with corn tortillas turn me away for too long. I physicked myself up about making this recipe, dragged 4 kids with me to the store to grab a couple of ingredients, actually survived the trip to the store, came home and went to work on dinner! I am joining my friends in the opinion that this recipe needs to be shared. It's a keeper! Delicious and not hard to make. I doubled the recipe and took a pan to a friend as a thank you and she texted that they all loved them and agree that these should be on their menu weekly. And, for anyone counting those devil calories, good news-these are not too shabby!

http://ourbestbites.com/2009/04/baked-creamy-chicken-taquitos/

Molten Lava Cake for 2

This cake is still gooey in the center and is really yummy. It is a lighter dessert than you would think too. Next time I am using milk chocolate chips to make it a little sweeter.

Molten Lava Cake for 2

Ingredients

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, plus a little more for the ramekins

1 Tbsp. flour, plus a little more for the ramekins

1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips*

1 Large egg plus

1 Large egg yolk

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

Directions

1. Heat oven to 450F. Butter two 6-oz ramekins and dust the inside with flour.

2. Place the butter and chocolate in a glass bowl and microwave on high in 20-second intervals, stirring after each use, until melted and smooth.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg, egg yolk and sugar in a medium bowl until thick and lighter in color, about 1 minute. Add the melted chocolate mixture and flour and beat until fully incorporated and smooth.

4. Divide the batter between the prepared ramekins. Bake until the edges are set and center still jiggles slightly, 8-10 minutes. Let stand for 15 seconds. Run a knife around the edge, and then invert each cake onto a plate. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve with fresh mint or berries, if desired. Serve immediately. (Or serve with chocolate syrup and ice cream)

Make-Ahead tip: Refrigerate the batter in the ramekins for up to 1 day. Before baking, bring to room temperature.

*Recipe calls for bittersweet chocolate chips, I used semisweet, and I plan on using milk chocolate chips next time.

Cream Puff Dessert

Cream Puff Dessert

Crust:

1 cube margarine
1 c. water
1 c. flour
4 eggs

Bring margarine and water to a rolling boil, slowly add flour while stirring. Stir until dough cleans sides of pan. Add one egg at a time, beating with a fork. Spread onto a jellyroll pan and bake at 400 degrees for approximately 20 minutes. Push down the biggest bubbles while it's still hot.

Filling:

1 large pkg. instant vanilla pudding (or chocolate)
3 c. milk
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese; softened
1 tsp. almond flavoring (optional)

Mix together and spread on top of crust when cool.

Topping:

1 (8 oz.) container cool whip
chocolate syrup

Spread cool whip on top of pudding mixture, drizzle chocolate syrup on top.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Cream of Broccoli Soup


4 c. chicken or vegetable broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 c. fresh broccoli (or 1 bag of frozen broccoli)
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 med onion; chopped
1/4 c. flour
2 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Mix broth and soup in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Add broccoli and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes or until broccoli is tender.

Meanwhile, heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add onion. Saute until tender. Add flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute longer. Gradually stir milk into skillet. Cook, stirring continually, until thickened. Add salt and pepper; mix well.

Stir milk mixture into broccoli mixture. Simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Ladle soup into a serving bowl. Top with cheddar cheese.

* To make a more hearty soup, first peel and dice 3-4 potatoes. Cook in a separate pan until soft while preparing the rest of the soup. Add when combining milk and broccoli mixtures.

** Can also add precooked and shredded chicken, or 1 can of precooked chicken.