Saw this on Facebook and had to try it. I used frozen chicken breasts (from the big 10 lb. bag from Costco) so this was a PERFECT recipe to try since I had no thawed chicken at all. Definitely got a thumbs up from everyone in the family. I served it over rice with green beans on the side.
Crock Pot Sweet Garlic Chicken
4-6 chicken breasts
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
1/4 cup lemon-lime soda (diet or regular)
2-3 Tablespoons minced garlic
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 Tablespoons corn starch
2 Tablespoons water
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken (frozen, thawed or fresh) inside slow cooker. Mix together brown sugar, vinegar, soda, garlic, soy sauce, and pepper together. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours.
Take chicken pieces out of slow cooker (mine basically fell apart) and pour remaining sauce into saucepan. Place saucepan over high heat. Mix together corn starch and water, pour into saucepan, and mix well. Let sauce come to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes, or until it starts to thicken and turns into a glaze. Remove from heat and let sit for a minute or two (it will continue to thicken as it cools down).
Sprinkle red pepper flakes on top if desired. This can be served over rice or noodles, I also like it with a baked potato on the side (It's good on top of the potato too!)
Monday, September 9, 2013
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Crockpot "Refried" Beans
Oh my gosh - these are perfect!! How inexpensive!! How easy!!! How yummy!!!!!! The original recipe is from Pennies & Pancakes and I only changed it by not adding the salt as they cooked (because I remember hearing that salt will make the beans tough??) and adding it at the end. I wasn't even home for a lot of this cooking and I cooked it on low for 4 hours instead of 2 because, well, I wasn't home in 2 hours. :) But still they are perfect and now I have a big batch of beans for dinner tonight and the freezer.
Crockpot "Refried" Beans
2 lbs. pinto beans
1 large onion, chopped
4 Tbsp. jarred minced garlic (or 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced)
Up to 2 1/2 Tbsp salt (wait to the end and add a little bit at a time and taste)
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. cumin
10 cups hot water
Rinse the beans in a colander. Pick out any bad beans or stones.
Combine all the ingredients in the crockpot. Remove any floating beans. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours and then LOW for 2 hours.
Uncover and remove extra liquid (I only drained off a little bit - like a quarter cup?). Leave enough liquid to reach the desired consistency when the beans are mashed.
Mash beans with a potato masher to desired consistency.
Serve warm. Store in air-tight containers in the refrigerator and use within 2 weeks or freeze in containers or zip lock bags for later use.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
BowTie Pesto Pasta Salad
I tried this earlier in the summer and it was delicious but I forgot to write it up - and almost lost the recipe!! So since I want to make this for dinner tonight - and NOT lose the recipe, here we go:
BowTie Pesto Pasta Salad
1 lb. bowtie pasta
8 Tbsp. pesto
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup Roma tomatoes, chopped
4 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup spinach, diced
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
4 Tbsp. Caesar dressing
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse well with cold water. Add remaining ingredients to the pasta, mix well and refrigerate until serving.
BowTie Pesto Pasta Salad
1 lb. bowtie pasta
8 Tbsp. pesto
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup Roma tomatoes, chopped
4 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup spinach, diced
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
4 Tbsp. Caesar dressing
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse well with cold water. Add remaining ingredients to the pasta, mix well and refrigerate until serving.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Grilled Orange Sesame Chicken Wraps with Asian Cole Slaw
Tried this new to me recipe tonight and again, a hit with the fam!! I got it from The $5 Dinner Mom and it was perfect for the hot weather. It was quick to prepare and didn't cost a lot of money which is a definite bonus. I already had most of the ingredients so only had to pick up the burritos, pineapple and cole slaw mix. 9++ rating from everyone at the table AND my dairy allergic daughter could indulge with the family as well. :)
Grilled Orange Sesame Chicken Wraps with Asian Cole Slaw
3 chicken breasts, cut thin horizontally, about 1.5 lbs.
2 cups orange juice
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds (I had them but decided to use about 1.5 Tbsp. sesame oil instead
4-6 burrito sized whole wheat tortillas
pineapple or other fresh fruit
Asian Cole Slaw
1 12 oz. bag cole slaw mix
1/3 cup mayonaisse
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. peanut butter
1 tsp. ground ginger
couple dashes of pepper
Place the chicken breasts in a shallow dish or resealable plastic baggie. Add the orange juice and toasted sesame seeds (or sesame oil). Let sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hour up to overnight.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the mayo, soy sauce, sesame oil, peanut butter, ginger and pepper. Pour over the cole slaw in a larger mixing bowl and toss well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Grill chicken breast until done. Remove to a plate or cutting board and slice into strips.
Assemble the wraps by adding some Asian Cole Slaw and sliced chicken to the burrito. Roll and eat.
Serve with pineapple or other fresh fruit. My husband put the cut up pineapple onto the burrito and thought it was fantastic!
Grilled Orange Sesame Chicken Wraps with Asian Cole Slaw
3 chicken breasts, cut thin horizontally, about 1.5 lbs.
2 cups orange juice
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds (I had them but decided to use about 1.5 Tbsp. sesame oil instead
4-6 burrito sized whole wheat tortillas
pineapple or other fresh fruit
Asian Cole Slaw
1 12 oz. bag cole slaw mix
1/3 cup mayonaisse
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. peanut butter
1 tsp. ground ginger
couple dashes of pepper
Place the chicken breasts in a shallow dish or resealable plastic baggie. Add the orange juice and toasted sesame seeds (or sesame oil). Let sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hour up to overnight.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the mayo, soy sauce, sesame oil, peanut butter, ginger and pepper. Pour over the cole slaw in a larger mixing bowl and toss well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Grill chicken breast until done. Remove to a plate or cutting board and slice into strips.
Assemble the wraps by adding some Asian Cole Slaw and sliced chicken to the burrito. Roll and eat.
Serve with pineapple or other fresh fruit. My husband put the cut up pineapple onto the burrito and thought it was fantastic!
Friday, July 5, 2013
Slow Cooker Chicken Caesar Sandwiches
We just finished these tonight and definitely another hot weather hit!! VERY tasty when served on a nice ciabatta roll. I would think these could be made in larger quantities easily as well and frozen!
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 - 1 cup of your favorite Caesar dressing
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley (or 2 tsp. of dried)
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
12 slider buns, 4-6 hamburger or other buns
Place chicken in crockpot with about a cup of water. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 4-6 hours, until chicken is cooked through.
Remove chicken from cooker using a slotted spoon and drain the water from the crockpot. Shred the chicken and return to crockpot. Pour dressing over chicken, stirring to make it to the desired consistency (we got to to a nice moist chicken salad consistency). Add Parmesan cheese, parsley and pepper and stir well. Cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes on high or until mixture is hot.
Serve on buns and top with the lettuce, extra dressing and/or dressing as desired.
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 - 1 cup of your favorite Caesar dressing
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley (or 2 tsp. of dried)
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
12 slider buns, 4-6 hamburger or other buns
Place chicken in crockpot with about a cup of water. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 4-6 hours, until chicken is cooked through.
Remove chicken from cooker using a slotted spoon and drain the water from the crockpot. Shred the chicken and return to crockpot. Pour dressing over chicken, stirring to make it to the desired consistency (we got to to a nice moist chicken salad consistency). Add Parmesan cheese, parsley and pepper and stir well. Cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes on high or until mixture is hot.
Serve on buns and top with the lettuce, extra dressing and/or dressing as desired.
Ham and Cheese Sliders
OK - Saw these on Tasty Kitchen and had to try them because they looked great. Well, they ARE!! Because they don't cook that long in the oven, they are perfect for hot weather to have something a little different. I served them with pasta salad and green salad and it was a hit across the board.
Ham and Cheese Sliders
12 Hawaiian rolls split
12 slices deli ham
6 slices deli provalone cheese, halved
4 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. poppy seeds
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a rimmed sheet with foil. Assemble the sandwiches with a slice of ham and a half slice of cheese on the bottom half of each roll and top with the top half of the roll. Place the assembled sandwiches close together on the baking sheet.
In a small bowl, combine the butter, sugar, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Microwave until the butter is just melted, about 30-60 seconds. Add the poppy seeds and stir until combined.
Drizzle the butter mixture evenly over the sandwiches. Bake in the oven until the cheese has melted and the butter mixture starts to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Serve warm.
Ham and Cheese Sliders
12 Hawaiian rolls split
12 slices deli ham
6 slices deli provalone cheese, halved
4 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. poppy seeds
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a rimmed sheet with foil. Assemble the sandwiches with a slice of ham and a half slice of cheese on the bottom half of each roll and top with the top half of the roll. Place the assembled sandwiches close together on the baking sheet.
In a small bowl, combine the butter, sugar, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Microwave until the butter is just melted, about 30-60 seconds. Add the poppy seeds and stir until combined.
Drizzle the butter mixture evenly over the sandwiches. Bake in the oven until the cheese has melted and the butter mixture starts to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Serve warm.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Pork Chop Suey
I found this recipe in the October 2012 issue of Woman's Day and it was yummy! I just made it again tonight for the family and it's still as good as it was when we first tried it. It's a GREAT recipe for a fast meal if you prep the food ahead of time. Tonight I had hubby pick up Chinese rice from the Chinese food place - two quarts cost me $5.50 but since I was almost out of rice in the pantry, it was welcomed (HOW did that happen - to run out of rice????). With the rice, it's a complete meal and delicious!
Pork Chop Suey
1 cup long grain white rice
8 oz. pork tenderloin, cut into 1/4" slices
kosher salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 bunch broccoli, cut into small florets (about 3 cups)
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4" wedges
2 stalks celery, cut in 1/4" diagonal slices
8 oz. small mushrooms (halved or quartered if larger)
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
1 1" piece of fresh ginger, grated
2 tsp. cornstarch
1. Cook the rice according to package directions. Season the pork with 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, stirring once, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Add the broccoli and 2 Tbsp. water to the skillet and cook, covered, until broccoli is just tender. Transfer to the bowl with the pork.
3. Add the remaining Tbsp. oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the celery and mushrooms and cook, stirring, until just tender, about 2 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, ginger and cornstarch. Add to the skillet along with the pork and broccoli and cook, tossing until the sauce thickens, about 30 seconds. Serve with the rice.
Makes 4 generous servings (although we fed 6 with leftovers, although I did use the other piece of pork tenderloin to just cook in the oven and served it with this too).
Pork Chop Suey
1 cup long grain white rice
8 oz. pork tenderloin, cut into 1/4" slices
kosher salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 bunch broccoli, cut into small florets (about 3 cups)
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4" wedges
2 stalks celery, cut in 1/4" diagonal slices
8 oz. small mushrooms (halved or quartered if larger)
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
1 1" piece of fresh ginger, grated
2 tsp. cornstarch
1. Cook the rice according to package directions. Season the pork with 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, stirring once, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Add the broccoli and 2 Tbsp. water to the skillet and cook, covered, until broccoli is just tender. Transfer to the bowl with the pork.
3. Add the remaining Tbsp. oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the celery and mushrooms and cook, stirring, until just tender, about 2 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, ginger and cornstarch. Add to the skillet along with the pork and broccoli and cook, tossing until the sauce thickens, about 30 seconds. Serve with the rice.
Makes 4 generous servings (although we fed 6 with leftovers, although I did use the other piece of pork tenderloin to just cook in the oven and served it with this too).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)