Showing posts with label chicken. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chicken. Show all posts

11.1.14

Crockpot Recipes

Another dreary day is upon us. I have accomplished doing a few loads of laundry, buying Maddie a new carseat(she really needed one), and chatting with some friends about what they wanted to see in my blog. I have had some requests for recipes, crockpot recipes and budget friendly recipes. I am going to share some of my all time favorite budget and family friendly crockpot recipes. I mean what is better than throwing everything in the crockpot before work and coming home to a hot, hearty meal that took barely anytime to prep? I think nothing.
CHEESY CHICKEN SPAGHETTI
*16 oz spaghetti
*1 lb velveeta (sliced or cubed)
*12.5 oz chicken breast(cubed)
*1 can cream of mushroom
*1 can cream of chicken
*10 oz Rotel
*4 oz mushrooms
*1/2 c water
*1 small diced onion
*1 med diced green pepper
*salt & pepper
-Place spaghetti noodles on the bottom of the crock pot pour a small amount of water over them(1/4 cup), mix water, soups, onion, green pepper, mushrooms and rotel together in large bowl. Put layer of this mixture over spaghetti with half of the velvetta, and place chicken breast cubes over top. finish with remaining cheese, and top with remaining soup mixture.
-Cook on low for 2-3 hours.

CROCKPOT ROAST
-Rump or chuck roast(3-4lb)
-About 5 or 6 white or red skin potatoes(peeled and cubed)
-Half a bag of baby carrots
-Medium onion chopped(not too small)
-Pot roast seasoning
-1 1/2 cups water
*Place half of veggies on bottom of crock pot, place roast on top, and other half of veggies around the sides of the roast. Mix together the pot roast seasoning with the water and pour over top of roast.
+Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours

PORKCHOPS WITH SWEET POTATOES AND APPLES
-4-6 Pork chops, trimmed of fat
-3 Gala apples, peeled and cubed
-1 can sweet potatoes
-1 can whole cranberry sauce or applesauce
-salt and pepper to taste
*In the slow cooker, layer the pork chops, apples and cranberry sauce or applesauce. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6.
*Add the sweet potatoes and cook for another hour or until meat is cooked through.
 
CROCKPOT CHICKEN AND STUFFING
  • 4 pieces of boneless skinless chicken
  • 1 box of stuffing
  • 1 can of cream of chicken soup
  • 1/2 cup of sour cream
  • 1/4 cup of water
  • -place the chicken in the bottom of the crockpot
    -top the chicken with the stuffing
    -mix together soup, sour cream, and water then place the mixture on top of the stuffing
    -cook on low for 6 hours if chicken was frozen, if thawed cook on low for 4 hours


    STUFFED PEPPERS
    4 green peppers
    1 pound of ground round
    1/2 medium onion, diced
    3/4 cup of bread crumbs
    3/4 cup of rice (uncooked)
    1 egg
    1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
    salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
    -Cut the top off the green peppers and place in the crockpot.
    -In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except the spaghetti sauce.
    -Spoon mixture into green peppers.
    -Pour spaghetti sauce over peppers
    -Cook on low for 6 hours

    TACO MEAT(MAKE DOUBLE AND FREEZE FOR A QUICK DINNER)
    2 lbs ground meat of choice
    2 pkg taco seasoning
    1 1/2 cups water

    -Around lunchtime, add all ingredients to slow cooker (my meat is usually frozen when I add it). Cook on high for several hours, give the meat a stir and break it up occasionally. Turn to low after the meat looks like it is mostly cooked (you probably don’t have to, but I worry about it burning).
    -The taco meat will look really soupy. That’s okay, just strain it before serving. Part of it is the fat, part of it is a little extra moisture from the water. To strain, put a colander over a bowl or in the sink and dump in the meat.

    CROCKPOT SPAGHETTI

  • 2 handfuls spaghetti pasta, broken into pieces
  • 26 oz. jar spaghetti sauce or make mine from the blog post "how to always have something for dinner"
  • 20 to 22 ounce package frozen completely cooked meatballs
  • 2 cups water
  • -Combine all ingredients in 4 quart slow cooker and mix to combine. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 5-7 hours until pasta is tender and meatballs are thoroughly heated, stirring once during cooking time. This method will make the pasta quite soft, like Spaghetti-Os.
    -OR- you can cook the sauce, meatballs, and water for 5-7 hours on low until hot, then stir in the pasta. Try to make sure that the pasta is completely immersed in the sauce. Turn the crockpot to high. Cover and cook on high for 20-25 minutes, stirring once, until the pasta is tender. This will make pasta that is more al dente. -PLEASE read the directions. If you add the pasta at the beginning or let it cook for a couple of hours, it will be very soft. For al dente pasta, add it during the last 20-25 minutes.

    Hope you enjoy these favorites of our family!!
    Stay calm and mom on!
    Casey G.

    10.1.14

    How to always have something for dinner

    Its still raining, Madds is taking a quick nap and I have dinner marinating in the refrigerator. I want to share a list I found in a magazine a few years ago, along with a few of my favorite recipes that are always a hit in my house. This is going to be long but well worth it!!

    So with these 12 go to ingredients and basic herbs and spices in the cabinets you can have 15 different meals.
    If you have:
    1. olive oil
    2. rice
    3. parmesan cheese
    4. butter
    5. onions
    6. canned whole tomatoes(or diced)
    7. spaghetti
    8. chicken
    9. cream
    10. ground beef
    11. carrots
    12. chicken broth

    You can make:
    *Chicken Risotto (1,2,3,4,5,8,12)
    *Spaghetti Marinara (1,3,5,6,7)
    *Chicken Alfredo (1,3,4,7,8,9)
    *Grilled Chicken with Rice (1,2,8)
    *Baked Chicken (4,8)
    *Black-Pepper Pasta (1,3,7,9)
    *Arroz Con Pollo (2,4,5,6,8,12)
    *Chili (5,6,10)
    *Pasta with Meat Ragout (1,3,6,7,10,11)
    *Chicken and Rice Soup (2,5,8,11,12)
    *Chicken Stir-Fry (1,2,5,8,11,12)
    *Beef Stir-Fry (1,2,5,10,11,12)
    *Minestrone Soup (1,5,6,7,11,12)
    *Italian Chicken Stew (1,5,6,8,11,12)
    Mexican Chicken (1,5,6,8)
    Its just that simple, remember we are busy in this day in age and need simple dinners to throw together. keep the ingredients aboved stocked well in your pantry and freezer and you will never be wondering what to make for dinner.
    *Tip* I always buy my meat in bulk, and anytime I see meat on sale or managers special I snatch it up. I seperate it into freezer bags with enough for one meal and pull it out as I need it. This does take me about 15 minutes to get everything seperated, but I always have meat available and only buy it once a month(unless there is a sale).

    Okay now on too some of my personal favorite meals that we have for dinner. The crockpot is my best friend and I love to use it as much as possible because my kitchen is small and gets hot with the stove on too long.

    Roast chicken in the crock pot or oven
    -One whole chicken(fresh or thawed)
    -Salt
    -Pepper
    -Garlic
    -Poultry Seasoning
    -Chicken Seasoning
    -Paprika
    -2 medium onions(for crockpot recipe only)
    1.season chicken with all ingredients inside and out(make sure to be very generous on the inside)
    2. if cooking in oven place in roasting pan, dutch oven, roaster rack, whatever you prefer to cook your whole chicken in MAKE SURE IT IS BREAST SIDE UP and BAKE AT 425 DEGREES FOR 1 AND 1/2 HOURS OR UNTIL JUICES RUN CLEAR WHEN POKED
    3. If cooking in crock pot cut 2 onions in half to sit chicken on to keep off bottom of pot make sure you can put the lid on without the chicken touching the top and SET ON LOW FOR 8 HOURS, when done take out chicken and let sit for 5-10 minutes before carving.

    Baked Ziti
    -Ground Beef(1lb)
    -1 Medium yellow onion - chopped
    -2 cans Diced tomatoes(italian style or basil, garlic, oregano style)
    -2 cans tomatoe sauce
    -2 cups shredded mozarella(hold 1/2 cup to side for topping)
    -5 cups ziti noodles (cooked)

    1. Cook beef and onion together until beef is brown; drain well
    2. Place beef/onion mixture and all other ingredients(except reserved mozarella) in casserole dish or 13x9 baking dish
    3.Top with remaining mozzarella
    4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
    *TIP* I also use this sauce recipe for my spaghetti, so make extra and freeze some for a quick dinner one night!

    I will post more recipes later! Madds has woke up and wants her mommy!
    Stay calm and mom on!
    -Casey G.