Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Another favorite from www.skinnytaste.com!  I plan on cooking this again sometime soon and trying it as a freezer meal...hopefully it will be just as tasty that way!  I have tons of peppers right now from Mama's garden, and this would be a great way to use them up!

The author of skinnytaste highly recommended using chicken thighs instead of the boneless, skinless chicken breasts; she stated that they taste much better.  I usually just throw the breasts in anyway, because that's what I stock up on when they are on sale.  I made a special note on my grocery list for this one, however, and I totally agree with Ms. Skinnytaste...the meat cooking on the bone definitely tasted better.

• 8 chicken thighs, with the bone, skin removed
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes 
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into strips (I go ahead and use the whole thing)
• 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced into strips (again, I don't see a need in storing half a pepper)
• 1/2 large onion, sliced (yep - I used all of this one, too)
• 1 tsp dried oregano 
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and fresh pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs such as basil or parsley for topping

1. Season chicken with salt and black pepper and place in the slow cooker. 
2. Pour tomatoes over the chicken, top with onions and peppers, add oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper, and give it a quick stir.  
3. Set crock pot to LOW 8 hours or HIGH 4 hours. (My crocks never seem to really take this long.)
4. To help thicken the sauce, remove the crock lid and let it cook on high for around an hour; you may want to add a tablespoon or so of cornstarch as well.
5. While the sauce is thickening, I go ahead and debone the thighs....it makes prep for the kiddos easier!

Serve over linguine and sprinkle with parmesan cheese!  

Salsa Chicken

Tons of uses for this tasty Salsa Chicken that tastes like we just picked it up from our favorite Mexican Restaurant.  It's a recipe I tried from www.chef-in-training.com; I used it for soft tacos the first night and made chicken nachos  and quesadillas later in the week.  The kids preferred eating the chicken by itself....that works, too!  Jeremy suggested using it for enchiladas, so I'm sure we'll try something like that for the next go-round.  Today, I'll be tossing all of these ingredients in a gallon-sized freezer bag to make the already easy prep even faster, getting ready for those busy weekday mornings that are approaching.

• Chicken Breasts
• 1 cup salsa (I ended up using the entire 16 oz. jar in my crock after watching it cook.)
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 1 can cream of chicken soup 
• 1/2 cup sour cream (We do love some sour cream...so I'm overly generous with this!)

1. Add chicken to slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken.
3. Mix salsa and cream of chicken in bowl; pour over chicken.
4. Cook on low for 4.5-6 hours or until chicken is done.
5. Shred chicken, return to crock, and stir in sour cream.

Zucchini, Black Bean, and Rice Skillet

That sure is a long name.  I should probably just call it "Pretty Skillet" for short, because I love just watching all of the colors get all happy together while they are simmering away.
This was another Pinterest find, but the original recipe can be found here.  I altered it just a bit, using whole grain rice instead of the instant white rice.

• 1 T oil
• 1.5 cups zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced
• 1/2-1 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1 can black beans, rinsed
• 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes with garlic, undrained
• 1 cup whole grain rice, cooked
• Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese blend

1. Cook rice and set aside. (I cooked this during the kids' rest time and prepared all of the veggies.  Once supper time rolled around, it made it super easy to toss together.)
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add zucchini and bell pepper; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add beans & undrained tomatoes; bring to a boil.
4. Add rice; stir well.
5. Once everything is nice and hot, remove from heat.
6. Sprinkle with cheese, cover, and let stand until cheese is melted.

What a quick and easy (and pretty) way to get lots of veggies in one dish!  This will be a great dish to take to work for lunch....and it went great with the Melty Chicken, another Pinterest experiment!

Melty Chicken Breasts

Super quick way to dress up plain chicken a bit for a weeknight meal.  Found, somewhere, on Pinterest...not sure of the original source since the pinner altered the recipe.

• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp seasoning salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• boneless, skinless chicken breast

1. Mix the first five ingredients.
2. Spread over chicken breasts.
3. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until done.  

Crock Pot Hawaiian Chicken

From www.chef-in-training.com


We tried this recipe on a hot July evening after Jeremy had been doing yard work for a majority of the day.  After I asked if it was Bookworthy, he even commented that it was a perfect crock pot summer meal, because it was on the lighter side.  By "lighter side", he means he didn't feel stuffed, heavy, & full after eating it, even after working in the heat all day!  On the author's website, she notes that this could also be a freezer meal.  Since the meal was a success tonight, I'll definitely be putting a patch in the freezer for the upcoming fall (read: crazy busy) months!

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 tsp Woozy sauce (I added more)
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple with juice
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 can pineapple chunks

1. Mix all ingredients together, except the can of pineapple chunks.  I mix everything, then pour it over the chicken
2. Cook slow cooker 4-6 hours. I used my 5 qt crock and cooked for 4.5 hrs OR *Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
3. During the last 20 minutes of cooking time, dump in 1 can of pineapple chunks, without the juice.
4. Serve over rice  I cooked 2 cups; this was plenty to feed my family of 4 and looks like we'll be having it for leftovers as well.

Freezing Directions:
Place chicken in freezer bag.  Pour sauce mixture over chicken and freeze!

Voila!  This is such a simple recipe!

Crock Pot 3 Bean Turkey Chili

• 1.3 lb (20 oz) fat free ground turkey breast
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (16 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 (4.5 oz) can chopped chilies, drained
• 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas
• 1 (15.5 oz) can black beans
• 1 (15.5 oz) can small red beans
• 2 tbsp chili powder

Topping:

• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• shredded cheddar to top chili

1. Brown turkey and onion in a medium skillet over medium high heat until cooked through.
2. Drain any fat and transfer to slow cooker. 
3. Add the beans, chilies, chickpeas tomatoes, tomato sauce and chili powder, mixing well.
4. Cook on high 6-8 hours.
5. Garnish with onions, cilantro and cheese and enjoy!

Baked Garlic Lemon Tilapia

We've been trying to eat more fish around here lately; specifically, once a week instead of once in a blue moon.  I found this too-easy-to-be-true recipe from my new favorite food website, skinnytaste.com.

• tilapia filets
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed (I use a little more)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 4 tsp fresh parsley
• salt and pepper
• cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Melt butter on a low heat in a small sauce pan. 
3. Add garlic and saute on low for about 1 minute. 
4. Add the lemon juice.
5. Spray the bottom of a baking dish lightly with cooking spray. 
6. Place the fish on top and season with salt and pepper. 
7. Pour the lemon butter mixture on the fish and top with fresh parsley. 
8. Bake at 400° until cooked, about 15 minutes.

Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigiana

This is a super-tasty and healthy way to dress up boring chicken!  from www.skinnytaste.com

• 8 thin chicken cutlets, 3 oz each
• 1/2 cup whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
• 6 tablespoons egg whites or egg beaters
• 5 oz frozen spinach, squeezed dry of any liquid
• 6 tbsp part skim ricotta cheese
• 6 oz part skim mozzarella 
• olive oil non-stick spray 
• marinara sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper.  
2. Preheat oven to 450°. 
3. Lightly spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.
4. Combine breadcrumbs and 2 tbsp grated cheese in one bowl and 1/4 cup egg beaters or egg whites in another.
5. Shred or finely chop 1.5 oz of mozzarella cheese and combine with remaining grated cheese, spinach (make sure you squeeze it dry), 2 tbsp egg beaters, and ricotta cheese.
6. Lay chicken cutlets down on a working surface and spread 2 tbsp of spinach-cheese mixture on each cutlet. Loosely roll each one and keep seam side down.
7. Dip chicken in egg mixture, then in breadcrumbs and place seam side down in a baking dish (no toothpicks needed). Repeat with the remaining chicken. 
8. When finished, lightly spray with olive oil.
9. Bake 25 minutes. 
10. Remove from oven, top with sauce then cheese.
11. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 3 more minutes. Serve with additional sauce on the side and grated cheese.

Low Fat Baked Ziti with Spinach

Another great baked ziti recipe...but this one is lightened up (from skinnytaste.com) and sneaks in some healthy spinach.  I've made this once so far, and it was a hit in our house!

• 1 lb high fiber ziti such as Ronzoni Smart Taste
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes 
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic,minced
• 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• salt and fresh pepper to taste
• 8 oz fat-free ricotta
• 1/4 cup Parmesan
• 2 cups (8 oz) part skim mozzarella
• Spray olive oil 

Preheat oven to 375°.Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with oil spray.
In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta according to instructions until al dente.Drain and return to pot.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, add olive oil and sauté garlic. Add chopped spinach, salt pepper and chopped tomatoes. Season with basil, oregano, salt and pepper. 
Add sauce to the pasta and combine the ziti. Add half of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and ricotta. Mix well then transfer to the baking pan.
Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with the remaining mozzarella.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and the edges are lightly browned.

This can be made up to a day in advance and stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.

Creamy Baked Ziti

• 4 C ziti pasta, uncooked
• 1 jar marinara sauce
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 8 oz cream cheese, cubed (the original recipe calls for 6 oz, but why leave 2 oz left over?)
• 3/4 C sour cream (I use more...)
• 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (at least!)
• 1/3 C grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Cook pasta in large saucepan; remove & drain
Add marinara sauce, tomatoes, & cream cheese to same pan
Cook, stirring frequently, on medium heat 5 minutes or until cream cheese is melted & mixture is well blended
Return pasta to pan & mix well
Layer half of the pasta mixture in a 13x9  baking dish
Cover with a layer of sour cream & 1 cup of mozzarella
Add remaining pasta and top with remaining mozzarella
Sprinkle on parmesan cheese
Bake 20 minutes or until heated through

Yummy, Yummy, comfort food goodness at its best.

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

A nice casserole that can be cooked right away or placed in the freezer for later....and since it makes enough to fill up one 9 by 13 dish AND one 9 by 9 dish, you can do both!

• 4.5 pound whole chicken
• 1/4 C butter
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 16 oz. Velveeta
• 15 oz. tomato sauce
• 1 can Cream of Chicken soup
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 16 oz. package spaghetti, cooked & drained

Cook chicken (I cook in the slow cooker for a few hours with a few cups of water - super easy.)
Reserve broth, cool chicken, then cut chicken into bite size pieces
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Lightly grease 13x9 dish and 9x9 dish
In large skillet, melt butter over medium heat
Add onions & bell pepper, cook for 5 minutes or until tender
Add 2 C chicken broth, cheese, sauce, soups, salt, & chicken, stirring until cheese is melted
Place spaghetti into prepared baking dishes
Spoon chicken mixture over pasta & toss gently to combine
Bake 30 minutes or until hot & bubbly

This is one of Jeremy's absolute favorites!

Creamy Chicken Pot Pie

This Kraft recipe utilizes their flavored "cooking creams" (divine cream cheese with extra flavors added in); I've used a few recipes with the cooking creams, and they deliver flavor in a snap with easy-peasy prep!

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 2 C frozen mixed veggies
• 10 oz. Philadelphia Savory Garlic Cooking Cream
• 1 refrigerated pie crust

Heat oven to 400 degrees
Cook & stir chicken in large nonstick skillet 5-6 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned
Add vegetables & cook 1-2 minutes
Stir in cooking cream
Spoon in 9" pie plate
Cover with crust, seal & flute edge
Cut several slits in crust
Place pie on baking sheet
Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown

White Calzones

Another Paula Deen magazine keeper.  This is a special meal that Jeremy and typically like to make together, after the kids have gone to bed.  It makes up 2 calzones, and we usually only eat half at night and save the other half for tomorrow's lunch.  We have a nice little dance going where I chop everything up while he mans the skillet, making for a nice "date night in".

• refrigerated pizza dough
• 4 tsp basil pesto 
• 1/2 lb. whole milk mozzarella, thinly sliced (we get the whole pound because we can't help but snacking on it while cooking -- that is some good stuff!)
• 1 T butter
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 C chopped onion
• 1 clove minced garlic (we use several -- I love garlic!)
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 3 c baby spinach, stems removed
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 C ricotta cheese
• 1/2 C parmesan cheese
• marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line baking sheet with parchment paper, unroll pizza dough & cut in half horizontally
Spread pesto evenly over half of each dough piece, leaving 1 inch border around sides
Place 3 slices of mozzarella on each dough piece
In large skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat
Add onion and garlic and cook 2 minutes
Add chicken, salt, & pepper and cook 6 minutes, stirring frequently
Add spinach and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently
Remove from heat
Stir in ricotta & parmesan cheeses
Spoon mixture into dough
Top with remaining slices of mozzarella
Fold dough over filling & crimp edges to seal
Bake 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned
Cool 5 minutes
Serve with marinara

Turkey Sausage Twice Baked Potatoes

I can't quite remember where I stumbled across this recipe, but I do remember that when Emma Grace helped me make it for the first time, I got seriously worried that she was eating SO much of the filling that we wouldn't have enough to fill the potatoes back up!  It is some GOOD stuff!!  We don't eat many white potatoes around these parts (they're the hubby's first choice, but the rest of us eat sweet potatoes), so this is a definite "splurge" meal.

• 5 lb. bag Idaho Potatoes
• Olive Oil
• Turkey sausage crumbles - 12 oz.
• 1 1/4 c milk
• 1/4 c unsalted butter
• 1/2 c diced onion
• Shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Pierce 8 potatoes with a fork several times and rub with olive oil (Em loves this step!)
Bake on middle rack in oven 50-60 minutes or until slightly soft.
While baking, cook turkey sausage; drain and set aside.
While potatoes are still hot, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the interior in a medium sized bowl, leaving a shell about 1/4" thick.
Mash!  (also a favorite EG step)
In small saucepan over medium heat, heat milk (don't boil); add to potatoes a little at a time.
Mix in butter & mash.
Add pepper and onion & mix.
Add cheese and sausage & stir.
Don't let your child eat all of the mixture.
Turn oven to 400 degrees & fill the shells with mixture.
Bake 18-20 minutes or until hot.

Skinny Taco Dip

A while back, I found a fabulous new (to me) website called skinnytaste.com.  I was looking for more slow cooker recipes, but found tons of tons of other tasty looking things here as well.

One of the first recipes I tried was their Skinny Taco Dip -- YUM.

Here's what you need:

• 8 oz 1/3 less fat Philadelphia cream cheese
• 8 oz reduced fat sour cream
• 16 oz jar mild salsa
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 2 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
• 2.25 oz black olives
• (Optional) 1 lb. ground meat

And here's what you do: 

Brown meat and spread in the bottom of a 9 by 13 or other large pan.  In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, salsa and taco seasoning and mix well with an electric mixer. Spread on the bottom of a large shallow glass dish.Top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese and black olives.  Place in pre-heated oven until cheese is melted. Serve with baked tortilla chips.