Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken

I have been a little lazy with cooking lately....I haven't had much energy to put into it.  but since for some reason my family thinks they need to eat everyday, I can't avoid it.  So I love when I find easy meals.  One of my go to sites for these is 365 Days of Crockpot.  She has awesome crockpot recipes.  I love my crockpot because I can throw everything in it and let it do the work.  I found this recipe for Hawaiian Chicken on there and it looked pretty easy and yummy so I gave it a whirl.  My kids loved it!  I think this is something I am going to be making more often.  I did change a few things so if you want her original, go to her website for it.

2 chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour ( I think I may have used a little more)
1 (20 oz) can pineapple rings, juice reserved
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp quick cooking tapioca
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 red bell pepper, diced 

1.  Dredge the chicken thighs in the flour and place in the slow cooker.
2.  Combine 1/2 cup of the reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce,  Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice, garlic powder, tapioca and vinegar.  Pour over the chicken.  
3.  Top the chicken and sauce with the pineapple rings.
4.  Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours.  Add in the  pepper and cook for another 30 minutes on HIGH (without lid). (I was short on time so I cooked it on high for about 2 1/2 hours)
5.  Serve over rice.

Cheesy Chicken Tater Tot Crock Pot Casserole

My hubby was actually the one who suggested I try this out.  He was talking with some friends at work and he told me to find a recipe for it.  So find away I did.  This was super easy to do!  And it was super good!  My hubby inhaled his and then took some to work the next day and told me that this one was definitely a keeper.  The best part is the crockpot did all the work.  Love it!! This is definitely comfort food at it's best.

Ingredients:
1 (32 oz.) bag frozen tater tots
1 pkg. microwave bacon (or cook up some regular bacon), crumbled
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup milk
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.

Layer half of the frozen tater tots on the bottom of the slow cooker.

Sprinkle with 1/3 of the bacon pieces.

Now top with 1/3 of the shredded cheese.

Add diced chicken on top.  Season with salt, pepper, season salt, or whatever seasonings you want.

Now add 1/3 of the bacon pieces and another 1/3 of shredded cheese.

Put the rest of the frozen tater tots on top.

Finish with the remaining 1/3 cheddar cheese and remaining 1/3 of bacon pieces.

Pour 3/4 cup milk all over the top.

Cover and cook on low about 4-6 hours.

I tried to get a good picture of it cooked in my crockpot, but the steam kept rising up and fogging the camera.  But believe me, it was great!!!  If you want to see some fabulous pictures, go to The Country Cook where I got the original recipe.  I added some onion to mine and my hubby suggested adding sour cream to it next time.  YUM!!!

This can easily be made in the oven as well.  To make this in the oven, spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
Layer ingredients into baking dish. Cover and bake at 350F degrees for about an hour.

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

I love crockpot meals and I love easy meals......I don't think many meals can possible get easier than this one.    Everyone in the family loved it too.....and that's always a plus.  A great thing about this is that you can freeze the leftovers. (I love when you can reuse leftovers too) 

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves (frozen is fine)

1 cup salsa

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 packet taco seasoning

1/2 cup sour cream ( I used around 3/4 cup but I like it creamier)

Tortillas

Cheese (optional)

Place chicken in the bottom of your slow cooker. Sprinkle taco seasoning on chicken. In a bowl, combine soup and salsa. Pour over chicken. Cook on high 4 hours. Shred chicken with two forks and stir in sour cream. 

Serve on tortillas or as desired.  I sprinkled some cheese on them too.  I think next time I may add try it with some ranch seasoning and some velveeta cheese.  mmm.....that sounds yummy =)

Cheeseburger Soup

What do you do when it's cold and snowy?  You have yummy comfort food!  For me, I love love soups when it's cold outside, especially thick and cheesy ones.  I think it's my body's way of keeping warm....eat high calorie food to pack on the extra insulation.  Oh well....I guess I'll have to run an extra mile (or 2) on the treadmill tomorrow =)

1 lb ground beef, browned, drain the fat
6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
3/4 c. chopped onion
3/4 c. diced celery( optional, i used a dash of celery seed to give the flavor)
3/4 c. shredded carrots
1 tsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
4 tbsp. butter
3 c. chicken broth
4 c. diced potatoes
1/2 c. flour
16 oz. Velveeta, cubed
1 1/2 c. milk
3/4 tsp salt and pepper
1/2 c. sour cream


You can either do it in a slow cooker, or stove top.

If you want to do stove top:
Dice potatoes and boil until soft, but not as soft as when you do mashed potatoes.

 In a skillet, brown the hamburger and cook with the onion.  Drain the fat.

 In a large pot, combine broth, potatoes, carrots, milk, parsley, garlic, salt ant pepper, bacon, and hamburger.  Add in cubes of Velveeta.

 Cook on medium heat until cheese is all melted, stir occasionally.  Add sour cream and flour.  Let simmer for 30 minutes.

Serve in Bread Bowls!!!!




This soup also freezes great!  Just place it in freezer bags, and heat up in a pan when you're ready to eat it again.

Sweet Salsa chicken

I saw this recipe on one of my favorite blogs, 365 Days of Slow Cooking and had to try it out!  I made a few changes to it.  You can check out the original on the blog.

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 jar salsa

2 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

4 Tbsp quick cooking tapioca

3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 1/4 cup diced onion

10 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp water

1. Combine tomato paste, diced onion, garlic and water in small microwave safe bowl. Cook in microwave for 4-5 minutes, stirring every minute. Onions should be soft. Transfer to the slow cooker.

2. Place chicken, salsa, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, tapioca and Worcestershire in slow cooker. Stir gently to combine.

3. Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours. Break up chicken with a fork into large pieces.

4. Cover and cook for an additional hour to really coat the individual pieces in the sauce.

Serve over rice or wrap in tortillas.

What I love about this one is that is is so healthy!  just about the only calories come from the chicken, and then the rice or tortillas if you want those.  I estimate the total point value for this meal is around 15, without the ride or tortillas.  This will easily serve 5 or 6 people.  Add a fresh salad as a side and some cornbread and you've got a pretty good meal.



Pork Barbacoa aka Cafe Rio pork

Barbacoa Pork Taco Salad

Pork Barbacoa

4 lb Pork Roast
8 oz Salsa
3 cans Coke (DON’T use diet soda)
2 Cups Brown Sugar
20 oz. Enchilada Sauce
1 can Diced Green Chiles

In a large Ziploc bag, pour 1 1/2 cans of coke and 1/2 c. brown sugar and put in roast.  Let marinade overnight or for a few hours.  Pour all into a slow cooker.  Combine remaining ingredients and pour into slow cooker.  Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.  Remove pork and cut into 5 sections.  Continue cooking on high for 2 more hours.  Take pork out (again) and shred.  Let cook for 1 more hour.
(I didn't make the black beans but here is a recipe if you like them)
Black Beans:
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves
1 tsp Cumin
1 cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Tomato Paste
1 Cup Water
½ tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro

Combine all ingredients and cook in a saucepan until beans are soft.



Lime Cilantro Rice:
4 Cups Water
2 chicken Boulion Cubes
¼ Cup Lime Juice
4 tsp minced Garlic or 1 tsp Dried Minced Garlic
1/3 Cup fresh Cilantro
1 can Diced Green Chillies
¾ tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Butter
½ Onion, chopped (optional)
4 Cups Instant Rice
Put water, bouillon, butter and rice in a pan.  Cook until rice is soft.  In a food processor, combine cilantro, chilies, lime juice,salt, and garlic.  When rice is done, add cilantro mix and let simmer for a few minutes.  Enjoy!





Tomatillo Ranch Dressing:

1 dry Ranch Dressing Packet
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Cup Mayonnaise or Sour Cream
3 Tomatillos
½ Cup fresh Cilantro
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Tbsp Lime Juice
Red Cayenne pepper to taste (if you don't like it spicy, it tastes great without the pepper)
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.

Crunchy Tortilla Strips
1 pkg. corn tortillas
Oil or Shortening for frying
Put the oil in a pan and heat.  Make sure there's about 1 inch oil.  Cut the tortillas into strips.  When oil is heated (place a few drops of water in it and if it sizzles, it's hot enough) put strips in oil.  Let cook until golden and crispy.  Let drain on paper towels before serving.  Sprinkle with salt.
These are also good to do as homemade tortilla chips .  Cut into whatever size or shape you want, and cook.  Serve with salsa and viola!  Homemade chips!!


Serve with leafy lettuce (not iceberg) and you an either shred your tortilla or, if you have big tortillas, make a bowl out if it.  Layer rice, beans (if you like) lettuce, dressing, pork, and crunchy strips.  Enjoy!
 
This may not be the exact recipe or taste exactly like Cafe Rio, but it helps to curb the craving.  Not to mention, it costs the same to make this as it would for 2 people to eat there, and this will serve at least 5.  And the leftover pork would be awesome on sandwhiches!!!

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

If you are anything like me, you run out of ways to cook certain dishes.  I get sick of chicken and beef (which are primarily what we eat because it's cheapest) so every once in awhile I do pork chops.  I'm not as "skilled" with chops so I struggled to make them come out not dry.  Then I foun this recipe that I made for dinner tonight.  They were so tender and juicy and full of flavor!!  This will be a favorite for sure!

Ingredients


2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
4  boneless pork chops
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1.In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, chicken broth, garlic, paprika, garlic powder, poultry seasoning and basil. Pour into the slow cooker. Cut small slits in each pork chop with the tip of a knife, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place pork chops into the slow cooker, cover, and cook on High for 4 hours. Baste periodically with the sauce.
My chops were thin so they took about 3 hours on high.

I made some cheesy mashed potatoes and homemade french bread.  Yum!!  I think the calori content for the chops is around 250.  Not too shabby.  If you pair them with a salad and some veggies, you can have a great meal for less than 500 calories.

(sorry, no picutres, we ate it before I thought to take one)

White Chicken Chili

The other day it was a cold, rainy day.  What better thing to have on a day like that then chili?  I have been wanting to try a while chili for awhile so I made this one.  I loved it!!

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken

1 (15 oz.) can great northern beans

1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans

1 (15 oz.) can corn

1 (1 1/4 oz.) package taco seasoning

1 (4 1/2 oz/) can chopped green chilies

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup (98% fat-free)

1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth

1/2 cup sour cream(fat free)

chopped green onions-Optional

shredded cheddar cheese-Optional

Place chicken in the crock pot. Drain the beans and corn. Add to crock pot.

In a separate bowl combine the taco seasoning, chilies, soup and broth.  Stir to mix together and pour over chicken.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Just before serving break up the chicken and stir in the 1/2 cup sour cream.

I had to add a little bit of cornstarch, but I love my chili thick.

This was so good!  I made a loaf of french bread and it was perfect with this =)

If you don't want to have it cook in the crock pot, you can make this by cooking the chicken before hand and letting it simmer all together on the stove for about 30 minutes, but I recommend the crock pot for this one =)

The total point value for this is 45 but it serves a lot.  I made about 4 bowls for dinner and froze the rest and it filled a gallon size freezer bag.  I would say it will serve around 8 good sized bowls, so that is 5.5 points a bowl.  If you don't want french bread, toast up some Sara Lee's Delightful bread for only 1 point for 2 slices.

Crockpot Chicken Tetrazzini

4 chicken breast halves- cut into strips
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup apple juice
1 onion- chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 small can mushrooms
2 tbsp parley
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water
8 oz spaghetti- break into 2 inch pieces- cooked
3/4 cup fat-free Parmesan cheese- I used the Kraft stuff, not the fresh.


In a slow cooker, combine chicken, broth, apple juice, onion, salt, thyme, pepper, and parsley. Cover and cook on low 4-5 hours. Turn control to high. Add mushrooms. In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in water; stir into slow cooker. Cover and cook on high 20 minutes. Stir in spaghetti and half the cheese. Cover and heat on high 5-10 minutes. Spoon into serving dish; sprinkle with remaining cheese.

 
 
The total point value for this dish is approximately 20.  Not too shabby.  If you serve 4, that's 5 pts. each, but I think this serves closer to 6.   This would be great paired with a nice yummy salad too!!  This was very good! My Husband and kids all enjoyed it.