Please add two packets of Ranch....

I'm not the type of person that needs to add ranch to everything, however I am the type of person, that when it is there I want to taste it.  If I don't there needs to be more!!  One day when I either make money from cooking or blogging (this will never happen :(..) I will write to all these people and tell them how their recipes could go from good to awesome!!  
Anyways...this is a crock pot recipe true and true.  I didn't do much to make dinner tonight!  I put this in the crock pot at 2:30 and by 7:45 I had a meal.  I boiled some pasta and did a steam bag of broccoli in the microwave!  This is really a simple recipe...it took me about 10 minutes to put in the crock pot...

So as always...you can find the recipe here: http://picky-palate.com/2012/09/20/pesto-ranch-crock-pot-chicken-thighs/

or here:

Crock Pot Pesto Ranch Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

• 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 6 ounce jar of pesto
• 1 package Ranch Dressing Seasoning Mix
• 1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions

1. Turn crock pot to high setting. Place chicken thighs, pesto, ranch dressing and chicken broth into crock pot. Stir gently to combine all seasonings. Close with lid and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
2. Serve with a side of mashed potatoes and a simple salad.

Makes 8 servings

And now what I would change or did change... I did four pieces of chicken, most of the time it is only hubby and I eating.  Next I would do packets of the ranch.  Hubby put ranch dressing on his and said it tasted a lot better!!!  I would also use veggie broth instead of chicken, it was just salty.  Well let me know what you do!!  <3

Too much broth for chilli

What a week it has been...I am glad that it is over and tomorrow is Monday (whoever says that??).  This recipe was meant to be made on the stove top, but I am doing crock pot recipes so that is where it went.  Hubby liked the fact that every few bites you got a bite of cheese.  I was just happy that I didn't have to cook all day.  Even though I LOVE cooking, I don't always like standing over the stove.  

So there isn't much to this recipe, but the 4 cups of broth make it rather soupy.  I drained everything, beans, corn etc.  However there was a lot of broth.  My grandpa will love it.  He believes that a good broth makes a great soup.  I like my soup thick.  

You can find the recipe here: http://www.landolakes.com/recipe/3740/white-chicken-chili

or here:

Cheese is the star of this favorite white chili recipe that comes together in a snap!

25 min.prep time 50 min.total time

8 servings

5 Stars3 Ratings

Chili

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 large (1 cup) onion, chopped

1 medium (3/4 cup) red bell pepper, chopped

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh garlic

4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

3 (15-ounce) cans cannellini or great Northern beans, drained

1 (11-ounce) can whole kernel corn with red and green peppers

24 (3/4-ounce) slices Land O Lakes® Deli White American Cheese, quartered

Garnish

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 lime, cut into wedges

Heat oil in 6-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add chicken, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper Cook, stirring occasionally, 5-7 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from pan; set aside.

Add onion, bell pepper and garlic to pan. Cook over medium heat 3-4 minutes or until softened. Return chicken to pan.

Stir in chicken broth, beans and corn. Cook until mixture comes to a boil. Cover; cook over low heat 15 minutes. Add cheese; stir until melted.

Garnish each serving with cilantro and lime wedge.

Calories: 500

Fat: 22g

Cholesterol: 90mg

Sodium: 2010mg

Carbohydrates: 38g

Dietary Fiber: 9g

Protein: 35g

Recipe #15787©2012Land O'Lakes, Inc.

Too much take out....

To be honest with you...I really LOVE takeout food.  Especially, Tacos, and I have been eating a lot of it lately.  Hence why I have not made Icrock pot meals like I said I would.   I'm sorry that I have been MIA and I do promise to return to blogging and getting all the good stuff in, in this shortened month.  Sometimes, when you get home late, you just want to go to bed.  So, cooking stuff in a crock pot would be so much easier than what I have been doing.  

So, to whoever reads this...do you have a crock pot recipe that you are willing to share with me?  I would love to know what you like making in your crock pot.  I know that I LOVE mine, and since getting it in October, I have probably used it more times than I can count.  

I am trying to think of something to make in it right now.  I am enjoying this snowy weather that we have been having.  I'd love some more of it.  It really makes we want to move somewhere, where we get more snow!!  Any ways.  Happy blogging :D

Well Crap...I've been a little busy!!

I want to say that I am really sorry for not blogging or making my crock pot recipes.  I have been busy.  I am making repeat #4 tonight!  Well right now!  It's from Rach!  So try it!!


Steak 'Em Up Pitas (Courtesy of Rachael Ray)

serves 4; prep 15 mins; Grill 15 mins
(The brazen kiss of horseradish wakes up a gorgeous filet Mignon draped in sweet grilled onions.)

1/4 cup 2% greek-style yogurt
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. prepared horseradish, drained
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
EVOO, for brushing
2 onions, cut into 1/3 inch thick slices, rings left intact
salt and pepper
1 1/2 lbs filet Mignon ( I didn't have that so i used flank steak), cut crosswise into 4 even pieces
4 plain pitas
1 bunch spinach-stemmed, thoroughly washed and dried (last time it did not taste good with spinach, so we skipped it this time).

1. preheat a grill to medium. In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, mayonnaise, horseradish and garlic.
2. Lightly brush EVOO on the onions. Place them, rings intact on the grill (if you have a grill topper, use it here). Season with salt and pepper, cover the grill and cook, carefully turning once, until softened and lightly charred, about 5 minutes; transfer to a bowl.
3. Pat the beef dry and brush with EVOO; season with salt and pepper. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before thinly slicing crosswise.
4. Grill the pitas, turning once, until just warmed through, but not crisp, about 1 minute. Slice off the top third of each pita and spread the insides with 2 generous tsp. of horseradish sauce, then stuff with the spinach, sliced meat and grilled onions. Finish with a dollop of remaining sauce and serve immediately.

Repeat#3 and It's snowing!!!!

What better thing to make on a cold day?  Soup!!!  Yesterday was the day of junk food, you have to have those days every so often.  Today we ate some of the left overs.  But, today we are gonna eat soup.  Since I have made this before I know how it tastes and I really can't wait to gobble it up!  Happy Snow day!!!

EASY CROCKPOT POTATO SOUP 

1 30oz. bag of frozen, shredded hash browns {I used Ore Ida}

3 14oz. cans of chicken broth

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1 pkg. cream cheese {don’t use fat free.  It WON’T melt!!!}

As the Pioneer Woman would say, here are the “cast of characters”.

  

Not too shabby, eh?! 

In a crockpot, combine everything EXCEPT for the cream cheese.  Cook for 6-8 hours on low heat.  About 1 hour before serving, add cream cheese and keep heated until thoroughly melted.  Serve with cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, green onions, or whatever else you think would be good!!

Repeat #2 coming up tonight..(I have not made it yet)

So, even though I am cooking for two people I only get to eat alone :(!!  Hubby is on overnights, and most of the nights that I cook he isn't there.  Especially nights like tonight, when I have to work from 3-8 and he leaves at 7!  So, I am making the outback steak house Aussie Springs Chicken again.  Hubby will get to eat it tomorrow night.  

SHERRY’S AUSSIE CHICKEN

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness (sometimes it’s easier to filet them, instead)
• seasoning salt
• 6 slices bacon, cut in half (What is it with me and all the bacon recipes this week?!)
• ¼ cup regular mustard
• ¼ to 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 cups shredded Colby/Jack cheese

Sprinkle and rub the chicken breasts with seasoning salt.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp.  Remove bacon.  ***Do not discard grease.*** Saute chicken in the bacon grease for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until browned.  Move chicken to a 9×13 pan.

In a small bowl, mix the mustard, honey, mayo and dried onion flakes.  Apply the honey mustard to each breast, then layer with mushrooms, bacon, and shredded cheese.

Bake in a 350° oven for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and chicken is done.  (Be sure to cut into a breast to see that it is fully cooked before serving to guests who will find raw meat in their main dish.  Ask me how I know…)

Serve with honey mustard sauce.

So, I think the main reason that I am posting this now is so that I will have the recipe, and not have to dig for it.  I have yet to add a lot of these recipes to my cook book.  I really need to get on that, in my list of dozens of things to do.  I really wish that I could do some of my work from home.  If I could then I would be doing my things while I am watching the kids that I work with.  But, at this job you are supposed to remain as anonymous as possible, do you know how hard that is???  Seriously it is REALLY hard.  The kids ask over and over again, who this is and what that is.  Even harder, there is usually always a picture of my dogs on my phone, and they see it and then they know that names of my pups.  Yea, I am not too good at that anonymous thing.  

So as I am sitting here at work, with nothing to do, no one to talk to (no one is here?!?!?) I am board!!!!  Lord help me!!  The smart thing would have been to bring my cook book and look through it so that I can be ready for crock pot month.  For some reason January seems to just be dragging, and NO SNOW!!  Okay, I am off in a tangent right now, sorry!  Anyways, that is what will be for dinner tonight!  <3

Repeat #1

Enchilada Lasagna

Ingridients:

2 tbsp of vegetable oil
1 lbs chicken breast, chopped to bite pieces
5 cups of mexican blend cheese
1 can of cream of celery
1 can of cream of chicken
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup canned and chopped green chillies (drained)
small corn tortillas
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:
Brown chicken in a pan on 2 tbsp of oil. Season with salt and pepper. 
In a bowl combine cream of celery, cream of chicken, sour cream and green chillies.
Prepare the dish you will assemble the lasagna in. Put 1/2 cup of cream mix on the bottom of the baking dish and spread. Layer a row of tortillas followed with cream mix, chicken and cheese. You should be able to make 3 layers like this. Last layer doesn't need chicken, just a ton of cheese. preheat the oven to 425 degrees and let it bake for about 20 minutes or until cheese is nice and melted and golden brown on top.

So now added into the dinner rotation, is the above recipe.  It is still as good as it was a little over two months ago!!!  This recipe is really worth making over and over again.  And you really can't stop eating it.  One bite is not enough, one serving is not enough!  One thing that I forgot to mention last time, I didn't use the oil or the salt.  I didn't feel the need for either one.  There is enough sodium in everyone's diet and the oil just adds calories.  New flash: You can still brown chicken without oil!!!  So please make this recipe!  Happy Blog-iversary month!!! <3