Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken and Rice

I have to admit, I was a little skeptical making this dish, especially since I am not a huge rice fan.  I was pleasantly surprised to find this dish really tasty!  It's always a plus when you can find a recipe that everyone likes in the family. :) 

Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken and Riceadapted from Southern Plate

2 to 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped (I think scallions would also work great)
1 10.5-ounce can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 15-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
1 8-ounce box Zatarain's Yellow Rice Mix, cooked according to directions

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in bottom of slow cooker. Top each breast with 1 tablespoon of butter. Scatter chopped onion over top.

2. Combine cream of chicken soup and sour cream and pour over chicken.

3. Cover and cook on low 7 to 8 hours or on high 3 to 4 hours.

4. A few minutes before serving, add in cooked rice, corn, and cheese. Stir to combine. Serve hot.

Sweet Pork Tacos with Cilantro Ranch Dressing

So... I'm really hoping these turn out as great as they say they are!  I'm preparing my husband's birthday meal tonight and thought this looked like an amazing recipe to make.  I'm pairing the sweet pork tacos with a  lettuce salad and key lime pie for dessert. 

adapted from Just Cook Already

For the pork:

2 to 3 pound pork roast
3 cans Coca-Cola
1 cup brown sugar
2 cloves garlic
1 can diced green chilies
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 packet taco seasoning

For the dressing:

1 cup salsa verde
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1/3 cup cilantro
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup sugar

Tortillas and shredded cheese for serving

1. The night before you want to serve, place pork in the bottom of a slow cooker. Mix together all other ingredients for the pork and pour over the roast. Cover the slow cooker and refrigerate overnight.

2. Cook pork mixture on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the pork shreds easily with a fork.

3. Blend all dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender. Serve drizzled over pork.

Neiman Marcus Chicken Salad

I've tried a variety of chicken salad recipes.  This one is by far my favorite!!  I love the sweet, crunchy salad on a kaiser roll- yum!

 

Adapted from Saveur.com

 

Famed Texas cook Helen Corbitt created this rich chicken salad for the café menu at Neiman Marcus department stores in the 1950s. It's delicious on toasted multigrain bread with lettuce and tomato

Makes about 6 cups

1 lb. cooked chicken breasts, cut into ½″ cubes

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup thinly sliced celery

1 cup halved purple grapes

½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley

1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste

½ cup whipped cream

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine chicken, mayonnaise, celery, grapes, almonds, parsley, and salt in a bowl. Add whipped cream and pepper; fold to combine.

Makes about 6 cups

Crock Pot Ranch Pork Chops

Thank you pinterest for this great recipe!  Who doesn't love an easy crock-pot meal?  We served it with mashed potatoes and steamed green beans- yum!!

 

Crock Pot Ranch Pork Chops

from Picky Palate

6 pork chops, 1/2 inch thick

1 packet dry ranch dressing mix

1 10-ounce can cream of chicken soup

Place pork chops, ranch seasoning and soup into a Crock pot. Cook on high heat for 4 hours or low heat for 6 hours. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Buttermilk Waffles

My kiddos love homemade waffles in the morning.  I found this recipe, which has less fat than belgium waffles, and they were delish!

Rich Buttermilk Waffles
Adapted from How to Cook Everything, Mark Bittman
Serves 4 to 6
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick butter, melted and cooled)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Canola or other neutral oil for brushing on waffle pan (Pam works great!)
Combine the dry ingredients. Mix together the buttermilk, sour cream or yogurt and the egg yolks. Stir in the butter and vanilla.
Brush the waffle iron lightly with oil and preheat it. Stir the wet into the dry ingredients. Beat the egg whites with the whisk or electric mixer (spotlessly clean ones work best) until they hold soft peaks. Stir them gently into the batter.
Spread a ladleful or so of batter onto the waffle iron and bake until the waffle is done, usually 3 to 5 minutes, depending on your iron. Serve immediately or keep warm for a few minutes in a low oven.

Key Lime Pie!!

My husband and I are huge fans of key lime pie!  I made this for Super Bowl weekend and it was a hit! 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick butter) melted
• 2 (14-ounce) can condensed milk (one can needs to be fat free if you don't want it as rich)
• 1 cup key lime juice - you can buy these cute little limes at Hy-Vee
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 tablespoon lime zest

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, key lime zest and butter with your hands. Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie pan, and bake until brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before filling.
Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
In a separate bowl, combine the condensed milk, lime juice, and eggs. Whisk until well blended and place the filling in the cooled pie shell. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Top with whipped cream- enjoy!!

Crock Pot Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Crock Pot Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

From:  Chef Mommy

I was planning to make this soup tonight for dinner, but due to my oldest son's request this morning for good 'ol spaghetti with meat sauce for dinner tonight, I will be waiting until the weekend to make it.  I am really excited to try it though...

4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package of Rice-a-Roni long grain and wild rice
1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
2 cups half and half
1 cup grated carrots

1 cup diced celery

(can add mushrooms if you'd like)

Mix the broth, water, carrots, mushrooms, celery, chicken and rice (and the seasoning packet) in the slow cooker.

Cook on low for six to eight hours or on high for four hours. 

Once chicken gets tender (couple hours in), break it up into pieces while cooking.

At the end of the cooking time, get a small bowl and mix the salt, pepper and flour. In medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour mixture by tablespoon to form a roux.

 
(source)

Then, while still on the heat, whisk in the half and half, a little at a time, into the roux until mixed completely and smooth.

Stir this yummy mixture into the soup in the crock pot then let it cook on low for 15 more minutes.

Then die and go to heaven cause it tastes that good.
.
Recipe makes soup thick...if you want your soup thinner, just add more broth.