Slow Cooker Chicken with Italian Sausage

This meal has been made in my kitchen at least four times in the last few months, and the other day was the first time I have ever eaten any of it. Spicy food is not big with me so I always steered toward something I knew I wouldn't cry over at dinner (obviously only due to the spices). 

This dish was as warm as I thought it would be since I used the spicy sausage. But over all it was pretty good (and Jeph really liked it which is all that matters really :)  )

The ingredients are:

 10 oz bulk mild or hot Italian sausage

 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 can (15 oz) white beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15 oz.) red beans, rinsed and drained

1 C chicken broth

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

Chopped fresh parsley (optional.)

Brown sausage in skillet over medium-high heat. Drain and discard fat. Spoon sausage into slow cooker. 

Trim fat from chicken thighs. Place chicken, beans, broth, onion, salt, and pepper into slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Adjust seasonings as desired.

To serve, slice each chicken thigh on the diagonal. Serve with sausage and beans. Garnish with parsley.

Jeph and I are off to a Packers' game tonight! Have a great day!

Kayla

Pork Chops with Onion Sauce

This is going to have to be a quick post. This week is super busy with a million little things!!

This recipe came from a blog I love to read called The Kitchen Life of a Navy Wife. ( http://www.navywifecook.com/)
The pork chops took a little longer than I thought they would to cook, so next time I am buying thinner ones. Otherwise this was a great recipe and very easy to make!

You will need:

2 tsp. olive oil
4 boneless pork chops
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 T butter
1/2 C chopped onion
1/2 T Dijon mustard
1 T flour
1 C chicken stock
2 T parsley, chopped

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Combine cumin, brown sugar, salt and pepper and rub both sides of pork chops. (I had to make extra to rub them all.)
Cook pork chops in skillet about 5 minutes per side. Remove to plate when done.
Melt butter in same skillet. Add onion and Dijon mustard, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add flour, cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.
Spoon onion sauce over the pork and sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Kayla

White Chicken Enchiladas

Oh my goodness!!! These enchiladas are totally AMAZING!!! I think I could eat them three times a day they are so good!
Surprisingly the recipe is also super simple which makes it a win win in my book :)

All you need is:

10 soft taco shells
2 C cooked, shredded chicken (I usually cook mine on low in my slow cooker for 4 hours or buy a Rotisserie chicken at the grocery store if I forgot to thaw the chicken...)
2 C shredded Cheddar or Montrey Jack cheese
3 T butter
3 T flour
2 C chicken broth
1 C sour cream
1 can diced green chilies (4 oz)


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9" x 13" pan.
2. Mix chicken with 1 cup cheese. Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.
3. In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour, and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat.
4. Stir in sour cream and chilies.
5. Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.
6. Bake for 22 minutes and then high broil for 1-2 minutes to brown the cheese. (Watch closely so tortillas do not burn on edges.

I usually double the chicken to fill up the tortillas a bit more and I also skip the broiling step since it seems to turn the edges of the tortillas crispy and we don't care for that.

Well, happy Friday! So excited for grocery shopping this weekend! (NOT!) Oh well, we have got to eat I guess! :)

Have a great one!
Kayla

Hamburger Casserole

So, I think I am definitely on a pinterest kick. But why not? Pinterest is the most useful site on earth!
Guess where this recipe is from...you got it...pinterest! :)

This was a good dinner. I did add garlic powder to it which added a bit more flavor. Next time I am definitely going to add another can of tomatoes also.

The recipe is very simple. All you need is:

1 lbs of lean ground beef
2 lbs potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup beef broth
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
1 tsp parsley

Brown hamburger. In Dutch oven layer half the meat, potatoes and onion. Sprinkle with half the salt and pepper. Repeat layers. Pour beef broth over all and top with tomatoes. Cover and cook over medium heat for 45-50 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. (You can also put it in the oven for 40 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit). Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Makes 5-6 servings.

Have a great Thursday!!!
Kayla

"Baked Salmon in a Bag"

Hello again!

This is another pinterest recipe. I just realized the other day that I have tons of awesome recipes on there that I haven't tried yet!

This salmon recipe was delicious! The lemon gives it so much flavor and the prep time is very little.

All you need is:
 2-3 lemons, sliced with skin on
2-3 salmon fillets or steaks
1/2 stick of butter
Salt and pepper
3 large sheets of foil


Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place 4 lemon slices on each sheet of foil; lay salmon on lemon.
Place a large pat of butter on each piece of fish and season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Fold foil into a pouch and seal.

Cook for 15 minutes or until salmon flakes easily with a fork.

Enjoy!
Kayla

Mexican Chicken

This was a very quick and easy recipe. I did have my doubts about how it would taste, but surprisingly the chicken was moist and the salsa and cheese go very well with it!

All you need is:
 
4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 clove of garlic, minced (I used a tsp of garlic powder)
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground cumin
1 C salsa
1 C shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
In shallow bowl combine garlic, salt, pepper and cumin. Rub chicken pieces with mixture and then place them in hot, greased skillet. Fry the chicken over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, or until both sides are browned and center is no longer pink.
Transfer chicken to baking dish. Top with salsa and cheese and bake in preheated oven until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown (about 20 minutes).
Enjoy with sides of your choice!

Have a great weekend!
Kayla                      

Beefy Layered Burrito Casserole

Planning my weeks is something I always have done. There is never a moment when there is not a planner book in my purse and it has been this way for years. What I realized last weekend was, for all the planning I love to do, I have never planned weekly meals. It just never occurred to me to do that as it was normal to frantically search for a dinner idea at the last minute. (I know, its crazy, but I didn't do loads of grocery shopping until last weekend.)
On the Kindle Jeph gave me last Christmas I found an app for Pepperplate.com (http://www.pepperplate.com/). I am in love!! Not only can you plan your weekly meals, but you can also make a grocery list AND keep the recipes there so you don't have to remember what cookbook or website they are in. It is a life saver for me! I seriously did all the grocery shopping on Monday for meals for the next two weeks.

Anyway, yesterday's dinner was this Beefy Layered Burrito Casserole that I have had pinned on pinterest for a while now. It was super good and super easy!

Here is the recipe:

                                                   Total time: 40 mins
                                                   Prep time: 15 mins
                                                  Cook time: 25 mins

                                                        Servings: 9

Ingredients: 

                                                 2 lbs lean ground beef
                                            1 small white onion, chopped
                                                  2 cups rice, cooked
                            1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup (10 3/4 oz)
                                            12 burrito-size flour tortillas
                                         1 packet taco seasoning (1 1/4 oz)
                                                 1 jar salsa (16 oz)
                                        1 can black beans, drained (15 oz)
                                                   1 can corn (29 oz)
                                         4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
                                           1 can enchilada sauce (10 oz)
                                                        2 T cilantro

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. In large skillet, brown ground beef and onion, drain. Return beef and onions to skillet, turn off heat, and stir in cooked rice, undiluted soup and taco seasoning. Mix well.
3. Lightly spray a 9" x 13" pan with non stick cooking spray.
4. Line bottom of the pan with 4 tortillas.
5. Evenly cover tortillas with half the meat/rice mixture, then 1/2 the salsa, half the corn, half the black beans and 1 cup cheese.
6. Cover with 4 more tortillas and repeat layers.
7. Top with last 4 tortillas. Pour can of enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle with remaining 2 cups of cheese and cilantro.
8. Bake for 25 minutes.
9. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

Make sure to use a deep pan as the layers make the enchilada sauce over flow in a more shallow one....

Sadly, as you can see, I am still making enough food to feed a small army. :( I don't know why I never remember to cut the portions back before I cook!

Have a wonderful Wednesday! The week is halfway over! Woohoo!! :)

Chicken Marsala with Fettuccine

This post is going to have to be a quick one. Saturday's are always super busy around here! You MUST try this recipe!!! It is amazing!

                                            4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
                                              Salt and black pepper, to taste
                                                     1 T vegetable oil
                                                    1 onion, chopped
                                                  1/2 C Marsala wine
                                  2 packages (6 oz each) sliced brown mushrooms
                                                  1/2 C chicken broth
                                             2 T Worcestershire sauce
                                                       1/2 tsp. salt
                                               1/2 tsp. black pepper
                                              1/2 C whipping cream
                                                    2 T cornstarch
                                               8 oz cooked fettuccine
                                              2 T chopped fresh parsley

    Coat slow cooker with a non-stick cooking spray. (I just rub the inside of mine with butter.)Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in slow cooker.
    Heat oil in skillet, add onion; cook until translucent. Add Marsala wine and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms, broth, Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Pour mixture over chicken. Cover and cook on HIGH 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours or until chicken is cooked through.
    Transfer chicken to cutting board and slice. Blend whipping cream and cornstarch until smooth. Stir into mushroom mixture. Cover and cook 15 minutes or until mixture thickens. Add salt and pepper, if desired.
    Cook pasta. Serve topped with chicken and mushroom sauce. Enjoy!!

Have a great weekend!!! 

Kayla

Slow Cooker Beer Chili

Cooking with beer is something I have never done before probably due to the fact that I detest the stuff. Tuesday, however, I came across this recipe in my Crockpot slow cooker book and for some reason it sounded too good to not make. I ran to the liquor store and asked the lady to tell me what beer to use. She was very nice and gave me multiple choices. I ended up buying  Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout.

Here is the recipe: 

2 T olive oil

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 1/2 to 2 lbs. ground turkey

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

1 cup dark beer

3 T chili powder

1 tsp. curry powder

3 T hot pepper sauce (any hot sauce you prefer)

1/3 C honey

1 package (10 oz) frozen corn

1 can (15 oz) pink or kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1/3 C diced mild green chiles

3 beef bouillon cubes

1 to 2 T flour, to thicken

Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add onion; cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 2 minutes. Add turkey; cook until no longer pink. Drain fat. Add remaining ingredients, stirring until mixed. Transfer to slow cooker. Cover; cook on LOW 8-10 hours or HIGH 4-6 hours.

It did end up being a tad too spicy for me, so I added sour cream and cheddar cheese to my bowl. It was delicious even though I have the dislike for beer! 

Well, Jeph and I are off to the Omaha zoo with my Mom and brother! Have a great weekend!

"High Flyer" Smoothie

This recipe is from the book "Juices and Smoothies" that I purchased from Barnes and Noble a few weeks ago. The ingredients are three: a ripe mango, 3/4 cup cranberry juice, and 2/3 cup peach yogurt. Chop the mango into chunks and blend together with the juice and yogurt. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Painkiller

When Jeph and I were in the Virgin Islands in June we took the opportunity to try many different tropical drinks. Our favorite one, hands down, was the Painkiller.
Over the weekend we found the recipe and made it at home. It was just as good as it was in June! (And Jeph just makes good drinks!)

Anyway, get your blenders out and start mixing! :)

2-4 oz. dark rum
4 oz pineapple juice
1 oz cream of coconut
1 oz orange juice
Grated fresh nutmeg (we just used the grated nutmeg spice)

Blend the first four ingredients together with ice. Pour into glass and sprinkle nutmeg on top. Enjoy!

                                   Kayla

Burgers for the weekend

This weekend I did very little cooking. It was a very nice break! (Although, now I am mildly considering letting Jeph do ALL the cooking from now on... shhh... don't tell him ;)  )
Saturday Jeph grilled steaks and corn on the cob. It was so delicious I totally forgot to take a picture before eating it all up.
Sunday he grilled again. This time it was hamburgers... and I took pictures :)

The delicious burgers cooking.

My handsome cook :)

Burger and potato salad.

Everything was DELICIOUS! He also made drinks which I will post tomorrow :)

Have a great Monday!

Chicken and rice casserole

Hey everyone!

Dinner the other day was again a super easy dish. All you need is:

1 1/2 C rice,
2 C cooked, cubed chicken
1 1/2 C raw, chopped broccoli
1 C cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 C water
2 C shredded cheddar cheese


Pour uncooked rice into a 9" x 13" baking dish. Layer broccoli and chicken over the top. Mix the water and cream of chicken soup and add to casserole dish. (If the liquid does not fill at least halfway up the pan you may need to add a bit more water.) Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 to 60 minutes, or until rice is done. Uncover and sprinkle cheese over the top. Bake for another 15 minutes, uncovered, or until cheese is melted.

Have a great weekend!!