More Chocolate Chip Cookies

I tried another new recipe last night and they turned out really good! I love how sturdy these cookies are. I was skeptical that they would be flat and pancake like with melted butter but they were pleasantly puffy in the oven. I'd like to try adding a little bit of ground oatmeal (instead of some of the flour) next time. I will also hand stir in the cold butter, instead of letting it fly out of the kitchenaid. . . .

Recipe from America's Test Kitchen, via food.com

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour ( 8 3/4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons unsalted butter ( 1 3/4 sticks)
1/2 cup granulated sugar ( 3 1/2 ounces)
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar ( 5 1/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large eggs
1 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (Ghirardelli recommended) or 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips ( Ghirardelli recommended)
3/4 cup chopped pecans (optional) or 3/4 cup walnuts, toasted (optional)

Directions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18- by 12- inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.

Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.

Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons (or use #24 cookie scoop). Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but will require 3 batches).

Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.

Cranberry Salad

I got this amazing recipe from my mother in law. :)

In a food processor, grind one cleaned bag of cranberries (not the bag of course). Place in a container with 1 1/2 cups crushed pineapple and 1 cup sugar or less. Soak overnight. Drain well. Add 3 large chopped apples, 2 cups marshmallows, grapes, and one pint fresh whipped cream. Crushed walnuts or pecans optional.

I made a fourth of July version by adding blueberries and leaving some white swirls of whipped cream. I also added nectarines for the first time, b/c we had them, and loved it!

Chocolate Cloud Cookies

(aka husband catching cookies) from my college friend, Brittany.

3 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup soft butter
2 whole eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips (I use less)
8 oz frozen mini marshmallows
1 cup chopped pecans (opt- I don't use)

Combine dry ingredients except sugars and set aside. Mix sugar and butter. Blend well. Add eggs and vanilla. Combine with flour mixture. Add chips and nuts. Batter will be stiff. Take 4 (or less) frozen marshmallows and wrap dough completely around the marshmallows. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased pan. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes.

Cream Puffs

Funny story about these cream puffs. Once, in college, I intended to double the recipe but accidentally added four sticks of butter instead of two. . . (1 stick equals 1/2 cup, not 1/4 cup).

The filling is so delicious that sometimes we just eat the pudding. It's fun to pour the pudding in fancy glasses or dishes and top it with fresh whipped cream.

And for the third mini story/note, I got this recipe from my mom. It's one of the few things I remember her making when I was younger and definitely one of my favorite foods as a child and as I discovered giant cream puffs at the Del Mar Fair.

Cream Puffs
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
4 eggs

Heat oven to 400f. Heat water and butter to rolling boil. Stir in flour. Stir vigorously over low heat for one minuted or until mixture forms into a ball. Remove from heat. Beat in eggs all at once. Continue beating until smooth. Drop dough by scant 1/4 cupfuls three inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 35-40 minutes or until puffed and golden (I usually make mine a bit smaller and bake them for less time). Cool away from draft. Cut off tops. Pull out any filaments of soft dough. Carefully fill puffs with pudding filling. Replace top. Refrigerate. Dust with powder sugar before serving, if desired. Best the first day.

Vanilla (or chocolate) Cream Puff Pudding Filling
1 package (3 1/2 oz) instant pudding
1 cup milk
2 cups whipping cream or cool whip

In a mixer bowl, blend pudding and one cup milk. Add whipping cream and beat until peaks form.

* I've only made this with chocolate and vanilla pudding but if you're a huge fan of another flavor, give it a try!
** I don't usually measure, I just kind of eyeball it for the filling.

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

Honey Whole Wheat Bread from the Gold Medal Whole Wheat bag

2 pkgs regular active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105-115F)
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups very warm water (120-130F)
4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 3/4- 3 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1. In small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water; set aside. In large bowl, mix honey, butter, salt, and very warm water; cool 5 min.
2. To cooled honey mixture, beat in 3 cups of the whole wheat flour with electric mixer on low speed, scraping bowl frequently, until moistened. Beat on medium speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl frequently. Beat in remaining 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour and dissolved yeast. With spoon, stir in 2 1/4- 2 3/4 cups of the all purpose flour until dough pulls cleanly away from side of bowl.
3. Place dough on floured work surface. Knead in remaining 1/2-1 cup all purpose flour; continue kneading 5 to 10 minutes until dough is smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with shortening or cooking spray; place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place (80-85F) 30-45 minutes or until doubled in size.
4. Generously grease 2 (8x4 or 9x5 in) loaf pans with shortening or cooking spray. Gently push fist into dough to deflate; divide in half. On lightly floured surface, roll each half of dough with rolling pin into 18x8 in rectangle. Starting with one 8 in side, roll up dough tightly, pressing with thumbs to seal after each turn. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal; pinch each end to seal. Fold ends under loaf; place seam side down in pan. Cover; let rise in warm place 30-45 min or until doubled in size.
5. Heat oven to 375F. Uncover dough; bake 30 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 350F; bake 10-15 min longer or until loaves sound hollow when lightly tapped. Immediately remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

I halved this recipe b/c I didn't think my mixer would handle it and b/c we only have on bread pan. It is SO yummy!

Rolls

Another amazing recipe from my friend Michelle.

Melt together 1/2 cup shortening (I like the butter kind), 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup milk, and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Let cool.

Mix together 2 Tbsp yeast, 1/2 cup warm water, 1 Tbsp sugar.

Beat two or three eggs. Add cooled milk mixture and frothy yeast mixture. Add four to five cups of flour. Knead well.

Place in a greased bowl. Cover, and let rise until doubled in size (bonus tip from Michelle- let it rise in the oven. I made these after baking cookies. The oven was off and had been off for about thirty minutes but was still warm).

Punch down, allow to rest ten minutes.

Shape into rolls and let rise again. (This time I added a bowl of water to the rack on the oven to keep a little bit of moisture in the oven. I should've done that the first time the rolls were rising).

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Brush with butter.

The Best Pizza We've Ever Had!

Yes, it's THAT good.



Recipe from my lovely friend, Michelle.

2 tbsp butter
1 cup hot water
1 tbsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour

I heated the water in a pyrex measuring cup (the kind that holds 2 1/2 cups or so).

I added a little bit to a separate large bowl.

When the water was warm (and not hot) I added the yeast and sugar. Let the yeast activate (I skipped this the first time and had flat crust but I was seriously missing out on fluffier yet substantial crust). It will get nice and frothy looking on the top.

I added the butter and salt to the measuring cup with the remainder of the hot water.

Mix water/butter/salt mixture, yeast/sugar mixture with flour. Stir really well. Then knead well and roll it out.

Top your pizza. I sprinkled oregano, basil, parsley, and salt on my crust, added about 5 oz tomato sauce (a little more than half of a little can), and fancy pepperoni- the kind that is in a big stick. Tyrone did a great job cutting it for me. It is also the cutest thing to hear Ansley say four syllabled words like "pepperoni" and "quesadilla."



Bake at 425F for 9-15 minutes, depending on toppings. It took about 14 or 15 minutes for ours. I like to err on the side of being a little bit underbaked b/c when I reheat it in the oven the next day, it isn't too done. (Yes, I do like my cookies a minute underdone and soft in the centers and my bananas with no spots of brown and the tiniest bit of green left near the stems).

I can't stop thinking about this pizza and scheming up toppings like California Pizza Kitchen's Thai Peanut Pizza or BLT pizza or Ian's Mac and Cheese Pizza. . . .

(Pretty) Perfect Yellow Cupcakes

I made these last week. I didn't make the frosting b/c they were going to be decorated at an activity. I liked how they were moist and not too dense. They tasted a bit muffin like to me, probably due to the milk and/or my not super refined taste buds.

Original recipe found here.

Cupcakes:

* 1 cup unsalted butter
* 2 cups sugar
* 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 4 eggs
* 3 cups sifted cake flour
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup milk
* Regular or silver cupcake paper liners

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixer with a whip attachment, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to cream. Gradually add the vanilla and eggs and mix in well. Sift together the dry ingredients; then mix into the butter mixture alternating with the milk. Pour batter into cupcake paper-lined muffin tins filling them 3/4 full. Bake until puffed and firm in the center and light golden brown on top, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool. (Freeze at this point, if necessary.)

Chicken Biriyani

Recipe found here.

Biriyani is a baked Indian dish of spiced rice combined with chicken, seafood, or other meats. This version omits the baking step while maintaining the authentic flavors. Whole-milk yogurt keeps its creamy texture when cooked; don't substitute low-fat yogurt, which will curdle

* YIELD: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)
* COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients

* 3 cups water
* 2 teaspoons salt, divided
* 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
* 1 1/2 cups uncooked basmati rice
* 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
* 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces (I used white meat- either boiled or ready to stir fry)
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 2 teaspoons curry powder
* 1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (didn't use this)
* 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (I used paprika)
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 serrano chiles, seeded and minced (I used 3)
* 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (couldn't find this so I used low fat)
* 1/2 cup golden raisins (didn't use these but want to try it with craisins)
* 1/2 cup chopped dry-roasted cashews
* 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (didn't use this time but it adds a pretty color)

Preparation

* Bring water, 1 teaspoon salt, and saffron to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rice and cinnamon stick to pan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Discard cinnamon stick.
* Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove chicken from pan; cover and keep warm. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt to pan.
* Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 10 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add curry and the next 5 ingredients (curry through serrano chiles); cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add yogurt***, stirring with a whisk; cook 3 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Add chicken and raisins; cook 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Add rice; stir well to combine. Sprinkle evenly with cashews and cilantro.

***I tried to compensate for my low fat yogurt by turning off the heat and mixing the yogurt and rice in. (I left the chicken in the whole time to make sure it was done). The warm food heats the yogurt up but hopefully doesn't curdle it. :)

Marie Simmons, Cooking Light
MARCH 2004

(Oprah) Oatmeal-Vanilla Cookies

Found here.

I just used semi sweet chocolate chips this time. These had a great texture and a perfect vanilla flavor. I'm intrigued by the mix in possibilities. It's a toss up if I prefer these for standard chocolate chip cookies or the Imitation Doubletree cookies. Tyrone likes these better.

Ingredients

* 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, or 2 cups oatmeal flour
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 tsp. baking powder
* 1 tsp. baking soda
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 1 cup light brown sugar
* 2 large eggs, at room temperature
* 1 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract (use the real stuff!!)

Candy: Chocolate chips, white chocolate chips or chunks, bittersweet chocolate shavings, caramel chips, M&Ms, chocolate-covered pretzels, broken candy bars, marshmallows, peppermints

Nuts: Chopped macadamia nuts, pecans, almonds, peanuts, and walnuts; peanut butter, coconut flakes

Fruits: Dried candied pineapple, dried papaya, dried blueberries, dried cranberries, candied ginger, golden raisins, dried apricots

Other: Cinnamon, cardamom, maple syrup, sanding sugar, walnut or orange liqueur, coffee extract, peppermint extract, jam, citrus zests, almond paste, sea salt, cream cheese

Directions
Active time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Place oats in the bowl of a food processor fitted with metal blade and process until finely ground. (Or use ground oat flour and skip this step.) Transfer the ground oats to a large mixing bowl and add in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Put the butter in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle. Beat on low speed until soft, then increase speed to medium and beat until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add granulated sugar and then brown sugar, beating until very light and creamy.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, and beat to incorporate, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and when blended, slowly beat in the reserved dry mixture. Stop while the dough is still streaky, and scrape it out onto a floured surface. Divide dough into 2 sections and gently knead each with your hands until just blended. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to 3 days (or freeze for up to a month). Take out 10 minutes before ready to bake.

To assemble and bake: Preheat the oven to 350°. Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. For each cookie, take about a 1 1/2-inch ball of dough and knead in toppings as desired. For nuts, fruits, and candy, add what you like as long as there's enough dough to bind together the ingredients. For intensely flavored add-ins, like extracts, zests, salts, and spices, use a very small pinch, less than 1/8 tsp. (See combination suggestions, right.)

Place cookies evenly on prepared sheets, giving each enough room to spread. Bake until center sets and cookies are lightly golden, 12 to 15 minutes.

Cookie Combinations

Walnut: Walnut liqueur + walnuts
Mint chocolate chip: Peppermint extract + chocolate chips
Mocha: Coffee extract + milk chocolate
Spice: Ginger + cloves + nutmeg + cardamom + cinnamon
Tropical: Papaya + coconut + macadamia nuts
Snickerdoodle: Cinnamon + sanding sugar
Ginger Snap: Ginger + cinnamon + clove
Chocolate-Caramel: Chocolate chips + caramel
Chocolate-Orange: Grand Marnier liqueur+ grated orange zest + chocolate chunks + pecans
Macadamia: White chocolate chips + chopped macadamia nuts
Fruit and Nut: White chocolate chips + dried cherries + pecans
Candy Bar: Bittersweet chocolate chunks + toffee bits
Chocolate-Almond: Milk chocolate chunks + sliced almonds
Chocolate-Coconut: Chocolate chips + coconut flakes

Vanilla dough recipe adapted from Milk & Cookies by Tina Casaceli (Chronicle Books).

Chicken Couscous with Cherry Tomatoes

from the July 2009 Family Circle magazine

makes 4 servings
prep 15 min
cook 17 min
stand 5 min

1 tbsp olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 carrots, sliced and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup plain couscous

1. Heat oil in large skillet over med high heat. Add chicken and saute for 6-7 min, turning halfway through or until internal temp registers 160. Remove to a plate and keep warm. (I usually just leave it in)
2. Add the broth to the skillet and stir in salt, pepper, cumin, and cinnamon. Add carrots and onion. Simmer, covered for 10 min or until tender.
3. Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes, couscous, and chicken. Cover and let stand 5 min.
4. Fluff gently with a fork and serve.

per serving 361 calories, 7 g fat (1 g sat), 31 g protein, 43 g carb, 5 g fiber, 685 mg sodium, 65 mg cholesterol

Sometimes I double the veggies b/c they're so good for you. I can't wait to make this again with veggies from our garden.

Tetrazini

Adapted from this recipe.

Ingredients:
a few tablespoons of butter
about two large spoonfuls of flour
one can of swanson's chicken broth (it's seriously better than the other stuff!)
about a can full (almost 2 cups) milk (I don't really measure)
salt and pepper
1 package grated parmesan cheese, about 6 ounces (NOT the stuff in the green labeled bottle- actual cheese)
Cooked and shredded or diced chicken or turkey (I've also made it with tuna and it was alright but not as good as chicken or turkey. I tried it with bacon once too and that was pretty good)
1 package linguini or fettucine noodles.

In a large frying pan, melt the butter on medium low heat. Add flour, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth, stirring constantly. Add milk, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Add parmesan cheese and chicken or turkey (or whatever meat you're using). Stir well. (This time I also added some whipping cream b/c it needed to be used. I've also added leftover turkey gravy after Thanksgiving).

Pour cooked noodles into an oven safe 9x13 pan. Add mixture from the frying pan. Toss to coat and try to evenly distribute any unmelted cheese and meat. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for about 40 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Let stand for about 30 minutes if you have time. The sauce thickens up nicely as it cools.

Imitation Doubletree Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup rolled oats
2 1/4 cups AP flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon juice
2 eggs
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Grind oats/blend until fine. Combine with flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Cream together butter, sugars, vanilla, lemon juice in another bowl with an electric mixer. Add eggs and mix until smooth. Stir dry mix into wet mix and blend well. Add chocolate chips and nuts to dough and mix by hand until ingredients are well blended.

For best results, chill overnight.

Scoop rounded 1/4 cup portions onto ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake at 350F for 16-18 minutes or until done.



I was skeptical about the walnuts (b/c I don't usually care for them in desserts) but they add a great texture to these cookies! I definitely missed them this time around. I also didn't like the extra dark chocolate chips. Next time I'll stick with the regular or semi sweet chocolate chips.

Spicy Spaghetti

About a pound of spaghetti noodles
1/2 pound lean ground turkey
a little bit of olive oil
minced garlic (I use the stuff from the jar- it's faster and doesn't make my fingers smell)
salt and pepper
1 medium to large can of diced tomatoes
sriracha chili sauce
a little bit of sesame oil

In a large frying pan, add your oil and garlic. Cook on medium low, stirring frequently, until the garlic is golden brown. Add the ground turkey, salt and pepper. Stir well. Add as much sriracha chili sauce as you want (I used the very technical method of drawing a medium sized heart with the sauce. Do you draw pictures in your food too?). Cook the turkey thoroughly. Add the whole can of tomatoes, sauce and all. (If you'd like to thicken the sauce, you can add tomato sauce and/or cornstarch). Turn off the heat and add a little bit of sesame oil. I add it at the end b/c it seems to heat up quickly and burn. Serve over hot spaghetti noodles.

Here's a picture of the hot sauce:

Alton Brown's Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese

You might not go back to the boxed stuff. . . .



1/2 pound elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
6 ounces evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (or a bit of cayenne pepper and paprika)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
fresh black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
10 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente and drain. Return to pot and melt in butter. Toss to coat.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir into the pasta and add the cheese. Over low heat continue to stir for 3 minutes or until creamy.

Better than a Can (and I daresay Cafe Rio) Black Beans

Sort your black beans, getting rid of broken or mushy or shriveled ones. Rinse a few times and soak in cold water in the fridge overnight. (I soaked mine in the crock pot). In the morning, rinse a few more times. Cover with water and cook in your crockpot on low for four to six hours, or until desired tenderness. I read conflicting info on the internet about when to salt/season your beans. I compromise and let them cook for an hour or two, then dump in a bunch of minced garlic, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper.

These are great with http://afewthingsemilymade.blogspot.com/2011/04/salsa-chicken.html. They'd be great in anything you usually use black beans in. Happy Cinco de Mayo and Happy Birthday to all of my friends with May 5th birthdays. :)

Classic Macaroni and Beef

(pictured with turkey. The verdict- I don't like it as much with turkey)

Submitted By: Maxine Neuhauser
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Ready In: 30 Minutes
Servings: 4

"I found this recipe 30 years ago on a can label. My family loved it, and I later found I always received compliments when I took the dish to potluck suppers. Since it's so easy to put together, it makes a real time-saver for a busy housewife or working mother."

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (I used less)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 (7 ounce) package elbow macaroni
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
In a skillet, cook beef and onion until the meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain. Stir in the remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until macaroni is tender, about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally, adding additional water if needed.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2009 Allrecipes.com

Salsa Chicken

Don't let the ease of this recipe fool you. It is SO good!

Salsa Chicken
Add chicken breasts and a large can of herdez medium or hot salsa to the crockpot. Cook on low for 6 ish hours or until chicken is done.



Great with:
Cilantro Lime Rice (Chipotle Style)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil or butter
2 tsp. fresh cilantro
2/3 cup white basmati rice
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Lime

In a 2-quart heavy saucepan, heat oil or butter over low heat, stirring occasionally until melted. Add rice and lime juice, stir for 1 minute. Add water and salt, bring to a full rolling boil. At boiling, cover, turn down to simmer over low heat until rice is tender and the water is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork.

Hawaiian Haystacks

We had this for dinner a few nights ago and I forgot how good it is. I don't know why I haven't made it more recently.

The secret to the sauce is adding a can of coconut milk to two cans of cream of chicken soup. It is thick, creamy, and delicious.

These are great for a crowd b/c everyone can make theirs the way they like it. My favorite toppings are pineapple, green onions, slivered almonds (which we didn't have this day), shredded carrots, and crunchy noodles. You can also add shredded cheese, coconut, chopped green peppers, and anything else you think sounds good.

Sausage Rice

My quicker and cheaper version of Homestyle Chicken with Sausage Dressing, or Chicken and Sausage.

Brown some sausage. I like to mix a tube of jimmy dean spicy sausage and jimmy dean lean sausage. I then split it into three or four portions and freeze the rest for later.



Add chopped onions and green peppers (if you can find frozen, chopped green peppers, it's even easier) and cook a few minutes.



Add a can of corn, liquid and all. Mix together.



Add a can of Swanson's chicken broth (this stuff really tastes better than anything else), a little less than a cup of rice, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.



Cover and cook on low until all of the water is absorbed and rice is tender and fluffy.



Let stand a few minutes, if you want.



Serve alone or over fresh white rice if you're trying to make your food budget go farther.