Crockpot Chicken

This is one of my favorite things to make for a Sunday dinner. One, it is easy. Two, it is yummy and makes great leftovers. Three, it reminds me of Thanksgiving (in a lot less time!) I make several variations to this recipe depending on what vegetables i have in the house, but it is always a crowd pleaser. Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 box stuffing mix (I use Stove Top Savory Herb)
1 can 98% FF cream of mushroom soup
1 small can yellow corn
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cup fresh green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp rubbed sage

Instructions
Spray crockpot evenly with PAM. Add chicken breasts (they can be frozen or thawed). Pour chicken stock over chicken breasts and season with salt, pepper, and sage. Next, layer corn, mushrooms, and green beans. In a separate bowl, mix stuffing and mushroom soup together. Top chicken, corn, and beans with stuffing mixture. Set crockpot on high and cook 4-6 hours or low for 7-8 hours.

Green Curry with Chicken and Vegtables

I am a sucker for a good spicy curry. I have had this recipe on a note card in my stash forever and it has become a favorite in our house. I like to use a ton of veggies in my curry along with chicken breast, but it is also good with tofu or beef. In this batch I made half chicken and half tofu since my friend and dinner guest, Amanda, is a vegetarian. Enjoy! Ingredients
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size chunks
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
1 cup fresh green beans, cut into inch long pieces
1/2 cup canned bamboo shoots, drained
1 can mild diced green chilies
2 cups broccoli, chopped
1 can lite coconut milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp garam marsala
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger

Instructions
In a deep skillet add chicken and brown at medium heat till the chicken is almost done. Add all desired vegetables (besides chilies) and mix together in skillet. Cook for about 10 minutes. In a separate bowl combine: milk, chilies, and spices. Stir well and pour over chicken and vegetables. Mix well and allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Stir frequently. Serve over rice.

Campfire Potatoes

One of my friends introduced me to this recipe and it is yummy. After a few of my own tweaks it is one of my favorite side dishes when I am at our cottage in Door County.Ingredients

2 1/2- 3 lbs. red potatoes

6 Tbs butter or 6 Tbs olive oil (i have done both and they will both give you tasty potatoes), divided

1 1/2 Tbs black pepper, divided

1 1/2 Tbs salt, divided

1 Tbs seasoning (I like to use Lawry's)

1 packet Lipton golden onion soup mix

Instructions

Prepare and light grill. Wash potatoes and slice into thin bite size pieces.

Spread tin foil on the counter and overlap to make an t-shape. Spray tin foil with PAM. Layer 1/3 of potatoes onto foil. sprinkle 1/3 amounts of salt, pepper, soup mix, and seasoning over the potatoes. Top with 2 Tbs of butter or olive oil. Repeat this step for remaining 2/3 of ingredients. Wrap foil around ingredients and close tightly- you may want to use additional foil to make sure there are no holes.

Place packet on grill and cook for 45 minutes. Make sure to flip after the first 20-25 minutes.

We had the potatoes with grilled brats and coleslaw. Yummy.

Crockpot Pork and Potatoes

I do not remember where i found this recipe, but it has been sitting on the back "i need to try this" burner for awhile. I made this dish for a quick dinner before volleyball for Ron and I. I thought it was pretty tasty. The hash browns turn into almost a mashed potato after cooking in the crockpot for 8 hours. However, i think it needs a little something extra for texture. Next time i think i will throw in some corn and a bell pepper for a little crunch. I served the meal with wax beans which i sauteed in a little olive oil. Ingredients
4 boneless pork chops
22 oz Ore-Ida Southern Style Hash Browns
1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
10 3/4 oz water
1 packet onion soup mix (Lipton)
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions
Cook pork chops in skillet over low heat just until browned. Spray crockpot with cooking spray or use a crockpot liner. Place frozen hash browns in bottom of crockpot. Lay browned pork chops on top. Stir cream of chicken soup, onion soup, pepper, salt and water in bowl until mostly smooth. Pour on top of pork chops. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Chicken Enchiladas

I love chicken enchiladas. This is up there with my all time favorite dinners to make. It is hard to resist juicy shredded chicken topped with gooey melted cheese. Yummy.
Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 can mild diced green chilies

1 /2 cup onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

8 whole wheat tortillas

2 cans enchilada sauce, 1 hot and 1 mild

1 1/2 cup Kraft reduced fat mexican blend cheese

1 chicken taco seasoning packet

1 1/2 cups water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper

1 1/2 Tbs dried cilantro

Instructions

Place taco seasoning, water, salt , pepper, cayenne, cilantro, chilies, garlic, and onion into crockpot and stir well. Add chicken. Cook on high for 4-5 hours. Shred chicken and allow about 30-60 minutes for liquids to soak in. Place tortilla on a plate and add shredded chicken evenly through the center. Roll tightly, but be careful not to split the tortilla. Place tortilla in a large 9'X14' baking dish. Continue process until all 8 tortillas have been used. In a separate bowl, mix hot and mild enchilada sauce. Pour sauce evenly over tortillas and top with cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.

Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary

This was my second contribution to yesterday's birthday party. These potatoes are really simple to make and are always requested for family dinners. I love roasted potatoes because they have the nice brown outside and the soft center. YUM!

Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary

3 lbs red potatoes (this can be adjusted depending on how any you are cooking for- this fed about 10 people)
2/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 Tbs salt
1 1/2 Tbs cracked black pepper
2 Tbs dried rosemary

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Wash potatoes and pat dry with paper towls. Slice potatoes into bite size pieces and place in a large bowl. Add oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary to potatoes and stir until all potatoes are coated. Lightly grease a baking sheet with PAM and place potatoes on baking sheet. Note: make sure to use a baking sheet with sides unless you want a very smokey kitchen!
Place potatoes in the oven and remove them to flip and stir every 15 minutes. Roast for a total of 40 minutes or until they have reached a nice golden brown.

Happy Birthday Mom: Grandma's Apple Pie

Yesterday was my Mom's birthday and since she really is not a cake person. Apple pie was on the menu. This recipe has been a family favorite longer that i have been alive. It is really easy and tasted great!

Grandma Gruetenhaus's Apple Pie

1 frozen pie crust (you can do homemade if you are feeling ambitious)

4-5 small Mackintosh apples

1 1/2 cup Sugar; divided

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

1 1/2 Tbs cinnamon; divided

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Instructions

Pre-heat over to 325 degrees. Wash and peel the apples. Cut apples in half and remove the core. Carefully slice the apple into thin and even pieces. Arrange the apple slices in a circular patter in the pie crust. Mix 1/2 cup of sugar with 1/2 Tbs cinnamon in a small bowl and stir well. Top apples with the cinnamon mixture.

In another bowl add butter and remaining sugar and cinnamon. Stir until all ingredients are Incorporated and the mixture is nice and creamy.

Next, add the flour and stir until you have a nice crumbley texture. (you may have to add more flour).

Top pie with crumble mixture and bake for 30 minutes or till the sides begin to bubble.

Yum!!

Cheez-It Chicken

I saw this recipe on Vintage Victuals and knew I had to try it- which was a little odd because I am not the biggest fan of Cheez-Its. Sometimes I encounter a problem when I bake a breaded or coated chicken because it won't come out as crunchy as I would like. However, this recipe gave a nice crunchy chicken without having to use frying oil. I changed the recipe a little bit to suit what I had on hand and it was yummy and crunchy!

Cheez-It Chicken

2 chicken breasts

1/8 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1 cup Cheez-Its

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cajun seasoning

1 tsp dried minced onion

Instructions

Pre-heat over to 350 degrees. Place Cheez-Its into a ziploc baggie and crush. Add salt, pepper, cajun seasoning, onion, and garlic powders and shake. Pour Cheez-It mix onto a plate. Slather chicken breasts with sour cream and roll in the Cheez-It mixture until coated. Lightly grease a baking pan with PAM and place chicken in the pan. I added a small amount of cracked black pepper to the top of the chicken and placed it into the oven for 35 minutes. I served our chicken with stove top potatoes, lightly seasoned and fried with a little olive oil, and green beans. Enjoy!

Serves 2

A Trip Down Cafeteria Lane: Tater Tot Casserole

I know what you are thinking. Stop. Don't judge. I love tater tot casserole. I remember eating this when i was in college on Sundays when my girlfriends and I had torn up a little too much of the town. I like to make this when I won't be around for dinner the following night because it makes great leftovers, and since i work late tomorrow night it is perfect for a E.R.M. (Easy Ron Meal) or lunch at work.

Tater Tot Casserole

1 lb lean ground beef (you also can use ground turkey)

1 can healthy request cream of mushroom soup

1 1/2 cup green beans (fresh or canned)

1/2 cup frozen corn

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 1/2 cups tater tots

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown beef and onion in a large fry pan. Drain access liquids when beef is cooked through. Add beans, corn, soup, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well. Grease an 8X8 baking pan lightly with PAM. Add beef mixtures and smoothly evenly in the pan. Sprinkle cheese evenly on top of beef mixture and top with tater tots. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and the sides are bubbly.

Serves 4

Resturant Review: Marty's Boston Crab

I have been going to Marty's for a few years with my parents and occasionally my sister (she isn't crazy about seafood). My parents, Ron, and I felt like venturing out for fish last Friday and decided Marty's. Our favorite thing to get the evening started is a glass of wine

And half a dozen Blue Point Oysters from the raw bar (one was snatched before i could get my camera ready...sneaky).

I love the taste of Blue Points. Sometimes i find certain types of oysters to be too salty for my taste, but Blue Points never disappoint me.

On Friday nights Marty's always has a variety of specials and tonight happened to be crab specials. Yum! To start we ordered the Blue Crab Dip with tortilla chips. The dip is one of my favorite things on the menu; the comforting creamy mixture of pepper jack cheese, spinach and crab followed by the crunch of the salty chips is delicious.

For our main courses my Dad ordered the special Crab Pie. The pie was rich and creamy with a light touch of sherry and butter and the crab was light and tender.

Ron ordered the Pan Fried Walleye. Walleye is probably one of our favorite types of fish and this did not disappoint. The fish had a great crunch and was garnished with a big fat lemon for a nice citrus taste.
I ordered Stuffed Flounder. The flounder was stuffed with a scallop stuffing and served over asparagus and a risotto cake with a creamy lemon sauce. Yum. This is a new addition to the menu and I hoping that it will be there to stay for awhile :-)

My Mom ordered Crab Cakes and salad, but they went missing before my camera could capture them. :)

Dinner was great, and if you are the Green Bay area i recommend giving Marty's a try- it's worth it. http://www.martysbostoncrab.com/