Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients:

1 lb. Italian sausage

1 large onion, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. white wine to deglaze the pan *

1/2 t. red pepper flakes

2 Russett potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

2 c. fresh kale, chopped **

3 c. chicken broth

2.5 c. water

1 c. heavy cream

salt and pepper

* I cut this out.

** I didn't have any kale on hand so I just did without.

Recipe:

1.  Place a large stockpot or Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat. Crumble the sausage into the pan and cook until well browned. Remove the cooked sausage from the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl; set aside.

2. Add the chopped onion to the pan and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan and cook for a minute more, just until fragrant.

3. Add the wine to the pot and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits.

4. Add the potatoes, kale, chicken broth, and water to the pot. Return the sausage to the pot.

5. Increase the heat to medium-high, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer on medium-low. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and cooked through.

6. Stir in the heavy cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Rating: 3 of 5

When we go to Olive Garden, this is the soup I always get. I love it because of it's strong flavors! So, while this was a good copy-cat, I really don't think it comes close. Not nearly strong enough. But, if you like flavor/heat on the weaker side, then this is your dish!

Source: Annie's Eats, Zuppa Toscana

Sausage and Peppers

Ingredients:

6 Italian sausage or chicken sausage

2 green peppers

1 red peppers

1 large red onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans Italian diced tomatoes

2 T. Italian seasoning

bread

noodles

mozzarella cheese

Recipe: 

1. Split between two bags, seal, mix, lay flat, freeze.

2. To cook: add drizzle of olive oil, cook on low 6 hours, serve over hot noodles or fresh French bread with mozzarella cheese.

Rating: 3 of 5

This one was fine, but not great. I felt like it was lacking in taste....as funny as that sounds. We had it on bread, but I think next time we'll serve it on Italian herb and cheese bread or something. I just thought it was a very bland dish. But, it has a ton of potential with some tweaking. 

Source: Ring Around the Rosies, Sausage and Peppers

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1/3 c. honey

1/4 c. lime juice

1 T. chili powder

1/2 t. garlic powder

1 lb. chicken, cooked and shredded

8-10 flour tortillas

1 lb. Monterrey jack cheese, shredded

2 c. green enchilada sauce *

1/2 c. heavy cream **

* I didn't have green enchilada sauce, so I used green salsa.

** Didn't have any heavy cream on hand, so I combined milk and melted butter

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix the honey, lime juice, chili powder and garlic powder together and toss with the shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour.

3. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Pour enough enchilada sauce on the bottom of pan to create a thing layer on the bottom.

4. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and a generous amount of shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas.

5. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the heavy cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and top with reserved cheese.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top. 

Rating: 4 of 5

These were pretty good. LaDon said they were the best enchiladas he's had to date....of course, that could be because he has a love affair with cheese and there is a LOT of cheese in this dish. I thought the taste was different, but good. The honey and lime weren't super strong, but there were there and made a nice combination with the chili powder. I'd make them again.

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything, Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Cheesy Garlic Bread Swirls

Ingredients:

Bread Dough:

1 T. yeast

1 1/2 c. warm water

1 1/2 T. sugar

1 t. salt

4-5 1/2 c. flour

3 T. vegetable oil

1 egg yolk

Garlic Butter:

1/2 c. of real butter

1 1/2 T. garlic bread seasoning

shredded mozzarella cheese

Recipe:

1. Combine yeast, water, and sugar in large mixing bowl and allow to stand 10 minutes or until bubbly.

2. Add salt, vegetable oil, and egg yolk and combine. Add 3 c. flour and mix well until combined. Add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough that barely sticks to your finger.

3. Knead, either by hand or in mixer for another 2-3 minutes. Cover and allow to rise 1 hour.

4. While dough is rising, combine butter and garlic bread seasoning. Set aside.

5. Roll dough into a rectangle that's about 18-20 inches by 6 inches. Smear garlic butter over the entire surface of the dough and then sprinkle with cheese.

6. Roll up jelly-roll style and then use dental floss to cut into 12 equal slices. Place each slice in a muffin tin. Cover with a clean cloth. Preheat oven to 350 and allow rolls to rise while the oven is heating.

7. When the oven is ready, bake for 18-22 minutes. When you notice the cheese getting brown, place a sheet of aluminum foil over the rolls. This will keep the cheese from burning although it will get pretty brown on top.

Rating: 3.5 of 5

I really liked these, but because I made them so long ago and can't remember exactly what it was that I did and did not like, I'm afraid to give them a higher rating. Guess I'll have to make them again! With that being said, I really did like the cheesy mess between each layer of bread and I did like the seasoning. I made these for the missionaries one night and our newest Elder declared that "[they were] the best rolls [he's] ever had!" So, they must be good, right?

Source: Our Best Bites, Cheesy Garlic Bread Swirls

Southwest Chipotle Burgers

Ingredients:

Burgers:

1 1/2 lb. ground chuck or ground sirloin *

1-1/2 chipotle peppers canned in adobo sauce**

1 1/2 T. adobo sauce (from the chipotle chili can)

1/4 c. grated onion ***

1 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. cumin

1 1/2 t. kosher salt

1/4 t. pepper

* I used just 1 lb ground beef. It's what I had on hand

** I've learned from experience that I can't quite handle all the heat a whole pepper brings to the plate, so I just eliminated the pepper.

*** Used my old stand-by of dried chopped oinon

Chipotle-Lime Mayo:

1/2 c. mayo

2 t. lime juice

1 1/2 t. adobo sauce (from the canned chipotle chilis)

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro *

* I actually rarely measure out the cilantro. I usually add a bit more than called for because we LOVE the taste of cilantro.

4-6 good quality buns (try this recipe!)

1 tomato

1-2 avocado

lettuce

jack, cotija, or queso fresco cheese *

* We just used medium cheddar

Recipe:

1. Start by making the sauce. Place may, adobo sauce, lime juice and cilantro in a small bowl. Stir all together. Cover and set in the fridge.

2. Now place the beef in a bowl and gently crumble with your fingers. Add the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, grated onion, garlic powder, cumin, kosher salt, and pepper. Use your hands to gently mix things together. Just mix it enough to distribute the ingredients.

3. Divide into 4 patties (or 6 little ones) and place on a preheated grill, indoor grill pan, or skillet. If you want to top with cheese, do so in the last few minutes of grilling.

4. While the burgers are cooking, toast buns and spread chipotle-lime sauce generously on each side of each bun. When the burgers are done to your liking let them stand for 5 minutes off the grill and then pop onto your prepared buns.

5. Top with tomato slices, avocado slices, and a crisp piece of lettuce.

Rating: 4.75 of 5

These are, literally, the best burgers I've had! Literally! I don't know what to say except that these were SO SO SO SO GOOD!!!! Between LaDon, Jonas, and I well all liked different aspects about the burger better, but overall it's just a fantastic combination of tastes and textures. I, personally, loved the taste the chipotle-lime mayo added. I loved the cilantro taste in it. And, I think the burger would be really good if you just replaced the lettuce completely with cilantro. Yummy! I've been craving these burgers ever since we made them this week!

Source: Our Best Bites, Southwest Chipotle Burgers

Chipotle-Mango BBQ Chicken Salad

Salad sans dressing

Ingredients:

Chipotle-Mango BBQ Sauce:

1 mango, peeled and chopped

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, plus 2 t. adobo sauce

1/2 c. ketchup

1/2 c. apple juice

1/4 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

juice from 1/2 lemon

2 T. unseasoned rice vinegar

2 T. brown sugar

1 T. canola oil

2 t. paprika *

2 t. salt

1 t. black pepper

*I only had 1 t. paprika, so I substituted the rest with just a 1/2 t. cayenne pepper.

Dressing:

2 T. prepared Chipotle-Mango BBQ sauce

2 T. plain Greek yogurt

1-2 t. lime juice, give or take a little

salt and pepper

Salad:

2 chicken breasts

2 ears sweet corn, shucked

1 vine-ripe tomato, cut into wedges

1/4 c. chopped cilantro

1 bag Dole Romaine Salad mix *

*I used just a head of Romaine

Recipe:

Chipotle-Mango BBQ Sauce:

1. Combine all ingredients for BBQ sauce into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring often. Let cool then transfer to a food processor or blender, and process until smooth.

Dressing:

1. Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. Taste, then add more lime juice, salt and pepper if necessary.

Salad:

1. Marinate chicken breasts in some of the prepared Chipotle-Mango BBQ sauce for at least 15 minutes, or up to 3 hours.

2. Grill over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes per side until no longer pink in the middle. Allow to rest for 5 minutes off the grill before slicing.

3. Grill corn alongside the chicken, rotating every few minutes until charred on all sides. Let cool for a few minutes, then cut kernels off the cob.

4. Divide lettuce between two plates, then top with grilled corn, tomatoes, cilantro, and grilled chicken. Drizzle with prepared dressing.

Rating: 4 of 5

I really liked this salad. My only complaint is the heat of the dressing, but that is easily remedied by taking out the chipotle pepper before blending. I thought the chicken marinade was perfect and just the right flavor to go with the salad and cilantro. For the corn, I brushed it with olive oil and then grilled it. Loved the flavor in the salad. Super easy salad to make although it does require a little bit of prep time. I'd definitely make this again.

Source: Iowa Girl Eats, Chipotle-Mango BBQ Chicken Salad

Penne Pasta with Sun-dried Tomato Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

2 c. (8 oz.) dry penne pasta

8 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (about 1/3 c)

1 12-oz can evaporated milk

2 c. (8 oz pkg) shredded Italian-style four-cheese blend *

1 t. dried basil

1/4 t. garlic powder

1/4 t. ground black pepper

* I totally spaced getting this when I made my grocery run, so I just used the normal Mexican blend that I had and then added a bit of Parmesan cheese to it. I thought the end result was still delicious.

Recipe:

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions, adding sun-dried tomatoes to boiling water for last two minutes of cooking time; drain.

2. Meanwhile, combine evaporated milk, cheese, basil, garlic powder, and pepper in medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until cheese in melted. Remove from heat.

3. Add pasta and sun-dried tomatoes to cheese sauce; stir until combined.

Rating: 3.75 of 5

I thought it was at least a 4, but LaDon said, "it could have had more cheese and...unhealthy things." Haha. Well, despite those drawbacks, I thought this was a good mac and cheese type dish. I didn't feel heavy but you still got great taste. And it was still yummy as leftovers the next day. 

Source: Very Best Baking, Penne Pasta with Sun-dried Tomato Cream Sauce

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients:

1 t. garlic salt

1/2 t. black pepper

2-3 T cornstarch *

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. vinegar

1/2 c. chicken broth

3-4 T. ketchup

1 T soy sauce

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

* I used minute tapioca instead. 

Recipe:

1. In a slow cooker, mix together all ingredients except the cornstarch and chicken. Stir until you have a smooth consistency.

2. Add chicken to slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

3. About 30 minutes before removing chicken and sauce from pot, remove chicken, shred, add tapioca and stir a few times, and replace chicken.

4. Serve over rice or in a tortilla with traditional toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, etc. *

* I actually ate mine over quinoa.

Rating: 3.5 of 5

So, even though this recipe isn't what the source has it down as, I thought it was pretty good. I wanted something easy, like a crock pot, and I think I got it. Daniel really liked. I'd make this one again.

Source: adapted from (I really wanted to make this, but use a crock pot) Get Off Your Butt and Bake, Sweet and Sour Chicken

Bell Pepper Chicken

Ingredients: they're all approximate as I was just throwing things in as I went along

2 chicken breasts, thawed

1 can cream of chicken soup

1-2 t. chicken bouillon

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

5-6 shakes of hot sauce

up to 1/4 c. sour cream

1/2 to 1 c. water

1/2 each red, orange, yellow, and green bell peppers, sliced

rice

Recipe: 

1. Mix soup, sour cream, garlic, water, bouillon, hot sauce and garlic together. Add chicken and bring to a boil.

2. Boil for a 5-10 minutes. Simmer chicken until cooked through. The mixture should be somewhat runny, so add more water if needed.

3. With 5-10 minutes left, add pepper slices to chicken mixture until tender.

4. Serve over hot rice.

Rating: 4 of 5

So, for a throw-in dinner, this turned out really well. It reminded me a little bit of jambalaya. It has great flavor, but very little heat. It's great over rice, but I think it'd be good over quinoa, too. I'd definitely make this one again.

Source: my own

Creamy Chipotle Enchiladas

Ingredients:

2-3 lb. pot roast

10 oz. can of diced tomato with green chilies

8 oz. can Ro Tel enchilada sauce

7 oz. can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

1/2 t. cumin

1/4 t. oregano

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 -1 c. heavy cream

1 can of corn, drained

1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained

8 oz. can tomato sauce

1/4 c. cream cheese, somewhere between softened and melted

6 large tortillas

shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese

sour cream

cilantro, chopped

Recipe:

1. In a medium bowl, mix diced tomatoes, enchilada sauce, chipotle peppers and adobo sauce, cumin, oregano, and garlic.

2. Place roast in crock pot and cover with tomato-chipotle mixture. Cook on high for 4ish hours.

3. Remove roast from crock pot and shred meat.

4. Using a fine strainer, pour juices from crock pot into a medium bowl. Reserve juices. Remove chipotle peppers from strainer. 

5. Replace tomatoes and green chilies (in strainer) in the crockpot. Pour about 2-4 cups of reserved juices into crockpot. Pour in heavy cream and stir together. Replace meat. Add black beans and corn. Continue cooking for another 20-30 minutes. (The key thing here is to have enough juice/sauce to coat the meat. It's not going to cook that long so it shouldn't dry out.)

6. Mix tomato sauce and cream cheese together in a small bowl.

7. Grease 9x12 baking dish and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

8. Lay out a tortilla and scoop meat mixture on to 1/2 of the torilla. Place a handful of shredded cheese on top and then roll the torilla. Place seam side down in baking dish. Repeat until dish is full. (I actually ended up with extra meat so there would be enough to almost make 2 full baking dishes of enchiladas.)

9. Cover enchiliadas with tomato/cream cheese mixture. Top with cheese.

10. Place in oven for 15-20 minutes, until cheeses are melted.

11. Serve and top with sour cream and cilantro.

Rating: 4 of 5

This was one of those meals that I used whatever I had on hand. It actually turned out really well. I didn't measure anything so the measurements are all my best guess. The chipotle peppers add a pretty good kick, so I used the cream and cream cheese as a way to tone it down a bit. If looking to cut out some of that then you could just remove the chipotle peppers from the adobo sauce before the initial cook time. I really enjoyed this dish and would make it again!

Source: my own

Southern Fried Chicken

Ingredients:

3 c. all-purpose flour

1 T. seasoned salt

1 T. garlic powder

1 T. onion powder

1 T. coarse ground black pepper

Milk mixture: ** I halved this part**

2 eggs

4 c. buttermilk

1 c. barbecue sauce

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. steak sauce

3 lbs. chicken, cut into pieces

2 c. oil, for frying

Recipe:

1. In a large shallow dish, mix together flour, seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.

2. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, then whisk in buttermilk, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and steak sauce.

3. Dredge chicken in milk mixture, then in seasoned flour, alternating in each at least twice.* Heat oil in a large, deep-sided skillet to 375 degrees F.

4. Cook chicken in hot oil until golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes each side.

5. Drain on a wire rack over paper towels. Place in 200 degree preheated oven to keep warm while remaining chicken is cooked.

*Forgot to do that at least twice!

Rating: 4.5 of 5

I love fried chicken, but the one thing that I don't like about fried chicken is that it usually is bone meat. But, with this recipe I just used boneless, skinless chicken breasts and it was great! You can actually taste the Worcestershire and steak sauce just a little tiny bit. We liked this recipe and the kids ate it as well. Not that I'd make this one a ton since it is fried, but it was worth it!

Source: Allrecipes.com, A Southern Fried Chicken

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Ingredients:

1 T. chili powder

1/4 t. garlic powder

1/4 t. onion powder

pinch of cayenne pepper

1.4 t. dried oregano

1/2 t. paprika

1 1/2 t. ground cumin

1 t. table salt

1/2 t. black pepper

Recipe:

1. Mix all spices together until well combined. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in your spice cabinet and use as needed.

Rating: 4 of 5

This isn't exactly the taste that I like for tacos, but it's close enough and good enough that I've been convinced that making taco seasoning is easier than buying it.

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe, Homemade Taco Seasoning

Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix

Ingredients:

2 T. dried parsley

1 t. dried dill

1 t. garlic powder

1 t. onion powder

1/2 t. dried basil

1/2 t. pepper

Recipe:

1. Add each of the dried spices to a bowl and gently stir.

2. Store in a resealable plastic bag or small canning jar with tight fitting lid.

3. To make the ranch dressing, whisk together 1/3 c. mayonnaise with 1/4 c. milk and 1 T. of the homemade ranch dressing seasoning mix. (Makes about 4 T. of dressing)

4. Season with salt, to taste.

5. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Rating: 3 of 5
So, this rating is not a full-on rating. I used the dry mix in a crock pot recipe, so I'm not sure if it tastes like Ranch dressing or not when it's all put together. But, it did smell like it! One thing that I think I'll do differently next time is crush up the parsley even more. 

Source: $5 Dinners, Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix

Homemade Buffalo Wing Sauce

Ingredients: Yields: 1/2 cup

1/4 c. rice wine vinegar *

2 t. chili powder

1 t. smoked paprika

1/2 t. sweet paprika **

2 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. onion powder

1/2 t. cayenne powder***

1/4 t. salt

1/2 t. sugar

2 t. canola oil

* I used just rice vinegar

** I had paprika on hand, don't know what kind it was, so I used what I had for both

***Um....I just noticed now that this said "powder" not "pepper." I didn't know there was such a thing as cayenne powder.

Recipe:

1. Cook all ingredients over medium-high heat until just starting to bubble.

2. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

3. Store in an air tight bottle. Keep refrigerated.

Rating: 3.75 of 5
This stuff has some real kick...but maybe that's because I made more than it called for. Either way, it definitely tastes like buffalo sauce. Super easy to throw together too.

Source: Domestic Fits, Homemade Buffalo Wing Sauce

Auntie Anne's Pretzels: Copycat

Ingredients:

2 c. milk

1 1/2 T. active dry yeast

6 T. brown sugar

4 T. butter, melted

4 1/2 c. flour *

2 t. fine salt

1/3 c. baking soda

3 c. warm water

coarse salt 8 T. butter, melted in a shallow dish **

*I used bread flour and it was AMAZING!

** I actually only used 4 T. butter and had just enough

Recipe:

1. Warm up the milk in the microwave or on the stove for just about 1 1/2 minutes. It should be about 110 degrees.

2. Stir in the yeast and let it sit for about 3 minutes.

3. Add the butter and sugar. Combine.

4. Add the flour about 1 cup at a time and then add the fine salt. *

5. Knead for about 10 minutes with a stand mixer, or by hand. Put in greased bowl and cover with greased cling wrap. Let rise for 1 hour in warm place until doubled in size.

6. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

7. Divide dough into 12 lumps. Roll them all out as thin as you can. **

8. Combine the warm water and baking soda in a wide bowl.***

9. Form the dough into pretzel shapes, then dip in the baking soda water. Place on a greased baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse salt. ****

10. Bake for about 7-11 minutes or until browned. Serve with cheese sauce.

11. Melt the butter. Roll pretzels in butter and then dip in cinnamon-sugar mixture until coated.

*I actually added about 1 1/2 c. of flour, mixed, added the 2 t. salt, mixed, and then continued on with the rest of the flour.

** Since we have little mouths, I decided to go for a more portion friendly size and divided the dough into 24 pieces.

*** I used a pie plate.

****For the pretzels that we wanted to cover with cinnamon and sugar I didn't sprinkle salt on them.

Rating: 5 of 5

Soft, fluffy, tasty, easy, and so close to Auntie Anne's. I couldn't help but shouting out every few minutes, "These are SO GOOD!" While Ally would throw in, "Oh my goodness! They are perfect!" And Daniel just took his cinnamon-sugar covered pretzel and dipped it in more cinnamon and sugar. Seriously, so good! I just don't know that I've ever had a more delicious soft pretzel!

Source: Yammie's Noshery, Auntie Anne's Pretzels

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Enchiladas

Ingredients:

2 lb. beef chuck pot roast

1 t. cumin

1 t. chili powder

1 t. garlic salt

1 t. Mexican oregano*

1 pinch coarse salt **

1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

1 4-oz can diced green chilies

1 10-oz can hot enchilada sauce***

1 20-oz can mild enchilada sauce

10 6-inch flour tortillas

1/2 c. cilantro, chopped

2 c. shredded Monterey jack cheese

*I just used the oregano I had on hand

**I used Kosher salt as my coarse salt

*** Ok, so I didn't have the time to hunt down the cans of green chilies or enchiladas sauces. So, instead I bought 4 8-oz cans of Ro Tel's Zesty Tomato and Green Chili Sauce Original. This combo made for an alteration in preparation, but I think it still turned out fine.

Recipe:

1. Arrange the beef in the slow cooker and toss all the spices in, cover and cook on the lowest setting for 6 hours. *

2. Shred with two forks. Place in a bowl and add the diced chilies. Combine **

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

4. Mix the two enchilada sauces together in a bowl and pour a small amount in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.

5. Evenly divide the beef mixture and cilantro at the edge of each tortillas; roll up tightly and layer in the dish seam side down. Continue until the dish is filled.

6. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top.

7. Place in the oven for about 40 minutes, until the cheese is browned and bubbly.

8. Let sit for about 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with cilantro.

*I, like usual, cut the time in half and cooked on high. I actually, cooked on high with all the spices for 2 hours and then added 2 cans of tomato/chili sauce and cooked for another 1.5 hours.

** This step is skipped because of the sauce situation mentioned earlier.

Rating: 4 of 5
These were pretty good, but they weren't great. Maybe it's because I made some changes in the recipe, but they weren't crazy drastic changes. I think here's my problems with the recipe: I didn't like using pot roast as the meat. It was a little tougher than I anticipated. I loved the cilantro, but I thought the enchiladas were a little skinny. Next time I think I'll add some corn, beans, a little bit of rice, and some others to give it a bigger punch. Also, if you're in a hurry, this dish definitely doesn't need to be in the oven for 40 minutes. I actually only had mine in for 25ish. That happens when this are thrown together hot. I did like the tomato/chili sauce I used. It was the perfect amount of spicy for me.

Source: Bev Cooks, Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Enchiladas

Parmesan and Basil Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 c. Parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 c. cream cheese, softened

1/4 fresh basil leaves, minced

1 small clove garlic

1/8 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

Recipe:

1. Pat the chicken breasts dry. Using a parking knife and starting at the center edge of one of the breasts, cut a slit into the breast making sure to lave a 1-inch border around all sides. You'll be stuffing the filling into this slit.

2. Mix the cheeses, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper together until uniform. Reserve about 1 T. per breasts and set aside.

3. Divide the remaining filling and stuff into chicken breasts. Use toothpicks to cinch each of the slits closed. *

4. Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and heat until shimmering.

5. Place the chicken breasts in the pan without crowding. Cook without disturbing until browned on the bottoms, about 3-5 minutes.

6. Flip the chicken breasts and cook, covered, until a thermometer registers 160-165 in the middle of the meat, about 5-10 minutes.

7. Just before removing the chicken from the pan, remove the pan from the heat and spoon 1 T. of filling over each breast. Cover and let rest for 1-2 minutes, or until filling is melted over the chicken breasts.

8. Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.

*If you're going to use colored toothpicks, then you might want to go with yellow. The blue ones bleed terribly! Haha.)

Rating: 4.5 of 5

This was so good! I recommend slitting the chicken closer to the edges (rather than 1-inch) so that there is more room to stuff. As long as the chicken had the cheese filling with it, it was fantastic. Eating it without any filling was just eating a plain piece of chicken....not so great. Super, super easy recipe. Stuffing chicken is not as hard as I always thought it was. I definitely don't like the part where you have to handle the raw meat.....gag. After this meal, I've been convinced that I need to grow some basil in our garden now.

Source: Dishing the Divine, Easy Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Parmesan and Basil Filling

Carne Asada Soft Tacos

Ingredients:

Meat:

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

2 T. lime juice

1/2 t. ground cumin

1/4 t. kosher salt

1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

1 lb. carne asada beef or flank steak *

1/2 c. finely chopped white onion

2 cloves minced garlic

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

4 soft tortilla breads or tortillas

Guacamole:

2 avocados, peeled and seeded

1 T. lime juice

1/4 t. kosher salt

1/4 t. blacker pepper

1 clove garlic, minced (I'm throwing this one in there)

Toppings:

3/4 c. corn

1/2 c. finely diced red bell pepper

cilantro, chopped

cheese, shredded

sour cream

salsa

* We had some Wal-Mart ribeyes that we had purchased a long time ago (a mistake, because they are not good as a steak), but thought I'd give them a try in a taco. Besides, I had to use that meat)

Recipe:

1. Mix the corn and red bell pepper together. Set aside.

Meat:

1. Place oil, lime juice, cumin, salt, and pepper into a medium bowl, whisking to combine.

2. Place beef, onions, and garlic into a large Ziploc bag and pour lime mixture inside bag. Close bag and with hands, massage beef with marinade to coat evenly.

3. Place in refrigerator and marinade for 1 hour.

4. Heat 2 T. olive oil in grill pan over medium heat. Grill beef until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes.

5. Cut thin slices against the grain or on the bias.

6. Serve in warm tortillas with desired toppings.

Guacamole:

1. Place avocado, lime juice, salt, pepper (and garlic) into a medium bowl. Mash with a fork until well combined.

Rating: 5 of 5

Despite the cheap-o steak meat, these turned out fantastic! The meat tasted just like carne asada in a restaurant. So good. The guacamole, I've got to give a good score to as well. Simple. Tasty. Easy. The meat is super easy to prepare and cook as is everything in this recipe! I will definitely be making this one again!

Source: Picky Palate, Carne Asada Soft Tacos

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients:

5 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 large yellow onion, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. freshly, finely grated ginger *

1 jalapeno, stemmed, sliced in half and seeds removed

1 29-oz can tomato puree

1 1/2 c. plain yogurt **

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 T. lemon juice

2 T. Garam Masala

1 T. cumin

1/2 T. paprika

2 t. salt, or to taste

3/4 t. cinnamon

3/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

1-3 t. cayenne pepper***

2 bay leaves

1 c. heavy cream****

1/2 T cornstarch

prepared long grain white rice or Basmati rice

chopped cilantro, for serving

*I just used my ground ginger

** I had vanilla flavored on hand

*** This depends on how much kick you want in your food. I went for 2ish t.

**** Um....COMPLETELY forgot to put the cream in! Just now realizing this two days after making.

Recipe:

1. In a large mixing bowl combine chopped onions, minced garlic, grated ginger, sliced jalapeno, tomato puree, plain yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, Garam Masala, cumin, paprika, salt, cinnamon, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir until combined.

2. Pour half of sauce mixture into a large slow cooker then add in diced chicken. Cover chicken with the remaining sauce.

3. Add in 2 bay leaves. Cover slow cooker with lid and cook on low heat for 8 hours OR high heat for 4.

4. In a mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream and cornstarch. Pour mixture into slow cooker and gently stir.

5. Allow mixture to cook 20 minutes while you prepare the rice. Remove bay leaves and sliced jalapeno and serve warm over rice and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Rating: 4 of 5

Based on taste. If it were on just ease, then it would be a 5. I mean, seriously, how does it get better than a crock pot?? Okay, so considering I completely spaced the cream, I thought this dish was super delicious. I've gotta think that the cream might tone down the amount of "kick" this dish has. It taste just like authentic Tikka Masala (well, at least the one time I've had it. There are a lot of Indians in our neck of the woods). Just from past eating experiences, everything Indian always tastes better with pita bread, which I didn't have time to make, so this dish would have been even better! If you're new to Indian food, then this is a good starter dish. Also, I loved how it made our apartment smell! So many good spices in this one. Um....delicious.

Source: Cooking Classy, Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Barbecue Chicken Salad with Cilantro Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:

Salad:

2 hearts of Romaine, chopped *

1 can corn

1 can black beans, rinsed

15 grape tomatoes, halved **

3-4 cooked chicken breasts, cubed or shredded

1/2-1 c. favorite barbecue sauce

mozzarella cheese, shredded

*Went with our favorite lettuce: green leaf

**I used 3 hearty Roma tomatoes

Dressing:

1 envelope Ranch dressing mix

1 c. mayonnaise *

1 c. milk

1/2 bunch cilantro

1 clove garlic **

1 lime juiced OR 2 T. lime juice

* I actually did 1/2 c. mayo and 1/2 c. sour cream. Next time I'll sub out the mayo completely.

** I used about 1 t. minced garlic

Recipe:

Dressing:

1. Place dressing ingredients into blender or food processor and combine well. Let sit for a few hours to increase flavor of dressing. *

* My blender is not very good at blending. I should put a new blender or food processor on my gift list for Mother's Day......yes. Anyways.....I just whisked everything, but the cilantro, together. Then I chopped up the cilantro into ity bity pieces and stirred it into the mix.

Salad:

1. Place lettuce in a serving bowl. Layer with corn, beans, and tomatoes.

2. Mix cooked chicken with barbecue sauce and top over salad.

3. Sprinkle top with mozzarella cheese.

4. Drizzle with dressing.

Rating: 5 of 5

Yes, it's that good. The cilantro dressing and BBQ go really, really well together. Plus, it's got all of those good veggies in it! Very similar to Katie's Mexican Salad. I will definitely be making this one again. Oh, but it does make a rather large batch, so half it and plan on making taco with the leftovers the next night.

Source: Recipe Shoebox, BBQ Chicken Salad with Cilantro Ranch Dressing