Chicken & Rice

I think I found this recipe online somewhere and modified it to my own tastes.  We really like it, especially since when I prep it I usually make it into 2 meals by freezing half, so that we can eat it fresh another time.  Otherwise it will make a lot of leftovers if you have a small family.  Another variation is to add a packet of ranch dressing mix.

Chicken & Rice

3 cup rice - uncooked
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
2 can water
1 bag chicken breasts - cubed
1 package onion soup mix

Mix together soups, water, soup mix, and rice in a large bowl. Cut raw chicken into soup mixture and stir to combine. Place in a crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours. Freezes well - cook half, freeze half.

Doritos Cheesy Chicken Casserole

Another good one from Plain Chicken.  We really liked this one, even the kids! This does not freeze well, I tried it but the chips ended up soggy.

Doritos Cheesy Chicken Casserole

3 cups cooked chicken - chopped
8 oz sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups salsa
1 can of corn - drained
2 cups shredded cheddar
1 bag of nacho cheese doritos

Lightly spray a 9x13" pan with cooking spray.  Crush the entire bag of Doritos and cover the bottom of the dish.  Mix together chicken, sour cream, soups, salsa, corn, and 1 cup cheese.  Spoon over dorito layer.  Top with remaining cheese.  Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes.

Pepperoni Pizza Crescents

Another one from Plain Chicken.  They were ok, but nothing I need to eat all the time.

Pepperoni Pizza Crescents

1 tube crescent rolls
4 string cheese
pepperoni
pizza sauce

Unroll crescents.  Top each with a few pepperoni and half a string cheese, roll up.  Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes.  Serve with pizza sauce for dipping.

Homemade Pizza Sauce

I found this one on Plain Chicken.  I didn't want to go to the store for pizza sauce, so I used what I did have - tomato sauce, and some spices.  I doubled the recipe because I didn't think it looked like a lot.  I also went lighter on the thyme.

Homemade Pizza Sauce

2 - 8oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried whole thyme
1 1/2 tsp oregano
salt
pepper

Place all ingredients in a pan and cook over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

 

This was always a staple growing up.  This was what I knew as chinese food.  I am not sure how authentic it is, since it was my Gramma's recipe, but it sure is delicious.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

3 T vegetable oil
1 package chicken breasts - cut into strips
1 medium onion - diced
1 medium green pepper - diced

1 can pineapple - chunks - drained

2 can mandarin oranges - drained

1/2 cup chicken broth
2 1/2 T cornstarch
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
4 T ketchup
2 T soy sauce
2 T water
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt

rice

cashews

chow mein noodles (omit for wheat free)

Mix the sweet & sour sauce: broth, corn starch, sugar, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, water, ginger, and salt and set aside. Place wok on high heat, add oil and chicken, stir fry until chicken is opaque. Add onion and green pepper to wok and cook 3 minutes. Add sweet & sour sauce and cook until liquid boils. Add mandarin oranges and stir, then add pineapple chunks and cook until heated through. Serve over cooked rice with cashews or chow mein noodles.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter M&M Cookies

I found these cookies on Plain Chicken.  I made a couple of tweaks to the recipe - I don't like crunchy peanut butter so I switched to creamy and I also added a teaspoon of salt, since it seemed like a mistake - there is always a teaspoon of salt in every cookie recipe I have ever made, and I once made some oatmeal raisin cookies and forgot the salt, and let me tell you, that was a lot of work for nothing, they were quite a disappointment.  I did not want to have the same thing happen this time, so I made the change and I am happy that I did, I think that they would have been missing something without it.  These are sooo good!  Crunchy and yet still a bit chewy in the middle - perfect!

Oatmeal Peanut Butter M&M Cookies

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar

1 stick butter - softened

1 1/2 cups peanut butter (wowbutter - peanut free)

1 T karo syrup
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 1/2 cups oats
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 bag chocolate chips
1 cup M&Ms

In a large bowl, beat together sugars, butter, peanut butter and karo syrup.  Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.  Add oats, baking soda, and salt.  Mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips and M&Ms.  Use a 2 T equivalent cookie scoop and drop heaping scoops on cookie sheet, only 9 per sheet.  Flatten them with the palm of your hand.  Bake at 325° for 18 minutes.  Cool for 2 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Baked Blueberry Pancakes

 

I found this recipe on Plain Chicken, my new favorite spot to find new recipes. I stole the picture because I forgot to take my own.  It turned out great, no flipping :)  It only makes a little bit though, so make sure to pair it with some eggs or something else if you are feeding a family.

Baked Blueberry Pancakes

3/4 cup milk
2 T butter - melted
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 T sugar
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup blueberries - fresh or frozen (no need to thaw)

In a large mixing bowl, mix together milk, butter, egg, and vanilla. Stir in sugar, flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir in blueberries.  Pour batter into a greased 8x8" baking dish.  Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.

Chicken Tacos

This is a great way to use up leftover chicken.  I like to make a whole chicken in the crockpot and whatever we don't eat in the first meal, I use up by making chicken tacos.

Chicken Tacos

2-3 cups cooked chicken
3/4 cup water
1 envelope taco seasoning mix (allergy free recipe)

Place chicken in a frying pan and top with water.  Add taco seasoning mix and stir to coat.  Cook over high heat until heated through, serve on taco shells with your favorite taco toppings.

Rice Crispie Treats

I know that this is the most generic recipe and everyone knows it, but I really love them!  Especially when I am dieting.  And I might have a different amount of cereal or whatever from your recipe.  And I am telling you, sprinkles are a must!  They just make them taste so much better.

Rice Crispie Treats

1/2 stick butter (earth balance buttery stick - milk free)

1 bag mini marshmallows
7 cups rice crispies
sprinkles

In a large bowl, melt butter in microwave (about 1 minute).  Stir in marshmallows until coated and microwave another 1.5-2 minutes until everything melts together when stirred.  Pour in cereal and stir.  Spoon into a 9x13" pan and smooth out.  Add some sprinkles on top.