Balsamic Crockpot Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
6-8 Chicken breasts
Pepper
Salt
Garlic Powder
3 cloves Garlic
1 can diced tomatoes
2/3 c. Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 c. chicken broth
1 t. dried basil
1 t. dried oregano
1 t. dried rosemary
1/2 t. dried thyme
Brown sugar
1 Large Onion, sliced
1 pkg. Mushrooms, quartered 
Mozzarella
Parmesan cheese.

DIRECTIONS:

First season your chicken breasts (or tenderloins) with pepper, salt and garlic powder. Heat oil in saucepan and brown both sides of chicken. Put Chicken into crockpot and add garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, chicken broth, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme and 3-4 T. brown sugar. Let chicken cook on low for 4-5 hours, until done.

While chicken is cooking in the pot, boil your favorite noodles. I used bowtie pasta and some corkscrew together....this was not on purpose, but turned out just fine.

When chicken is almost done, saute onion and mushrooms in 1 T. oil, until onions are transparent. Add about 1/2 t. of salt. Add 1-2 T. brown sugar to caramelize, stir. Then turn off heat and add a couple splashes of balsamic vinegar. Let onions and mushrooms mellow in the vinegar.
***If you want to skip this step, you can put the onions and mushrooms in the crockpot with everything else....but doing it separately REALLY makes a difference.

TO SERVE:

Place chicken and juices over pasta. Add sauteed mushrooms and onions. Then top with Parmesan and Mozzarella cheeses. Try not to make sounds as you eat, its just embarrassing. Serve with Roasted Asparagus. (last time I did the roasted asparagus I did not use olive oil, but coconut oil....it was good)

Labels (13): Place ingredients in the crockpot. Cook low for 4-5 hours until done.  Saute onions and mushrooms place in crockpot. Serve over noodles. Top with cheeses. Suggested side of roasted asparagus or other veggies.

Layering lasagna

• 1 lb. Ground beef
• 1 medium Onion, chopped
• ½ tsp. Salt
• ⅛ tsp. Garlic powder
• 1 Jar 15 ½ oz. Spaghetti Sauce (I use traditional Ragu)
• 1 pint Cottage Cheese
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbsp. dried Parsley
• 4 oz. Lasagna Noodles, cooked to al dente and cooled in cold water
• 12 oz. shredded Mozzarella Cheese ( about 1 ½ cups)

Instructions

1. Combine ground beef, onion, salt and garlic powder. Cook under med-high until browned and tener. Drain and put back into skillet. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. In a separate bowl combine cottage cheese, parmesan cheese and dried parsley. Mix well.

*Layering Lasagna*

1. First add a small amount of spaghetti sauce mix to the bottom of your 9x13 pan.
2. Layer a single row of noodles
3. Layer ⅓ sauce
4. Layer ⅓ Mozzarella Cheese
5. Layer ⅓ Cottage cheese mixture (dotting it all over)
6. Layer single row of noodles
7. Layer ⅓ sauce
8. Layer ⅓ Mozzarella Cheese
9. Layer ⅓ Cottage cheese mixture (dotting it all over)
10. Layer single row of noodles
11. Layer ⅓ sauce
12. Layer ⅓ Cottage cheese mixture (dotting it all over)
13. Layer ⅓ Mozzarella Cheese last so it bakes really nicely
14. Cover and bake in 350 degrees oven for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly all over. Let stand 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Label (13): Lasagna: Thaw. bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes or until bubbly all over  Let stand for 10 minutes 11-5-15

Pork Chili Verde

 1 pound meat (pork, beef or venison)
 ½ inch oil
2 green peppers cut up
 1 large can diced green chilies
 ½ white onion chopped
 2 cloves garlic chopped
 1 bay leaf
 1 ½ teaspoon ground coriander
 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
 Salt and Pepper to taste

Cut meat in strips-small bite size pieces.  Toss in flour.  Brown meat in ½ inch oil. Drain any excess oil. Addwater to cover.  Add green peppers, green chilies, onion, garlic, bay leaf, coriander, cumin and salt and pepper.  Bring to boil then reduce to simmer and cook until pepper and onions are done.  Adjust seasonings to taste.  If you like it spicier add some cayenne pepper. Add more water if it gets too thick.
While it is cooking start browning hash browns.

Serve overr hash browns, rice, baked potatoes or tortillas.

Freezer Instructions: Let Chili Verde cool completely then place in gallon zip lock bags.

Labels (13): Thaw Chili Verde and warm up in skillet.  While warming the Chili Verde cook the hash browns. (11/5/15)

Baked potato soup

1 30 bag of diced hashbrowns
1 32 oz carton of chicken broth
1 10 oz cream of chicken soup
1 8 oz carton of cream cheese
1 3 oz bacon bits
1 c cheddar cheese

 labels (26):
Baked Potato Soup: Place everything EXCEPT 1/2 of the bacon bits, cream cheese and cheddar cheese into the crock pot. Cook on low for 8 hours. 1 hour before serving, add the cream cheese. Serve with the rest of the bacon bits and cheddar cheese. 11/5/15

Angel Chicken pasta

3-4 chicken breasts
1/4 cup butter 
1 package dry italian salad dressing mix 
1 can of condensed golden mushroom soup 
1/2 can chicken broth 
4 ounces cream cheese 
1 pound angel hair pasta.

Meal Preparation Directions: In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in the package of dressing mix. Blend in cream of mushroom soup and chicken broth. Mix in cream cheese, and stir until smooth. Heat through, but do NOT boil. Arrange chicken breasts in crockpot and pour sauce on top of chicken. Cook on high for 3-4 hours (Depending on crockpot). You can shred chicken OR leave it as whole chicken breasts. Twenty minutes before the chicken is done, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Cook pasta until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain. Serve chicken and sauce over pasta. 

Label: (13) 
Directions for freezer meal: Angel Chicken Pasta Thaw bag. Spread over 3-4 chicken breasts (not included) in a crockpot. Cook for 3-4 hours on high. You may shred the chicken OR leave them as whole breasts for your meal. While chicken in cooling down prepare pasta noodles. Serve chicken and sauce over noodles. 11/5/15

Crispy Coconut Chicken Fingers with Dipping Sauce

Crispy Coconut Chicken Fingers with Dipping Sauce

12 chicken tenders
1-2 eggs (start with one and crack another if it runs out)
1/2 C flour
1 C sweetened coconut flakes
1 C panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp table salt
3/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (you can leave this out if you want to skip the spice for the kiddos)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Give coconut a rough chop so it’s about the same size as the panko pieces.  Combine it with Panko and spices in a shallow dish. Mix well to distribute all of the spices. Place the flour in another shallow dish, and the egg in another. Give the egg a quick beating. Working with one chicken tender at a time, dredge in flour and then dip in egg, and then finally coat in the coconut Panko mixture. Press in with your fingers to make sure the entire thing is well coated.

Place chicken tenders on a foil-lined baking sheet (for easy clean up!) that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. I give mine a teeny drizzle of olive oil on top to help them crisp nicely, but it’s optional.

Bake in your 450 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until juices run clear. Try not to overcook them because chicken tenders go from perfect to overcooked really fast! If your tenders are on the small side, they could even be done in about 15 minutes so keep an eye on them. If they’re big they can take more like 25. The coconut will be nice and golden and the panko crisp, but light in color still.

Freezer Instructions: Prepare chicken fingers through coating them in the panko/coconut mixture. Place in a single layer on a lined baking sheet and freeze for several hours. Remove from freezer and transfer to a gallon-sized Ziploc bag or a freezer safe container. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 450. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until juices run clear.

LABELS (13): Bake (from frozen) at 450 for 25-30 minutes--watch carefully to not overcook.  Thaw dipping sauce. 11/5/15

(From Our Best Bites)

Crock Pot Barbecue Chicken

• 4-6 pieces boneless skinless chicken breasts 
• 1 bottle BBQ sauce
• 1/4 c vinegar
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder

Mix BBQ sauce with all ingredients listed under it. Place chicken in crock pot. Pour sauce over it and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours. 

Labels: (26) Crock Pot Barbecue Chicken (chicken not included) Place 4-6 chicken breasts in crock pot. Pour sauce over top. Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours. Shred chicken and place back in sauce. Serve with rice or on rolls.