Peachy Chicken

Only I would look at a blog I like, see a recipe labeled "Recipe Flop" and decide to try it. What can I say? I'm a sucker for the fruit-meat combo (I can picture my friend CRAJ cringing at this . . . she abhors "hot fruit.")

The verdict? I didn't hate it, but it won't be a regular in our house. Mishke didn't dig the taste of the onion soup in it. My biggest issue was the sodium, especially after yesterday's dinner. But I liked the combination of peaches and chicken. It kind of reminded me of something I used to buy in a jar in college (anyone remember Chicken Tonight? "I feel like Chicken Tonight!" Man was that stuff good.)

I didn't get to make the au gratin potatoes, because I was planning on making this dish another night this week and was short an ingredient. Sadly, the other dish was sabotaged by a breadcrumb challenge. So I made it with plain rice, and was too busy making cookies to come up with a veggie. Good thing I had a massive salad for lunch . . .

Peachy Chicken (Found at Tried-and-True Cooking with Heidi, originally from Taste of Home)
-1 lb chicken breasts (I used tenders)
-1 tbsp oil
-1 tbsp butter
-1 15ozs can peached, undrained (mine were in syrup)
-1/2 cup packed brown sugar
-1/2 cup orange juice
-1 envelope onion soup mix (I used mushroom onion)

-Bown chicken in oil and butter a large skillet over medium heat
-Remove chicken and keep warm
-Add the peaches and their liquid, sugar, orange juice and soup mix to the skillet
-Bring to a boil for 2 minutes
-Reduce heat, return chicken to the pan and simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, ensuring that chicken is thoroughly cooked

One for the Freezer: Chicken and Dumplings

Today was a day calling out for comfort food, and this hit the spot bigtime (especially because Mishke made it and I didn't lift a finger!) We made it in a 6 quart slowcooker and it was pretty full, so we had enough for dinner, lunch tomorrow, and leftovers in the freezer.

This is the first time that we made the homemade cream-of substititute. I definitely intend to use that again. Way lower sodium, and great taste!

Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings (Source: The Crockpot Lady - love her!)
-3lbs chicken thighs (recipe called for boneless. We used bone-in, and it was plenty of meat.)
-1 cup mushrooms
-1 16ozs bag frozen mixed vegetables
-1/2 stick butter
-6 tbsp flour
-1 cup milk
-1 cup chicken broth
-Seasoning salt and pepper
-1 tube biscuits (we used Immaculate Baking Company)

-Place chicken, mushrooms, and veggies in the bottom of the crockpot
-In a skillet, melt butter
-Add flour, stirring to make a roux, then add milk, chicken broth, and seasoning
-Pour sauce over contents of crockpot
-Cook on high 5 hours
-Remove chicken, shred, and mix back into sauce and veggies
-Lay biscuits over top
-Cook on high an additional hour until biscuits are puffy, cooked, and a little brown

Freezer Meal: Black Bean and Corn Chicken Taco Bake

I made this as a test for a freezer meal. If we like it (I'm posting while it's in the oven instead of loading the dishwasher like I should be - but it smells delicious!), I can easily throw together a couple in foil pans, but I'll do it on the day of the week the rotisserie chickens are on sale!

This wasn't on our menu plan for this week. I am bad at planning more than one week at a time. The first week is fine, but by the time I'm into the second week a) I've found a million more recipes I want to make, and b) we seem to have cannibalized the groceries we need for the second week's worth of food. I think for now I should stick to planning a week at a time.

Black Bean and Corn Chicken Taco Bake (Source: Eat At Home Cooks - this awesome site includes weekly menu plans with grocery lists!)
-1 rotisserie chicken, deboned and cut/shredded into bite-sized pieces
-10 small flour tacos
-2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (I used Mexican Jack blend)
-24 ozs black bean and corn salsa (I used 1 16ozs container medium black bean and corn salsa and 1 16ozs container mild chunky salsa)

-Preheat oven to 350
-Mix all ingredients in a greased 13x9 pan (I mixed the mild salsa with the cheese, tacos, and chicken, and then poured the black bean and corn salsa over the top.)
-Bake 45 minutes until hot

I could use some advice - I never know the best way to freeze things. Can I freeze this before cooking (just mix all the ingredients and freeze?) Or should I cook it first?

Couscous with Chicken, Spinach, & Mushrooms

We interviewed a doula tonight and were nearly hypoglycemic by the time she left. I had meant to bake something for our time with her but ran out of time, so we were bad hosts AND starving. Needed dinner to be healthy, wholsome (to counteract the mass amounts of sugar we consumed while waiting for it) and ready pronto.

This recipe was perfect and will go into regular rotation FOR SURE! 15 mins start to finish.

I just discovered the site this is from and I love it - great healthy ideas. I love group blogs!

Couscous with Chicken, Spinach, & Mushrooms (Source: Pass The Beans Please, barely modified but the below reflects how I made it)
-1 T olive oil
-1lb chicken tenderloins, cut into 1/2" pieces
-1 clove garlic, minced
-2 cups fresh spinach, packed
-1 1/4 cups water
-5 mushrooms, sliced
-2 tbsp lemon juice (can use white wine)
-1 package flavored couscous (we used tomato lentil)

-In a large skillet, saute chicken and garlic in oil until browned and cooked through
-Stir in spinach, water, mushrooms, wine and bring to a boil.
-Stir in couscous; cover and remove from heat
-Let stand 5 minutes and fluff with a fork

Makes 4 servings (300 calories per serving)

Picture to come

Crockpot White Chicken Chili

On Wednesday morning when I was leaving for work, I asked Mishke if he could throw a recipe in the crockpot if I left it on the computer screen for him. He agreed, no problem.

When I came home, the house did not smell like chili, and the crockpot was in the cabinet.

I had forgotten to verify that he was in fact awake when he answered me at 6am. He wasn't.

On Thursday morning I put the chili in the crockpot before work. Lesson learned.

Because we got home late-ish, I made a slight variation to the recipe and cooked it for longer before shredding the chicken, and then just warmed it through. Doing it that way was fine in a pinch, but I think cooking as the recipe suggested would reduce the liquid some, which I think i would prefer.

This is great: mild, flavorful, and super fast.

White Chicken Chili (source: Lemons & Love)

-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used tenders)

-4 cups chicken broth

-1 large jar (2 cups) salsa verde

-2 cans cannelini beans drained and rinsed

-1 small can chopped green chilis
-1 tsp cumin

-Salt and pepper

-Combine salsa, broth, beans, chilis, and seasonings in slow cooker stoneware.
-Mix together thoroughly and add the chicken

-Cook on high for 4 hours

-After 4 hours, remove chicken and shred
-Return chicken to slow cooker and cook an additional 2 hours on low

Snow Day Crockpot Chicken Chowder

It was our first big snow this morning and so I holed up at home and telecommuted. Mishke and Bean braved the elements to make snow angels and dig out the car to head out the store and buy ingredients for dinner. It was the perfect day for a long, slow soup. Although making this in the crockpot when home is bad because this recipe smells delicious and you just want to eat all day long . . .

The original recipe calls for onion and chive cream cheese, but we don't like onions or chives, so we substituted spinach artichoke (who knew that even existed?)

Chicken Chowder (Source: Land o' Lakes, found on Crockpot Tuesdays)
-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
-8 small red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
-1 cup onion, diced (we omitted)
-2 14 oz. cans chicken broth
-1 16 oz. package frozen mixed vegetables
-Seasoning (used liberal amounts of tarragon and table blend)
-1 cup half and half
-2 tbsp. cornstarch
-1 8 oz. container spinach and artichoke cream cheese

-Combine chicken, potatoes, broth, frozen veg, and seasoning in crockpot

-Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

-After it is cooked, mix half-and-half and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth

-Stir into mixture in crockpot

-Re-cover and cook on high 30 minutes until thickened

-Turn off heat and stir in cream cheese until melted

Photo to come