Crock Pot Country Chicken

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Crock Pot Country Chicken
6-8 Yukon gold or red potatoes, halved or quartered
4 carrots, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and cut into large pieces
4 celery ribs, cut in half lengthwise and cut into large pieces
6-8 boneless skinless chicken breasts, seasoned with salt and pepper
3 Tbsp corn starch
1 1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp dried dill weed
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 cup frozen peas

Place potatoes, carrots, and celery at the bottom of a crock pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place seasoned chicken breasts on top.

In a small bowl, whisk together the corn starch and chicken stock. Stir in dijon mustard, dill, salt, and pepper until well combined. Pour over chicken in the crock pot.

Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Add the peas during the last 30 minutes of cooking time.

Serves 6-8

Recipe adapted from Cooking During Stolen Moments

Past recipes:
One year ago: Peanut Butter Bars
Two years ago: "Rushin" Chicken

Potato Pepperjack Soup

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Potato Pepperjack Soup
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups potato, chopped
1/2 pkg bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp thyme
1 cup half & half
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup pepperjack cheese, shredded

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Add peppers, onion, garlic, and carrots. Saute until soft. Set aside.

Boil potatoes in water until tender; drain. Add broth and sauteed veggies. Stir in bacon, milk, salt, pepper, and thyme.

To prepare roux, melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour. Slowly add half & half and stir until it starts to bubble and thicken. Stir into soup along with cheese. If necessary, add milk to reach desired consistency.

Serves 6

Recipe adapted from The Sisters' Cafe

Past recipes:
One year ago: Chocolate Toffee Shortbread Bars
Two years ago: Strawberry Spinach Salad

Baked Oven Fries

I've made oven baked fries before but they've never turned out exactly the way that I wanted them too. Plus they take way too long. Then I tried this recipe. It's a fairly simple recipe, but it's the technique that's different. By soaking the potatoes before cooking, it shortens the cooking time. Plus they're baked at a high temperature to give it a nice crispy texture. They actually tasted like real french fries!

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Baked Oven Fries
3 large potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into even sliced wedges
5 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
3/4 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste

Place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Cover with hot water and soak for 10-30 minutes. Preheat oven to 475. Drain the potatoes. Spread out onto paper towels or clean dry towels. Pat dry with additional towels. Wipe out the empty bowl so it's dry. Return the potatoes to the bowl and toss with 1 Tbsp oil.

Put 4 Tbsp of the oil onto a rimmed baking sheet. Tilt the sheet side to side to evenly coat the pan. Sprinkle the pan evenly with salt and pepper. Place the potato wedges in a single layer on the baking sheet. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 5 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 15-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after ten minutes. Using a metal spatula and tongs, flip the potato wedges, keeping them in a single layer. Continue baking until potatoes are golden and crisp, about 5-15 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain some of the grease. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe source: Annie's Eats

Past recipes:
One year ago: Butterfly Cake
Two years ago: Ranch Chicken

Zuppa Toscana Soup

I love this soup! It's one of my favorite things to eat at Olive Garden. I'm so excited to be able to make it at home!

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Zuppa Toscana Soup
1 lb Italian sausage
1/2 lb bacon, chopped
1 qt water
4 cups chicken broth
2 lg potatoes, cubed (about 4 cups)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, diced
3 cups chopped kale
1 cup half and half
salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, brown sausage over medium heat, breaking up as it cooks. Drain and set aside. Place bacon in the skillet and brown until cooked through without letting it get too crispy. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot, combine water, chicken broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Add sausage and bacon. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add kale, half and half, and salt and pepper. Heat through.

Serves 6-8

Recipe adapted from Chef Pablo's Restaurant Recipes

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

This recipe has been moved to The Traveling Circus.

Click the link below for the recipe

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

Grilled Chicken with Roasted Garlic Oregano Vinaigrette and Fingerling Potatoes

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Grilled Chicken with Roasted Garlic Oregano Vinaigrette and Fingerling Potatoes

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

12 fingerling potatoes

salt

black pepper

olive oil

vinaigrette:

8 cloves garlic, roasted

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp fresh oregano or 2 tsp dried

2 Tbsp fresh parsley or 2 tsp dried

1 Tbsp honey

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup olive oil

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Combine garlic, vinegar, spices, and honey in a blender and mix until smooth. Slowly add olive oil until well blended. Stir in red pepper flakes. Set aside.

Place potatoes in a medium saucepan. Pour cold water over potatoes and add 1 Tbsp salt. Boil over high heat until knife comes out with some resistance, about 5-8 minutes after water starts boiling. Drain; slice in half lengthwise. 

Brush chicken and potatoes with olive oil and salt and pepper. Grill chicken about 5 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Grill potatoes about 2 minutes on each side. Remove chicken and potatoes from grill and drizzle with sauce.

Recipe adapted from Food Network, Bobby Flay

Dutch Oven Chicken and Potatoes

I love to cook but I also love to get a break from cooking every once in a while. I'm very lucky to have a husband who can cook. Unlike me, he doesn't have to follow a recipe. He loves to create his own recipes. He made this for dinner Sunday night and it was delicious! It's a great meal that you can prepare ahead and cook whenever you're ready to eat.

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Dutch Oven Chicken and Potatoes
2 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
4 tsp olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
4-6 carrots cut into 1/2" slices

1 onion, sliced
2 red bell peppers, sliced

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp dried rosemary
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 lbs small, whole yukon gold potatoes (enough to cover bottom of pan)
3-4 Tbsp butter, sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil and 2 tsp olive oil in a large dutch oven. Add garlic, carrots, onion, and red bell pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from dutch oven. Add remaining oil. Heat over high heat until very hot. Season chicken with rosemary and salt and pepper. Place in dutch oven and sear for 1 minute on each side. Remove from dutch oven. Place potatoes in bottom of pan. Pour water over potatoes. Add chicken and carrot mixture. Place butter on top and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake for 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Chicken and Corn Chowder with Sweet Potatoes

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Chicken and Corn Chowder with Sweet Potatoes


3 cups whole milk or 2 cups 1% and 1 cup cream
1 cup corn muffin mix
2 Tbsp butter
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
2 quarts chicken broth
1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
2-3 sweet potatoes, cut into cubes (about 3 cups)
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
3 cups frozen corn
1/2 cup fresh parsley or 2 1/2 Tbsp dried
salt and pepper to taste

Mix together milk and muffin mix until combined; set aside. Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat until foaming. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin, and oregano. Cook and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken broth, chicken, and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in milk mixture and simmer for 10 minutes or until soup starts to thicken. Add cheese and corn. Cook until cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Serves 6-8

Recipe adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Scalloped Potatoes and Pork Chops

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Scalloped Potatoes and Pork Chops


5 cups potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream
6 boneless pork chops
chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 375. In a greased 9x13 baking dish, layer half of the potatoes and half of the onion. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat with remaining potatoes and onion and salt and pepper. Combine soup and sour cream and pour over potatoes. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. With about 10 minutes left, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Brown pork chops for about 1-2 minutes on each side. Place on top of potatoes. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove cover for the last 10 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I had some sweet potatoes in my Bountiful Basket and I wasn't sure what to do with them. The only thing I could think of was Thanksgiving sweet potatoes but it's the wrong time of year.  I found this recipe and decided to try it. My kids loved it!!! They're good for you too because they're baked and not fried. We had barbecue chicken with sweet potato fries and grilled zucchini. Yum! It made me so excited for summer!

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Baked Sweet Potato Fries

3 large sweet potatoes or yams
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano

Preheat oven to 425. Place 2 rimmed baking sheets in oven while it preheats. Peel potatoes and slice into 1/4-1/2 inch strips. Make sure they're all about the same size for even cooking. Place potatoes in ziploc bag. Toss with oil. Add spices and mix until coated. Place potatoes on baking sheets. Spread out so they're not touching. Bake for 15-25 minutes, turning halfway through, until tender and brown.

Recipe adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Oven-Roasted Potatoes

I love roasted potatoes but they always take way too long to cook. It seems like I'm always waiting for the potatoes to finish cooking while the rest of my food is getting cold. So my husband came up with this way to roast potatoes. If you boil them for 5 minutes it speeds up the cooking time. Then you only have to bake them for about 20 minutes. They came out perfect, exactly the way I wanted them too. So delicious!

Printable Recipe

Oven-Roasted Potatoes


4 cups potatoes, chopped (with or without the skin)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
olive oil

Boil potatoes for 5 minutes. Drain and place on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and spices. Mix until potatoes are coated. Bake at 350 for about 15-25 minutes.

Beef Stew

I had some leftover roast beef and I really wanted to make beef stew. There's nothing better than a hearty bowl of stew on a cold fall night! I looked online for a recipe but I couldn't find exactly what I wanted. So I came up with this. It turned out great! I used leftover roast but you could use stew meat or a roast cut into cubes. You would just need to simmer the meat longer. I haven't tried it that way but I'm sure it would be really good.

Printable Recipe

Beef Stew
1 1/2 cups cooked shredded roast beef (you can also use stew meat or any type of roast beef cut into cubes)
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp butter
6-7 cups hot water (depending on how thick you want it)
4 cups chopped potatoes
2 cups sliced carrots
2 beef bouillon cubes, crushed or 2 tsp bouillon granules
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme

Melt butter in large pot. Add onion, beef, flour, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes. (If using raw meat, cook until browned) Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If using raw meat simmer for 1 hour) Add potatoes, carrots, and spices. Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Serves 4-6

Potato Salad

I've never been a huge fan of potato salad unless it's a really good potato salad. This potato salad is amazing! I got this recipe from my sister-in-law. It's always a big hit at our family parties. It is so good!

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Potato Salad
7-8 large potatoes, chopped and boiled
9 hard boiled eggs, chopped
3 hard boiled eggs, sliced
diced pickles
chopped cheese, cheddar or colby jack
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup miracle whip
3 squirts ranch dressing
salt
pepper
season-all

Combine potatoes, chopped eggs, pickles, and cheese (however much you like). Mix together mayonnaise, miracle whip, and ranch dressing. Stir into potato mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir. Place sliced eggs on top and sprinkle with season-all.

Creamy Chicken and Veggies

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Creamy Chicken and Veggies
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
5 small potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 1/2 cups water
1 can cream of chicken soup
Season-all seasoned salt

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Season chicken with Season-all and add to skillet. Cook until chicken is browned and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes on each side. Remove from skillet. Add potatoes, carrots, bell pepper, and onion. Season veggies with Season-all. Add water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer covered for 15 minutes. Cut chicken into cubes and add to skillet. Stir in cream of chicken soup. Continue cooking covered until veggies are tender.

Serves 4-6

Delicious Mashed Potatoes

I love mashed potatoes but I don't make it enough. I'm always trying to figure out ways to make them without gravy. I actually came up with this on my own. I always have to have a recipe to make anything so I was proud of myself for coming up with this. These potatoes were so good!


Printable Recipe


Delicious Mashed Potatoes
6 potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp dried chives or 1 Tbsp fresh chives
1 tsp dried parsley or 1 Tbsp fresh parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt


Boil potatoes until very tender; drain. Combine potatoes with sour cream, milk, cheese, and butter. Beat until cheese and butter are melted. Add spices. Mix well. 


Serves 6

Chantilly Potatoes

This recipe has been moved to The Traveling Circus.

Click the link below for the recipe.

Chantilly Potatoes