Creamy Chicken and Veggies

This was a great meal to have at the beginning of fall. It was warm and comforting. It is a crockpot meal, which I love. I love when dinner is ready whenever you want to sit down and eat!

 Ingredients:

4 chicken breast, thawed and halved
3 cups cubed potatoes
3 cups baby carrots
1 medium onion, chopped
2 packages McCormick Chicken Gravy Mix
1 cup water
1 teaspoon season salt
1 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 cup light or fat free sour cream

1. Place your potatoes, carrots and onions in a slow cooker. Top with your chicken, overlapping slightly if needed.
2. Mix your gravey mixes, water season salt, thyme and poultry seasoning in a bowl.
3. Cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high or until the chicken is cooked through and veggies are soft and tender. I cooked mine on high and it was done in 4 hours.
4. Take your chicken and veggies and place them on a serving dish. Stir the sour cream into the drippings in your slow cooker with a whisk. Creamy gravey! Put your gravey into a dish and put on the table to pour over your chicken and veggies.
5. Serve with rolls or muffins and enjoy!

Steak Tacos with Pineapple Corn Salsa

We don't' eat a lot of red meat around here. I guess it is because growing up we NEVER had red meat. My mom was a vegetarian and so we mostly ate chicken and ground turkey with our meals, which just so happen to be my favorites now. But every once and a while I get a little wild and cook beef for my family. I know, crazy stuff. Well, this recipe was given to me by my WONDERFUL sister and it was so good! I love that it is also a slow cooker meal so little effort has to go into this. Start it in the morning and by dinner time you are set! Yum, tacos!




Ingredients:

1-1 1/2 lb. flank steak
1 fresh pineapple, chopped (bite size) and divided
1 red onion, chopped and divided
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 avocado, pitted and diced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 can corn, drained
salt and pepper
flour tortillas

1. Ok. Start this baby in the morning....like 10-11 am so by dinner time it is done! Cut your massive piece of meat into four chunks. This way it will fit better into your slow cooker. Into the crock pot : cut steak, 3/4 of your chopped onion (save the last 1/4 for the salsa) 1/2 of the chopped pineapple, chili powder, and then sprinkle in some salt and pepper. Set to low and allow it to just hang out for 7-8 hours.
2. About 1/2 hour before you want to eat take two forks and shred your meat right in the crock pot. Time to make salsa. Combine your left over onion and pineapple, chopped cilantro, corn, lime juice, and jalapeno. Toss that all together and set aside. Don't add the avocado just yet. Wait and add that in right before serving so you don't have a brown avocado. Not attractive....
3.To assemble simply take a nice warm tortilla (homemade are amazing here) fill full of warm shredded steak and top with your cool salsa. Then dig in and enjoy every tasty bite!

* I added tomato too!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

I love using my crock pot and the fall season seems so appropriate to cook lots of yummy meals in it. These meatballs are a total crowd pleaser for sure and the yummy sauce is to die for! And of course it is and fix it and forget it meal so dinner is ready on busy nights. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Meatballs:

1 lb. ground turkey

1/2 cup bread crumbs (I use Italian for more flavor)

1/4 cup fat-free milk

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons finely chopped or grated onion

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Sauce:

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

13 oz can pineapple chunks, undrained

1/3 cup vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 green bell pepper

1/3 cup water

1. Combine meatball ingredients in a bowl. Shape into 3/4-1 inch balls. (I use my little cookie scoop) Brown all sides in a non-stick skillet. Place in slow cooker.

2. Add brown sugar and cornstarch to same warm skillet. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Pour over meatballs.

3. Place lid on cooker and cook for 3-4 hours on low. Pair these meatballs over rice (brown or white) and serve with steamed broccoli and you have a delicious healthily meal.

* If you like pineapple you can use the 20 oz. can. That's what we do and my hubby isn't a huge fan of peppers so I just leave them out and use lots of pineapple!

Bajio Chicken Salad

This salad was amazing! So easy too, because the chicken cooks in the crock pot, so all you have to do is cut the veggies. The dressing ties in perfect with the sweet chicken too!! I have seen lots of copycat recipes for meals like this and I just had to try it! It tastes just like the salads that Rex and I used to love getting at Bajio in Rexburg. Make this you will love it!
It makes my mouth water!

Bajio Chicken Chile Salad
5 chicken breasts (I only used 4 large ones)
1/2 cup salsa
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 cup brown sugar (more to taste)
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
6 oz. Sprite (1/2 can)

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Return to crock pot and cook 1 more hour. Thicken the juices with a little cornstarch mixed in water.
Serve with flour tortillas, lettuce, black beans, rice, cheese, tomatoes, and dressing!!

Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing

1 pack (1oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix

1 cup mayo

1/2 cup milk

juice of 1 lime

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro

1/4 C green salsa

Place milk, mayo, and ranch mix in a blender. Juice the lime in there too, you should get about 2T juice. Toss in the garlic, cilantro and green salsa. Blend well. Make it several hours ahead of time to allow it to thicken. Makes a fair amount so save the rest and put it on tacos, burritos, or for dipping veggies.
* I used lowfat mayo and fat free milk and it tasted amazing too!