Slow Cooker Enchilada Stew

Now that there is a chill in the air, and fall is officially here, I can't wait to pull out the slow cooker for some tasty soups and stews!  This one is courtesy of frayedlacesracing.com.  Thanks, Laura!

Ingredients
Three chicken breast fillets (the thin cuts. Mine were flash frozen Purdue, bought from Costco, and I throw them in frozen)
Two cans Enchilada sauce (or make your own, see recipe below)
Two onions, chopped (or one if you don’t like a lot of onion. I do, and my breath is fantastic)
One can of black beans, drained
One bag frozen corn
One to two chopped red peppers, or one bag of frozen, chopped peppers
One bag of chopped broccoli

Directions
Layer the ingredients in the order written. Do not stir. This should fill your crockpot to the very brim. Still have room? Cram in more veggies! Set on low for 8 hours. Once done, shred the chicken and stir everything together. (I also recommend topping with gobs of Franks hot sauce)

Top with sour cream, or cheese, or cliantro, or tortilla chips. Or all four. Or don’t. It’s fantastic as is. Enjoy a tasty and incredibly healthy meal.

Enchilada sauce recipe
2 6oz. cans of tomato paste
2 cups chicken or veggie broth
2 T chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
Whisk everything together until mixed in your crockpot, then continue to layer ingredients as described above

Variations
Basically, this recipe is incredibly forgiving, as is most slow cooker “cooking”. Experiment with different veggies. In the past I’ve used spinach instead of broccoli, which gives it a creamier texture. The key, though, is to keep the broccoli or spinach on the top of everything so it doesn’t cook too much.

Best Chicken Ever!

Once I discovered this method for cooking chicken, I haven't done it another way.  It truly is perfect every time.  I mix up a bunch of the seasoning at a time so that I always have it handy to sprinkle on the chicken.  One of my favorite meals is one of these chicken breasts, a sweet potato, and some type of green veggie.  Perfect balance!

**Courtesy of The Recipe Crayon Box

Ingredients

• 2-4 boneless chicken breasts with or without rib meat
• 1/2 t. salt 
• 1/2 t. pepper 
• 1/2 t. garlic powder 
• 1/2 t. onion powder 
• 1/2 t. paprika 
• 2-3 T. olive oil

Directions

Mix salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika in a small bowl (I use my old 1/4 cup). Coat the chicken breasts in the seasoning, rubbing in to coat. Pour olive oil in the bottom of a Dutch oven, and heat to med-high. When nice and hot, add chicken to the pan (in batches if necessary). Cook 2-3 min per side. If any chicken has been removed, add it back to the Dutch oven. Place uncovered Dutch oven in a 350 degree F oven for 25 minutes or until juices run clear. Let sit on a plate 5-10 minutes before cutting, shredding, or eating.

Rosemary Recipes

Our new neighbor was nice enough to drop by with a huge branch of fresh rosemary, so I needed to find recipes to make use of it!!!  We shall see if either of these are keepers on Friday!!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/crispy-rosemary-chicken-and-fries/detail.aspx

http://www.food.com/recipe/fast-and-easy-garlic-rosemary-marinade-for-steak-or-chicken-222155

Recipes to remember

Here are a few links to recipes that I found (usually on Cooking Light) that were a hit and worth remembering

• Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chipotle-chicken-taco-salad-10000001215905/
• Chicken and Bacon Rollups: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-bacon-roll-ups-10000001634741/

Enchiladas

This recipe is for cheese or chicken, but shredded beef or Carnitas would be tasty too.  Serve with guacamole, sour cream, salsa, beans and/or Spanish rice.


Ingredients
1 28 oz. can Las Palmas Enchilada sauce (choose whichever level of spiciness you want)
3 15 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 cups water
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons flour with 1 cup cold water, mixed thoroughly
Corn tortillas
Grated cheddar cheese
Chicken (optional)


Preparation

1. Combine sauces, mix well, and heat over med-high heat.
2. Add water through salt, mix well.
3. Add flour mixture slowly.
4. Bring to boil, simmer approx. 30 minutes, stirring frequently
5. Heat tortillas on griddle or in microwave until soft 
6. Fill tortillas with sauce, grated cheese, and chicken (if desired).  Roll tortilla, don't overfill.
7. Place in 9x13" baking or casserole dish, cover with sauce.
8. Repeat until chicken is used up or you have desired amount of enchiladas.
9. Cover all enchiladas with remaining sauce, sprinkle on cheese.
10. Bake at 350* for 25 minutes.
11. Garnish with olives.

**Chicken: boil whole chicken with salt and bay leaf until cooked through (approx. 15 min.).  Let cool, then shred into strips

Stacked Chicken Enchiladas

These towers are huge and the recipe serves more than the estimated 8 servings (each serving 1/4 stack).  I recommend only making a 1/2 recipe at a time unless you have a huge group.  They are also quite messy because of the sauce.

Ingredients
1  cup  chopped onion
1  tablespoon  olive oil
1  can (28 oz.) red chili sauce, divided
1/2  cup  pine nuts
1/4  cup  golden raisins
1/4  teaspoon  cinnamon
1/4  teaspoon  ground allspice
1  tablespoon  finely chopped canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, plus 2 tsp. sauce (see Notes)
1  tablespoon  tomato paste
1  tablespoon  firmly packed light brown sugar
1  tablespoon  white wine vinegar
3 3/4  cups  shredded white and/or dark chicken meat (from one 2 1/2- to 3-lb. rotisserie chicken)
12  corn tortillas (6 in. wide; see Notes)
3  cups  coarsely shredded jack cheese
2  radishes, halved and thinly sliced
3  tablespoons  fresh lime juice
1/4  cup  extra-virgin olive oil
5  to 6 cups very thinly sliced green cabbage (see Notes)
1/4  cup  coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, cook onion with olive oil, stirring often until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in 3/4 cup red chili sauce, the pine nuts, raisins, cinnamon, allspice, chipotle chilies, adobo sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar, and vinegar. Add chicken, then bring mixture to a boil, stirring. Remove from heat. Pour remaining red chili sauce into a pie pan.
3. To make enchilada stacks, dip 1 tortilla in chill sauce in pie pan to coat. Place on an ovenproof dinner plate. Repeat with another tortilla on a second plate. Spread each tortilla evenly with a heaping 1/3 cup chicken mixture, then with 1/4 cup cheese.  
4. Repeat layering with 8 more tortillas, dipping them in sauce, then adding chicken mixture and cheese to make 2 stacks of 5 layers. (You'll use all the chicken but not all the cheese.) Dip the last 2 tortillas in sauce, place each, curved side down, on stack, and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
5. Bake enchiladas until hot in the center and cheese bubbles on top, 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, pour remaining chili sauce from the pie pan into a microwave-safe pitcher and cook in a microwave oven on full power until simmering, 1 to 2 minutes. 
7. To make the salad, stir together radishes, lime juice, and extra-virgin olive oil in a large bowl. Just before serving, stir in cabbage and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Top each enchilada with a small mound of salad and cut in thirds or quarters to serve. Offer with remaining salad and chili sauce to add to taste.

Oven Fried Chicken

I have only made this recipe once, but typing it in now is making my crave it again!  This is great served with Butter-Brown Sugar Carrots (see blog post for recipe), mashed potatoes and Le Seur Peas.

Ingredients
1  cup  low-fat buttermilk
2  large egg whites, beaten
1  cup  all-purpose flour (about 4 1/2 ounces)
1/3  cup  cornmeal
1  teaspoon  salt, divided
3/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
1/4  teaspoon  ground red pepper
2  chicken breast halves, skinned (about 1 pound)
2  chicken thighs, skinned (about 1/2 pound)
2  chicken drumsticks, skinned (about 1/2 pound)
2  tablespoons  canola oil
Cooking spray
Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine buttermilk and egg whites in a shallow dish; stir well with a whisk. 
3. Combine flour, cornmeal, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a separate shallow dish; stir well. 
4. Sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Dip chicken in buttermilk mixture; dredge in flour mixture.
5. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. 
6. Place chicken on prepared baking sheet; lightly coat chicken with cooking spray. 
7. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until chicken is done.

Black Bean and Chicken Chilaquiles

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1  cup  thinly sliced onion
5  garlic cloves, minced
2  cups  shredded cooked chicken breast
1  (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1  (7 3/4-ounce) can salsa de chili fresco (such as El Pato)
15  (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips
1  cup  shredded queso blanco (about 4 ounces)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. 
3. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned. 
4. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add chicken; cook 30 seconds. 
5. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl; stir in beans. Add broth and salsa to pan; bring to a boil. 
6. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
7. Place half of tortilla strips in bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. 
8. Layer half of chicken mixture over tortillas; top with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture. 
9. Pour broth mixture evenly over chicken mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. 
10. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until tortillas are lightly browned and cheese is melted.

Dad's Chicken Mole

All measurements are heaping...NOT level.  Again, as this is one of my dad's recipes, it makes a ton.

Sauce
Ingredients
2 (28 oz. each) cans of tomato sauce
2 (15 oz) cans/boxes of chicken broth
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons powdered chocolate (for chocolate milk - dad suggests Nestle)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder


Preparation 

1. Mix all ingredients together and bring to a simmer in a large pot. (chicken will be added to the pot later) 
2. Simmer for 1/2 hour, stirring every 5-10 minutes so nothing sticks.
3. After 1/2 hour, taste (add seasoning if necessary - If it's bitter: chocolate/cinnamon; If it's bland: salt; If it's too mild, chili powder)

Chicken
Ingredients
8 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, garlic powder
Water to cover chicken

Preparation

1. Bring to a boil, then simmer for approx 1/2 hour.
2. After cooked thoroughly, remove from water and let cool off.
3. Shred chicken into 1/2 inch strips, with the grail
4. Once broken up, put into simmering mole sauce.
5. Bring to a boil, lower and simmer an additional 45 minutes.
6. Serve with flour tortillas 

Herbed Chicken Parmesan

This also makes a large portion, but it's great for leftovers and lunches the next day (or for a few days).  The orzo is a fun twist on plain spaghetti.

Ingredients

1/3  cup  (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4  cup  dry breadcrumbs
1  tablespoon  minced fresh parsley
1/2  teaspoon  dried basil
1/4  teaspoon  salt, divided
1  large egg white, lightly beaten
1  pound  chicken breast tenders
1  tablespoon  butter
1 1/2  cups  bottled fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce (such as Muir Glen Organic)
2  teaspoons  balsamic vinegar
1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
1/3  cup  (1 1/2 ounces) shredded provolone cheese
Orzo

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Cook 1 box of orzo pasta while preparing the rest of the meal. 
3. Combine 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, basil, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish. Place egg white in a shallow dish. Dip each chicken tender in egg white; dredge in the breadcrumb mixture. 
4. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Set aside.
5. Combine 1/8 teaspoon salt, pasta sauce, vinegar, and pepper in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; vent. Microwave sauce mixture at HIGH 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. 
6. Pour the sauce over chicken in pan. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining Parmesan and provolone cheese. Wrap handle of pan with foil, and broil 2 minutes or until the cheese melts.
7. Serve chicken strips over cooked orzo. 

Chicken Bulgur

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup bulgar wheat
2 tablespoons onion minced
1/2 teaspoon dry rosemary
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
4 cups cooked chicken cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Garlic salt
Pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Paprika

Preparation

1. In a frying pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add mushrooms and cook until limp.
2. Stir in bulgur wheat, onion, rosemary, and broth.  Bring to boil, then pour into a shallow 2 quart baking dish.  Cover tightly and place in a 350 degree oven for 15 min.
3. Remove from the oven and stir in pieces of chicken.  Cover, return to oven and bake another 10 minutes or until wheat is tender to bite.
4. Add garlic salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle with cheese and paprika. 
5. Return to oven and bake, covered, until cheese melts (approx. 5 more min.)

Chicken Soft Tacos with Sauteed Onions and Apples

Cooking light yet again.  This is actually much easier to make when the recipe is doubled.  Make sure not to cook the chicken too long so it stays moist and juicy.  The combination of sweet and savory is great on a fall day.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups thinly sliced onion
2 cups thinly sliced peeled Granny Smith apple (2-3 apples)
2 garlic cloves, minced
Flour tortillas

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with salt, nutmeg, and pepper.  Add chicken to pan; saute 7 minutes or until golden.  Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.
2. Melt butter in pan over medium heat.  Add onion; cook 4 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.  Add apple; cook 6 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently.  Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.  Return chicken to pan; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently.
3. Heat tortillas, spoon chicken mixture into tortillas.

Cuban Chicken Pizza

This is another Cooking Light recipe (sensing a theme yet ;).  With a job and a massive commute, cooking every day isn't an option.  The actual recipe calls for baking the tortillas to make a crispy "pizza" crust, but I cut the corners on this and just make it into a burrito.  As a burrito, the prep time a whopping 15 minutes.


flour tortillas

1 can no salt added whole kernel corn, drained
1 whole rotisserie chicken, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice

Shredded pepper jack cheese (as much as you want, depending on how much you like cheese)
Avocado
Sour Cream

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; coat pan with cooking spray.  Add corn to pan and cook  minute or until lightly charred. Add cumin, stir.
2. Add chicken, black beans and garlic; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  
3. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice.
4. Heat tortillas
5. Spoon chicken mixture into tortillas; top with shredded cheese, sliced avocado, and sour cream.

**If you want to make the pizza version, bake tortillas in oven at 350 * for 10 minutes.  Remove tortillas from oven.  Once chicken mixture is prepared, spoon approx. 1/2 cup of mixture onto tortilla, sprinkle with cheese.  Put back in the oven at 350 for 2 minutes, or until cheese is melted.  Top with avocado and sour cream.

Chicken Cacciatore

I haven't had this in years, but I came across the recipe that my mom would make for special occasions until I left for college.

Ingredients
1 (3 pound) broiler-fryer, cut in serving pieces
1/4 cup oil
1 cup sliced celery
2 medium onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (16 oz) can peeled tomatoes
2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
2 chicken bullion cubes
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crushed basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
Cooked Spaghetti

Preparation

1. Brown chicken in hot oil.  Remove from skillet and drain.
2. Saute celery, onions and garlic in oil remaining in skillet.
3. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, bullion cubes, sugar, salt, basil and pepper.
4. Add chicken, cover and simmer 45 minutes.  Blend cornstarch with water and add gradually to chicken.  Cook and stir until thickened and translucent.  Serve over spaghetti.

Black Pepper and Molasses Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

I found this recipe in the Dinner Tonight! section of the Nov. 2009 Cooking Light Magazine.  Super simple and easy to double. 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1 tablespoon molasses

3/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

12 ounces skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2 inch pieces

4 sandwich rolls
Dill Pickle Chips

Preparation

1. Combine first 9 ingredients (ketchup through chicken) in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 23 minutes or until chicken is done and tender.  
2. Remove from heat; shred with 2 forks to measure 2 cups meat.  Place ½ cup chicken on bottom half of each roll.  Top each with pickles and top half of roll.

**I like to put mayonnaise on the bun and top with Swiss cheese.  Put sandwich in broiler or
microwave until cheese melts.