Asian Chicken Pizza

I've really been enjoying making pizza for my family every Friday night. I might even be ready to *gasp* try making my own dough!

When deciding on take-out, my husband usually chooses pizza while I tend to gravitate towards Chinese. This collaboration, however, satisfies us both. Oh, the deliciousness; another keeper from Stephanie Cooks!

Asian Chicken Pizza

from Stephanie Cooks

• Pizza dough
• 5 ounces of chicken, chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (less or more depending on how hot you want it)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 1/2 tbsp. honey
• 3/4 cup rice wine vinegar OR apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• Olive oil
• Sesame seeds (optional)
• 2 tbsp. sliced green onion

Preheat the oven to 450.

Combine the red pepper flakes, garlic, soy sauce, honey, and vinegar. Stir well, set aside.

In a small skillet cook the chicken. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Pour the sauce mixture into the pan. Heat over medium heat until it thickens and becomes syrup like, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken, toss well.

Form the dough. Top with a drizzle of olive oil, rubbing to coat the dough.

Top with the chicken/glaze mixture. Make sure it's evenly coating the dough.

Top with the cheese and sprinkle with sesame seeds if using.

Bake 10-12 minutes. Top with green onion. Serve hot.

"Chicken" Bacon Ranch Pizza

It's Pizza Friday! This is another awesome pizza from Stephanie Cooks. There should be chicken in here too, but yours truly forgot to defrost the chicken in time. The accidental omission didn't matter, however; the pizza did just fine without it (though I can't wait to try it again with the chicken). We ate this outside on the patio and my husband repeatedly requested that I make two of these next time.


Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza
from Stephanie Cooks; originally from Annie's Eats

• 1 batch of pizza dough
• Olive oil
• 1/4 cup ranch salad dressing
• 4 ounces grilled chicken, diced small
• 3 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and diced small
• 1 tomato, seeded and diced small
• 2-3 green onions, chopped
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 450.

Prepare your pizza dough, leaving a thicker edge around the side for the crust. Prepare it on either parchment paper or on a pizza peel topped with corn meal. Drizzle olive oil lightly over the crust and rub it all over the dough, over the edges as well. Bake for 7 minutes.

Top with the ranch salad dressing, spreading evenly over the crust.

Next, arrange your chicken, bacon, and tomato evenly over the dressing.

Top with the cheddar cheese. The sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over top.

Transfer the pizza to the stone. Bake 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden.

Top with the green onions as soon as you pull it from the oven. Serve hot.

Pesto Chicken Thighs with Italian Cream Sauce

I have been trying very hard to significantly cut back on the amount of processed foods I serve my family. However, when Philadelphia introduced their new line of cooking cremes, I admit I was intrigued. This curiosity only increased when I saw this recipe on Picky Palate.

My sauce didn't really come out like hers, but this was still a delicious dinner (and the leftovers for lunch were just fab). The flavors just exude summertime, and this meal was filling and satisfying without being heavy.


Pesto Chicken Thighs with Italian Cream Sauce
from Picky Palate

• 1 pound boneless chicken thighs, fat removed
• 1/2 cup prepared pesto sauce
• 2 cups cooked couscous
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup Philadelphia Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme

Place chicken thighs and pesto into a large ziplock bag, seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place chicken thighs onto a large baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Place cooked couscous, olive oil and parmesan cheese into a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Reduce to heat to low.

Warm Philadelphia Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme into a small saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed. Reduce heat to low.

To serve, place couscous onto a serving plate and top with chicken. Drizzle with warm cooking cream.

Makes 4 servings

Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff - Revisited

A few months ago, I participated in a really fun blogging event - the March Madness of crockpot cooking, hosted on 365 Days of Slow Cooking. One of my assignments was to make Chicken Stroganoff, and I loved it - but I really wanted to try to find a lighter version.

So, with some help from some ladies on an online forum, I adjusted this a bit to include a little less guilt without losing the flavor. Then, instead of egg noodles, I served it over some Israili couscous. Yum!

• 2-3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup low-fat or fat free milk
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 8oz sliced mushrooms
• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup plain lowfat Greek yogurt
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• salt and pepper to taste

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour. Stir constantly until the flour is incorporated and the mixture is bubbly and thick. Add the milk and broth and stir until thoroughly combined, heated, and thick.

Combine the chicken, onion, mushrooms, broth mixture, and tomato sauce in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours. Shred the chicken and add in the parsley, yogurt, and and season with salt and pepper. Stir and turn to HIGH. Let sit without lid for 10-15 minutes. Serve over couscous.

BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Pizza

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

Oh how I've missed my blog! The end of the school year is always chaotic as I try to write my final exams, clean out my classroom, and read portfolio evaluations. Throw my own two young children into the mix and most days I'm happy just to eat, let alone prepare a blog post.

But! Yesterday, I said goodbye to my 97 favorite 9th graders (well, the ones who showed up) and today I am ready to blow the dust off of this blog.

I've been making my own pizza on Fridays (I have many more to come!) and I am loving the tradition. I recently purchased a round stone from Pampered Chef and it has changed my life. My dough comes out so much better now, and I'm actually planning to buy a second (and maybe a third!) so that I can do double duty. My husband and I love trying new variety, but the kids keep asking me for "regular" pizza.

Anyway. This BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Pizza has been a favorite for sure. What a delicious flavor combo! It's so perfect for this time of year, and it's so easy to put together (especially if you cheat like I did and use canned pineapple).


BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Pizza
slightly adapted from Sing for Your Supper

• 1 batch pizza dough
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 2 chicken breasts, fully cooked and shredded
• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce, plus more for brushing on the crust
• 1/4 cup ranch salad dressing
• 1 can crushed pineapple or pineapple tidbits
• fresh cilantro, chopped, about 1/3 cup (I omitted)
  

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Stretch dough across pizza stone or tray and bake for 7 minutes.

Toss the cooked, shredded chicken breasts with the BBQ sauce. Set aside.

Brush the pizza crust with a thin layer of BBQ sauce, then spread on the ranch dressing. Top with the cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese, then the chicken and pineapple. Bake for about 15 minutes, until all the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown. Top with the chopped cilantro. Makes 1 pizza.

Saucy Pesto Chicken

My most recent recipe swap category was chicken, and my draw came from A Taste of Home Cooking.

I don't really have the luxury of a lot of time to cook during the week, so I looked for ways to cut corners without sacrificing quality and flavor. During my weekend food shopping, I found a jar of organic garlic pesto sauce, and while I'm not really a fan of jarred sauces, this wasn't a variety that I normally keep stocked in my freezer. I figured it would be perfect, and it was.

Served over egg noodles and with a few minor changes, this was a pretty easy and delicious meal. Next time, I might baking it. Or adding artichokes. Or both!


Saucy Pesto Chicken
adapted from Taste of Home

1 package (9 ounces) fresh baby spinach

salt and pepper, to taste

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)

1 jar (or homemade equivalent) of pesto sauce

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 pound egg noodles, cooked

6 campari tomatoes, chopped

minced parsley, for garnish

Place spinach in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish; sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, brown chicken in remaining oil on both sides; slice into strips or bite-size pieces and place over spinach. Pour sauce over chicken.

Cover and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160° and sauce is bubbly. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer. Serve with pasta. Sprinkle with tomato and parsley.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I was pleased to receive one of my friend Lishie's recipes in a recent swap. Everything always looks awesome and I love to see her personal touches on what she creates.

I've made several versions of Sweet and Sour Chicken; the flavor in this make-your-own-takeout version was good, but a little too intense. If I were to make this again, I would likely cut down on the amount of orange juice.


Sweet and Sour Chicken
slightly adapted from DeLish; originally from Secrets of a Skinny Chef

• 1 cup orange juice
  
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lemon, juiced & the zest
• 1 tablespoon orange marmalade
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1⁄2 cup AP flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 eggs
  
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
  
• 1 package frozen veggies - I used a stir-fry mix
• 1 small can water chestnuts
• 1 medium can pineapple chunks, drained
  

Preheat tProxy-Connection: keep-alive
Cache-Control: max-age=0

oven to 450°F.

To make the sauce: in a medium bowl, whisk the first 6 ingredients together (the juice through the oil) until incorporated and smooth. Set aside.

Place parchment paper on a baking sheet (or “grease” with cooking spray).

In one shallow bowl, place the flour, cornstarch, salt & paprika, and mix. In another shallow bowl, the eggs.

To bread the chicken, place all of the chicken pieces into the eggs and toss the pieces until they are covered. Transfer the egg-coated chicken to the flour mixture for coating. Lift each piece, shaking off the extra flour mix, and place them on the prepped baking sheet.

Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the breading is crisp.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the vegetables and cook until heated; add the water chestnuts and pineapple.

Transfer the chicken from the baking sheet to the skillet with the vegetables. Pour the sauce over the chicken and veggies, gently stirring until the sauce is incorporated into the skillet. Cook about 2 minutes more, until the sauce thickens.

Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff

This stroganoff was the "loser" in my Round 2 submission for the Crockpot March Madness going on right now at 365 Days of Slow Cooking. It was a hearty comfort-food meal that yielded more leftovers than I know what to do with; this would be a great dinner to divide and then throw half in the freezer.

I already have some ideas to lighten up this dish, so look for updates, but this was delicious as is. It certainly gave the Cafe Rio Chicken some serious competition!


Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff
from 365 Days of Slow Cooking

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  
• 1 Tbsp dehydrated onion or 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 (4 oz) can mushrooms, drained
• 1 (13.75 oz) can cream of chicken soup
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the chicken, onion, mushrooms, cream of chicken soup, and tomato sauce in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours. Shred the chicken and add in the parsley, sour cream and salt and pepper. Stir and turn to HIGH. Let sit without lid for 10-15 minutes. Serve over egg noodles.

Crockpot Cafe Rio Chicken

When 365 Days of Slow Cooking announced a crockpot version of March Madness, I jumped at the opportunity to participate. My NCAA bracket went up in smoke early on (thankyouverymuch to the two students who suggested I send Syracuse and UCLA to the finals) so I was excited about a second chance.

My little piece of the tournament included this Cafe Rio Chicken against Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff (stay tuned for that recipe tomorrow). I didn't have high hopes for the Cafe Rio dish; who doesn't love a good stroganoff?

I shouldn't have underestimated Cafe Rio, however; the stroganoff put up a good fight but this one ultimately took the win.

I adjusted the quantities (I made maybe 1/4-1/3 of the original recipe below) because I don't have an army to feed, but if you're having company, this is such an easy (and SO CHEAP!) slow cooker meal.


Cafe Rio Chicken
from 365 of Slow Cooking

• 5lbs of chicken thighs and/or breasts
• 1 (8 oz) bottle zesty Italian dressing
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp cumin
• 3 garlic cloves, minced

Mix Italian dressing, chili powder, cumin, and garlic in a bowl. Place chicken on bottom of a greased slow cooker. Pour mixture in bowl over the top of chicken. Cook on HIGH 5-6 hours. Shred chicken with a fork and reserve juice to pour over chicken when serving. Makes 15 servings.

Takeout at Home: Chicken and Broccoli

My friend Christina recently hosted a blogging challenge involving a popular takeout cuisine - Chinese food! She posted a link to an article on food.com and asked her readers to select a meal they would like to try out. She has been sharing all of the results on her blog: Tales From a Mad Men Kitchen.

We LOVE Chinese and probably order once or twice a month, so I was excited to participate in this challenge. We are boring creatures of habit. We might get sweet and sour chicken or chicken lo mein or the occasional egg roll, but we always order chicken and broccoli. So when I saw this recipe, I knew that's what I wanted to cook.


We absolutely loved this dinner. It didn't taste really like our local restaurant, and I might decrease the amount of ginger next time, but this was a huge success. Luckily, this was on a night when I was cooking late so the kids had already eaten; the two of us alone finished it so there wouldn't have been enough. Next time I'll for sure double it. Isn't one of the best parts about Chinese take out the leftovers?

Chicken and Broccoli
slightly adapted from food.com

3 tablespoons cornstarch, divided

1/2 cup water, plus

2 tablespoon water, divided

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into thin 3-inch strips

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

4 cups broccoli florets

1 small onion, cut into wedges

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

hot cooked rice

In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons water and garlic powder until smooth.

Add chicken and toss.

In a large skillet or wok over medium high heat, stir-fry chicken in 1 tablespoon oil until beef reaches desired doneness; remove and keep warm.

Stir-fry broccoli and onion in remaining oil for 4-5 minutes. If necessary, deglaze with about 1/4 cup chicken broth.

Return chicken to pan.

Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger and remaining cornstarch and water until smooth; add to the pan.

Cook and stir for 2 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Recipe Swap: Chicken with Cherry Tomato Sauce

Last week I posted Sweet and Sour Chicken as my part in the Cooking Light Chicken Challenge, hosted by Lisa's Cooking Adventures.  I loved participating in her challenge and have thoroughly enjoyed the other recipes that fellow bloggers have posted.

The first recipe in the the challenge was posted by Lisa herself - Chicken with Cherry Tomato Sauce.  It looked delicious and I saved it right away, secretly bummed that it was no longer an option for the challenge.

But lo and behold, when I signed up for a Recipe Swap online, I was assigned this delicious meal.  Yay!

I didn't change too much - I did realize as I was prepping that I had NO fresh basil in the house.  How did that happen?!  I can't wait until the summer when I have to go no further than my own backyard for some fresh herbs.

Anyway.  To try to compensate, I seasoned the chicken with some dried basil before cooking, and then topped it with a little bit of reduced fat shredded mozzarella.  Delish - can't wait to try it again with real basil!

Chicken with Cherry Tomato Sauce

from Cooking Light

• 4  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
  
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
  
• 2  tablespoons  olive oil
  
• 5  garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  
• 1  pint cherry tomatoes
  
• 1/3  cup  fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
  

Garnish: 1/4 cup small basil leaves

Place chicken breast halves between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to pan. Add chicken; sauté for 3 minutes on each side or until done. Transfer to a serving platter. Add coarsely chopped garlic cloves to pan; sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in cherry tomatoes and chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon over chicken. Garnish with small basil leaves.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

My friend and fellow blogger Lisa started a really cool chicken challenge on Lisa's Cooking Adventures. After receiving an email from Cooking Light with 25 Healthy Chicken Breast Recipes, she decided to host a reader-participation blogging event to cover all 25 recipes.

I jumped at the idea to become involved, and pretty soon I was all signed up to make Sweet and Sour Chicken. We liked this a lot, though didn't LOVE it. It's my own doing, though, I'm sure; I've grown into a non-measurer in the kitchen. This usually works out well for me, especially when making familiar dishes, but not so much when I try something new. I definitely want to try this again soon and measure correctly to make sure that I'm balancing the yummy flavors correctly.


Sweet and Sour Chicken
from Cooking Light

• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons apricot preserves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons Thai chile paste (I omitted)
  
• Garnish: fresh cilantro leaves

Place chicken breast halves between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle chicken with salt and black pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to pan. Add chicken; sauté 3 minutes on each side or until done. Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Add chicken broth, apricot preserves, and soy sauce to pan; bring to a boil. Stir. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in fresh lime juice and Thai chile paste. Spoon over chicken; garnish with fresh cilantro leaves, if desired.

Chicken and Veggie Soup with Pasta and Dumplings

As much as I enjoy photography and take pride in what I am learning, I certainly recognize there are plenty of food bloggers with shots that far outshine mine. One thing I do try, however, is to not even bother taking pictures of a recipe if I don't have natural light - in the winter, of course, this means I'm doing most of the snapping on the weekends, and therefore my posting rate drops.

When I made this soup a few days ago, I initially wasn't planning on taking any pics. I figured that if the soup was that good, I'd make it again, and I would just blog about it then. After all, the days are finally starting to get longer here in the northeast!

I changed my mind, though, as soon as the spoon hit my mouth. This is just so freaking delicious that I had to share it immediately, bad photo or not.

This made a ton, which was awesome because I devoured it for lunch for a couple of days. It won't be long before I make this again, and I'll probably throw some in the freezer for the next time I'm sick.


Chicken and Veggie Soup with Pasta and Dumplings
slightly adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray, March 2011

• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 carrots - peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• salt and pepper
• 2 rounded tablespoons flour
• 6-8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 rounded tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon, dill, or parsley
• one 8-oz box biscuit mix, batter prepared according to package directions
• 3/4 cup tiny pasta (I used stelline), cooked
• 1 1/2 cup cooked shredded chicken

Heat a couple of tablespoons EVOO, two turns of the pan, over medium0high heat in a large soup pot or dutch oven. Add the butter to melt, then add the carrots, celery, and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots soften, 7-8 minutes.

Sprinkle the flour on the vegetables and stir for a minute, then whisk in the stock until thickened. Stir in the mustard and peas. Add a cup or so of water if necessary to reach your desired consistency.

Add the chopped herbs to the biscuit batter and combine. When the soup is bubbling, form the batter into small dumplings using two spoons or an ice cream scoop, then drop onto the surface of the soup. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook the dumplings, gently stirring occasionally, until just firm, 8-10 minutes. Gently add the chicken and pasta until warm, and serve.

Pizza Bagel Thins

I am in love with bagel thins.  As far as I'm concerned, they are way better than "diet" bagels, but they still only have 100 calories.  Top with some low-fat cream cheese and fruit, and you've got yourself a delicious breakfast or snack.

But wait, my friends - they are not just a morning food!  Top with your favorite pizza combos, and -poof- it's dinner time.

I love that you can be so flexible with these.  Next time I want to add spinach to these... or maybe try a Hawaiian version.  Yum.

Pizza Bagel Thins

from Running Mama Cooks

• 1 bagel flat
  
• 2 tbs part skim ricotta cheese
  
• 1/4 cup cooked chicken
  
• 1/4 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese
  
• dried basil
  
• garlic powder
  
• Parmesan cheese

Lightly toast the bagel flat. Spread with ricotta cheese. Place chicken and top with mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with basil, garlic powder and a little parm. Place under the broiler with door open until toppings are heating and cheese is slightly browned.

Chicken and Chickpea Salad

I love pasta.  Love it.  I'm sure you've figured that out, though, since I probably say that in 50% of my blog posts about pasta.

This Chicken and Chickpea Salad was not only delicious, but also my first time using Dreamfield's pasta.  Prior to this, my head threatened to explode every time I even considered spending almost $3 for less than a pound of pasta.  But finally I decided to go for it... I figured if I'm eating pasta this often, it may as well be a little good for me.

Although I could taste a slight difference, it really was pretty close to the taste of regular white pasta.  Try as I might, I cannot get myself to like whole wheat pasta, so this is a nice alternative.

I'm sure this salad will be even better in the spring and summer, but for now, it's a yummy dinner and I feel less guilty bringing the leftovers to work for lunch.

Chicken and Chickpea Salad

slightly adapted from Christine's Cuisine; originally from Get Cooking

• 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. fresh chopped thyme
• 1 tsp. fresh chopped oregano
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 6oz fresh mozzarella, cubed
• 1-1 1/2 cup cooked shredded chicken
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1lb pasta 
• 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
• 2-4 cups arugula
• 1 cup tomatoes, roughly chopped

Drain and rinse chickpeas.

Combine vinegar, garlic, salt, thyme, oregano, pepper and olive oil. Whisk to mix. Stir in chickpeas, chicken, and mozzarella. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 30 min-1 hour.

Make pasta according to box directions. Drain and add to chickpea mixture.

Toss with parmesan, arugula, and tomatoes. Serve immediately.

Slow Cooked Asian Style Chicken

I say this all the time, but it's really worth repeating; there is NOTHING like working all day and coming home to a yummy-smelling kitchen where dinner is ready and waiting for us. I get embarrassingly excited when a new crockpot meal pops up in my google reader - I use the crockpot several times a week and it's so easy to get bored.

My friend Colleen has a similar love affair with her crockpot, and I know I'll love most of what she posts.  She made this with pork, but I'm not a huge pork fan so I subbed in chicken thighs instead.  Delish!


Slow Cooked Asian Style Chicken

slightly adapted from Cooking This and That

• 2-3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  
• 2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
  
• 1 (10-ounce) jar sweet and sour sauce
  
• 1 (16-ounce) package frozen broccoli stir-fry vegetables (broccoli, carrots, onions, red peppers, celery, water chestnuts, and mushrooms)
  
• 3 cups hot cooked rice or rice noodles 

Place chicken into 3 1/2-4 quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with tapioca; pour sweet and sour sauce over chicken in cooker.

Cover and cook on low heat for 7 to 8 hours or high heat for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. At the end of 7 to 8 hours, turn to high heat setting and stir in frozen vegetables. Cover and cook for additional 30 to 60 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Crockpot Creamy Wild Rice and Chicken Soup

Poor Ryan woke up with a fever this morning, so I had an unexpected day off with my guy. It's usually little Danny whose illnesses keep me home from work, but today was Ryan's turn.

Between the sickness and the fluffy snowflakes that fell gracefully for most of the morning and afternoon here in NJ, today was the perfect day to double-up on crockpot cooking.


On the right in the bigger pot, I set up some beef stew for dinner, and I used my brand new 4-quart for some delicious creamy soup.

This soup was so unbelievably delicious. I had two bowls for lunch (okay, FINE - three) and even ditched the stew in favor of another big bowl. This might not be the healthiest soup out there, but when it's snowing and you're fending off some kind of cold and your four-year-old has a fever, it hits the spot.

I slightly adjusted the timing/steps of this soup (the original appears below) because I cooked a whole chicken the night before and wanted to use some of that. So I set up the crockpot without the chicken, and added it when I added the roux.


Crockpot Creamy Wild Rice and Chicken Soup
from 365 Days of Slow Cooking

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 package of long grain and wild rice rice-a-roni
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cups half and half (I used whole milk)

Combine broth, water, carrots, celery, chicken and rice (along with seasoning packet) in a large slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Take out chicken and shred with two forks and then add back into slow cooker.

In a small bowl combine salt, pepper, and flour. In medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour mixture by tablespoon to form a roux. Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth.

Stir cream mixture into slow cooker and then let cook on low for 15 more minutes.

Chicken Cheesesteaks

I'm always looking for different things to make with the leftovers from roasting a chicken, and last week I decided to make chicken cheesesteaks.

These were so fast and easy!  They would have been even better on big crusty rolls, but I just threw them on hot dog rolls.  I also don't love how the cheese is kind of clumped on top; next time I will probably melt the cheese in with the chicken for a more consistent coating.

Chicken Cheesesteaks

from Lauren's Kitchen

Ingredients

• 2T olive oil
• 1 pepper, sliced
• 1/2-1 onion, sliced
• 3-4 cups shredded chicken
  
• 4oz low-fat Velveeta, cubed
• 4 crusty rolls

Preheat broiler.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the peppers and onions and saute until tender.  Add the chicken and saute until warm.  Add the Velveeta and stir until almost completely melted and incorporated.

Divide the mixture among the rolls and heat under the broil to desired done-ness.

Crockpot Chicken Pot Pie

My friend Christina made this almost a year ago, and I've had it bookmarked forever. I'm such a fan of my crockpot and I know it will be my BFF when I head back to work in a couple of weeks.

This chicken-pot-pie-esque meal (courtesy of Betty Crocker) was so easy - just throw everything in the pot and -poof- dinner's on its way! I listened to her advice about not enough gravy; rather than use an 18oz jar, I just used 2 12-oz jars. Yum!


Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1/4tsp pepper
• 18-24 oz gravy
  
• 2 medium celery stalks, cut into thin slices
• 1 bag (1lb) frozen mixed veggies
• instant biscuits (I use the ones in the tube)

Place chicken in slow cooker. Top with onion, bayleaf, pepper, and gravy. Place celery on gravy.

Cover and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours

About 30 min before serving, bake biscuits.

Meanwhile, gently stir frozen veggies into chickenmixture. Cover and cook 15 min. Remove bay leaf.

For each serving, split biscuit and place one half on the bottom of a bowl. Spoon chicken into bowl then top with other half of biscuit.

Crockpot Roasted Chicken

Remember the commercials where people stage an intervention because their loved one has roast-aphobia? Fear of cooking a whole chicken? Yeah. That's me.

Aside from Thanksgiving, I have never ever purchased or cooked a whole bird.

That all changes now, thanks to Stephanie Cooks.

Throwing the chicken into the crockpot yields perfect, tender, juicy, delicious chicken that lasts for-eeeeeeeeeever. I make the chicken in the beginning of the week, and then use the leftovers for at least one, if not two more meals (soup, chicken salad, enchiladas, quesadillas, sandwiches, pasta tosses...). Fantastic! I do this at least twice a month, if not more.

Fellow roast-aphobians, fear no more.


Ingredients

• Whole chicken (4-5 pounds)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• Olive oil
• Seasonings (I used garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and Mrs. Dash's tomato/basil blend)

Prep the chicken- remove the bag from the inside, thoroughly washing out the cavity and outside of the chicken. Pat dry.

Roll 3 pieces of tin foil into balls, about 2 inches in diameter. Place them in a triangle shape on the bottom of the crockpot.

Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the crockpot. Toss the garlic cloves, whole, into the broth.

Place the chicken on top of the tin foil. Rub a small amount of olive oil over the skin (about 1-2 teaspoons).

Season heavily with the seasonings of your choice, gently rubbing them into the skin.

Cook on low 8 hours. The meat will literally fall off the bones.