Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken & Pasta

I'll start by saying...this recipe is far from "fat-free".  That being said, the flavor in this crock pot dish is fantastic.  I stole this recipe from http://crockpotgirls.com/ but I can't find it on their site right now.  When I snagged it, it was still a new, nameless recipe.  I've since dubbed it, "Creamy Chicken & Pasta."

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I use two...because I'm cheap)
1-10 oz. tub of Philly Tomato Basil cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup velveeta shreds (I use shredded mozza)
1/2 onion, cut into thin rings
2 cloves garlic, chopped or minced
1 cup carrot chips

Mix all ingredients in the crock pot.  Add the chicken.  Cook on high for 4-6 hours.  I personally find that this is too long on high.  I would cook it on high for 3 hours or low for 4-5 hours.  Before serving, remove the chicken and shred.  Add shredded chicken back into sauce.  Serve over angel hair pasta.

I'm not able to get the Tomato Basil cream cheese in our store so I just use the Herb & Garlic.  I've never heard of Velveeta shreds and I'm not sure if they are available in Canada.  I think that the original recipe was intended to serve one whole chicken breast with each pasta serving and sauce.  I shred the chicken and throw it back in so I can get away with adding less chicken.  Last night when I made this I threw a bunch of sliced mushrooms in at the beginning.  It was definitely a hit all around.

Chicken Enchilladas - New Recipe #1

I am pleased to say that the first of my experimental recipes went really well today.

I first fell in love with enchilladas after ordering them at Moxie's about five or six years ago. I right away went home and starting looking for a recipe. I've had my enchillada recipe that I've been using since then and it is always met with rave reviews. My original recipe has a cream filling but tonight's was mostly tomato and only slightly creamy.

I didn't think that my kids would be crazy about it but my three year old son told me that it was a good supper and my one year old daughter sat in her high chair and continued to eat for about half an hour. Apparently this recipe is also kid-friendly.

This recipe comes from Allrecipes.com and the only changes I made to it was to adjust the chili powder to suit my family's tastes (about 3/4 tsp.) and I used red/orange/yellow peppers instead of green since they aren't a favorite of mine. I also shredded the chicken instead of cubing it as this was mentioned in one of the reviews on this recipes.
We ate this with rice and corn and it was fantastic!

Chicken Enchilladas
(4 servings)

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1-1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons chopped green bell pepper
1/2 clove garlic, minced
4 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1/2 (12 ounce) jar taco sauce
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium, non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook chicken until no longer pink and juices run clear. Drain excess fat. Cube the chicken and return it to the skillet. Add the onion, sour cream, Cheddar cheese, parsley, oregano and ground black pepper. Heat until cheese melts. Stir in salt, tomato sauce, water, chili powder, green pepper and garlic.
3. Roll even amounts of the mixture in the tortillas. Arrange in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover with taco sauce and 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Original Recipe found at: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Enchiladas-I/Detail.aspx

Grilled Chicken & Veggie Pizzas

We got our BBQ out from storage a few weeks ago and have enjoyed pulling out a few of our "summer" recipes. This is a favorite of ours. This is my own adapted version of a vegetarian recipe from the Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook - Celebrating the Promise Limited Edition, pg 340. I add grilled chicken but you could easily substitute shrimp.

The day I made these pizzas we were having company for supper. I prepared the veggies and chicken earlier in the afternoon. I mixed with the mayo and pesto right before I threw them on the grill. I had this post in mind while I was preparing them but apparently I forgot to take some pictures of the finished product once the company was here. Another day I'll try and get a few pictures of the actual pizzas. I've also noticed from the pictures that I must have had some extra asparagus that day. The asparagus was a nice touch!


2 chicken breasts
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise
1 small yellow summer squash, quartered lengthwise
1 small red pepper, quartered lengthwise
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 large ripe tomato, seeded and chopped
1/4 c. mayonnaise
3 tbsp. purchased basil pesto ( I use the Epicure Pesto Mix)
4 6- to 7-inch pita breads or individual pizza crusts
1 c. shredded mozzarella or smoked provolone


1. Brush zucchini, summer squash, and sweet pepper with olive oil; sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. black pepper. Grill vegetables and chicken, allowing 8-10 minutes for sweet pepper and 5-6 minutes for zucchini and summer squash. Remove vegetables and chicken from grill.
















2. Chop grilled vegetables and chicken. In a medium bowl combine chopped vegetables, chicken, tomato, mayonnaise, and pesto. Spread mixture over one side of the pitas. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Place on grill rack. Cover and grill for 2-3 minutes or until pitas are slightly toasted, vegetables are heated, and cheese melts. Carefully remove from grill. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce to medium. Cover and grill vegetables and pitas as above.)

Cantonese Chicken

OK..so I'm kind of back. I've got a computer to use for now and hopefully will have my laptop up and running this week.
This chicken recipe has been a favorite in our household lately. It's very simple and is great with rice and a veggie.
I prefer to use boneless skinless chicken thighs but any chicken works. My recipe does not indicate how much chicken to use but this is enough sauce for a family of four or five anyways.

Cantonese Chicken

1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. soya sauce
1/4 c. vinegar or lemon juice
1/4 c. ketchup
1/2 c. water
1-2 heaping tbsp. corn starch

Bring ingredients to boil. Pour over raw chicken pieces. Bake covered for 1.5 hours and 350* Uncover for last 1/2 hour. Serve over hot rice.