Chicken Breast & Stuffing Crockpot Recipe

Recipe Source: http://southernfood.about.com/od/crockpotchicken/r/r71029i.htm


I made this a couple weekends ago. It was easy and definitely a good base recipe. I think I should of cooked it a little less, the chicken was kind of dry. I also probably could of cut the recipe in half, since I am cooking for two. However, this would also be a good recipe with Turkey breast, and gives you that "Thanksgiving" feel when it isn't thanksgiving. 


My changes to the original recipe will be in blue.


1 can (10.5 oz) Cream of Chicken with Herb Soup
1 can (10.5 oz) Cream of Celery (Recipe says you can use regular cream of chicken instead of cream of celery, but this is what I chose to use)
1/2 cup Chicken Broth (I used low-sodium chicken broth, the recipe says you can also use dry white wine. I didn't have any on hand, so I just used the chicken broth)
2 Tsp Poultry Seasoning (The recipe called for 1 tsp parsley, 1 tsp thyme, dash black pepper ... I decided to omit that and use the poultry seasoning)
1/2 tsp salt
6-8 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used 6 frozen chicken breasts, I let them thaw for about 2 hours before putting them in, but they were mostly frozen when I put them in the crock pot)
2 to 2 1/2 Cups of Stuffing (I got one bag of the pepperidge farm stuffing cubes, I didn't measure it, but it seemed to be enough)
4 Tbsp Butter


Combine the soups, wine or broth,poultry seasoning and salt. Wash chicken and pat dry. (I didn't wash since they were partially frozen)

Lightly grease a 5 to 7-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the stuffing crumbs over the bottom of the cooker and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of the butter. Top with half of the chicken, then half of the remaining stuffing crumbs. Drizzle with half of the remaining butter and spoon half of the soup mixture over that. Repeat with remaining chicken, stuffing crumbs, butter, and soup mixture. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 7 hours, or until chicken is cooked through.

Next time, I think I will cook it about an hour less, so it isn't as dry. Also, you definitely need cranberry sauce or apple sauce to serve with it. 

Loaded Potato and Buffalo Chicken Casserole Recipe (for 2)

Source for this recipe: http://cooklisacook.blogspot.ca/2012/03/loaded-potato-buffalo-chicken-casserole.html


I found this recipe on Pinterest, posted by one of my friends. I thought hey, it looks easy, good and something my husband would like.


Good news: It was easy, good, and my husband liked it.
Bad news: If you aren't a fan of spicy foods, this isn't the recipe for you.


It was a little on the spicy side for me, but if you like buffalo wings, you will love this recipe. I plan to make it again sometime, but do a variation on the sauce and try to make it less spicy (maybe do a garlic version). When I do, I will post my recipe. (Maybe, I am an inconsistent blogger).


Since I usually cook for just my husband and I, I scaled the recipe down. I used the full measurements for the sauce, but scaled down on the potatos and chicken. There was enough for both my husband and I, as well as some leftovers for my husband for lunch the next day.


So here is my scaled down recipe:


2 medium sized boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 medium russet baker potatoes, cubed
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp ground pepper
1 Tbsp Paprika
2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
6 Tbsp Franks Hot Sauce (original)


Topping:
Cheese - I used a Cheddar Jack blend, I just winged it on the amount. I find that measuring cheese is pointless.
Crumbled Bacon - Again, I just winged it. Its a preference thing
Green Onion - I chopped up a whole bundle. I figured it was close to the 1 cup that the recipe called for.


The rest I am copying from the blog, any of my changes I will put in blue font.


Preheat oven to 500F.  In a large bowl mix together the olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder & hot sauce.  Add the cubed potatoes and stir to coat.  Carefully scoop the potatoes into a cooking spray coated baking dish (I used a small cooking dish, did not need a huge one), leaving behind as much of the olive oil/hot sauce mix as possible.  Bake the potatoes for 40 minutes (since I used less potatoes, you might be able to actually get away with cooking the potatoes for only 30 minutes, I may try that next time around), stirring every 10-15 minutes (oops, forgot to stir every 10-15 minutes, so they were kinda done on the bottom), until cooked through and crispy & browned on the outside.  While the potatoes are cooking, add the cubed chicken to the bowl with the leftover olive oil/hot sauce mix and stir to coat.  Once the potatoes are fully cooked, remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 400F.  Top the cooked potatoes with the raw marinated chicken.  In a bowl mix together the cheese, bacon & green onion and top the raw chicken with the cheese mix (I didn't premix the cheese, bacon and onion, I just layered).  Return the casserole to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the topping is bubbly delicious.  Serve with extra hot sauce and/orranch dressing.


I served with ranch dressing vs. extra hot sauce, since it gave it a cooling effect. 

Cherry Chip Cupcakes

Today I am making Cherry Chip cupcakes for my hubby and his friend for their birthday dinner tonight. I am not making the cupcakes by scratch, but I am going to do something a little different on the cooking techniques.

I read on the CakeCentral.com forums, that I should use about 1/4 cup for the filling, and instead of baking the full time at 325 (or 350, depending on the instructions) that you should back the first five (5) minutes at 400 to allow the outside to cook faster, which forces the middle part to push up and create a dome. So I will see how this is going to work.

It worked! I made the first six cupcakes trying this technique.. and it worked! The cupcakes have a perfect dome on the top, just got to finish the last dozen and let them cool and frost.

Lasagna

My first post is for a recipe that I know by heart. My mom inherited this recipe from a friend, and I inherited it from her. I think we both have changed it up a bit from time to time.

Ingredients -
1 lb. Ground Beef
1 lb. Italian Sausage
1 Can of Stewed Tomatos (I used the kind with Italian Seasoning)
1 Regular sized can of Tomato Sauce & 1 small can of Tomato Sauce
1 small can of Tomato Paste
Onion
Italian Seasoning
Garlic
Lasagna Noodles (I have tried this recipe with both the "no cook" noodles and the noodles you have to boil in advance.. both work great).
8oz-16oz bag of Mozerella Cheese (Depends on how cheesey you want it)
1 tub of Parmesean cheese
1 tub of Romano cheese
*The original recipe also calls for:
Ricotta Cheese
Olives
Mushrooms
*I am not a fan of ricotta cheese so I leave it out. My husband is not a fan of Olives or Mushrooms.. so I leave those out as well.

1. Brown Italian Sausage and ground beef in large ( I mean LARGE) skillet with garlic (to taste). Drain. Add onions, tomatos & sauce, and italian seasoning(to taste)*You would add mushrooms at this step as well if you were to use them. Let simmer for 1-2 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 350-375. Layer: Light layer of sauce, Noodles, sauce, cheese (add ricotta cheese here), noodles, sauce cheese (add olives here). Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until cheese is cooked on top.

Enjoy!

It is a pretty easy recipe, but it is time consuming, because you have to let the sauce simmer.