Rotisserie Chicken Tostadas

Do you ever buy a rotisserie chicken in the deli at the grocery store or the warehouse clubs?  I make a lot of food at home from scratch, but I do buy the occasional deli rotisserie chicken for convenience. 

Today was one of those days that I needed the convenience of a deli rotisserie chicken to help get dinner on the table during a busy week of school and extra curricular activities.  (Plus I had a coupon, so that made it even better!)

The 3 year old enjoyed the chicken legs at lunchtime while I spent about 5 minutes taking the rest of the chicken off the bones when we came home from our morning errands.  I wanted to have the chicken ready at the dinner hour and needed a quick and easy meal to put on the table after picking up the oldest one from an afterschool activity and before heading out the door to our music lessons (in about a 20 minute time span).  I spotted these tostada shells a few weeks ago and thought that the rotisserie chicken would make a great topping.

Just $0.78 after sale price combined with coupon

This was our first family adventure in eating tostadas, and after eating them, the kids all thought that they should make a repeat occurrence in our regular meal schedule.  The 3 year old said, "These need to go on the blog, Mommy!"  The 8 year old said she liked the tostada better than regular crunchy taco shells because "you don't have to turn your head to the side to take a bite" and "less stuff fell out on the plate".  The 11 year old wanted me to remind you to have plenty of napkins on hand because when you add all the toppings, sometimes it can get a little messy when you take a bite!

So, there's really no recipe.  This is more like an idea post.  Instead of eating a deli rotisserie chicken the same old way, try it tostada style.  Just pile on the chicken, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, and sour cream on top of a tostada shell.  We also spread a thin layer of refried beans to kind of hold it all on there, but I'm sure they would be just as good without.  I wish we would have had a fresh avacado, but we didn't have one.  Maybe next time I'll try making my own shells.  We enjoyed a bowl of peaches (from the freezer) with our tostadas, and there's enough chicken leftover to make a nice salad for lunch in the next couple of days.

What's your favorite way to enjoy a deli rotisserie chicken?

Crock Pot Sesame Chicken

Do you own a 2 qt crock pot? I just bought one, and I'm loving it!  I use my larger 4 qt and 6 qt crock pots frequently, but I've noticed that sometimes the pots are just too big for the things I'm trying to make which results in overcooked food.  So, I found a 2 qt crock pot on sale at Target for $10 a couple weeks ago, and we've been enjoying some delicious meals that are just the right size for our family.

Here's one of our new favorites.  This is another Asian dish that just did not photograph very well with my limited photography skills.  Let's just say it looks a lot like a Chinese take out container filled with sesame chicken - brownish chunks of chicken in a light brown sauce topped with itty bitty light brown spots (sesame seeds).  Atop a bed of brown rice, this did not look dramatically appetizing, but the taste was superb, so I wanted to share it with you.  The sauce was a good combination of sweet and spicy with just the right amount of thickness, and the chicken was super tender and moist.  It also reheated well the next day for lunch.

I first read about this recipe at Mom on Mission.  She prepares a Sesame Chicken Freezer Meal Kit.  I basically followed her recipe without the freezer sauce step.  After buying chicken breasts on sale for $1.77/lb, I cut the chicken into cubes before I put it in the freezer. I then made the sauce on the day I prepared the meal.  She states that you can make the sauce and freeze it in a separate bag beside your chicken and then combine it on cooking day.  I will likely try that the next time because this dish will certainly be making a repeat performance on our menu.  The 2 qt crock pot makes a generous one night meal with enough leftover for 1-2 small lunches for our family of 5. 

Here's the recipe:
Sesame Chicken
1.5-2 lbs of boneless chicken breasts cut into large cubes (boneless thighs would also work)
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup rice vinegar
6 Tbsp brown sugar
6 Tbsp soy sauce
1 cup water
2 Tbsp corn starch
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (more or less to suit tastes)

1.  Place flour in a ziploc bag and add chicken chunks; shake to coat evenly.
2.  Place floured chicken pieces in 2 qt crock pot.
3.  Mix together all other ingredients in a small bowl.  Stir to combine.
4.  Pour sauce over chicken.
5.  Cook on low for 5 hours or high for 3 hours.

Serve over a bed or rice with favorite green steamed vegetable.  Sprinkle with additional toasted sesame seeds if you want.  Chop sticks optional.

What's your favorite Asian inspired crock pot meal?

Crock Pot Italian Chicken

I love easy crock pot meals!  I created this version of an Italian chicken dish one winter when it was too snowy to go to the grocery, and I had to find something to make with the ingredients I had on hand.  I have made variations over the years, but the version I made this week is worth sharing because of its ease, cost, and reviews of "This is yummy, Mommy!" from the dinner table.

I have learned to use my crock pot more and more over the last couple of years.  In fact, I just bought my 3rd crock pot a couple of weeks ago because I needed a smaller size (2 qt) in addition to the larger ones (4 qt and 6 qt) that I have.  With these various sizes to fit our dinner needs, I'll be looking for new recipes to try.

The chicken in this recipe turns out tender enough that kids can cut it with a fork.  The longer the chicken cooks, the more the chicken falls apart.  It can turn out more like a shredded chicken in the sauce.  That works well over a larger noodle (like a rotini).  The sauce is thick and flavorful, and the aromas will lead to watering mouths if you come home right at dinner time.  The kids must have told me they needed a snack 10 times as we waited for the bread sticks to heat up in the oven!  For this night's dinner, my chicken remained in serving size pieces which we served over angel hair pasta with garlic bread sticks and a tossed Italian salad.

For today, here's the recipe:

Crock Pot Italian Chicken:
1-2 lbs boneless chicken pieces (I used breasts, cut into large serving size pieces)
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lg can of crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder + a little for sprinkling on top of chicken
1 tsp onion powder + a little more for sprinkling on top of chicken
1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1/4 tsp pepper + a little more for sprinkling on top of chicken
hot cooked pasta
parmesan cheese

1.  Sprinkle 1 Tbsp olive oil in the bottom of your slow cooker. (I used my 4 qt)
2.  Add in your chicken pieces.
3.  Drizzle a little more olive oil over the top of the chicken.  Add a few shakes of garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. (not too much; less than 1/8 tsp for the measurers out there)
4.  To the opened can of crushed tomatoes, stir in the remaining spices.
5.  Pour the seasoned crushed tomatoes over the chicken.
6.  Cook on high 3 hours or low for 5 hours.
7.  Serve over hot cooked pasta garnished with grated parmesan cheese.

Crock Pot Italian Chicken

What's your favorite Crock Pot Recipe?

Kid Friendly Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

We received a pan of these simple chicken and cheese enchiladas after the birth of my youngest from a MOPS friend.  She said that they were very "plain" but it was a dish her kids liked.  She brought me a jar of salsa along with the pan of enchiladas and said her husband would add the salsa at the table because he liked a little extra kick.

Since then, I have adapted the recipe she shared slightly to suit our tastes, and I have taken this same meal to numerous families in need over the years.  It transports well and tastes great leftover, too.  I like this dish because it is very kid friendly, it can be made ahead, and I often can find the simple ingredients on sale.  The kids like that there is nothing they have to pick out before they start eating, and the eaters who enjoy a little spice and texture can add as much spice and texture as they want at the table.  I'm often asked for this recipe, so I'm happy to share it today.

I put together a pan of these Kid Friendly Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas in less than 10 minutes.  I had chicken already cooked in my freezer.  Having pre-cooked chicken makes dishes like this one come together in a snap.  I like to cook my chicken in the crock pot when I find a good deal at the store (less than $5 for a whole chicken or $0.99/lb for dark meat or $1.99 for white meat).  After the chicken is cooked and slightly cooled, I chop it up and package it in 2 cup packages to put into the freezer.  This particular batch of enchiladas was made from dark meat, but I usually use white meat or a combination.  When it's all rolled up in the enchilada, it's hard to tell what kind it is. 

I used low fat versions of cream soup and sour cream, and I actually prefer it with the low fat versions to the full fat version.  It makes a little thinner sauce which I think is better.  I have also used Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream, but it will make the dish have a little more tang than using sour cream.  I have also used low fat cheeses, but I prefer the regular version of cheese because it melts better.  I have used both whole grain and white tortillas; can't really detect too much flavor or texture difference.

I apologize for the poor quality of the photos.  It was sunny yesterday, and I did not have on the lights in the kitchen, but the pictures turned out a little too dark when I look at them on the computer.  I checked out a Food Photography book at the library on the weekend.  I definitely need to pick up some new tips.  Let's just say you know that my cooking is real and not staged in any way shape or form!  Just try the recipes; your kids will like them!

Here's the recipe:

Kid Friendly Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas
1 can low fat cream of chicken soup
1 cup low fat sour cream
2 cups cooked chicken (seasoned with salt and pepper during cooking)
1 1/2 cups shredded co-jack cheese
6-8 tortillas
chili powder
cumin
onion powder
garlic powder
paprika
dried cilantro or parsley
jar of favorite salsa (for use at table)

1.  Mix together the soup and sour cream in a medium bowl.
2.  Sprinkle a few shakes or chili powder, cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder over the cooked chicken and stir it around.  (I don't always measure; I go by smell; I would guess I use about 1/4 tsp of each)
3.  Empty bag of shredded cheese into bowl.  (It makes it easier to do the assembly)
4.  Sprinkle some cheese down the center of a tortilla shell.  (about 1-2 Tbsp)
5.  Place a scoop of chicken on top of the cheese. (about 1/4 cup)
6.  Sprinkle some cheese on top of the chicken. (about 1-2 Tbsp)
7.  Plop on some of the sour cream/soup mixture. (about 2 Tbsp; this kind of seals the tortilla shut)

All ready to roll up.  You can plop the sauce on the top;
just wanted to show about how much.

8.  Roll up the tortilla and place in a greased 9x13 pan with the seam side down.
9.  Repeat until you are out of chicken.  I can usually get 6-8 tortillas made depending on the size)
10.  Spoon the remaining sour cream/soup mixture on top of the rolled tortillas.  Sprinkle with additional cheese (maybe 1/3-1/2 cup).
11.  Sprinkle the top lightly with paprika and dried cilantro or parsley (for color)

Ready to bake, refrigerate until later, freeze, or deliver to a family in need

12.  Cover loosely with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes at 350.  Remove the foil for the last 5-10 minutes to brown on top.

You can easily make this ahead and cook it later in the day or even the next day.  You can also freeze this dish unbaked.  You made need to add some additional bake time.

Kid Friendly Chicken Enchiladas
Slightly seasoned chicken and cheese wrapped in a tortilla
topped with a creamy cheese sauce.  Great for kids who usually
ask you to pick things out of casseroles before they will eat them.

Serve enchiladas with salad and rice and/or beans.  Offer salsa at the table for those who like their enchiladas with a little more kick.

Here's what it looks like on the plate:

Kid Friendly Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas
Add your favorite salsa at the table for extra kick

We enjoyed ours with rice, a tossed salad topped with corn, black beans, red peppers, cheese, crushed tortilla chips, and ranch dressing, and a bowl of fresh cut up fruit.  There wasn't much talking going on at the table because we all were busy cleaning our plates!

What's your favorite recipe you've adapted to be more kid-friendly while still pleasing the adult eaters in your house?

Creamy Chicken and Asparagus Soup

Once a month, three other moms and I feed the staff at my girls' elementary school.  This month we'll be doing a dinner on Parent Teacher Conference Night instead of lunch, so I thought I'd invite the girls over for lunch so we could have the chance to plan out our conference dinner and just catch up.  It's always a treat to sit down and have a leisurely lunch with friends.

I often try out new recipes when I have company.  This may be an unusual practice for some, but I like the challenge of finding something new that might please my guests' tastes.  I was fortunate in that my guests all said, "I don't think I ever met a food I didn't like!"  It was a dreary day, the kind of day that seemed to call for soup, and a creamy soup at that.  I saw this post on Mel's Kitchen Cafe about one of her favorite creamy soups containing simple vegetables, chicken, potatoes, and cream cheese and decided to give it my own spin. 

I have been clearing out my freezer stash, so I decided to put together a simple lunch menu based upon what I found on sale at Kroger and the chicken breasts I had leftover from last week's shopping trip.  I first spotted some baby bibb lettuce, grape tomatoes, and English cucumbers for $1 and a yellow pepper for $1.25.  That inspired me to do a simple mixed salad with a light oil and vinegar dressing seasoned with a bit of garlic, salt, and pepper.  When I went to the store to pick up a few things, I spotted asparagus for just $1.99/lb.  I love asparagus, and I thought the green would make a nice addition to the soup.  I also picked up a few red potatoes because I thought the red skins would make a nice touch over regular Idaho potatoes.  I planned to make another batch of artisan bread.  What a wonderful way to greet my guests with a house that smelled of fresh baked bread!  One of my guests offered to bring dessert, so I was all set.

The soup turned out beautifully!  The color combination of the red potatoes with their skins on, the green asparagus, and the orange carrots was very appealing to the eye.  The cream cheese gave the soup a smooth, velvety texture and just the right amount of zing.  The salad was light and offered a nice balance of crunch and sweetness.  The fresh baked artisan bread spread with just a little bit of real butter balanced out this luncheon feast.  What a treat to sit, laugh, and share a great meal with friends.  I was able to get this feast on the table in less than an hour and the entire meal cost less than what it would have cost for just one You Pick 2 Combo at Panera.

Creamy Chicken and Asparagus Soup

Here's the recipe:

Creamy Chicken and Asparagus Soup
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup onion, diced
2 celery ribs, diced (the inner stalks with the leaves are fine)
2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
1 tsp minced garlic
3 cups chicken broth (I used 1 cup homemade stock, 2 cups water + 2 tsp bouillon)
3-4 red potatoes, diced with skins on
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk (I used 1%)
1 block of low fat cream cheese, softened (I put it in microwave for 1 min @ 40% power)
1 bunch asparagus, cooked and cut into 1 inch pieces (saute or steam; I sauteed)
2 cups cooked, diced, chicken breasts (I cook mine in the crock pot in a large batch)

1.  In a large stock pot, melt the butter.
2.  Saute the onions, celery, and carrots for about 2 min or until the onions turn opaque.
3.  Add in the potatoes and chicken broth and seasonings; stir.
4.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer with lid on for 10 minutes.
5.  Check potatoes to see if they are cooked; you don't want them mushy.
6.  Whisk the flour into the milk in a 2 cup measuring cup.
7.  Pour the flour and milk mixture into the soup pot after the potatoes are done.
8.  Gently stir and bring soup to a boil.  (turn up the heat a bit)
9.  Boil for 3-4 minutes, stirring gently to keep it from sticking on the bottom but not enough to break up the potatoes.
10.  Return the heat to low.
11.  Add the cream cheese in cubes.  (The cream cheese should be very soft, so it melts easier.  It might look like it's clumping up; be patient; it will melt.)
 12.  Add the cooked asparagus and the chicken to the soup and heat through.

I always taste my soup after I get everything cooked and in it.  Sometimes I need to add more salt and pepper depending on how much the potatoes absorb or how salty the broth or chicken is.  Adjust it to suit your tastes.

When I make soup, I like to chop all my vegetables first and have them on the counter so I can see if all the ingredients are in balance and add more if necessary.  The great thing about soup is that your measurements don't have to be exact in terms of the ingredients.  Go for balance.

I have learned to do some batch cooking of chicken breasts to have cooked, diced chicken on hand.  I buy chicken breasts only when they are on sale for under $2 a pound.  I cookziploc  bags or containers.

For this recipe, I opted to saute the asparagus before adding them to the soup so they would retain some of their firmness.  I have not put asparagus in soup too many times before, and I didn't want them to end up all mushy.  By sauteing them lightly, they stayed bright green and had the perfect amount of crisp tenderness.   If you don't like asparagus or they are not on sale, I think that green beans would also do nicely for this soup.  You could probably add the green beans with the potatoes and they would cook appropriately.

This was the first time I had used cream cheese in a soup before.  It really did a nice job of making a rich, creamy soup!  I have not done a caloric comparison of using cream cheese to using cream or half and half, but I would imagine it is less.  It had a much richer flavor than the creamy soups I have made in the past using just milk.  The trick to getting the cream cheese to melt nicely into your soup is to soften it quite a bit before adding it to the pot.  I was worried when I made it the first time, because it seemed to be all gloppy, but by the time we served the soup, it had all melted and was incorporated into the base just fine.

I made this soup a second time for dinner last night because I thought it was so good for a cold winter day!  It was just as yummy and came together in about 30 minutes or so.  The kids really liked it, and John took the leftovers for lunch today.

What's your favorite recipe to serve for a special luncheon?

Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan

I love chicken parmesan!  When we received meals after my 8 year old was born, we received a large pan of chicken parmesan!  It was so good!  I loved it.  My husband loved it.  My oldest loved it!.  After receiving that meal, I tried to find a good easy recipe for chicken parmesan.  I tried several and while they were usually tasty, they all seemed to take more time than I like to spend on meal preps.  There were just too many steps.  You know, prep the chicken, pan fry the chicken, bake the chicken, etc. Remember, I'm Queen of the Easy Meal so I like things that can come together without all those steps.  But I like food that tastes like you've spent a long time making it, so I kept searching and trying new recipes.

Last year I stumbled across this recipe for Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan on A Year of Slow Cooking.  She claimed it tasted just like the real thing without all the steps.  I wasn't so sure, but I gave it a shot on a busy day when I had all the ingredients for traditional chicken parmesan and a taste for traditional chicken parmesan, but not the time for making traditional chicken parmesan.

I was pleasantly surprised to find this dish to taste very similar to what I have made traditionally in the past.  The crunch on the chicken is not quite the same, but it still is very good.  To me, it tastes more like traditional chicken parmesan leftover the next day than when it first comes out of the oven.  The ease of the prep of this meal, however, trumps the texture issue at this busy stage of our life.  The fact that my husband and my kids make "mmmm" noises throughout dinner also make it a family favorite around our house.  Because you can use your favorite jarred sauce and even throw in frozen chicken that you find on sale, this meal is very economical. We like our served with pasta, a tossed salad, and garlic bread.

Here's the recipe:

Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan
1 Tbsp olive oil
4-6 chicken breasts
1/2 cup bread crumbs
14 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1-2 cups mozzarella cheese (sliced or shredded)
jar of favorite marinara sauce ( I only used about 3/4 of a jar)

I found the chicken on sale for $1.77/lb, the cheese for $1.50, and the sauce for $0.75!

1.  Mix together bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and spices in a shallow bowl.
2.  Whisk egg in a separate shallow bowl.
3.  Drizzle oil in the bottom of your crock pot; spread it around a bit.
4.  Dip each piece of chicken in egg mixture and then roll in bread crumb mixture.

 5. Place chicken in crock pot.

6. Top with cheese; use a little or a lot; whatever you like.

7. Cover with sauce. (I only used 3/4 jar; I don't like mine swimming in sauce, just covered)

8.  Cook on high for 3-4 hours. (I used my programmable crock pot; it stays warm until we're ready to sit down and eat)
9.  Serve over your favorite cooked pasta; add a little extra parmesan for pizazz.

Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan
Tender, melt in your mouth chicken wrapped in rich, cheesy, tomato sauce
This is Italian Comfort Food at it's Finest. . . .And it's so easy!

What's your favorite recipe that you've learned to simplify from the original recipe?

Honey Garlic Chicken

I made this dish several weeks ago and realized I never posted the recipe.  This is another one that I don't have a picture for.  We served it for company on Chinese New Year, and I got distracted as I was setting the table with all the excitement and did not photograph the plate before we started eating.  There were no leftovers, so I sort of missed my photo opportunity. 

This dish is just too good, however, to not share the recipe until it makes a repeat performance on our dinner menu.  This is the recipe that I included in our annual holiday letter to family and friends as it became one of our favorite new recipes in 2011.  I hope you'll give it a try and it will become one of your family favorites in 2012.

I first read of this recipe in Stephanie O'Dea's book, Make It Fast, Cook It Slow that I picked up at the library.  I was intrigued with the simple list of ingredients.  Plus I just love anything that has a combination of salty and sweet.  I also love that you can put the ingredients in the crock pot in less than 5 minutes and come back later and have the whole meal ready to eat.  I also often find boneless, skinless thighs on manager special which make this meal very easy on the budget.  No matter how much I make, there never seems to be leftovers of this meal.  I think that speaks for itself.

Here's the recipe:

Honey Garlic Chicken
1 1/2 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (breasts would also work, but we like thighs)
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup soy sauce (we like LaChoy better than Kikoman)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup honey

1.  Place your chicken in the bottom of a greased slow cooker.
2.  Mix together all the other ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the top of the chicken.
3.  Cook on high for 3-4 hours.

Serve chicken over a bed of steamed rice and a steamed green vegetable of your choice (we like broccoli or edamame)

The sauce is the best part, according to my kids, so I've learned to thicken the sauce after the chicken has cooked.  You can remove the chicken and add a little corn starch and water to the sauce in a small saucepan on the stove.  Bring to a boil for a couple of minutes until it thickens up.  Spoon the thickened sauce over the cooked chicken in a serving bowl.

What was your favorite new recipe of 2011?

White Chicken Chili

Yesterday was one of those days when I walked out the door at a little after 8, and did not walk back in the door until almost 5.  For many moms, this is the norm.  For me, this is a challenging day.  We had early morning orchestra, 2 dentist appointments, a big volunteer project at the girls' school, and an afterschool errand.  I needed a meal for this busy day that I could put in the crock pot before we left the house and have ready to eat when we walked in the door.  I love my programmable crock pot for nights like these.

With the chicken I found on sale at Meijer last week for $1.77/lb and my stash of pre-cooked beans in the freezer, I decided to put together a batch of White Chicken Chili for our menu plan.  I did some of the prep work the day before so that all I had to do was throw it into the crock pot in the morning.  This recipe came from my friend, Brenda, who shared her recipe in our Cypress Wesleyan Church MOPS Cookbook in 2008.  Brenda has been making this chili for her family for years and even pureed it for her kids when they were babies.  She also won 2nd place in a chili cook off with this recipe.  I made a few changes to her original recipe to suit our family's tastes, but it still got rave reviews from the hungry eaters around our family table.  You might have heard the clinging of the kids' spoons against their empty soup bowls. I love when our dinner table is filled with those sounds! 

I did not get a good photograph of this chili, however.  The white chili just did not photograph well in my white soup bowls.  I guess I'll have to invest in some new serving pieces if I decide to make this blogging thing more than just a place for me to organize my recipes and use the other side of my brain!  You'll have to just trust me that this recipe is worth making due to it's ease, low cost, and taste. 

Here's the recipe:

White Chicken Chili
3 lb jar of pre-cooked Great Northern White Beans (I used 5 cups of pre-cooked, frozen)
2 lbs of boneless chicken breasts, cubed (I used raw chicken, you can also used cooked)
1/3 cup chopped onion (leftover from the Pico de Gallo prep; can add more to suit taste)
1 tsp minced garlic (can add more to suit tastes)
2 cans of chopped mild green chilies (I used only 1 can)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (I used 1/4 black pepper)
1/2 tsp salt
6 cups chicken broth (I used 3 cups homemade, 3 cups water + 3 bouillon cubes)
3 cups grated Monterrey Jack Cheese (add just before serving; we added ours at the table)

Mix all the ingredients except the cheese in a slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.  Stir in cheese just before serving.

We had a side salad of mixed greens topped with a generous scoop of leftover Pico de Gallo and crushed tortillas on top.  A bowl of apples, oranges, and blackberries and a loaf of artisan bread rounded out our meal. 

What's your favorite meal that is ready for you to enjoy when you walk in the door after a busy day?

Suit Yourself Shredded Chicken

As yummy smells filled our kitchen on Sunday afternoon, the kids came in wondering what was for dinner.  When the 8 year old saw what I had cooking, she exclaimed, "I LOVE that dinner!  YES!"  Try to visualize the hand motion that accompanied her enthusiastic endorsement of another very easy to fix, budget friendly, family favorite meal - shredded chicken sandwiches.

Shredded chicken sandwich, corn casserole, tossed salad, and apple slices

This is one meal I have made for literally hundreds of people over the years.  I have fed the youth group kids at our church, the teen volunteers at VBS, several families who have welcomed new babies into their families or faced hardships and were in need of a meal, and football fans rooting for the Buckeyes.  Every time this meal is served, plates are cleaned.   The two big girls each asked for a second sandwich tonight.  It's just that good.

I put together today's batch of shredded chicken using a 10 pound bag of chicken quarters my parents brought me from their freezer in Michigan when they stopped by our house last week on their way to Florida for the winter.  My dad had found a "great deal" on the chicken and threw it into the freezer.  The only problem was that the leg quarters had all frozen together in a big chunk, so they would need to be thawed and cooked all at once.  Now that's not a problem if you're the Dugger Family, but two retirees who eat out as much as they eat in don't need to cook 10 pounds of chicken all at once.  Not wanting to waste the chicken and knowing that I often cook for large groups of people, my mom brought me the bag of chicken.  When I planned my meals for January, I planned meals with this bag of chicken in mind.  I like to do a quick fix meal on Sundays, so it was a good day to get it cooked.

There is a two part cooking process to get the shredded chicken.  First I cook the chicken in the crock pot on high for 4 hours.  Then I take the chicken off the bones and shred it.  It takes less than 15 minutes for the total prep of this meal (5 minutes to prep the chicken and put it in the crock pot, 10 minutes to pull it off the bones).  I like to use my crock pot that has the timer on it.  It automatically goes to the Warm setting after the cook time is completed.  The chicken is always done perfectly this way and I don't have to worry about turning the crock pot off after 4 hours of cook time.  See, I told you.  Easy.  That's me!

Today I used the chicken quarters, because that's what I had in my freezer.  Typically I use a whole chicken or any other chicken parts that I find on a good sale.  I always use chicken that has bones in it for this dish because it just tastes better than making it with boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  This is a meal that requires you to actually touch the chicken, and I know for many of you that might gross you out.  But for those of you who don't mind touching the chicken parts, this is a great meal idea to add to your collection.

I started by thawing the huge bag of frozen chicken in my frig for 24+ hours.  It was still slightly frozen when I got ready to cook it, but with my easy method of cooking it in the crockpot, that's not a problem.

Next I took off the skin off of each leg quarter.  I don't like to cook with all that extra fat.  Yuck!  That went straight into the trash can.

Place the chicken in your crock pot.  I like to spray mine with non-stick spray because that makes the clean up much easier.

Sprinkle the pieces in the crock with some salt, pepper, and onion powder. 
(I don't measure this.  I just sprinkle.  I would guess I use about 1 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp of onion powder.)  Sometimes I throw on a little bit of poultry seasoning, but I didn't have any in my spice rack today, so we went without.  I didn't really notice any difference. 

Drizzle a little olive oil on the top of the chicken; not too much, maybe 1-2 tsp.  The olive oil gives it some nice color and a richer flavor. 

Put about 1/4 cup of water in the base of the crock pot.  This will give you some nice chicken stock to work with later on.  You don't want too much water or the chicken gets too much like soup.

Put the lid on the crock pot. 

Plug in the crock pot.  (One time when I was making this dish for 100+, I forgot to plug in one of my crockpots!  I had turned it on and went out the door and couldn't figure out why the house didn't smell heavenly when I came home 3 hours later!)

Turn the crock pot on HIGH and cook for 4 hours.

When the chicken is cooked, you need to remove it from the crock pot.  I like to use a pair of tongs.  Place the chicken on a large plate.

This is just 1/4 of the chicken I cooked today.  This is enough for 1 meal.

Let the chicken cool for about 5-10 minutes so you don't burn your fingers trying to pull it off the bones.  (Make sure the dog and the kids are far away from the chicken while you leave it on the counter!)



While your hands are messy, go ahead and shred the chicken with your fingers.  Some cooks like to use two forks, but I prefer to just use my hands because they are already messy and I find that the chicken is so tender, it practically falls apart anyways. 

Taste the meat and add additional salt, pepper, or onion powder to taste.

Here's the Queen's secret ingredient. . . . . . .

Pour a few tablespoons of the chicken broth that is left in the crock pot over the shredded meat.  You want the meat juicy enough that it melts in your mouth but not so juicy that it soaks through a bun. 

Take a little taste and see if it needs any more liquid or seasoning.  Add if necessary.

Place a heaping scoop of shredded chicken between your favorite type of bread/bun product.  We've used white hamburger buns, wheat buns, sandwich thins, sub rolls, kaiser rolls, etc.  We like whole wheat rolls the best, but anything will do.

Offer a variety of sauces to pour on the top of the sandwich.  My two big girls like Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce, the little one likes ranch dressing, and John likes hot sauce.  I go back and forth depending on my mood, and sometimes I just like it plain! 

Serve with your favorite sides.  Tonight we had corn casserole, tossed salad, and apple slices. 

This is a great meal that can be made in a large batch and then frozen into smaller meals.  Today's 10 pounds worth of chicken quarters made enough for 4 meals worth of chicken.  I shredded two dinners worth for sandwiches and left two meals worth of chunks that we can use later for tacos, nachos, salads, wraps, etc. 

At dinnertime tonight, the family decided that this meal should be called "Suit Yourself Shredded Chicken" because it's a meal that can be easily altered to suit the tastes of every family member.  By simply adding a favorite sauce, the sandwich can go from plain to spicy to sweet and sassy.  The possibilities are endless.

What's your favorite way to enjoy shredded chicken?

Chicken Mushroom Barley Soup

I first read about this soup on one of the blogs that inspired me to start my own - 5dollardinners.com.  Erin, the blog author, is a cook much like me.  She likes to find a good bargain and tries to make healthy meals for her growing family. 

While the kids were home last week, I took stock of my freezer and pantry and tried to come up with some meals that could make use of what we have.  I made a list and posted it on the freezer so I can remember what I have.  When I went to Kroger on Saturday, I saw a package of mushrooms on Manager Special, so I picked them up with this soup in mind.  I knew I had a chicken carcass in the freezer and some barley in the pantry. 

I usually will make a recipe the way I find it first.  Then I try to tweak it to match my family's tastes or try to simplify it a bit.  This recipe did not need too much tweaking.  You can find the original post at http://www.5dollardinners.com/2010/01/mushroom-barley-soup.html.

Here's the version that I served the family tonight.  It got rave reviews from all.  John said it was the perfect light but hearty dinner for a snowy day after putting away all the Christmas decorations.  It made enough for 3 leftover lunches.  We'll enjoy 2 of them tomorrow and put the 3rd serving in the freezer to pull out on a day when there's nothing else to put in his lunchbox.

Chicken Mushroom Barley Soup
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1/4 cup celery, diced (use the inner stalks with the leaves)
1 tsp minced garlic (or 2 cloves fresh, minced)
1 pkg mushrooms, sliced (button or baby bella)
6 cups homemade chicken broth
1 cup pearled barley
2 tsp dried dill
2 tsp dried parsley
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste (1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper or so)
1-2 cups of cooked, chopped, chicken breast

1.  Dice up all the veggies.

2.  Melt butter in large stockpot. 
3.  Saute the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic about 3 minutes.
4.  Add the mushrooms and saute about 3 minutes.
5.  Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.  (I think this enhances the flavor a bit)
6.  Add in the chicken broth, dill, parsley, and bay leaf and bring to a boil.
7.  Add the barley.  Stir.  Return to a boil.
8.  Simmer on low for 55 minutes.
9.  Test to see if the barley is cooked tender enough.  Add more salt and pepper to taste if needed.
10.  Add cooked chicken.  (I like to add my meat after the barley has cooked because I think it allows the meat to be more tender.  It also cooled the soup down enough that we could eat it without being too hot.)

We had this with crusty bread, tossed salad, and fluffy orange salad (recipe to come later). 

What do you have in your freezer or pantry that could be made into a meal?

My Signature Dish - Cheesy Chicken

I've made so many things over the years, it's hard to say whether or not I have a "signature dish".  John does have a favorite, however, that he requests over and over.  It's a chicken recipe I got from my college friend, Kristen, years ago when I was first building my recipe collection.  I've tweaked it a bit over the years and this is kind of my go to meal when I need a sure fire winner.  It's super easy to fix but it tastes oh so yummy!  No one will ever guess that it's so easy to prepare.  You can also make this ahead of time (like during naptime or before company comes) and then just bake it at dinnertime. 

Cheesy Chicken
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
4 oz swiss cheese, sliced
black pepper
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup Pepperidge Farm herb stuffing mix
2 Tbsp melted butter

Place chicken tenders in a greased casserole dish.  Cover with slices of swiss cheese.  Sprinkle pepper on top of cheese and chicken. 
In small bowl, combine soup and wine.  Pour over chicken.
Top with stuffing mix.
Drizzle melted butter on top of stuffing mix.
Bake for 45 minutes at 350.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

We like this with rice pilaf, a green vegetable like peas and mushrooms or asparagus, a mixed green salad with fruit and nuts, crusty bread, and a glass of the leftover white wine. 



The Queen has revealed one of her secrets!  Enjoy! 

What's your signature dish?

I just made this for our family Christmas Eve dinner and again for a meal we took over to the priests at our church.  I forgot to take a close up picture of it, so I'll post one of those later. 

I'm linking up with a post over at Eat at Home. . . Check it out. . . .



 I also linked up with Karen Ehman's study on hospitality over at Live Your Priorities.  She's doing a monthlong study on her book, A Life that Says Welcome.  I read the book last spring.  I've always been told my spritual gift was hospitality, and this book was a reminder of just how important that gift is to share with others.  Check out her blog posts for this study.  She's had some great guest posts!  I've been challenged to think of my gift in a new light as a result of reading her book and her posts.  I've entered my signature dish on her post about great company meals.