Chicken Enchiladas

Make crock pot chicken (I season with cumin, chili powder & minced onion & ranch powder.) when done, shred the chicken,

Combine 1 can cream of chicken soup, grated cheese, 1 small can diced green chilies, & about 8 oz sour cream (add a little milk if it's too thick). Take out about 1/3 of the mixture. Add the shredded chicken to the rest of the mixture.

Roll up the chicken & mixture in greased pan. Fill pan and top with mixture without chicken. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for about an hour.

Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli

Recipe and Photo via Creme De La Crumb

INGREDIENTS
1.5 pounds top round steak, thinly sliced and chopped into 2 inch pieces
1 cup beef broth
⅔ cup low sodium soy sauce
⅓ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
4 cups broccoli florets
2 tablespoons cornstarch + 4 tablespoons cold water

INSTRUCTIONS
Grease the inside of a slow cooker. Add steak, beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and chili flakes. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low 4-5 hours.

Minutes before serving, uncover the slow cooker. In a small bowl whisk corn starch and water until dissolved. Add to slow cooker and stir. Cover and allow to cook another 20-25 minutes.
Just before serving, place broccoli in a large tupperware, fill with ½ inch of water, and place the lid on in an off-set manner so that the container can vent. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Drain, stir broccoli into slow cooker, and serve.

To make this as a freezer meal prepare all ingredients and toss in a freezer bag, except the cornstarch and water as well as the broccoli. Thaw in the fridge when ready to eat and cook as directed and then follow directions for cornstarch and water and broccoli.

Stroganoff

Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds boneless top round steak, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/2 cup water
1 envelope onion soup mix
1/2 cup sour cream
Hot cooked noodles
Minced fresh parsley, optional

DirectionsIn a large skillet, stir-fry beef in oil until no longer pink. Stir in soup, water and onion soup mix. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in sour cream; heat through (do not boil). Serve over noodles; garnish with parsley if desired.

If you are freezing, let mixture cool before you add the sour cream and place in freezer bag. When thawed, warm up on stove top and add sour cream.

Recipe via: Taste of Home

Baked Ziti

Recipe and photo Six Sister Stuff

Ingredients

1 pound dry ziti pasta (or really any kind of pasta would work- I actually used Penne pasta)
1 onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef (season with pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and minced garlic)
2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce (I added a zucchini to my sauce just for more veggies!)
8 slices provolone cheese
1 1/2 cups sour cream
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 7-8 minutes; drain.

In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray 2 8×8 inch pans with non-stick cooking spray. Layer as follows in each pan: 1/4 of the ziti, 1/4 of the sauce, 4 slices of Provolone cheese, 1/2 of sour cream, 1/4 of ziti, 1/4 mozzarella cheese and 1/4 of sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake covered for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.or if frozen cook 90 minutes to 2 hours

Sweet and Sour Chicken

3-4 chicken breasts

half a bottle of apricot jam

half a bottle of french dressing

packet of dry onion soup mix

 

Cook in crockpot 3-5 hours on low

Serve with a bag of stir fry and rice

Lasagna Soup

Photo and recipe from Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
• 1 large green pepper, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium beef broth
• 1 can (15 ounce) tomato sauce
• 1 cup frozen corn, or 1 can, drained
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2-1/2 cups uncooked spiral pasta
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

• 1. In a large saucepan, cook beef, green pepper and onion over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until meat is no longer pink, breaking up beef into crumbles. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain.
• 2. Stir in tomatoes, broth, tomato sauce, corn, tomato paste, Italian seasoning and pepper. Bring to a boil. Stir in pasta. Return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 10-12 minutes or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 8 servings (2-3/4 quarts).

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Photo and recipe from Give Me Some Oven

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small white onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup flour
8 cups chicken broth
3 cups cooked shredded chicken
2 cups uncooked egg noodles or pasta (I used "wide" egg noodles)
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated skim milk
1 tsp. salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
(optional garnish) chopped fresh parsley
Directions:

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Saute onion, carrots, and celery for 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Sprinkle flour over vegetables, and cook and stir for an additional minute. Gradually stir in broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 10-15 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients, and stir to combine. Cook for 10 minutes or until noodles are al dente. Season with additional salt and pepper or seasonings if needed.

Serve warm, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.

Black Bean Taco Soup

Photo and recipe from Six Sister's Stuff

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey tastes so good in this recipe too!)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 package mild taco seasoning mix
1 16 oz can corn (undrained)
1 16 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (you could use kidney beans or pinto beans)
1 14 oz can stewed tomatoes
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 4 oz can diced green chilis
tortilla chips
Other taco toppings you like (cheese, sour cream, avocado, etc)

Directions:
Brown meat and onion, drain.
Stir in taco seasoning, corn, black beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and green chilis. Simmer on low heat for 20 to 30 minutes.
Serve with tortilla chips and your favorite toppings.

This makes an easy freezer meal too! After cooking, let soup cool down and then dump into a gallon-sized Ziploc bag or other freezer container. When you want to eat it, let it thaw in the fridge for 24 hours and then simmer on the stove until heated all the way through or microwave until heated all the way through. You could also put it in your crock pot and cook on low for 2-3 hours to re-heat it.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Photo and recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients

Meatballs:
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground meat (see note)
• 3/4 cup quick oats or old-fashioned oats that have been lightly pulsed in a blender
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Sauce:
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup brown sugar (depending on how sweet you want the sauce)
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Hot, cooked rice for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. For the meatballs, combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Form into about 12 meatballs (right around 2-inches each). Place in a lightly greased 9X13-inch pan.
3. For the sauce, whisk together the ingredients until well-combined.
4. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and bake for 30 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce is slightly thickened.
5. Serve over hot, cooked rice, if desired.

Freezable Meal: After covering the meatballs with sauce, cover the pan with two layers of aluminum foil and freeze. To bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake covered without thawing for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 20-30 minutes more, until meatballs are cooked through.

Orange Apricot Chicken

This is one that we liked from the freezer meal exchange I did.

3 Pound Chicken Breast, boneless

3/4 Cup Italian Dressing 
1 Cup  Bread Crumbs, dry 
12 Ounce Orange Juice
3/4 Cup Apricot Jam 

Cut breasts in half with scissors to make "tenders."

Marinade chicken in dressing overnight. Next day; dip in bread crumbs and place in foil pan. Mix juice and jam in a blender and place into quart size freezer bag and label 

To serve: Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes (turning chicken occasionally). Take out and pour sauce on top; cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. 

Serve with rice.

 

Southwest Egg Rolls and Avocado Dip

Filling:

2 ½ c. shredded cooked chicken

1 ½ c. shredded Mexican cheese blend

2/3 c. frozen corn, thawed

2/3 c. black beans rinsed and drained

5 green onions, chopped

¼ c. mined fresh cilantro

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. grated lime peel

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

1 pgk (16 oz) egg roll wrappers (in produce section)

Oil for deep frying

Dip:

1 cup ranch salad dressing

1 medium ripe avocado mashed

1 Tb. Minced fresh cilantro

1 tsp. grated lime peel

Combine filling ingredients. Place ¼ c. mixture in center of egg roll. Fold corners over and moisten to get egg roll to stick together sealed. Roll up tightly, repeat. Heat oil to 375 and fry egg rolls for 2 minutes on each side till golden brown. Be patient so they don't burn and stay doughy inside. Combine dip ingredients and serve with hot egg rolls. Can be frozen and reheated.

These can also be rolled in fajita tortillas and baked. Bake at 350 for 20-25 min.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Photo & recipe Our Best Bites

Ingredients
1/3 cup (3 oz) cream cheese (low fat is fine, avoid fat free)
1/4 cup green salsa
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoon sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack or plain jack cheese
small flour or corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray or olive oil

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.   You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

If using corn tortillas, work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave, wrapped in damp paper towels until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If using flour tortillas straight from the fridge, it helps to warm them in the microwave so they’re easier to roll.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1 inch from the edges.

Roll up tortillas and place seam down on a baking sheet, not touching one another.  Spray lightly with cooking spray, or lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.  Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Freezer Instructions: Prepare the taquitos through rolling them out and placing them on the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze until solid, then transfer to a large freezer bag. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 and place the taquitos on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Yields 12-16, when using 6″ tortillas, depending on how full you make them.

Tortilla Soup

Photo & recipe from Thriving Home Blog

Makes at least 8 servings

Ingredients

    1 - 32 oz box organic chicken or vegetable stock
    1 - 15 oz can refried beans (check ingredients carefully; organic is preferable)
    1 - 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
    1 - 15 oz can diced tomatoes (juice and all)
    1 small can diced green chiles
    8 oz of organic frozen corn or 1 can organic corn (liquid drained)
    1-2 cup cooked brown rice
    1/2-1 cup of your favorite salsa
    2 tablespoons, or to taste, all-natural taco seasoning mix
    Optional Toppings: sour cream or Greek yogurt, shredded cheddar cheese, crushed tortilla chips

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together (except toppings) and let simmer over low heat for at least 10 minutes but longer is fine. Serve with whatever toppings you like. Done!

Freezer Meal Directions: Freeze in a BPA-free freezer bag or air-tight container for up to 3 months. Thaw for 24 hours in fridge then cook in crock pot for 4 hours.

Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Chicken

Photo & recipe from here

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
6-8 medium potatoes peeled (or 8-10 baby red potatoes unpeeled), chopped into large pieces
2 cups baby carrots
1 can cream of chicken soup*
1 package dry ranch dressing mix*
¼ cup milk*
parsley to sprinkle on top (optional)

Spray your slow cooker with non stick cooking spray. Layer the potatoes and baby carrots on the bottom of the slow cooker. Lay chicken breasts on the top.

In a medium bowl, mix together the soup and dry ranch packet and milk. Pour on the top of the chicken breasts.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Use extra sauce as a gravy over the top of the potatoes and chicken breasts and sprinkle with parsley if desired.

*Note: I doubled the gravy when I made it.

White Chicken Chili

4 cans white beans                                         
2 cans chicken broth
2 chicken bouillon cubes                                     

3 teaspoons garlic powder

1 onions, chopped and sautéed                            

2 cans corn, drained

2 cans green chilies                                        

3 teaspoons oregano

2 tablespoons cumin                                       

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 cups cooked, cubed/shredded chicken             

24 oz. sour cream

4 cups Pepper Jack cheese

Sauté onions in butter until transparent. Add everything, except sour cream and cheese. Cook in a crockpot for 3-4 hours or in a large pot for 30 minutes. Add sour cream and half the cheese then cook for an additional 15 minutes. Serve with additional pepper jack cheese and tortilla chips.

                                                                                             - Tricia Munk