Chicken Enchilada-Tortilla Soup

 

Chicken Enchilada-Tortilla Soup

Yields: 6-7 medium servings

3 med. sized chicken breasts

1 (10 oz) can red/mild enchilada sauce

2 c. chicken broth

1 finely chopped white onion (about 1 cup chopped)

1 yellow squash, diced

1 can drained, whole kernel corn

1 large can diced green chilis (7 oz)

2 cans diced tomatoes (option to use cans of diced tomatoes with green peppers/green chilis in them)

½ tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. chili powder (less if you don’t like spice)

½ c. water

¾ tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. lime juice

1 bunch chopped cilantro

Layer all ingredients in crock pot.

Cook on low for 8 hours (preferable), or on high for 3 hours.

When finished cooking, remove chicken and shred, then return to slow cooker. Add in half of cilantro. Use other half of cilantro to top for serving.

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, and tortilla chips

Butter Chicken Crock Pot

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

  

1 TB coconut(or olive) oil

1 yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)

1/2 tsp ground ginger (or 1 TB minced fresh ginger)

4 tsp minced garlic

1 ½ TB curry powder

1 TB garam masala

1 ½ tsp chili powder

¾ tsp kosher salt

1 (6-oz) can tomato paste (no salt added)

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 4 medium breasts

About 4 1/2 c. chopped cauliflower florets (1 small cauliflower or 1/2 large head)

Optional- large diced potatoes, such as halved baby potatoes (maybe 2 cups)

1 (14-oz) can tomato sauce

2 TB unsalted butter cut into small pieces 

1 can full-fat coconut milk 

½ c. plain nonfat Greek yogurt

On stove, heat the coconut oil over medium high. Once hot, add the onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, curry, garam masala, chili powder, salt, and tomato paste. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Transfer half the onions mixture to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Lay the chicken on top, then the cauliflower florets (and diced potatoes if using), and top with can of tomato sauce. Stir to combine the florets and sauce a bit, leaving the chicken pieces undisturbed underneath. Scatter the butter pieces over the top.

Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or high for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours until the chicken is cooked through. The cooking time may vary based on your slow cooker, so check early to ensure the chicken does not dry out. When the chicken is done, remove it to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Cut and return to slow cooker.

Give the contents of the slow cooker a big stir to coat the florets with the sauce. Recover the slow cooker and cook on HIGH until the florets are completely tender, about 30 minutes to 1 hour more. (If your florets are already tender, you can skip this step.)

Stir in the half-and-half (or coconut milk). Let cool a few minutes, then stir in the Greek yogurt. (Don't stir in the yogurt right away; if the butter chicken is too hot, it will curdle.) 

Enjoy warm over brown rice, quinoa, pita or naan, sprinkled with fresh cilantro.

Pumpkin Apple Soup CrockPot

 Pumpkin Apple Soup CrockPot

Kathy W.

Yield: 6 servings

 

¼ c. butter

2 onions, sliced

2 c. water

4 tsp/cubes chicken bouillon

2 tsp/cubes beef bouillon

2 cans pumpkin (30 oz. total)

3 apples- peeled, cored, sliced

¼ tsp. pepper

½ tsp. nutmeg

place onions, butter, and apples in bottom of slow cooker. Add rest of ingredients on top. Cook for 4 hours on low. Pour soup through food processor or blender (immersion blenders don't fully blend it). 

Can be served as is, or can have mix-ins available: cooked chicken, roasted broccoli/cauliflower, roasted potatoes, etc

Serve warm with bread, rolls, etc.

Asian Stir-Fry CrockPot

Chicken Stir-Fry Crock Pot

Kristen W.

2 pounds boneless chicken breasts (can dice raw or shred after cooking)

2 bell peppers, chopped

1 medium-size onion, chopped

1 tsp minced garlic

3 medium-size carrots, peeled & chopped

SAUCE

1/2 c. low sodium soy sauce

4 TB rice vinegar

2 TB ground ginger

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 small head of broccoli, broken into florets

Add all the ingredients except the broccoli to the slow cooker. Stir to mix well.

Cook HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6.

Add broccoli and cook an additional 30 minutes.

Serve over rice or quinoa, top with chopped peanuts or cashews.

Jambalaya Crockpot

Jambalaya Crock Pot

8-10 stalks sliced celery

1 chopped red pepper

1-2 chopped medium onions

1 tsp. finely chopped garlic (or garlic power equivalent if you don't have any)

2 large chicken breasts (either diced raw, or shred after its cooked)

½ - 1 lb. cooked smoked sausage/kielbasa/andouille sausage (cut into slices and halved) 

4 tsp. chicken bouillon granules

1 1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/4 - 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (more will be a little spicier)

1/2 tsp. black pepper

2 16-oz. can diced tomatoes with liquid

1 bay leaf (or 2 small)

Just dump everything in a crock pot and mix well! Cook 4-5 hours on low.  

*Cook up 1 1/4 c. rice near the end of cooking time to mix in before serving.

Remove bay leaf. Serve with hot pepper sauce.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

 Pumpkin cheesecake bars

Yield: one 9x13 and one smaller (6x8) dish

Adapted by: Kristen W

   (*This amount uses the whole can of pumpkin, 3 whole packages of cream cheese and two whole sleeves of grahams. It keeps it simpler.)

Crust:

18 whole rectangular graham crackers, finely crushed (for me this is two complete packages)

¼ c sugar

10 TB butter, melted

*add optional 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Filling:

1 ¼ c pumpkin puree (one can)

1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice (or apple pie spice. similar.)

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 TB all purpose flour

3   8-oz packages full fat cream cheese, @room temperature (SO much easier to get a good texture. Don’t skip. Place sealed package in warm water if necessary))

1 ⅔ c. sugar

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

½ c. full fat sour cream (full fat makes it smoother)

⅛ tsp salt

3 large eggs at room temperature (place in a bowl of warm water if you didn’t read that part in time!)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray your baking dishes (9x13 and a 6x8 or similar)

Crust:

In a bowl, combine crumbs, sugar, and melted butter and stir until combined. Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan and press it into an even layer (use the back of a measuring cup, etc to press down).

Bake the crust for 10 +/-  minutes until it is just beginning to turn golden brown and fragrant. Place the crust on a wire rack to cool slightly while you make the filling.

Filling:

In a large bowl (that you used for the crust…less dishes!)  whisk pumpkin puree, spices, and flour. Set aside.

Using mixer with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add vanilla, sour cream, and salt, and beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, and turning off the mixer as soon as the last egg is fully incorporated.

Measure out 1 ½ - 2 c of the cream cheese mixture and add it to the reserved pumpkin mixture, stirring until just combined.

Alternate scoops of cream cheese filling and the pumpkin filling all over the top of the crust. Use a knife to drag/swirl the two mixtures together but not mix it together. Be careful not to drag the knife all the way down into the crust.

**I like more crust to filling ratio, do the amounts you like in the 9x13 and put all the leftovers in the extra dish

Bake in the center of the oven for 30-40 minutes, until the center still has a very slight jiggle but the edges are set. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 8 hours. It seems like a long time, but the texture is smoother. Its a great thing to make a day ahead!

Pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting

 Pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting

Yield: one 9x13 pan

Courtesy of Mels

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/pumpkin-bars-cream-cheese-frosting/

3 large eggs

1 ¼ c granulated sugar (265 g) 

¾ c canola oil

1 (15-oz) can pumpkin puree (425 g) 

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 ½ c  all-purpose flour (213 g)

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

¾ tsp salt

¾ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8- oz package cream cheese, softened

4 TB  salted butter, softened

2 c  powdered sugar (228 g)

1 TB  sour cream or plain yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil, pumpkin and vanilla until well-combined.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until there are no more lumps.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 25-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top of the bars is set and springs back lightly to the touch.

Let the bars cool completely in the pan.

For the frosting-

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a handheld electric mixer, mix together the cream cheese and butter until very smooth and light, 2-3 minutes.

Add the powdered sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip the frosting for 2-3 minutes until very light and fluffy.

Spread the frosting on the cooled bars.