Chicken Enchiladas

1 can (16 oz) refried beans

10 - 12 flour tortillas

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 c. sour cream

3 - 4 c. cooked chicken, chopped up

3 c. cheddar cheese (or however much you want)

1 can (15 oz) enchilada sauce (at least a 15 oz can - I sometimes use more)

1/4 c. sliced green onions

1/4 c. sliced ripe olives

Spread about 2 T. beans on each tortilla.  Combine soup, sour cream and green onions.  Stir in chicken.  Spoon about 1/3 - 1/2 c. onto each tortilla; top with cheese.  Roll up and place seam side down in greased 13x9 baking dish.  Pour enchilada sauce over top; sprinkle with cheese and olives.  Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until heated through.  Just before serving, sprinkle lettuce around enchiladas if desired.

From whence it came:  Here's what I think, I think my friend, Kerinda, needs to start a cooking blog.  I have shared so many of her yum-e recipes on my blog that I think it's time she starts her own!  Here's another winner from Kerinda!

Why it's blogable:  My teen son ate these enchiladas at Kerinda's house and when he came home he just wouldn't stop talking about them.  He rambled on and on about these enchiladas.  He begged me to make them.  He pleaded with me to make them.  I had to make them just to get the kid off my back!  And when I did, I understood my teen son's obsession with this recipe.  These enchiladas are so good!  Really creamy and they have a great flavor.  They have now become a family favorite.

Just so ya know:  When I made them I made two pans, one that I cooked right away and one that I froze.  Before cooking the frozen batch I let them thaw and then cooked them as directed.  They were just as good as the fresh batch!

Click here to get the printable:

Chicken Enchiladas

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Tim McGraw's Chicken and Dumplings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small chicken
• Water
• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• Milk
• 1 egg

Boil chicken, adding salt to taste. When tender, pull chicken from the bone and return to the broth.

Pour flour into a bowl, leaving a hole in the middle. Add 1 egg and enough milk to form a doughy consistency (similar to how you would make biscuits). Sprinkle flour on cutting board. Pinch off part of the dough and roll into a thin sheet and cut into squares. Drop one square at a time into broth. Continue this until all of the dough is used. Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer until tender.

Allow the dumplings to thicken the broth until it is a creamy consistency.

From whence it came:  Sigh!  Double sigh!  Sigh again!  Sorry, but I can't help myself.  I always sigh before I say (or type) the name Tim McGraw.  I love him!   I know it's wrong, considering that I am married to a spy who loves me, but if loving Tim is wrong, I don't wanna be right!  My friends make fun of me and tease me mercifully, but I don't care.  Being Tim's #1 fan is my calling in life.  And I've got the Tim McGraw earrings to prove it!

Why it's blogable:  I guess I'm going to have to confess right here and now that I've never made this recipe.  I've never eaten this recipe.  I honestly don't think I've ever tasted chicken and dumplings of any kind in my 50 years of existence.  I'm not sure I'd even like them.  Dumplings are mushy and gooey (like my feelings for Tim).  Mushy and gooey feelings are good, but mushy and gooey food is not my favorite.  So why post this recipe and break one of my major blogging rules of never posting a recipe that I've never made?  Because tonight I saw the movie Country Strong starring that hunky cowboy and now he is on my mind.  Oh, who am I kidding, he is usually on my mind.  But now he's on my mind more than usual.  

The Spy:  You might be wondering how The Spy Who Loves Me feels about my Timmy obsession.  He's cool with it.  Honest!  He really is!  He mostly just rolls his eyes and acknowledges that there's no point in fighting it.  It is what it is.  A middle aged woman with an unhealthy and at times slightly disturbing crush on a country superstar.  And to show y'all just how great The Spy really is, tonight he sat right beside me in the movie theater and held my hand as I watched my "other boyfriend" on the big screen.  I love The Spy!  And I love that he lets me love Tim, from a distance.  A long distance.  A very long distance.  No, there isn't a restraining order against me...yet!

Click here to get the printable:

Tim McGraw's Chicken and Dumplings

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

 

Parslied Chicken Chowder

2 T Butter OR Regular Margarine

1/4 c Onion -- Chopped

1 1/2 c Chicken -- Cooked, Cubed 1-Inch

1 1/2 c Potatoes -- Pared, Cubed 1/2-In

1 1/2 c Carrots -- Cubed, 1/4-inch

2 Chicken Bouillon Cubes

1 t Salt

1/4 t Pepper

2 c -- Water

2 T Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

2 1/2 c Milk

Chopped Fresh Parsley 

Melt the butter over low heat in a 3-quart saucepan and cook the onion in the butter until tender but not browned. Add the cubed chicken, potatoes, carrots, bouillon cubes, salt, pepper and water. Cover and cook, over high heat, until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, combine the flour and 1/2 cup of the milk in a jar. Cover and shake until blended and smooth. Stir the flour mixture and remaining 2 cups of milk into the vegetable-chicken mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens. Remove from the heat and serve with the parsley sprinkled over.  

From whence it came:

My Aunt Carol, who is a fabulous cook, gave me this cookbook many years ago, for no reason except that she is so very nice.  This soup recipe was one of the first I tried and I've made it a bunch of times since.  It's a really interesting cookbook.  The Amish are not into counting calories or fat grams.  By reading my blog and seeing how many recipes I have posted in the "Sweet Stuff" category, you might just think I'm Amish!  I'm not, but I sure do like the way they cook.  Thanks for the great cookbook, Aunt Carol.  You really are one of the best cooks I know!

Why it's blogable:  I love soup!  It's one of my favorite dinners.  The Spy Who Loves Me isn't the biggest fan of soup, but he does love this one.  It is one of our family favorites!  It's creamy and delicious, and surprisingly healthy!  It's one of the healthier recipes in the Amish cookbook.  And one of the best!

Wanna know something weird?  I never add the parsley.  No reason, I just don't.  It's great without it so I just don't add it.  You can if you want to, but you might get a piece of parsley stuck between your teeth and embarrass yourself.  If you're into living dangerously, add the parsley!  Go ahead, live on the edge!

You should serve it with this:
Amish Bread
This recipe is not from the Amish cookbook, but it is one of the best breads you will ever make, and one of the easiest!  It's perfect with this soup!

Click here to get the printable:
Parslied Chicken Chowder

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Crockpot Cheesy Chicken with Potatoes

6 chicken breasts

6 medium potatoes, thinly sliced

1 can cheddar cheese soup

1 can low fat cream of chicken soup

1 c. skim milk

1 T. garlic salt

1 t. pepper

Mix soups and milk, add potatoes.  Place ¼ mixture in bottom of crockpot, put in chicken, sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper.  Pour remaining sauce and potatoes over chicken.  Cook on low 6-7 hours or high 3-4 hours.  (I took the lid off for the last 45 minutes because it was pretty soupy.  It thickened it up a bit.) 

From whence it came:  Sorry guys, I don't remember.  This is a Weight Watchers recipe but I don't remember how it fell into my hot little hands.  I may have scribbled it down at a WW meeting back in the day.  Back in the day when I was riding high on the WW wagon!  I really need to drag my chubby self back onto that wagon!  And this recipe is the perfect way to do it!

Why it's blogable:  You won't even know this recipe is healthy when you make it.  You'll swear it's full of unhealthy stuff, like butter and cheese.  But it's not.  It's full of healthy stuff, and it's really tasty!  This recipe makes 6 servings and each serving is only six points.  At least that's what it says on my scribbled recipe.  When I made this for my family they all loved it and no one even knew it was good for them!  My silly family often turns up their nose if they think something is good for them.  It's a full time job trying to trick these goofballs!  Try this if you're in the mood to be tricky!  

Here's the printable for ya:

Crockpot Cheesy Chicken with Potatoes

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Stir Fry Goodness!

I love stir fry!  Love it!  You don't need a Wok to make a delicious stir fry dinner.  I just use my electric skillet but really any large frying pan will do.  And I just discovered a secret to making a fabulous stir fry meal...

These Panda Express Sauces are to die for!  I have tried the Kung Pao and the Orange Sauce and they were both so yum-e!  I bought them at the grocery store but my married daughter told me she found the Orange Sauce at Costco in Utah.  I looked at our Costco but didn't see it.  Hopefully they will carry it soon!

Here's what I did:

I cut up two pieces of boneless, skinless chicken breasts into bite size pieces.  I also cut up half of a large onion and then I browned them in my skillet with a little bit of olive oil.

 Once the chicken was nice and brown I added 2 chopped zucchini and a small can of water chestnuts and continued to cook it until the zucchini began to brown and became a little bit tender.

Next I added a little less than 1/2 the bottle of Kung Pao Sauce and mixed it all together.  I let it cook for a few minutes then added a handful of peanuts..

Serve it over rice and you have super yum-e and really healthy Kung Pao Chicken Dinner!

For the Orange Chicken...

I did basically the same thing except instead of zucchini, water chestnuts and peanuts I used carrots, celery and orange, red and yellow peppers.  I still used the same amount of chicken and onions, then once they were brown I added the carrots and celery and cooked it until the carrots were slightly soft.  Then I added the peppers and cooked it for a couple of minutes before adding the sauce.

My whole family loved these dinners!  My teen daughter went crazy for the Orange Chicken, but she loved the Kung Pao, too.  These meals were a big hit with my family.  These recipes fed four of us with a little bit leftover.

I really encourage you to give this a try.  You can serve it with some fresh fruit and/or a green salad and that's about all you need for a great dinner that will make you a true hero in the eyes of your hungry family!

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Chicken Parmesan

5-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 block grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1 jar marinara sauce

Lay the thawed chicken out in a 9x13 pan.  Cover with grated mozzarella then tomato sauce.  Sprinkle grated Parmesan over the top.  Bake at 375 for 30 to 40 minutes.

From whence it came:  A wonderful gal named Rowena gets the credit for this recipe.  And she deserves a lot of credit, because it's so so good!  Rowena served this recipe at her daughter's wedding reception a year or so ago and we all just loved it.  Because Rowena is so generous, she shared it with us and now I'm sharing it with you.  Thanks for the super simple and super yum-e recipe, Rowena!

Why it's blogable:  When an entire gang of wedding guests is in love with a recipe, it's certainly blogable.  And, look how super simple this recipe is, and it's pretty healthy, too!  What's not to love?  It's truly love at first bite.  I promise!

A few tips from Janice:  Because Rowena was very busy fulfilling her role as mother of the bride on that special day, she had our great friend and super amazing cook, Janice, prepare and bake the chicken for her.  Here are a few tips in Janice's words:  "Rowena gave me boneless chicken breast halves which I skinned and cut into thirds. There was enough mozzarella to completely cover the chicken in the pan. The tomato sauce was Marinara sauce and the Parmesan was fresh. The ingredients she gave me filled two half sheet pans. I had 15 lbs of frozen boneless chicken breasts, 2 big blocks of mozzarella, four jars of organic Marinara sauce, and a sandwich size baggie full of the freshly grated Parmesan (her kids took care of that part). I cooked it about 50 minutes because I had so much of it in the oven. It was about 30 minutes from my oven to the reception table which I think helped "set" everything."

Click here to get the printable:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/34086750/Parmesan-Chicken

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Chicken Pesto

9 pcs. of boneless, skinless chicken breast
Pesto sauce
Olive oil
Parmesan cheese
Provolone cheese (9 slices)
Proscuitto ham (9 slices)
Italian bread crumbs

Pound chicken with a meat tenderizer.  Coat with pesto.  Top with a slice of provolone cheese and ham. Fold or roll chicken. Roll again in pesto sauce and bread crumbs.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Drizzle olive oil.  Bake for 30 - 35 minutes at 350 degrees.

From whence it came:  This is another recipe from one of the best cooks I know, Janice Luncford.  Janice made this chicken for a church dinner and everyone went crazy!  Crazy in a good way.  Not crazy like sitting in a white padded room wearing a straitjacket crazy.  Crazy like give me this recipe or I'm going to do something crazy!  That kind of crazy!  Thanks for making us all crazy, Janice! 

Why it's blogable:  Like I said, any food that turns a group of calm, scripture reading, church going folks crazy is blogable.  This is the recipe that inspired my very own recipe that I like to call Yummiest Chicken Ever.  My recipe is the lazier and cheaper version of this recipe.  But even though this recipe is a little bit more work, and a little bit more money, it's worth it.  Try it for yourself.  And don't blame me if it makes you crazy!

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Crock Pot Rotisserie Chicken

Take a whole chicken and sprinkle it liberally with lemon pepper inside and out and then with garlic powder and salt and put it in the crockpot upside down for 6-8 hours on low, it comes out like a rotisserie chicken from the deli.  It is so good.  

From whence it came:  The same generous gal who gave us the Crockpot Lasagna recipe gave us this one, too.  Michele Carnohan, you can do magical things with a crockpot.  And with people!  Michele really has a way with people.  She gives some of the best advice of anyone I know.  She is wise!  And her chicken is good!

Why it's blogable:  I feel like it's silly to say "because it's easy".  Just look at the recipe.  It's one sentence.  Two if you count "It is so good."  And it really is so good!  I just love my crockpot!  And I just love this chicken when it comes out of it!

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Chicken Bow Tie Pasta Salad

5-6 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 16 oz. box bow-tie pasta, cooked and rinsed
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 c. red grapes, cut in half
1 red apple, chopped
1 green apple, chopped
1 large can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 small bag slivered almonds

Dressing:
1 16 oz. bottle Kraft Coleslaw Dressing
1 1/2 c. mayo
1 1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
4 chopped green onions

Combine all ingredients for dressing. Toss with all other ingredients. Chill and serve.
From whence it came: Another winner from my dear friend, JoDee Glazier. She was the kind soul who shared her Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe, too. She is also responsible for the Strawberry Layered Dessert. Are you seeing a pattern of yum-e-ness here? I am, and we have JoDee to thank!

Why it's blogable: This is my favorite pasta salad in the whole wide world! I know the ingredients sound a little weird...onions and fruit don't normally go together, but in this salad they do, and they do it well! My married daughter goes crazy for this salad! I know I gave you the recipe for The World's Best Pasta Salad, and that one is truly good, also, but if I had to pick one (and I'm so happy I don't) I'd pick this one. It's kind of a girlie salad. To tell you the truth, The Spy Who Loves Me doesn't love this salad. He is a huge fan of The World's Best Pasta Salad, but I've told you before he's not a fruity guy, and this salad is fruity. But The Spy Who Loves Me is wrong on this...and so many other...issues! This salad is oh so good! I promise!

FYI: If you can't find pineapple tidbits, just buy the chunks and cut them in half. It'll be just the same. And you don't have to use Kraft Coleslaw Dressing. Any coleslaw dressing will do just fine.

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Cashew Chicken Salad Sandwiches

2 c. chicken, cooked and cubed
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. cashews
1 c. mayonaise
1 t. dry ranch dressing

Mix all ingredients and serve with lettuce in pita pockets or on rolls.

From whence it came: This great recipe came from my sister-in-law, Lori. She gave it to me a long long time ago, and I've made it a million times since. It is such a yum-e recipe! You will love it! One quick memory to share about these sandwiches and Lori. A couple of years ago The Spy Who Loves Me was really sick. I mean really sick. He is normally quite a stud, so when he goes down for the count, there is reason for concern, and we were very concerned! It was just about the longest week of our lives. We had been back and forth to the doctor every single day and even spent time in the emergency room. After finally receiving the right medication he started to get better, but he was pretty weak for a while, and we were pooped. His sweet sister, Lori, made this wonderful chicken salad and drove it all the way down to Oceanside to us. I'll never forget that act of kindness. It meant the world to us. Make this for someone you love. They will remember it forever!

Why it's blogable: I've made these sandwiches so many times, and every time I do people love them. I normally serve them on Joyce's Buns. That is truly the best way to serve them. But this chicken salad is also really good in pita pockets or on store bought rolls, too.

Once upon a time: Remember how I told you that there was a time in my life when I dragged around a cooler to different businesses and sold homemade lunch stuff? Well, these sandwiches were my hottest item! I would sell out of these almost every single day. They really are that good!

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Mexican Chicken Casserole

3 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
12 corn tortillas
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 small can diced green chilies
1/2 chopped onion, sauteed
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 c. jack cheese
1 small can chopped black olives

Mix chicken, soups, chilies, sour cream and onion. Cut tortillas in half and very quickly cook in hot vegetable oil, just until soft. Layer half of tortillas in bottom of 9x13 pan. Cover with half of chicken mixture then sprinkle with half of cheese. Repeat layers again then top with olives. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

From whence it came: This recipe was given to me by a great gal named Linda Costa. Linda and I worked together at a bank about a million years ago. She was just a little bit older than me and I was a new bride so she took pity on me and shared this good recipe. I have totally lost touch with her, but I'm still in touch with her Mexican Chicken Casserole.

Why it's blogable: This recipe is almost as good as enchiladas but a bit easier to make. I say almost as good because you really can't beat enchiladas. My mom makes the best enchiladas ever. I'll share how she does it in a post sometime soon. But this recipe is good, too. Good enough to eat!

Here are some pics I took this very night when I made it for the fam...

Layer the cooked tortillas in the pan. You only have to cook them for about half a second. If you cook them too long they will be crispy, and that's good news if you're dipping them in salsa, but not such good news if you're using them in this casserole. You can opt to not fry the tortillas for a lazier and more healthy version. It's a little better if you fry 'em, but it's still good if you don't. I put each one on a paper towel after it comes out of the oil to get rid of as much oil as possible.


Here it is after the chicken layer. Not too pretty, but don't be discouraged. The cheese spiffs it up!


Here comes the good part...the cheese and olives. (The Spy Who Loves Me is always happy to see me use olives, except when they are on the ends of my fingers. Then he just rolls his eyes and realizes his wife is immature! And I am!)


And...drum roll please...here is the final product...


What do you think? Looking good? Are you wondering what those little things that look like sauteed onions are on top of the casserole? Ugh! I'm busted! They're sauteed onions. I have to admit that I was tired when I was making dinner tonight, and under the influence of cookie dough, and I forgot to add the onions to the cheese mixture. So I plopped them right on top, and it was just fine. Tragedy avoided. Because not adding onions would surely be a tragedy. Onions are a cook's best friend! They add amazing flavor to almost everything, except pancakes. And cookies. And cinnamon rolls. Well, you know what I mean. Onions add amazing flavor to almost everything.

As long as I'm confessing: Alright, I will admit that I'm less than perfect. (Like you haven't all figured that out by now.) I was halfway through this recipe when I realized I didn't have any cream of celery soup, so I used cream of mushroom instead. Then I realized I didn't have any green chilies, so I ran across the park at the end of our street to my mom's house and stole a can out of her pantry. (How cool is it that my mom lives right across the park! Very cool!) The sad story doesn't end there. Next I realized there was no sour cream to be found. And my mom, whom I'd already stolen from once, is out of town, so even if she did have sour cream it would be fuzzy, and that's a problem for me. So, I didn't use the sour cream. And it was still good. Really, it was. I suggest you make this the right way, but tonight I proved that you'd have to work awfully hard to mess this recipe up.

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Turkey or Chicken Marinade

15 oz. soy sauce
18 oz. peanut oil
1 quart 7-up
2 T. lemon juice
1 T. horseradish
Garlic salt to taste

Blend quickly in blender until all ingredients are well mixed. Use tenderloin turkey breast, preferably cut into 1" strips. You can also use chicken tenderloins. Marinate for 8-24 hours, then grill on barbecue. (Marinade for 10-12 pounds turkey or chicken.)

From whence it came: Another big thanks to Shelley Dahlin for another great recipe! Shelley published this in a church cookbook years ago and under the title it says "Guaranteed to be a hit" and it really is!

Why it's blogable: The ingredients for this marinade are "unusual" but seriously a great combination. Every time I have made this people have loved it and asked for the recipe. I have never made it with turkey, I've only used chicken, but I know Shelley really prefers to use the turkey tenderloins. Trust me, it's good either way. You can cut the recipe in half if you don't need to marinate that much meat. I just put the meat and marinade in a zip-lock bag and put it in the fridge. I always put the chicken tenders on wooden skewers before putting them on the grill. I think it just makes it easier to cook and it looks cool when you serve it that way.

Just an idea: You could serve it with one of Shelley's other great recipe, The World's Best Pasta Salad. You could also serve it with Campfire Potatoes. This recipe is a real crowd pleaser!

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Rachel Ray's Tangy Chicken Sandwiches

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 1/3 c. barbecue sauce
½ c. apple cider vinegar
Hot pepper sauce (optional)
6 French rolls
6 ozs Jack cheese

Place chicken in heavy pot with onion, garlic and just enough water to cover (about 1 ½ cups). Add barbecue sauce, vinegar and a few drops of hot pepper sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer until chicken is cooked, about 15 minutes. Remove chicken from sauce and shred with two forks. Boil the sauce, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half (about 15 minutes). Add the shredded chicken to the sauce and heat through. Spoon onto rolls and top with grated cheese.

(I do not add the hot pepper sauce and I cook the chicken longer than 15 minutes.)

From whence it came: Duh! Read the title! I found this recipe in a magazine and I thought it looked good so I gave it a try and I was right. (I usually am. Right, that is. When it comes to recipes. Not so much about other stuff, just mostly recipes.) I'm debating on whether or not to tell you how I feel about Rachel Ray. They thing is, she is a bit too perky for my taste. I admire her for what she's accomplished, don't misunderstand, it's just sometimes she bugs me a little bit. Well, sometimes a lot! I really hate to say these things on my blog because I fear that someday she and I will have an awkward moment in the hall at the Food Network building. You know, when Paula Deen invites me on her show, and then surprises me with Tim McGraw. I worry about running into Rachel Ray, who I'm sure is a very nice person, and having that awkward "I said Rachel bugs me" moment right there in the hall. Oh well, I'll live dangerously and take that chance.

Why it's blogable: These sandwiches make a great summertime, or really anytime, dinner. They go together really fast and my whole family likes them. They are a nice change from barbecue beef and maybe a little bit healthier, especially if you use whole grain rolls. I really like whole grain rolls, they have so much more flavor than white.

Now I feel guilty: Rachel, I'm sorry I said you sometimes bug me. I'm probably just jealous of your success. But you should watch your back, because someday my blog is going to take you down!

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Crock Pot Fajitas

5-6 chicken breasts
1 jar medium salsa
1 large bell pepper, chopped in large pieces
1 large onion, chopped in large pieces

Put all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low or high until chicken can be shredded. Serve in tortillas with lettuce, cheese, sour cream, avocados and anything else you like.

From whence it came: It's a two part answer. My married daughter gave me this recipe (yes, this is the girl who couldn't make ice cubes before she got married and now is quite a good little cook) and she got it from her Aunt Geralene. Remember me telling you that my sister-in-law, Geralene has good recipes? I didn't lie!

Why it's blogable: Anything that comes out of a crock pot tasting this good is blogable. I'm a fan of crock pot cooking, and this recipe is one of the reasons why. It truly couldn't be easier to make and it's really healthy. I bought whole wheat tortillas at Costco recently and they are delicious. If you put this chicken on those tortillas and lettuce and other yummy stuff, you'll have yourself a healthy and super yum-e dinner. Also, the leftovers freeze really well, but I can't guarantee you'll have any leftovers at all!
Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Creamy Crockpot Chicken

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz. cream cheese
1 packet dry Italian salad dressing mix
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Put chicken in crock pot and cover with remaining ingredients. Don't worry if they're not mixed together, they will mix well when you shred the chicken in the end. Cook on low setting for six hours or on high setting for four hours. In the last half hour of cook time, shred the chicken into bite size pieces. Serve over rice or noodles. For a low-fat version, use low fat soups and low fat cream cheese. (Don't use non fat cream cheese, it's yucky!)

From whence it came: A really really good friend of mine, Kerinda VanWagoner, gave me this recipe. Kerinda has lots of good recipes, and you will see her name on my blog again, you can be sure of that! Here's a funny story. One afternoon I stopped by her house and something smelled really good. I asked her what it was and she gave me a bite of the chicken. It was so good. Her kids were there at the time and from that day forward they have called this recipe Sister Anderson's Chicken. (In our church, we call each other Brother and Sister because we believe we are all children of God, which makes us brothers and sisters.) So, I now have a really yum-e chicken recipe named after me. Thanks, VW kids! Kerinda is a true friend and has brought a lot of comfort to my life, and her recipe will bring comfort to your tummy!

Why it's blogable: These two reasons are getting really boring...easy and yum-e! Oh, and here's a third...kid friendly. I really think your kids will like this recipe. Mine love it! Crock pot cooking is the best, and this recipe proves it! It's good leftover, too!

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Duck Glazed Chicken

6-8 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 8 oz. bottle Russian salad dressing
1 small jar pineapple apricot jam
1 envelope dry onion soup mix

Place chicken in baking dish. Mix salad dressing, jam and dry soup mix and pour over chicken, coating well. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or longer if needed until chicken is tender. Serve over rice.

(Chicken tenders work really well and will cook much faster.)

From whence it came: This yum-e recipe comes from my mother-in-law, Helen. I have no idea why she called it Duck Glazed Chicken because there isn't a duck in site. Back in the day, when she had six kids living at home, she was a great cook! She was the kind of gal who cooked a five course meal every night, and vacuumed while wearing pearls! A real June Cleaver, yes she was! She still loves to bake and I have some good cookie recipes of hers that I will post at a later date. Helen is a faithful, loving lady and I'm so grateful she is my mom-in-law!

Why it's blogable: These same two reasons seem to come up over and over and over. Easy and delicious. What more can you ask for in a recipe? The ingredients are so weird that if someone didn't tell you this is worth making you probably never would. But you must! It's very family friendly. This is one our whole family loves!

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Yummiest Chicken Ever

1 c. Italian bread crumbs
1 c. Parmesan cheese
1 package dry Italian salad dressing mix

Mix all three dry ingredients together

Melt 1/2 c. butter

Dip six chicken breasts in butter then roll in dry mixture. Place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle remaining breadcrumb mixture over chicken. Bake at 35o degrees for 1 hour.

From whence it came: This is my very own recipe. Yep, I made this one up myself, and just let me tell you that I am pretty stinkin' proud of me. It's the only recipe I've really every created. Darn, I have such a guilty conscience, I have to confess something now or I won't be able to sleep tonight. Janice Luncford (you might remember me mentioning her in my original post as one of the very best cooks I know) well, Janice gave me a really great recipe called Chicken Pesto that was a bit complicated and a bit more expensive to make. It was so good, but I wanted to find a way to simplify it, so I took some of the ideas from her recipe and made my own. So Janice does get a tiny shout out on this one.

Why it's blogable: Because it's just what the title says, the yummiest chicken ever. My kids love it! And people, any recipe that has five ingredients and takes five minutes to put together is a good thing.

A tip for ya: I really like to make it with chicken tenders rather than whole breasts. It cooks faster, and you get more breading in each bite. I'm a big fan of chicken tenders!

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

6 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

(My favorite way to cook chicken is in the crockpot. Just toss it in (even if it's frozen), pop on the lid and crank it to high. No water necessary. It cooks perfectly every time and is never dry. If you're going to be gone most of the day, set the crockpot to low. Baking the chicken is also a great way to cook it. I am not a fan of boiling and I never microwave chicken.)

Place chicken in the crockpot with the following ingredients:

1 large bottle V8 hot and spicy juice
Fill the empty juice bottle with water and add to the crockpot
3 chopped green onions
2 cubes chicken bullion
1 jar thick and chunky salsa
1/2 T. seasoned pepper
1/2 T. chili powder
1 1/2 T. seasoned salt

Simmer for a few hours until hot. (You can also do this on the stove.)

This is how we serve it:

We put tortilla chips in a soup bowl (I like Padrinos low fat chips) then put grated cheddar cheese on top of the chips. Add the hot soup on top of the cheese and chips and enjoy! Sprinkle with fresh cilantro, if desired. (I do not like cilantro! It is one of my least favorite foods on the planet, so I never use it, but that's just me.)

From whence it came: My wonderful friend, JoDee Glazier, gave me this wonderful recipe. JoDee and I have made so many great memories over the years. Even though I don't see her nearly often enough these days, she is a forever friend, with some very yummy recipes. Her aunt owns a company called Wild Coyote that makes my favorite salad dressing in the whole wide world. As far as I know, it's only sold in Utah, so when we travel to the Beehive State I always bring some home. Wild Coyote also makes really yummy salsa. Thanks for the great recipe, JoDee!

Why it's blogable: It's a rare occasion when I feel that you can truly say something is DELICIOUS and NUTRITIOUS! Let's just be honest here, way too often the food that is good for your body isn't necessarily taste bud friendly. This recipe is an exception to the rule. The original recipe called for a cup of butter to be added, if you can even believe that, but I never tried it with the butter. Don't get me wrong, butter is my friend. I use butter often in many recipes. Paula Deen and I both have a close personal relationship with butter. But butter does not belong in this recipe. It just doesn't. Another reason this recipe is blog worthy is every single member of my family gets a big smile on their face when they find out it's Chicken Tortilla Soup night. It is a huge family favorite, and everyone I've ever made it for has loved it. Two more blogable reasons, it's so very easy to make and it freezes perfectly. I have a batch frozen in my freezer right at this very moment. Perfect for those hectic days where making dinner is the last thing on my frazzled mind.

One last thing: This soup is not spicy. To make it more spicy, use hot salsa and/or add more chili powder. I use mild salsa and make it just the way it says and it really isn't spicy at all. I normally serve it with a green salad, corn bread and honey butter. See, we did end up using butter after all!

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!