SLOW COOKER FRENCH DIP SANDWICHES

I got this recipe from Sarah and I LOVE it!! It makes peppery, tender meat that we use for french dip sandwiches. It's the best I've had. 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 C beef broth
• 1 C water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp onion salt
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix (such as Good Seasons brand)
• 1 (5 pound) chuck roast

Combine water and beef broth with salt, ground pepper, oregano, basil, onion salt, parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf, and salad dressing mix. Whisk to combine. 

Place roast in slow cooker and pour salad dressing mixture over the meat. Cover and cook on Low for 10-12 hrs or High for 4-5 hrs. When done, remove bay leaf, and shred meat with a fork (I did this step about 45 mins before eating so the shredded meat had time to absorb more of the juices). Serve on crusty rolls with cheese, if desired. 

 

CHICKEN BROCCOLI AND RICE CASSEROLE

I know everyone has their own special way of making this but I found one recently I love above all others. I want to post it here so I don't forget about it! Enjoy.

Sauce:

• 2 cans cream of chicken soup
• 1 C sour cream
• 1/2 milk
• pepper to taste

Other Filling ingredients (these measurements can vary easily and still taste great):

• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or about 2 C shredded
• 3 C broccoli, lightly steamed 
• 3 C cooked rice

Topping:

• shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 C crumbled Ritz crackers
• 1/3 C butter, melted

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 pan.
2. Layer rice, chicken, then broccoli 
3. Mix all sauce ingredients together and spread on top (I don't always use all of the sauce - I feel like it makes a little more than I like.)
4. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of sauce. 
5. Melt butter. Mix in crumbled Ritz crackers. Sprinkle on top of cheese. 
6. Bake for 30-35 mins. 

** Many people mix everything together instead of layering.. That is totally fine to do with this recipe. Also, I usually mix several veggies (broccoli, carrots, cauliflower) together instead of just broccoli and its delish.  

MY FAV CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Found on Pinterest. Everyone loves these and they are a no fail because you don't use butter, you use crisco.

Ingredients

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• Recipe from tollhouse chocolate chip cookie bag with these changes:
• Crisco instead of butter (yeah I know...yucky sounding, but makes chewier cookies)
• add flour until bowl is cleaned by mixer, typically more than asked for
• .....and by request, the full list of ingredients:
• 2 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup Crisco (white, all vegetable "lard")
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups chocolate chips

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• Mix together flour, salt, baking soda, set aside
• put into mixing bowl crisco, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla
• mix at low speed
• add eggs one at a time while mixing
• add dry ingredients 1/3 at a time, pausing mixer while you add
• add heaping spoonfulls of flour until dough cleans side of mixing bowl
• remove from mixer, add 1/2 package of chocolate chips, fold in by hand
• preheat oven to 25 degrees less than recipe calls for (350 degrees)
• make extremely tall dough balls: 1 inch diameter, 2.5 inches tall
• cook less than asked for, approximately 9-11 minutes until just starting to brown
• remove, cool
• enjoy....

• 
  

GARLIC PARMESAN ZUCCHINI TOMATO BAKE

Pinterest find. This is supposed to be a side dish but I add cooked chicken to it before I bake it and use it for the main dish. I serve it with the quinoa and brown rice packet I get from Costco but I think it would be good over pasta. I have also added red pepper and carrots on occasion. 

Ingredients

• 2 large or 2.5 lbs zucchini, cut into quarters
• 10 oz grape tomatoes, cut in halves or 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 7 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded
• 1 tsp basil/thyme/oregano, dried
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup parsley or basil, finely chopped
• Cooking spray (I use Misto)
• 
  
• Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray 8 x 8 or 9 x 11 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients, except parsley/basil, and stir to combine. Transfer to a prepared baking dish and bake uncovered for 25 minutes for crunchy zucchini or 35 minutes if you like well cooked vegetables. I recommend checking for doneness with a fork or knife after 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, garnish with basil or parsley and serve hot/warm
• *** I only cook mine for 20 mins***

BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE BREAKFAST BRAID

Found on Pinterest. Devoured in minutes. SO DELISH!! (and easy)

• 1 (8 oz.) tube, crescent dough sheet
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• ¼ c. granulated sugar, divided
• 2 c. (1 pint) fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 Tbsp. corn starch
• ¼ c. sliced almonds
• 2 Tbsp. turbinado or raw sugar
• Glaze:
• 1 c. powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp. cream cheese
• 1-2 Tbsp. milk

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. On parchment paper, roll out the crescent dough, and pinch together any holes or perforations.
3. On a bowl, cream together the 4 oz. of cream cheese and 2 Tbsp. of sugar. Spread into the center of the dough, leaving about 4" on each side. Using kitchen shears or a knife, cut diagonal 1"strips along the sides of the dough.
4. Rinse and drain the blueberries. In a bowl, add the remaining 2 Tbsp of sugar, and the cornstarch, and mix together to coat the berries. Pour the berry mixture over the center cream cheese area of the dough. Sprinkle the berries with the sliced almonds.
5. Gently fold over each end of the dough on to the berries, and fold in each strip of the dough, until all the berries and almonds are encased. Sprinkle the top of the dough with the turbinado or raw sugar granules. Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes.
6. While pastry is baking, mix together the glaze by creaming together the powdered sugar, cream cheese, and milk. Mix until smooth.
7. When breakfast braid comes out of the oven, drizzle with glaze. Slice and serve.

Lemon and Thyme Chicken

This is a super easy, throw together type of dish if you are short on time. And as a bonus, people love it, I've made this when we've had company and it has gotten rave reviews. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 5-6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup of chicken broth
• Zest from 1 lemon
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• Two sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 lemon cut into 4 wedges

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, making sure not to burn the garlic. Add the chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, and thyme leaves to the pan. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Place the chicken in the baking dish along with the lemon wedges and the two sprigs of thyme.
• Place into the oven and bake, basting occasionally, for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. Remove from the oven and let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Drizzle the pan sauce on top of the slices of chicken and serve.

Portillo’s Chopped Salad with Sweet Italian Dressing

I found this recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I have made this as a side dish salad and love it. My kids even liked it. I had the leftovers for lunch all week long and it was delish. 

Ingredients-
Sweet Italian Dressing:
• 1/3 cup white or regular balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons sugar, honey or maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Salad:
• 8 ounces (about 1 cup or so) uncooked Ditalini pasta (see note above)
• 5 cups chopped lettuce (use what you like: romaine, spring mix, iceberg or a combo)
• 1 cup chopped red cabbage (see note above)
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 - 1 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
• 2 cups cooked, diced chicken (see note above)

DIRECTIONS

1. For the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a blender or jar. Process or shake until well-combined. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. You can make and refrigerate the dressing a week or two in advance.
2. In a pot of salted, boiling water, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse quickly with cool water so it doesn't stick together while it cools. Pour a few tablespoons of the dressing over the pasta and stir lightly. Set aside to cool to room temperature (spreading it into a flatter layer - versus mounded in a bowl - will speed up the cooling process).
3. In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, and green onions. Add the cooled pasta, bacon, gorgonzola cheese, and chicken.
4. To serve, you can toss the salad with the dressing before serving - or, if you anticipate leftovers, add dressing only to the portions of salad served and then store the dressing and salad separately for fabulous leftovers.