Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Easy Crockpot Fiesta Chicken

I'm going to start babysitting in August so my crockpot will become my best friend. When I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it. Sooo easy and it is really good, although it doesn't look it, believe me, it is.

4 chicken breasts, frozen or thawed
1 (15 1/2 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) jar of your favorite salsa
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (used fat free)

Take 4 frozen (or thawed), boneless chicken breasts put into crock pot. Add 1 can of black beans, drained, 1 jar of salsa, 1 can of corn drained.  Keep in crock pot on low for about 4-5 hours or until chicken is cooked. Once it is cooked, take it out and shred it. Return shredded chicken to the crockpot.

Add 1 package of cream cheese and let sit for about 1/2 hour then stir it in and you've got yourself a tasty dinner.


Serve over rice or in warm flour tortillas.


Recipe From: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Chicken Pillows

I saw this recipe over at The Girl Who Ate Everything and if you're looking for a healthy recipe, keep on lookin cause this ain't it. I made them because they sounded fun but who knows if I'll be making them again. They were good and MG did eat it like she said her boys did so I thought I'd share it. Her recipe calls for a gravy on top but that's just way way too much for us so here it is. Have fun if you make 'em!


Chicken Pillows

Mix together:8 ounces cream cheese, softened½ cup sour cream

Stir in:
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ Tablespoons dried chives
1 ½ Tablespoons fresh onion minced
3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced (All we had was skinless boneless thighs and those worked just fine too)

Assemble Pillows:
2 (8 ounce) cans of crescent rolls
1/4 cup melted butter
Italian bread crumbs (about 1 cup)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and sour cream until well combined. Stir in salt, pepper, onion, chives, and diced chicken.

Moving on to the rolls, take 2 triangular rolls and push together at seam to make into a square. Put about 3 tablespoons of chicken mixture in the center of each square. Fold the dough corners to the center over the chicken mixture forming a pillow.Dip each pillow in melted butter on both sides. Roll in bread crumbs on both sides. Shake excess crumbs off. Place chicken pillow on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Fudge Popsicles from Smitten Kitchen

It was 92 degrees in Glenview today. What a perfect day for homemade popsicles!! We used popsicle holders that my mom has had since my brother and I were young. They're the Tupperware brand ones with the stick that, by now, looks like we tried to eat it, it's so beat up, but still works like a charm! Todays recipe on SmittenKitchen.com happened to be fudge popsicles and they are OH SO GOOD!!! Very chocolately flavored without being overwhelming in the sugar arena.

(copy below taken directly from smitten, except for my mention of Ghiradelli chips)

Fudge Popsicles (taken from smittenkitchen.com)
from On A Stick!

Makes 4 standard-sized popsicles (3 ounces each)

2 tablespoons (21 grams or 3/4 ounce) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped semisweet chocolate * - we used Ghiradelli bittersweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup (67 grams or 2 1/3 ounce) sugar
1 tablespoon (7 grams or 1/4 ounce) cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons (8 grams or 1/4 ounce) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) whole milk
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon (3 ml) vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon (7 grams or 1/4 ounce) unsalted butter

In the bottom of a medium saucepan over very low heat, gently melt the chocolate chips, stirring constantly until smooth. Stir in sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, milk and salt and raise heat to medium. Cook mixture, stirring frequently until it thickens, anywhere between 5 minutes (for me) and 10 (suggested in the book). Remove from heat, add vanilla and butter and stir until combined.

Set aside to cool slightly then pour into popsicle molds. Freeze 30 minutes, then insert popsicle sticks. Freeze the rest of the way before serving.