Sun- Dried Tomato Creamy Chicken (Whole 30)

Whole 30 can be completely scary and intimidating but I'm here to tell you it can be easy and DELICIOUS!!!  This is one of my favorite Whole 30 chicken dishes!  The whole family loves it!  The creaminess of the coconut milk with the sun-dried tomatoes is heavenly!!!

Ingredients:
8 Bone In Chicken Thighs
1/4 cup Tapioca Starch
1 TBSP salt
1 Tsp Fresh Ground Pepper
3 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Yellow Onion Thinly Sliced
3/4 cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes (not packed in oil)
1 TBSP Minced Garlic
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
13.5 oz Can of Coconut Milk
1 Cup Chicken Stock
Basil for garnish

Directions:

1. Mix together the tapioca starch, salt, and pepper in a medium sized bowl.  Toss the chicken thighs in the mixture until fully coated.
2.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
3. Heat 2 TBSP olive oil in dutch oven.  Add chicken a few pieces at a time and brown on each side.  When all chicken is browned, removed it and set aside.
4.  Add the remaining 1 TBSP of olive oil to pain and heat to medium high.  Add the sliced onions and saute for 2 minutes.  Add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and red pepper and saute another 30 seconds.
5.  Add the coconut milk and chicken broth and bring to a boil.
6.  Add the chicken back to the sauce scooping the onions and tomatoes over the chicken.  Try to fit the chicken in a single layer if possible.
7.  Cover pan with lid and cook for 45 minutes in oven at 400 degrees.  after 45 minutes, reduce heat to 300 and cook for another 20 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and top with shredded basil before serving.

Enjoy!

Beef Stew

Beef Stew is one of my comfort foods.  I absolutely love it and it has been my mission to find the best beef stew recipe.  I don't know if this is the BEST recipe for beef stew out there but it comes pretty darn close!  I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
6ox of thick sliced bacon, chopped into 1/4" wide strips
Olive oil
2- 2 1/2 pounds of boneless beef chuck or quality stew meat trimmed and cut into 1"pieces
1/4 cup flour (all purpose)
2 cups of red wine
1 lb sliced mushrooms
4 large carrots peeled and cut into 1/2" thick pieces
1 medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBSP tomato paste
4 cups low sodium beef broth
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried thyme
1 lb fingerling potatoes, halved or quartered

Instructions:
In a large, oven poof pot, sauté
bacon over medium heat until golden brown and fat is released.  Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon pieces to a separate bowl.  While bacon is cooking, place stewed meat into a large mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle beef with 1/4 cup flour and evenly coat the beef.  Transfer beef in batches into the hot bacon fat and cook over medium to medium high heat until beef is browned and then transfer the beef to the bowl with the bacon.  Add 2 cups of red wine to the pot and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom to deglaze the pot.  Add sliced mushrooms and simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes.  Return beef and bacon to the pot.  Meanwhile, heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat and add 2 TBS of olive oil.  Sauté the carrots, onions and garlic for about 4 minutes then add 1 TSP of tomato paste and sauté another minute.  Transfer the veggies to the soup pot.  Stir to combine and bring to a low boil.  Add potatoes making sure they are submerged in liquid then cover and transfer to a 325 degree over and cook for 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Chili

Nothing is better than a bowl of soup on a cold winter's day!  I have tried thousands of chili recipes and I think this one is my favorite.  Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef, turkey or venison

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 yellow or white onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped (optional)

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

46-oz. can tomato juice

28-oz. can diced tomatoes

15-oz. can tomato sauce

16-oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

16-oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Shredded cheese and sour cream, for topping

Instructions:

In a large skillet, cook ground meat over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Transfer the meat to a bowl. Drain excess grease from skillet, but do not clean.

Add the olive oil to the skillet. Add the onion, green pepper, garlic, parsley and jalapeño peppers (if using) and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and fragrant (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and add the chili powder, cumin, sugar, oregano, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Stir until combined.

If cooking the chili stovetop, add the cooked meat back to the skillet. If using a slow cooker, add meat-veggie mixture to the slow cooker. Add the tomato juice, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans and pinto beans to either the skillet or slow cooker, depending on which you are using. On stovetop, bring to a boil, dial back to medium-low and simmer for 2 hours. In slow cooker, cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Serve warm with cheese and sour cream.

Smothered Baked Pork Chops

Ingredients:

6-8 Center Cut Pork Chops
1 TSP Garlic Powder
1 TSP Seasoning Salt
2 Eggs, beaten
1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Italian Style Breadcrumbs
4 TBSP Olive Oil
1 TBSP Worcestershire
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 Cup of Milk
1/3 Cup White Wine

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 350.  Rinse chops, pat dry, and season with garlic powder and seasoning salt to taste. Place the beaten eggs in a small bowl.  Dredge chops in flour, dip in egg, and coat liberally with bread crumbs.  Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Fry the chops 5 minutes per side or until breading appears well browned.  Place pork chops in a 9x13 baking dish and cover tightly with foil.  Bake for 30 minutes.  While pork chops are baking, mix the cream of mushroom soup, white wine, milk and Worcestershire together in a bowl.  After pork chops have baked for 30 minutes, pour soup mixture on top of the pork chops and cover back with foil and bake an additional 30 minutes.  

Creamy White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

1 TBS Olive Oil
1 Pound Skinless Boneless Chicken Breast halves, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 Onion chopped
2 Cloves garlic chopped
2- 15.5oz Cans great Northern Beans rinsed and drained
1- 14.4 oz can chicken broth
2- 4oz cans diced green chilies
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground oregano
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can white shoe peg corn
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
4 oz pkg cream cheese

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Cook and stir chicken, onion and garlic in hot oil until no longer pink in the center and juices run clear.  (10-15 min) Mix Great Northern Beans, corn, chicken broth, green chilies, salt, cumin, black pepper, cayenne pepper into chicken mixture and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until flavors have blended. (about 30 min)  Remove chili from heat and add sour cream, heavy cream and cream cheese until incorporated.  Turn heat back to low and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until cream cheese has melted.


Crock Pot Version:

Add uncut chicken breasts, chilies, onion, garlic, salt, cumin, pepper, cayenne pepper to crock pot. Stir to coat chicken.  Cover with chicken broth and cook on low for 6 hours.  Shred the chicken into bite size pieces and add beans,corn, and cream cheese and continue cooking about 30 minutes,  Add heavy cream and sour cream and stir till incorporated.  .

Crock Pot Beef Stew

2 (1 oz) packages dry onion soup mix
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 pounds lean beef stew meat (cut up into bite sized pieces)
5 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 to 3 cups baby carrots
1 small Onion, chopped
2 (10 oz.) cans cream of celery soup
1 cup ketchup

In a large plastic bag, combine the dry onion soup mix and paprika. Add in meat and shake the bag to coat meat with the seasonings. (You may have to do that step in two batches, for all the meat to fit)

Once meat is coated, spread out evenly into a greased 7 quart crock pot. Top meat evenly with diced potatoes, carrots and onion.  Mix the cream of celery soup and ketchup in a small bowl. Pour mixture over the meat and vegetables.Cover crock pot with lid. Cook on low heat for 8 hours or until meat is cooked through and vegetables are tender. Stir to combine everything then serve.

Homemade Spaghetti

5 pounds Ground Beef (I Used Ground Round)

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 whole Large Yellow Onions, Diced

2 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Diced

6 cloves Garlic, Minced

1 cup White Wine (or Low Sodium Beef Broth If You Prefer)

2 cans 28 Ounce Crushed Tomatoes

1 can (14 Oz. Size) Crushed Tomatoes

1 can (small, 4-ounce) Tomato Paste

1 jar Good Storebought Marinara Sauce (can Use Another Jar If You Like The Sauce To Be More Saucy Than Meaty)

1 teaspoon Ground Oregano

1 teaspoon Ground Thyme

4 whole Bay Leaves

2 Tablespoons Sugar

2 teaspoons Kosher Salt

1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper 

1/4 cup Finely Minced Fresh Parsley (or 3 Tablespoons Parsley Flakes), More To Taste

1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese 

In a large pot over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until totally browned. Remove meat from pot with a slotted spoon and put into a bowl. Set aside. 

Discard any grease in pot, but do not clean the pot. Drizzle in olive oil. When it is heated, throw in the diced onion and diced bell pepper. Stir it around for 1 1/2 minutes, then add the garlic. Stir and cook for an additional minute. 

Pour in the wine and allow it to bubble up and reduce for about 1 1/2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and marinara sauce. Stir to combine, then add oregano, thyme, sugar, salt, bay leaves, and crushed red pepper. Stir, then add cooked ground beef and stir to combine. Place the lid on the pot and allow to simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add a little water or some low-sodium broth if it needs more liquid

After an hour, add the minced parsley and the grated Parmesan. Stir to combine, then put the lid back on and allow it to simmer for another 30 minutes or so. Discard bay leaves before serving.

***FYI- I usually freeze the sauce in several containers for future meals.  Saves a TON of time!!***

Bourbon Pecan Salmon

I make this at least once a week at my house.  My kids devour it and it is one of my most requested recipes.  It is super easy and quick!

Ingredients

1/2 c. Brown Sugar - firmly packed

1 c. Soy Sauce

2 t. Worcestershire Sauce

1 t. Garlic - minced

1/2 t. Black Pepper

2 T. Bourbon (opt.)

1/2 c. Chopped Pecans - toasted

Salmon filets

For the marinade...

Combine all ingredients except the Pecans and Salmon in a bowl.

Place Half the marinade and the Salmon in a Ziploc bag - squeeze out the air and zip the bag tightly.

Set aside the other half of the marinade to use as a glaze.

Marinate the Salmon for 1-3 hours. Flip the bag every 1/2 hour or so to marinate evenly.

For the Glaze...

Place the remaining half of the marinade in a small saucepan on the stove.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the temperature to low and simmer until the mixture thickens and reduces a little.

While the glaze is simmering, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

For the Pecan Topping...

Place the chopped pecans on a flat baking pan which has been covered with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

Toast the pecan for 3-5 minutes until they darken a little and they start to smell sooo good.

Watch closely - the nuts can burn quickly!

For the Salmon...

Cover a baking dish or pan with aluminum foil.

Spray the foil-covered pan with cooking spray.

Take the Salmon out of the marinade and discard the marinade.

Place the Salmon (skin-side down) on the prepared pan.

Sprinkle the salmon with the toasted pecans pressing the pecans firmly into the salmon.

Brush or spoon 1/3 of the glaze onto the salmon.

Place the salmon in the oven.

Re-glaze the salmon with the glaze every 8-10 minutes (about 3 times).

Bake at 400 degrees for a total of 20-25 minutes until the salmon flakes easily.

ENJOY!!

Chicken Lasagna

White Chicken Lasagna

3 cups cooked and shredded chicken (I used rotisserie chicken)

1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained, chopped

1 pkg. (8 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese

½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese

½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped and drained

1-1/2 pkg. low fat cream cheese

1 cup ½ and ½

1 tsp. minced garlic

¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

12 lasagna noodles, cooked

12 slices whole milk mozzarella

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350F

In a large bowl, combine chicken, artichokes, 1 cup mozzarella, grated Parmesan, ½ the basil and tomatoes. Set aside.

In a separate bowl using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, ½ and ½ and garlic until well combined. Using a spoon, stir in half the basil. Set half of the cream cheese mixture aside and stir the remaining half in with the chicken mixture.

Take half of the cream cheese mixture (without the chicken) and spread it into a 9x13 baking dish, covering the bottom. Lay 3 noodles on top and then top with ⅓ of the chicken mixture. Repeat the noodles and chicken mixture two more times, ending with a noodle layer.

Top with the last half of the cream cheese mixture.

Place the whole milk mozzarella slices on top in rows of three, like shown.

Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over everything, and then top with more basil if desired.

Bake 25 min. or until heated through.

Slice and serve! Enjoy!

Crockpot Brown Sugar Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

Pork Loin (I used a 5lb one I got on sale at Kroger)

1 teaspoon ground sage

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 clove garlic, crushed

Mix seasonings together and rub all over pork loin. 

Put ½ cup water in bottom of crock pot and place the loin in. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Glaze:

½ cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

½ cup water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

 An hour before the roast is finished, mix together the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan: brown sugar, cornstarch, balsamic vinegar, water, and soy sauce. Heat over medium and stir until mixture thickens, about 4 minutes. Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking. (For a more caramelized crust, remove from crock pot and place on aluminum lined sheet pan, glaze, and set under broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, until bubbly and caramelized. Repeat 2 to 3 more times until desired crust is achieved (I did not do this step because it was already exactly like I wanted it) Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

One Pot Chicken Lo Mein

I made this the other night.  It was so simple, easy and delicious!!  My kids lapped it up!!  Enjoy!

Ingredients

• ½ lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into small chunks
• 1 - 13.25 to 16 oz. box of linguini or fettuccini pasta, broken in half 
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut in thin 3 inch long strips
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut in thin 3 inch long strips
• 1 bunch green onions, white part sliced and green part cut in 3 inch long strips
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Add the chicken, then the pasta, then the remaining ingredients to a large stockpot and cover. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Stir and reduce the heat to medium-low.
2. Cook covered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until most of the liquid is gone and the chicken is cooked through.
3. Remove the lid and let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Paula Deen's Chicken Noodle Casserole

This is a really easy weeknight dish.  It is a comfort food dish and my kids gobbled it up.  I mean what's not to like about chicken, noodles and cheese??  It is basically a take on macaroni and cheese but with chicken thrown in the mix.  It is a great dish for those picky eaters!!!!

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
4 cups egg noodles, cooked and drained (approximately 2 cups uncooked)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
3 cups cheddar cheese, grated
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9 x13 inch baking dish.
In a large, tall-sided saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the onion, sauté until near translucent. Stirring frequently, add garlic and red pepper flakes, cook for two minutes more. Stir in the flour and cook until the flour is absorbed. Slowly add the milk and 2 cups of cheese. Reserve 1 cup of cheese for casserole topping. Once the cheese is melted add salt and pepper to taste. Combine chicken, sour cream and noodles into cheese mixture. Stir until the noodles are coated with mixture.
Pour mixture into a prepared baking dish.  Top with remaining cheese. Bake the casserole for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.
Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Grilled Chicken Wings

Wings....they are the ultimate appetizer or in our case, the perfect meal!  Fried, grilled, it doesn't matter.  I'm just a wing lover!  We were craving some grilled wings this weekend and I did mine 3 different ways because we have little picky eaters living in our house.  The first way is really easy and it is just to sprinkle the wings with kosher salt and pepper on both sides and grill for 30 minutes or until no longer pink.  Here is the other way I did it and it is delicious!!

Grilled Wings:

Make the marinade-
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup italian dressing

Pour in a bag with the wings and let it marinate overnight or at least 4 hours.

You can grill them with just the marinade which is so good or the third way I did our wings is to take some of them after they are grilled and toss them into a wing sauce. Grill for about 30-40 minutes or until no longer pink. Here is the wing sauce if you like to spice things up!  I even tossed a few of the salt/pepper wings in with the sauce as well.

Wing Sauce:

1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 cup franks redhot sauce

Melt butter in a skillet and whisk in the soy and hot sauce.  Pour into a bowl and toss the wings in it.  Delish!

Spicy Sausage Pasta

This is a super quick and easy weeknight dinner!!!  So good!

Ingredients:

1 TBSP Olive Oil
1 lb Smoked Sausage (I used Butterball Polka Kielbasa Turkey Sausage)
1 1/2 cups diced onions
2 cloves of garlic
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 10oz can of mild rotel or if you don't want it spicy 1 can of diced tomatoes and a 1/2 small can of diced green chilis
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 oz penne pasta uncooked
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions

Add olive oil to an oven safe skillet over medium high heat.  Brown sausage and onions until lightly browned.  Add garlic and cook till fragrant.  Add broth, tomatoes, cream, pasta, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and cook until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of cheese.  Top with remaining cheese and scallions and then broil in oven till cheese is melted and spotty brown.

Chicken Lazone

My kids devoured this dish!!!  It wasn't very spicy at all.  I would probably add a bit more cayenne pepper if you want some heat.  I did my own spin on this dish.  I found the recipe online and I just wanted to change it up a bit to suit my family's taste buds.  Hope you enjoy!

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or more if you like the heat
• 4 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts or 2lbs chicken tenders (You can also use chicken thighs)
• 1/4 cup butter, divided
• 1-1/2 cups heavy cream
• cooked noodles

Directions:

1. Combine the seasonings and coat chicken breasts.
2. In large saute pan melt half of the butter and cook chicken over medium heat for about 7 to 8 minutes, turning once.
3. Pour the cream into the skillet and lower the heat.
4. Simmer for several minutes, stirring until the sauce thickens then add the remaining butter.
5. Shred/Cut chicken and add back to sauce
6. Put noodles on plate and cover with sauce/chicken mixture

Shrimp Tacos

Shrimp Tacos

Ingredients:
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
2 Tbsp Sriracha Hot Sauce
1 teaspoon peanut butter
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup corn starch
2 eggs
6 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
Green onion, thinly sliced
lettuce
tortillas

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, Sriracha, Mayo, and Peanut Butter. Taste–If it’s not spicy enough, add more sriracha. set aside. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.  Place corn starch in a shallow dish, and lightly whisk two eggs together to create an egg wash in a separate shallow dish. Dip each piece of shrimp in corn starch to coat, then dip in the egg wash to coat.  Heat 6-8 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet on high heat. When the oil is hot, carefully add the shrimp to the pan. You may need to cook the shrimp in two batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook 30 seconds to 1 minute per side, until the shrimp are crispy.  Remove the shrimp to a paper towel lined plate to drain.  Add the shrimp to the spicy mayo.  Serve on warmed tortillas.

Meatloaf

I never have been much of a meatloaf eater until I came across this recipe in one of my all time favorite cookbooks by Pioneer Woman.  Now, it is a regular in my cooking rotation.  Trust me, you have to try it out.  I think you will make it a regular on your menu as well!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Whole Milk
• 6 slices White Bread
• 2 pounds Ground Beef
• 1 cup (heaping) Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
• 3/4 teaspoons Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1/3 cup Minced Flat-leaf Parsley
• 4 whole Eggs, Beaten
• 10 slices Thin/regular Bacon
• Sauce:
• 1-1/2 cup Ketchup
• 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
• Tabasco To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour milk over the bread slices. Allow it to soak in for several minutes.
Place the ground beef, milk-soaked bread, Parmesan, seasoned salt, salt, black pepper, and parsley in a large mixing bowl. Pour in beaten eggs.
With clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined. Form the mixture into a loaf shape on a broiler pan, which will allow the fat to drain. (Line the bottom of the pan with foil to avoid a big mess!)
Lay bacon slices over the top, tucking them underneath the meatloaf.
Make the sauce: add ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and hot sauce in a mixing bowl. Stir together. Pour 1/3 of the mixture over the top of the bacon. Spread with a spoon.
Bake for 45 minutes, then pour another 1/3 of the sauce over the top. Bake for another 15 minutes. Slice and serve with remaining sauce.
Serve with mashed potatoes. Yummy!

Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings

Fall is by far my favorite time of the year!  My crock-pot becomes a permanent fixture on my counter top.  I can already smell all the soups and comfort meals that will be created over the next few months.  I came across this crock-pot meal the other day and had to try it out.  It was actually really good and will now be put into my Fall crock-pot meal rotation.  The kids loved it too!  I hope you enjoy it as well!!

Ingredients:

• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 (10 ounce) package refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces
• 1 Can of Mixed Veggies ( drained)
• 1 tsp of Cumin
• 1/2 tsp of pepper
• Sprinkle of Cayenne Pepper
• 1/2 tsp of Onion Powder
• 2 cups of chicken stock
• Salt to taste

Add all ingredients except for biscuit dough to the crock-pot.  Cook on Low for 6-10 hours.  Tear up biscuit dough and throw into crock-pot about 2 hours before serving.  Chicken breasts should fall apart but you can also break them up a bit with a spoon.  

Shrimp Pasta

• 1 pound Penne Pasta
• 1 pound Shrimp
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 whole Onion (small)
• 2 cloves Garlic
• ½ cups White Wine, Or To Taste
• 1 can Tomato Sauce
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• Fresh Parsley, to taste
• Fresh Basil - To Taste
• Salt To Taste
• Pepper To Taste

Cook the penne pasta until tender-firm, also known as al dente.
Peel, devein and rinse (under cool water) 1 pound of extra large shrimp. Heat about 1 tbsp. butter and olive oil in a skillet. Add the shrimp and cook for a couple minutes until just opaque. Do not overcook them. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Now, put the cooked shrimp on the cutting board and pull off the tails. Chop the shrimp into bite –sized pieces and set aside.
Finely dice one small onion. Mince two cloves of garlic.
In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally. After the garlic and onions have cooked a bit add your white wine. Let the wine evaporate for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. If you would rather not use wine, you can use low-sodium chicken broth instead (about ½ cup).
Now add an 14-ounce can of plain tomato sauce. Stir well until combined. Then add 1 cup of heavy cream. Continue stirring. Turn heat down to low and let simmer.
Now chop your herbs, about a tablespoon of chopped parsley and about the same amount of chopped basil.
Now add your chopped shrimp back into the tomato cream sauce. Give it a stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Throw in your herbs and stir until combined. Finally add your cooked penne pasta and give it a good stir. 

Crockpot Pesto Ranch Chicken

What in the world did I do before Pinterest???  I have no clue!  Well, we are in a little bit of a transition phase.  We are moving into our new house when it closes in a few weeks but until then, we are bunking with some friends in their basement.  My cooking is quite limited because of this so I am relying on lots of crockpot meals.  We have a kitchen in the basement but no stove so the crockpot is coming in handy.  I found this yummy dish the other day and decided to give it a whirl.  I changed what I found up a little bit and here is the recipe:

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs

6 ounce jar of pesto

1 package Ranch Dressing Seasoning Mix

1/2 cup chicken broth

Mozzarella Slices

Directions:

Turn crock pot to high setting. Place chicken thighs in crockpot.  Mix pesto, ranch mix and chicken broth together and pour onto chicken.  Close with lid and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.  About 10 minutes before you are ready to eat, place cheese slices onto the thighs.  Enjoy!