Italian Chicken

Servings:  6

Prep Time:  5 minutes to crock pot;  30 minutes later

Cook Time:  8 to 10 hours

Katherine's Rating:  10 out of 10

Scott's Rating:  7 out of 10

Ingredients:

• 6 chicken breast; bone in, skin removed (I used 6 boneless, skinless breasts)
• 8 oz Fat Free Italian Dressing (you don't have to use fat free - I'm just trying to cut calories)
• 8 oz Fat Free Cream Cheese (same as above - your choice)
• 14 oz Reduced-sodium Chicken Broth
• 10.5 oz (1 can) 98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup
• 1/2 tsp Rosemary
• 1/2 tsp Thyme
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 12 oz angel hair pasta

Directions:

• Put the chicken breasts in a slow cooker and pour the Italian salad dressing over them.  Cook on low 8-10 hours.  If you use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cook 5-6 hours instead.
• Remove chicken breasts from slow cooker and discard Italian dressing.  Put the cream cheese, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, rosemary, thyme, and salt and pepper in the slow cooker.  Stir together as the ingredients melt.
• Meanwhile, remove the chicken from the bones and cut in small pieces (I just shredded using two forks).  Put the chicken back in the slow cooker with the sauce.  
• Cook together another hour.  Or, you can do this step on the stove to speed it up.  After it has cooked together; allow it to cool.  
• Serve over cooked angel hair pasta.  
• I topped mine with a sprinkle of Tastefully Simple Seasoning Salt and Tastefully Simple Spinach and Herb seasonings.  I also served it with a side of steamed broccoli and a slice of Tastefully Simple Beer Bread!

This can be a bit labor intensive in that you have to do a bit more after it's done in the crock pot.  Deboning can take a while and then shredding isn't necessarily quick.  So I made three batches of this at the same time using two crock pots.  Then I froze them in gallon size freezer bags after they cooled (minus the pasta - I made that fresh).  I pulled one out of the freezer and stuck in the refrigerator overnight.  All I had to do then was make the pasta and heat the chicken.  EASY!  And pretty quick!  One of my all time favorite recipes!

Breakfast Burrito

Servings:  8

Prep Time:  5 minutes

Cook Time:  20 minutes

Katherine's Rating:  9 out of 10

Ingredients:

• 4 whole eggs
• 2 cups liquid eggs
• Seasoning blend of onions and peppers
• 8" flour tortilla
• 1 package turkey sausage crumbles
• 2 servings shredded colby jack cheese (I think this was about a cup)
• 16 Tbsp Salsa

Directions:

• Cook eggs and seasoning blend in a large skillet until eggs are the consistency you like (a tiny bit runny is okay if you're freezing them because they will finish cooking in the microwave).
• Divide egg mixture, sausage, and cheese into 8 equal parts.
• Put 1/8 of the eggs, sausage, and cheese on each tortilla shell.  Top each with 2 Tbsp salsa.
• Wrap "burrito" style and lay flat on a cookie sheet.
• Set in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
• Bring out of the freezer and wrap each burrito in tin foil.  Return to freezer.
• To reheat - set microwave on medium and heat for 3-4 minutes.

Egg-in-the-Hole

Source:  The Pioneer Woman

Servings:  2

Prep Time:  3 minutes

Cook Time:  10 minutes

Katherine's Rating:  7 out of 10

Scott's Rating:  He turned his nose up because he doesn't like anything but scrambled - but he ate them anyway.  I just didn't ask for a rating.  :)

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of bread
• 2 eggs
• butter
• salt
• pepper

Directions:

• I did not make up this recipe.  It's been around for ages under many different names.  I've seen it before but never made it.  When I saw it again on The Pioneer Woman website, I figured I might as well try it out!  For step by step pictures, check out her website.
• Cut a hole in the middle of the bread.  I used a glass rim but if you have a biscuit cutter, it'd probably work a lot better!
• Heat skillet on medium heat.
• Melt 1 Tbsp butter in skillet.
• Place bread in skillet and crack an egg in each hole of the bread.
• Season with salt and pepper.  (I also added some Tastefully Simple Spinach and Herb seasoning)
• Cook for about a minute until the egg is just a bit firm - be sure nothing is sticking to the skillet.
• Flip and season the other side - I added a little extra butter at this point to keep the toast and egg from sticking.
• You determine when they're done by the color of the toast and egg.  I let my toast get a little brown but not burnt and the yolks were pretty firm but still a tiny bit runny.  
• In order to accommodate Scott next time, I'll probably let the toast burn a bit and make sure the yolk is completely cooked and firm.

The Marlboro Man Sandwich

Source:  The Pioneer Woman

Servings:  4

Prep Time:  30 minutes

Cook Time:  30 minutes

Katherine's Rating:  7 out of 10

Scott's Rating:  7 out of 10

Katie's Rating:  7 out of 10

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 stick of butter
• 2-3 lbs cube steak
• Seasoned salt
• Worcestershire sauce
• Tabasco

Directions:

• I did not make up this recipe so don't want to accidentally take credit.  Head over to The Pioneer Woman website and check it out!  
• But here are some pictures of my attempt!  :)

Above is a shot of the final steak mixture before I covered it.  It smelled wonderful!

Above is a shot of the bread browning on a griddle - lots and lots of butter!

Above is a shot of the finished sandwich.  Yum!

Another shot of the sandwich.  We WILL be making this again.  :)

S'mores Cups

Source:  Texas Cottage

Servings:  The recipe says it makes 24 cups... I only got 16

Prep Time:  30 minutes

Cook Time:  5-7 minutes in the oven (total)

Katherine's Rating:  7 out of 10

Zack's Rating:  

Ingredients:

• 7 graham crackers crushed into fine crumbs
• 6 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 4 bars (1.55 oz) milk chocolate candy, divided
• 12 large marshmallows

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Mix first three ingredients in a small bowl until combined.
• Divide mixture into 24 mini cups (about 1 Tbsp each) and press down creating shallow cups.
• Bake 4-5 minutes until edges are bubbling.
• Meanwhile, break two of the bars into 24 rectangles.
• Remove pan from oven and place one rectangle in each cup.
• Cut marshmallows in half using shears dipped in cold water.  Place a half cut side down on each cup.
• Return to oven for 1-2 minutes or until marshmallows are slightly softened.
• Remove pans to cooling rack for 15 minutes.  Then carefully remove cups from pan and place on cooling rack and cool completely.
• Break remaining chocolate into pieces and microwave in short bursts until melted - stirring frequently.
• Dip the top of each cup into chocolate and turn right side up and return to rack.  Let set for 40-60 minutes.
• Can store in air tight container for up to 1 week.

Baked Potato Soup

Adapted from:  Mama Loves Food

Servings:  A Lot, maybe 10-12

Prep Time:  30 minutes

Cook Time:  6 or 10 hours

Katherine's Rating:  8 out of 10

Scott's Rating:  9 out of 10

Ingredients:

• 5 lbs Russett Potatoes, washed but not peeled - cut into 1/2 inch(ish) cubes
• 1 large yellow onion, diced (I used white)
• 10 cloves garlic (whole, crushed, or minced) - (I used minced)
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 1 Tbsp seasoned salt or all purpose seasoning (I used Mrs. Dash)
• 16 oz cream cheese

Directions:

• Add potatoes, onion, garlic, seasonings, and chicken stock to 6 quart or larger slow cooker.
• Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.
• Remove 1/3 to 1/2 of the soup including all the whole garlic cloves if you used them.
• Add cream cheese to the removed soup and puree the mixture.  Reintroduce to the remainder in the slow cooker.
• Stir until soup is well blended.
• Top with your choice of garnishes and serve!  I used green onions, cheese, and bacon.

Notes:

• I removed about 1/3 to puree but ended up having to add more to get the right consistency.  I used an immersion blender to puree the mixture.  It worked perfectly. 
• I used shredded colby jack cheese, bacon bits, and chopped green onion for garnish.  I also had to add a bit of salt.  Next time I'll probably add a dollop of sour cream as well.  

Pepperoni Roll Ups

Source:  Plain Chicken

Servings:  8 rolls

Prep Time:  5 minutes

Cook Time:  12-15 minutes

Katherine's Rating:  7 out of 10

Scott's Rating:  8 out of 10

Ingredients:

• 1 can Crescent Rolls
• 40 Pepperoni
• 4 mozzarella cheese sticks cut in half
• Garlic powder
• Pizza sauce 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375
• Unroll crescent rolls and separate 8 triangles.
• Place 5 slices of pepperoni on each crescent roll.
• Top pepperoni with string cheese half and roll up.
• Sprinkle crescent rolls with garlic powder.
• Place rolls on baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
• Serve with a side of warm pizza sauce.