White Bean Chicken Chili

Growing up, my mom made this delicious white chili. I introduced my family to it and they were in love! Its easy to throw together, filling and great for a family with lots of oinkers hungry kids. I'm listing the larger version, but you can half the recipe if you only need to feed a few.

Ingredients

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cans great northern beans
2 cans chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped green chilis
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese (use pepper jack for an extra spice)

1. Place chicken in the crockpot, add beans, broth, chilis and spices.

2. About 30 minutes before serving, mix 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch with 1/2 cup of cold water. Pour into soup and stir. This will thicken the chili up a bit.

3. A few minutes before serving shred chicken (if it needs it) and add cheese. Serve piping hot!

Savory Split Pea Soup

Split pea soup is either something you really love or really hate. I happen to really love it, and its cheap to make so I double love it! I have to admit its not the prettiest meal I've ever seen, but it sure is yummy.

 

Ingredients

Bag of dried split peas

1 medium onion, chopped

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

8 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

2-3 carrots

Ham hock or Bacon (I used a handful of bacon ends and pieces from a $7 pack I had. Buying the ends and pieces is cheaper than buying the regular packs of bacon and lasts forever.)

salt and pepper to taste

 

1. Rinse and drain peas and add to crockpot. Heat olive oil in a pan and sautee the onion and garlic. Add to crockpot.

 

2. Add in the broth, meat, carrots and salt and pepper, stir well.

 

 

 

 3. Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 4-6 hours. Stir before serving.

 

 

Ok definitely not the prettiest but its delicious!

 

 



Savory Chicken Noodle Soup

I made this delicious soup yesterday. The hubs had some dental work done and needed something soft for dinner. I looked over several recipes to see what other people put in thiers and then I whipped up my own version. Not to toot my own horn but it was seriously the best chicken noodle soup I've ever had! I seem to be on a roll with yummy soups lately haha!

 

Ingredients:

 

1/2 bag of boneless skinless chicken thighs (you can also use 2-3 chicken breasts or shredded chicken)

3 cans of chicken broth

1 can corn

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 onion chopped

3 cups sliced carrots

3 cups sliced celery

1/2 tablespoon salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. minced garlic or 2 small cloves chopped

 

 

1. Add all ingredients to crockpot, stir well.

 

 

2. Cook on low 6-8 hours.

3. 30 min before serving add bag of egg noodles. You may have to add a little bit of water at this stage if you like it soupy. 

4. Serve and enjoy!

Crockpot Taco Chicken

Here is another crockpot chicken recipe. Chicken is fairly cheap so I make a lot of variations of it. Does it seem like the cost of groceries has gone up just in the past couple months? I'm not sure but I
really think it has. My grocery bill has increased like $30 and I'm buying the same stuff I always have. It probably has something to do with the rising cost of gas. Ugh. I guess this means I'm going to have to come up with even more ways to cook beans and rice lol!

Ingredients
3-4 chicken breasts
1 can enchilada sauce (I used  the mild green chili kind)
1 packet taco seasoning
OR
1 1/2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning (Recipe Here )

1. Place chicken in crockpot. Sprinkle with taco seasoning and then pour enchilada sauce over chicken.

 

2. Cook on low 4-6 hours.

3. When chicken is cooked, shred. You can serve over rice, in a burrito or taco.

I had some left over black beans and rice which I layered on my tortilla, added chicken then topped with cheese and green onions.

Steven fried up some tortillas, added the chicken then topped with cheese, cilantro and tapatio. He had the leftover beans and rice on the side. His looks so pretty!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

With the colder weather we've been having I was excited to make my first soup of the fall. Potatoes are pretty cheap right now so I took advantage of that and decided to make Potato Soup. This soup turned out amaaaazing!

Ingredients

5lbs russet potatoes, scrubbed and diced
4 cloves roasted garlic (for instructions go Here ) You can also use 3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 large onion, chopped
64 oz. chicken broth
16 oz cream cheese
Bacon, chives, cheese for garnish

1. Combine potatoes, garlic, onion and broth in crockpot. Cook on low 8 hours or high for 5 hours.

2. 1 hour before serving slice up cream cheese and add to soup.

3. When soup is ready to serve add to blender and blend. I took the soup from the crockpot to the blender and then poured into a pot. There was so much soup I had to do this in sections. Make sure your lid is on TIGHT! Don't overfill the blender and be very careful with the hot soup.  (My lid popped off during the blending process and I got burning hot soup on my arm OUCH!)

4. Serve in bowls and top with bacon, cheese and chives.

Ranch Pork Chops w/ Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

This is a delicious recipe, cheap and filling.

Ingredients:

6 pork chops can be boneless or bone-in
1 packet dry ranch seasoning
10 oz can cream of chicken soup

1. Place chops in crockpot. Mix ranch and chicken soup and pour/spread over chops. I would suggest using only 3/4 the packet as it came out a bit salty using the whole packet.

2. Cook on low 6 hours.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

 

Ingredients:

 

4lbs peeled, washed and cubed potatoes

5 tablespoons butter

1 cup fresh, grated parmesan cheese

6 cloves roasted garlic (for instructions go here)

1-1/2 cups warm milk

1 beef or chicken boullion cube.

salt and pepper to taste

 

1. Boil potatoes with boullion until tender. You can substitute a cup of beef or chicken broth for the boullion.

 

2. Drain and empty into mixing bowl. Mix on low just a little, then add butter, parmesan, milk, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix until desired consistency. You can add more or less milk to make them runnier or thicker.

 

3. Scoop mashed potatoes onto a plate, top with pork chops and gravy.

 



Black Beans and Rice with Vinaigrette

This is a traditional Brazilian meal. Why Brazilian? My grandparents are missionaries and have spent a lot of time in Brazil. My dad grew up in Brazil, and that side of my family speaks fluent Portugese. I studied Portugese in highschool and got to where I could speak very brokenly. Of course I've kind of forgotten most of it lol. If I had the time, I would definitely pick it back up.

1. Start with a 1lb bag of dry beans. I used a 2lb bag since my Marine and my football player eat a TON. Wash beans and pick out any rocks. Pour in crockpot.

 

2. Cover with water until there is at least an inch above the beans. You may have to add more water as the beans cook. I add:

 

1 beef boullion cube

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp minced garlic

 



3. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Or high for 4-6 hours. 1 hour before serving, slice up a ring of polska kielbasa and half an onion. You could also use smoked sausage or something similar. If you really love onions, chop up the whole. Saute in butter until browned and carmelized.

 

4. Stir into beans.
5. Cook up some rice according to directions.
6. For vinaigrette, chop up half an onion, a green pepper and a red pepper.

 

7. Place in container, cover in white vinager and let sit for an hour before serving.

 

8. Serve up white or brown rice, top with beans, then top with vinaigrette. The vinaigrette is pretty strong so start with a little and then add more if you like it. Yum yum!

 

Crockpot Southwest Chicken

My crockpot is a lifesaver. I looove making crockpot meals. Here is another easy crockpot recipe I sort of made up.

Ingredients

1 can black beans
1 can tomato sauce or diced tomatoes
1 can corn
4-5 chicken breasts
4oz cream cheese
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon lemon pepper
Rice

1. Mix together beans, corn, tomato sauce and spices. Add chicken.

2. 1 hour before serving add in cream cheese. Stir several times over the next hour until cream cheese is melted. If you are counting calories you can substitute 3/4 cup of non/low fat yogurt.

3. Serve over rice or tortilla chips.

Crockpot Chicken&Dumplings

Chicken and dumplings. Mmm. The ultimate southern comfort food. I remember when I first made this dish for Steven and my oldest stepson Bryan. They had never had chicken and dumplings before and absolutely devoured it.  It is a favorite in our family! Its also easy,cheap and filling, which is a necessity in our house.

Ingredients

2 26oz cans of cream of chicken soup
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cans Pillsbury biscuit dough

1. Dump cream of chicken soup in crockpot. Add 1 1/2 cans of water. Add spices and chicken. You can use fresh or frozen. I prefer fresh but the frozen was on sale and I needed chicken for another recipe this week. Stir all together. Cook on low 4-5 hours.

2. 30 minutes before serving, cut biscuit dough in halves and add to crockpot. Give one quick stir and replace lid. Stir again before serving. Dumplings should be soft but not "doughy" (no idea how to spell that word lol)

 

 



Simple, Cheap Crockpot Chicken

This is the recipe I made for Steven's birthday. It's easy to throw together, very cheap and so yummy! You can use the chicken for chicken tacos, enchiladas, or any other recipe that calls for chicken.

You will need:
1 whole chicken
2 tbsp. Balsamic Vinager
1/2 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. minced garlic or 2 cloves

1. Place whole chicken in crock pot. Pour oil and vinager over chicken and sprinkle with spices. Place garlic cloves under the skin or spread the minced garlic over the top.

2. Cook on low 7-8 hours. Pull chicken out and shred, removing bones and skin.

Steven always has to do this part for me, I get too grossed out seeing the chicken parts lol.