Creamy Black Bean Salsa Chicken

2 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup salsa
1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
1 pkg taco seasoning
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Place chicken in greased 3 1/2 to 5-quart slow cooker. Pour broth, salsa, corn, beans, and taco seasoning over chicken. Cover and cook on low heat 6-8 hours or on high heat 3-4 hours. Remove chicken with slotted spoon and place on serving dish. Stir sour cream and cheese into sauce in slow cooker, then pour over chicken. Makes 3-5 servings.

Serve with warm flour tortillas and Spanish rice.

I did 2 chicken breasts. Plenty! Had some for leftovers and lots to freeze and use another time. I also cut my chicken breasts into strips. I cooked for 4 hours on high and it was great. I pulled the chicken out and shredded then poured the beans/corn mixture on top and mixed altogether. I did not add sour cream. I shredded the cheese and served on the side with lettuce, rice (not spanish rice), & ranch to make like a taco/burrito. Also, I only used about 1/3 pkg of taco seasoning, but it definitely could have used more.

"Show-Off" Salad

- Romaine lettuce, torn

- Fresh strawberries (sliced)
- 2 small cans of chilled mandarin oranges (drained)
- Red onion (diced)
- Sliced Swiss Cheese (torn into bite size pieces)
- Fresh Bacon Bits
- Feta cheese
- “Emerald’s Pecan Pie Pecans” (a green bag in the nut section of the grocery store) – sugar coated pecans
- “Brianna’s Poppy Seed Dressing” (glass jar), chilled

Use a large salad bowl. Put the romaine lettuce in the bowl so it filled half to ¾ full (depending on how many people you are feeding). You will be arranging the ingredients like a “pie” shape. There will be 7 “pieces of pie” arranged around the top of the salad. Don't mix the ingredients until right before serving. Once you are ready to eat, toss in the chilled salad dressing with the salad and serve immediately!

Buttermilk Syrup

1 1/2 C Sugar

3/4 C Buttermilk (if you don'r have buttermilk, use regular milk with a splash of lemon juice)

1/2 C Butter

2 T Corn Syrup

1 tsp Baking Soda

2 tsp vanilla

Combine all the above ingredients except vanilla in a small deep sauce pan, Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes stirring constantly(till light brown color). Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Note: When you add the baking soda the mixture rises up.--always use a deep pan.

Pancake/Waffle batter

Forget Bisquick! This is way better!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. flour
6 tsp. baking powder
2 T. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 c. milk
4 T. oil

Just throw everything in a bowl and mix it together. If you want you can add any mix-in you would like.

Creamy Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

3 large boneless/skinless chicken breats cut into bite size pieces
1 medium onion diced
1 spoonful of mince garlic and some juice

2 15.5 oz cans great northern white beans rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth (I use about 1/2 of one of those boxes of chicken broth)
2 (4oz) cans chopped green chilies

Seasonings:

1 tsp ground cumin (don't skip out on this!)
1 tsp Garlic salt (or just salt)
1 tsp dried oregano
a few twists of pepper grinder (or 1/2 tsp)

Creamy goodness:

1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

Directions:

In a Large sauce pan saute chicken, onion, and garlic until chicken has a few brown side and no pink. Add beans, broth, chilies, and seasonings. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer about 20 minutes uncovered. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and cream. Serve immediately

Mexican Bubble Pizza

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 package (1 oz) taco seasoning mix
3/4 cup water
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed tomato soup
1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup Thick 'n Chunky salsa
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 container (8 oz) sour cream, if desired
3 green onions, sliced, if desired

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently; drain. Add taco seasoning mix, water and soup; mix well. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Cut each biscuit into 8 pieces. Add pieces to beef mixture; stir gently. Spoon mixture into ungreased 13x9-inch pan.
3. Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and biscuits are golden brown. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 8 to 10 minutes longer or until cheese is bubbly.
4. To serve, cut pizza into 8 squares. Top each serving with remaining ingredients.

stri fry chicken and pineapple in sweet and sour sauce

Ingredients
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons orange juice
6 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large red onion, halved and sliced
1/4 inch thick
2 cups fresh pineapple chunks (14 ounces)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 scallions, sliced thin
S & P
Directions: Whisk the vinegar, orange juice, sugar, ketchup, and cornstarch together in a small bowl and set aside.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and slice it into 1/2-inch wide strips, season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until just beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the pineapple and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Whisk the vinegar mixture to recombine, then add with the chicken to the skillet. Toss until all the ingredients are well coated with sauce. Sprinkle with the scallions before serving. Serve over white rice.
using fresh pineapple is a must!

Alfredo Sauce Recipe

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 Tablespoons olive oil

4 Tablespoons fresh chopped garlic

3 Cups heavy cream

1 Large pinch of salt

Fresh ground pepper

2 Cups Parmesan or Asiago cheese, finely grated



Place the butter & olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat & melt the butter. Add the garlic & turn heat down to low. Stirring often so the garlic doesn't brown, gently cook garlic until very aromatic & cooked through. Next, add cream, salt & pepper & turn heat to medium, bringing to a gentle simmer. Allow the cream to reduce by about one third. Whisk in the cheese & adjust seasonings if needed. Pour over just about anything!

Chopped Salad

Just made this the other night and it was so yummy. Actually, made it during the day while the kids were napping and chilled it until dinner.

green leaf lettuce
baby spinach
crisp bacon
hard boiled eggs
tomatoes
colby jack cheese, shredded
avocados
salad macaroni noodles

chop everything up into bite size pieces. toss. serve with your favorite dressing...I like Poppyseed the best with this.

other things to add are:
blue cheese
chicken
dried cranberries
mandarin oranges
cashews
green onions
frozen corn
pineapple tidbits
***you can really add anything you want and it will give you a little different flavor.