Tales from the Homeside: 2012

Monday, June 25, 2012

Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

Spaghetti is my all-time favorite food. So, anytime I can try something different with it -- I'm all for it.

I stumbled across this Weight Watchers recipe for crockpot chicken spaghetti, but decided to "fatten" it up a bit. The flavors in this dish are nothing less than amazing -- the heartiness of the chicken (I used freshly cooked cubed chicken breast), the creaminess of the cheese, and the spice from the Rotel tomatoes with green chilies come together for a very delicious entree. Definitely making this again soon.

Recipe

1 lb Kraft Velveeta Pasteurized Processed Cheese Product
12 1/2 oz canned chicken, drained & flaked
10 3/4 oz can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
10 3/4 oz can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
10 oz can tomatoes with green chilies, Rotel
4 oz can mushrooms, stems and pieces, drained
1/2 c water
1 small onion, diced
1 med green bell pepper, diced
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
14 1/2 oz cooked spaghetti

Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and stir to mix well. Cook on LOW for 2-3 hours. Stir again just before serving.

From: http://livingachangedlife.blogspot.com/2011/03/recipe-review-crockpot-cheesy-chicken.html

I cut up the Velveeta into cubes so it would melt better.

Mix all the ingredients together. Cook on low for 2-3 hours, stir, then enjoy!

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Strawberries and Cream Cobbler

I love strawberries. I love cream cheese. So, when I stumbled across this super easy recipe, I figured I needed to try it. It is really easy to make and doesn't have many ingredients.

I was very pleased with how it turned out and definitely plan on making it again in the future experimenting with different fruit (peaches, blueberries, etc.).

Recipe

1 stick (1/2 c) butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 c milk
1 c all-purpose flour
1 c sugar
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 quarts whole strawberries, washed and capped
4 oz cream cheese, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and pour into a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together the egg, milk, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Pour directly over the butter in the baking dish, but do not stir.

Add the strawberries (I cut my strawberries into quarters, but you can place them in whole if you like), arranging in a single layer as much as possible. Sprinkle cream cheese pieces over strawberries. Place in preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until top is golden brown and edges are bubbling. (Crust rises up and around the fruit, but fruit will still peek out of top.)

From: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=387979

Ranch Chicken Roll-ups

I found this quick and easy recipe online today and was able to make it using ingredients I already had in my pantry.

It is super simple to make and took no time to throw it together. The cheese and chicken meld perfectly together to create a delicious filling inside the buttery, flaky crescent roll. I tweaked the original recipe a little. Instead of salt and pepper, I used Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix to flavor the chicken mixture.

Even the boys (aka extremely picky eaters) gave this recipe two thumbs up.

Recipe

2 cups shredded, cooked chicken breasts
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
1.5 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
2 cans crescent rolls

Combine chicken, cheeses, and dressing mix. Spoon onto crescent rolls. Roll them up making sure the chicken mixture is sealed inside. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

From: http://jennasjourneyblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/chicken-roll-ups.html