Itialian Chicken and Potatoes

 Here's another one of my favorite crock pot recipes...perfect for yet another cold, snow weekend:

Italian Chicken and Potatoes

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/2 cup Italian Salad Dressing

1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

4 to 6 medium red potatoes, cut into wedges

Preparation:

Place chicken in bottom of Crock Pot. Sprinkle with half of the Italian dressing, seasoning, and grated cheese. Place potatoes around the chicken. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients.

Cook on low for about 6-8 hours, or until the chicken is done and potatoes are tender.

Serve with steamed green beans sprinkled with Italian seasoning and Ta..da...

 

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Following my reading of Daughters of the Dust by Julie Dash this past weekend, I was compelled to fix a pot of Gumbo and cornbread muffins. I found this recipe by Paula Dean (courtesy of FoodNetwork.com) and it was fabulous! 

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Ingredients

• 3 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons margarine
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic minced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 stalks celery chopped
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 bunch flat leaf parsley, stems and leaves, coarsely chopped, plus chopped leaves for garnish
• 4 cups hot water
• 5 beef bouillon cubes
• 1 (14-ounce can) stewed tomatoes with juice
• 2 cups frozen sliced okra
• 4 green onions, sliced, white and green parts
• 1/2 pound small shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked

Directions

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until browned on both sides and remove. Add the sausage and cook until browned, then remove. Sprinkle the flour over the oil, add 2 tablespoons of margarine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until brown, about 10 minutes. Let the roux cool.
Return the Dutch oven to low heat and melt the remaining 3 tablespoons margarine. Add the onion, garlic, green pepper and celery and cook for 10 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, to taste and the 1/4 bunch parsley. Cook, while stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Add 4 cups hot water and bouillon cubes, whisking constantly. Add the chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Add tomatoes and okra. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Just before serving add the green onions, shrimp and chopped parsley.

Chicken and Fresh Fruit Salad

 Ok, just close the drapes, pretend there isn't any snow on the ground and the temperature outside isn't below freezing. Now let's step away from all of those Christmas Cookies and make this really easy and fabulous salad, then sit back to enjoy a taste of sunshine!

Ingredients:

Steamed, Diced Chicken

Spring Salad Mix & Baby Spinach Leaves

Mandarin Oranges

Sliced Strawberries

Green Grapes, Halved

Dried Cranberries

Glazed Pecans

Crumbled Blue Cheese (completely optional)

Rasberry Vinaigrette dressing

I make this quite often during the summer months for a quick light meal and usually serve it with fresh baked muffins....cranberry-orange muffins are wonderful with this! But last night I just figured we could use a momentary escape from all the snow we've been getting...as well as all the Christmas Cookies we've been eating. 

~Enjoy~

Chicken And Corn Chowder

Well, we're bracing for another snow storm! You know when the weather forecasters talk about snow in "feet" rather than "inches" it's not a good sign! Another Lake Effect Snow Warning is in effect for our area from tomorrow night until Tuesday...or so.  But, I'm ready, I went to the grocery store and stocked up on the necessities and I have a list of snow day activities planned.  So bring it on Old Man Winter, we're ready for ya!
It's the perfect weather for our favorite Chicken and Corn Chowder recipe, so I thought I'd share with you as well.

This recipe is so easy and simple...and as an added bonus it cooks in the slowcooker! Easy, delicious, and time-saving...what more can you ask for?

CROCKPOT CHICKEN AND CORN CHOWDER

Ingredients

2 Cups Lumpy Mashed Potatos (Yes, that's right lumpy...it's ok this time)

1 can (10-3/4 oz) Cream of Chicken Soup

1Cup diced chicken

1 can whole kernel corn

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup diced red bell pepper

1 can chopped mild green chiles

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup milk

Directions

Combine the soups, chicken, corn,potatos, chicken broth, bell pepper, chiles, salt, pepper and thyme in a 4- to 6- quart crockpot. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours. Add milk and cook for about 30 minutes longer, or until hot. Serves 4 to 6, and can easily be doubled for a larger crowd.