Slow cookier Italian Chicken Alfredo

• 4 (4 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped canned mushrooms (optional)
• 1 (8 ounce) package spaghetti (or noodle of your choice)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Spray the crock of a slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken breasts in crock. Combine Italian dressing mix, and water in a small bowl. Pour over chicken; sprinkle with garlic, cover, and cook on Low 4 hours.
2. After 4 hours, whisk softened cream cheese and cream of chicken soup together in a bowl. Pour over chicken; stir in mushrooms. Cover and cook on Low for 1 additional hour.
3. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the spaghetti, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
4. To serve, spoon chicken and sauce over hot cooked pasta and sprinkle with parsley. 

 

From Allrecipes.com

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup milk chocolate chips
4 tablespoons butter
In a large bowl, combine sugars, peanut butter, 1/2 cup butter, and vanilla. Mix with an electric mixer until well combined. Press mixture into an ungreased 13″ x 9″ baking pan.
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine milk chocolate chips and 4 tablespoons butter. Microwave for 30-40 seconds, until chips are melted. Stir until smooth. Pour chocolate over peanut butter mixture.
Place pan in refrigerator and chill until firm. Cut into squares.
Store in refrigerator.

Tastes like the buckeyes, but so much easier!

Recipe from http://alskamom.wordpress.com/2011/12/21/no-bake-chocolate-peanut-butter-squares/

Korean Beef

Quick and easy Korean Beef
1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 - 1/2 cup brown sugar
 1/4 cup soy sauce (I use low-sodium)
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced (see note)
1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red peppers (to desired spiciness)
salt and pepper
1 bunch green onions, diced (don't skip this!)

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown hamburger with garlic in the sesame oil. Drain most of the fat and add brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper and red peppers. Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors. Serve over steamed rice and top with green onions.

Recipe from http://elizabethbryant.blogspot.com/2010/05/korean-beef.html

Yogurt Pops

2c yogurt - any type you like - we like raspberry fruit on the bottom
2c fruit - either fresh or frozen
1/2c-3/4c confectionary sugar

Mix in blender. Pour into molds (popsicle molds, ice trays with sticks, small paper cups with sticks etc)
Freeze.  Eat.

Fun to make with the kids, yummy, and pretty nutrious - bonus.

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

Ingredients:

20 ice cream sandwiches (regular, sugar free, strawberry or neopolitan)

1 8 oz. container frozen whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed

sprinkles or crumbled candy bar or cookies

Preparation:

Cut one ice cream sandwich in half. Place one whole ice cream sandwich and one half of an ice cream sandwich side by side across the short end of a 9 x 13 pan.

Next to those ice cream sandwiches, arrange 8 more ice cream sandwiches lengthwise, to cover the bottom of the pan.
Top with half of the whipped topping.
Repeat layers: ice cream sandwiches,whipped topping. Scatter sprinkles, cookies etc. over top.
Freeze, uncovered 2 hours. Cover with foil and freeze another hour.

Notes: Recipe is from my mom and is great for those who are watching their fat and sugar intake. It's one of family favorites because it is so easy. If you want more chocolate you can put a layer of hot fudge sauce on the ice cream sandwiches before the whipped topping.

OREO Truffles

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided

1 (8 ounce) package  Cream Cheese, softened

2 (8 ounce) packages  Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted

Directions

1. Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.
2. Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
3. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

Recipe is from Allrecipes.

Christmas Mix

3c pretzels (minature)
1 16oz dry roast peanuts (opt)
2 14oz bags M&Ms
3c Rice Chex
3c Cheerios
1 1/2lb white chocolate


Mix all the ingredients except the white chocolate in a big bowl. Melt the chocolate and pour over the mix. Mix everything together to get it all coated. Pour out onto wax paper to cool. It will cool in clusters.

Recipe is one I made growing up at Christmas.

Cap'n Crunch Clusters

1lb almond bark
2T peanut butter
4c Cap'n Crunch Peant Butter Cereal

Melt almond bark, add peanut butter. Add cereal. Mix. Drop by spoonful on wax paper in clusters. Let cool.

Recipe is from Ann Redman. It is one that I grew up with.

Enchiladas

1lb ground beef
8oz pkg cream cheese
15oz can enchilada sauce (I prefer green over red)
8-10 flour tortialls
1c shredded co-jack cheese (or whatever you have on hand)

Brown ground beef and drain the grease. Heat beef, cream cheese and 1c enchilada sauce in skillet over low heat until well combined. Put a small amount of enchilada sauce on bottom of 9x13pan; just enough to cover the bottom. Divide the beef mixture into the 8-10 flour tortillas and roll up. Place in dish with seam side down. Pour remaining suace over tortialls. Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 about 30min or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Serve with rice, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, extra cheese etc.

Recipe is from my mom.

Parmesan Chicken

Place 4 chicken breasts in a greased pan.

Mix 1/2c miracle whip
       1/4c Parmesan cheese
       1t oregano

Spoon mixture over the chicken.

Bake 45min at 375.

Recipe is from my mom.

Chicken Cassorole

2c chicken, cut up (can use chicken from the Chicken Mix recipe)
2 cans cream soup (I prefer cream of chicken)
1pkg cheddar (2c)
2c uncooked macaroni
1small onion sliced, diced (opt)
2c milk

Grease a 9x13 pan. Mix ingredients. Pour into pan. Store in fridge overnight.
Cook at 350F for 50-60min.

Notes: This is super easy and nice to fix when you have visitors b/c you make it the night before - that's why you don't have to cook the macaroni. This is a favorite and rarely any leftovers when we are all together.

Recipe is from my mom.

Mini Oreo Cheesecakes

1 pkg oreo cookies
2 (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2c sugar
1t vanilla
2 eggs
paper muffin cups

Preheat oven to 325F

Place muffin cups in a muffin pan.
Place an oreo in each cup.
Beat remaining ingredients. Spoon mixture into cups - about 3/4 of the way up. Crush some cookies and sprinkle on top. Bake 20-25 min.
Let cool. Refrigerate 1hour or overnight.

Raspberry-Applesauce Dessert

1 lg pkg. red reaspberry gelatin
1c hot water
1T lemon juice
2c applesauce
2 (10 oz) pkgs red raspberreis, lightly thawed.

Combin gelatin and hot water, stir until dissovled. Add lemon juice and applesauce. Add raspberries including juice. Pour into 13x91/2x2 sheet pan. Chill until firm. May be decoragted with Dream Whip.

Notes: Funny story about this recipe. I was first introduced to this by my sister-in-law, Erin. Then Ryan made it for one of his family functions and they were impressed that He made it! I guess Ryan had done a good job of keeping his cooking skills a secret - even though it's a pretty easy recipe for how yummy it tastes. Now this recipe is our regular standby for family pitchin functions.
Even though it says dessert, it works as a side dish too.

3-packet Pot Roast

1 packet ranch dry mix
1 packet italian dressing dry mix
1 packet dry onion soup mix
Roast
Potatoes and carrots
Water

Add roast  to slow cooker, potatoes and carrots next. Sprinkle the packets. Add enough water to almost cover. Cook on low for ~8 hours.

I'm not sure where I got this recipe. It's an easy one for sure.

Cranberry Chicken

8oz Catalina Dressing
1 pkg dry onion soup mix
1lb can whole berry cranberry sauce
4 chicken breasts (can use a few more)

Cooking Day:
Mix everything together. Place in freezer bag. Freeze

Serving Day:
Thaw in greased baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 for about an hour or so.

Recipe is from Don't Panic Dinner is in the Freezer Cookbook.

Rice Crispy Treats

1T butter

1 bag of marshmallows

6c rice crispy cereal

1/4c flaxmeal seed

Melt butter. Add marshmallows. Stir until melted. Remove from heat. Add cereal and flax.

Pour into a 9x13 greased pan. Cool.

Tips:

• Add flavored marshmallows for a new spin on it such as strawberries.
• Melt some chocolate and pour over top
• Use puffed rice cereal for a change of pace too.
• Add 1/3cup cake mix

Recipe adapted from Deceptively Deliciously cookbook.

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

1 pound cubed beef stew meat

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed golden mushroom soup (or potato, asparagus etc)
1/2 cup chopped onion (opt)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup water
4 ounces cream cheese

1.In a slow cooker, combine the meat, soup, onion, Worcestershire sauce and water.


2.Cook on Low setting for 8 hours, or on High setting for about 5 hours. Stir in cream cheese just before serving.
 
Notes: Super easy and one of Ryan's favorites.
 
Recipe from allrecipes.

Slow Cooker Ham

2 cups packed brown sugar
1 (8 pound) cured, bone-in picnic ham
 
Spread about 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar on the bottom of the slow cooker crock. Place the ham flat side down into the slow cooker - you might have to trim it a little to make it fit. Use your hands to rub the remaining brown sugar onto the ham. Cover, and cook on Low for 8 hours. Ham shreds when done.
 
Recipe from Allrecipes.

Chicken Mix + Broth

This is an easy method to make ahead some bite size chicken to use in future recipes plus broth that can be frozen. All amounts are approximate so adjust for your tastes and what fits in your slow cooker.

5-6lbs chicken breasts (either whole or cut up)
Cover chicken with water
3T parsley flakes
4 carrots, peeled & chopped
<2t salt
1/2t pepper
2t basil

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook 7-8 hours until chicken is done.
Cut up chicken if didn't previously. Strain broth and freeze in 1-2c freezer containers. Measure 2c chicken mixture and place in freezer bags.

Use within 3 months.

Recipe adapted from Make-A-Mix cookbook.

Peanut Butter Cookies

These will be the easiest, best peanut butter cookies you'll ever make!

1c smooth peanut butter 
1c sugar
1t baking soda
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4c mini chocolate chips

Mix pb with the sugar, baking soda, and egg until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Roll tablespoons of the dough into 24 balls.
Place on baking sheets. Using a fork, make a crosshatch pattern on each cookie.
Bake ~15min  at 350 until cookies are lightly browned.

Tips:

• Can be made dairy-free if you use dairy-free chocolate chips.

Notes: Often in the winter, Ryan would make this recipe after the kids have gone to bed. They are worth staying up for!

Recipe from Food and Wine - Sept. 2008