Corn Salad

From Delish.com

4 c fresh or frozen corn, defrosted
1 c cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 c feta
1/4 red onion, chopped
1/4 c basil, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Salsa Chicken and Black Bean Soup

From ayearofslowcooking.com

1 pound chicken (I used frozen breast tenderloins)

1 cup dried black beans (or 2 cans, drained and rinsed)

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup frozen corn

1 jar prepared salsa (16 oz)

1 1/2 teaspoon cumin

--1/2 cup sour cream (to stir in at the end)

--shredded cheddar cheese, avocado slices, cilantro (all optional)

I used a 6.5 quart crockpot. You will need a 4 quart or larger. If you know you are going to make this the night before (yay for meal planning!) soak the

black beans in enough water to cover and another 2 inches overnight. In the morning, drain the water and rinse the beans. If you don't have super hard water or live in a super high altitude, you can quick soak the beans by pouring boiling water over them and let them sit for an hour or two. I did an hour, but 2 would really be better if you have the time.  Drain and rinse the beans. Add to the crockpot. Put in the chicken, and add the broth and salsa. Pour in the corn and mushrooms, and add the cumin. Stir, but don't disturb the beans---let them stay at the bottom of the pot, closest to the heating element. Cover and cook on high for 9 hours. Yup. High. For 9 hours. It took a crazy long time for the beans to soften, but they did.  If you are using beans you soaked overnight, canned beans, or pre-cooked beans, you can cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-5--similar to normal soup-cooking time.  If you'd like to thicken the broth (I did this), you can use your immersible blender (I love that thing) to blend a bit of the beans and chicken. If you don't have one, scoop out 2 cups of the soup and carefully blend in your traditonal blender. Stir the mixture back into the crockpot. Stir in the 1/2 cup of sour cream before serving, and garnish with shredded cheese and avocado slices.

Chewy Saucepan Blondies

From landolakes.com

We inhaled these and had to make more right away.

1/4 cup Land O Lakes® Butter

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 large Land O Lakes® Egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 8-inch square baking pan; set aside. Melt butter in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar; mix well. Cool 10 minutes. Stir in egg and vanilla. Add flour and salt; mix well. Stir in pecans.  Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake 22-27 minutes or until set. Cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Slow Cooker Jalapeno Popper Chicken Taquitos

From lecremedelacrumb.com; given to us by Aunt Wendy

3-4 chicken breasts, frozen or thawed

8 ounces cream cheese

⅓ cup jarred whole or sliced jalapeños, roughly chopped (or more, to taste)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin

16 taco-sized tortillas (I prefer flour but corn tortillas also work well)

1½ cups shredded cheese (colby jack, monterey jack, Mexican blend, mozzarella - use your favorite!)

optional toppings: fresh cilantro, additional jalapeños, dipping sauces such as ranch, salsa, green goddess dressing, OR see below for my Cafe Rio Tomatillo Ranch Dressing recipe

Add chicken, ½ cup water, cream cheese, jalapeños, garlic powder, salt, and cumin to crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours. (lesser times are for thawed chicken, greater times for frozen chicken)  30 minutes before serving, preheat the oven to 425 and grease a baking sheet with cooking spray. Use two forks to shred chicken and stir it in with the other contents of the crockpot. Heat tortillas in the microwave for a few seconds to soften them up, this will make them easier to work with. Sprinkle cheese in the middle of each tortilla (just divide the cheese evenly between all of the tortillas). Top cheese with 2-3 tablespoons of shredded chicken mixture. Roll tortillas tightly into a log-shape taquito. Place taquitos on baking sheet and spray heavily with cooking spray. Bake 10-15 minutes until cheese is melty and tortillas begin to brown. (For crispier taquitos, switch the oven to broil for 2-3 minutes - watch carefully so they don't burn!) Serve warm with dipping sauces and toppings if desired.

Café Rio Tomatillo Ranch

1 package Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix (dry)

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup mayo (I used reduced fat)

⅓ cup water

2 medium-sized tomatillos, husked and chopped

½ cup packed cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

1½ teaspoons minced garlic

1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely diced

1½ teaspoons lime juice

Add all ingredients to your blender and pulse 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add extra water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed to reach desired consistency. Chill at least one hour before use and store in fridge in airtight container. **Makes about 2 cups**

**Amy’s Version:  Make Barn Door Ranch Dressing (see in earlier section of cookbook).  Replace first four ingredients with 2 to 2 ½ cups homemade ranch dressing.  Continue recipe beginning with the tomatillos.**

Chocolate Kahlua Cheesecake

From goboldwithbutter.com

For the crust:

6 ounces crushed chocolate wafers

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the cheesecake:

24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1/4 cup Kahlua or other coffee-flavored liqueur

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 ounces (about 1 cup) bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

1/2 cup sour cream

For the whipped cream:

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Unsweetened cocoa powder, for garnish

Directions

To make crust:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9-inch round spring form pan.  Combine cookie crumbs and butter until thoroughly combined. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and press evenly and firmly into bottom of pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

To make cheesecake:

Using electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and sugar until thoroughly combined and smooth. Add eggs, liqueur and vanilla and mix well. Mix in chocolate. Mix in sour cream. Transfer cheesecake batter to pan and spread evenly. Bake for 15 minutes at 350°F.  Reduce oven temperature to 200°F. Bake cheesecake for 2 hours.

Turn off oven. Remove cheesecake from oven and gently run a thin knife around the edge of the pan.  Return cheesecake to oven and leave it inside oven with heat off for 2 hours. This will allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature without cracking. Remove cheesecake from oven. Cover loosely and chill overnight.

To make whipped cream:

Using electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat cream at medium-high speed until the cream begins to thicken. Sprinkle sugar over cream and continue beating until soft peaks form. Before serving the cheesecake, spoon whipped cream into pastry bag and pipe whipped cream around edge of cheesecake. Sprinkle with cocoa powder.

Broiled Steak and Asparagus with Feta Cream Sauce

From thekitchn.com

Serves 4

Olive oil cooking spray

2 bunches asparagus (about 2 pounds)

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 sirloin tip steaks (each 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick; about 2 1/4 pounds total)

1 cup (about 6 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

Preheat the broiler with a rack about 4 inches from the heat. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and mist a wire rack about the size of the sheet pan with cooking spray.

Snap off the bottom of one asparagus spear, to see where it breaks easily. Line up the rest of the bunch and slice off the bottoms at the same spot. Place the trimmed asparagus on the prepared pan, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and toss to coat. Arrange the asparagus in a single layer around the perimeter of the pan and set the wire rack on top, nudging the asparagus aside as needed so the rack lies flat and even.

Blot the steaks dry with a paper towel. Season both sides with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place the steaks on the wire rack.

Place the pan under the broiler (the steaks should be about an inch from the heat). Broil, flipping the steaks once, until well browned and charred at the edges, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. (If you prefer your steak more or less done, adjust the cooking time accordingly.)

While the steaks and asparagus cook, make the feta cream sauce: Combine the feta cheese, sour cream, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and cider vinegar in a food processor or blender. Puree the ingredients until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste and give the sauce one last pulse. Pour the sauce into a bowl and fold in the chives.

Remove the pan from the broiler and allow the steak and asparagus to rest for 10 minutes on the rack. Transfer the steak to a cutting board before slicing it thinly against the grain. Serve the steak and asparagus with the feta cream sauce.

Cajun Spice Mix

From allrecipes.com

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano

1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Stir together salt, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes until evenly blended. Store in an airtight container.

Slow Cooker Crock Pot Gumbo Recipe with Sausage, Chicken, and Shrimp

From tammileetips.com

1lb Chicken Breast (cut into bite size pieces)

1lb Smoked Sausage (kielbasa, farmers sausage, garlic sausage, etc)

1lb Shrimp, raw and shells removed (I left tails on for more flavor)

1 Onion, diced

1 Green pepper, diced

1 Hot pepper, (jalapeno, serrano, scotch bonnet, habanero, etc) (optional!!!)

3 ribs Celery, diced

1 can Diced tomatoes (28 oz)

3 tsp Garlic, minced

2 C Chicken broth

1 Tbsp. Cajun spice (or more if you prefer)

1 tsp Thyme

1 tsp Oregano

1⅓ C Rice (cooked)

Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker, except for the shrimp and the rice.

Cook on low for 6 – 7 hours, stirring occasionally

In last hour of cooking, salt the shrimp lightly, and then add them to the crock pot

In the last half hour of cooking, add the rice and stir. Replace cover. You want the rice just to warm through and take on some of the cooking flavors.

Serve with crusty bread, and enjoy!

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

From Trisha Yearwood.  I like this because it doesn't call for cream of chicken soup.  You make your own.
This is how I use up my leftover corn tortillas.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt
Chicken Gravy, recipe follows
1 cup canned green chiles, chopped and drained
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Cooking spray
Twenty-four 6-inch corn tortillas
3 cups shredded Cheddar
Chicken Gravy:
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup milk
Salt and pepper

Add the chicken to a large stockpot, cover with water and add a large pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, shred the chicken and set aside. Reserve 3 1/3 cups of the broth (1 cup is for the chicken gravy, supplement with boxed stock if you don't have enough.)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13- by 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large saucepan, combine 2 1/3 cups of the reserved broth, the Chicken Gravy, green chiles, onions, garlic, sour cream, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat.
Spread 1 cup of the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Arrange a layer of 6 tortillas over the mixture, and then top with 1 cup shredded chicken and 1/2 cup of the Cheddar. Repeat this layer three more times, ending with cheese. Spread any remaining mixture over the cheese. Make sure all of the tortillas are covered or they will get very hard during baking. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
Chicken Gravy:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and whisk in the flour to make a roux. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and the flour turns light brown in color. Gradually whisk in the stock and milk and continue to stir while cooking over medium heat. When the mixture thickens, after about 5 minutes, whisk in some salt and pepper.
Recipe courtesy of Trisha Yearwood

Ancho Pork and Hominy Stew

• 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 1/2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (28-ounce) can hominy, drained
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; set 1 1/2 teaspoons spice mixture aside. Add pork to remaining spice mixture in bowl, tossing well to coat.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pork mixture to pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove pork from pan; set aside. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Return pork to pan. Add reserved 1 1/2 teaspoons spice mixture, broth, hominy, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes.

Breakfast Enchiladas

We used Mexican Blend cheese and forgot the cilantro.  The kids liked this a lot.

2 tablespoons (1 oz.) unsalted butter

3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion

12 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons water

1 (16-oz.) jar salsa verde

12 (6-in.) flour tortillas

2 1/2 cups (10 oz.) shredded Colby Jack cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Cheese Sauce

Toppings: halved grape tomatoes, chopped fresh cilantro, chopped avocado

Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium. Add bell peppers and onions; sauté until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir together eggs and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add egg mixture to bell pepper mixture, and cook, without stirring, until eggs begin to set on bottom, about 1 to 2 minutes. Draw a spatula across pan to form large curds. Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are thickened, about 6 to 7 minutes. (Do not overstir.)

Spread 2 tablespoons salsa verde in center of each tortilla. Spoon about 1/4 cup egg mixture over salsa; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese and 1/2 teaspoon cilantro. Roll up, and place, seam side down, in lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Add Cheese Sauce and remaining cheese.

Bake in preheated oven until sauce is bubbly, 30 minutes. Serve with desired toppings.

Classic Basil Pesto

From Epicurious.  I just used one pack of fresh basil from the store, and then made a half recipe.

4 cups fresh basil leaves (from about 3 large bunches)

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup pine nuts

2 garlic cloves

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino Sardo or Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Combine first 4 ingredients in blender. Blend until paste forms, stopping often to push down basil. Add both cheeses and salt; blend until smooth. Transfer to small bowl. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Top with 1/2 inch olive oil and chill.)

Chicken, Tortellini, And Chicken Soup With Pesto

Our store was out of pesto, so I had to make some.  Please see next recipe.

I also forgot the salt.  If you are using a lot of pesto, you won't need it.  If it's just a tiny amount, you might want a little salt.

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)

1 (9-ounce) package whole-wheat cheese tortellini

1 (5-ounce) package spinach

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup diced seeded tomato

1/4 cup refrigerated pesto (such as Buitoni)

1. Heat a Dutch oven over high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes, browning on all sides. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds. Add stock; bring to a boil. Add tortellini; reduce heat to medium, and simmer 6 minutes or until tortellini are done. Stir in spinach, salt, and pepper. Divide soup among 6 bowls; top evenly with tomato and pesto.

From Cooking Light.

Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup

I made it with gluten free pasta, and it was fine.

For Meatballs:

1 lb. ground chicken

⅓ cup whole wheat breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon pepper

For Soup:

2 large carrots (or 3-4 smaller carrots), peeled and cut into 1-inch slices

½ large onion, diced

4-5 cups chicken broth (or chicken stock), add more at the end if the soup looks too thick for your preference

½ cup uncooked small pasta, such as “stelline” (stars) {If you prefer a wholegrain option, you can either use a similarly shaped uncooked wholegrain pasta, OR you could substitute with cooked brown rice or quinoa}

6 ounces baby spinach

Place carrots and onion in bottom of slow cooker.

In a large bowl, use hands to gently combine meatball ingredients. Form meat mixture into mini meatballs. I like to use a melon baller for this step, which keeps my hands relatively clean and ensures that the meatballs are all about the same size. You could also just scoop them out with a teaspoon and roll them in your palm.

Place meatballs on top of vegetables in the slow cooker.

Pour broth over meatballs.

Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

During final 15-20 minutes of cooking, stir in dry pasta and spinach. Cover and cook until pasta is tender and spinach is wilted. Ladle into bowls and serve!

From theseasonedmom.com

Crockpot Creamy Chicken and Veggies

4 pounds chicken, cut into serving pieces

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds small red potatoes, halved

1 (16-ounce) package baby carrots

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

14-ounce can low sodium chicken broth

1 cup light sour cream

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in large skillet and brown chicken, skin side down, until skin is brown.

In 4-5 quart slow cooker, place potatoes, carrots and onion. Top with chicken. Pour chicken broth over all. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 8-9 hours until chicken is thoroughly cooked and vegetables are tender.

In small bowl, stir together light sour cream, mustard, honey, flour, pepper, and thyme until well blended.

Stir into mixture in crockpot and turn heat to high. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

From busycooks.about.com

Dilled New Potatoes

2 pounds baby red potatoes (1-3/4 inches wide, about 24)

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1.Place potatoes in a Dutch oven; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, 15-20 minutes or until tender.

2.Drain; return to pan. Mix remaining ingredients; drizzle over potatoes and toss to coat. Yield:8 servings.

From Taste of Home

Beans with Parsley Sauce

2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1-1/2 cups chicken broth

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup 2% milk

1 cup minced fresh parsley

1. Place beans in a large saucepan and cover with water; bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually whisk in broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat.

2. In a small bowl, combine egg yolks and milk. Stir a small amount of hot broth mixture into egg mixture. Return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and coats the back of a metal spoon. Stir in parsley. Drain beans; serve with sauce.Yield:8 servings.

From Taste of Home

Tasty Baked Mac and Cheese

The best traditional homemade mac and cheese recipe, especially if you will be reheating it later.  It’s not dry and flavorless the next day.

1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, softened - divided

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened

1 (8 ounce) package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 cup milk

1 (8 ounce) package shredded mild Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until almost cooked through and firm to the bite, about 7 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Sprinkle macaroni with 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir 1/2 cup butter into the pasta.

Mix 1/4 cup butter, sour cream, cream cheese, sharp Cheddar cheese, and egg yolk together in a bowl. Stir flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cayenne pepper, and milk into the sour cream mixture.

Spread 1/4 cup sour cream sauce over bottom of prepared baking dish. Stir remaining sour cream sauce into macaroni. Pour macaroni into baking dish atop sauce layer; sprinkle mild Cheddar cheese over the casserole.

Bake in the preheated oven until heated through and cheese topping has melted, about 15 minutes.

From allrecipes.com

Slow Cooker Vegan White Bean Stew

2 pounds white beans (see note below)

2 large carrots, peeled and diced

3 large celery stalks, diced

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced or chopped

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. each: dried rosemary, thyme, oregano

10-12 cups water

2 Tbsp. salt (according to taste, can start with 1 Tablespoon and add more at end if needed)

Ground black pepper, to taste

1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes

5-6 cups (or more) roughly chopped leafy greens (spinach, chard, kale—used spinach)

Rice, polenta, or bread for serving (I had bread)

Sort through and rinse beans several times in cool water. Add to the slow cooker along with the diced carrots, celery, onions, garlic, bay leaf and dried herbs. Add the water. (Use less for a thicker stew, more for more of a soup.) Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours, or LOW for 8-10 hours. Remove lid from slow cooker and add the salt and pepper, and diced tomatoes. Let cook for another 1-1½ hours, or until beans are very soft. (If they are already soft after the initial cooking time, different kinds of beans may vary in cooking time, then add the tomatoes and greens and serve immediately.) Before serving, stir in the chopped greens.

Serve over hot cooked rice, polenta, or with bread.

Makes a lot--enough for at least 10-12 servings. Freeze half for later or invite friends over.

Notes

Cooking times may vary. Type of beans used, as well as the age of the beans, may require longer cooking times. I typically use Great Northern Beans and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Navy beans will take a little less time. Cannellini beans (white kidney beans) will take even longer because they are much larger.

From Cafe Johnsonia.