Creamy Chicken Soup in a Crock-Pot! (Mostly...)

Chicken Pot Pie Soup!

OK so, first of all, this is NOT a dinner swap meal... I mean, I guess it could be!  But, that's not why I made it :)

The other day I saw THIS Soup Recipe and started getting hungry!

I mean who WOULDN'T!

So, I looked at the ingredient list, bought a few things, and ... pulled out my crock pot! (whoops!)

I started melting butter... chopped and added carrots...and then realized that this was NOT a crock pot recipe!  I mean, it's one thing to pre-cook a few veggies, but to make the entire thing on the STOVE?! It even wanted me to make a RUE for goodness sakes!  Well, since THAT was not happening, I went to the web for another recipe for inspiration and one... kind of.  I'm not even sure where it is now, but if I find it... I will share!

In the end, I invented my own.  Give it a try if you like!  If not, I promise, I won't be insulted ;)

Before I share, I have to admit that I DID make some homemade bread bowls with my trusty Pantry Secrets recipe! (thanks for the help, Tefi!)  I would give you the recipe, but then I would have to kill you... haha OK not really, but maybe someday I will get certified to teach these bread classes and you can all come and learn!  It's soo soo yummy and easy!  I LOVE it!

OK back to the soup!  Here it is! (sorry, I don't have exact measurements for most of it!

Bree's Creamy CROCK POT Chicken Soup:

about 2 carrots
2-3 TB Butter
about 2 cups country cubed frozen hash browns (You could dice potatoes if you prefer)
2 Cups Hot Water
2 Chicken Bullion Cubes
1 Can Cream of Celery Soup
Frozen Peas - as many as you like
about 1 Cup Chopped Onion
A splash of Heavy Cream (Just what I had on hand)
1 - 12.5 oz can of Chicken
I may have added some milk.  This seems super thick, so if it is, add milk or more chicken stock until you get the consistency you want.
1 8oz pack of cream cheese
Seasonings as desired

First, since I thought I was going to make the first recipe,  I started sauteing the carrots in butter.  Once I decided to abandon the first recipe, I decided to keep cooking them in butter because... why not? :)  You could throw the onions in with them as well, if you like!  Though I'm sure you could get away without precooking any of it!

Then, I dumped everything else, except the cream cheese into the crock pot, adding the carrots after they started to get tender.  I cooked on high for a few hours (maybe 4?). About an hour before eating, I cubed and added the cream cheese!

So much of this was just things I easily had on hand, loosely based on a mix of 2 different recipes!  I'm sure you could add noodles if you wanted (just cook noodles and add at the end).  I'm sorry I don't have a picture!  We ate everything too fast :)  I hope you like it!


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Easy Teriyaki Chicken

1 chicken, cut up (or equivelant amount of chicken pieces of your choice)
1 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apple juice
1/2 tsp dried ginger

Place chicken into a freezer bag. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and add to bag. Remove air from bag, seal and freeze.

On cooking day, defrost in refrigerator. Preheat oven at 425 and bake chicken for 30 minutes (may take longer depending on chicken piece choices). Or grill on a barbeque until chicken is no longer pink.

Serve over rice.

Colorful Chicken Casserole

Here's one ladies that will make you a proud mom! Lately I have been feeling rather guilty for my kids lack of vegetable intake. So, when I saw this recipe I had to try it out! FIVE different vegetables and the option to mix in whole wheat noodles will give us all the nutrition we need in a tasty way!

1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 cup cubed cooked chicken
1 pkg(8oz) elbow macaroni, cooked and drained (you can add more to beef it up)
1 jar(4-1/2oz) sliced mushrooms, drained (optional)
1 cup(4oz) shredded cheddar cheese

In large skillet, saute green pepper, celery and onion in butter until tender. Add broth, peas, corn, salt and pepper; heat through. Stir in chicken and macaroni. Divide between two greased 8-in. square baking pans. Top w/mushroom and cheese. Cover and freeze one casserole (up to 3 months). Cover the other one and bake 350 for 30 min; uncover and bake 10 min longer. To use frozen casserole: cover and bake at 350 for 35 min; uncover and bake 15 min longer.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

4 cups cooked chopped chicken
5 cups frozen broccoli florets
2 cups frozen peas
2 14.5 oz. cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup Best Foods mayo
3 T. lime/lemon juice

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
additional seasoning- salt, pepper, etc.

Mix above ingredients together in a large bowl. Stuff mixture into a gallon sized freezer ziploc bag and flatten/remove excess air to freeze. At serving time, thaw, then reheat in an oven proof 9 x 13 serving dish. Remove to add additional seasoning and 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, then return to oven for additional 10-15 minutes, long enough to melt the cheese. Enjoy over rice:)

Additional notes:
If mixing in bulk to trade meals, I would let the broccoli thaw for maybe 10 min. before starting to put everything together. If it's a little softer, it's easier to measure and mix. I also chopped my chicken relatively small for easier mixing. This kind of casserole is also easy to substitute ingredients. I usually blend up half a can or so of white or great northern beans to substitute for one of the cans of soup. This increases the protein, iron, and fiber in the dish- and no one knows! You can also substitute sour cream, more mayo, or a different creamy soup. The taste will vary a little according to your liking.

Mexican Chicken & Black Bean Filling

Okay ladies! This is what I'm making for this Sat. It think it looks good and there are some options on how to serve it. I hope it's good! There's a link at the bottom for the site I got it from...

Chicken & Black Bean Taco Filling

· 2 T. Extra-virgin olive oil

· 1 1/2 lb. chicken (boneless or not, whatever you have on hand)

· 1 t. cumin

· 1/2 t. salt

· 1/4 t. pepper

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· 1/2 lb. fully cooked black beans (1 can or less)

· 1 bag frozen corn (1 can)

· 1 large jars salsa (or 2 regular sized jars)

· 1/2 c. water

· 2 t. cumin

· 1 t. chili powder

· 1 t. salt

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Season chicken with 1 t. cumin, 1/2 t. salt & 1/4 t. pepper. Add chicken to skillet. Cook for 5-8 minutes, flip, cover skillet and continue cooking until chicken is fully cooked.
2. Remove chicken from skillet. Shred meat and return to pan. Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

*This should make enough for 3 meals, depending on how much you use. It freezes perfectly in a freezer bag and thaws overnight in the refrigerator.

This is great as a taco filling, but there are so many other ways to use it too.

Here are a few of our favorites:
Chicken & Black Bean Nachos

Quesadillas

Mexican Lasagna

And…

· Served over rice with shredded cheese on top

· Mexican pizza topping

· Mexican French bread pizzas (So good!!)

· With scrambled eggs for breakfast burritos

· Taco salad

· Thinned with 1 can tomato sauce and 1 1/2 c. chicken stock, plus some extra spices and tortilla strips for a chicken tortilla soup

http://stolenmomentscooking.com/mexican-chicken-black-bean-filling/