Cilantro Lime Chicken

Make ahead and freeze
Cook in the Crock Pot
This is one of the easiest meals ever. Make a few and put them in the freezer. You'll be so glad you did. I love that I just place it into the crock pot and it cooks all day while I'm at work. And it IS delicious!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds of chicken breast, cut into 4 equal size pieces (No need to cook before putting the meal together.)
juice from 2 limes
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 (16 oz) bag frozen corn
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper to taste

 Directions:
 Place all ingredients in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag. Mix together and zip bag closed.
Store in freezer for up to 6 months.
When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours.
Cook on LOW for 8 hours (or HIGH for 4 hours).
Serve with tortillas and your favorite toppings (sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and cheese). I served mine over rice.
Makes 4 servings.

Pizza Sauce

This is a great recipe. Use it any time you need pizza sauce, with pizza, calzones, pizza dip, whatever you need sauce for.

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce or use 2 (8 ounce) cans
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese (you can also use grated Parmesan cheese)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon sweet basil (optional)
3/4 teaspoon crushed oregano
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Mix in jar or similar container (Not aluminum). Shake or stir well. Let marinate in refrigerator at least six to eight hours. Remove bay leaf before using.

Most often I make just half the recipe, except for the pizza dip (You need the whole recipe for that.). It makes enough for a good sized pizza or calzone.

Pizza Dip

This is a great dip! Try it with tortilla chips or thinly sliced baguette. It's also good with crackers.
This would be a perfect appetizer or snack for your New Year's Eve party or for your Super Bowl party.

Very easy and oh, so yummy!
We had this on Christmas Eve. It was delicious. I'll try some variations and also some other possibilities for dipping into the pot.

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, cubed
1 can (15 ounces) pizza sauce
1 package (8 ounces) sliced pepperoni, chopped
1 can (3.8 ounces) chopped ripe olives, drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Bagel chips or garlic toast or English muffins

Place the cream cheese in a 3 quart slow cooker. Combine the pizza sauce, pepperoni and olives; pour over cream cheese. Top with mozzarella cheese. Cover and cook on low for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the cheese is melted. Stir; serve warm with bagel chips or garlic toast or spread on English muffins as an open face sandwich.

I made half the recipe and used a 1 1/2 quart slow cooker. I also made my own pizza sauce. Find that recipe under pizza.
I think it would also be good with browned hamburger or sausage instead of or in addition to the pepperoni.
It might also be good as the dressing on a sub sandwich with some ham, turkey, or beef.

Island Teriyaki Chicken

Who knew that it is so easy to make your own Teriyaki sauce?!  This stuff is delicious.  You'll be amazed at how quick and easy it is. 

 Tastes so great and

only 5 ingredients

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

3 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine soy sauce, sugar, water, garlic, and ginger in a saucepan and bring to a boil on medium-high heat.** 

Boil for 1 minute.  Remove 1/2 cup of sauce and reserve for later.

Tenderize the chicken with a meat mallet.  (I just put the chicken in a zipper bag and pound it with my rolling pin until it's an even thickness.)  Combine the sauce and chicken in a zip top bag or airtight container.  

Let chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes up to overnight.  (The longer you let it marinate the more flavorful it will be.)

Remove from the bag and arrange the chicken breasts and marinade in a 9 X 13 inch pan.  Cover with foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  (Or you can grill the chicken on medium-high heat until cooked through.)  You can cook it in a slow cooker by placing the chicken and marinade in a slow cooker and cook on low heat for 8 hours.

This is beef in the crockpot, not chicken.

It will have lots more Teriyaki flavor.

Serve with white or brown rice and reserved marinade.

**For Hawaiian Chicken that’s a bit spicier add the following to the marinade before boiling (I usually add the spices below):

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, less for Teriyaki that's less spicy

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, less for Teriyaki that's less spicy

This sauce also works great with beef.

Teriyaki Sauce will keep in your refrigerator for up to two weeks in a sealed container.

If you want a thicker sauce boil for 2 to 5 minutes.

Hamburger Soup

I love this soup! It's delicious and very filling. I've been making it for so many years, I can't remember how I came up with the recipe. I've given it to other people who also like it a lot. I make it in my pressure cooker. Very fast that way. It's kind of my "go to" recipe since I always have the ingredients and it's quick and easy.

1 lb hamburger
¼ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder, divided
¼ tsp lemon pepper
½ tsp seasoned salt
2 medium potatoes, diced
4 medium carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 quart tomato juice
¼ tsp sweet basil
½ tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste
Put hamburger in dutch oven. Sprinkle with onion powder, ¼ tsp garlic powder, lemon pepper, and seasoned salt. Stir and fry until browned.
Add potatoes, carrots, and celery. Cover with water and cook until vegetables are tender.
Drain the water off. Add the tomato juice, sweet basil, oregano, the rest of the garlic powder, and the salt and pepper. Heat through.
Serve. You can garnish with shredded cheese, sliced green onions, or fresh Basil leaves.

(You could cook it in the crockpot all day in the water. Then drain the water, add the tomato juice and heat through after the vegetables get cooked.) 1 point for a 1 cup serving.

BEAN TACO SOUP

1 lb. chopped chicken, roast beef or ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 (16 oz) can kidney beans, with liquid
1 (16 oz) can white beans, with liquid
1 (16 oz) can pinto beans, with liquid
1 (16 oz) can whole kernal corn, with liquid
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes with chilies and liquid
1 (16 oz) can stewed tomatoes, with liquid
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix

Saute ground beef & onion; drain. Add remaining ingredients, bring to boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Top with sour cream, tortilla chips and grated cheese. If using chopped and cooked chicken or roast beef, saute onions in a little oil and then add meat. Could be heated in a crockpot until well blended.

CROCK POT CHICKEN

4 chicken breasts halves (about 4 oz. each)
1 (16 oz.) mini carrots
1 small cabbage, cut into pieces
2 (14 oz.) cans mexican stewed tomatoes

Layer into crockpot in order given. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

SWEET AND SOUR BEANS

1 lb. bacon (fried crisp and crumbled)
2 lg cans pork and beans (drained) (30 oz) (remove pork)
1 onion (chopped)
1/3 cup catsup
1 green pepper (chopped)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 can crushed pineapple w/juice (15 oz)

Mix altogether and bake at 325 degrees uncovered 1 1/2 to 2 hours. I put it in my crockpot on low until hot (about 5-6 hours). If desired you can saute the onion and pepper in bacon grease.

Nacho Chicken Chowder

This is an easy soup to put together and cooks while you're doing whatever else you need to do. It tastes delicious. You would never guess it's as easy as it is. Wonderful on a cold day.

Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 (14.5 oz) cans Mexican-style tomatoes
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed nacho cheese soup
1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen whole kernel corn (2 cups)
Shredded Mexican-style or cheddar cheese
Directions:
In a 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker, stir together chicken, undrained tomatoes, soup, and corn.
Cover and cook on low heat for 4 to 5 hours or on high heat for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Sprinkle each serving with shredded cheese.

Barbecue Meatballs

This is really Kori's recipe, but I know some of you want to try them. They are so easy since they're done in the crock pot. They are also delicious. Serve them over rice or noodles. I also love that I can vary the amount however I want. I can make a whole bunch or only a single serving just for me. Only 3 ingredients. What could be simpler?! They could also be used as appetizers with tiny forks or toothpicks.

Meatballs -- make your own and freeze them or buy a bag already made and frozen
Grape jelly
Barbecue sauce

Put the meatballs into the crock pot. No need to thaw, just dump them in. Add equal amounts of grape jelly and barbecue sauce. Stir a bit.
Then cook on high for about 2 hours. If you're going to be gone, cook on low and cook for about 4 hours. Since the meatballs are already cooked, you only need to heat it through.

Easy Chili

This chili takes a while to simmer, but doesn't take a lot of hands on time. It's easy since you use canned beans. You could let it simmer in the crockpot for 4 or 5 hours instead, if you like. I got this recipe from a friend many years ago. I've made a few changes. Now it's one of my favorites.

1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 green pepper, sliced
1 habanero pepper, diced
2 cans tomatoes
2 Tbsp chili powder
3 Tbsp cold water
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
5 cans beans, drained
(I use 3 kidney and 1 each of pinto and white beans. I leave one of the cans of kidney beans undrained for extra liquid.)

Brown ground beef in Dutch oven. Add onions, celery, garlic, and peppers. Continue stirring and frying until onions are just translucent (about 10 minutes). Add tomatoes, chili powder (which has been mixed with the cold water), salt, sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer about 1 hour. Add beans. Heat through.

Gingerbread Pudding Cake

This has an old fashioned flavor. It even tasted good warmed up later. I did not like it cold. I did not have a 3 quart slow cooker. I tried it first in a 4 quart and it worked well. But I made it after that in my 2 quart. I really liked it better in the 2 quart.

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup water
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Topping:
6 Tbsp brown sugar
3/4 cup hot water
2/3 cup butter, melted

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg white and vanilla.
Combine the molasses and water until blended. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, allspice and nutmeg; add to creamed mixture alternately with molasses mixture, beating well after each addition. Fold in the pecans.
Pour batter into a greased 3 quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Combine the hot water and butter; pour over the batter (DO NOT STIR).
Cover and cook on high for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted near the center of cake comes out clean. Turn off the heat. Let stand for 15 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream.
Makes 6-8 servings.
I was thinking of cooking it longer on low to see if it would work, but haven't yet.

Aloha Chicken

I made this for a dinner the other night and everyone really liked it. I didn't use the chunks of pineapple, I used the tidbits. I like the smaller pieces of pineapple better. I also used brown rice.

10 (4 oz.) pieces chicken breast
20 oz can pineapple chunks
11 oz can mandarin oranges, drained
1 green or red pepper, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated

Arrange chicken in slow cooker, set aside. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low setting for 8-10 hours.

10 servings=5 points each

Serve over one cup cooked rice for 4 additional points.

Cherry Chicken

I made this for dinner a couple of days ago when some friends were coming over. I altered a recipe I found in a cookbook I have. It was very good. Everybody asked for the recipe, so here it is. I made it in the crockpot so it was ready when I got home from work.

3 pounds chicken (I used boneless skinless breasts, but you could use whatever you have.)
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
Dash lemon pepper
Dash garlic powder
Dash onion powder
1 can cherry pie filling (I used no sugar added pie filling.)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1/8 teaspoon ground mace (If you don't have mace you could use a touch of cinnamon, but the flavor will be a little different.)

Season the chicken with salt, pepper, lemon pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Brown the chicken over medium heat on both sides.

In a 3 quart slow cooker, combine the pie filling, lemon juice, bouillon, and mace. Stir well.
Add chicken. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or until meat is no longer pink.

Hot Drink

My kids have to have this every Christmas. It is so easy to prepare



Combine in 4 quart crockpot:

12 oz frozen orange juice

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 tsp whole clove

2 or 3 cinnamon sticks

water to fill crockpot

tang to taste (I use 2 quart pkg of dry crystal light mix)

sliced lemon or orange (opt)



Heat on low until hot. Any leftovers can be stored in fridge and microwaved to enjoy later.
Each cup is 1 point.