Guest Blogger: Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

2 onions, chopped

3 carrots, sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

dash dried leaf thyme

3 tablespoons dried parsley flakes

1 package frozen peas (10 oz.), about 1 1/2 cups

1 2-1/2 to 3 lb. whole fryer

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup noodles (we used egg noodles)

Place all ingredients in slow cooker, except noodles, in order given. Cover and cook on LOW 8 to 10 hours, or HIGH 4 to 6 hours. One hour before serving, remove chicken and cool slightly. Remove meat from bones and return meat to slow cooker. Add noodles. Turn to HIGH. Cover and cook 1 hour.

*D: Just to be clear here, did you read the title of this recipe? Crock. Pot. Chicken. Noodle. Soup. Sounds good, huh?


You have no idea.


This recipe...let me just say that we've had leftovers for 3 days now and I wish they weren't almost gone. The chicken comes out moist and tender. The whole soup has a strong savory flavor that makes you wish you were a slow eater. Luckily I am. Often when you cook something with carrots and celery together, the flavors fight for the spotlight. Not in this recipe. And with all that parsley, it turns out to be a beautiful dish. Sounds strange, but it's so true.


This is technically a guest blogger recipe because I didn't make it. I was sick a few days ago and my husband whipped this up for me. He said he followed the recipe except for two things. We did not add peas (ew). And instead of adding one cup of egg noodles, he added about two and a half or three. The good thing is there was a lot more meal to go around - which is probably why we have had it for 3 days so far. The down side is the noodles soaked up all the moisture, making this more like chicken noodle stew than soup.


So, if you want to add more noodles, go for it. Just add a little more moisture - maybe a cup of water per extra cup of noodles?


Try this. You will love it, I promise. Especially on chilly winter days or when you're not feeling fantastic.

Pair it with some corn bread or homemade wheat bread and boy howdy, you've got heaven on your table.

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Creamy Salsa Chicken Wraps

2-4 chicken breasts
1 c. chicken broth
1 c. salsa
1 15-oz can corn, drained
1 15-oz can black beans, drained
1 package taco seasoning

Combine all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on low 6-8 hours OR high 3-4 hours.

Just before serving, shred chicken and mix back into sauce. Then stir in:
1/2 c. sour cream
1 c. grated cheddar cheese

Serve with warm flour tortillas and Spanish rice.

*D: This is one of the easiest and most delicious recipes ever. I cooked 2 chicken breasts in the crock pot on high for 3 hours exactly (I set a timer), and it was done. The chicken was tender, so shredding with two forks was easy and only took me a few minutes.

I found that my sauce was really runny. In the future I might skip the chicken broth and just put in a tsp of chicken bouillon.

So yummy! Seriously, I ate the leftovers for breakfast the next morning. I'm not kidding. Pin It

Six-can Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 - 15 oz can of corn, drained
2  - 14.5 oz cans of chicken broth
1 - 10 oz can of chunk chicken (or 1 1/2 cups leftover cooked chicken)
1 - 14 oz can black beans
1 - 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies (or whatever you have)

Pour all ingredients into a large pot. Cook on medium heat until warmed through. Serve with tortilla chips and cheese.

Cook's Note: This recipe requires an oath of secrecy from the cook. Get rid of all the cans and then don't tell a soul. Your family and guests will think you've been cooking all day to create such a perfectly delicious homemade soup.

*D: This is about the easiest recipe I've ever come across. Every single one of the ingredients I keep in my food storage! It was fast, fresh and delicious. Very, very good. Mmmmm.

One thing I particularly loved about this soup was that the "canned chicken" flavor was absent. A lot of recipes seem to accentuate the fact that your chicken comes from a can. In this soup, all chicken is created equal.

We used a can of diced tomatoes with lime and cilantro. Sounds yummy, right? Well...it was, but we couldn't really taste the lime and cilantro part. So I'm not sure it really matters what flavor tomatoes you use.

We did not put cheese on top. There is only one soup I will put cheese on, and this is not it. But that might be your thing, so go for it. When serving chips with soup, you can just alternate bites between chips and soup, or you can skip the spoon and use your chip. Either way, it's yummy.

Try this out and tell me what you think. Pin It

Baked Chicken Chimichangas

2/3 cup chunky salsa
1/3 cup green onions, sliced
1/2 TBSP Oregano
1 can black beans, drained
soft taco sized tortillas (about 12)
1/4 cup melted butter (or a bottle of butter spray)
2 chicken breasts, cooked, shredded
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
1 5o 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. combine all ingredients except tortillas, butter, and cheese into a saucepan. Simmer 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid is evaporated.

2. Spoon a heaping 1/3 cup chicken mixture onto center of tortilla. Top with a little shredded cheese. Fold 2 sides over filling, fold ends down. Place seam side down onto a cookie sheet.

3. Brush or spray the tops with butter. Bake at 475 degrees for about 10 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. If not golden brown by this time, put under broiler for 1 to 2 minutes. Top with guacamole, salsa, lettuce, sour cream, and/or cheese.

*D: This is a great freezer recipe! It makes about 12 - 14 chimichangas. You can just separate the leftovers and put them in a freezer bag.

I topped them with cheese and then baked them, and it was delicious.

I did not cook my chimichangas on a cookie sheet, I did it in a glass baking dish. I think either would work fine. I made two batches. The second time I accidentally forgot to put butter on top, and they turned out ok.

These had a very unique (and yummy!) flavor. They were relatively easy, and most of the ingredients are things I have on hand.

Yum! Pin It

Enchilada-zanga

2 - 3 cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into small pieces (about 3 cups), divided
1 can (28 oz) or 2 cans (15 oz each) mild red enchilada sauce
1 container (8oz) sour cream
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
2 cups (8 oz pkg) shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies, undrained
1 pkg (12) corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 350*F. Grease 13x9 inch baking dish.

Combine enchilada sauce and sour cream in a medium bowl, set aside. Combine evaporated milk, cheese and chilies in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until cheese has melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.

Spread 1 cup enchilada sauce mixture on bottom of prepared baking dish. Layer with 4 tortillas, 1 cup enchilada sauce mixture, 1 1/2 cups chicken, 1 cup cheese sauce; repeat layers one more time, starting with tortillas. Top with remaining tortillas, enchilada sauce and cheese sauce. Cover with foil.

Bake for 40 minutes. Uncover; cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

*D: I was intrigued by the whole lasagna meets enchiladas concept, but what really got me was the evaporated milk. What? Well, I have most, if not all, of these ingredients in my food storage, so I thought I'd give it a try.

I followed the instructions as is. I probably added about 3 cups of cheese because I wasn't sure 2 was enough. Good call on my part. I drained my chilies. I didn't have enough cooked chicken, so I had to use a can. The flavor wasn't as good, but it works in a pinch.

Here is how the layers go, starting from the bottom.

1 cup enchilada sauce mixture
4 corn tortillas
1 cup enchilada sauce mixture
1 1/2 cups chicken
1 cup cheese sauce
4 corn tortillas
1 cup enchilada sauce mixture
1 1/2 cups chicken
1 cup cheese sauce
4 corn tortillas
1 cup enchilada sauce mixture
1 cup cheese sauce

It is always easier for me to see it in a list like that when I'm layering dishes.

I usually sprinkle cheese on top of a casserole, but since the last ingredient is cheese sauce, I did not. It turned out just fine, I thought.

This is a delicious, easy casserole that tastes just like enchiladas. Very, very good. Pin It

Cream Cheese Chicken

4 chicken breasts cubed
1 stick of butter
1 pkg dry Italian Salad Dressing mix
1 8oz pkg of cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup

Put chicken, butter and dressing mix in a crock pot on low for 3 hours. Watch it, it cooks fast.

Then turn on high for half an hour. After cooking on high, add the cream cheese and cream of chicken soup. Cook for another half an hour on high.

Serve over rice or noodles. (Penne or egg noodles are yummy.)

*D: This is a recipe I've served and shared with my family. My sister hounded me until I finally put it on my blog to share with the world. :)

I love this dish. It's one of my absolute favorites. I make sure to always have cream cheese and Italian Dressing mix on hand, just in case. I usually follow the directions accordingly because, hey, they're easy.

If you don't have 4 hours, this can be made on the stove top. Melt the butter and cream cheese on low in a saucepan. Add the other sauce ingredients and let it simmer for a while. The chicken can be cooked on the stove top as well. Fry it in a pan - you don't need oil. Chicken creates its own juices. Just don't let it burn. If the pan starts to brown and the chicken is not done, turn down your heat and add a little water. Pin It

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions

2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.
Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Dip 'em in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or this dressing.

Wanna make it a meal?

Serve with a side of Black Beans or Spanish Rice and a simple green salad with Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing.

*D: My corn tortillas were way to crumbly. I made about 5 and they turned out to be like tostadas! :) But I used flour tortillas for the rest of them and they came out pretty good too. Tyler preferred the flavor of the corn tortiallas. Also, I used canned chicken because I was in a hurry. It tasted fine, but I think freshed chicken will taste better.


These were so delicious! And I will definitely be making them again. Pin It

Spanish Rice

1 1/2 cups rice (raw)
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup plain tomato sauce
3 cloves finely chopped garlic
1/4 of a medium onion
2 TBSP oil
4 heaping tablespoons of finely chopped parsley (optional)

In a medium sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add he fresh garlic and onion. Saute for 1 - 2 minutes until softened. Add in dry rice. Stir for about 4 minutes until rice becomes golden brown color.

Add broth and tomato sauce (slowly into rice, not directly onto hot pan!). Add in the parsley if you're using it. Stir it up and bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling, turn the heat to low and cover. Let it simmer for 20 minutes and fluff with a fork.

*D: So in my family they make Spanish rice, and it's a little different from this...but I have yet to get the recipe. So I had to make due with a recipe I did have, and I think it's quite tasty. Make sure you use the called for amount of broth and tomato sauce. If not, you will have crunchy rice. Here's a tip: 1 can of broth is not enough! I made this a few weeks ago and didn't realize I was only adding 1 1/2 cups of broth instead of two. The rice was too crunchy to enjoy. Don't make that mistake. Second time around I soaked my rice for about 10 minutes, but if you follow the recipe, you shouldn't have to do that either.


Variations: you can add chopped cooked chicken to make it a little more substantial. I've read of people who had a small can of chilies or instead of regular tomato sauce they had a spiced tomato sauce with chilies.


You can use this recipe (as it is) as a side dish or as a filling in burritos. The possibilities are endless! OK, not endless, but there are a lot of them. Pin It

Creamy White Chili

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes (or 1 14oz can of chicken)
1 med. chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp garlic or garlic powder
1 TBSP vegetable oil
2 (15 1/2 oz) cans Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained (OR 1 lb dehydrated beans)
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
1 or 2 (4 oz) cans chopped green chilies
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream or milk

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and whipping cream or milk.

*D: Can I tell you how much I love this recipe? I LOVE this recipe...and I hate chili! This tastes almost more like a white bean soup rather than chili. I used canned chicken and it was delicious. I also used dehydrated beans instead of cans because they are cheaper and store longer.


If you use dehydrated beans, the recipe calls for 1 lb of dry beans which is about half a bag or about 2 cups..maybe 3. Sort through beans to remove "bad" beans and rocks. Rinse the beans, then place in a bowl or pan and cover with water. Soak the beans at least over night, but it might be best to give yourself an extra day, just in case the beans are stubborn. Continue to add water as necessary. After beans are softened, rinse and they are ready to use.


I found that I needed a little more moisture in my chili, so I ended up adding another can of broth and it turned out great. But don't add it unless you are sure you'll need it.


What I love most about this recipe is everything in it I keep on hand. I just need to make sure, from now on, that I have plenty of Great Northern Beans. It's also extremely easy! It was time consuming and took planning because my beans needed re-hydrated; but it took me a few minutes to throw all the ingredients into a pot and start cooking. Pin It

Q-tip: Meat Portion Control

Whether you are trying to lose weight, save a dime, or save yourself a few minutes of cooking, this q-tip is a great help.

When a recipe calls for a pound of hamburger, I brown a pound of hamburger with onions and garlic powder. When it's nice and cooked, I put half of it in a plastic container and pop it in the freezer. Next time I make a recipe that calls for a pound of browned hamburger, I pull the container out of my freezer, microwave it for a 30 seconds and viola! My meat is ready to go.

This cuts back on the amount of meat we eat, helping us get the protein we need without feeling like we are on a diet.

It saves us money because our meat goes twice as far.

It saves me time cooking so when it's 4:55 and Tyler will be home soon, my meal is already half cooked and I can just add necessary ingredients and make myself a casserole or skillet dish in half the time.

The same thing can be done with any ground meat (sausage, pork, turkey, etc) or even chicken. With chicken recipes, 9 times out of 10 I prefer not to leave the breast whole. I like making the chicken pieces bite sized. They cook faster (and there's a better chance they are cooked through without becoming tough) and I like having dishes I can eat one handed. (This is important when you have an infant.)

When freezing your chicken portions, I follow the same guidelines. I cut up my chicken with kitchen shears, cook it in a skillet until juices run clear, then scoop half of it into the plastic container and away it goes.

Take a look at your favorite recipes and see if these tips would help you manage your portions, save you money, or give you more time. Pin It

Creamy Chicken with Bacon & Penne

4 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
2 cups penne pasta, uncooked
1/2 cup (1/2 of 8-oz. tub) PHILADELPHIA Chive & Onion Cream Cheese Spread
3/4 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 green onions, chopped

WRAP 1 bacon slice around each chicken breast. Heat large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cover. Cook 5 to 7 min. on each side or until chicken is done (165ºF). Remove chicken from skillet; cover to keep warm. Discard drippings in skillet.

COOK pasta in large saucepan as directed on package. Meanwhile, cook cream cheese spread and broth in skillet until cream cheese is melted and sauce is thickened and well blended, stirring constantly with whisk. Stir in tomatoes and onions; cook 2 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

DRAIN pasta; return to pan. Add sauce; mix lightly. Serve topped with chicken.

*D: I used this recipe as a general guideline for a skillet dinner. Here's how I did it:


I cubed the chicken in bite sized pieces (I had 2 breasts instead of 4) and fried it in olive oil until no longer pink. Meanwhile, I had the pasta cooking. I cooked about 3 - 4 rather than 2.


After the chicken was done, I melted half a brick of cream cheese (I guess that's about 4 oz) and 1 cup of broth (it was easier for me to make 1 cup with the bouillon granules rather than 3/4 of a cup) in a pan and added dehydrated chives. To be completely honest, I didn't even taste the chives. So I need to add more in the future. So if you only have plain cream cheese, go for it! I waited until the chicken was done because I didn't want the sauce to cool while waiting for chicken to cook.


After the chicken was done, pasta cooked and sauce melted, I mixed it all together in the skillet I cooked the chicken in and stirred in a few handfuls of crumbled bacon.


It was delicious! And easier than wrapping chicken in bacon.


Possible sides: green salad, asparagus, green beans, steamed carrots, bread. Pin It

Honey-Garlic Shrimp/Chicken Stir Fry

4 - 6 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 TBSP honey
1 garlic clove, minced OR 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 TBSP oil
4 cups veggies (broccoli, carrots, zucchini, squash, cauliflower, pea pods...etc)
1 lb shrimp (51 - 60) or chicken (diced and cooked)

Mix soy sauce, honey and garlic in a small bowl. Heat in microwave for 10 seconds to mix honey easier. Heat oil in fry pan; when hot, add veggies. Cook approximately 2 - 5 minutes until tender-crisp. If cooked too long they will be mushy after next steps are done. Add shrimp/chicken and sauce and cook until warmed through. Note: if you like sauce, you may want to double the sauce next time. Very good flavor!

*D: I use chicken because it's cheaper, frozen veggies because it's winter (for now) and they are already chopped. When I use frozen veggies I usually use a mix and then just add regular carrots or whatever else I have. You just have to make sure your veggies don't turn mushy from being heated too long. This is an easy delicious recipe! Pin It

Apricot Chicken

1 cup Russian Dressing1 pkg. onion soup mix
1 cup Apricot jam
4 chicken breast halves

Mix first three ingredients together in baking dish. Cut raw chicken into bite size pieces. Add chicken and stir together. Bake covered at 350* for 30 minutes and then bake for another 30 minutes uncovered. Be sure chicken is completely cooked. Serve over rice.

*This is an absolute favorite of mine, and Tyler kind of enjoys it. I've heard it called Sticky Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken, The Best Chicken Ever, Apricot Chicken...I guess it's a versatile meal.

A couple of things: Russian dressing isn't really all that popular, and can therefore be kind of pricey. You can use Catalina dressing and it will still be delicious. Also, you can use either peach or apricot jam in your recipe. And don't forget that if you don't have an envelope of onion soup mix you can make it instead. (Click on the ingredient above.)

This particular recipe says to chop the chicken into small pieces and serve over rice, which is what I usually do. My sister-in-law cooks the breasts whole and just pours dressing over the rice. Another recipe I've seen has you chop the chicken into smaller bits, but everything is done on the stove top. Here is that basic recipe:

Brown chicken in a pan in hot oil. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until chicken is tender and sauce thickens. Serve over cooked rice.

I prefer the oven method because I just mix, put it in the oven and walk away.

Possible side dishes (besides rice): green salad, sliced peaches, green beans. Potatoes are not recommended unless you forgo the rice (too much starch). Pin It

Spicy Chicken and Rice Bake

2 1/2 to 3 pounds meaty chicken pieces (breast, thighs, and drumsticks)
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP cooking oil
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup tomato juice
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
2/3 cup uncooked long grain rice (white rice)
1 tsp chili powder
1/8 to 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
Paprika

Skin chicken; set aside.

In a large saucepan cook onion, sweet pepper, and garlic in hot oil until vegetables are tender. Stir in black beans, undrained tomatoes, tomato juice, corn, uncooked rice, chili powder, red pepper and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to boiling. Transfer rice mixture to a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Arrange chicken pieces on top of rice mixture. Sprinkle chicken with paprika

Bake, covered, in a 375 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and rice is tender.

*D - I use bell pepper instead of sweet. It tastes the same to me. I am not a chunky onion fan. I like the flavor, but I'd rather not bite into one, so I chop my onion very small. Also, I made this without tomato juice, because I didn't have any, and just added a little water to make sure there was enough moisture for the rice. It tasted great. If you want to add the tomato juice, but don't have any, just use watered down tomato soup.


If you don't have frozen corn, use canned. I'm sure it's just fine.


Bottom line: this dish takes a little extra work, but it is so worth it! It's delicious flavor is great for leftovers. And if you run out of chicken and still have rice, try eating the rice on tortilla chips...SO good! Not to mention extremely healthy. Pin It

Rosemary Chicken w/ White Beans

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 c sliced fresh carrots
½ c sliced celery
1 1/2 c italian dressing
2 t dried rosemary
½ t salt
1 t pepper

Place the beans, carrots and celery in 5 qt slow cooker; top with chicken. Combine the salad dressing, rosemary, salt and pepper; pour over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until the chicken juices run clear.

*D: I didn't have any white beans, but I live in Idaho. So I used the Idahoan substitute of potatoes and it was AWESOME!!! To be honest I was shaking in my boots because Tyler's parents came over for dinner and I'd never made this before. But it was seriously amazing. It did my heart good to see my FIL "licking" the plate clean. (He used a fork, but I watched him spoon up every morsel and DROP off that plate!)


Tyler says I may have used too much rosemary. I didn't tell him that I thought the chicken looked bland, so I sprinkled it with rosemary after everything was in the crock pot. Don't do that.


So, for the potatoes, I used maybe a cup and a half, possibly two cups. We chopped them into smaller pieces because we wanted them to cook at the same rate the beans would have.


The flavor was amazing, it took me maybe 10 minutes to put together, and I did cook it for 4 hours. That was possibly too long because the chicken was a little dry. I basted periodically, and I don't know if it helped but it made me feel better. I cut the chicken into halves rather than whole breasts, and that may have been part of the problem as to why it was so dry.


I got this from my SIL's sister's blog, and it was posted as a freezer meal. So you can make this and then freeze it. I don't know anything about reheating, but I imagine you could either microwave it or put it back in the crock pot. Pin It

Pad Thai with Shrimp

4 cups water
1 package (6 - 8oz) linguine-style stir-fry rice noodles (rice stick noodles*)
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup water
3 TBSP packed brown sugar
3 TBSP fish sauce or soy sauce
3TBSP soy sauce
1 TBSP rice vinegar or white vinegar
3/4 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
3 TBSP vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium shallot, finely chopped or 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 eggs, beaten
12 oz frozen cooked peeled deveined medium shrimp, thawed
1/4 cup finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
3 cups fresh bean sprouts
4 medium green onions, thinly sliced (1/4 cup)
1/4 cup firmly packed cilantro leaves


*Thin or thick rice stick noodles can be substituted for the linguine-style stir-fry rice noodles.



Tyler and I couldn't decide which one we wanted to try...so we got both. Pictured above, the ones on the right are the noodles the recipe is talking about. But on the left are also rice noodles that are delicious! Below you can see close ups to see the difference between the two.




Neither one is very expensive. They run just a few dollars a package at your local grocery store. I know that seems like a lot (especially since it'll only make one meal, maybe two), but this dish is relatively cheap if you mostly use what you have at home.


1. In a 3-quart saucepan, heat 4 cups water to boiling. Remove from heat; add noodles (push noodles into water with back of spoon to cover them with water if necessary). Soak noodles 3 to 5 minutes or until noodles are soft but firm. Drain noodles; rinse with cold water.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir lime juice, 1/3 cup water, the brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, red pepper and 1 tablespoon of the oil until well mixed. Set aside.

3. In a nonstick wok or 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium heat.

Cook garlic and shallot in oil about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until starting to brown. Add eggs. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring gently and constantly, until scrambled but still moist.

4. Stir in noodles and lime juice mixture. Increase heat to high. Cook about 1 minute, tossing constantly with 2 wooden spoons, until sauce begins to thicken. Add remaining ingredients except cilantro (note from D: that includes shrimp, peanuts, bean sprouts and green onions). Cook 2 to 3 minutes, tossing with 2 wooden spoons, until noodles are tender. Place on serving platter. Sprinkle with cilantro. Garnish with additional chopped dry-roasted peanuts and green onions if desired.

PAD THAI WITH CHICKEN: Substitute 2 cups chopped cooked chicken for the shrimp.

I'll just give you a second to let your mouth water.

Doesn't that look amazing? It was. My friend, Melanie, made this the other night and we invited ourselves over for dinner. Literally. It was so good we left with full bellies and the recipe.


Melanie used the thin noodles, and it was divine. The thicker noodles soaked up the flavor more, but the thin noodles had a lighter flavor and feel. So they're both delicious and wonderful.


I used fish sauce, only because I had it in my fridge. Melanie did not use fish sauce, and her Pad Thai was less sweet than mine. In the future I'll use soy instead. We also used rice vinegar, but I think Mel used white. Use whatever you have. Don't go out and buy rice vinegar unless you use it on a regular basis. I use rice vinegar for sushi, so I usually have it on hand. But like I said, don't go out ant buy it. Just use white vinegar.


Tyler put in the red pepper and even asked me before he did it, "Are you sure you want this much red pepper?" I told him yes because I think Mel is a recipe-follower and hers wasn't too hot. Well, I don't know if she cut back or if our red pepper is more potent or if Tyler used 3/4 of a tablespoon rather than a teaspoon...but ours was burning hot! In the future I will cut back to probably half a teaspoon of red pepper.


You are always welcome to use jarred garlic rather than fresh. The flavor will be different (some say maybe not as good), but use what you have in your fridge. We always have both, so it doesn't matter to us.


We usually have shrimp in our freezer too (I love Shrimp Scampi!), but if you don't have shrimp, don't go buy it just for this dish. It's expensive! Use chicken. Melanie made hers with chicken and it was delicious! I don't know which one I prefer more, but the chicken will probably be what we make in the future because it's less expensive. If you use chicken, though, a little more preparation will have to go into making it because you'll have to do that before you even start on the noodles.


I did not use peanuts because I didn't have any. I always have cashews on hand because of we love Cashew Chicken. So I used those instead. I'm not sure it made a huge difference. We had peanuts at Melanie's house, but both were good.


I didn't know what bean sprouts were as apposed to alfalfa sprouts. Bean sprouts are bigger. Before you use them, be sure to was them carefully. Who knows where they've been?! I rinse them in cool water until they're no longer slimy. I did not measure them (what a nightmare!). I just took too handfuls and called it good.

And lastly, I thought the dish looked a little bland until I put on the cilantro. I did not sprinkle it on top before I served it because Tyler doesn't love cilantro, so I knew he'd ask me to leave it off if it wasn't mixed it. And I think it added to the flavor of the dish because I let it cook for another minute or so after adding the cilantro.


This is a great and EASY dish. I know all my instructions make it look hard, but it really isn't. It just takes a little effort because you have to chop cilantro and onions and garlic. But once you get all the ingredients together, it literally takes 5 minutes to cook.

Pin It

Sweet and Sour Chicken

chicken breasts, sliced into 2"strips
cornstarch
1 dash salt
oil
egg
1/2 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
3/8 cup vinegar
1 TBSP soy sauce

Dip chicken in beaten egg, then coat in cornstarch. Fry in oil until brown on edges. Place in pan. Combine remaining ingredients in a sauce pan to make sauce and bring to boil. Pour over the top of the chicken and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Baste while baking.

I won't lie, this recipe is deceiving in it's easiness. The first part is kind of hard and very messy. It uses a LOT of cornstarch, so to cut it back a little, try mixing in a bit of flour. The consistency will change just a bit, but not too much.


I usually double the sauce (as usual) and make plenty for leftovers. This is such an amazing dinner! I promise, you'll never go to Fong's again...or whatever cheapo Chinese food place you frequent. This is a hundred times better.


Serve with Fried Rice. Pin It

Ranch Chicken with Cheese

1/2 c Hidden Valley Original Ranch Dressing
1 TBSP all-purpose flour
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)
1/4 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese

Combine dressing and flour in a shallow bowl. Coat each chicken breast with dressing mixture. Place on ungreased baking pan. Combine cheddar and Parmesan cheeses; sprinkle on chicken. Bake at 375* for 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center and juices run clear.

First of all, can I just say YUM!!! I LOVE this recipe. Tyler...not so much. He tolerates it for my sake:) I got it out of a Ranch cookbook. All the recipes include Ranch. Heaven. I'm in heaven. Ok, back to earth. This is one of those recipes I've made so much and I changed so long ago that I really don't know what I do. But let me say this, 1/2 cup of Ranch dressing is NOT enough for 4 chicken breasts. I'd double it at least. Then if you need more you can always make more.


Also, who has shredded Parmesan on hand? Not me. I use the fake powder stuff and mix it in with the Ranch and flour.


You know how I am with coating chicken, I just pour the ingredients over the top, making sure there is enough extra sauce for dipping. Then I cover with cheese. I don't sprinkle. Sprinkling is for weaklings. I cover with cheddar cheese. Then I bake until the cheese is melted and the chicken is done. Absolutely delicious! Pin It

Thai Chicken Wraps with Peanut Sauce

4 chicken breasts
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. pepper
1 t. salt
4 t. sugar

Combine ingredients and rub onto chicken breasts. Broil until done. Cut into thin strips.

1 red onion, cut into thin wedges (we used regular onion)
2 t. oil
1 c. shredded cabbage
1 c. shredded carrots
4 green onions, sliced (I didn't have these on hand, so I left them out)
1 T. grated ginger root (or 1/2-1 t. ginger powder)
2 cloves garlic, minced

Saute the veggies, garlic and ginger until tender.

1/4 c. creamy peanut butter
1/4 c. sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 T. soy sauce
3 T. water
2 T. oil

Heat peanut butter and sugar until sugar is melted. Add garlic, soy sauce, water, and oil.

3 cups warm, cooked rice
6 large flour tortillas

Assemble wraps with rice, cooked veggies, chicken strips, and peanut sauce. Yummy!

This is a recipe from my brother and sister-in-law. The notes off to the side are theirs. I don't have anything to add except I don't broil my chicken, I bake it. Pin It

Greek Chicken

Chicken in pieces
lemon juice from lemon
Basil
Oil
Lemon pepper seasoning
Oregano

Mix together juice from 1 lemon with enough oil to coat chicken pieces. Coat chicken and place on baking sheet.Sprinkle lemon pepper, basil and oregano to taste on one side. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Turn over and sprinkle spices on other side. Bake 30 minutes. Turn and bake 20 minutes more. Serve with rice or over salads.

This is my kind of recipe! No measurements whatsoever. Yeah! Ok. There is SO much I've changed about this. First of all, cut your chicken in pieces depending on what you want to do with it. Bigger chunks, or strips, if you're just eating it. Smaller chunks in you're eating it over rice. Even smaller chunks if you're tossing it in a salad.


The lemon juice I do NOT squeeze from a real lemon. Walmart has done the dirty work for me. I buy a huge bottle of lemon juice concentrate and use it religiously. Oil: use canola or olive. They're the healthiest for you. If I'm wrong, let me know. I use about half a cup or so of each (maybe more, maybe less, but that gives you an idea).


I am not adverse to doing things the easy way. When a recipe says "coat," unless I'm frying it, I don't coat it. I usually just pour the mixture over the top. It's a lot easier and you get pretty much the same results. However, with this recipe I do coat (just because). I drop all my chicken pieces in the lemon juice/oil mixture, then pull them out and arrange them in a glass baking dish. The recipe tells you to put the chicken pieces on a cookie sheet, but if you do they will tear your throat up as you swallow because they are so hard and dry. I now use a cake pan and it works great. I don't cover when I bake this chicken, but if you have a problem with dry chicken, cook it in a glass dish with tin foil over the top.


Then I sprinkle with lemon pepper (too much and you'll have lemon chicken instead of Greek), and then I generously pour over the basil and oregano. I LOVE basil!

I bake on one side for about 20 minutes, flip, sprinkle and bake for about 10 - 15 more minutes. This does not need to bake for an hour and a half! Just watch it.


This is one of my absolute all time favorite ways to eat chicken! Mmmm. Double the recipe if you want leftovers!:) You can make up some cucumber tomato salad to go with it, or fry up some potatoes, or boil some carrots (which is what we did). Oh, and a special thanks to Julie Hinck who provided us with a fresh loaf of homemade french bread to perfect our delicious dinner.


I'm not ashamed to admit that I ate half the loaf all in one sitting.

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