Taco Soup

www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com
Time: 20 minutes prep + 5 hours in the crock or 1 hour on the stove
Yield: 10 servings

1 pound ground beef
1 onion salt and pepper
3 14.5 oz cans Mexican Stewed Tomatoes
2 15 oz cans black beans
2 15 oz cans kidney beans
2 15 oz cans corn
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 fajita, or taco seasoning packet
1 lime, juiced
4 T maple syrup
2 C water

TOPPINGS: Tortilla chips, sour cream and cheddar cheese

1. Grab your ground beef, chop up your onion and put them into a hot skillet. Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper over the top and let the meat brown up and the onions get nice and soft.
2. Place your canned tomatoes in a blender and blend them up, nice and pretty like.
3. Add all ingredients (but the toppings) to your crock pot, or to a large soup pot if you are planning on letting it simmer on the stove. Stir all ingredients to combine.
4. For the crock pot cook on high for 5 hours, for the stove top let it come to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and let it simmer for 1 hour.

Balsalmic and Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Roast

www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com
Time: 10 minutes prep + 4-6 hours cooking
Yield: 6 serving

1 2 pound pork loin
1 t sage
1/2 t salt
1/4/ t pepper
1 t garlic
1/2 C water

Glaze:
1/2 C brown sugar
1 T cornstarch
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
1/2 C water
2 T soy sauce

1. Place your pork roast on a pan, or plate.
2. In a small bowl combine the salt, pepper, rubbed sage, and garlic. Press the seasonings into the pork roast. Spray the inside of your crock pot with cooking spray. Place the seasoned pork roast inside and pour the water along the edges of the roast.
3. Cover and cook on low for 4-6, depending on how hot your crock pot cooks things. You are looking for an internal temperature of 180 degrees.
4. In a small sauce pan, combine the glaze ingredients. Bring it to a boil while stirring and let the sauce thicken. (Should only take a couple of minutes.)
5. Drizzle some of the glaze over the top of the roast and let it cook for another 30 minutes.
 6. Remove the roast from the crock pot and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Slice it thinly, drizzle the remaining sauce over the top and your are ready to eat. It's fabulous served with rice and a green veggie...or with roasted vegetables.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

 www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com
Time: 10 min. hands on + 4-6 hours crock pot cooking
Yield: 8 servings

1 (14.5 ounce) can Mexican Style Stewed Tomatoes
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans
2 (15 ounce) cans corn
1/2 C onion, chopped
1/2 C red or green pepper, chopped
2 chicken breasts (I used frozen)
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 (10 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
2 1/2 C milk 4 bullion cubes (or 4 t bullion granules)
1/2 t lime juice (can be bottled)
1/3 C sour cream
2 T butter

Toppings: Tortilla Chips cheddar cheese cilantro avocado

1. Pour the whole can of stewed tomatoes into your crock pot, juice included. Diced tomatoes work best...but if you only have whole stewed tomatoes, like me :)...then stick some kitchen scissors into the pot and cut up your tomatoes.
2. Drain and rinse the black beans and add them to the pot.
3. Drain the corn and add them as well.
4. Roughly chop up 1/2 C onion and 1/2 C of red or green pepper and toss them in.
5. Pour the enchilada sauce into a medium sized mixing bowl. Add the cream of chicken soup, 2 1/2 C milk and then crumble the bullion cubes over the top.
6. Whisk it all together until nice and smooth.
7. Place two chicken breasts over the vegetables in your crock pot. (I used frozen)
8. Pour the sauce over the top of the chicken.
9. Cover your crock and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 7-8, depending on how fast your crock pot cooks things.
10. Remove the chicken and place it on a plate. Shred it with a fork.
11. Add the 1/2 t lime juice, 1/3 C sour cream and 2 T butter to the soup. Whisk it in until the butter has melted and the sour cream is well combined.
12. Toss your chicken back into the pot, give it a stir and you are ready to eat. Serve with tortilla chips and cheddar cheese. Cilantro and avocado are also fabulous. Enjoy!

Italian Cream Cheese Chicken

www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com
Time: 15 min. prep + 4 1/2 or 7 1/2 hours cooking time
Yield: 6-8 servings

***NOTE: This recipe also works wonderfully served over white rice, instead of pasta.***

1 (.07 ounce) package Good Seasons Zesty Italian Salad Dressing Mix
1/2 C butter, melted
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used frozen with no trouble at all)
 4 ounces cream cheese
2 (10.5 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
1 (12 ounce) package fettuccine noodles

1. Grab your self one package of Zesty Italian Salad Dressing Mix. Melt 1/2 cup butter in the microwave and then add the dressing packet to the butter. Stir it around a bit to combine.
2. Place 4 chicken breasts in your crock pot and pour the butter/seasoning mixture over the top of the chicken. Cover the crock pot of wonder and let the old girl cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 7. Your crock pot may cook a little bit slower or faster than mine...adjust accordingly.
3. When your chicken is no longer pink in the center, remove it to a plate and shred it up with two forks.
4. To the crock pot and it's wonderful juices, add 4 ounces of cream cheese and 2 cans of cream of chicken soup.
5. Pop a fork into the pot and stir it all together until smooth.
6. Place the shredded chicken back into the crock pot, give it a nice stir, cover it and let it cook on high for about 20 minutes, or until the soup and cream cheese are heated through.
7. Boil yourself some nice water and cook the fettuccine according to package directions. Serve the pasta with the yummy chicken mixture on top. Enjoy!

Creamy Ranch Chicken with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Time: 20 min. prep + 4-6 hours crock pot cooking
Yield: 6 servings

Creamy Ranch Chicken:
5-6 chicken breasts (I used frozen)
2 (14 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
 4 T butter, melted 2 (1 ounce) packages Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing Mix
4-5 cloves garlic

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes:
7 large russet potatoes
4 T butter milk salt and pepper

1. Find yourself a nice crock pot. Spray the inside with cooking spray and place 5-6 chicken breasts in it. (I used frozen)
2. In a small bowl combine 2 cans cream of chicken soup, 2 packages ranch mix and 4 tablespoons melted butter. Spread it over the top of your chicken.
3. Peel your garlic and place the cloves on top of a sheet of tin foil.
4. Wrap the foil around the cloves and up into a nice little package.
5. Place the garlic package in the crock pot on top of the chicken. Cover the crock and let the old girl cook away on low for 6 hours, or on high for 4 hours.
 6. When your chicken has cooked through carefully take the tin foil package out of the crock pot and set it on a plate.
7. Peel your potatoes and chop them into chunks. Boil them for about 15 minutes, or until fork tender and then drain the water out of the pan.
8. Mash up some of the roasted garlic and add it to the potatoes. Just start with a small amount of garlic, maybe 1-2 teaspoons. You can always add more, if you want it really garlicky...but you don't want to overpower it.
9. Add 4 tablespoons of butter, salt and pepper and a bit of milk. Beat the potatoes until light and fluffy, tasting along the way and adding more salt and pepper or butter or milk or garlic to your own very personal liking and desire. Serve the potatoes with the gravy from the crock pot and the heavenly Creamy Ranch Chicken. Enjoy!