Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:
2 diced yellow onions
4-6 minced garlic cloves garlic
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup flour
16 cups of broth (I use water with bouillon cubes)
2 cans of chicken breasts or chop up a roasted chicken if in a hurry (optional)
1 large bag of frozen broccoli pieces (or fresh is fine - about 4 heads of broccoli)
salt & pepper to taste
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 cups milk
1 16 oz block of sharp cheddar cheese chopped into little chunks
1 cup grated mixed cheese

Directions:
Saute onion and garlic until tender. Set aside.  Mix flour and butter and cook over low heat (to make a roux).  It will be ready when it bubbles and starts to turn brown.  Mix together.

In separate pot, mix water and bouillon to make a broth.  After it is warm, add the roux mixture stirring the whole time so it doesn't clump up.  Add the chicken, broccoli, and spices and cook for around 30 minutes.  Add cheese and milk and stir.  When cheese is melted in, the soup is ready to serve.  Top with grated cheese.

This makes A LOT of soup (serves 16-20?).  We eat some fresh and freeze some for another day.  Warning, this has a kick to it so use less cayenne pepper if you'd like it more mild.

Chicken Enchiladas

(original recipe from my dear friend and previous neighbor Raquel Larsen)

Flour Tortillas
Enchilada Sauce (red or green)
Green Chilies if you use green sauce, green onions if you use red sauce
Cilantro (optional)
Chicken
Sour Cream
Grated Cheese

I never measure amounts on this recipe. I simply add whatever quantities I feel like at the time. Cook chicken and shred. I like to boil the chicken so that it is really moist and shreds easily. Mix chicken, some enchilada sauce, green chilies (or green onions), grated cheese and sour cream to taste (should be fairly thick, not too runny). Pour a little sauce to coat the bottom of a 9x13 glass pan. Put mixture into tortillas and roll. Place formed enchiladas into glass pan and line them up tightly. Pour more enchilada sauce on top and then sprinkle cheese on top. Cover with foil and heat at 350 degrees until heated through (usually around 35-45 minutes).

Chicken Stuffing Casserole

One of my boys loves stuffing so I decided to make a casserole for him last night.  He told me that it smelled so good that he just wanted to stuff his face right in it.  I'll take that as a compliment.

1 box of chicken stuffing (prepared as on box)
1 can of cream of chicken soup (undiluted)
1 can of Costco chicken (drained)
Tiny bit of milk if needed

Mix the prepared stuffing, soup and chicken together and add a little milk if it looks too dry.  Bake for 20-30 minutes until warmed all the way through.

Next time I make this, I will probably add sauteed diced celery, onions, and other veggies but I was in a hurry last night and this sufficed.  This would be something easy for the kids to make at college or on missions.

Costco Salsa Chicken Mexican

I went to Costco a few months ago and sampled a yummy Mexican mouthful.  Super tasty, super easy, super fun.  They only put the salsa, chicken and cheese together and served it with tortilla chips.  I added a few extra ingredients and served it in a tortilla (burrito style).  In true "Pam Style," I don't really measure except when baking.  So just add these ingredients to suit your personal taste.

Ingredients:

1 jar Costco organic salsa (you can use another kind)
2 cans Costco chicken pieces (you could use chicken you cooked and chopped yourself)
Grated cheese to taste
Brown rice
Black Beans

Put all ingredients into a pot and heat until warmed.  Serve in a tortilla or with chips.

My friend said she may try adding corn kernels too.

Crock-Pot Teriyaki Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
12 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 3 lb)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
6 tablespoons cider vinegar
 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 1/2 teaspoons cold water

Hot cooked long grain rice

DIRECTION: Place chicken in a 4 qt. slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, soy sauce, cider vinegar, ginger, garlic and pepper. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken to a serving platter; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking liquid. Place liquid in a saucepan and bring to boil. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into liquid and stir until sauce is thickened. Serve with chicken and rice. Note: I halved the recipe and it still worked fine in my crock pot. It might not need the full 4 hours time.

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!

Orange Sesame Chicken

 www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com
Time: 30 minutes start to finish...gotta love that.
Yield: 6 servings Recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up!

4 chicken breasts
1/2 C flour
1/8 t salt
2 T olive oil

Sauce:
1/2 C fresh orange juice (you'll 2 large oranges)
1/4 C soy sauce
3 T rice vinegar
4 T sugar
1 T orange peel (loosely packed)
1/4 C cold water
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t sesame oil
1/4 t ginger
1 T cornstarch
1 T toasted sesame seeds

1. Pour 1/2 cup flour into a medium sized bowl and sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon of salt into it. Toss it together with a fork to combine.
2. Cut your chicken into large chunks and dip them each into the flour, making sure all sides are coated.
3. Heat a large skillet up over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, pour 2-3 tablespoons olive oil into the pan.
4. Once the oil has gotten hot, place your chicken into the pan. Let the chicken get nice and golden brown. Then turn each piece over and let it get golden brown on the other side.
5. While your chicken is getting lovely and golden, zest one orange.
6. Squeeze the juice from 2-3 oranges. You need 1/2 a cup.
7. Pour your orange juice, and 1 tablespoon (loosely packed) orange zest into a small mixing bowl. Add 1/4 C soy sauce, 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 4 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 cup cold water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Stir it all together until the cornstarch has dissolved and everything is mixed well.
8. Once your chicken is golden on both sides pour the heavenly orange sauce over the chicken. Bring the sauce to a simmer, cover and let it cook for 10-15 minutes over medium low heat stirring occasionally.
9. When the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbly pour 1 tablespoon sesame seeds over the top of the chicken. Stir it around to combine and you are good to go. Serve over a bed of white or brown rice. Enjoy!

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

Who doesn't love Cafe Rio or Costa Vida?

This recipe is a great option for feeding a crowd,  because there's something for everyone. Don't like meat? Have a meatless salad. Don't like meat or salads? Have a tortilla with cheese, rice, dressing, pico  and beans.  Everyone builds their own.

To Build a Cafe Rio style Sweet Pork salad:

Cafe Rio style Sweet Pork- find it here
Cafe Rio style Black Beans-find it here
Mexican Rice with Cilantro Dressing - find it here
Cafe Rio style Cilantro Dressing- find it here
Pico de Gallo - find it here
Our favorite Chunky Guacamole- find it here

Other items you will  need/want to make a Cafe Rio style salad:
Romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
Cheese, Mexican blend and/or Cotija (Mexican cheese) for sprinkling on top, if desired
Flour Tortillas, we like the type found in Costco in the refrigerated section, grill for a few minutes on each side at home, or you may use grilled corn or regular grocery store flour tortillas, warmed
corn tortillas and vegetable oil- cut the corn tortillas into strips, fry over medium high heat, drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt
Sour cream for topping salad
Fresh cilantro to top salad
lime slices, to top each salad
8 or 9" disposable foil tins found in baking section of grocery or the dollar store, or plates work too

Assembly:
Place all items on serving table in this order:
Tins or plates, tortillas, beans, rice, meat, lettuce, cheese, pico, guacamole, dressing, sour cream, tortilla strips, cilantro and lime slices.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork for a crowd
A Bountiful Kitchen

For roasting meat:
13.5 lb Pork Shoulder* (yield approx 6 1/2 lbs cooked, fat removed, shredded pork)
2 teaspoon onion salt
fresh ground pepper
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine or crushed
1 can or approx 12 oz Coke or Dr. Pepper, not Diet (see reader comment below by Bonnie)

For sauce after roasting:
3- 4 oz cans diced (mild to medium) green chilies
1-28 oz can red enchilada sauce
2 cups light brown sugar
2 cans or 24 oz Coke or Dr. Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place rack in bottom third of oven.

If making a full recipe and using a piece of meat larger than 6 lbs, cut the meat into at least two or more pieces to insure meat will be cooked through.

Season the pork with onion salt and ground pepper on all sides.  Rub the top of the pork with crushed garlic cloves.

Place the pork in a large heavy roasting pan or crock pot.  Pour Coke around the sides of roast.
Cover tightly with foil, so no steam escapes. Roast at 350 for 2 1/2 hours. Do not open oven. Turn oven to 200 roast for 2 more hours. Alternately, Place the pork into two large crock pots. Follow directions, except cook on low for about 10-12 hours.

After roasting, remove meat. Let cool for about 15 minutes, or cool enough to handle. Pull meat apart with hands, removing any visible fat remaining on meat. Discard fat and drain remaining liquid from pan.
Place meat back into roasting pan, shred with forks.

Prepare sauce by placing green chilies, enchilada sauce and brown sugar into a blender.  Blend until smooth. Add the Coke, stir with spoon. Pour the sauce over the meat, and heat the meat again before serving. Do not stir too much, this makes the meat a mushy mess. Visualize the icky barbecued meat in the frozen section at the grocery. I prefer to pour sauce on top and leave the meat alone :) Using tongs helps tremendously.
Yield: about 35 servings.

Tater Tot Casserole

Recipe: Tater Tot Casserole ©
From the Kitchen of Michelle Walton
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min

Ingredients:
•1 (10-ounce ) can cream of mushroom soup
•1 (10-ounce ) can cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup milk
•1 packet onion soup mix
•1 pound of ground beef or ground turkey
•2 cup of shredded cheese (1 cup of yellow and one cup of white
•1 pound package of frozen tater tots

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or spray a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish with non-stick spray; set aside. Cook your meat and then drain. Whisk together the cream soup,milk and the onion soup to the meat. Mix well and pour into pan. Add half of the cheese of both yellow and white. Then add the tater tots with the remainder of cheese. Cook for 45 minutes. Serve immediately with a green vegetable or a mixed garden salad.

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (frozen is fine)

1 cup salsa (I used homemade salsa but could use jar)

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 packet taco seasoning (I used a scoop or two from a large Costco jar)

1/2 cup sour cream (I used greek yogurt instead)

tortillas

Place chicken in the bottom of your slow cooker. Sprinkle taco seasoning on chicken. In a bowl, combine soup and salsa. Pour over chicken. Cook on high 4 hours. Shred chicken with two forks and stir in sour cream. Serve on tortillas or as desired.

Chicken and Ziti Casserole

Chicken
Ziti Pasta (or any sort of “tunnel” pasta)
Spaghetti Sauce
Grated Cheese

Cook chicken and chop into small pieces. I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I boil the chicken and then chop it up.

Cook pasta and drain.

Mix chicken, pasta, spaghetti sauce and grated cheese. I don’t really measure. You just want to be sure to use enough sauce that it isn’t too dry.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees until heated through.

Top with cheese at the end and cook a few minutes more until the cheese is melted.

Mexican Skillet

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 pkg. (1-1/4 oz.) Taco Seasoning Mix
2 cans (14 oz.) kidney beans, drained, rinsed
1 cup Salsa (I used home made -recipe on blog)
1/2 cup water
4 flour tortillas (12 inch), cut into 1-1/2-inch squares
1 cup Mexican Style Shredded Four Cheese
1/3 cup Sour Cream
1/3 cup chopped green onions (optional topping)
1 Roma tomato chopped (optional topping)

To make this:
BROWN meat in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat; drain.
ADD seasoning mix, beans, salsa and water; stir. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 min.
STIR in tortillas; top with cheese. Cover; let stand 5 min. or until cheese is melted. Top with sour cream and toppings.

Homemade Mac & Cheese

8 ounces macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
2 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

Boil macaroni noodles according to package directions. Drain noodles and set aside. Melt butter, then add 4 tablespoons flour, stir well and cook for a few minutes. Add milk, salt and dry mustard. Cook for about 10 minutes, whisking occasionally. Add most of the cheese and stir. Combine sauce and macaroni and place in greased casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Honey Dijon Pecan Salmon

6-8 oz chopped pecans
½ salmon
1 T honey
4 T Dijon
¼ stick butter
Fresh Parsley
Old Bay Seasoning
Italian Bread Crumbs

Rinse salmon both sides. Cut 18” wide tin foil to be 3-4 inches longer than salmon on both ends. Lay paper towels on foil. Pat salmon dry. Discard paper towels. Sprinkle generously with Old Bay on both sides. In Pyrex, melt butter, add Dijon and honey. Take fork and whisk until it turns into a sauce. Pour ½ on top and smear and then smear on the other side. Put pecans on top and sprinkle on bread crumbs. Pinch off parsley and chop finely. Sprinkle on top. Fold sides on foil up and over salmon. Put 3 holes in foil. Use full chimney, indirect on BBQ. After cooking 15 minutes unfold tin foil and let air out. Cook 10 more minutes with lid on. 25 minutes total cook time. Stick fork between salmon flakes to see if it is done. It gets too dry if you cook it too long. Use a cookie sheet and tongs to pull it off the grill.

From Uncle Mike Garrick, the master BBQ’er, May 2005

Chicken Enchiladas

(original recipe from my dear friend Raquel Larsen who I hope will one day be in our lives again)

Flour Tortillas
Large can of Enchilada Sauce (red or green)
Small can of Green Chilies
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
Sour Cream
Grated Cheese

I never measure amounts on this recipe. I simply add whatever quantities I feel like at the time. Cook chicken and shred. I like to boil the chicken so that it is really moist and shreds easily. Mix chicken, some enchilada sauce, green chilies, grated cheese and sour cream to taste (should be fairly thick, not too runny). Pour a little sauce to coat the bottom of a 9x13 glass pan. Put mixture into tortillas and roll. Place formed enchiladas into glass pan and line them up tightly. Pour more enchilada sauce on top and then sprinkle cheese on top. Cover with foil and heat at 350 degrees until heated through (usually around 35-45 minutes).