Mexican Chicken and Rice

So I stumbled across a recipe that I wanted to try.  I love coming up with recipes that can take advantage of things that you might already have in your pantry and your freezer - and I think this is a good option!  I found on food.com a recipe for Spanish Chicken & Rice Bake.  I made a few tweaks to see if I can make it more pantry friendly.  It was super easy to prepare and very tasty.  The chicken came out fantastic!  We will definitely make this again.

Ingredients (Serves 3-4)

1 can Cream of chicken soup (10.5 oz)
1 can Petite diced tomatoes (14.5 oz), with liquid
1 cup Chicken (or vegetable) broth
1 can Whole kernel corn (15 oz) , drained
1 can Chopped black olives (4.25 oz)
3/4 cup Long-grain white rice, uncooked
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/4 tsp Garlic powder
3 Chicken breast halves (boneless and cut in half)
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1/4 tsp Chili powder (adjust to taste)
1/4 cup Shredded cheddar cheese (adjust to taste)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F
2. In a casserole dish (with a cover), mix cream of chicken soup, tomatoes, chicken broth, corn, black olives, rice, cumin, oregano and garlic powder.
3. Top soup mixture with chicken.  Season with Kosher salt, black pepper and chili powder.
4. Cover tightly with casserole lid or foil.  Bake at 375°F for 50-55 minutes.
5. Sprinkle with cheese over the chicken, cover with lid and let set for 2-3 minutes.

Enjoy!

Mediterranean Chicken With Tomatoes and Capers

One of my favorite recipe sites is the wonderful Cooking with the New York Times.  I have seen their recipe for a while for Chicken Breasts With Tomatoes and Capers and have wanted to make this.  This just looked like a great and healthy option when you are looking for something great to cook in a hurry.  The best part is that you can make most of this with freezer and pantry staples, so it can come together quickly and without a ton of prep. It is also very easy to pull together.  The chicken comes out super moist (and tasty).

Ingredients (serves 4)

4 Chicken breasts (boneless & skinless)
1/2 tsp Kosher salt (adjust to taste)
1/4 tsp Black pepper (adjust to taste)
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 tbsp Butter
1 Shallot, finely chopped
3 tsp Garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp Tarragon, dried
1 tsp Oregano, dried
14.5 oz can Petite diced tomatoes
1/4 cup Red wine vinegar
1/4 cup Capers, drained
1 cup Dry white wine (or cooking wine)
1 tbsp Tomato paste

Directions

1. Sprinkle chicken with Kosher salt and black pepper.
2. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet. Add the chicken breasts and saute over medium-high heat, turning the pieces after 4 minutes and cook for another 3 minutes.
3. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and cook for an additional minute.
4. Add tarragon, oregano, tomatoes (with liquid), vinegar, capers, wine and tomato paste. Bring to a boil as you stir to dissolve the brown particles on the bottom of the skillet.
5. Cover and lower to medium.  Simmer for 9-11 minutes.

Enjoy with rice!

Pilgrim Chili

This is a recipe I made a few months ago and have been carrying around for a long time! I wanted to make a quick vegetarian stew and loved the way this turned out. This recipe was adapted from the Pulse Pledge's Northwest Chili. This is a cool site that promotes eating pulses (things like chickpeas, lentils, peas & beans).  I loved this as a lunch meal, especially since it reheats great in the microwave.  You can also add hot sauce if you want more of a bite!  And about the name - I have no idea why I called it that.  I first made it in July, so it was not even near Thanksgiving!  However, it might be a nice dish to have for vegetarian diners on that holiday.

Ingredients (4-6 servings)

2 tbsp Olive oil
2 small Onions, chopped (or one medium)
3 tsp Garlic, minced (or cloves)
1 Bell pepper (red or green), chopped
1 1/4 cup  Lentils (dry), rinsed
2 cups Peas and carrots (frozen)
1  tbsp Chili powder
2 tsp Cumin
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp Black pepper
2 1/2 cups Broth (Vegetable or Chicken)
28 oz can Tomatoes (petite diced), drain much of the liquid (but not all)
15 oz can Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained

Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, garlic & bell pepper and saute for 3-5  minutes. Add lentils, and stir to coat them with oil.
2. Add frozen peas and carrots, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, Kosher salt, black pepper, and broth.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 25-30 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and chickpeas.  Mix thoroughly and simmer for another 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Stewed Mexican Chicken

Over ten years ago, I shared a recipe for Chicken Taco Filling that is super easy to make in the slow cooker.  Last year, in conjunction with the slow cooker baked potatoes, I tried a new variation on this to have a heartier version of this dish.  I loved how it came together and worked with the baked potato.  This would also be great over rice or as a quesadilla filling.

Ingredients (makes 5-7 portions):
2 tbsp Dried minced onions
2 1/2 lbs Frozen boneless and skinless chicken breasts
1 Red pepper, diced
1 Green pepper, diced
2 Yellow onions (small), diced (or one medium)
2 packages Taco seasoning mix (low sodium if you have it) - (1.25 oz)
28oz can Petite diced tomatoes (with added flavors if you like), undrained
1 cup Broth (chicken or vegetable)

Directions

1. Place dried minced onions, frozen chicken, red peppers, green peppers and onion in the slow cooker (in that order).
2. Sprinkle the taco mix on top and then add the petite diced tomatoes (with liquid) and broth.  Try to cover all the taco mix.
3. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
4. When done, take two forks and shred the chicken and mix into the sauce. You can let it cook for an additional half our or so (but it is not necessary).

Enjoy - especially on a baked potato!

Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes

Long time coming to post this recipe.  Every so often, I find myself at a restaurant and I order a baked potato.  I love them, but the time involved in cooking them can be tricky when you start doing meal prep late in the day!  So I was poking around the web looking for a few alternatives to baking potatoes and I found a few references to how to cook them in the slow cooker.  Sounds like a plan.  I read a bit and came up with this recipe that is super easy to do and they come out tasting great.  You do not get that crunchy skin that you get when they are cooked in the oven, but everything else is fantastic.

Ingredients (serves 4)

4 Russet Potatoes (large)
Olive oil spray
1 tsp Kosher salt (adjust to taste)
3/4 tsp Black pepper (adjust to taste)

Directions

1. Scrub the potatoes well and then pierce them 10-12 times with a sharp knife.
2. Cut off four sheets of aluminum foil, each around 1 foot long.
3. Place one potato on the foil and spray with olive oil until all sides have a light coating.  Add a pinch of Kosher salt and pepper and wrap the foil tightly around the potato.  Repeat for the other three potatoes.
4. Place in a slow cooker and set on low.  Cook for 8-10 hours.

Enjoy!

Fried Capers

Pam first noticed fried capers on salads at a favorite local restaurant we frequent.  So I poked around and found a number of different variations.  A nice one I found was from Food & Style. I thought I would play with them and make one for a salad we are having tonight.  These turn out amazing and they give you a really nice flavor for salads or other dishes.  They are also very easy to make!

Ingredients (serves 3-4 on salads)

1 tbsp Cornmeal
1/4 tsp Onion powder
1/4 tsp Oregano
1/4 tsp Black Pepper (adjust to taste)
1/4 cup Small capers
1 tbsp Olive oil

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix the cornmeal, onion powder, oregano and black pepper.
2. Drain the capers in a sieve.  Then add the capers to the cornmeal mixture and mix with a fork until the capers are coated.  Placed the capers back into the sieve and shake to remove the excess cornmeal mix.
3. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a pan and place it over medium-high heat.  When the oil is heated, add the capers and shake the pan until they are in one layer.  Lower to medium heat and saute for 3 minutes undisturbed.  Mix the capers and saute for another 2 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl (leaving any oil in the pan).
4. You can let the capers sit for up to a few hours.

Enjoy!

Christmas Quiche

If you have a bunch that you need to bring a dish to - I think I have a good suggestion!  I adapted this recipe from my Spinach and Mushroom Quiche that I have been making for a while.  We wanted something else for a holiday gathering and with Jeremy's help, we came up with this new quiche.  It was going to be called a Western Quiche based on the fact that it was similar to a Western Omelette.  But in the end, I think I will call it as Christmas Quiche, because it has green and red peppers.  This naming comes from Mexican cooking (I think) as it has both red and green peppers in it.  Regardless of how it is named, it is really nice to have another quiche to cook.  This is great for brunch or any meal and we will definitely make it again.

Ingredients (serves 4-5)
1 Frozen deep dish pie crust
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 cup Green pepper, diced
1 cup Red pepper, diced
1 small Yellow onion, diced
8 oz Ham, diced
1 1/4 cup Skim milk
6 Large eggs
1 1/4 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1/2 tsp Kosher salt

Directions
1. Bake pie crust per directions.  Then change the temperature to 400°F for the quiche.
2. In non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoon olive oil and cook peppers and onions for around 5 minutes.  Add ham to saute pan and cook an additional 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. In a large bowl, add ham mixture with skim milk, eggs, cheese, black pepper and salt until well blended.
4. Place the pie crust on a Jelly Roll pan.  Pour vegetable mixture into deep dish pie crust.  Bake quiche 45-50 minutes until filling and crust are golden and knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Let sit 5 minutes and then serve.

Enjoy!