Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Casserole

The name says it all right? I absolutely love buffalo chicken dip so when I saw this recipe I had to try it.

Here's the recipe that I followed:

http://holycannolirecipes.blogspot.com/2011/05/buffalo-chicken-potato-casserole.html

Sorry I don't have any original pictures! I promise I will get back on that!

Here's a picture from the above mentioned blog:

You will need:

• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in to strips or cubes - I used 2 lbs
• 1/3 cup hot sauce
• 5 cups shredded red potatoes - 1 used a 32oz bag of frozen home fries. The little cubes of potato. I wish I had used hashbrowns instead.
• 1 cup ranch or bleu cheese dressing - I used bleu cheese because that's what I had
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese - I didn't use any. I bet it would have been better if I had though.
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs - again I didn't use any because I made mine in the crockpot instead of in the oven so I don't think the breadcrumbs would have worked quite as well

I cut my chicken into cubes and put it in the crockpot along with the bag of frozen homefries, hot sauce, bleu cheese dressing, and can of soup. I added about a half a cup of chicken broth to mine to make it a little more soupy. Stir it all up and put your crockpot on low. Now I did mine on low for 4 hours and the homefries weren't done all the way. So next time I would do 6 hours on low instead.

I did not end up being super thrilled with my result. It was ok but not my favorite. I think it definitely would have been better with the cheese and breadcrumbs and hashbrowns instead of homefries. I still have leftovers so I think I'm going to mix some of it with eggs and have it on toast.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and happy cooking, crockpotting, and couponing!

New Recipes to Try

Looking over my food board on my Pinterest the other day got me thinking. I have to have close to 200 recipes posted on there and I haven't tried nearly enough. So I made a list of 24 recipes that I want to try and make over the next two months. Here's my list (I've already made a few!). I would really love to hear if anyone would like me to try other recipes or if any of these recipes sound more appetizing than others? Please let me know! Happy cooking, crockpotting, and couponing!

Please note:  recipes that I have tried have a line through them!

1. French onion pork chops - http://www.pauladeen.com/recipes/recipe_view/french_onion_pork_chops/
2. Feta and chive sour cream scones - http://joythebaker.com/2012/12/feta-and-chive-sour-cream-scones/
3. Sweet pork tacos - http://www.jellypin.com/sweet-pork-tacos/
4. Cornbread waffle with chili - http://www.plainchicken.com/2011/02/cheddar-cornbread-waffles.html
5. Crockpot mac and cheese - http://tipgarden.blogspot.ca/2011/09/one-pot-mac-and-cheese.html
6. BBQ chicken cornbread pie - http://www.tablefortwoblog.com/2012/05/24/bbq-chicken-cornbread-pie/
7. Baked general tso's chicken - http://www.nlrockrecipes.com/2009/03/this-sweet-and-spicey-chicken-is-one-of.html
8. Meatball Stroganoff - http://menumusings.blogspot.com/2011/06/meatballs-stroganoff.html
9. Buffalo chicken casserole - http://holycannolirecipes.blogspot.com/2011/05/buffalo-chicken-potato-casserole.html
10. Tex-mex chicken and rice casserole - http://www.bhg.com/recipe/poultry/tex-mex-chicken-and-rice-casserole/
11. Bacon cheddar scones - http://www.annies-eats.com/2010/04/08/bacon-cheddar-scones/
12. Crockpot ribs - http://teamhess.blogspot.com/2011/07/recipe-barbecue-ribs-in-crock-pot.html
13. Cream cheese enchiladas - http://pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com/2010/05/cream-cheese-greatness.html
14. Crockpot italian chicken - http://www.saltlicker.com/crockpot-italian-chicken-4-chicken-breasts-1-packet-zesty-italian-dressing-seasoning-8-oz-cream-cheese-softened-2-cans-cream-of-chicken-soup-2-tablespoons-of-garlic-powder-1-package-of-pasta-cook-o/
15. Tatertot casserole - http://blogchef.net/tater-tot-casserole-recipe/
16. Oven baked chicken fajitas - http://realmomkitchen.com/9318/oven-baked-chicken-fajitas/
17. Crockpot chicken and dumplings - http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2011/11/homemade-chicken-and-dumplings/
18. Cheddar bacon ranch chicken pasta - http://cassiecraves.blogspot.ca/2012/04/cheddar-bacon-ranch-chicken-pasta.html
19. Crockpot orange chicken - http://team-t-adventures.blogspot.com/2010/03/crock-pot-orange-chicken.html
20. Ritz cracker chicken - http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/06/poppy-seed-chicken.html
21. Garlicky baked shrimp - http://normalcooking.wordpress.com/2012/07/26/garlicky-baked-shrimp/
22. Cornbread chicken pot pie - http://gooseberrypatch.typepad.com/blog/2012/03/motw-101-hearty-recipes.html
23. Crockpot smothered beef burritos - http://www.food-pusher.com/2010/08/chile-colorado-burritos.html
24. Crockpot french dip - http://bakingbites.com/2008/02/slow-cooker-french-dip-sandwich/

Meatball Stroganoff

So I don't have any pictures for this recipe :( But if you go to the original blogger's page you can see pictures of theirs: http://menumusings.blogspot.com/2011/06/meatballs-stroganoff.html

I really love creamy sauces and so I took this recipe and made it my own with what I had to work with!

The recipe calls for:

• 1 bag of frozen meatballs - I used a bag of turkey meatballs
• evoo to brown the meatballs with - approximately 1 tablespoon
• 2 cups beef broth - I used approximately 1 cup of chicken broth because that's what I had
• salt, pepper, parsley, oregano basil - I used my italian seasoning instead - approximately 2-3 tablespoons
• 2/3-1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• egg noodles

Okay so here's where I varied from the original recipe. Instead of using the sour cream and heavy whipping cream I used a can of Progresso Recipe Starter's Garlic instead:

This stuff is awesome. I got a bunch of cans of all the varieties a while back while couponing.

You'll want to follow the directions on your bag of meatballs as to how to cook them on the stove. When that's done, add your evoo and brown the meatballs. I added my broth and simmered it with the meatballs for a few minutes. Then add your can of 'soup' and your italian seasoning. I just cooked it until the sauce was heated all the way through. It would have been nice to have had some sour cream to add in at this step to make it a bit creamier but alas I did not have any. In the mean time cook your egg noodles. Once the sauce is thoroughly heated just add your sauce to your noodles. That's it! Pretty easy and I thought it was pretty good. Not the best I've ever had but it worked!

If you have any suggestions on how to improve this recipe please let me know! I was thinking you could do 2 cans of cream of mushroom too instead of the recipe starter and just add some garlic.

Happy cooking, crockpotting, and couponing!

Pizza Pie

Hello,

So this is another recipe I originally found on pinterest:

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Tebow-Family-Pizza-Pie

Now while I am a fan of Tim Tebow, I am not a fan of the Gators. Gross. Go Dawgs!

The original ingredients call for:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 envelope italian-style spaghetti sauce mix
• 1 can (6oz) tomato paste
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tube (12oz) refrigerated biscuits
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese plus 1 tablespoon divided
• 2 cups (8oz) mozzarella cheese

So obviously I didn't follow that exactly...

I used:

• 1 can of crescent rolls (8 rolls)
• 1 pound ground beef
• onion - maybe 1 cup frozen?
• 1.5 cups marinara sauce
• italian seasoning to taste
• parmesan to taste
• 2 cups mozzarella
• pepperonis as needed

I browned the ground beef and onion and then drained. Mix the marinara sauce and italian seasoning with the ground beef and onion in the pan until heated through. Then, I pressed the can of crescent rolls (any refrigerated dough will do) into my greased pie pan. Pour the ground beef mixture into the pie pan. Cover with mozzarella and sprinkle parmesan to taste. I put a few pepperonis on top for good measure. 

Bake at 400 for 15-18 mins. I think I had to cook mine a little longer. It was delish! Remember that cooking generally doesn't mean you need to be exact. Feel free to experiment!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did! Happy cooking, couponing, and crockpotting!

Crockpot Taco Soup

Hello,

So I was completely re-inspired to start posting on my blog again after I reader sent me an email encouraging me to keep on going. Thank you so much reader!

Soup is my favorite diet food. Usually for the volume you can have more of it than most other foods. Taco soup has become a weekly staple at my house. This recipe is so versatile. Please remember that you can make this your own!

Here's the finished product:

Here are the basic ingredients that you will need:

• package of chicken - this one is probably 1.5 pounds or 3 large breasts. Any kind of chicken will do. Fresh or frozen. 
• chicken broth - 1-2 cups? I usually put the broth in last so I can see how soupy (or not) I want to make it
• can of tomatoes (or rotel) - again any kind will do. I like the petite diced and normally I'll put two cans in. It's just personal preference!
• can of corn - fresh or frozen will work too!
• onions/peppers - I had a bag of both here. Fresh or frozen and as much or little as you like! Usually around 2 cups.
• garlic - approximately a tablespoon...again your preference
• salt/pepper/chili powder/taco seasoning - this is one of the first times I made this and I followed a recipe that said to use salt and pepper and chili powder. Now I just use 1 packet of low sodium taco seasoning which I prefer.
• can of black beans - not pictured here but it brings texture and flavor
• can of fiesta nacho cheese soup - not pictured here but that stuff rocks! You could also just use plain cheddar cheese soup or none at all if you really want a slimmer version.
• rice - sometimes I put rice in...normally just the pre-made stuff. Usually about 1 cup.
• small can of green chiles or jalapenos - whole can of green chiles or half a can of jalapenos. A whole can of jalapenos makes it pretty spicy but not unbearable.
• optional additions for the finished product: sour cream, cheese, tortillas, tortilla chips

Now just dump all that stuff into the crockpot and mix it all together. Don't drain any cans. Put your broth in last to see how much you want to add. I usually add 1-2 cups. And yes I put the chicken breasts in whole and frozen. Put your crockpot on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. I prefer to do it low and slow but if you're in a time crunch do what you gotta do.

When the 8 hours is up I will take the chicken breasts out and shred them with forks and then put them back in the pot and stir it all up. 1 cup is usually around 120-150 calories which is awesome!

I have to admit the soup is even better when you add the cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips though!

Have fun and play around with this recipe. Happy cooking, crockpotting, and couponing!