Salsa Black Bean Chicken

This is a super fast, super yummy recipe our whole family will eat (and it's easily adaptable to be dairy-free, if you need to go that route)! I got the bare bones of this recipe from a friend and have added to it from other recipes I've seen here and there. I serve it with Zataran's Yellow Rice and frozen peas.


Ingredients:




3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I use frozen)
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 (16 oz) jar of your favorite salsa
1/4 - 1/2 packet of taco seasoning (to taste really)
Shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream as toppings (optional)



Directions:

1. Pour a thin layer of salsa on the bottom of your crock pot, place frozen chicken breasts on top. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 packet of taco seasoning.

2. Pour the can of corn on top, followed by the can of back beans, and the remainder of the jar of salsa.

3. Cook on high for 4 - 5 hours.

4. If desired, sprinkle with shredded cheese and top with sour cream. Serve with rice and peas.

This is how I shred it for the kids and myself. Then, for the kids, I mix it with their rice. It's soooo tender, it falls apart just taking it out of the crock!

This is how the hubby eats it...all separate. And FYI, unless you have super human eating powers, you probably won't be able to finish this whole chicken breast like this. I usually shred up half of one for the three kids to split, and I eat about 1/4 of one myself.

Oatmeal Crasin Cookies

These are super yummy without being over sweet. Plus, they make the house smell soooooo good! You do have to chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking...so just take that into account when you make these!

Ingredients:

1 C butter, softened

1 1/3 C light brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 C flour (all purpose)

2 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

3 C rolled oats

3/4 C raisins

3/4 C dried cranberries (crasins)

1 C walnuts, chopped

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir this mix into the butter mixture.

3. Mix in oats, raisins, crasins, and walnuts. Dough will be very heavy and sticky. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Halfway though chilling, preheat oven to 350.

4. Scoop golfball size cookies on cookie sheet. Place about 2 inches apart and bake for 12 minutes. If desired, flatten cookies with back of spatula when they have 3 minutes left to cook.

5. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, remove to cooling rack to cool completely. Makes about 2-3 dozen.

Hearty Minestrone Soup

This is some seriously fabulous soup! It's quick enough to throw together in 30 minutes, hearty enough to be good as lunch or dinner, and yummy enough to cure my Olive Garden cravings! But the best part is that my kids love it...all three of them!!! On any other occasion, my kids won't even look at half of the veggies in this soup. But with this recipe...they all eat seconds every time! If that doesn't make it a keeper, I don't know what will!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 onions, thinly sliced

2 cups chopped celery

5 carrots, sliced

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

4 cups tomato sauce

2 cans kidney beans, drained

1 can chick peas, drained

1 can green beans, drained

2 cans diced tomatoes

3-4 cups baby spinach, rinsed

3 zucchinis, quartered and sliced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons dried basil

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 box seashell pasta

grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Directions

1. In a large stock pot, over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and saute garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion and saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots and saute for 4 to 5 minutes.

2. Add chicken broth, water, and tomato sauce. Bring to boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, chick peas, diced tomatoes, green beans, spinach leaves, zucchini, oregano, basil, and salt and pepper. Simmer for 2 or 3 hours. The longer the better.

3. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until tender. Drain water and set aside. Once pasta is cooked and soup is heated through place desired amount of cooked pasta into individual serving bowls. Ladle soup on top of pasta and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.

{This version is modified from one I found on the web...the original recipe can be found here.}