Crockpot Applesauce Chicken

My husband found this website: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com, "A Year of Slow Cook: Crockpot". It is excellent. I am trying out recipes he is selecting and amazed at the tasteness and quality of the recipes. Here is one we tried tonight and really liked!



Ingredients:
--4 frozen chicken breast halves or thighs (I used 2 of each)
--1 1/2 cups of applesauce
--1 T dried onion flakes, or 1 yellow onion, chopped finely
--1 T apple cider vinegar
--1/4 tsp cinnamon
--1/2 tsp black pepper
--2 cloves garlic, minced
--1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, I used them, and added more to the adult servings)

The Directions.

A 3 or 4 quart crockpot is the best size for this, but I did use a 6 quart. If your pot cooks fast, err on the lower end of cooking time.

Put the frozen chicken pieces into your crockpot. Add the onion (if you are using the dried onion, wait and add it to the applesauce). In a bowl, mix the applesauce, vinegar, garlic, and spices together. Pour on top of the chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours, or on high for 3-4.

Saucy Mexican Chicken

We tried this recipe tonight and we absolutely LOVED IT! I have found using Kraft Foods recipes (from their magazine) has been a "hit and miss" with finding tastey foods. This one was easy, fast and good. :)

What You Need!
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 small breasts)
1 jar (16 oz.) Chunky Salsa
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed
1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Make It!

COOK chicken in nonstick skillet on medium-high heat 4 min. on each side or until browned on both sides.

ADD salsa and beans. Bring to boil; cover. Simmer on medium-low heat 5 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF).

TOP with cheese. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 5 min. or until cheese is melted.

Substitute
Prepare using 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs.

Quick Bruschetta for Two

I love this recipe. I generally quadruple it though.

1/4 c. diced tomatoes

2 T. shredded mozzarella

1 T. chopped fresh basil (1/2 t. dried)

2 t. shredded parmesan cheese

2 t. zesty Italian dressing

2 thin slices French bread (1/4 in. thick)

Combine tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, Parmesan and dressing and spoon evenly over bread. Broil until cheese is melted. Watch closely because bread burns quickly.

Cappellini Pomodoro

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 lbs. plum tomatoes, seeded and diced (I just use grape tomatoes from Costco cut in halves with seeds and everything)

1 oz. fresh basil leaves, minced

1/3 C. olive oil

3 oz. parmesan cheese

12 oz. dry angel hair pasta, cooked

¼ tsp. pepper

Heat olive oil and add garlic; cook until it turns white. Add tomatoes and pepper and heat through, stirring constantly, about 2 to 3 minutes. Tomatoes should not lose their shape. Remove from heat. Transfer hot, cooked pasta to large bowl. Toss pasta gently with tomato mixture, basil and half of parmesan cheese. Serve immediately and pass remaining parmesan.

Chicken and Dumpling Casserole

I love this casserole- it takes a little more time than I usually spend on dinner, but it's worth it. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Casserole:
1/2 C. onion, chopped
1/2 C. celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1/4 C. butter
1/2 C. flour
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 C. chicken broth
1 package frozen green peas
3 C. chicken, cooked & cubed

Dumplings:
2 C. flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 C. shortening
2/3 C. milk

(If you don't feel like making your dumplings from scratch, you could substitute 2 C. bisquick baking mix, 1 tsp. basil, and 2/3 C. milk instead)

In large saucepan, sauté onion, celery, and garlic in butter until tender. Add flour, sugar, salt, basil, pepper, and broth; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1 minute until desired thickness; reduce heat. Add peas and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken. Pour into greased 9x13 baking dish.

For dumplings, combine dry ingredients; cut in shortening; stir in milk all at once until dough just follows. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto casserole (to make 12 dumplings). Bake uncovered at 350° for 30 minutes. Check on dumplings- lift up one in the middle of the pan and see if it's still doughy on bottom. If needed, cover and bake 10-15 more minutes until dumplings are done.

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Parmesan- Dijon Chicken

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3/4 cup Progresso® dry bread crumbs (any flavor)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 3/4 pounds)

1. Heat oven to 375ºF. Mix butter and mustard in shallow dish until well mixed. Mix bread crumbs and cheese in large plastic bag.
2. Dip one piece of chicken at a time into butter mixture, coating all sides. Then place in bag of bread crumbs, seal bag and shake to coat with crumb mixture. Place chicken in single layer in ungreased rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches.
3. Bake uncovered 20 to 30 minutes, turning once, until juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut.

Prep time: 10 min
Cook Time: 30 min
5 servings

Parmesan Bread Pork Chops

1/3 cup Italian style bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
4 pork boneless butterfly loin chops, 1/2 inch thick (1 1/4 lb)
1 egg, beaten
2 cups diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, undrained (from 28-oz can)
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 small green bell pepper, chopped (1/2 cup)

1. Mix bread crumbs and cheese. Dip pork in egg, then coat with crumb mixture.
2. Spray 12-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Cook pork in skillet about 5 minutes, turning once, until brown.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pork is slightly pink in center.

Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 17 m4 servings

Chicken-Green Bean Casserole

3 cups of frozen French-style green beans
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
2 cans (5 ounces each) chunk chicken, drained
1/2 cup sour cream
1 package (6 ounces) chow mein noodles
Paprika, if desired

1. Heat beans, soup and chicken to boiling in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream.

2. Serve hot chicken mixture over noodles; sprinkle with paprika

Serves 4
Prep: 2 min
Cook: 5 min
I usually double the recipe and sometimes put it over rice. Great short and quick meal, my kids love this. There are some variaties of this that are more "casseroly" and they are good too.

Dinner Meat Loaf "Muffins"

These go well with green beans and mashed potatoes.

1 t. olive oil
1 c. finely chopped onion
1/2 c. finely chopped carrot
1 t. dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. ketchup, divided
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 c. finely crushed saltines (about 20)
2 T. mustard
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 t. black pepper
2 large eggs
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add chopped onion, carrot, oregano, and garlic; saute 2 minutes. Cool.
3. Combine onion mixture, 1/2 c. ketchup, and remaining ingredients (except cooking spray) in a large bowl.
4. Spoon meat mixture into 12 muffin pan coated with cooking spray. Top each with 2 t. ketchup. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 "muffins")