Slow Cooker Special: Shredded Chicken

Happy Fall! I'm so happy that I can officially say that now. I love this time of year!

Today's slow cooker special recipe is a little bit unconventional (as in, it's not really a complete recipe), but I'm really hoping that you'll find it as helpful and enjoyable as I do. Recently, I've found myself purchasing rotisserie chickens almost every time I go to the grocery store, usually so that I can shred it and use it to make one of a few of my favorite recipes (I'll tell you exactly what those are in just a minute). Honestly, though, it's kind of a pain - and somewhat messy - to pull apart by hand. So, I decided that there had to be an easier, less messy way to get the same result...and lo and behold, there is!

Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 (14 oz) can low-sodium chicken broth

Salt and pepper

Place chicken breasts in slow cooker and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Pour chicken broth into crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker and place in a small bowl; using a fork, shred the chicken. Store in a sealed container in refrigerator for use in your favorite recipes!

I use this chicken in several of the recipes that you can find on this site, and I've included links to a few of them below for easy access. In the below picture, I've taken the Chicken Salad Cups recipe from the Origami Owl post and simply used the chicken salad mixture on a sandwich with toasted sourdough bread. Yum!!

Chicken Salad

White BBQ Chicken Baked Potatoes

Chicken & Prosciutto Salad w/Asiago

Until next time...

Cheers!

Slow Cooker Special: The Chicken Philly

Happy Tuesday! I hope you're all having a nice week so far. Mine has been quite productive, which makes me happy. You know what they say about finishing the way you start? Maybe, if I'm lucky, my productivity will last all week long...and not just in the workplace! I certainly have plenty to do at home, as I'm sure you can understand.

Today's super easy but oh-so-delicious recipe was inspired by a post I saw on Pinterest recently. I only saw the pictures, but they were enough to spark my interest. Quite honestly, I'm a little surprised that I'd never thought about doing it before! So here you have it, a slow cooker Chicken Philly that you will LOVE...made possible by Pinterest, at least by inspiration. I served them with baked garlic & paprika potato wedges (that recipe is for another day, but I promise I'll share it with you, too!).

By the way, I always said I'd never join Pinterest because I knew it would be a time sink...and guess what? I was right! I am now addicted.And that, my friends, is NOT good for productivity. Sigh. Such is life. ;)

Slow Cooker Chicken Philly Sandwiches

1 1/2 lb. chicken tenders

1 large green pepper, sliced

1 small vidalia onion, sliced

1 tbs McCormick Grill Mates Roasted Garlic Montreal Chicken seasoning

2 tbs water 

2 tbs butter

salt and pepper to taste

8 slices provolone cheese

4 hoagie rolls

Place 2 tbs butter in the bottom of slow cooker. Add onions and peppers, then layer chicken on top. Sprinkle seasoning, salt and pepper over all ingredients. Add 2 tbs water. Cook on low 6 hours. Shred chicken and stir to mix ingredients. Cook on low an additional 30 minutes. 

Spoon chicken philly mixture onto hoagie rolls and top with provolone cheese. To melt the cheese, place sandwiches under a pre-heated broiler until cheese is bubbly.

Until next time...

Cheers!

Slow Cooker Special: "Inside Out" Chicken Pot Pie

Hello friends, and welcome to September. You may remember that last year I devoted the entire month of September to slow cooker recipes...well, I hope you liked it (okay, I hope you LOVED it), because I've decided to do it again this year! Welcome to the 2nd annual Slow Cooker September! Stay tuned each Tuesday and Thursday of this month as I share more super easy, super yummy Crockpot meals with you. I know you're going to love them!

Now, before I get into today's recipe, I know that you're probably wondering where the heck I've been all these months. I know, I know. I disappeared. I've severely neglected the blog, and for that I'm truly sorry! I do, however, want to share with you the awesome and exciting reason why I've been MIA...

And here SHE is!

My husband and I are expecting! Our first little one is due January 1st, and we are so unbelievably excited to meet her! I'm right in the middle of my second trimester right now, and luckily I'm feeling a good deal better than I was...I dealt with some pretty nasty "morning" (HA!) sickness from 5 1/2 weeks until week 20-ish, and unfortunately for my husband, that meant I really didn't do much in the way of cooking. It also meant that I really had no recipes to share with you, since I wasn't spending any time in the kitchen.

Luckily, though, the sickness has now passed and I'm back in the swing of things! Today, I'm sharing with you a really flavorful twist on a classic comfort food. I hope you love it as much as we did, and I hope you'll come back and check out all of the great slow cooker recipes I'll be posting throughout the month!

"Inside Out" Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie

1 large can cream of chicken soup

1 regular can cream of celery soup

1 packet onion dip/soup mix

1 package frozen mixed veggies (peas & carrots, or whatever you like!)

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 cup baby red potatoes, quartered

4 boneless chicken breasts

1 can Pillsbury home-style biscuits

Put chicken breasts in bottom of slow cooker and top with remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 8 hours. Shred chicken with fork and stir all ingredients. Cook on low for additional 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, bake home-style biscuits as instructed. Spoon "pot pie" mixture over biscuits for serving.

Until next time...

Cheers!

Grill it! Ranch Burgers

Hellooooo, Spring! I'm not sure where you're from, but here in Georgia the weather has been absolutely, amazingly beautiful this weekend. My husband and I finally invested in a grill about a month ago, and we've been putting it to good use...and this weekend has been no exception!

Yesterday, we had my brother-in-law, his girlfriend and their five-year-old son, Sebastian over to grill out and spend some time together. It was so perfect outside that we spent all of our time sitting out on the deck and just enjoying ourselves. We had so much fun, in fact, that I completely spaced on taking pictures...oops. I promise, though, today's recipe is really yummy - and you'll want to try it!

I have to say, I normally go over the top and make all kinds of yummy stuff whenever we have people coming over...but I've been SO busy with the book lately that I just haven't had time :( Sad, but true. Still, we had plenty of food and going with some cookout staples was a simple and great way to go. I made pasta salad and baked beans, bought a fruit and cheese tray and some mini cupcakes (with red, white and blue frosting, of course). Our guests brought over a veggie tray to complete our spread and it was just the right amount of food.

So what was the main dish? Well, we went with hamburgers (okay, we added American cheese, so technically cheeseburgers), using the recipe below for a little extra "zing." Need a great burger recipe for your Memorial Day cookout? Look no further - it's right here. As a note...this is not MY recipe...it's one that I've seen in so many different cookbooks/websites that you may have even seen it before. The source that I will provide is a cookbook titled Quick Fixes from Brand Name Mixes. I took the "Lipton Onion Burgers" recipe and adjusted it slightly to my tastes, subbing and doubling the ranch mix for the onion soup mix. This recipe will make eight 1/4 lb burgers or six 1/3 lb burgers.

Ranch Burgers

2 lbs ground beef

2 (1 oz) packets dry Ranch dressing mix

1/2 cup water

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and form into patties. Grill for 5 minutes on each side or until done. 

We made sure to have a variety of toppings for everyone, including lettuce, tomato, onion, chopped jalapenos, sliced avocado, ketchup, mustard and a homemade spicy mayo (it's really easy - 1/2 cup mayo, 2 tbs hot sauce (like Texas Pete) and 1 finely grated garlic clove, mixed together). At the end of the day, we were all stuffed but happy! It was a great afternoon.

While you're hanging out/grilling out this weekend, take time to remember and celebrate those who fight for our country, no matter where they are in the world. Our freedom isn't free, and we have so many men and women to thank for protecting it!

Until next time...

Cheers!

Not Just Food...Fantasy, Too!

You all may have been wondering where in the world I have been lately...and rightly so. Luckily, I've got a really great and EXCITING answer for you! My debut novel, Nightfire, has been published and is now available for purchase. You can get it on Amazon paperback or Kindle) by clicking the links on the right-hand side of the blog, or purchase the paperback from my eStore. 

Here's a description of the book in case you are interested!

My name is Kaida, and I’m…well, not exactly human. For centuries, my kind has walked the earth, portraying ourselves as humans, fulfilling our purpose by saving the lost and protecting the forgotten. At times our efforts seem futile, but we never stop. We are determined to take down the enemy that plagues the human world, to protect you from the monsters living in your midst. Over the years, we have protected you from the demons that walk among you, all the while keeping our true identities secret. But something has changed. Our enemies are taking too many chances, risking too much. My only hope is that we can stop whatever it is they are planning…before it’s too late.

Snack Pack: Homemade Guacamole (& Cucumber Chips!)

I never liked avocados growing up. I don't know if it was the color, the taste, or maybe a mixture of the two, but I just didn't like them. Of course, that also meant that, to me, guacamole was "ewww, gross!" and I just didn't touch the stuff.

Fast forward 15 years and, like most of the foods I didn't like as a kid (asparagus and any kind of seafood, for instance), I'm suddenly obsessed with everything the avocado has to offer. It's so unbelievably yummy...and good for you, too!  One of my favorite things about it is that it's best when simply prepared, in a recipe that allows it to shine. And you know how I feel about simple and easy. It's kind of my thing. Ok, it's REALLY my thing.

The forecast for this weekend (for my fellow Atlantans) is sunny and warm, and I'm planning on spending some quality time out on my deck soaking up some rays, hanging out with my favorite boys (the hubs and our two dogs, of course), and snacking on some of my fine-weather-favorites...today's recipe included.

The cucumber chips are a great option for  GF-er's, though you can also grab a bag of Tostitos corn chips as well if gluten's a no-no for you. If not, feel free to pair this great guac with any chip or dipper you like!

Homemade Guacamole (& Cucumber Chips)

1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 avocados, halved and pitted

1 1/2 tbs red onion, finely chopped

1 lime

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 small serrano chile, finely chopped

1 medium cucumber, sliced into rounds or chips for dipping

Scoop the flesh from the avocado halves into a small bowl and mash with a fork. Add onion, cilantro, juice of lime, chile and salt. Stir to mix ingredients. Serve in a bowl with cucumber slices. If desired, lightly salt and pepper cucumber.

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @Cocktail_Cutie!

Until next time...

Cheers!

Weeknight Bites: Seared Scallops with Bacon, Cabbage and Apple

Scallops could quite possibly be one of my favorite foods. They're so delicious, versatile and easy to make - what more could you ask for? Today's recipe is fresh, bright and really allows the scallops to shine as the star of the dish. It comes from the January/February 2013 issue of Cooking Light (ya, ok, I'm a little obsessed with this magazine), and though I made a few minor changes of my own, it's definitely a keeper. Need a quick and healthy but still fabulous dinner recipe this week? This one won't disappoint.

Seared Scallops with Bacon, Cabbage and Apple

Adapted from Cooking Light magazine (Jan/Feb 2013)

3 center-cut bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

6 cups thinly sliced green cabbage

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 cup water

1 chopped Gala apple

3 tbs cider vinegar

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tbs canola oil

16 large sea scallops (1 lb)

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp fresh dill, chopped

Cook bacon pieces in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon pieces from pan, keeping drippings in the skillet. 

Add sliced cabbage and dried thyme to pan and saute for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup water and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cover pan.

Cook for 5 minutes, then stir in chopped apple and cider vinegar. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Stir in bacon and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Separately, heat a heavy skillet over high heat. Add oil to pan and swirl to coat. Season scallops lightly with salt and pepper, then add to pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until scallops are done (3 minutes works well for cook time on large scallops; use 2 minutes for smaller). 

Place 1 cup cabbage mixture on each of 4 plates. Arrange 4 scallops on each serving and sprinkle with dill.

Until next time...

Cheers!

Snack Pack: Crunchy BBQ Chick Peas (GF)

In my last post, I mentioned that I recently decided to go gluten-free. I have to say, it's been more difficult than I imagined. I've cheated a couple (ok, maybe several) times. Even so, I do notice a difference (a positive one) in the way I feel in the times when I stick to it. I also REALLY notice a difference (a not-so-positive one) when I mistakenly (or, more often than not, purposely - I told you, it's been hard) eat something with gluten in it.

Many people ask me why I initially decided that this was something I wanted to try. I'm not Celiac, so it wasn't as if I HAD to do it. That being said, I'd talked to several friends and family members who had gone GF, some more recently than others, and after having discussions with people who swore that a GF diet had changed their life, I did some research of my own.

I've dealt with G.I. issues since I can remember, and I've been taking some form of acid-reducing/acid-inhibiting medication on a regular basis since I was in high school. Much of the research that I read about a GF diet indicated that it may help to relieve some of the persistent (and uncomfortable) symptoms that come along with tummy troubles. So I decided I'd try it. I'd rather control my issues naturally than have to take medication all the time.

I did really well for the first month or so (everything I've read says you really have to be GF for 6 weeks or more to get all of that icky gluten out of your system initially, so it will likely take that long to truly see how the diet will work for you), but unfortunately, lately I've kind of fallen off the wagon.

I love pastas and pizza and heck, apparently I love bread. A lot. And yes, you can eat all of those things and still be gluten-free, but it just isn't the same. And honestly, the stuff hides EVERYWHERE! Soups, salad dressing, sauces...spices, for goodness sake. I find myself checking the labels of everything I eat, hoping and praying before I look at the ingredient list that I won't find something forbidden.

I think that my true problem with eliminating gluten from my diet is that I'm such a proponent of EASY cooking. You can make a perfectly healthy, easy dinner for yourself and for your family and it doesn't have to be gluten-free. So really, I have to weigh the pros and cons every time I make my menu. Continue to eat gluten even though I know that I can do my body better if I don't? Or sacrifice a little more time in the kitchen/making my menu so that I feel as great as possible? I'm trying to do the latter. And once I figure out the maze that is gluten-free eating, my goal is to figure out a way to make it easy, too.

One of the biggest problems that I had during my first two weeks of this diet was figuring out how to keep my caloric intake in the right place. I needed something to nibble on in between meals, something that would fill me up enough to hold me over and prevent me from picking up something I wasn't supposed to eat just because I was that hungry. I needed snacks.

Today's recipe is a tried and true one for me. I honestly make these probably three times a week. My husband and I are addicted to them. I've made them with all kinds of flavor combinations, too, and I always enjoy them. The recipe I'm giving you just happens to be one of my favorite combos, but feel free to try your own as well (seriously, even just salt and pepper works great!).

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

1 tbsp olive oil

chili powder (I use McCormick - check your label!)

ground cumin (I also use McCormick)

salt

pepper

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Drain chickpeas and pour beans onto a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over beans and stir to coat. Sprinkle chili powder, ground cumin, salt and pepper on beans, mixing together to coat well (use as much as you like, there are no exact measurements here. I sprinkle enough to cover the beans evenly). Place in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and stir beans. Add back to preheated oven for 15 minutes. 

Allow chickpeas to cool for 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Until next time...

Cheers!

 

New Year, New Life

Happy New Year, everyone! I realize that this sentiment is slightly delayed since 2013 has been here for a full two weeks now, but hey - like they always say, better late than never, right?

2013. Wow. Where has the time gone? This year marks 11 years since I graduated from high school, 7 years since I graduated from college (SEVEN?!? whew!), and 6 years since I first started my job at Norfolk Southern. It also marks the last year of my twenties...good grief. Wasn't it just yesterday that I was turning 21?

Sometimes it feels that way. Like 11 years ago was just here, a blink of an eye away. Like 7 years was a blur. And I guess, in the big grand scheme of things, it isn't really that long.

Sometimes, though, it feels like forever. When I sit down and think about all of the things that have happened to me in the last decade (plus 365), I realize how wonderfully full my life has been. I've been places, done things. Fallen in love. Found new friends. Lost touch. Mourned. Renewed my Faith. Learned new things (every day). I bought my first car, became a homeowner, adopted animals, watched my family grow. Got married. Taught myself to cook. Read a lot of books...a LOT of books.

Started a blog. Wrote a book.

Found myself.

I know that most of my blogs are typically short, sweet and to the point (and always contain a yummy recipe for you to try), but tonight, I'm not going to do that. Tonight, I'll just give you a little food for thought (ya okay, a little cheesy).

The last two years of my life have been a bit of a rollercoaster ride - a lot of ups, a lot of downs, and even some crazy loops every now and then. I came to a point in my life where I was really, really NOT happy, and there came a time when I decided that instead of moping around and feeling sorry for myself, I had to take the reins and take the horse down a different path, so to speak. I quit my job, convinced that starting a career in my "field" was the answer to the emptiness that I was feeling in my everyday life. But while I certainly learned a lot about myself through that transition, there was still something missing.

Passion. Somewhere along the line, I'd lost mine. Somehow, I let routine and normalcy and "life" take over the person that I'd always wanted to be. Honestly, it's no wonder I was so unhappy.

When I think about where I am now compared to where I was then, I can't help but think that this blog saved my life. That may sound dramatic, but it's true. This blog forced me to remember the things I enjoy in life, to focus on those things instead of getting stuck in the daily rut of work and chores and bad television. To branch out, to teach myself, and to try new things. And, more than anything else, it allowed me to do the one thing that I've always wanted to do, that I've always loved to do: write.

When I penned the last word of the first draft of my novel back in November, I suddenly felt...different. Lighter. Happier. Accomplished. Truly, I felt empowered. I'd set out to do something I'd always wanted to do, and I DID IT. I actually, finally did it. And it didn't matter to me how long it took me to reach that point - because in the end, the time it took wasn't relevant. All that mattered was that I set a goal for myself and I got there. And now, I'm no longer controlled by the routine. By the rules that society puts in place for us. Now, I know that I can do anything I want to do. I may never make a dime off of my book. But you know what? I didn't do it for money. I didn't do it for fame.

I did it for myself. And I'm really proud of that.

I implore you to make 2013 your year to do something big for yourself. Set a goal and stick to it. It doesn't matter what it is, or why. It doesn't matter who you tell, if anyone. Because in the end, you'll know. And that's what matters. Your happiness is entirely in your own hands.

I hope you'll come back often this year to check out my recipes, party planning tips and entertaining ideas. As I've recently gone gluten free (that's a story for another day, since I've already given you a book in this post), I'll be posting GF recipes that I come up with as well as adaptations of recipes that I find in cookbooks and my favorite cooking magazines. I can't wait to share more fabulous food with you!

Until next time...

Cheers!