Foodie Friday: Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

2-3 chicken breasts

3 celery stalks

3 carrots

1 onion, minced

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp dried basil

2 bay leaves

6 cups broth (I used about 7-8 bouillon cubes for mine...I like the extra flavor)

plus any extra seasonings you like.  I added minced garlic, and I have this super yummy roasted garlic and herb seasoning that I put on.

2 1/2 c. uncooked egg noodles

Slice your celery, thin.  Shred your carrots. Place the celery, carrots and onion in the bottom of the slow cooker.  then put your chicken on top.  I did mine whole and still frozen.  Pour the broth in.  Then let it cook on high for about 4 hours, or until the chicken is cooked thorough.  When it is done, shred the chicken (I put it in my kitchenaide and let it do the work).  Then let it cook to get some flavor soaked in.  While that is happening, cook your noodles.  Once the noodles are done, add them in the soup and let them cook for about 1/2 hour on low, to soak up some of the flavor.

This was the perfect meal for a rainy day.  I like my soups chunky and this is definitely chunky and full of lots of stuff.  You can add more broth if you like more liquid.  It is a very forgiving recipe =)  Serve it up with some nice warm rolls and YUM!!!!!!

Foodie Friday: Slow Cooked Chicken Adobo

I love doing crock-pot meals.  They are easy, less of a mess, and dinner is done when you get home.  I love that feeling.  I have been in rut with crock-pot meals.  I just go to my default chicken breast, with carrots, potatoes, and cream of chicken soup. So I went on a search for a crock-pot meal that both my husband and I would enjoy.  I found this recipe on http://www.crock-pot.com/ and changed it up a bit. Chicken Adobo is a Filipino dish.

1 Chicken breast for each person
peeled garlic cloves from the head of one garlic bulb
1 large (or 2 small) sliced sweet or yellow onion
3.5 oz low sodium soy sauce or low sodium tamari
4 oz apple cider vinegar
1 inch knob of fresh ginger, cut into thick slices( I just used ground ginger)
6 bay leaves (or less)(I didn't have whole bay leaves, so I used crumpled up ones)
freshly ground black pepper
garlic powder
paprika (optional)
1 tablespoon + 1 tsp of heart healthy cooking oil (I used Olive Oil)

1.  Season both sides of the chicken breasts with paprika, garlic powder, and ground black pepper.

2. Grill the chicken so it browned.

3. Cut up onions into slices.

4. Put oil in the bottom of the crock-pot and line the onions at the bottom.

5. Sprinkle bay leaves on top of the onions

6. Put garlic in the crock pot.  You can either just put a few peeled cloves in mince up the cloves and put them in.  I used my garlic press. 

7.  Set the browned chicken in.

8. Pour the soy sauce and apple cider vinegar in the crock-pot
9. Turn on crock-pot and set to low for 8 hours. 

I am going to serve this with steamed green beans.  You could also serve it with rice.  Or Both :)

My husband wanted me to talk about these.  He thinks they are like doggy poop bags.  I really like these ziplock perfect portions for many reasons.  I can take chicken breasts and freeze them without the breasts sticking together.  Then when I need chicken I just pull out how much I need.  I am sure you have seen the commercials for them. 

You can find this awesome post linked up to the following Fantastic Parties:

Foodie Friday: Cheesy Tatertot Crockpot Casserole

My hubby was actually the one who suggested I try this out.  He was talking with some friends at work and he told me to find a recipe for it.  So find away I did.  This was super easy to do!  And it was super good!  My hubby inhaled his and then took some to work the next day and told me that this one was definitely a keeper.  The best part is the crockpot did all the work.  Love it!! This is definitely comfort food at it's best.

Ingredients:
1 (32 oz.) bag frozen tater tots
1 pgk. microwave bacon (or you could cook regular bacon), crumbled
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup milk
salt, pepper. and seasonings, to taste

Directions:

Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.

Layer half of the frozen tater tots on the bottom of the slow cooker.

Sprinkle with 1/3 of the bacon pieces.

Now top with 1/3 of the shredded cheese.

Add diced chicken on top.  Season with salt, pepper, season salt, or whatever seasonings you want.

Now add 1/3 of the bacon pieces and another 1/3 of shredded cheese.

Put the rest of the frozen tater tots on top.

Finish with the remaining 1/3 cheddar cheese and remaining 1/3 of bacon pieces.

Pour 3/4 cup milk all over the top.

Cover and cook on low about 4-6 hours.

I tried to get a good picture of it cooked in my crockpot, but the steam kept rising up and fogging the camera.  But believe me, it was great!!!  If you want to see some fabulous pictures, go to The Country Cook where I got the original recipe.  I added some onion to mine and my hubby suggested adding sour cream to it next time.  YUM!!!

This can easily be made in the oven as well.  To make this in the oven, spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
Layer ingredients into baking dish. Cover and bake at 350F degrees for about an hour.

You can find this awesome post linked up to the following Fantastic Parties:

Foodie Friday: Crockpot Lil' Smokies Appetizer

Crockpot Lil' Smokies Appetizer

Years ago, my friend's Mom made these for a party & I seriously have been dreaming of them since.  It's been like 12 years....yikes!

So I randomly came across the recipe on Pinterest and was so excited!!!!!!

Here is the link to crockpot365.blogspot.com's recipe!

So, this is how easy it is:

Put your Lil' Smokies in a crockpot (you can also do this with meatballs!!!).  Mix together 8 oz. of chili sauce (found by the ketchup...thanks crockpot365 for the heads up!) and 8 oz. grape jelly.  Pour on top and cook on low for 4 hours.  That's it.  And they are SUPER delish!!!!!!  

Would be great to bring for one of your holiday parties coming up!

You can find this awesome post linked up to the following Fantastic Parties:

Foodie Friday : Swedish Meatballs

Happy Friday!!!!

So, I have no idea why these are called Swedish Meatballs.  But I don't care, they taste good.

This is a very easy meal to throw together & let sit in the crockpot.  It would also be easy to put together for a future freezer meal.

Know what else is interesting???  The combination of flavors...I mean, you've got Cream of Chicken Soup & then you have a Onion Soup Mix {and mine had Beef Bouillon in it}.   But it works.  Everything combines to make a creamy gravy, which is deliciously soaked up into the rice.

Swedish Meatballs

{Printable Recipe}

Ingredients:

·         2 Cans of Cream of Chicken Soup

·         2 Cups of Water

·         1 Bag of Frozen Meatballs

·         1 packet of Lipton Onion Soup or

§  4 tsp Beef Bouillon

§  8 tsp of Dried Minced Onion

§  1 tsp Onion Powder

§  ¼ tsp Pepper

-Cooked Rice

Directions:

1.       In your crockpot, mix together the following ingredients: Cream of Chicken Soup, Water, Lipton Soup {or your own mixture}.

2.       Add in the meatballs & mix together.

3.       Put crockpot on high for a couple of hours, or let it sit a little bit longer on low.

4.       Serve over rice & Enjoy!

You can find this awesome post linked up to the following Fantastic Parties: