Crockpot Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos

I love salsa chicken.  Its such a go-to for some tacos that wont kill your diet.  I found a recipe on Pinterest for a new twist on chicken tacos.  They turned out awesome and they made good leftovers the next day.

What you'll need:
1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts
Juice from 2 limes
1/2 c. of cilantro
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 tsp of dried onions
1/2 c. of water

What you'll do:
Put it all in the crockpot.
Cook all day.
Shred when done.

Mr. Whoa rating:
√√√√

When I make this again, I wont use as much lime.  I think you could get away with 1 1/2, if not 1 lime.

Cheeseburger Pasta

This was basically glorified Hamburger Helper.  It wasn't bad...just a little dry.  I would make it again, but it wouldn't be my first choice.

What you'll need:
1 pound of hamburger
1 pound of penne pasta-cooked
3/4 c. of milk
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
2 c. of shredded cheese
1 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 c of parmesan cheese

What you'll do:
1.  Brown ground beef, add salt and pepper.  Drain fat.
2.  Put on medium-low heat, add milk and cheese.  Mix until cheese is melted.  Add parmesan cheese.
3.  Add cheese sauce to beef and mix.
4.  Add pasta to beef and cheese mix.

Buying a box of Hamburger Helper would have been easier, but we had all of the ingredients in the cupboards.

Mr. Whoa rating:
√√√

Crockpot Italian Onion Chicken Sammies

This recipe was not even photo worthy.

Most chicken I put in the crockpot is bomb, but this one was terrible.  It smelled good, but it was super dry and way too salty.  Perhaps I needed to add more liquid?  I even bought yummy sweet hawaiian buns to put them on, but those were even more help.

What you'll need:
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 c. of water
1/4 c. of Italian dressing
1 envelope of dry onion soup mix
garlic powder-per taste preference

What you'll do:
1.  Add chicken to the crockpot.
2.  Mix water, dressing, soup mix and garlic.
3.  Pour over chicken.
4.  Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4.
5.  Shred...serve on buns.

Hopefully you will have better luck than I did!

Parmesan Turkey Cutlets

Turkey was on sale at the market last week, so I bought a bunch of it!  I figured Pinterest would have some recipes I could use, and to no surprise, they did.  This was super easy, and it was very good.

Click here for recipe!

Most, if not all of the ingredients will probably be in your pantry, which is bomb.  

What you'll need:

½ cup dry Italian bread crumbs

2 heaping tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp. parsley flakes

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. lemon pepper 

1/4 tsp. thyme 

5 sliced turkey cutlets

3 tbsp. melted butter or olive oil

What you'll do:

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine bread crumbs, cheese and seasonings in shallow dish. Dip turkey cutlets in crumb mixture. Coat both sides well. Spray baking dish with olive oil cooking spray. Place cutlets in baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Bake, uncovered, for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Mr Whoa rating:

****

He liked them just fine.  He was worried the turkey would be dry, but it was juicy.

Cheesy Enchilada Casserole

It's definitely casserole weather here in Iowa.  I found this recipe on Pinterest (weird, right).  It was very easy to make, and made my tummy smile.  

What you'll need:

1 pound lean ground beef ( lean)

1 large onion, chopped or season with Onion powder or minced onion

2 1/2 cups salsa

1 can (15 ounces) black beans or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup reduced-fat Italian salad dressing

Taco seasoning packet

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

6 flour or corn tortillas (8 inches)

1 small can of drained corn, or about 1 1/4 cups of frozen corn (optional)

3/4 cup sour cream  *Note: I used 1/2 cup

2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend or your favorite cheese

1 cup shredded lettuce

1 medium tomato, chopped

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

What you'll do:

• In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
• Stir in the salsa, beans, corn, dressing, sour cream, taco seasoning and cumin.
• Spoon a generous layer of meat mixture on bottom of 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
• Place a flour or corn tortilla on top of meat mixture. Layer with half of the meat mixture, and cheese. Repeat as many layers as you like.
• The last & final layer should be a healthy dose of grated cheese.
• Cover with foil that has been sprayed with pam or other and bake at 400° for 25 minutes, or until hot & bubbly.
•  Let stand for 5 minutes before topping with lettuce, tomato and cilantro. Yield: 8 servings.

Mr. Whoa rating:
√√√√

I think it would have been a lot better had I added more tortillas.  

TTC!

Tator Tot Casserole

No silly...not trying to conceive.  Tater tot casserole.  Its been quite chilly outside, so some comfort food sounded fantastic.  This used to be a favorite of mine growing up, but do you think I found my mom's recipe after she passed?  I found one on Pinterest that seemed easy enough.

What you'll need:

1.  1 pound of ground beed
2.  One medium onion, chopped
3.  One can of cream of celery soup
4.  16 oz bag of frozen tater tots
5.  1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
6.  Salt and Pepper

What to do:

1.  Preheat oven to 375
2.  Brown ground beef, add salt and pepper
3.  Add chopped onion, cook until tender
4.  In a casserole dish, combine and mix cream of celery soup and ground beef
5.  Top mixture with tater tots
6.  Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes, until its bubbly and tots are golden brown
7.  Remove from oven, top with cheese, return to oven till melted

Mr. Whoa rating:
√√√√

It felt like it was missing something, and my mom always added veggies to hers.  It was good tho.  Nothing leftover!

Cheese-stuffed meatball sliders

I bought a Taste of Home magazine the other day and decided to give a new recipe a try.  I don't usually buy cook books or magazines because internet recipes are free, but it was an impulse buy.

I love meat balls, and I found a recipe that reminded me of tailgating.  With football season in session, I thought this would be great.  I was fooled.

What you'll need:
1.5 lbs of Italian Sausage
16 cubes of part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 jar (24 oz) of spaghetti sauce
1 jar (8.1 oz) of prepared pesto
16 dinner rolls, split and toasted.

What you'll do:
*  Divide sausage into 16 portions.  Shape each portion around a cube of cheese.  Place on a greased rack in a shallow baking pan.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink.
*  Meanwhile, in large saucepan combine sauce and pesto and bring to a boil.  Add meatballs, heat through, and stir gently.  Serve on rolls.

I used little slider buns instead of rolls.  I also added some provolone cheese to the bun.

Mr. Whoa rating:
√√√

He liked them, but I did not.  I think next time I would do half pork sausage and half italian sausage,  It was too spicy for me.  

Autumn Pork Chops

This was the shit!  I love gravy, but this gravy was bomb.  It was light and sweet.

Click here for the recipe!

I actually used butterfly chops because I didn't want to piss around with the bone in chops, especially with a puppy running around.  I like my meat thinner....(yeah yeah, thats NOT what she said).  Call me weird.

Very simple to make and I'm pretty excited for the leftovers tomorrow.  This is another meal that is fairly inexpensive, as most of the ingredients I already had in my pantry.

Mr. Whoa Rating:

√√√√√

Cleaned his plate.  Woot.

Soup and Sammy

Mr. Whoa doesn't request certain things to eat too often, but the other day he wanted soup and sandwiches.  I wanted to hop in my car and drive two minutes (I kid you not) to Panera Bread and take the easier and yummier route.  But I didn't.  Sometimes I'm good.

I came across a recipe for Ham and Potato Soup and decided to give it a whirl.  It was very easy to make, especially since I found a bag of diced potatoes.  I chopped the celery and onion, so give me a damn break.

For the sammies it was nothing special....just picked up some random deli meats from the counter and bought some kaiser buns.

Mr. Whoa rating:

√√√√


Soup was tasty and there was enough leftover for Mr. Whoa to take to lunch the next day.

Chicken Pot Pie

Is it sad that a South Park rerun inspired my dinner?

We've had some great weather here in Iowa lately, but tonight was cold.  I was watching Netflix today and came across the South Park episode where Cartman yells, "No Kitty, thats my pot pie."  I suddenly had a craving for pot pie, and it would be the perfect comfort food for the yucky rainy weather,  

I cruised some recipes online, and I came across this number:  Chicken Pot Pie II. It looked easy enough and the reviews were good.

What you'll need:

1 1/2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 cup of chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups milk

3 tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

1 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 (9 inch) pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie

1 egg, lightly beaten

What to do:

1. In a large saucepan over medium high heat, combine the chicken meat, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear.
2. Remove the chicken and let cool. Pour the remaining chicken broth mixture into a measuring cup. Let stand; spoon off fat. Add enough milk to the broth mixture to equal 2 1/2 cups. Cut chicken into 1/2 inch pieces.
3. In the same pan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Add the onion and celery. Saute, stirring, for 3 minutes. Stir in flour until well blended. Gradually stir in broth mixture. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and boils. Add the chicken, vegetables, parsley and thyme. Pour mixture into a 1 1/2 quart deep casserole dish.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
5. Roll out pastry 1 inch larger than the diameter of the casserole dish on a lightly floured surface. Cut slits in the pastry for venting air. Place pastry on top of casserole. Roll edges and cut away extra pastry; flute edges by pinching together. Reroll scraps to cut into decorative designs. Place on top of pastry. Brush pastry with beaten egg and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.

I do have a confession....I did cheat a little.  I bought a rotisserie chicken.  I bought a garlic and herb flavor one, and damn it was divine.  My blsl chicken breasts were frozen, and hey, I'm lazy sometimes.  

Mr. Whoa rating:

√√√√

We both decided it would have been a little better if there was crust on the bottom, rather than just on top.  But it must have been good?

Bleu Cheese Burgers

I'm a sucker for curley fries.....

I love bleu cheese.  Love it.  I eat it with salads, wings, and will evem dip veggies in it.  Who knew rotting cheese could taste so good. 

Mr. Whoa and I live down the street from a tasty sports bar (hell, we love it so much our rehearsal dinner was there).  Eight times out of ten when we dine there, I order the black and bleu burger.  I've been hungry for one, but Mr. Whoa and I went out to lunch yesterday, so I wanted to try and make it myself.  Plus the sportsbar burger can be a little too spicy or salty, so I was hoping I could fix that. 

What you need:
1/2 pound of bacon
1 pound of ground beef
4 oz of crumbled bleu cheese
1 TB of hot mustard
2 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper


What to do:
Fry bacon in a frying pan.  When finished, cover in paper towels and set aside.
In mixing bowl add ground beef, bleu cheese, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Mix together and form into four patties.  Heat in frying pan about 5-7 minutes each side. 

I served on an onion bun and broke a slice of bacon in half to put on the sammy.  Since the bleu cheese was in a 5oz container, I sprinked a little on the top of the burger. 

Mr. Whoa rating:
☺☺☺☺☺

Hot damn these were good.  The flavor was perfect. 

Any other "stuffed" burgers you think are TDF?

Ranchy Chops

Every day, the group of girls I email with share their menu for the day to hold each other accountable.  I don't normally participate because I mostly just eat supper, but once in awhile I will skim through the thread.

Nicole posted her menu and for lunch she wrote she was having ranch pork chop leftovers, even followed by an "OMG," so a few of us were intrigued.

Jesus H, was this as simple as ever, and pretty effing tasty too.

What you need:
Canola Oil
4 Boneless Pork Chops
2 Ranch dressing packets 



What to do:
1.  Pour canola oil in the bottom of the frying pan.
2.  Pour ranch packets on a plate, cover the chops by rubbing both sides into dressing.
3.  Fry chops in the pan.  When flipping over the chops, sprinkle some more ranch seasoning on top. 

Mr. Whoa rating:
☺☺☺☺☺
He loves pork chops, but we never seem to have them.  He said the ranch wasn't overpowering, but it gave it a nice little kick.  He said they were nice and juicy, and hopes we have them again.

Thanks Nicole.  :-D

Crockpot Chicken Cordon Bleu

Its finally cold and snowy here in good ol' Iowa, so I've been craving some comfort food!  I had four boneless skinless chicken breasts to use up, so I searched for some new crockpot recipes on Allrecipes.com. 

I love chicken cordon bleu, but I never want to take the time to cut and stuff the chicken breasts, so this was an easy way to get the taste with out having to do all the work. 

What you'll need:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 cup milk

4 ounces sliced ham

4 ounces sliced Swiss cheese

1 (8 ounce) package herbed dry bread stuffing mix

1/4 cup butter, melted

What to do:

1. Mix together the cream of chicken soup and milk in a small bowl. Pour enough of the soup into a slow cooker to cover the bottom. Layer chicken breasts over the sauce.
2. Cover with slices of ham and then Swiss cheese.
3. Pour the remaining soup over the layers, stirring a little to distribute between layers. Sprinkle the stuffing on top, and drizzle butter over stuffing.
4. Cover, and cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours, or 2 to 3 hours on High.

I went to the deli and asked for 1/4 pound of ham, and it was just enough pieces to cover the chicken.  The deli ham was a little more pricey than the others found in the meat and cheese section, but I think its tastier, and this way none of it went to waste.  I also used shredded cheese, which I will add more next time as I really couldn't taste the swiss. 

Mr. Whoa rating:
☺☺☺☺

If stuffing is involved, Mr. Whoa digs it.  He even offered to do the dishes.  ;)

Cheeseburger Cupcakes

Ohhhh, Emily Bites, how I love thee.  Another recipe in the books that was super tasty, and the leftovers were awesome. 

I was kind of weirded out with the whole cupcake thing, but it tasted like an awesome maidrite eggroll.  As you can see from the picture, mine were a little crispy, but they didn't taste burnt.  These too were super easy and delicious.  Sister Whoa was up for dinner last night and all but one cupcake was gone (and I made an extra one).

What you need:

¼ c onion, finely chopped

½ lb 95% lean ground beef

1 T McCormick Hamburger Seasoning

4 Laughing Cow Queso Fresco & Chipotle wedges, chopped

3 T ketchup

1 T mustard

16 wonton wrappers (typically found in the produce section)

4 oz (1 cup) reduced fat 2% shredded cheddar cheese

What to do:

1.    Pre-heat the oven to 375. Lightly mist 8 cups in a muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.

2.    Mist a large skillet with cooking spray and bring to medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté until cooked. Add ground beef and Hamburger seasoning and cook until meat is browned. Add mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until mushrooms are browned as well.

3.    In a microwavable bowl, combine meat/mushroom mixture, cheese wedges, ketchup and mustard and stir. Microwave for one minute on high. Stir to combine until meat mixture is fully coated.

4.    Push a wonton wrapper into the bottom of each of the eight sprayed cups in the muffin tin. Using about half of the meat mixture, spoon evenly into the wonton wrappers. Sprinkle about half the cheddar cheese evenly over the top of each cup. Press another wonton wrapper on top and repeat the layering steps with the remaining ingredients.

5.    Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin.

This recipe yields about 8 cupcakes, but I had enough for 9.  I also omitted the mushrooms since Mr. Whoa is a brat, and I used the garlic and herd laughing cow because I didn't have the queso kind.  I am sketchballs on buying LC cheese that I've never tried, since my disappointment with the Sun Dried Tomato, and it also being expensive as hell. 

Mr. Whoa rating:

☺☺☺☺☺

He snarfed four of the cupcakes down.  He liked the crunchiness of the wonton wrapper.  Sister Whoa asked for a copy of the recipe.  Easy to make and little clean up?  You bet your ass.  I think these would be a lot of fun for a football party or poker night. 

Cheesy Taco Pasta

I have made not one, not two, but three new recipes this week!  I think Mr. Whoa is liking me only working three days a week, because he has a hot dinner on the table every night.  I am having a lot of fun trying new recipes and just overall being more domesticated. 

I found this number on my girl, Emily Bites blog, and decided to cook it up.  We love tacos, we love casseroles, and it was super easy.  If you haven't checked out her blog yet, do it now and thank me later.




What you'll need:

8 oz wheat pasta (I used Barilla medium shells)

1 lb 95% lean ground beef

1 oz packet reduced sodium taco seasoning

1 ½ c chunky salsa

½ c water

¼ c fat free sour cream

¾ c shredded 2 % reduced fat cheddar cheese  (I used the Mexican cheese)

¾ c shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I used extra sharp)

Salt & pepper to taste

What to do:

1.    Cook pasta according to package instructions.

2.    While pasta is cooking, place ground beef in a large sauté pan and cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the beef as it cooks. When the beef is cooked, drain any grease from pan. Add the taco seasoning, salsa and water and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes or until pasta is done cooking.

3.    Once pasta is done, drain pasta and add it to the beef mixture. Add the sour cream, cheese, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cheese will melt when thoroughly mixed. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Mr. Whoa rating:

☺☺☺☺  

I think if we would have used white pasta instead of wheat, it would have been five smilies.  Mr. Whoa is okay with wheat pasta, but it always tastes undercooked to me.  I know some boardies were concerned about tasting the sour cream, and honestly, you can't.  Leftovers were great...will def add this in the rotation!

Reuben Pizza



Okay, so I can't slice a pizza evenly.

 So I love reubens.  I also love pizza.  My friend posted on Facebook last week that his better half had made homemade Reuben pizza.  She said it was simple to do, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. 

What you'll need:
Pizza crust (I used a pre-made one, because I was running late for derby).
1/2-1 cup of 1000 Island dressing  (Adjust sauce to your liking).
1 cup of sauerkraut  (rinse and drain)
1 package of corned beef
2 cups of shredded swiss cheese

What to do:
Add 1000 Island dressing to pizza crust.  Add swiss cheese and layer with corned beef.  Put remaining cheese over the corned beef.  Add sauerkraut.  Bake according to crust directions.

Mr. Whoa rating:
☺☺☺
He said he really liked it, but I took a smiley away due to my liking.  I used slices of swiss cheese, because it was due to expire in the next week and I HATE to throw out food.  The swiss taste was too strong for me.  I think if I stuck to shredded it would have been a little more mild.

Cheesy Chicken and Stuffing

For those of you who don't know me, I am a crock pot fanatic.  Since Mr. Whoa and I are on opposite schedules, we can both enjoy a hot dish if its made in the crockpot.  It's so easy just to dump stuff in and walk away.  Plus the liners you can buy are a lifesaver on clean up. 

So this week for my new recipe challenge, I have decided to make Cheesy Chicken and Stuffing in the crockpot. 




Leftovers....yummy!


What you need:
1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups of shredded cheese (I used swiss)
1 can of cream of whatever (I used chicken)
1 box (6oz) of stuffing

What to do:
Layer the ingredients in the order listed in a crockpot.
Cook on low 5-6 hours.

Mr. Whoa rating:  ☺☺☺☺☺
Normally when I'm at work I get a "Thanks for dinner" text, but last night he said he loved it and it was very good, followed by several exclaimation points.  So I guess this will be one for the books.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip



Food Network recipe site

 Another recipe I decided to tackle for Chirstmas was Spinach and Artichoke dip.  This is one of Mother-in-Law's favoite things to order when we go out to eat.  I found this recipe off the Food Network Website.  I wanted one that didn't call for mayo or sour cream.  While I love both of them, it seems weird to mix them. 









What you'll need:

Kosher salt

2 10-ounce bags spinach, stems removed

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons minced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups whole milk

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/4 cups grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving

1/2 cup shredded white sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, squeezed dry and roughly chopped

What to do with it:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in the spinach and cook until bright green, about 30 seconds. Drain and rinse under cold water; squeeze out the excess moisture, then finely chop.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the onion is soft, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, parmesan and sour cream.
Return the pot to medium heat. Add the spinach, cheddar and artichokes and stir until the cheese melts and the dip is heated through.

Mr. Whoa rating:  ☺☺☺
It was a little meh, till I added a lot more garlic and a lot more grated parmesan.  Garlic and cheese make everything better, right?  My brother's girlfriend is not a fan of this dip ever, and she said she actually liked this.  I don't know if I'll ever make it again, but I'm glad I tried.  I served this with asiago bread and tortilla chips.

Sausage Balls

I get a phone call the day before Christmas from my Mother-in-Law, asking if I would bring appitizers for Christmas.  Gee...thanks for the notice.  So I hunt around for different recipes and stumbled across this little number.  I had no idea how good it would be, but I love sausage and I love cheese.  The Bisquick is what worried me.  I hauled ass to the grocery store (which was a zoo by the way) and picked up my stuff.

So easy to make and they were pretty tasty!  Mother-in-law is not a huge sausage fan (get your mind out of the gutter) but she loved these.  They would be a great addition to breakfast or brinner. 


What you'll need:
2 pounds of sausage (can mix in a pound of spicy sausage for a little heat)
2 cups of cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups of Bisquick


What to do:
Brown the sausage, drain, and put into mixing bowl.  Add in the Bisquick and cheese, mixing together.  Once mixed, roll into little balls.  Place on foil on a baking sheet.  Cook at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. 

Mr. Whoa Rating: ☺☺☺
I made him try this the night before and he liked them okay.  He thought they would be better as a meal, rather than a snack/appitizer.