Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer

 

• 2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
• 1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
• 3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
• sour cream (optional)
• crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Directions

1. Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.
2. Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

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Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup half-and-half, plus more, as needed 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish, optional
1 sprig fresh rosemary, for garnish, optional

Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the stockpot, and cook until golden, 2 to 3 minutes; set aside.

2. Melt the butter in the stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic, mushrooms, onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Whisk in the flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken stock, bay leaf, and chicken thighs, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes.

4. Stir in the half-and-half until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper to taste. If the soup is too thick, add more half-and-half as needed until desired consistency is reached.

5. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley and rosemary, if desired.

Serves 6

Bacon Cheddar Jalapeño Corn Dogs

Ingredients

1. ¾ cup all-purpose flour
2. ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
3. 1½ teaspoons baking powder
4. 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
5. ¾ teaspoon salt
6. ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
7. 2 large eggs
8. 8 hot dogs
9. 8 bacon strips, cooked and chopped
10. 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
11. 3 jalapeños, chopped
12. ½ cup flour, for dredging
13. vegetable oil for frying
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15. For the sweet and spicy mustard sauce
16. 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
17. 3 tablespoons spicy brown mustard (or Dijon)
18. 3 tablespoons honey
19. 1 to 2 teaspoons sriracha

Instructions

1. Heat vegetable oil (about 4 inches) in a large pot, over medium-high heat.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pour in the buttermilk and lightly beaten eggs. Mix until evenly combined and smooth. Fold in the cooked crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, and chopped jalapeños. Pour into a tall drinking glass.
3. Skewer the hot dogs with a thin popsicle stick. Dredge the skewered hot dogs in flour and dust to shake excess. Dip the floured hot dogs into the glass filled with the corn batter. Lift and dunk again to fully coat.
4. Carefully lay the coated corn dog into the hot oil. Cook about two at a time so you don't overcrowd the pot. Fry until golden brown all around, about 4 to 6 minutes, turning halfway. Drain excess oil with a slotted spoon or a pair of thongs. Place on a plate lined with paper towels to catch grease. Transfer to a wire rack placed over a baking sheet. Continue frying until all the corn dogs are cooked. Place the baking sheet in the oven to rewarm and get them crispy before eating.
5. To make the sauce: Whisk everything together in a small bowl. Serve with the hot corn dogs. The corn dogs, once fried, can be frozen. Lay them out on a baking sheet and place in the freezer until completely frozen. Transfer to a freezer storage bag or freezer-safe airtight container. Reheat them in a 350° oven for about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Feta Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta; about 8 ounces) 

2 cups bagged prewashed baby spinach, chopped 

1/2 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves 

3 tablespoons chopped red onion 

3 tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives 

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, undrained 

3/4 cup (3 ounces) feta cheese, crumbled and divided 

Preparation

Cook the orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; rinse with cold water. Combine orzo, spinach, and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl.

Drain artichokes, reserving marinade. Coarsely chop artichokes, and add artichokes, reserved marinade, and 1/2 cup feta cheese to orzo mixture, tossing gently to coat. Sprinkle each serving with remaining feta cheese.

Caramelized Baked Chicken

"Roast chicken pieces with sticky, sweet and tangy coating."

Ingredients

• 3 pounds chicken wings
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons ketchup

 

• 1 cup honey
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Place chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Mix together the oil, soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken.
3. Bake in preheated oven for one hour, or until sauce is caramelized.

Skinny Lemon Meringue Poke Cake

INGREDIENTS

Cake:

• 1 white or golden cake mix
• 1 can diet lemon lime soda

Lemon Curd:

• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• ⅛ cup grated lemon zest
• 4 egg yolks
• 3 whole eggs
• ¾ cup lemon juice
• 4 tbsp butter

Meringue

• 4 egg whites
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• ⅛ tsp salt
• scant ½ cup sugar
• INstructions

  Cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9x13" pan. Combine cake mix and soda in a large bowl until smooth. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with moist crumbs (not batter!). Set aside to cool to room temperature. Poke holes into cake with the end of a wooden spoon or something of a similar size.

  Lemon curd:

  1. In a medium pot, combine sugar, zest, yolks, eggs, and lemon juice with a whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking, until thickened (about 3-5 minutes).
  2. Pour over cake while curd is still warm.

  Meringue:

  1. In a large bowl, combine egg whites, cream of tartar and salt. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (see picture below).
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread meringue on top of cake and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
  3. Cool completely in the fridge before serving.

ASPARAGUS AND SWEET PEA FRITTATA

• INGREDIENTS
• 10 large eggs
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• One-half (1/2-pound) bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut into 1/4-inch dice 
• 1 cup sweet peas from about 1/2 pound fresh shelling peas or one (10-ounce) bag frozen peas
• Freshly ground black pepper
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• DIRECTIONS

Adjust broiler rack to 10 inches from heat source and preheat broiler

to high. Beat eggs in a large bowl with 2 generous pinches of salt.

Set aside. In a medium oven-proof non-stick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons 
oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring,

until just translucent, about 2 minutes. Add diced asparagus and peas,

season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until tender but not

browned, about 6 minutes.

Adjust broiler rack to 10 inches from heat source and preheat broiler

to high. Beat eggs in a large bowl with 2 generous pinches of salt.

Set aside. In a medium oven-proof non-stick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil

over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring,

until just translucent, about 2 minutes. Add diced asparagus and peas,

season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until tender but not

browned, about 6 minutes.

Add egg and cook, stirring, until moist curds have formed throughout,

1 to 2 minutes. Transfer skillet to broiler and cook until top is set,

about 3 minutes. Let frittata cool slightly. Run a thin spatula around

and under frittata to detach any spots stuck to skillet.

Invert a large plate over skillet, and in one quick motion turn frittata

out onto plate. Set aside.

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Rhubarb Jam Cheesecakes

8 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese 

4 ounces fat-free cream cheese 

2/3 cup sugar, plus 6 tablespoons 

1/8 teaspoon salt 

3/4 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt 

2 large eggs 

1 large egg white 

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

6 ounces 1/2-inch slices rhubarb 

6 ounces strawberries, hulled and sliced 

2 teaspoons cornstarch 

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1 1/4 cups low-fat granola without raisins 

Preparation

1. Place a wire rack or 2 thick kitchen towels in the bottom of a large stockpot; place on stovetop.

2. Beat cheeses, 2/3 cup sugar, and salt with a mixer at low speed until smooth. Add yogurt; beat 1 minute. Add eggs, egg white, and vanilla; beat until mixture is smooth and creamy. Divide batter among 8 regular-mouthed half-pint (8-ounce) freezer-safe canning jars. Cover tops of each jar with foil; tightly seal edges. Place jars in prepared stockpot; add hot water to a depth of 2 inches, and cover with lid or foil. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer 20 minutes or until cheesecakes are done. Remove jars to a rack; cool completely.

3. While cheesecakes cook, combine rhubarb, remaining 6 tablespoons sugar, and next 5 ingredients (through cinnamon) in a medium pan. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Reduce heat to medium low; cook 12 to 15 minutes or until mixture is very thick and liquid has evaporated, stirring frequently. Remove to a bowl, and cool completely.

4. Use a damp paper towel to clean the inside of jars of any cheesecake batter residue before adding the granola and jam layers. Place 2 1/2 tablespoons granola over the cheesecake layer in each jar. Top each with 2 tablespoons rhubarb jam. Place lids on jars, and freeze. Thaw at room temperature before serving.