Crock pot Chicken Taco soup--The recipe I used at Brighton

1 onion, chopped

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1 (16 ounce) can chili beans

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1 (15 ounce) can black beans

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1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

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1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

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1 (12 fluid ounce) broth

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2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained

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1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning. I make my own so it’s gluten free. I’ll post the recipe later.

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3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts

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shredded Cheddar cheese(optional)

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sour cream (optional)

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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.

Hawaiian Haystacks

This is one of those make up as you go, add what you have, type of meals, made entirely out of staple foods!

For the chicken and gravy base I just cooked chicken in my crock-pot on low with a little water, veggies and seasonings.  6 hours later I drained & rinsed the chicken and put it back in the crock-pot with cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom or both!!) thinned with some chicken stock.

Used my rice cooker to make about 3 cups white rice 

then prepared my toppings...

crunchy chow mein noodles

shredded cheddar cheese

toasted coconut

toasted almonds

green onions

raisens

celery

Pineapple

Mandarin oranges

anything tropical really or with and interesting texture (crunchy, chewy etc!)

Just pile it all on there - they go together surprisingly well

for little kids I make individual piles, they seem to take to it a bit better if it is all separated, maybe so they can eat all of the cheese and oranges and no celery idk!

Cheesy chicken casserole

I did NOT grow up a fan of casseroles. So, naturally, when one of my neighbors brought me one after I had my second baby, I was more than a bit worried. After I pretended to be totally excited about it and she left, I told Shane he needed to go out and get us pizza. He made me try this, though, and it is hands down my all time FAVORITE meal EVER. I am IN. LOVE. with this. So, for those of you picky eaters/busy moms out there...this one is for you. This is easy and super fast! P.S. If something is bolded, it is my personal opinion/suggestion, so feel free to completely ignore it. :)

Cheesy Chicken Noodle Casserole

4 C egg noodles (uncooked) (the wide ones are usually the best)
2 small cans of cream of chicken soup
2 C sour cream
2 C milk
3-4 tbsp of bottle lemon juice (or to taste)
1/2 tsp garlic salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp pepper (to taste)
12 oz bag crunchy chow mein noodles (LaChoy)
13 oz can chicken breast (I have only been able to find 12.5 oz cans, which work just fine)
3-4 C grated cheddar cheese (I usually only use 2 cups and it is still uber cheesy and less fattening)

In a large pan, cook 4 cups of egg noodles as instructed on the package.

Drain, set aside.

Combine soup, sour cream, milk, lemon juice, garlic salt, and pepper in a large pan.

Stir ingredients together over medium heat until smooth.

Add cooked egg noodles, 1 C crunchy noodles (or more as desired), and the can of chicken breast.

Stir until mixed together well and chicken breaks up a little. (or if you are a cheater/impatient like me, use a knife or fork or whatever to break the chicken up beforehand)

Spray a lasagna pan with cooking spray. Pour noodle mixture in the pan while trying to hold the camera in the other hand and not drop it in the sink,

cover with more crunchy noodles, then spread the cheese on top of this (DON'T SKIMP!).

Drizzle a little more lemon juice (or water, or milk-whichever you prefer) over the casserole, then cover and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour, until the cheese is completely melted and the casserole is heated through. (Important!: Usually I only have to cook it about 30 minutes--sometimes 45--until the cheese is melted, but it varies from oven to oven. Check it after 30 minutes and see what you think. Don't let the cheese burn, though. Yuck.)
All done!! Enjoy!


The great thing about this recipe is that you can make it whenever you have time during the day, then stick it in the fridge until you are ready to cook it. It only takes about 15 minutes to prep everything, then you are good to go!