Oh, friends.
At night before I fall asleep, I’ve been composing essays in my head. Meaty ones, filled with imagery and universal themes. And then I wake up and the child and the husband fall on me, needing this, needing that, filling up the house with their chatter and their bodies and every single creative thought in my head flees for some unknown sanctuary.
My head, as it were, is empty.
So is my stomach. The afternoon bouts of queasiness and exhaustion also erase any interesting culinary ideas from my brain, leaving me to serve mac and cheese to one resident and turkey sandwiches to another. Me? I scrounge for snacks after The Poo goes to sleep, trying to strike a balance between nurtrition and carb cravings.
I don’t have anything of note to say, but I am looking for help.
And when I need help, it is to the blogsphere that I turn.
If any of you have a stash of easy recipes with simple ingredients, ones that can be cooked ahead or in a crock pot, I would be forever grateful if you would leave them here. I am so hungry, but my mouth does not know what to eat. Just FYI, I’m not a big fan of lamb or pork.
One thing I am able to do, it seems, is read. I just finished two great books, World Without End by Ken Follet (I recommend it highly) and also, A Thousand Splendid Suns. I think I’m the last person on earth to read it, this follow-up to The Kite Runner, but I really enjoyed it.
I got the book for a gift, and in light of my recent vow to get books only from the library, I’d like to give it away. So if you haven’t read A Thousand Splendid Suns, leave a comment here and I’ll choose a reader at random to receive it.
I hope to be back in top form soon, but it all depends on whether or not I can get these people out of my house. For the love of all things holy, I haven’t had an hour alone in my house since early November.
And I have a feeling those solitary hours are going to become ever more precious and rare as these next nine months go by.
January 13th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Bruschetta Chicken
1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 pkg (6 oz.) Stove Top Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces.
1 tsp. dried basil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat even 400. Place tomatoes with liquid in medium bowl. Add garlic, stuffing mix and water. Stir just until stuffing mix is moistened. Set aside. Place chicken in sprayed 13 x 9 baking dish. Sprinkle with basil and cheese. Top with stuffing mixture. Bake 30 min or until chicken is cooked through. This is really good, and is good as leftovers, too. I have tons more recipes like this. Let me know, and I can email them to you. Enjoy!
I never read Kite Runner - nor A Thousand Splendid Suns. Do I need to read Kite Runner first? Thanks for the recommendation - I’m always looking for something to read. Put me in the drawing.
January 13th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
I have a wonderful lentil soup recipe for the crock pot - let me know if that sounds good to you.
A highly recommend A Thousand Splendid Suns to anyone who hasn’t read it!
January 13th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
De-lurking to say that I have a copy of Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Cookbook with which I’ve never connected. I’d be happy to Freecycle it to you, but I can’t vouch for any of the recipes other than the breakfast porridge/oats/polenta kind of stuff. Let me know if you’re interested.
I think your library commitment is wonderful, and it’s inspiring me to get off the couch and go check out the new Champaign library. Thanks!
January 13th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Oh my, too funny! I just put BOTH books on hold at the library, per my mother-in-law’s recommendation. And as luck would have it in my little po-dunk town o’the South, the county library has only 1, yes 1! copy of each for over 50,000 library goers. And since I have made a pact, like yourself, to only get books from the library, I figure it’ll be 2010 before I get to read either of them. The Kite Runner is right up there with my favorite books though, so I’m anxious to see how A Thousand Splendid Suns measures up. Also, World Without End has a companion book as well. I can’t remember the name, but my sister-in-law told me it too is a page turner.
As for easy recipes, get a pressure cooker (only about 20 bucks). It comes with a quick and easy recipe book, and you can make some pretty incredible meals in about 20 minutes. Seriously, the best beef stew I’ve ever eaten….12 minutes prep, 8 minutes cooking. Pressure cooker….biggest culinary secret ever!
Oh…and terriyaki, rosemary meatloaf is an easy one too. All you have to do is mix up the meat, form it into a loaf, stick it into the oven and walk away. If you’d like the recipe, email me (address on my blog), and I’m happy to send it your way.
January 13th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
White chili
1 lb large white beans, soaked overnight in water, drained
6 cups chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium onions, chopped (divided)
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 4-ounce cans chopped green chilies
2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cups diced cooked chicken
3 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, chopped (optional)
1 Combine beans, chicken broth, garlic and half the onions in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are very soft, 3 hours or more. Add additional water (or watered-down broth), if necessary.
2 In a skillet, sauté remaining onions in oil until tender. Add chilies and seasonings and mix thoroughly. Add to bean mixture. Add chicken and continue to simmer 1 hour. Check seasoning, add jalapeno or serrano to level of desired hotness.
3 Serve topped with grated cheese. Garnish with cilantro, chopped fresh tomato, salsa, chopped scallions, and/or guacamole. Serve with fresh warmed flour tortillas or tortilla chips.
January 13th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Tomato Macaroni
Boil 2 cups of macaroni.
When finished, mix in 2 or 3 tablespoons of margarine or butter until melted.
Add 1 can of tomatoes, and some salt and pepper to taste.
Put the mixture in a 9×13 pan, then top with some grated Cheddar Cheese and bake at 350F until the cheese is melted (about 10 minutes).
Fast and yummy!
January 13th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
This is the easiest recipe ever (you don’t even brown the meat) and is really, really good. You were craving pot roast, right? This should help. Just don’t cut the amount in half–it’ll dry out terribly (personal mistake.) I’ve even made it with chicken and chicken broth with good results. When I was preggo and barfy, plain, simple, midwestern food was some of the only stuff I could eat.
Enjoy.
Crock Pot Beef Stew
2 lbs. beef stew meat, cut in 1″ cubes
1/4 cup flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1.5 cups beef broth
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 t. paprika
4 carrots, sliced
3 potatoes, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, sliced
Put meat in Crock Pot. Mix flour, salt and pepper and pour over meat, stir to coat. Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix well. Cover and cook on low 10 to 12 hours or high 4 to 6 hours. Stir thoroughly before serving. Serves 6.
January 13th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Just speaking from recent personal experience here, but you might want to reconsider using the crock pot until you are past the morning sickness phase. What smells good at noon may send your nausea into overdrive and by 4 or 5 o’clock you may be wanting to throw dinner and the pot right out the window! lol!
At least, that was what happened to me. You may have a stronger stomach than I do.
Heavenly Chicken:
1 jar Apricot Jelly/Jam/Preserves
1 sm bottle Italian Dressing
1 packet Onion Soup Mix
6-8 chicken breasts, thighs or whatever you have
Place chicken in baking dish. Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over chicken. Cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
This is really good, even small children tend to like it!
Enjoy!
D
January 13th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
I have not read A Thousand Splendid Suns yet, so please enter me for the drawing. As for recipes, I totally agree with Dawn on the odor thing. This is really simple and the sauce recipe makes enough for several meals and keeps well covered in the fridge for a couple of weeks.
Sauce:
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
1/2 green pepper
1/2 med. white or yellow onion
juice of 1 lime
zest of 1 lime
1 tsp. ginger, fresh or ground
Mix in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour into lidded container and place in fridge for at least an hour for flavors to marry.
Saute boneless skinless chicken breasts in olive oil. Be sure to let them sit on one side for several minutes to get that golden crunchy deliciousness. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Just before they are done, squeeze 1/2 a lime over the breasts, let them cook for a moment, then turn over and repeat with the remaining 1/2 lime. Serve with cold cranberry-lime salsa.
I serve with egg noodles or baked potatoes if I’m in a carb mood, or a big salad if I’m not. My kids all love this dish!
January 13th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
I don’t have a recipe for you unfortunatley, though I did get a crockpot and crockpot recipe magazine for x-mas that I haven’t used.
I have not read the book and a nurse I spoke with Friday was highly recommending it, so enter me in that drawing.
Have you read Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner? Fabulous.
January 13th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Well, I’m queesy and tonight we are having chuck roast in the crock pot. If you use a 2-3 lb. roast, it only takes about 4-6 hrs on low, so you don’t have to smell it so long. Plus, if you don’t lift the lid, its not so bad.
I put the roast in surrounded by 1 can beef broth, plus a little water if need to almost cover it. Top the meat with salt, pepper and diced garlic. You could also add onion soup mix to the broth. Melts in your mouth when done. Serve with prepared mashed potatoes for super easy, or make roasted.
I too can’t seem to stomach anything too complex. Some of the above recipes sound GREAT, but I’m definitely in that “plain, simple, midwestern food” phase that La Rêveuse mentioned.
January 13th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
PS — I’ve basically made that beef stew crock pot recipe, and it is good!
January 13th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Overnight Oatmeal (So yummy to wake up to this time of year!)
8 cups water
2 cups steel-cut oats (see Ingredient note)
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Combine water, oats, dried cranberries, dried apricots and salt in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Turn heat to low. Put the lid on and cook until the oats are tender and the porridge is creamy, 7 to 8 hours.
(I’m currently reading the Kite Runner, how behind am I?)
January 13th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Man. I’m not pregnant, but I have nada to say lately. Being stupidly busy isn’t helping.
My easiest thing in the crock pot (or in the oven) are bone in chicken breasts with a can of diced tomatoes, some lemon slices, some thyme, potatoes and stock. Then just cook it, throw over some pasta or something.
I’m lazy, and prefer to cook stuff I normally have hanging around. Or shake and bake. It’s totally my BFF.
January 13th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
I’m making this tonight, a little bit putsy but easy and good for two dinners at least. To be served with cheese quesadillas (even Finn will eat those- double bonus).
Me too. Empty. I got nothing.
January 13th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
I have not read any of the books of which you talk about…enter me in please! I must be really behind!!!
As for recipes i will think of one for you and come back! I am a huge pork eater so most of mine are for pork.
January 13th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Risotto is a big hit around here. First you take some chicken tenders, usually frozen because I can’t remember to take them out of the freezer a couple of days before. And put them into the crockpot. Cook them for about 4 hours on low and then shredded and cut.
Take a quart of chicken broth (I use the box kind) and heat it on the stove. Melt 2 pats of butter with olive oil in a pan over med heat and add a cup of Risotto. You can add onions before and saute them, if you like. Then ladle in some of the chicken broth and stir the risotto. As it sucks up the broth just ladle some more in and stir occasionally. When it is finished add the chicken and sweet peas. Or pretty much anything else you might like. We had corn and chicken the other night. You can, also, add some Parmesan cheese, too. I usually forget. I love this stuff and I could eat it all day, everyday.
I find that if I use all the chicken tenders, it is too much, so I put the rest aside for another day. You can add it to mac and cheese, make chicken salad or just eat it like it is. I would recommend salt and peppering it in the crockpot as it cooks.
I have tons of crockpot recipes that I use from Southern Living, but they are too long to type here.
An easy one for roast: get a small roast (2-3 lbs) lay pearl onions ( I don’t, but you might like onions) on the bottom sit the roast on top of them. Mix up a cup of beef broth, 1/4 cup of flour and a package of dry French onion soup. Pour over the roast and cook until it shreds. I like mine served over mashed potatoes or on bread.
If you are interested in any other crockpot recipes send me an email.
January 13th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
5 Can Soup
1 Can Corn with juice
1 Can Rotel
1 Can Vegetable Soup (any kind)
1 Can Fat Free Beanless Chili
1 Can Diced Tomatoes
Mix and heat.
It doesn’t come easier than that! I usually only use a half a can of Rotel because I don’t like spicy things. If on WW use a Healthy Choice type soup. It works out to 1 pt. per cup depending on the brands you use. It’s also a really great soup (even if it doesn’t look like it would be)!
Hope you feel better soon!!
January 13th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
I haven’t read that yet. So I guess I must be the last on Earth to read it.
I’ll look for a recipe. I think I posted one on my blog that might fit the bill but I can’t look for it right now.
January 13th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
This isn’t a crockpot recipe, but it’s easy-peasy and you can make ahead and put in the fridge until you’re ready to cook it. It’s got a comfort food vibe, for me, AND the kids dig it. Serve with rice, noodles or mashed potatoes.
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp cornstarch
Trim any visible fat off chicken. Arrange thighs in a single layer in 9×13 baking dish. Set aside.
In medium bowl whisk together all ingredients, except cornstarch. Pour sauce over chicken. Turn pieces to coat both sides with sauce.
Bake uncovered at 400 for 45 minutes. When chicken is cooked, arrange thighs on plate and keep warm. Pour sauce into small saucepan (if you didn’t trim the fat off the thighs, as I’m often too lazy to do, then you might want to skim the extra fat off the top of the sauce before the next step - - it makes for a nicer consistency in the sauce). In small bowl, mix cornstarch with 1 tbsp water until smooth. Add to sauce, bring to boil and cooked to thickened. Pour extra sauce over chicken or serve on side as dipping sauce.
Thanks for the book recommendations. I haven’t read either. I’ll put them on my list after I finish Life in the Time of Cholera.
January 13th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
I haven’t read that one yet either, loved The Kite Runner though. Hope the nausea passes quickly, here’s an easy crock-pot fix: Crock-potify some boneless chicken (I get the frozen breasts and throw then in right out of the freezer), a can of tomato sauce (cooked tomatoes, fresh ones if you have them for that matter), some random spices (that’s what I do anyway. Yeah, I know-I’m just waiting for the cookbook contract to come through), and a can of black beans (or whatever else you can find in the cupboard, I’ve never gone wrong with the crock pot. And hey, speaking of crock pots.. did I tell you I got a niece for Christmas? i try to work that into conversations whenever possible
January 13th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
I wish I had crock pot recipes, but I don’t. Don’t do much in that thing.
If I find anything, I will send it your way.
Haven’t read the Kite Runner OR A Thousand Splendid Suns. You are not the last person. I am.
January 13th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Easy recipes?
Baked Chicken:
Box of stuffing
Chicken Breasts
Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 a can of milk or so.
Prepare stuffing and put in a baking dish. Lay chicken over top. Combine soup and milk, cover chicken. Bake 350 for 35 - 45 minutes - or until juices run clear on chicken.
“Goulash”
1 pound ground beef
Chopped onion
2 cans tomato sauce
1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tbps paprika
Wide egg noodles.
Brown ground beef and onion. Drain. Add Italian seasoning and paprika, stir through. Add tomato sauce and another cup or so water. Add uncooked egg noodles. Cook over medium heat until noodles are ready - 5 to 7 minutes.
I put it quotes because I know it’s not real goulash, but my kids eat it.
Good luck! For me, the hardest part about being pregnant was the first trimester cooking!
January 13th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Not a crock-pot recipe, but easy and carby :), and from my stepmother-in-law.
Potato Soup
4-5 potatoes, cubed
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. margarine
sprinkle celery salt
Boil potatoes and onion in water with margarine and celery salt until potatoes are done. Drain, saving water.
In double boiler: 2 cups milk, 1 heaping Tbsp flour, 1 small block (hiding my head in shame Velveeta cheese
Stir double-boiler contents over low heat until cheese is melted and mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and pour on potatoes. Add water from the potatoes to ‘loosen’ to soup consistency. Let simmer.
_____________
To change the subject, enter me for the book. I just wrote a post referencing Kite Runner (loved it) and have been meaning to read Suns.
Hope you get lots of help from the internets, my friend, and find a number of yummy meals that your queasy stomach can handle.
January 13th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
This soup is so easy, tastes great and is super healthy:
Vegetarian Minestrone
2 tsp olive oil
¾ cup chopped onion
3 cups water
2 cups diced zucchini
1 cup diced carrot
1 cup drained canned white beans (cannellini)
¾ cup diced celery
½ tsp dried basil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup uncooked ditalini
4 tsp grated Parmesan cheese
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 4 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Add water and next 10 ingredients and bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 25 minutes.
Add pasta. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Ladle into each of 4 bowls and sprinkle with cheese.
January 13th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
I think you have enough recipes… But my old (lazy) standby is throwing a chicken in the crock pot and dousing it with BBQ sauce, letting it cook all day. By the time I’m home from work it’s ready.
As far as books go… For the future, here is a great website for you to get rid of unwanted books: http://www.paperbackswap.com
Also great place to find new reading material too.
Hope your tummy feels less queasy soon!
January 13th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
I make something similar to what Flutter described — very yummy!
This isn’t a crockpot recipe, but it’s really easy:
Seven-can soup:
2 cans of chicken broth
1 can of Rotel
1 can of Ranchstyle beans (w/ jalapenos, if you want extra zip)
3 cans of Minestrone soup
1 1b ground beef
Brown beef. Combine it with all other ingredients and simmer.
Serve with cornbread.
January 13th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
I’ve found that BooMama (she’s blogrolled on my site) has a sidebar item called Soup-Tacular. There are some crazy good soups in there. Soups are pretty easy.
January 13th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
oh babe.
i’ve got a recipe for you:
take out chinese.
xo
January 14th, 2008 at 8:12 am
I will ask my other half to post a recipe or two - she is veggie, but knows how to make some amazing stuff that is (apparently) simple and quick to make.
(I can make things when prodded too)
January 14th, 2008 at 9:00 am
Super easy Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
It’s not a crock pot recipe, but it’s really easy to make.
3-4 chicken breasts
1 poblano pepper
3 cloves garlic
30 oz +/- chicken stock
2 cups shredded carrots
1 large package of rice noodles
2 tbs chopped cilantro
1 tbs chopped basil
1 lime
Dice chicken into bite/soup sized pieces. Brown with garlic and poblano pepper. I cut the pepper into big pieces so that i can pick them out before adding to the soup… I want the flavor without biting into the actual pepper.
In large saucepan, start the chicken broth simmering. Add the cooked chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the cilantro and basil and squeeze the entire lime into the soup. Simmer another 10 minutes and add the rice noodles. Soon as they are done, the soup is ready.
I often get an extra package of rice noodle and cook them and add them to the left over to make it just a bit heartier the next day.
Enjoy!
January 14th, 2008 at 9:57 am
I stopped buying grown up books a few years ago. I did a major purge and gave away box after box of books. I spent so much money on them and they took up so much space. And let’s face it, most books we don’t read again.
We do have more children’s books than the public library though.
I get all my books from the library now. Except purchasing the occasional cookbook or reference book. And I borrow from friends or get hand-me-downs.
I recently read about a group trying to offset the environmental cost of books. I’ll try to remember to blog about that soon.
Here’s my chili recipe. So easy. Just open cans and pour. Can be made with or without meat. We eat this quite often.
http://soyisthenewblack.blogspot.com/2007/11/recipe-easy-awesome-chili.html
January 14th, 2008 at 10:02 am
Jane’s Pork
2.5 lbs pork tenderloin (sliced)
2 chopped onions
2 green peppers (I use Red)
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. water
¼ c. vinegar
3 T chili powder
2 t. salt
1 t. dry mustard
6 t Worcestershire sauce
2 hot peppers (seeded)
1 small can of tomato paste
Brown the pork in a single layer in a skillet (may have to do in batches).
Cook onions until translucent.
Put pork and onions in slow cooker.
Add remaining ingredients, mix, cook on high for at least 3-4 hours.
Serve over bread (like a sloppy Joe situation)
Yummmmm
January 14th, 2008 at 10:51 am
I will dig around and find some recipes for you this week.
(When the needs subside - ha - I can’t wait to read your meaty essays.)
January 14th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Put chicken breasts in crock pot, dump in a jar of salsa and a can of corn (shoepeg if yer fancy). Shred and serve w/ tortillas or cornbread.
Put smallish pork loin in crock pot, dump in a can of cranberries and a bit of water. Serve with forget about it potatoes (Suburban Bliss) quarter small potatoes, douse liberally with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then put them in the oven and forget about them. Take them out when they are almost burnt.
Every meal at our house gets a side of frozen birdseye steam-in-bag veggies that Henry picks out and pushes the 5 button on the microwave.
Order pizza
Order Thai
Culvers (you know Poo will eat at least)
January 14th, 2008 at 11:45 am
I already read and own both books so no need to pick me. But here’s an easy recipe I’ve given everyone that I got from over on Whoorl a ways back. It’s a side dish but it’s so easy, my blind three legged Irish Wolfhound could do. That’s imagery for you, eh?
Corn Casserole
1 stick of butter
1 can of cream corn
1 can of corn drained
1 box of Jiffy corn muffin mix
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup shredded romano cheese (optional)
2-4 tablespoons diced jalapeno peppers (optional)
Melt butter in round casserole dish in microwave. Stir in jiffy mix, cream corn, and drained corn. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add optional ingredients
Cook for 30 - 40 minutes in 375 oven. Actually, I change the temperature every time because I forget how long to put it in so just watch it and when you put a fork in it and it’s not completely liquidy, it should be done.
January 14th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Some of these recipes look fantastic! Sadly, I don’t own a slow-cooker, so I am of little help.
I still haven’t even read the Kite Runner. I’m so behind on so many things.
January 14th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Easy Meatballs
Boil spiral pasta (or whatever)
Heat up pre-cooked turkey meatballs.
Wisk together 1/2 jar of Chili Sauce with 1/2 jar of Apple or Grape Jelly.
Simmer meatballs in sauce until the sauce doesn’t have clumps of jelly in it.
Serve over noodles.
January 14th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Also,
Slow cookers really are better for pork, don’t cook chicken in a crock pot… it doesn’t work.
January 14th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
I’ll leave a crock pot cookbook in the Poo’s cubbie tomorrow. I’ve had success with a number of recipes in it, so peruse it and copy out what you want. I’m in no hurry for it back.
I have yet to read Kite Runner, tho it’s in my TBR pile (along with about a 100 other books).
I use a site called bookmooch to get new books and to get rid of the books I don’t want to keep. I’ve listed all kinds of stuff on there.
January 14th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Hope this helps:
Chicken Tortilla Soup
4 cans chicken broth
2 cans diced tomatoes (or 5 fresh)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 onion
1 cup cilantro
1 cup frozen corn
2-3 frozen chicken breasts
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
lime juice
You can either saute the onion and garlic in a little olive oil first, or if you don’t want to/are in a hurry, dump the chicken broth in a large soup pot, followed by the onion, tomatoes, garlic, cilantro and spices. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 1/2 hour. Then add the chicken and cook until it’s done at which point you can shred it either in the pot or out.
Basically the soup is done at this point. Serve with tortilla strips baked in the oven, diced avocado, shredded cheese (mexican blend or whatever you have on hand, kids don’t care and neither do grown-ups), sour cream and a squeeze of fresh lime.
EVERYONE I know loves this soup!
January 14th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
I hear you! I’m 5 months along myself and only in the last month has it been easier to think about food. Here is one of my stand-by, super easy favorites (hardly any prep!). I usually serve with rice since I like a little extra sauce on the rice. And a vegetable or salad on the side if you like. Good luck!
Cranberry Chicken
3-4 breasts of chicken
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 pkg. Zesty Italian salad dressing
Pepper to taste
Mix cranberry sauce, dressing and pepper until blended. Pour over chicken. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Enjoy!
January 15th, 2008 at 10:57 am
I was pointed here from Oh The Joys, and thought I’d share one of my family’s favorite recipes. It’s quick, easy, and good:
MOCK BAR-B-QUES
1 beef roast (enough to feed your family, I usually get a 2 or 3 pound roast)
1 12 oz beer
water
1 medium onion
3-4 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper
Liquid Smoke
Store-bought BBQ Sauce
Place the roast in the crock pot; quarter and separate the onion and place in crock pot. Peel garlic and place in the crock pot (no need to chop). Season with salt and pepper, then pour over beer. Add enough water to cover meat and vegetables, and add a few drops of liquid smoke. Set crock pot to low temperature, and cook over night.
The next day, right before service, remove the meat from the crock pot and put in a large bowl. Using two forks, pull the meat apart into strips. Cover with your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce, using as much or as little as you like. Serve on hamburger buns with extra sauce on the side and stewed onions from the crock pot.
January 15th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I don’t have a recipe for you, just getting into cooking myself so I steal more than I give
Would love the book though if I still have time to enter.
January 15th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
This is quick and delicious comfort food. Enjoy!
Mindless Meatball Minestrone
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) fat-free chicken broth
1 can (14.5 ounces) fat-free beef broth
1 bag (1 pound) frozen mixed vegetables
1 bag (18 ounces) frozen meatballs (I use turkey meatballs)
1 can (14.5 ounces) stewed tomatoes
½ cup dried macaroni noodles
1 can (15 ounces) light red kidney beans
1 ½ teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
6 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup red wine (optional)
Pour the chicken and beef broth into a 4.5-quart Dutch oven or soup pot and begin heating on high. Add the still-frozen vegetables and meatballs. Add the tomatoes and macaroni. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. This will take about 10 minutes.
While the soup is heating, rinse, and drain the kidney beans and set aside. When the soup comes to a boil, uncover and stir well (the macaroni sinks to the bottom).
Add the kidney beans, Italian seasoning, and wine, and reduce the heat to medium. Stir frequently until the macaroni is tender, about 6 to 7 minutes more. Serve at once, garnishing each bowl with 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese.
Serves 6
January 15th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
Not a recipe, a time and money saving tip.
There are a lot of recipes using a pre-cooked whole chicken from the grocery store, which you shred to use in recipes, and then boil the bones to make soup. You can usually get 3 small meals from one chicken. It is a good idea, but it gets expensive.
I wait for the 10-lb. bags of chicken quarters to go on sale for less than $5. Occasionally I can find them for 29 cents a pound.
When I get home from the store I cook the whole batch in the pressure cooker (takes about 12 minutes). You can do this in large stock pot on top of stove, too. In both cases, I use about 1 1/2 to 2 quarts water. When the chicken is done, I fish it out and place in large bowl to cool.
I strain the broth into a large, straight-sided pitcher. As soon as it is cool, it goes into the refrigerator to let the fat congeal on top. When fat is hard, it can be lifted off and discarded or used as another cookng fat in the kitchen. The resulting broth can be seasoned or not, and used just like any fat-free canned broth.
Wearing latex gloves, I slip the skins and any extra fat off the chicken pieces and discard. After pulling the meat from the bones, I shred or chop the chicken meat. It can now be frozen for later use, or kept in the fridge for use during the coming week in such things as Curry, pilau, chicken salad, enchiladas, pot pie, soup, Brunswick stew, or any recipe that calls for pre-cooked chicken. This prep is a little time consuming, but it sure saves time preparing dinners through the week, especially for busy moms. Sometimes I even pre-prep bags of diced onion, green pepper, carrots and celery, so my ingredients are all ready to use.
January 16th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
I do the same thing as Sayre’s mom in that I make chicken ahead, but I grill like 8# at a time on the grill, put it in the fridge to cool, chop it up and bag it in freezer bags (you can put multiple servings in a bag if it’s cool and is less likely to stick together) and use it throughout the week for chicken and black beans, chicken salad, chicken quesadillas (how appropriate for this blog!). The biggest time saver for me.
Hope all is well with you!
January 16th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
How about I just bring you a meal sometime?
January 17th, 2008 at 3:34 am
Easy roast chicken.
Prep time: About 10 minutes (15 if you don’t buy ready-peeled potatoes)
- 1 whole chicken (gibblets removed)
- A few teaspoons of salt
- A few generous dashes of your favourite herbs (sage, marjoram, basil and thyme are my faves).
- A shake or two of pepper
- A shake or two of your favourite spices (masala is really nice).
- 1 largish onion (or a stuffing of your choice, but an onion works just fine)
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius (not sure what it is in farenheit)
- Mix salt, herbs and spices in a bowl.
- Rub the mixture all over the skin of the chicken.Even underneath.
- Grease a roasting pan with olive oil (or any other type of cooking oil, but olive really is nicest).
- Shove the onion up the chicken’s a-… um *ahem*… I mean stuff the chicken with the onion.
- Put the chicken in the roasing pan.
- Surround chicken with potatoes and/or veggies of your choice (we use pumpkin or butternut)
- Put in oven for an hour and a half to an hour and 45 minutes (time depends on oven and size of chicken. Leaving it for a bit longer just to be sure won’t hurt it - the salt crust makes the skin crispy and keeps the meat very moist, so it won’t dry out). Turn the veggies about halfway through. Take a nap meanwhile.
It’s one of my favourite meals to make because it’s probably the easiest. The only thing taking any length of time is the cooking itself, and the oven does that work just fine. AND, barring the overall hunger of the family, there’s usually leftovers.
I’ll see what other meals I can come up with. ^_^
January 19th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Good lord, somehow it’s ME giving cooking advice. You should probably delete this.
Anyhoo, I was at the Lost Pines Resort this morning and room service brought me the most delicious meal called Eggs In a Pot.
Basically it was stewed tomatoes on the bottom with a layer of thin ham, followed by asparagus and spinach and topped with two poached eggs. Looked like the dish was assembled in this terrifically cute crockery and put in the oven. Assemble, cook a little a bit and eat. Tasty