Fiesta Chicken Casserole

This was a nice, creamy, cheesy casserole with just a hint of heat that me and my husband very much enjoyed.  Because I love cheese so much, I may even add some shredded cheese to the cream of chicken soup mixture as well as on top at the end to add some extra cheesiness!  Mmm...  And did I mention how easy this was?  Because I used canned chicken  (that's what I had in my pantry- and tasted just fine to us!), it went so fast.  While I boiled the noodles, I prepared everything else.  Took maybe 10 min.  So great.

Ingredients

2 cups chicken breast grilled & cubed  (I used canned chicken)
2 cups medium shell pasta cooked
2 cups cheddar/jack cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can Rotel
1 can green chilies
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Boil pasta according to package directions.  Combine pasta and cooked chicken in a 9x9 baking dish.  Blend 1 can of cream of chicken soup, 1 can Rotel, 1 can green chilie,s 1/2 cup of milk in separate bowl, then pour over pasta and chicken, stir to combine. Cover with cheese, salt and pepper to taste! Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Gluten free: use GF pasta of choice and GF cream of chicken soup.

Recipe found on pinterest.com.  No other source was listed, but it was pinned as Fiesta Chicken Casserole.

Hawaiian Grilled Cheese

DELISH!!  I had to make a few modifications, and only because I couldn't find some of the exact ingredients on my own, but came out with a FANTASTIC result nontheless.  I had to use naturally smoked deli sliced ham from the grocery (so I missed out on the rosemary bit), couldn't find Comte cheese, so opted for a white, creamy Provolone cheese instead.  I also didn't have smoked sea salt, just regular sea salt.  But like I said, the ingredients I ended up with seemed to do the trick!  Me and my husband loved these!

Ingredients:

- 5 slices of fra'mani rosemary ham
- 1/4 pound of shredded Comte cheese
- 2 pats vermont creamery cultured butter
- smoked sea salt
- Roberta's city white bread
- 2 tbs chopped fresh pineapple


Layer the ingredients as such: After buttering and lightly salting each slice of white bread, layer:

Bread, Cheese, 3-4 slices ham, thin layer of sliced pinneapple (just enough to get some sweetness in each bite), ANOTHER layer of cheese and bread.  Once placing it on your skillet, use your spatula to press down on your sandwich, just a tad to get all of those layers melting together and keeping all of those delicious flavors in.

Found on: blog.depanneurbklyn.com, Originally from: http://www.grilledcheesesocial.com/2011/07/holy-hock.html

Photo from tastespotting.com

Chicken Fried Rice

Oh, how I love fried rice.  I order ham fried rice on a regular basis.  Mm mm!!  When I saw this recipe, I was so excited to finally make my own!  (I know, I hadn't made my own yet!  Crazy, right?)  This one used chicken, which I was excited to use and try something a little different in my fried rice.  Well, it turned out fabulous!  Me and my husband gobbled it right up.  Next time, my husband suggested using 3 eggs instead to get more egg flavor, which I think is a good idea.  And I preferred a touch more soy sauce, but I just added it to my own portion because my husband said that it was perfect.  So you can decide for yourself! :)  This is a delicious recipe (and SO easy- took like 10 minutes total), don't pass this one up!

Ingredients

4 cups prepared rice
1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked
1 cup peas & carrots, frozen
1 small white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
Directions

Prepare rice according to package instructions to yield 4 cups cooked rice. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add onion, garlic, peas, and carrots.
Stir fry until tender. Crack eggs into pan and scramble, mixing throughout vegetables.
Add rice, chicken, and soy sauce to pan.
Mix soy sauce throughout and remove from heat.


Gluten free: use GF soy sauce, such as La Choy brand.

Recipe found on rachelshultz.com
Photo from indulgy.com

Shrimp Chowder

This was by far the easiest chowder I have ever made.  It is most definitely not better than my mom's homemade chowders, but if you are crunched for time, or just like things that are easier to cook, then this is very much the way to go!  It had excellent flavor and I loved the variety of using shrimp instead of the usual clams.  I also really liked the red pepper.  I thought it added such a nice touch!  Give this recipe a try if you want a super easy, quick, and yummy chowder!

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 medium onion, chopped 
2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans cream of potato soup, undiluted
3 1/2 cups milk 
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 1/2 pounds medium-size fresh shrimp, peeled* 
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley 
Oyster crackers (optional)

Directions
Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat; add onion, and sauté 8 minutes or until tender. Stir in cream of potato soup, milk, and pepper; bring to a boil. Add shrimp; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often, 5 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Stir in cheese until melted. Garnish, if desired. Serve immediately. Serve with oyster crackers, if desired.
*1 1/2 pounds frozen shrimp, thawed; 1 1/2 pounds peeled crawfish tails; or 3 cups chopped cooked chicken may be substituted.


Gluten free:  use GF cream of potato and GF crackers if desired.  I used a GF potato chowder with rosemary and it turned out great!

Recipe and photo found on myrecipes.com

Navy Bean Soup (Slow Cooker)

What a delicious and ridiculously easy soup!  I made a few changes to the original recipe (nothing major), but it was because I couldn't find a dried navy bean soup mix.  So I ended up buying a 16 oz. bag of dried navy beans and adding my own seasonings.  I just added 2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 2 cloves chopped garlic, 1 tsp. onion powder and one bay leaf.  I cubed up what meat I could get off of my ham shanks (after they cooked for 8 hours in the soup) and then discarded the bones/fat, but absolutely loved using the extra tender meat!  OH and I did not soak the beans over night first.  All I did was rinse them and throw them in the crock pot with the rest of the ingredients to cook.  It worked wonderfully!  I'm sure soaking them before hand turns out great too, but I've made beans in my slow cooker before without pre-soaking, so I decided to give this a shot.  And it worked.  My soup was technically done at about 8 hours, but if you let it cook just a little longer, it allows the flavors to develop beautifully.


Ingredients

1 bag dried navy bean soup mix (or just the beans, like me)
1-2 cups chopped ham or ham bone (I used 2 cups cubed ham plus 3 ham shanks)
3 stalks celery chopped
3/4 cup onion chopped
2 cups carrots sliced (I used frozen carrots)
8 cups water
2 cups skim milk
Spices to taste

Directions

Soak beans overnight in a bowl of water. The next morning drain the water and place beans in the crock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients including the soup pack that came with the beans. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.



Gluten free:  this recipe is gluten free!  (Not sure what is in the navy bean soup mix, because I did not use one, but if you make it the way that I did, then you should be safe.)


Recipe from thehappyhousewife.com and photo from debskitchen.com- thank you!!

Cheesy Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

This was super simple and tasted good!  I did mine in the oven and it turned out great.  I'm sure the slow cooker version is excellent as well.  I did not change anything about the recipe.  Served it with corn on the cob on the side!  Love that corn on the cob is in season again!  Me and my husband love it. :)

Ingredients:
1 (32 oz.) bag frozen tater tots
1 (3 oz.)bag bacon pieces
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup milk
salt & pepper, to taste

(Slow Cooker Version)

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
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

(Bake in Oven Version)

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.

This recipe is gluten free!!  (just make sure to double check your tater tots and bacon)

Recipe and photo from thecountrycook.net

Avalanche Bars

Oh my were these good!!  A favorite at a family dinner this weekend!  Definitely a fun and different way to enjoy a rice crispy treat!  Super sweet too.  I think next time I will add even more marshmellows because those were my favorite bites!  (my husband agrees)  I think I will add at least two cups of marshmellows next time.  Those chewy bites were the best! :)  Super quick and easy too.  The best!

Ingredients
12 oz bag of White Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 cups Rice Krispies
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips + 2 Tbsp for garnish.
Lightly grease a 9x9 pan

Directions
In microwave-safe bowl pour in white chips and heat on 50% power for 1 minute. Stir and continue in 30 second increments until chips are melted.
Combine the peanut butter with the melted chips and add the krispies.
Let cool approx 15 – 20 minutes stirring every 5 minutes or so to help cool.
Add the marshmallows and the mini chocolate chips and stir to combine.
Pour mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly, pressing lightly with the back of your spoon, but do not compact too much, otherwise they will get hard.
Press the remaining chocolate chips into the top for garnish.
When the bars are completely cooled cut into squares and enjoy!


Another great thing about this recipe is that it is Gluten free!!!!  Wahoo!

Recipe and photo from cookiesandcups.com