Lettuce Wraps

Okay friends here it is, the lettuce wrap recipe that's "the one" for me. 

 I've searched and finally found.

For some time, I've been looking for a really good lettuce wrap recipe.  

I've tried a few and they always weren't quite right.  

I finally found a recipe that's delicious, easy and one I will use over and over!

I found the original recipe on damndelicious.net where they claim this is the same

 recipe that PF Chang's uses.  I did change the recipe a bit, below is my take on it.

What you need:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound finely chopped cooked chicken

2 cloves garlic, minced (I use minced garlic from a jar)
for me 1 teaspoon = 1 clove minced garlic
1 onion diced (I do mine in my mini food processor)
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon sriracha
1 8 ounce can sliced water chestnuts (drained & diced)
3 to 4 green onions (thinly diced)
salt and pepper to taste
1 head butter leaf lettuce

What to do:
1. Heat olive oil in skillet and add onion, garlic, ginger and sauces, saute for about
1 to 2 minutes or until onions appear to be translucent.
2. Add chicken and stir until heated completely, about  an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Stir in water chestnuts and green onions and cook until tender, about a minute.

4. Salt and pepper to taste and it's ready to put on the lettuce leafs and devour!
5. To serve, spoon onto open lettuce leaf
and eat taco style with the lettuce leaf replacing the tortilla.

YUM! Just writing this post makes me want to go make a batch of these to munch on!
These make a perfect summer meal with a little melon on the side.
You can serve these as the main dish or as an appetizer.  If you have any of the
chicken mixture left over, it's great as left overs the next day!

I like to use my Grilled Chicken Marinade Recipe or the Perfect Chicken Recipe
and make a big batch of the chicken that I can use in multiple recipes throughout the week.
These lettuce wraps are just one of the ways!

Southwest Crock Pot Chicken Soup

What you need:

28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 can black beans (drai

1 1/2 cups frozen corn or 1 can corn drained

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

32 oz. chicken broth

3 cloves or 3 teaspoons chopped garlic

1 bell pepper diced (any color will do)

1 onion diced or finely chopped

1 heaping tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

Optional ingredients for garnishing: sour cream, tortilla strips & finely shredded Mexican cheese.

To stretch this recipe add a little more broth and season to taste, you could also add
extra peppers, corn or onion until you've reached a good consistency for soup.
This is a light and tasty soup.
Its healthy and low calorie, full of good ingredients.

What to do:

1. Put all ingredients listed above in your crock pot.

2. Cook for 6 to 8 hours.

3.  Remove chicken and shred then place back in crock pot.

4.  If needed add extra broth, if its not needed go ahead and eat, its ready!

This is the kind of recipe I love.  Full of ingredients that are healthy and good for you.
It has a great flavor that keeps you coming back for more.
 Another plus; this is a low fat recipe that is healthy!!!

I serve it with a hunk of bread and have a green salad as well.  This is a meal you'll love.

Hot Chicken Fiesta Dip

This recipe is so easy that it makes it taste doubly good!  You just put five easy ingredients in the crock pot and away you go.  I love these kinds of dishes because its so good to have something delicious put together and be free to do what you like with your time.  This is full of flavor and can be eaten as a hot dip or can be used in a salad, as taco meat or whatever you like.

What you need:

1 jar 24 oz Pace Picante sauce (what ever you like mild, medium or hot-I use medium)

1 can seasoned black beans (drained)

1 can S & W Cuban black beans(drained)

1 package shredded Mexican Cheese (aprox 2 cups)

3 to 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts.

What to do:

1. Place the chicken breasts in crock pot.

2.  Pour in Pace Picante sauce.

3. Add drained black beans (both cans).

4. Top with cheese.

Let cook for 6 to 8 hours, remove chicken and shred with a couple of forks.  Then place back in

the crock pot with the other ingredients.  Stir well until all ingredients are mixed together.
 Its that simple, you're ready to serve this and enjoy!
 It makes quite a bit so you'll need a group to finish it off or you'll have some leftover
 and this is as good the second, third or fourth time as it was the first time.

Chicken and Dumplings

This is a family favorite and something I've been enjoying for years.  My mom made this while I was growing up and I've been making it for the last three or more decades. My kids and husband always enjoy this, especially on a cold winter day.  It's one of those comfort foods that just makes you feel good.

What you need:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
 2 bay leaves
3 to 4 carrots cut into large bite size chunks
3 to 4 celery stalks cut into large bite size chunks
2 to 4 potatoes cut into large bite size chunks
1 sweet onion cut into large bite size pieces
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt or seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons Tones chicken base or chicken bouillon

For drop dumplings:
2 cups bisquick
3/4 cup milk

What to do:
1. In 4 1/2 quart pot, fill between 1/2 and 2/3 of the way with water.
2. Add chicken breasts, chicken bouillon or base, parsley, pepper,
 garlic powder, salt and bay leaves.
3. Bring to a boil and simmer until chicken is cooked, about 15 to 20 minutes.
4. While chicken is cooking cut, celery, carrots, onion and potatoes and set aside.
 5. When chicken is cooked all the way through remove from pot and let cool.
6. Now add celery, carrots, onion and potatoes to broth in pot.
7.  When chicken is cool enough, cut into bite size pieces and add back into broth mixture.
8.  Let veggies simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until tender.
9.  While veggies are simmering mix the drop dumplings.
You'll need a mixing bowl, 2 cups bisquick and 3/4 cups milk.
10.  Put 2 cups bisquick into mixing bowl and add 3/4 cup milk,  stir with wire wisk or fork.
This will be a sticky, thick, dough mixture.

11. Bring stew mixture to a low boil, drop by large spoonfuls onto boiling stew and reduce heat.
12.  Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, then cover with lid and cook 10 minutes more.

This picture is before cooking covered.  When they've cooked the last 10 minutes you will have fluffy dumplings that are delicious with the chicken stew.  Adding the dumplings
 turns the clear broth of the stew into a creamy mixture and thickens it up good.
Now you're ready to serve this up and enjoy!
I love making this!  Its a great, complete meal that's nutritious and put together in one pot.

The dumplings always seem to go fast.  If you have a half pot of stew left,
 you can just mix up another batch of dumpling mix the next night,
 throw it on top and cook it just like you did for the
  first batch. Now your ready to enjoy a second time.
 I hope you all enjoy this as much as my family has.
Thanks mom . . . for making this a part of my life and my family's life. You're the best!

Chicken Pillows

What you need:

1 and 1/2 blocks cream cheese (softened)

3 green onion stems chopped

dash of pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1 heaping teaspoon sour cream

Italian bread crumbs

3 packages Pillsbury crescent rolls

4 cups cooked chicken diced into small bits

2 packages chicken gravy mix

4 to 6 tablespoons butter

What to do:

1. Put cream cheese in large bowl and cover with dish towel while it softens to room temp.

2. Cook chicken (4 large or 6 small) boneless skinless chicken breasts.

3. Let cool, then dice into small pieces that equal aprox. 4 cups chicken meat.

4. With mixer, beat cream cheese until soft and creamy mixture.

5. Add green onion, sour cream, 2 table spoons melted butter

 and pepper to cream cheese mixture and blend well.

6.In separate bowl, add paprika and garlic to chicken and mix well.

7. Now add chicken to cream cheese mixture and stir until it is mixed well and all pieces are coated.

8. Melt butter in shallow bowl and place about 1 to 2 cups bread crumbs in a second shallow bowl.

9. Open crescent rolls and gently tear apart so that you have the crescent dough that's triangle shaped.

10. Put heaping tablespoon full of chicken mixture on wide end of crescent dough.

11. Wrap dough around chicken mixture until it is completely covered.

12.  Roll in melted butter and then in bread crumbs and place on large ungreased cookie sheet.

13. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

14.  While chicken pillows are baking prepare the chicken gravy according

 to directions on the package (this takes about 5 minutes).

The original recipes I used came from a local church cookbook and from mariescookingadventures.com

 a foods website that is loaded with good recipes to try.  I took these a tweaked them a bit to come up with the recipe I have listed here. Doing a batch this size made 24 chicken pillows and fed a group of  ten people.  It was easy, but a little time consuming. These are totally worth the time invested in preparation. 

They were delicious and would be great for a "special" meal. This was a fun and different way to prepare chicken. Topping these with warm chicken gravy was the perfect way to serve them. 

 I think your going to like this recipe . . . everyone at the table did!  Enjoy!!!



Steak or Chicken and Veggie Kabobs

What you need: 

3 to 4 small steaks of your choice or 12 to 14 marinated boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
Lawry's garlic and black pepper marinate
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 sweet yellow onion
baby red potatoes
6 to 12 mushroom cut into quarters
Green bell pepper
Red, yellow or orange bell pepper
Metal kabob sticks

What to do:
1. Cut steaks into bite size chunks, approximately 1 inch squares.
Then place in container with lid and coat entirely with Lawry's garlic and black pepper marinate.
I used the entire bottle.
2. Cut zucchini and squash into slices, approximately 1/2 inch thick.
3. Cut onion into large bite size chunks.
4. Boil baby red potatoes for about 10 minutes, until tender.
5. Cut mushrooms into quarters which should be large chunks.
6.Cut bell peppers into bite size chunks.

  Once all the items above are cut have fun loading the kabobs with what you like best.  We made these for our 4th of July celebration.  It was a fun way to bar-b-q and felt like a special treat!
The kabobs can be done ahead of time or you can have all the items out and let people load their own kabobs with what they like best.  These were so delicious, healthy and really good to eat!
Another twist on these is to marinate chicken using the grilled chicken marinade recipe that is listed under the "chicken" label.  After the chicken has marinated, you can cut into bite size chunks and place them on the kabob sticks with a variety of vegetables.
 We did steak and chicken and they were both wonderful. 

Chicken Salad Croissants

What you need:

2 cans premium chicken chunks - 12.5 ounce 

1 cup red grapes cut in half

1 1/2 cups chopped celery

6 to 8 chopped green onions

about 1/2 cup mayonnaise (a little more or less depending on how you like it)

about 1/2 to 1 tsp garlic salt

1 package small croissant rolls (20 count)

What to do:
1. Cut grapes, chop green onion and celery and set aside.
2. Open cans of chicken chunks, drain and shred chunks with forks into salad bowl
3. Add grapes, green onion and celery.
4. Gently fold in mayonnaise and sprinkle with garlic salt, stirring in gently.
5. Optional, can add almond slices or cashews, about 3/4 cup.
6. Now it's ready to add to croissants and enjoy.

This is an easy and delicious recipe.  It's another one of my family favorites.
 It seems like we have a bunch of those!  This is easy to throw together and feels like a special treat.
I like to buy my croissants at Costco or Sam's Club.  Their croissants are delicious and you get a
good quantity for the price.  I add the chicken salad to the croissants just before serving so they don't get soggy or I let people make their own so they can add their desired amount of chicken salad.
These are great for a group or gathering.  I think you'll enjoy!!!

Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken

What you need:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves or 12 boneless, skinless chicken tenders

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp seasoned salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup water

1 and 1/2 lemons squeezed for lemon juice (should equal almost 1/4 cup lemon juice)

2 garlic cloves minced (I used minced garlic from a jar, 2 tablespoons)

2 tsp chicken bouillon granules

2 tsp. fresh parsley, minced

What to do:

1. Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towels.

2. Combine oregano, seasoned salt, and pepper.  Rub over chicken.

3. Brown chicken in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, for aprox. 2 minutes on each side.

4. Place chicken in the slow cooker.

5. Combine water, lemon juice, garlic, and chicken bouillon in skillet.  

Bring to a boil, stirring to loosen browned bits.  Pour over chicken in the slow cooker

6. Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours.

7. Baste chicken occasionally during 4 hour cooking time.

8. Remove lid and cook 15-30 minutes longer, allowing juices to thicken slightly.

9. Serve chicken and juices over rice.

Here I am with another chicken recipe . . . what can I say, we like chicken.
 I've cooked this a couple of times and my kids say it's their new favorite.
I found it in a cookbook called Fix It and  Forget It Lightly
 by Phyllis Pellman Good.  This book is packed with great recipes
 that I'll be sharing in the future. This chicken was flavorful and easy to put together. The first time I made it with the boneless, skinless chicken tenders and the second time I did it with the boneless, skinless chicken breast halves.  We decided it's better with the chicken tenders.  Probably because the small pieces cook thoroughly.  It was moist and flavorful with the tenders. With the chicken breast halves it was tasty but quite a bit drier.  I think your going to like this one.
 I will definitely be making this again.  

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta

What you need:

1 box/bag Penne pasta

3/4 cup Hormel bacon bits

2 cups cooked chicken sliced to bite size pieces 

4 diced green onions

2 jars creamy Alfredo sauce

1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

3/4 cup fresh shredded Parmesan

What to do:

1. Cook Penne pasta according to directions on package, rinse and drain.

2. Put pasta into baking dish and add 1 1/2 jars of the Alfredo sauce.

(I keep about half a jar to add to the pasta when it is reheated as leftovers, 

as the pasta sits it soaks up the sauce and this just freshens and moistens the pasta dish).

3. Fold in 3 of the diced green onions, chicken, and 1/2 cup of bacon bits

 (keep 1/4 cup bacon bits for sprinkling on top just before baking).

4. Now add 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella and 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan and mix well.

5. Top with remaining shredded mozzarella, Parmesan, bacon bits and diced green onion.

6. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Now its ready to serve and eat . . .

This is a great meal that my family really likes.  Its our copycat version of a chicken cordon bleu pasta that is served at a local restaurant called Firehouse Pizza.  The main difference between our and theirs is that they put sliced mushrooms in theirs and we don't.  If you like mushrooms you can add about 1/2 cup sliced.

To make this I use the Chicken Marinade recipe and grill the chicken or use the Perfect Chicken recipe.
If your short on time you can use a rotisserie cooked chicken and cut it up into bite size pieces

I make it ahead of time and make extra so that it can be used for other meals such as this pasta.

I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as mine does.

Cafe Rio Like Shredded Chicken

What you need:

4 to 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 can Fresca

8 ounces Zesty Italian salad dressing

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder
crock pot

Salad Ingredients and Toppings:

Cilantro Rice (see recipe listed below)
Shredded Romaine lettuce

Diced tomatoes

Black beans (drained)

Shredded cheese

Chopped green onion

Avocado

Salsa

Sour Cream

Flour tortillas (I like to get the kind that haven't been cooked yet

and heat them up on the pancake griddle right before serving.  Then they're

fresh and delicious. You can get white or wheat flour).

What to do:

1. Place chicken breasts in crock pot.

2. Pour Fresca over chicken.

3. Mix Zesty Italian dressing, cumin and chili powder.

4. Pour dressing mixture over chicken and put the lid on.
This is completely optional; I also sprinkled the chicken with Tone's Citrus Grill seasonings.

5. Let cook for 6 to 8 hours.

6. While chicken is cooking; prepare a recipe of Cilantro Salsa Verde Rice(instructions are listed at the bottom of this post) to use on salad or burrito.

7. Shred chicken right in the crock pot and it is ready to make an imitation 
Cafe Rio burrito or salad.

8. Cook flour tortillas on pancake griddle or fry pan and melt cheese on top of cooked tortilla.

9.  Start piling with what you like.  I do it in this order; tortilla(with melted shredded cheese on it), rice, beans, shredded chicken, a little more shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, green onion, salsa and avocado.

10. We topped with Sweet Vidalia Onion vinaigrette.

My family really liked this meal.  The chicken had a great flavor and was moist and delicious.
What's not to like about an imitation Cafe Rio salad.  In fact, I crave these almost weekly.
It was really best fresh out of the cooker.  When we reheated as leftovers it had dried out a bit and wasn't as good as it is fresh out of the slow cooker.  The leftover meat would be great in quesadillas or tacos.  This meal is a great crowd pleaser and good for a large group.  If you like Cafe Rio food you'll like this.  I found these recipes on sixsistersstuff.com and gave it my own twist by adding the Fresca and citrus grill seasonings.

Cafe Rio Cilantro Rice Recipe:
What you need:

 2 cups uncooked brown rice
 2 cups chopped cilantro
 1 cup salsa verde (green salsa)
1 bunch green onions
 4 cups of water
 A Pinch of Salt

Wash and chop the cilantro. Mix the cilantro with 2 cups of water and pour in the pan for cooking the rice. Add two more cups of water, the salt, Salsa Verde, and onion. Bring to a boil. Stir in the rice in the boiling water. Cover and turn down heat to very low; steam for 30 minutes. Makes about 10 servings.

OR

 You can do this in your rice cooker like I did and follow the rice and water quantities as called for in the rice cooker instruction book,then just add the cilantro, salsa verde and green onions as listed above.  I did my rice this way and it turned out perfect (sorry, I think we were all so ready to eat I forgot to take a picture of the rice). 

 That's what happens when you work up an appetite doing yard work. I promise next time I won't be in such 

a big hurry to eat and will take the picture.  This is definitely a recipe I will use again and again.

Perfect Chicken Recipe

When it comes to choosing what's for dinner, often times I find myself picking recipes with chicken.  On its own chicken is pretty plain but this recipe was really flavorful. I found it on Pinterest and really liked the results.  I cooked about six chicken breasts the first time and it disappeared so fast that the next time I will do a whole large package of boneless skinless chicken breasts.  This is great for using the chicken in other recipes or salads.  It had good flavor and was moist.

What you need:

4 to 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1 teaspoon ground pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1 onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

What to do:

1. Measure and mix all your spices together.

2. Rub seasoning mixture on both sides of chicken breast.

3. Heat olive oil in large skillet.

4. Carefully add chicken to the heated oil, cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until it turns

a nice golden brown color on each side like shown in the picture.

5. Place foil on a cookie sheet with chicken breasts on top and bake at 350

 for 25 to 30 minutes.

6. Let cool for about 10 minutes and you are ready to eat this delicious food.

I think the coating and being cooked on either side seals the chicken breast so that it cooks and is still moist. This is super easy, flavorful, delicious.  I will be doing this again soon. YUM!!!  If you're doing a big batch of chicken just double the seasonings and away you go. This came from therecipecrayonbox.blogspot.com which I haven't taken the time to explore yet but am sure there are other great recipes on this site too.  Enjoy!

 You can use this chicken multiple ways, in salads, pastas, fajitas, whatever you like.

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

What you need:
1 (10 oz) bag tortilla chips
2 (10.75 oz) cans cream of chicken soup (I used 98% fat free)
1 1/2 cups sour cream (I used light)
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes and green chilies (Ro-tel)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (1 oz) packet taco seasoning
3 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
2 cups cheddar cheese
What to do:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  
2. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch pan.
3. In a large bowl, combine the chicken soup, sour cream, Ro-Tel, black beans, taco seasoning and chicken. Set aside.
4. Crush chips (I just crush them with my hands) and spread half of them on the bottom of the pan. 
5. Spread half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas.  
6. Top with 1 cup of cheese.  Repeat layers.
7. Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly and cheese is starting to brown.
This tastes better than it looks. I don't like the taco seasoning super strong so I only used half of it in the mixture and it was plenty seasoned.  It had great flavor and my family really liked it.  It was good reheated as leftovers too.  If you like Mexican food you'll really enjoy this.  I found this recipe on a great site that has LOTS of really good recipes.  You should check it out at sixsistersstuff.com

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Another cold cloudy day . . . another soup recipe.  I've decided that I could live on soup if I needed to.  I love trying out the different tastes that come together as you 

combine seasonings and ingredients to make a bowl of soup.  

Put together like it is in this chicken tortilla soup you've got a winning combination! 

 Now that's coming a long way from the girl whose food couldn't touch on her plate. 
I found this recipe on thepioneerwoman.com its great.  My only complaint was that it disappeared to quickly. I'll probably double it next time.

What you need:
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
2 to 3 chicken breasts
1 onion
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper (or any colored bell peppers you like)
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with sweet onion
1 4 ounce can diced green chiles
32 ounces chicken broth plus another 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons cornmeal and 1/3 cup warm water

What to do:
1.   Mix garlic, chili, and cumin powders together to make one seasoning mix

2.   Cut chicken breasts into chicken tender size pieces and season with the seasoning mix 
      Keep approximately 1 teaspoon of mix to sprinkle on onion and peppers when sauteing 
3.   Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.
4.   Shred the cooked chicken pieces with two forks

5.   Dice onion and bell peppers
6.   Put some olive oil in the bottom of the soup pan on medium heat
7.   Saute onion and peppers with seasoning for a couple of minutes
8.   Add can of diced tomatoes and green chiles
9.   Add shredded chicken and chicken broth
10. Stir in tomato paste
11.  Blend cornmeal and warm water.  I use an airtight plastic container and shake to blend
12.  Pour cornmeal/water mixture into soup and stir, let this simmer for about 20 minutes
13.  Garnish individual bowls of soup with tortilla chips or strips and shredded cheese.

***This made about 6 generous servings.  I think next time I'll double everything but the chicken so it stretches a little farther.  Done with the ingredients as listed above (3 chicken breasts) it had tons of meat in it and could totally handle doubling the other ingredients and still be great.  ENJOY!

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

What you need:

1. 2 quarts water

2. 8 chicken bouillon cubes or 3 heaping tablespoons of chicken base

3. 6 1/2 cups uncooked wide egg noodles

4. 2 10.75 ounce cans cream of chicken soup

5. 2 12.5 ounce cans chicken or you can use 2 cups shredded cooked chicken

6. 1/2 16 ounce container of sour cream

7. dried parsley or fresh parsley minced, about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons

What to do:

1. In soup pot bring water and bouillon to a boil.

2. Add noodles and cook uncovered until tender, about 8-10 minutes.

3. DO NOT DRAIN: add cream of chicken soup, canned chicken (drained), sour cream and parsley.

4. Simmer and stir until sour cream melts, then its ready to serve.

5. Optional: you can add frozen peas and carrots (I usually keep it plain).

This soup is super easy to make. It can be done in less than 30 minutes and tastes great.  I've also heard it call Chicken Comfort Soup. I usually buy the canned chicken and chicken base (in spice section) at Sam's Club or Costco because it's a better price.  You will definitely make this again.  Enjoy!

Chicken Cabbage Salad

What you need:

10 grilled boneless skinless chicken tenders
or one cooked rotisserie chicken 

1 1/2 bunches green onion 

1 32 ounce package coleslaw 

2 packages chicken flavored Top Ramen noodles

1 cup sliced almonds

4 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 cup granulated white sugar

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 seasoning packet from Top Ramen noodles

What to do:

1. Cut grilled or rotisserie chicken into bite size pieces

2. Chop green onion and set aside

3. Empty coleslaw mix into large bowl

4. Add chicken, green onion, and 3/4 cup sliced almonds   

   Set aside 1/4 cup sliced almonds to go on salad before serving.                                     

5. While inside of package, break top ramen noodles into small pieces.

    I usually whack the package on the counter a few times.  Be careful 

    though, sometimes the package gets a hole in it and the noodles leak out.

6. Set aside seasoning packet and cook noodles according to directions on package.

7. Rinse noodles with cold water, drain and add to coleslaw salad mix.

8. In air tight container mix red wine vinegar, sugar oil, and 1 Top Ramen seasoning packet.      

MIX WELL. This make a sweet and tangy dressing to pour in salad and toss, top with remaining 1/4 cup almond slices and serve. 

                                 

This salad is light and delicious.  It's so good you'll probably need a second helping!  I don't remember where I got this recipe.  I've been making it for so long that I just do it from memory.  Once I made this for my husband's family, they decided it needed to become part of the Thanksgiving day feast.  We have an early dinner and then after an evening of games and more games, we make this salad and use leftover turkey instead of grilled chicken.  It's always a hit and will serve a large group. Enjoy!

*** See the main dishes tab for details on marinade and 

directions on the grilled chicken we use in this salad.

Grilled Chicken Marinade

This is so easy and really delicious.  We discovered it years ago and its 

been a family favorite ever since.

What you need:

10 to 20 boneless skinless chicken tenderloins

1 can fresca

1/2 cup soy sauce (or 3/4 cup if you like a stronger flavor)

1/4 cup oil

What to do:

Combine fresca, soy sauce, and oil.  Mix gently and add chicken. For best,

 results marinate overnight.  Now your set to grill.  

This can be done on your outside grill or on an indoor grill

 (like a George Foreman, etc.).

The first time we had this, it was used with turkey breast fillets.  

It was delicious and now we use it on a regular basis with chicken.

I like to make an extra big batch so that I have chicken leftover to use in another meal

 (tacos, fajitas, pasta or salads . . .)

Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup

This is the best soup!  A real crowd pleaser.  I usually double it and it still disappears fast.

What you need:
1 15 oz can black beans drained
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with sweet onions
1 10 oz package frozen sweet corn kernels
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped yellow, green, or red bell pepper
1 10 oz can enchilada sauce (I use mild unless I double the recipe then I do one mild and one medium)
1 10.75 oz can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
2 chicken breasts

What to do:
1. In 3 1/2 to 5 quart crock pot; add: black beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper.
2. Place 2 chicken breasts on top of mixture in crock pot.
3. In large bowl, mix together with whisk; enchilada sauce and cream of chicken soup, and gradually               stir in milk until smooth.
4. Pour sauce mix over ingredients in crock pot. Cover with lid and cook on low heat; 6 to 8 hours or high heat; 3 to 4 hours.
5.Remove cooked chicken and cut or shred into bite size pieces.  Then add back into soup mixture.
6. Now it's ready to enjoy!  We like to top with tortilla strips, pepper jack cheese, sour cream, and avocado.

You're going to love this soup!  It is the number one requested soup at my house.  This is great for a party or gathering.  We had it on New Years Eve and it disappeared soon after the party started.  I found the original recipe for this on realmomkitchen.com (you can visit the page with the original recipe by clicking on the web name).  I've made it when I didn't have cream of chicken soup in the house and substituted that with Campbell's Fiesta Nacho Soup and it tasted really good.  I mixed it with about 1/2 cup chicken broth and it worked great.