Nacho Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie gets a makeover in this semi-homemade recipe that comes from Betty Crocker's website.  I love the idea of the crunchy tortilla chip topping.

There is lots of room for variation or ways to make it more economical.

Ingredients

3 cups Progresso® chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)

1/2 cup butter or margarine

2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices

2 shallots, finely chopped (1/2 cup)

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix (from 1-oz package)

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup whipping cream

2 cups shredded deli rotisserie chicken (from 2-lb chicken)

1 can (15 oz) Progresso® black beans, drained, rinsed

1 bag (12 oz) Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers® Niblets® frozen corn,   thawed

4 cups crushed tortilla chips

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend (4 oz)

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F. In 4-quart saucepan, heat broth over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.

In Dutch oven, melt butter with 2 tablespoons of the warm broth over medium-high heat. Add carrots, shallots, garlic, taco seasoning, pepper and salt. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender. Gradually add flour, stirring with whisk. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in whipping cream and remaining warm broth. Heat to boiling; add chicken, beans and corn. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.

Spoon mixture into ungreased 11x7-inch (2-quart) baking dish. Top with crushed tortilla chips. Sprinkle with cheese. 

Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Photo and Recipe Source

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars - UPDATE

It doesn't get any easier than this!

Our review:

We made these cheesecake bars for a party we went to and it was a definite hit! Although the coconut is optional, it was brought up over and over again that they really liked the addition of it, unlike other cheesecake bar recipes.

After buying everything we needed to make them, we decided to double the recipe.  While we didn't have time to go out and buy another roll of refrigerated cookie mix, we had the ingredients to make chocolate chip cookies.  It was the perfect solution and I suggest it is an excellent substitute if you prefer to use your favorite recipe for cookies.  Honestly, I think any cookie would be delicious . . . sugar cookies, peanut butter cookies . . . whatever you love or a combination of two different cookies.

The next time we make a double batch, it will be made in two separate pans rather than one larger pan since the middle did not cook quite enough and didn't fully harden as it chilled.  We left that part home and it was delicious the next day after it had a while to harden.  I just don't recommend doing that.

The cheesecake mixture was perfect and delicious . . . nice creaminess that was so enhanced by the coconut.

All in all . . . we loved it!

Ingredients

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup coconut, if desired

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated chocolate chip cookies

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and egg until smooth. Stir in coconut.

In ungreased, 9- or 8-inch square pan, break up half of cookie dough. With floured fingers, press dough evenly in bottom of pan to form crust. Spread cream cheese mixture over dough. Crumble and sprinkle remaining half of dough over cream cheese mixture.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until chilled. 

For bars, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows. 

Store in refrigerator.

Photo and recipe source:

Chicken Tamale Casserole

Just the mention of tamales takes me back to childhood days and the awesome cooking of my Puerto Rican godmother.  To this day I have not had a tamale as good as hers, but she slaved away for hours making hers from scratch.

This recipe is a blend of tex-mex dishes and better yet, fast and easy preparation since it is semi-homemade.  Although it calls for rotisserie chicken, I'm thinking that leftover pork, chicken or turkey would work just as well, making it more economical.

Shawn from I Wash . . . You Dry, one of my favorite food blogs, adapted the recipe from the January 2014 edition of Family Circle Magazine.

Yield: serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 1 package (8.5 oz) corn muffin mix (such as Jiffy)
• 1 can (14.5 oz) cream-style corn
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 2 cups shredded taco cheese blend, divided
• 1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce
• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken, from rotisserie chicken
• 
  
Optional Toppings:
• 
  
• diced tomato
• sour cream
• shredded lettuce
• sliced black olives
• chopped green onions
• finely chopped cilantro
• salsa

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

Lightly spray a 9x13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Combine  corn muffin mix, cream-style corn, eggs, milk, chili powder, cumin and 1 cup of cheese in a large bowl.  Stir until ingredients are completely combined.

Pour into casserole dish. 

Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven.

Use a knife to pierce the cornbread mixture several times all over and pour the enchilada sauce over the top of the casserole. 

Sprinkle the top with shredded chicken and remaining cheese. 

Bake  20 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before slicing into pieces and serving with optional toppings. 

Recipe and Photo Source: I Wash, You Dry

Shawn's first cookbook, Express Lane Cooking, was recently released  . . . you can read more about it HERE.

Citrus Brown Sugar Chicken

If you are stretching your grocery dollars by including more chicken in your menu planning, you can't have enough chicken recipes . . . add this recipe to your collection of chicken entrees!

Ingredients

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
zest of 1 large orange or 2 medium lemons, about 1 tablespoon zest
juice of 1 large orange or 2 medium lemons, about 1/3 - 1/2 cup total
1 cup flour, I used brown rice flour
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar


Directions

Preheat oven to 350. 

Pound the chicken to 1/2" thick.

Combine the flour, paprika and salt in a flat bottomed bowl or pan.

Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour . . . both sides.  Coat well!

Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large flat skillet. 

Brown chicken in the oil for about 2 minutes on each side. 

Remove the chicken and place in a 9x13 baking pan. 

Deglaze the hot skillet with the citrus juice and scrape up all the browned bits.

Pour citrus juice mixture over the chicken and sprinkle with the zest and brown sugar.

Bake for 30 minutes. 



Photo and recipe source

Bourbon Chicken

Bourbon chicken is one of my favorite chicken recipes.  Love the simplicity of the tangy sweet flavor served over white rice.

You may want to double the sauce portion of the recipe to make sure you have enough for leftovers the next day! 

The sauce would make the perfect BBQ sauce, the best I have ever had.  It would be perfect over shredded chicken or pork served on a sandwich.  Grilled BBQ chicken basted with this sauce would be awesome!

Directions:

5 chicken breasts (recommend frozen boneless skinless) - cube into bite sized pieces and pan fry in 2 Tbsp olive oil with 1 green pepper and 1/4 cup jarred roasted red pepper (peppers are optional).

Once the chicken is a little browned (after draining the skillet before adding anything else), add a couple spoonfuls of sauce to the browning chicken to caramelize the chicken as it browned.  Add a tiny bit more as the sauce disappears into the chicken and repeat this around 4 times.

Sauce:

Mix and wisk in a separate bowl until well combined:

1 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup pineapple juice

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp ketchup

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup soy sauce

pinch red pepper flakes (adjust to how much heat you prefer)

1 Tbsp cornstarch

Add to the chicken and stir and simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally.

Serve over rice . . . I prefer it over white rice!

Savory Italian Chicken

Love the use of fresh vegetables and italian dressing!

Easy, easy . . . quick prep work utilizing convenience foods for awesome flavoring.  If you haven't used italian dressing in your cooking, you are going to be pleasantly surprised!

Hope you are enjoying the economical chicken theme this month.

Ingredients

8 large chicken breast halves
4 large tomatoes, quartered
1 (8 ounce) package fresh mushrooms
1 (8 ounce) bottle Italian dressing
1 (1 1/4 ounce) package Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves, crushed
1 bay leaf

Directions

Place chicken, tomatoes and mushrooms in a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Combine dressing, soup mix, oregano and bay leaves.

Pour sauce over chicken and vegetables and bake 1-1 1/4 hours at 350°F.

Source

Roasted Lemon Chicken with Tomatoes and Potatoes

Lemons seem to be a magical ingredient in cooking chicken.  

The aroma that fills the air while cooking is intoxicating!

This is a quick and easy meal to put together . . . your guests will think you slaved away in the kitchen for hours!  The oven does all the work.  

One of the success secrets of this meal is the use of various herbs and spices mixed in with the lemons and vegetables.  The presentation is awesome!

The recipe and photo source is The Comfort of Cooking, where you will find many more fresh and frugal comfort food recipes.  Link to the website follows the recipe. 

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 4 lbs. (10-12) skin-on, bone-in chicken parts (thighs, legs, wings)
• 1 lb. baby potatoes
• 1/2 onion (yellow or red), thinly sliced
• 2 lemons, 1 sliced and 1 juiced
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 10 oz. cherry tomatoes

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Spray a rimmed 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish with cooking spray. Into the baking dish arrange chicken parts (skin side up), potatoes, sliced onion and lemon slices evenly in pan.

In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, paprika, salt and pepper. Pour mixture all over chicken and potatoes. Sprinkle all over generously with additional Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.

Bake uncovered for about 1 hour, or until chicken and potatoes are fully cooked. During last 20 minutes of cooking, add cherry tomatoes and continue cooking for the 20 remaining minutes.

Recipe and Photo Source: The Comfort of Cooking

Southern Fried Fish

Fried fish is one of my favorite foods.  Although I prefer grouper, it is very expensive in this area (even though we live right off the Gulf) and we usually settle for tilapia.  When we are lucky enough to have a great fishing adventure and actually come home with fish, we make fried fish every night until it is all gone.  

We have found that the frozen tilapia that comes in large bags is the best value . . . if it is available in your area.

I make a very simple tartar sauce to go with the fried fish.  Sorry, I don't measure, so taste as you go until it is the right combination for you.  Mix mayonnaise, dill, cayenne pepper, onion powder, dill pickle juice and finely minced dill pickle (optional) . . . chill.  A slightly different variation (especially if low on mayonnaise) is to add some sour cream.  It makes a great topping for baked potato instead of plain sour cream.

Ingredients

Fish fillets
1 cup yellow corn meal
⅓ cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (amount to taste for heat)
(or you can sprinkle directly on the fish before coating with dry ingredients)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
Cooking oil

Marinade:  milk and hot sauce (amount to taste for heat)



Directions

Add the fish and allow to marinate for a few hours.

Remove the fish and drain.

Coat the fish into mixed dry ingredients.  Shake off excess.

The fish is best deep fried (365 degrees), but may be pan fried (I love to pan fry the fish in some olive oil and butter).

Cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Alfredo Pot Pie - Chicken or Turkey

Great for leftovers!  

This is another semi-homemade recipe that utilizes alfredo sauce in a jar.  It is also adaptable to what you have on hand.  Although the recipe calls for turkey, I would use chicken.  Another change I would make is to use fresh vegetables (I really don't like the frozen veggies).  Love the idea of using refrigerator biscuits . . . we usually use puff pastry.

Quick and easy for those days that don't have enough hours in the day.

Ingredients

1 bag (12 oz) Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers® frozen broccoli, carrots, cauliflower & cheese sauce

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 jar (15 oz) Alfredo sauce

2 cups cubed cooked turkey

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 can (12 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® Jr. Golden Layers® refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (10 biscuits)

2 tablespoons shredded fresh Parmesan cheese


Steps

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook frozen vegetables as directed on bag for minimum time.

Meanwhile, in 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Cook onion and bell pepper in butter about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in Alfredo sauce, turkey or chicken, cooked vegetables with sauce, basil and black pepper. Cook until mixture is thoroughly heated and bubbly, stirring constantly. Spoon into baking dish.

Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Cut each biscuit in half crosswise. Arrange around edge of baking dish, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.

Source:  Pillsbury

Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders

We had some hawaiian bread rolls left over from making the ham and cheese sliders the other day.  The Captain and I thought of making little bacon cheeseburgers with a special sauce and some onions.  After much discussion on what would make the best sauce and method of making these little burgers, the following recipe is what we came up with.

There are a few tweaks we would make for the next time we make them.  First of all, we used cheddar cheese and it was good, but we think swiss cheese would be an awesome compliment to the sauce instead. Next time I don't think we will use the broiler setting . . . it is difficult to keep anything from burning!  

They were delicious!!  We will make them again and again.

My apologies for the terrible photo . . . which is why I rarely share personal recipes!

Ingredients

(amounts used depend on how many sliders you are making . . . 
we made four sliders)

Hawaiian Bread Rolls
Small Hamburger Patties
Bacon (one piece cut in half per slider)
Cheddar cheese or cheese of your choice
Finely Minced Onion
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
3 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1 or 2 pats of butter


Directions

Fry bacon and set aside.

Saute the minced onions in a tablespoon of bacon fat, butter, worcestershire sauce and dijon mustard.

Set sauce aside in a bowl, reserving some to cook the burgers in.

Pan fry the burgers in a bit of the sauce and onions.  Put a little sauce and some onion on the burgers before melting the cheese on top.

Slice rolls in half, put some sauce on the bottom inside of roll and also on the outside top of the roll (make sure you put a few pieces of onion on the top portion of the bun).

Broil in the oven . . . watch every carefully . . . ours almost burned.

Take out rolls and assemble the sliders.

Pecan Pie Bars

WOW . . . bite sized, great for snacks and an awesome addition for your appetizer table.  They look delicious!  Who doesn't love pecan pie?

The recipe originates from  Texas Roots and Boots, a fabulous website about everything Texas!  Check it out for more awesome southern recipes and more :) Their link follows the recipe.

Crust 

Combine the following in a bowl until well mixed and then spread on the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

2 cups of flour
1/2 cup of icing sugar
1 cup of butter


Filling

Cream together:

1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs


Add:

1 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 stick of butter (melted)
a pinch of salt
2 cups of pecans


When well mixed, pour over the baked crust and put back in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.



Recipe and Photo Source: Texas Roots and Boots

Honey Garlic Chicken

There is nothing like the aroma of a meal cooking in the crock pot.  In my working days, I walked in the door from a hard day's work to the smell of a delicious meal ready to eat.  Be instantly de-stressed!  The source of this recipe and photo is dedicated to slow cooking . . . check it out.

How about the combination of honey and garlic?  It is one of my favorite appetizers when I order Chinese takeout.  This chicken dish would be perfect with rice, steamed broccoli and a salad with rolls.

This year, I'm focusing on frugal cooking . . . lots of chicken.  Another focus that goes along with frugal cooking is freezer cooking.  This meal would be perfect for two meals for two people . . . freeze half to enjoy another day later in the month!  I love having a great selection of meals ready to go in the freezer for those busy or lazy days.

Stephanie O'Dea, New York Times best selling author, features "A Year of Slow Cooking" on her website . . . check it out for many more delicious recipes, along with so much more, like an awesome store!  Link follows the recipe . . . it is my source for the photo and the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1  1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs 
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 cup soy sauce 
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup honey

Directions

Use a 4-quart slow cooker (if using a 6-quart, this will cook faster.  Check after 3 hours on high, 5 hours on low).


Put the chicken into your cooker. In a small bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, then pour evenly over the top.

Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.




Recipe and Photo Source: Stephanie O'Dea, A Year of Slow Cooking

Crock Pot Cream Cheese Chicken

Even though I am not working away from my home, the crock pot still gets a good workout.  It is one of the best culinary inventions ever.  Although it takes hours and hours for the food to cook, it is no fuss cooking at its finest.

Love the creamy texture of cream of chicken soup and cream cheese combined with the tanginess of Italian salad dressing mix.  Anything is better with either one of these ingredients!

Serve with rice or mashed potatoes, a side dish like steamed broccoli or salad and some buttered biscuits and you have an awesome meal with little effort . . . just time!

Ingredients

• 3 lb chicken, cut into pieces
• 1 package (2/3 ounce) Italian salad dressing mix
• 4 tbsp butter, divided - 2 tbsp melted
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 can (10 1/2 ounce) cream of chicken soup
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1⁄2 cup chicken broth

Directions

Place chicken pieces in a crock pot and sprinkle with Italian salad dressing mix. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of melted butter.

Cook on Low for 4-6 hours.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a sauce pan and saute onion and garlic. Add cream of chicken soup, cream cheese, and chicken broth. Stir until smooth.

Add mixture to the crock pot and cook on Low for an additional hour.

Source