Crock Pot Taco Soup

Crock Pot Taco Soup
Submitted by Melissa Allen

-shredded chicken breasts (about 3 or 4)
-2 8oz cans diced tomatos
-Big can tomato juice
-2 cans corn
-2 cans black beans
-1 can olives (diced)
-1 small onion
-2 Tbls olive oil
-1 Tbls Garlic, minced or cloved (I like garlic I use a little extra)
-2 cans diced green chilies
-Fritos
-Sour Cream
-Shredded Cheese

Cook and shred chicken
Combine: olive oil, garlic, onion and olives in pan for about 5 minutes then combine with chicken
In Crock Pot combine: tomato juice, diced tomatoes, corn, beans and chilies
Add onion and chicken mixture to crock pot

Serve when warm

Top with Fritos, Sour Cream and Shredded Cheese

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

This is a recipe for a delicious meat-less chili, full of good-for-you ingredients!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

By Rachel Paulich

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely diced

1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground chipotle chili

1/8 tsp salt, or to taste

1 1/3 cups water

1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed

1 cup canned diced tomatoes (I like the petite diced tomatoes)

2 tsp lime juice

2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and potato and cook, stirring often, until onion is slightly softened, about 4 min. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle, and salt and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add water, bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to maintain gentle simmer and cook until potato is tender, 10-12 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, and lime juice; increase heat to high and return to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, about 4 min. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

The original recipe is good, but I've also made it with some slight tweaks based on the ingredients I had on hand. Last time I made it I didn't have any chili powder, so instead I used a pork rub seasoning and actually think it turned out better- a little sweeter and smokier. I also didn't have any chipotle seasoning, which was fine. I added some black pepper as well as some seasoned salt and some garlic salt, and didn't put in any lime juice. I served it with a dollop of light sour cream. Delicious!

Cheap and Easy Stir Fry
by Kate Wheeler

2+ Tablespoons Sesame Oil

1/2 - 1 pound beef or chicken, thinly sliced

2-4 Carrots, thinly sliced

1-2 cups frozen broccoli

3 or 4 packages Ramen Noodles (beef, chicken or oriental flavor according to type of meat and personal taste)

Any other vegetables you enjoy sliced or diced are also likely to be wonderful in this dish. Canned Turkey or Chicken also work well.

In a Wok or large frying pan warm a small amount of sesame oil over medium heat, add meat and 1 package of seasoning from noodles. When meat is mostly cooked add vegetables, stir occasionally. Fill large saucepan 2/3 with water and place on High heat, when water begins to boil add Ramen Noodles, cook only until noodle bricks begin to separate. Drain water immediately add 2 Tablespoons of Sesame Oil and remaining packets of seasoning to noodles, stir to coat. Combine Noodles, Meat and Vegetables.

Chicken Curry

by Rachel Hall

• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 3/4 c. chicken broth
• 1/4 - 1 Tbsp. curry powder
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1 1/2 c. cooked chicken chunks
• 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• cooked rice

Mix and heat soup, sugar and broth. Combine curry powder and ginger in a small bowl; add about 1/4 cup of soup mixture to it and stir out the lumps. Pour into soup. Add chicken and lemon juice; heat through. Serve over rice and top as desired.

I love this recipe and it is sooo quick and easy to make. I also like to add cooked onions to the sauce. Here are some of our favorite toppings.

Peanuts, cashews, apples, mandarin oranges, coconut, pineapple, crumbled bacon, banana, cucumber, tomatoes, green onions, shredded cheese, chinese noodles and raisins.

Pork & Green Chile Burritos

from Da'nelle Robins

This is another really great way to get the pork for a Cafe Rio salad. Just stop at step 2 for meat only. But for a real treat, make the burritos too.

2 ½ lbs pork, any cut
1/3 lb monterey jack cheese, grated
2 (15 oz) cans mild green chili sauce
1/8 tsp salt
½ c brown sugar
1/8 tsp pepper
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained
1/8 tsp garlic salt
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
flour tortillas

1. Cut pork into large cubes and place in crockpot with 1/3 c water. Season with salt, pepper and garlic salt. Cook on high temperature for 4 hours or low for 8 hours, until meat is well done.
2. Remove from crockpot and drain. Shred mean and place in bowl. Stir in ½ c green chili sauce and brown sugar.
3. Heat oven to 350˚. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spay. Warm tortillas in microwave for a few seconds.
4. Pour ½ c green chili sauce into prepared pan. Place 1/3 c meat mixture on each tortilla. Sprinkle 1-2 T black beans and cilantro. Roll burrito and place seam-side down in dish. Repeat with each tortillas. Pour 1 ½-2 c green chili sauce over burritos and sprinkle with cheese.Cover with foil and bake 25-30 min. until heated through and cheese melts

Homemade Pizza

from Maggie Adcox

pita bread (I like the one from Costco)
tomato sauce,
shredded cheese
pepperoni

Prehead the oven to 400F and bake for 5 minutes. I learned from the package of pita bread to put the pita bread directly on the oven rack. You decide how much tomato sauce, shredded cheese, and pepperoni to put. You can add can pineapple and ham if you wish.

Sloppy Biscuit Cups

from Da'nelle Robins

1 lb. ground beef
1 ½ tsp chili powder
1 med. Onion, chopped
2 T Worcestershire or soy sauce
1 can 8 oz tomato sauce
1 tsp salt and pepper
½ c ketchup
1 can large refrigerated biscuits
2 T brown sugar, packed
½ c Colby Jack cheese

1. Cook beef in saucepan. Add onion and sauté until transparent. Drain to remove grease. Add remaining ingredients; simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Press biscuits into the bottom and up the sides of a greased muffin cups. Spoon 2-3 T of meat mixture into the center of each cup. Bake at 375˚ for 15-17 minutes until golden brown.
3. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 3 more minutes.

Parmesan Chicken Loaf

from Da'nelle Robins

2 large chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten
1 c Italian bread crumbs
½ c parmesan cheese
1 bottle spaghetti sauce
1 loaf French bread
2 c shredded cheese (mozz. or pizza blend)
1 can sliced olives

Mix crumbs and parmesan together.
Dip chicken in egg, then bread mixture and place in small greased baking dish..
Cover with spaghetti sauce and then foil, and bake at 400* for 45 min.
Once cooled, cut chicken into 1” pieces. Cut loaf in half and put on a cookie sheet face up.
Place chicken evenly over loaf halves. Use remaining sauce in baking dish and as much from jar as desired to cover chicken and surface of bread.
Top with olives and cheese. Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted on top.

Chicken Quesidillas

from Sarah O'Gwin

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (1.27 ounce) packet fajita seasoning
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 onion, chopped
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon bacon bits
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Cut the chicken into small cubes and prepare with the fajita seasoning mix. Broil 5 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink on the inside
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Mix in the seasoned chicken, green bell peppers, red bell peppers and onion. Slowly cook and stir 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
5. Layer 1/2 of each tortilla with Cheddar cheese, chicken mixture and desired amount of bacon bits. Top with Monterey Jack. Fold the tortillas.
6. Bake in the preheated oven 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

Le Marriage, Alfredo Algerie

from Sarah O'Gwin

"This unique contemporary North African pasta dish combines Algerian, French, and Italian culinary sensibilities into one beautiful pasta featuring a white sauce with bite-sized chicken pieces. Serve over bow-tie, rotini, cheese ravioli, or tortellini pasta (I just used angel hair and it was good!)"

Original recipe yield: 4 servings.
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour 5 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour 20 Minutes
Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
5 cloves garlic, pressed
1/8 cup water
1/2 cup butter
5 saffron threads
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 1/2 cups cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
splash of milk

DIRECTIONS:
Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken pieces in hot oil; cook, turning, until browned on both sides. Stir in cayenne, white pepper, and garlic. Pour in water, and cook until the chicken is done and the water has evaporated, about 30 minutes.

Stir in butter and saffron threads; cook for 10 minutes. Add cream cheese, stirring until melted and smooth. Gradually whisk in cream, smoothing out any lumps. Stir in Parmesan, and cook until the sauce reaches the consistency you like. If it becomes too thick, stir in a small amount of milk.

Just a note: I did not use the Saffron threads as they are a really expensive spice ($14.00 for a tiny amount!) I just omitted it and it still turned out great! Also I would not use that much oil to brown your chicken as it just will add to the fat content!!! One more word of advice, you may want to double the recipe for the kids and not put in the cayenne pepper!

Salsa Chicken

This was served at the Visiting Teaching Appreciation Dinner.

Ingredients:
5 Chicken Breasts
1 pkg Taco Seasoning
1 cup Salsa
Sour Cream

In the morning start the chicken, taco seasoning and salsa in the crock pot on low. If the chicken is frozen cook on high. Before serving, shred the chicken with a fork and mix with the salsa and other juice in the crockpot. Add desired amount of Sour Cream (abt 2 Tbsp) and mix well. Allow to cook for a few more minutes before serving. Serve with salad or tortillas.