Crockpot Mexican Chicken Stew

Hello all! One thing about blogging for me, is trying to find simple recipes that are easy and affordable that lots of people would enjoy. If you are like me and work 40 hours a week sometimes you just want that nice comfort and an easy meal. This is one of my purposes with this blog is to not only get people in the kitchen, but also show simple affordable meals. I have such a delicious meal that is simple, healthy and affordable.

On today’s menu is Mexican Chicken Stew. What is even better about it is you can throw it all in the Crockpot and your done. Here’s what you need to do.

This is pretty much what it looks like when its ready to come out, I didn't get a good picture of it with its toppings.

 

Ingredients/recipe

Adapted from Rachael Ray

1 2- to 3-pound boneless chicken breast (get it when its on sale)

salt and black pepper

1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika

1 tsp of oregano

1 onion

3-4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon coriander

3 14-ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chilies or diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 quart chicken stock

2 14-ounce cans hominy, drained and rinsed

1 14-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

water

 Throw your chicken in the Crockpot, diced onion, salt and pepper, garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander (if you don’t have it, don’t worry about it), oregano, 3 cans of fire roasted tomatoes and 1 quart of chicken stock. Let cook on high for 6 hours. 

After cooking for 6 hours, take out your chicken and shred, then return the chicken to the crockpot and turn your Crockpot to warm and add in your hominy and black beans and let warm through. If you mixture is thick add water. Let warm through, put into bowls, top with any toppings you would like such as; cilantro, cheese, red onion or sour cream. If you want also serve with corn chips or tortillas. 

This is a super easy meal and I hope you guys try this. This lasted me for more than a week! Freeze what you don’t use and save for a later date!

Enjoy!

Lunch with the President

Hello! So I am super excited about this week because I am having lunch with the President! How cool is that? Now that I have you going, this is not the President your thinking of. I am having lunch with the President of the company I work for. I won this, along with three others, at a meeting I had to go to about a month ago. 

I’m super excited about it, but what to you ask a the President of the company? I have a few questions lined up, but I am hoping I don’t make a fool of myself. That would be embarrassing. 

I will tell you guys more about this after this happens. Today I am giving you guys a super easy lunch or even dinner. Do you remember the Lavash I talked about? I’m just using that to make a wrap. I am Lavash obsessed lately. I’m excited that I can buy this at a local store. This is a great lunch and simple to make in 5 minutes. This is what you need to do.

I love how this looks

Can you tell I like mustard?

Ingredients/recipe

Serves 1

1 sheet of Lavash

A few slices of cucumber, tomatoes, onion and lettuce

Any meat you would like, I used turkey, and any condiments you like. I used mustard, lots of it, relish and olive oil mayo

Put all of your ingredients in the middle of the lavash, fold the top and bottom and roll!

How simple is that guys? I wanted to show you this because its super simple and easy to make. Its heart healthy, and it costs way less than eating out. 

I hope you guys try this and enjoy!

Yay for Lavash!

Hello all! How are you this fine night/morning/afternoon? I am super excited because I received a phone call from my roommate saying he found….Lavash…yes say it with me…Lavash. 

Lavash is flat bread. You can do a million things with these and they are very low in calories…1 sheet is only 100 calories. They are also filled with protein, 5 grams and fiber, 3 grams. I saw them on Hungry Girl almost a year ago when her show first aired. I thought I would never come across this unless I went to a Whole Foods or a Trader Joes. It was definitely a surprise when I received that phone call today.

I know right now that you are thinking that you are never going to find Lavash either, but hold on to your seats because I am going to tell you that you should be able to find it at a local store. Super-Wal-Mart. Yep. Wal-Mart. Who knew? I also live in a small town in the Midwest, so I am sure if mine have it, yours have it. My roommate found it in the bakery section where they store all the baked bread. Take a look. I really hope yours have it, and if not try your local grocery store. Mine was by the Flat Out bread. 

I made wraps, which I will share with you later, but for tonight I am going to show you how to make Lavash chips. 

Here it is!

This is it, a big sheet of flat bread

cut them into little chips, whatever shape you like and spray with pam

Here they are nice and crispy an ready to be dipped into salsa!

Adapted from Hungry Girl

Ingredients/recipe

1 package of Lavash

Salt to taste

Anything you want to dip your chips in, I used salsa but hummus would be really good.

First, cut all your lavash into pieces, any shape you like. Lay on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Heat your oven to 425 and bake 2-3 minutes until light brown and crispy. Take out, let cool and enjoy!

These chips are so easy, and so worth it. I hope you guys run out and find this. 

Enjoy!

Doctor's Orders and Fake Out Gyros

Hello everyone! How are you? So on Monday I talked about going to the Doctors just for a quick physical, and to go over some blood work I had done last week. I am glad to say that I am pretty healthy.  There are two things that I have to work on though. My cholesterol and my sugar levels. My doctor told me I am pre-diabetic. 

I’m not surprised though I have been eating a ton of sweets lately. I love sweets. I really need to practice what I preach though, everything in moderation. While I should stop at one cupcake, I have 3 or four lol (mini ones). Thankfully, my sugar levels were not out of this world, so I should be able to get it back down under 100.  Diabetes does run in my family on both sides, but with proper diet I should be able to get it under control.

Next is my cholesterol. This also runs on both sides of my family so this one might be a little harder to control. My good cholesterol levels are really well, but my bad cholesterol is still high. My doctor wants me to watch what I eat, and workout.  He also wants me to lose a few pounds, which is crazy to me because I’m pretty skinny.

Thankfully I eat pretty healthy and have adapted a healthy lifestyle years ago. I have slacked off on working out these past few weeks, but I am excited to get back into it.

I know I have talked your ear off with this, but I want to encourage everyone to go for your yearly checkup if you haven’t already and remember everything in moderation. Also hit the gym, the streets whatever and enjoy a walk or jog or even lifting weights. 30 minutes will do your body wonders.

Like I said before I LOVE sweets, and I am going to still have one or two and there are so many sweets I want to show you guys.

For now how about a fake out meal? Fake out Gyros! What, what what?! Yep fake out gyros and this couldn’t be easier!

                                                                                                 

I saw this in a Kraft magazine and was so excited to try it. Now let’s get a few things straight. While this will remind you of gyros, there is no lamb in it. It actually uses a Boca burger. Now I know what you are thinking, how could a meatless burger take place of a gyro meat, but trust me it does. Meatless burgers have come a long way. If you do not like the meatless burger here are a few other options; You can try the meatless chicken patty, a turkey burger or just make full on burgers. The choice is yours, I’m not looking.

One of my sides split, so be careful when stuffing

Ingredients/recipe

Adapted from Kraft

2 whole wheat pitas split in half to make four

4 Boca meatless patties

1 head of romaine lettuce chopped

2 roma tomatoes chopped

1 red onion, thinly sliced

Feta Cheese

Tzatziki sauce adapted from Rachael Ray

1 container of Greek yogurt (a individual cup, it should be about a cup)

1 English cucumber, peeled and grated, drain any juice

1 teaspoon ground coriander

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Zest and juice of 1 lime

Salt and pepper to taste

First make your tzatziki sauce by combining the yogurt, cucumber, coriander, zest and juice of the lemon and lime. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Next start by heating your Boca patties in the microwave following package directions. While you are heating the four patties, chop all your veggies and stuff each half of the pitas. Once the patties are heated, put in the pita bread and add your tzatziki sauce. Add your feta cheese and enjoy!

Serve with a nice fresh salad or veggies of your choice. I hope you guys like this and enjoy!

Garlic Parmesan Roll Ups

Hello and happy Monday! I am excited today because I finished my taxes today, and I am going for a quick visit to the doctors (nothings wrong, just going to make sure I'm healthy) I  wanted to give you guys a super simple appetizer/snack that will be sure to please (at least I hope so). 

I served these garlic Parmesan Rolls Ups for a store meeting and everyone loved them! I was excited because I wasn't sure these turned out how I wanted, but everyone said how much they liked them and wanted the recipe. We were having a potluck, and the main dish was pizza. These went great with that, but these would also go great with pasta. 

Make your Garlic Butter (I put my Italian Seasoning w/the butter, you don't have to though)

Roll out your pie crust

Brush with butter

Top with Parmesan Cheese and Italian Seasoning

Cut into strips and twist (don't mind my peanut butter balls in the background, I was multitasking)

Golden brown and ready to serve!

Ingredients/recipe

1 box refrigerated pie crusts

½ cup butter

2 Cloves of Garlic (or 1 it’s up to you)

Parmesan Cheese (to taste)

Italian Seasoning (to taste)

First, soften your pie crust as directed on the box. While your pie crust is coming to room temperature, melt your butter and a cut your garlic open, don’t worry about slicing it you just want to get the garlic flavor) and put it in the pot with the butter. Let this infuse for about 5 minutes or longer if you want more of a garlicky flavor.

Next unroll one of your pie crusts. Once the butter is melted, brush the garlic butter mixture on the inside. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning to taste. Place the next pie crust on top of the first pie crust. Use a rolling pin roll over the top pie crust to seal these together.

Once you roll the two pie crusts together, brush the top layer with more butter, Parmesan Cheese and season to taste with your Italian Seasoning.  Using a large knife or a pizza cutter, cut into long strips. Once you have them all cut, hold the two ends and slowly twist. *** Place on a baking sheet (I covered mine with tin foil) and brush with the remaining garlic butter. If you don’t have any left just spray with a little pam.

Bake at 425 for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cold.

 

These are a fun snack and also fun to do with your kids too. I hope you guys try these. Enjoy!

***Quite a few of mine started coming apart when I twisted them. If this happens, no worries just keep moving along and just go for that rustic look.

A light Salad to get back on track

Hello all! So another holiday is over and now it’s time to get back on track. I made valentines dessert for work and it turned about bad. I was really excited to try a new cupcake recipe and after reading the directions a thousand times through, I still added an extra stick of butter when it only called for one. I will talk about these more later on. Right now I have to get back on track and start working out

Today I wanted to offer a delicious and healthy meal. Greek Salad. This one is a winner and I go back to this at least every other week.  It’s super simple and doesn’t take very long to make. 

Here is what you need to do;

Ingredients/recipe

For Chicken:

4 chicken breasts

1 clove of garlic finely chopped

A squeeze of lemon juice

Salt and pepper

For the Salad:

4 tomatoes cut into chunks

 1 red onion, thinly chopped

1 seedless cucumber, cut into bite-size chunks

1 small bell pepper, seeded and chunked

1 cup black olives

2 hearts of romaine lettuce

Feta Cheese to taste

For the Dressing:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed in palm of your hand

Rest of the lemon juice

Salt and black pepper

First, marinate your chicken in ¼ cup of EVOO, finely chopped garlic and a little bit of lemon juice. Once it has marinated about ten minutes, bake or grill your chicken. While the chicken is baking or grilling, cut all of your ingredients and place in a large bowl.

For your dressing, mix the ingredients in a small container or bowl.

Once the chicken is done, let it rest, then cut into slices. Place on top of your salad (or serve the salad and chicken separate) and sprinkle with feta cheese to taste. Top with a little bit of your dressing and enjoy!