Chicken and Dumplings

This was a HUGE hit with my family!  We scarfed it up and there was enough leftovers that I just might chicken pot pies with it!

2 chicken breasts
1 T butter
1 can cream o' chicken
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp parsley
salt/pepper
1/2 onion, diced
2 C mixed veggies
Chicken broth/stock
1 package biscuit dough

1. Place all ingredients, except biscuits in crockpot and fill with enough chicken broth to cover.
2. Place on high in crockpot 5-6 hours.  3 hours before serving drop torn biscuit dough in cooker.

I doubled this to feed my family, I might have even tripled it.  I used 6 breasts.  Before I put the dough in I shredded all my chicken with some forks

Enjoy!

Creamy Bow Tie Alfredo

This is so stinkin' good!!  (For those of you not allergic to dairy!)  We scarfed a double batch with just our family and we made it for our family while camping a couple weeks ago and they scarfed it too! 

The recipe was taken from a kids cookbook that we got from the library.  Enjoy!

1 box/bag bow tie noodles
3/4 C heavy cream
3 T butter
1/2 C grated Parmesan (we used store bought)
1/2 C frozen peas
nutmeg (optional)
salt/pepper

Start by cooking your pasta.  Toss with olive oil when done. 
Over medium heat, combine cream, parmesan cheese, butter, and seasonings.  Stir often until cheese and butter are melted. 
Reduce heat to med. low and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 15 minutes. 

Combine pasta and sauce and stir in cooked peas.  Top with more Parmesan!  So Good!!  Freezes well.  (That is what we did for camping)  We doubled the recipe and didn't have any leftovers! So a single recipe probably serves 2-3 adults.

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Again, I thought I did this forever ago, but apparently not! Here's the recipe for the cupcakes!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup soy milk (normal milk would work too)
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup natural chunky peanut butter
1/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp dark molasses (I used agave nectar)
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp ground flaxseed
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Mix soy milk with vinegar in a measuring cup and set aside to curdle.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the peanut butter, oil, sugar, molasses, vanilla, and ground flaxseeds until well combined. Add the soy milk mixture, mixing until incorporated.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl and mix. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake for 23-26 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer to cooling racks, and cool completely before topping with this delight:

Quick Melty Ganache ingredients:

3 Tbsp soy creamer or soy milk
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until just about to simmer. Remove from heat, add chocolate chips, and stir until chocolate is completely melted and milk is incorporated.

Set aside and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Spoon it onto your cupcake. Delicious!


After these are baked, whip up this quick melty ganache, and top your cupcakes with ganache and chopped peanuts!

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

I swear I posted these recipes forever ago, but apparently not. Well, here you go!

For these scrumptious little treasures, you need to start with a basic chocolate cupcake.

Ingredients:
1 cup soy milk (normal milk should work too)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with paper liners.

Whisk together the milk and vinegar, set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, vanilla, and almond to the soy milk mixture and beat until foamy. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add this slowly to the wet ingredients and beat until there aren't any large lumps. A few small lumps are ok.

Pour the batter into your liners, filling them 3/4 full. Bake 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on cooling rack before icing.


Your next step is to make the icing. You make mint icing first, pipe it onto the cupcakes, then top it with a quick melty ganache and something cute (I used mint chips).

Mint Icing ingredients:

1/4 cup shortening
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp soy creamer or soy milk
1 1/2 tsp mint extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
small drop green food coloring

Cream the shortening for a few seconds to soften it. Use a fork to do this. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and a splash of milk, mixing to incorporate. Repeat this process, mixing after each addition, until all ingredients are used and the icing is smooth and creamy. Add the extracts and coloring, and mix it all together.

Quick Melty Ganache ingredients:

3 Tbsp soy creamer or soy milk
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until just about to simmer. Remove from heat, add chocolate chips, and stir until chocolate is completely melted and milk is incorporated.

Set aside and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Spoon it onto your cupcake. Delicious!

Rachel's Salsa

I think a few of you have posted salsa recipes, but here's mine!

1 14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes (drain) - (or chop up fresh ones if you're not feeling lazy.) =)

3ish slices onion - chopped

1 can diced green chilies

1/2 Tbsp diced jalapenos

1/4 tsp oregano

1 tsp ketchup

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic pwd

1 tsp red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp olive oil

and however much cilantro you wanna add!

(I always double this if I'm making it for more people than just us.)

We love to eat it with lime chips! Yum.

Pumpkin Crumb Cake with Pecan Streusel

I am so happy I tried this recipe! Super yummy. :)

For the pecan streusel, you'll need:

1/4 cup flour
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix together the flour, sugar, and spices. Drizzle in the oil and mix with your fingertips until crumbs form. Mix in the chopped pecans, and set aside.


For the cake, you'll need:

1 15 oz can pumpkin
3/4 cup soy milk
3/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 Tbsp light molasses (I used agave nectar)
2 tsp vanilla
2 2/3 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp ground cloves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch pan.

Combine the pumpkin, milk, oil, sugar, molasses, and vanilla. Mix well. Add half the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices, using a fork to gently fold everything together (this prevents the pumpkin from becoming gummy due to overmixing). Add the remaining flour and mix gently until combined.


Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it out with a spatula. Scatter the streusel on top evenly. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool slightly before cutting. Enjoy!

Ranch Cheesburgers

This recipe is SUPER easy and soooo yummy. 

1 1/2 lbs ground hamburger (the recipe only calls for 1 lb, but I have a bigger family)
1 ranch dressing packet
1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese

That's it!  Just mix all together and form patties and season with salt and pepper while cooking.
Enjoy!