Crockpot Enchiladas

I was so excited to use this recipe. I got it from a friend and thought why not? I haven't made enchiladas in FOREVER. Why? It is very time consuming and my family doesn't always appreciate what I cook.
 To start off I stuck 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts in my crockpot and cooked on high for 4 to 6 hours. 
At about an hour before dinner I prepared the sauce and then layered the ingredients in my crockpot. What I found out about this recipe is that I had very little prep time, I used less ingredients than I would have with regular enchiladas and therefore I saved $$! Plus, I didn't have to turn on my oven to make a hot meal. That's a win/win situation for me!

Crockpot Chicken Enchiladas

3c. water
1 c. Whisk Bliss Original or Gluten Free
1 t. Shirley J's Chicken Bouillon
1 small bag of Velveeta's Mexican Style Cheese
1 or 2 small cans of chopped green chilies (I used one and it was enough for us)
1 to 2 c. cooked or caned chicken
12 tortillas (I used 4 and that seemed enough)

Directions:
Cook your chicken, if you need to. Mix and cook water, bouillon, and Whisk Bliss until thickened and smooth. Crumble Velveeta into mixture and cook until melted. Take the chicken and pour the green chilies and sprinkle in some cheese and mix until it holds together. Take sauce and spread it out onto the bottom of the crock pot. Then place a tortilla on top. Next spread some chicken and then repeat the layering. (I layered it 4 times and had a little sauce left over and  spread it on top and then placed some extra cheese on top!) Cook on high for an hour!

This is what the meat looked like after I added the chilies and the cheese. I couldn't find ANY Velveeta "Mexican Style" cheese and I went to 2 stores.

 The layering process!

 Now the sauce!

 Then another tortilla and then repeat! ENJOY!

Whisk Bliss as a Substitute

I love Pinterest and really enjoy finding new recipes. I feel that I get stuck in a cooking rut and need to get out and that is where Pinterest comes in.

Anyways...I found this recipe. I loved how I saw that it needed a roux. Why? Well...Whisk Bliss Original or Gluten free makes a great substitute that is better for you and is easier to make. When making Whisk Bliss there is no need to watch it constantly to make sure it won't burn.

As we were eating it my husband gave "the nod" that lets me know that I can make it again. Even my toddler ate it all!

While eating I noticed that it tasted very similar to my Creamy Chicken Enchiladas.

Let me know what you think!

Chicken and Green Chili Pasta

1 lb penne pasta

3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded with cumin and onion (2 cups)

2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese

3 Tbsp water

4 Tbsp Whisk Bliss

2 cups water

1 tsp. Chicken Bouillon

1 cup sour cream

4 oz diced green chilies

1. Cook pasta according to package, drain and set aside.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 9X13 cooking pan.

2.  In a mixing bowl, stir together chicken and cheese.

3. In a medium sauce pan, combine the water and Whisk Bliss.  Stir it in let bubble for 1 minute.  While that is bubbling, put 2 c. water in a sauce pan until boiling and then add the Chicken Bouillon. Slowly add in chicken broth and stir constantly.  Let bubble and thicken for 10-15 minutes.  Turn off heat and stir in sour cream and green chilies.  Stir until well combined.

4. In 9x13 baking dish, layer pasta, chicken and cheese mixture two times.  Then pour sauce over top.  Do not stir.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until bubbly and golden on top.

Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Cacciatore

This is a freezable crockpot meal!! You can even make this Gluten Free!! Gotta love it!

I like to make double the amount and then take the left over and put it in a Ziplock baggie for another meal. Makes for a quick meal when you need one in less than 30 minutes!

 Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
15 oz can tomato or spaghetti sauce (I just used diced tomatoes)
4 oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 c. water
1/2 t. Shirley J's Chicken Bouillon
1/2 t. Shirley J's Pizza & Pasta Seasoning

Directions: Place chicken in slow cooker. Pour on sauce, mushrooms, and water. Sprinkle on seasoning and Bouillon.
Cover and cook on High for 3-4 hours or Low for 6-8.
Serve over rice or noodles.

Pasta Milano from Macaroni Grill

I found this recipe about a year ago. I wanted to try it because I read that it was a freezable meal. I was on this huge "let's make freezable meals" when I was pregnant last year.
This is a great pasta and my family really enjoys it. Plus, it tastes so good you don't need to spend tons of money eating out to get the same great taste.

Ingredients:
3 slices of bacon (I use Turkey  Bacon)
2 chicken breasts (cooked, and cubed)
4 cloves of roasted garlic, mashed
1/2 c. sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 c. white mushrooms, sliced (I don't add these because my husband doesn't like mushrooms)
1 c. water
1/2 t. Shirley J's Chicken Bouillon
1 c. heavy whipping cream (or half and half for lower fat and calories)
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. bow tie pasta
1 c. shredded Parmesan
2  T. fresh basil

Directions:
In a large skillet over high heat, brown the diced bacon. Season the cut up chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and saute until lightly browned. Once the chicken is cooked, add the sliced mushrooms and saute until browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add the roasted garlic, sun dried tomatoes and chicken broth to the hot skillet. Allow it come to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are tender. Add the cream and bring to a boil; stirring.Take off heat and add the bacon, chicken and mushroom to the sauce and set aside.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add dry pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain, transfer to a bowl.
Pour the chicken and sauce over the hot pasta and toss. Place in a baking dish and top with shredded Parmesan cheese and bake in preheated oven for 5-7 minutes until cheese melts.
Garnish with fresh basil and serve hot.

To make ahead/freezer meals – Prepare as directed, however cook pasta to barely al dente. There should be a bite to the pasta where it’s not completely cooked. Place pasta, chicken and sauce in an ovenproof container and allow to cool. Cover and freezer. When ready to prepare, defrost and bake in preheated oven as directed above.

Chicken Suzanne

 

I'm not sure if all of these ingredients are Gluten Free, but the Shirley J Whisk Bliss is! And I am telling ya, it was good!

 

This recipe was adapted. I found this recipe in a book I got waaaaayyyyy back when I first got married. My sister in law told me that it was good, so I thought I would give it a try. I was glad I did, and not so glad I did.

 

I know you are thinking, "Why isn't she glad she tried it?"

Here's why: It had all sorts of fatty things in it. I told my husband I will have to only make this once a month, he agreed because he is on a diet.

 

Anyways...You are probably thinking: "Lady get on with it."

 

So it's adapted. Shirley J's Whisk Bliss can substitute ANY cream soup. Which I love because I also, halved this recipe. I don't feed an army at home and leftovers go in the trash at my house, unless I eat them. You can't half a can of soup very easily without wasting money.

 

5 medium potatoes                                          1/2 c. Miracle Whip
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken                         2 T. lemon juice
breasts                                                              1 c. sour cream
1c. cheddar cheese                                           1/2 c. melted butter
1 c. Whisk Bliss Original or Gluten Free         2 c. water
1/2 t. Shirley J's Chicken Bouillon                   1/2 t. celery seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and slice potatoes and line the bottom of a 9 x 13 cooking dish with them. Cook the chicken and dice it. Put Whisk Bliss and water in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer, then add bouillon and celery seeds to it. Mix Miracle Whip, lemon juice, sour cream, cheddar cheese and Whisk Bliss mixture together. Put chicken over the potatoes and then pour mixture over all of it. Sprinkle bread crumbs over and melted butter. Cook for 35 minutes or until potatoes are done.

I think this would even be better without the potatoes and serve it over rice.

Crock Pot Chicken Santa Fe

Now heating up your kitchen doesn't sound too good when it is over 100 degrees outside or if your like me you just don't want to cook a super involved meal. Crock pots are great for those days.
I found this excellent recipe from skinnytaste.com over a year ago. My husband loves it and I love it, never mind my kids with their super sensitive palate.
The recipe is Crock Pot Chicken Santa Fe. It is gluten fee and great for those on a diet.

Here is what you need.

1 1/2 lbs of Chicken
14 oz. can of diced tomatoes with green chilies
14 oz. can of black beans
8 oz. frozen corn
3/4 tsp. of Shirley J's Chicken Bouillon           14 oz. of water
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste, I don't add this because of my kids sensitive palate ;)
          salt to taste

Make your chicken broth by following the directions on the side of your Shirley J Chicken Bouillon. This is what I LOVE about this recipe, you don't have to cook the chicken beforehand. All you do is put everything in the crock pot and make sure the seasoning is mixed in. Heat on low for 10 hours. I cooked mine on high today for about 6 hours because I started the food late. Once the food has cooked, you will then shred the chicken with a fork. You can serve over rice or in a tortilla.

This is what it looks like in the crock pot.

This is how you see it in your bowl. I like to add some sour cream to the top. You can also add cheese to it. If you like to go even further you can use Shirley J Whisk Bliss Original or Gluten Free instead of the sour cream to mix into it.

MSGs?! No thank you.

Interestingly enough Shirley J doesn't add any MSGs to any of their products.

If you have been looking for Bouillons that have no added MSGs then you have found it. There are NO MSGs in Shirley J's Bouillon. That's right our Chicken and Beef Bouillons are free of added MSGs. This is rare. So if you or someone you love has allergies or is sensitive to MSGs, this is your product.

Cheesy Chicken

So this is a recipe that I have had since college. I found it on the Internet many many moons ago. (Please don't ask, it will reveal how old I am.) My sisters started requesting this recipe every time I cooked and since then it has always been a family favorite. Now I share it with all of you.

Here is what you need:

2 cups of cooked, cubed chicken

1 box of stuffing (Chicken Flavor)

1/2 cup of Shirley J's Whisk Bliss and prepare it with 1 and 1/2 water

1/2 teaspoon of Shirley J's Chicken Bouillon

1 cup shredded cheese

 To prepare it:
 Set your oven to 350 degrees. Cook the chicken on the stove until thoroughly cooked. Then prepare the stuffing according to the box. Prepare your Whisk Bliss in a pan and add the 1/2 teaspoon of Chicken Bouillon. Layer your cooking pan 1st with chicken, then stuffing, then pour the Whisk Bliss mixture over the top. Do NOT mix the stuffing and the Whisk Bliss together, it will make the stuffing really soggy. Pour your cheese over the top and place your dish into the oven.

 This is what it looks like.

Enjoy!

Olive Garden? Well...almost.

I made it! I finally had all of the ingredients to make my husband's favorite soup, Zuppa Toscana. I will have to say I think I did a better job than Olive Garden with this recipe. I know that sounds a little conceited, but it did taste wonderful.
This recipe also contained a Shirley J product: Chicken Bouillon.
The Chicken Bouillon from Shirley J contains no MSG, preservatives, and contains less sodium than other similar products. Yeah! It is concentrated and well worth the price.

So you are probably saying, by now, "Get on with it lady and give us the recipe!"

Zuppa Toscana

	1   pound Italian sausage
	2   large russet baking potatoes sliced in half and then in ¼ inch slices
	1   large chopped onion
	1/2 can. Oscar Meyer Real Bacon Bits (these are less fatty than real bacon)
	2  cloves garlic, minced
	2  cups chopped kale or Swiss chard
	29 oz. water and 1 and 3/4 teaspoons Shirley J's Chicken Bouillon
	1  quart water
	1  cup heavy whipping cream Cook sausage in a 300-degree oven for approximately 1/2 hour; drain on paper towels and cut into slices. Place onions, potatoes, chicken broth, water, and garlic in a pot and cook on medium heat until potatoes are done. Add sausage, bacon, salt, and pepper to taste and simmer for another 10 minutes. Turn to low heat; add kale and cream. Heat thoroughly and serve. ** I didn't cook the sausage in the oven like the original recipe called for. The original recipe all commented that if you wanted a low carb. option you could substitute the potatoes for cauliflower. I will have to keep that in mind next time, since my husband and I are trying to lower our weight.

Easy Chicken Gravy

Ingredients:
2 tsp Shirley J Chicken Bouillon
1 c. Shirley J Whisk Bliss Original or Gluten Free
4 c. Water
Directions:
Whisk bouillon and Whisk Bliss into water, bring to a boil. For a richer color add a few drops of Kitchen Bouquet.

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to make the gravy. Pictures are included. Enjoy!