Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

I was looking through my recipe page and I was floored to discover that there is a slow cooker recipe that I haven’t shared yet. I’m really surprised that this has slipped by me. I’ve been making this recipe for years. After a few years I noticed that Kraft changed the recipe. I stick to the original recipe because it works for me. After looking through the Kraft Foods web site I am no longer able to find the recipe. If I am able to find it in the future I will be sure to post the link.

I like this recipe because it is so easy. I typically have all the ingredients on hand so if I needed this meal could easily be a pantry meal. The recipe doesn’t make a lot of chicken so I typically double the recipe. The original recipe calls for chicken thighs but since boneless, skinless chicken breasts are easier to find I usually use those. Chicken thighs are much tastier though so use tem whenever you can.

Enjoy!

1 lb. chicken, boneless and skinless

3 T. flour

1/3 cup orange marmalade

1/3 cup BBQ sauce

2 T. soy sauce

1 T. grated gingerroot

Toss chicken with flour in the slow cooker. In a small bowl combine marmalade, BBQ sauce, soy sauce and gingerroot. Pour mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for six to eight hours.

Serve hot over rice.

Coconut Shrimp Soup

I’m still working my way through the recipes that piqued my interest in Everyday Food. This recipe is the third one I tried. The first was great, the second lacked flavor and the third was better than I expected. As with the other two recipes I’ve tried from this cookbook it was quick and easy to put together. Husband was home early from work and he was able to watch little one while I made this yummy soup, but even if he wasn’t I would have been able to whip this up with a toddler running around without a problem.

The combination of ginger, garlic and red pepper sautéing in the pot was heavenly. I made a slight adjustment and let the carrots sauté to give them a little extra time to soften. I also reduced the amount of carrots that the recipe called for because I thought one pound was too much. I followed the rest of the steps in the recipe.

I was so thrilled with the soup that I may have to make sure that I have an extra bag of shrimp in the freezer! Four ounces of pasta goes quite a long way in this soup and the coconut milk wasn’t over powering at all. The lime juice made the soup so very very refreshing. Little one even had an opportunity to enjoy the soup. I pulled out some noodles, shrimp and carrots for him and he gobbled it down happily. I love finding alternates to take out and I think I may have found another one to add to the list.

Enjoy!

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ tsp. crushed red peppers

2 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced

14 oz. coconut milk

3 cups water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 oz. angel hair pasta

1 lb. large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed

¼ cup lime juice

4 scallions, thinly sliced

Heat oil in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add ginger, garlic, and pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about one minute. Add carrots and sauté for about five minutes. Add coconut milk and  water. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and two tablespoons water until smooth then add to pot. Bring soup to a boil.

Break pasta in half and add to pot. Return to a boil then reduce heat to medium and simmer until pasta is al dente and carrots are just tender, about four minutes. Add shrimp and stir until opaque, about one minute. Remove pot from heat, and stir in lime juice. Season with salt to taste. Ladle into serving bowls, and garnish with scallions.

Adapted from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast by Martha Stewart Magazine

Lasagna Soup

I have been meaning to share this recipe for a while but I just haven’t gotten around to it. According to Pinterest, I made this super yummy soup eleven weeks ago. ELEVEN! Nothing like seeing your procrastination listed in weeks. Then again, I may be the only person I know who will cook up a huge pot of soup on a 100 degree day so even if I had shared this I’m pretty sure none of my readers would have been rushing off to the store to buy ingredients to make this soup. Either way, please excuse my procrastination.

This is a lighter version of a soup by Paula Dean. Her boys took her original soup and made a few adjustments. I checked out the recipe for the original soup and the changes are very few but it’s easy to see where the calories and fat were hiding. This version of the soup doesn’t taste low fat at all. It so rich and flavorful and it really does taste like lasagna! This pasta loving girl was thrilled to have a big pot simmering on the stove.

Since the Dean boys already made some healthy substitutions I didn’t have to do many myself. I found Italian turkey sausage without casings so I didn’t have to worry about removing them. But really, removing casings is easy so don’t stress out at the grocery store if the only turkey sausage you can find has casings. I used regular lasagna noodles instead of the whole wheat variety since I had a box in my pantry already. Whole wheat would have been a better choice but my pantry space is limited these days so I didn’t want to buy a box just for four noodles.

Enjoy!

aw...my first blog picture with my iphone!

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 lb. Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
32 oz. chicken broth
15 oz. tomato sauce
15 oz. petite diced tomatoes
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 oz. whole-wheat lasagna noodles, broken 
½ chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
½ shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick saucepot or Dutch oven. Add the sausage, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is crumbled and browned, about eight to ten 10 minutes.

Add the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, salt, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended, about 20 minutes. Add the noodles and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly and the noodles are tender, 10 – 12 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in mozzarella, basil, and the Parmesan.

Adapted from http://thedeenbros.com/index.php/recipes/recipe_detail/bobbys_lighter_tastes_like_lasagna_soup/

Pesto Pasta with Potatoes and Green Beans

I have been muddling through recipes lately. Sadly I’ve been making quite a few recipes that I just haven’t been very proud of. The last thing I want to do is share a recipe that I think isn’t up to par. Oh, and I spent a good amount of time hanging out at my parent’s house while husband was away on business so there wasn’t a lot of cooking going on in my kitchen.

A few weeks ago I checked out a recipe book from the library that I have had my eye on for quite a while. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to put this cookbook on my wish list so I figured checking it out from the library would be the best way for me to find out. I have a few recipes from the cookbook on the menu for the next two weeks so I will be testing these recipes to see if they are ones that my family would use.

The first recipe I tried was a big hit with my family.  Husband was impressed with the meal, little one thought it was the perfect finger food and I was over the moon with how easy it was to prepare. Four ingredients! And four of those ingredients are pantry items. Top it off with this being a one-pot meal and I don’t think you ask for much more in a recipe.

Enjoy!

2 waxy potatoes peeled and cut into one inch cubes

8 oz. cavatappi or other short tubular pasta

8 oz. fresh green beans, trimmed and halved

½ cup pesto

Place potatoes in a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Add pasta and return to a boil for two minutes. Add green beans. Return to a boil and cook until vegetables are tender and pasta is al dente, about six minutes. Drain and toss with pesto. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Adapted from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast by Martha Stewart Magazine