Panko Crusted Baked Chicken Fingers

When you see the word "baked", don't think for a minute that this chicken is dry.  The prep might seem a bit tedious, and the ingredients not what you'd expect (egg white, mustard, thyme??)  These turn out fabulous - moist and tender.  Thanks to my neighbor Sherrie for sharing her recipe.

Rotisserie Chicken Salad

Crock Pot White Chicken Chili

This is a recipe adapted from a Betty Crocker Slow Cooker Recipes Cookbook.  Works well with either frozen (which I used), or fresh boneless chicken breast.  Also easily adapted to stovetop preparation.  

We loved this soup.  Although it's not quite as rich and creamy as a previous post (Creamy White Chicken Chili - link is HERE), it has the same "comfort" level.  

The difference is how much TIME and effort it took to make it (AND this chili has corn - which is a nice addition)  I would say this is the "speedy" version of the same great soup.  It took so little time to throw together, I really didn't think it would be a success.  I love surprises.

Recipe source:  food.com

Crock Pot White Chicken Chili

1-1/4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken (breasts, or use tenders)
2 15-oz cans Great Northern Beans (or substitute Navy Beans)
1 15-oz can white corn (or Hominy)
1-1/4 oz envelope Taco Seasoning Mix (I used about 2 Tbs from a bulk container)
1 4-1/2 oz can chopped green chilies
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (undiluted)
1 14-oz can chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
Chopped green onions - for garnish
Monterey Jack cheese (shredded) - garnish 

Place chicken in the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker.  

Top with beans and corn (I drained & rinsed the beans, but added corn with the liquid)

In a bowl - combine taco seasoning mix with chiles, soup, and chicken broth.  Stir until smooth.  Then pour over the top of ingredients in the crock pot.  

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  

Before serving, remove chicken breast and dice (or leave in crock pot and shred with a fork).

Stir in the sour cream.  

Serve topped with green onions and jack cheese, if desired.

Last-of-the-Bag Dorito Bake

If you feel guilty tossing the remains at the bottom of a bag of tortilla chips - here is a tasty way to use them up.  We enjoy Doritos in Taco Salad during the summer, but there are always just a FEW left that are hard to throw out.  They make a great addition to this creamy, cheesy one-dish casserole.

Broken chips seem to be doomed to extinction around my house.  Not sure why - other than they are a lot more fun to crunch when they are full-size.  Broken chips make a nice base for this casserole.

You can use leftover corn-on-the-cob, or frozen, or drained canned corn.  Leftover cooked chicken is also great here, but you could also use cooked and drained ground beef.  You can see, it’s very versatile and accepting of most leftovers in many forms.

You’ll find that the hint of Mexican flavor is something most kids would enjoy.  It’s also fast to assemble and have on the table within about 30-45 minutes.  

Add a green salad and/or fruit, and you have a great meal in a hurry.

For the recipe, go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Creamy Ro*Tel Enchiladas

For the creamiest enchiladas ever - this recipe includes cream cheese, whipping cream, and Ro*Tel (oh... and don’t forget the chicken & cheese)  This is not health food, I know.  Just a great weeknight comfort dish.  A serving of these is great incentive to work out at the gym (for an extra long time...)

I would wager that every single family in the USA has their own version of creamy chicken enchiladas.  Most of them contain sour cream and cream-of-something condensed soup.

This one, however, is different.  It has a bit of a kick (depending on the heat of the Ro*Tel tomato mixture you are using.  Adjust according to your own family “heat index”.

Ro*Tel began in 1943 in a small family canning plant in Elsa, Texas.  Carl Roettele and his wife processed over 25,000 cases of vegetables a year - but their specialty was tomatoes with green chilies.  He changed the spelling on the cans because he knew no one would be able to spell (or pronounce) “Roettele”.  Soon, the wife of a popular politician in Washington bragged to a national magazine about her chili recipe.  She revealed to them the secret ingredient that made her chili better than anyone else’s - Ro*Tel tomatoes with green chilies.

The blend of these tomatoes together with diced chicken and the creamy sauce(s) is legendary.  Making them with flour tortillas helps them hold together much better than corn tortillas.  

These are especially good warmed in the microwave as leftovers (they were a hot item around here until they were gone a day later).

For this very simple recipe - go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Chicken Divan

This adds another dimension to the Chicken Broccoli Curry my family has always liked - rice.  The rice lightens it up, and makes it go further.  Of course - the thing that makes it unique is that tiny touch of curry.  It’s so subtle, everyone asks “what’s in this?”  Without it - it’s just another chicken casserole.

I realize that canned creamed soups are not as popular as they were back in the ’70’s and ’80’s - but they can take a few steps out of most casserole recipes.  It’s hard to make a casserole as creamy without that trusty canned soup.  

So for recipes like this one - I don’t give that a second thought, and I reach for the convenient can.  

I never have good luck with rice cookers - and I’ve found a great way to cook rice without the usual boil-overs.  Not sure where I heard about this - but all you do is place a paper towel over the saucepan and clamp on the lid.  Make sure you bring the rice to a boil beforehand, and turn it to low before covering it.  No mess - and fluffy rice every time.

I’ve become hard to please the older I get.  I don’t enjoy leftovers at all - so I have started to split a casserole between two containers.  

One to keep at home - and one to give away.  I use the round (cake-size) tins that have a foil lid for meals I give away.  Just enough for 2-4 people.  

This version of our old family favorite (which you’ll find HERE) is just as good.  But also try this one with rice and a little less “sauce” and see what you think.

You'll find the recipe at:
www.changeabletable.com

Shelli Bates' Way Good Chicken

Arizona (and other states that are hot in the summer) find ways to serve a great meal without heating up the kitchen.  Recipes like this one keep the house from overheating when the weather is exceptionally warm.  It’s a fix-and-forget meal you can come home at the end of one of those blistering hot summer days to enjoy..

My second son returned from his LDS mission over 10 years ago now.  Not long after he came home, he and I visited the Arizona Tempe Mission so he could show me around and have me meet the wonderful people he rubbed shoulders with.  One of those people was Shelli Bates.  She often fed the missionaries in her home.  When we visited her, she served this meal.  I’ve never forgotten it, and she was gracious enough to share the recipe with me.

I’ve made it for my family ever since.  The thing I love about it is how tender the chicken is and how the flavor is just right.  Crockpot meals sometimes cook for so long that the flavors evaporate out after a few hours.  The seasoning used here is strong enough that that doesn’t happen.

It can’t hurt that it’s super simple as well.  You can leave the chicken breasts whole, but I cut them into large cubes so they cook more evenly.  When the breast is whole, it’s simple to shred before stirring.  We like it in chunks - which doesn’t soak up all that delicious gravy.  Your choice.

Serve with just about anything as a side dish - rice, potatoes, veggies from your summer garden, even over toast or biscuits.

For the recipe, go to:
www.changeabletable.com

  

Roast Chicken Gnocchi Soup

If you’ve enjoyed this soup at Olive Garden, this is a pretty close duplicate.  Gnocchi is an Italian dumpling made from potatoes and flour.  Made correctly, they are light and fluffy - rather than dense & chewy.  If all you can find are the shelf-stable gnocchi in your store, they resemble the texture of pasta.

Did you know that Costco sells rotisserie chicken in bulk?
(Best invention ever!)

I don’t worship Olive Garden like my daughters do, but I love their version of this soup which is rich and hearty.  

The copy-cat recipe for it is all over the web.  I can’t give credit to any individual here, but I thank those who have adjusted it to become what it is.  

I used rotisserie chicken breast, which made this a cinch to make.  I also cut the gnocchi in half, which made them a little more “bite-size”.  

You can sometimes find mini-size gnocchi.  

The indentations in these little dumplings are from being pressed between the thumb and the tines of a fork.  (My neighbor JoAnn makes her own and it’s fabulous)

You can trim down the calories by using milk instead of half-and-half, but it really changes the flavor (and is not as good reheated later)

This stores well and lasts a long time if you can’t use an entire batch.  Sprinkle with a little grated parmesan - it can’t hurt.

For the recipe, go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Chicken Alfredo Pot Pie

This recipe, though simple - will really surprise you.  It’s fast, easy, and absolutely great.  Haven’t found anyone who doesn’t like it (broccoli disclaimer... good luck with those who don’t love this vegetable - you could always change it to asparagus, zucchini, mixed veggies, or others).  Enjoy!

I’ve spent the past week helping my daughter Whitney after the birth of their first baby, and it’s been so fun.  Is there anything as beautiful as a brand new baby's feet and toes?

My 11th grandchild's name is "Kate".
I've nicknamed her "CUP-Kate" - she's just delicious!

Cooking in someone else’s kitchen is always a learning curve for me, but about the time I go home - I can empty the dishwasher and know where everything belongs.

I decided to try this recipe because Whitney had two packages of refrigerated crescent rolls that needed to be used.  I picked up a bottle of Alfredo sauce, some broccoli florets, and some rotisserie chicken - and we had an instant meal.

I’m not a fan of refrigerated crescent rolls for many reasons.  Number ONE:  opening the package is like popping a balloon (on purpose!)  Not fun waiting for the explosion (and I always let out a scream - which makes my kids/grandkids laugh)  Number TWO:  They are so hard to pull apart and unroll - I always massacre them.  Number THREE:  They are certainly not on my top ten healthy foods list.

But all that aside, crescent rolls work beautifully in this recipe.  It doesn’t matter if they look like road kill, because they turn into something lovely as they bake.  (What doesn’t look lovely blanketed in parmesan cheese anyway?)  There is no need to seal the edges together - which makes me an instant fan.

And... by the way:  did you know you can FREEZE canned crescent rolls?  Whitney purchased several 6 months ago and uses them thawed after freezing.  No problem so far...

This is a great recipe for when you want to look like you put a lot of effort into dinner (but didn’t want to)  It’s wonderful reheated in the oven (but be careful rewarming in the microwave, as that will make the bread tough)

For the simple recipe, go to:
www.changeabletable.com