Slow Cooker Southwest Chicken Stacks

2 cups frozen corn
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 large frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 cups salsa

Lightly grease the bottom and sides of the slow cooker. Pour frozen corn into the bottom of the slow cooker and place the frozen chicken breasts on top. Cover with beans and salsa. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with forks. Return to the slow cooker and stir until the chicken, corn, beans and salsa are combined.

Serve on a bed of tortilla chips and top with additional garnishes: lettuce, tomato, avocado, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, lime wedges, etc.

Chicken & Cheese Manicotti

Chicken & Cheese Manicotti

• 1 box manicotti – cooked, drained and rinsed with cold water
• 1/2 lb. chicken, fully cooked and cubed (I used 2 chicken breasts, but this would be a great dish to use up any leftover chicken you might have on hand.)
• 1 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 c. frozen spinach
• 1 t. Italian seasoning
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 t. garlic powder
• 1/8 t. nutmeg
• 3 T. butter or margarine
• 3 T. flour
• 1/2 c. chicken stock
• 1 c. milk
• 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1. In a large bowl, combine chicken, ricotta, spinach, Parmesan cheese and seasonings.

2. Stir to combine and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, melt butter or margarine in a small saucepan. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in chicken stock and milk. Bring to a slow boil until thickened slightly, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 c. mozzarella cheese.

4. Pour half of the sauce into the bottom of a 13×9 casserole dish. Fill manicotti with chicken and ricotta filling. (An easy tip for filling manicotti – use a small spoon and fill to the middle of the noodle from one side. Then turn the noodle over and fill the remaining half.)

5. Layer filled manicotti into the casserole dish. Pour remaining sauce on top and then add remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until bubbly and cheese is melted.

With all of the filling work involved, this dish probably doesn’t qualify as quick and easy. But it’s definitely stolen moments friendly in that it can be fully assembled whenever you have time, up to 24 hours before baking.

Zucchini Soup

The soup is incredibly easy to make. In a large pot, I added two tbs olive oil and a quarter onion diced and cooked until translucent. To this I added 8 cups of cubed zucchini and 4 cups of water plus two chicken bouillons. Bring to a simmer and let cook until the zucchini is cooked through. Then I turned into puree in the food processor. I returned this to the pot and added one can of fat free evaporated milk. This makes the soup “creamy” while being “waist” friendly. Add salt and pepper to taste and cooked until warm.

Zucchini rolls

1 cup coarsely grated zucchini
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 package rapid-rise dry yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup warm water (120-130F)
1 tbsp vegetable oil.

In a colander, combine the zucchini and salt and set aside for 30 minutes. In a large bowl combine the 3 cups of flour, sugar, yeast and all but one tbsp of the cheese. Press the zucchini to drain well. Add zucchini to flour mixture and combine evenly. Stir in water and oil and mix until you have a soft and manageable dough. Turn into floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic. Use as much of remaining flour as necessary. Shape dough into ball and place in lightly oiled bowl (I used Pam). Cover with clean cloth and set in warm place for 20 minutes. Meanwhile spray with Pam a 12 muffin-pan. Punch the dough down and divide into 12 pieces. For clover leaf rolls like the ones I made, divide each piece into thirds and make three small balls and place balls into a muffin-pan cup. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Cover the pan with a clean cloth and let rise in warm draft-free place until rolls double in size or around 40 minutes. Bake at 400F for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown and sound hollow when tapped with a finger tip.

Slow-Cooked Pepper Steak

Description:

A flavorful beef steak with bell peppers, prepared in a slow cooker

Yield:

6-8 servings

Ingredients:

2 pounds inexpensive beef steak
2 tablespoons oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
4 large tomatoes, washed and coarsely chopped
2 large bell peppers (any color), cut into thin strips
1/2 cup cold water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Hot cooked rice, for serving

Instructions:

1. Trim fat from meat and cut into thin strips. Brown meat in oil in skillet. Transfer to a slow cooker.

2. Combine soy sauce, onion, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper, and ginger. Pour over beef. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours, or until the meat is tender.

3. Add tomatoes and green peppers, stirring into beef mixture. Continue cooking on low for another 60-90 minutes, until peppers are to desired tenderness.

4. Combine the cold water and cornstarch in a small bowl, until smooth; stir into slow cooker and cook on high until thickened.

5. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Preparation Time:

20-30 minutes

Cooking Time:

7-8 hours