Caesar Chicken Pasta Salad

This recipe is from my Aunt Cindy.  It is a family favorite and whenever I make it for others they always want the recipe.  It is great because it can be done ahead of time and then just add the dressing when you are ready to serve it.  

8oz. uncooked pasta nuggets

2 cups shredded romaine lettuce

1/2 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes

1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 - 2 1/4oz can of sliced black olives

8 oz caesar dressing

3 chicken breast

Grill or bake chicken until done, cut into 1-inch squares.  Cook pasta according to the box.  Pasta and chicken need to be cool.  Mix all ingredients together, put the dressing on right before serving.

Pumpkin Waffles

I was in need of some fall foods this weekend.  I found this recipes when I was looking to use up some pancake mix.  The waffles weren't as firm as waffles are normally but top it with real maple syrup, cool whip and a little pumpkin spice and you will never know the difference.  I made extra for this week to throw in the toasters in the morning as I'm running out the door.  I also made my cheesy brat stew this weekend.  AMAZING as usual.

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/3 cup Hungry Jack Original Pancake & Waffle Mix

1/2 cup Libby's 100% pure pumpkin

1 1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

2 eggs

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/8 teaspoon ginger

DIRECTIONS:

Heat waffle iron and grease, if needed.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Stir ingredients until well blended.  Pour 1/3 cup of batter onto center of hot waffle iron. Close lid of waffle iron.

Cook about 4-6 minutes or until steaming stops. Carefully remove waffle.

Turkey Tetrazzini

Got leftover Turkey?  We did!  We finally made the turkey we bought at Thanksgiving last year and it was a lot of leftover for us.  I found this freezer meal recipe so I made one for dinner and froze one for later.  You could also substitute chicken for the turkey.

1 lbs. uncooked spaghetti
1/2 lbs. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 c. chopped onion
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
3 cans (10.75oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
3 c. cubed cooked turkey
1 c. chicken broth
1/3 c. sherry or additional chicken broth
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
3/4 tsp. pepper
2 c. grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, saute mushrooms and onion in oil until tender.  Add the garlic, cook 1 minute longer.  Stir in the soup, turkey broth, sherry Italian seasoning, pepper, and 1 cup cheese.  Drain spaghetti; stir into turkey mixture.
3. Transfer to two greased 8-inch square baking dishes.  Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.  Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months.  Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until heated through.

To use Frozen Casserole:
Thaw in refrigerator overnight.  Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before baking.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until bubbly.

Quick and Easy Italian Chicken Dinner

I stumbled across this recipe on Pinterest. Seriously easiest chicken I have every made. Of course I halved the recipe and made it in a 9x9 pan.  Also now that I know it works, I will try different seasoning mixes for variety.  Adjust the amount of ingredients to your family size.

Notes from the original pinner: A friend of mine brought me this when I had surgery. Now it is my "go to" dish for taking to people who have had babies, surgery, etc.

Ingredients list:

4-6 raw chicken breasts
New potatoes (as many or as little as you would like)
Green beans (fresh or canned-really any green veggie would work. Broccoli is good, too).

Arrange in 9x13 dish. Sprinkle with a packet of Italian dressing mix and then top with a melted stick of butter. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Casserole

I have found a new website that I love for recipes, Six Sisters Stuff.  I tried a recipe from their site last night and it was so delicious.  It could be used for dinner or breakfast.  I halved the recipe and put the other half in a freezer bag for a meal in a couple of weeks.  This recipe is perfect for leftover ham.  When I halved the recipe I used my 2 quart slow cooker.  It was enough for my boyfriend, myself, and lunch the next day. 

Ingredients:
1 (30 oz) package frozen hash brown potatoes, cubed or shredded
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 (8 oz) container sour cream
1 (10.75 oz) can reduced fat cream of chicken soup
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 cups cooked chopped ham
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 (6 oz) package, herb-seasoned stuffing mix

Directions:
Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Combine hash browns, dried onion, salt, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, cheese, and ham and place in slow cooker. Sprinkle stuffing mix over top, then drizzle melted butter over stuffing. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or high 2-4 hours.

Chicken Divan

Searching around for something for dinner and I came across this recipe which I haven't had in FOREVER!  It use to be a staple at the cabin when I was growing up.  I'm going to have to bring it back when we are looking for something for dinner at the cabin.  The best thing was that I had all the ingredients at home which means you might too.  I also halved the recipe because for 2 of us we don't need a 9x13 pan of this recipe.  Oh and I bet this would make a great freezer meal!


7oz. Elbow Macaroni
4 chicken breasts; boiled and cut into 1 in. pieces)
1 bunch of broccoli; lightly steamed (optional)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small brick (10oz) of cheddar cheese; grated
1/2c. miracle whip
2 soup cans of milk
1 small onion finely chopped


Cook macaroni as directed on the box and put in a greased 9x13 pan.  Add broccoli on to top the macaroni.  Mix the rest of the ingredients including the chicken in a bowl.  Gently pour over the macaroni and broccoli.  Top with salt and pepper.  Bake for 40-50 minutes at 350 degrees.

Slow Cooker Chicken Caesar Sandwiches

As the weather is getting warmer we are looking for recipes that require less time in the kitchen so we have more time outside.  I found one...  Throwing chicken in a crockpot before you leave for work, shredded the chicken when you get home and add a few ingredients and the main course of dinner is done.  This chicken is very versatile.  Make a sandwich with it, hot or cold, put it on a salad, add noodles and it makes a noodle salad (similar to tuna salad)... oh the possibilities.  I used chicken I had previously cooked in the crockpot, shredded it and froze it.  Worked perfectly to put the frozen chicken in the crockpot, warm it back up, add the ingredients and dinner was done.  

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts (I used Chicken Breasts)
• 1/2 to 1 cup of your favorite Caesar dressing
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley or 2 teaspoons of dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 12 slider buns or 4-6 regular sized hamburger buns

Directions:

• Place chicken in a 3-4 quart slow cooker with 1-2 cups of water, cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.  
•  Remove chicken from cooker using a slotted spoon and drain the water from the slow cooker. Place chicken on a cutting board and pull chicken into shreds, discarding any fat. 
• Place chicken back in the cooker and pour dressing, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and pepper over the top. Stir until mixed evenly. Cover and cook on high heat for 30 minutes or until mixture is hot. 
• Spoon 1/4 cup mixture onto each slider bun if you are making sliders or more for regular sized buns. Top with extra shredded Parmesan cheese and lettuce to serve.