Creamy Salsa Chicken Wraps

2-4 chicken breasts
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup salsa
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 package taco seasoning

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours.

Just before serving shred chicken and mix back into crock pot.  Then add:
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup grated cheese

Mix and serve warm on flour tortillas.

This is a recipe I got from a good neighbor.  It is so delicious and easy because it is in the crock pot.  Just be careful because last time I forgot to only add 1 cup of chicken broth and instead dumped the whole can in.  It made it really runny and not as flavorful so make sure you follow the recipe!

Clam Chowder

1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
2 cups potatoes, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup butter/margarine
3/4 cup flour
1 qt half and half
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 T red wine vinegar
2 6 oz cans clams

Place chopped vegetables in med. saucepan with juice from clams. Add enough water to just cover. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender.  Meanwhile in large pot, melt butter over med to low heat.  Whisk in flour a little at a time.  Add half and half and salt.  Let it heat and thicken.  Once sauce thickens, dump the vegetables (water and all) into the sauce and stir.  Add clams and vinegar.  Let it heat all together until mixture thickens to desired consistency.

Chili

1lb hamburger
1 pkg chili seasoning
3-4 (15oz) cans pork and beans
1-2 (15oz) cans red kidney beans
1 onion
1 cup ketchup
1/2-3/4 cup V8 juice

Brown hamburger with onion. Salt and pepper to taste.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer until bubbly.

This is the easiest and most delicious chili I have ever had!!  I never really thought I was a big chili lover but this was/is so good that we make it year round, not just in the fall and winter.

World's Best Lasagna

1 pound sweet Italian sausage
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 oz) cans canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 T white sugar
1 1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 T salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
4 T chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 T salt, pepper, and 2 T pasley. Simmer, covered for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Bring a large pot of lighly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 tsp salt.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups (I did 2 cups each time because I had plenty of sauce) of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with on half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarela cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups (or 2) meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Now, I understand that this recipe looks like a lot of work and it kind of is.  I sort of cheated because I didn't have quite enough time to simmer the sauce so I just made the sauce and let it simmer while my noodles cooked and then I put it all together and baked it.  It tasted just fine so unless you have time, I wouldn't worry about simmering for an hour and a half.  Also I didn't have fennel or Parmesan so I skipped it. Next time I definitely want to try it with the parmesan cheese. For the mozzarella I just used shredded because that is what I had. This lasagna really is the world's best!  Unlike some lasagna's that are kind of sloppy and soupy, this one set up really good which made it easy to serve.  I can still smell the aroma...Delicious!

This recipe came from allrecipes.com

Jamie's Cranberry Spinach Salad

1 T butter
3/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered
1 pound spinach, rinsed and torn
1 cup dried cranberries
2 T toasted sesame seeds
1 T poppy seeds
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp minced onion
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil

In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook and stir almonds in butter until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and let cool. In a large bowl, combine the spinach with the toasted almnds and cranberries. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, onion, paprika, white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, and vegetable oil. Toss with spinach just before serving. 

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and it is so delicious. They gave it 5 stars and I would do the same.  I cut out the poppy seeds because I didn't have any and used red wine vinegar instead of white for the same reason.  We also really like feta cheese so I put some of that on as well but it would be good without. This is definitely going to be my new go to salad! 

Pad Thai

4 cups water
1 package(6-8oz) rice stick noodles
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup water
3 T packed brown sugar
3 T fish sauce or soy sauce
3 T soy sauce
1 T vinegar
3/4 tsp ground red pepper
3 T vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 eggs, beaten
12 oz frozen shrimp, thawed (I use 2 chicken breasts, chopped and cooked)
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
3 cups fresh bean sprouts
4 medium green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves

In saucepan, heat water to boiling. Remove from heat; add noodles (push down so them get covered). Soak noodles 3-5 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water. In the meantime, stir lime juice, 1/3 cup water, brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, red pepper and 1 T of oil until well mixed; set aside. In nonstick wok, heat remaining 2 T oil over medium heat. Cook garlic and onion until it starts to brown (1-2 minutes). Add eggs. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring gently until scrambled but still moist. Stir in noodles and lime juice mixture. Increase heat to high. Cook about 1 minute, tossing with 2 wooden spoons, until sauce begins to thicken. Add remaining ingredients except cilantro. Cook 2-3 minutes. Top with cilantro and garnish with additional peanuts and green onion.

This is such a good recipe for pad thai. We don't make it too often because it makes a huge mess and takes a little bit of work. I love easy and simple but every now and then it is fun to have a nice meal. Enjoy!

Teriyaki Meatballs

1 lb ground beef
1 cup quick oats
1 egg
1/4 large onion, finely chopped
1/8 cup oil
1/2 cup ketchup
1/6 cup vinegar
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 cup Worcestershire
1/2 T flour

Combine onion and oil in fry pan. Cook onions. Combine ketchup, vinegar, mustard, garlic salt, sugar, pepper, worcestershire, and flour in saucepan. Mix together with the onions and simmer. While sauce is simmering make meatballs. Mix beef, egg and oats. Form into balls and place in glass baking dish. Pour sauce over top and bake at 375 for about 30 minutes.

These are so yummy. I got the recipe from a friends blog and we seriously eat these at least once a month, which for me is a lot. She doesn't quite follow the recipe but I do because I love them just the way they are. If you don't want to have as much kick don't add the dry mustard; although I really think that is what gives it so much flavor. Serve these up with a side of rice and mmnnn you won't be disappointed!

Pulled Jerk Pork

2 1/2 lb pork boneless shoulder
1 T Jamaican jerk seasoning
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup cola
2 cups barbecue sauce

Rub jerk seasoning over pork, sprinkle with thyme. Place in slow cooker. Sprinkle with onion. Pour cola over pork. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours. Remove pork from cooker and shred . Remove juices from cooker and reserve 1/2 cup. Return pork to cooker and stir in BBQ sauce and 1/2 cup of reserved juice. Change cooker to high and cook 30-45 minutes. Serve on hamburger or sandwich buns.

Once again, I got this recipe from a neighbor because it was soooo good. I've only made it once myself and I used a really spicy BBQ sauce and it had a little too much kick. Next time I will use a sweeter sauce because the other seasonings give it enough kick for me.

Oriental Chicken Wraps

2 chicken breasts, cubed
Terriyaki marinade (recipe below)
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
bag of mixed green salad (or whatever is in the fridge)
Chow Mein noodles
sliced green onions
flour tortillas
Creamy Sesame Dressing (recipe below)

Terriyaki Marinade:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup Sprite
1/2 tsp minced garlic

Allow chicken at least one hour to marinate but overnight is best.

Creamy Sesame Dressing:
1 cup mayo
2 T sesame oil (or whatever you have)
2 T lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
5 T milk
*Usually I half this and still have plenty.

Layer tortillas with salad, chicken, oranges, green onions, noodles. Drizzle sauce over the top and then roll up. Super delicious!

I know this may sound like a lot of work because it has multiple recipes but trust me it is so easy and very delicious. Most of the stuff can be made earlier in the day so when it comes time for dinner you just have to cook the chicken and pull things out of the fridge. This is definitely a fall back recipe when I know we are having people over for dinner.

Chicken Enchiladas

12-14 oz can enchilada sauce
1 package of cream cheese
shredded chicken (2-3 large breasts)
tortillas
grated cheese

Melt cream cheese with about half the enchilada sauce.
Boil chicken until done, shred. Mix chicken with cream cheese mixture.
Pour a bit of enchilada sauce on bottom of glass baking dish. Roll mixture into tortillas. Pour rest of sauce on top. Cover with grated cheese. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.

This is definitely a family favorite. I've made it several times for both sides of our family and they have all loved it, including the kids! You can't beat that.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 T cornstarch
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup pineapple juice
1 T soy sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger

In a 2 cup measuring bowl, combine all ingredients. Microwave on high for 3-5 minutes to until thickened and bubbly, stirring every minute until mixture starts to thicken and then every 30 seconds.

We like to have this with chunks of grilled chicken and pineapple, served over rice. Yummy.