3.24.2015

Fixer {S}upper...

Can we begin with a pause for how clever the title of this post is. If I am anything on this blog, it is inconsistent. I label things randomly, and act like I'm going to start a new traditional post every other week, BUT... I think this one may stick. Probably. Maybe. 

Anywho. I love discovering a new recipe, especially when they are easy. And ESPECIALLY when they are tasty and loved by the whole family. I have two new ones to share with you that I found while hanging out with my online bestie, Pinny. 

First up...

from Skinny Mom
(I need to invest in some plain white dishes. I love mine, but the photograph horribly).

For all the step-by-step beautiful pictures, click on her link above. For a run down of ingredients and what I changed, read below. (By the way, she gives you the nutritional value... definitely start following her!) 

Ingredients
6 small red potatoes, cubed
1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders
2 - 10.5 oz cans fat free cream of chicken soup
1 cup skim milk
1 cup water
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup celery (about 1.5 stalks), diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp thyme
10.8 oz frozen mixed veggies

Instructions
  1. Place cubed potatoes on bottom of slow cooker and chicken on top of potatoes
  2. In small bowl, mix soup, milk and water. Pour over chicken and potatoes. 
  3. Throw in diced onion and celery.
  4. Sprinkle with seasoning.
  5. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
  6. 30 minutes before serving, remove chicken and shred. Place back in slower cooker and stir in frozen veggies. Cook for additional 30 minutes. 
  7. Serve over biscuits
How did I "fixer {s}upper"... 
  1. If you recall from my first round of power cooking - frozen onions are your friend. I used frozen onion and the pre-minced garlic to my liking
  2. I am pretty sure I didn't use the thyme
  3. I used fresh chicken, not frozen
  4. I added frozen okra instead of mixed veggies because it's what I had on hand
  5. To add a little crunch (and some calories), I crushed some ritz and mixed with butter and then placed on top of each bowl.
This was a big WIN in our house. Made PLENTY for left-overs and was filling but not heavy.


Next up... 

from Crem de la Crumb.



Again, for all the step-by-step foodie blogger pics, click on her link above. For a run down of ingredients and what I changed, read below. 

Ingredients
3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup original flavor bbq sauce
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 cup pineapple juice
t tablespoon liquid smoke
16 taco-sized soft tortillas
1-1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
Optional: ranch dressing for dipping

Instructions
  1. Mix bbq sauce, garlic powder, pineapple juice and liquid smoke
  2. Place chicken in bottom of crock pot (does anyone else giggle at this? Where else would you place it? On the lid?)
  3. Pour bbq sauce mixture over chicken. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours. (If using frozen chicken, you may have to adjust time).
  4. Once cooked, shred chicken and place back in crock pot.
  5. Lay tortillas on flat surface and sprinkle with cheese down each tortilla. Top with shredded chicken and roll tightly. 
  6. Spray rolled taquitos with cooking spray and broil for 5-8 minutes or until cheese is melty.
  7. Serve with pineapple salsa (she makes her own, I used some from HEB) and ranch is optional (But is it? Really? Is ranch EVER optional?)

    How did I "fixer {s}upper"... 

    1. I am adamantly opposed to liquid smoke. Instead I used Weber Hickory Smoke BBQ - we had a jar in the pantry and it had "smoke" in the title, so I figured it would work. 
    2. I am adamantly for pineapple chunks, so I used diced pineapples with the juice.
    3. We used corn and flour tortillas. Both delicious.
    4. We rolled our taquitos and then put them in the freezer to flash freeze them. They stayed in ziplocks until ready to eat and baked at 420 degrees for 15 minutes. 
    5. Ranch was NOT optional. 
    I can't give enough praise to this recipe y'all. First, by flash freezing them on Sunday, it allowed me to enjoy the awesome weather and hang with the kids for an hour or so when we got home. It was so easy to pull some out of their bags, spray with cooking spray and bake. 


    Radley ate two taquitos and the girls each ate one... every bite. No complaints. It was the perfect mixture of crispy outside with gooey middle. They have already requested to eat them again tomorrow (and since I froze them - they are ready to go!)

    No go fix{er} some {s}upper!

    Any fun recipes I need to try?? Let me know!

    **Edited I just saw that Andrea was hosting a recipe sharing linkup today...head on over there for more tasty treats!**


    7 comments:

    1. I'm all about something I can have ready to throw in the oven that gets me extra time with my kids in the evening! Those taquitos look yummy. Thinking there are lots of different things that could be thrown up in there. Thinking this is definitely a winner for a traditional post! I am totally the same on that one...I never think I'm spontaneous until I try to force myself into a set pattern..haha

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    2. One thing I've started doing is cooking chicken and pork (separately) ahead of the time, shredding, then freezing in meal sized portions (I spread it out in the bag so it's flat so it will thaw faster). Then just thaw out (sink of water while we play games or go for a walk), then just add your sauce or flavorings. For pork, I'll add BBQ sauce for pulled pork sliders, taco seasoning for tacos, tomatoes/onions and serve over rice or noodles. I simply season the meat with salt, pepper and garlic since those are basically used as a base for anything.

      The meat is ready for any meal, just need to finish it up to your liking!

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      Replies
      1. That's a smart idea. I always forget about pork which is odd because it's my favorite. :)

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    3. This DEFINITELY needs to be a traditional post! Love it!

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    4. Not only do I have multiple thoughts running through my head all the time for my own blog....but I was thinking....so with the Fixer {S}upper spin you could do a whole recipe AND recap the actual Fixer Upper episode! No pressure!

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      Replies
      1. HAHAHA! Love this idea! Plus, I'm from Waco, so I'm basically besties with Chip and JoJo.

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