Kitchen Adventures 16.2

As fall approaches, I tend to turn to my crock pot. I really should use it during the summer when it's so ridiculously hot and turning the oven on just sounds like a terrible idea, but that's a change for next year. I have a couple crock pot cookbooks and though there is some overlap between them all, each has its perks. 

I usually stick to the same thing from each cookbook, but this time I decided to try something different. It was pretty good, but by the third day I was tired of it. Keep that in mind when checking this one out; it might be better for a family of three or more.

This recipe came from Rival Crock-Pot 3 Books in 1 cookbook that was published in 2007. There are a couple different versions and when I checked Google Books and Amazon all the copies were pretty expensive, so if you want a copy you'll either have to pay some big bucks, check the local bookstores/estate sales/ garage sales or your library.

Campbell's Nacho Chicken and Rice Wraps

Ingredients:

2 cans Campbell's cheddar cheese soup
1 c. water
2 c. Pace chunky salsa or picante sauce
1 1/4 c. uncooked regular long-grain white rice
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
10 flour tortillas (10 in. diameter)

Directions:

1. Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray or use a crock liner. Mix soup, water, salsa, rice and chicken in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours.
2. Spoon about 1 cup rice mixture down the center of a tortilla. Fold the ends up and roll the tortilla around the filling.

Unfortunately I do not have an image of this dish. Picture a chicken and rice burrito and you've got it. :)

Kitchen Adventures 15.1

Every month I look forward to finding my Every Day with Rachael Ray in my mailbox. Not only do I get great recipes from the magazine and find neat home and gift ideas, but sometimes the advertisements provide useful recipes as well. Occasionally these are all I cut out of the magazines! Mostly they show how to use a company's products to make a lovely dish, but you can of course use whatever brand you want. It's not like the company is going to track you down or anything. :)

I made this casserole in the heat of August. Why, I'm not quite sure, since it was still ridiculously hot outside. I guess I just wanted something easy to make and this seemed to fit. Of course, I hadn't read the recipe very closely because it of course took longer than I thought it would, but it still turned out ok. Just keep that in mind--you've got to precook your pasta and chicken before putting it all together, so build that time in to your prep time.

This recipe is from a Campbell's soup advertisement.

Hearty Chicken & Noodle Casserole

Ingredients:

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. milk
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1 c. frozen mixed vegetables
2 c. cubed cooked chicken
2 c. medium egg noodles, cooked and drained
1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions::

1. Stir soup, milk, black pepper, Parmesan cheese, vegetables, chicken and noodles in a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.
2. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until hot, then stir.
3. Top with the Cheddar cheese.

Kitchen Adventures 13.2

When someone says "down home cooking," people can have different ideas. For me, it makes me think of casseroles, roast, potatoes, and veggies. Normally meat and veggies combined comes in the form of pot roast and veggies. However, I found a pie recipe, similar to a chicken pot pie, that is quite delicious.

This dish took some effort, mainly because I ended up with way too much food for my cooking dish. You really do need a deep pie dish or a skillet for this one. I ended up using my pie dish for part of it and baked the rest of the filling wrapped up in the remainder of the crust. That turned out pretty well, too, which just proves mistakes can be delicious.

This recipe is another one from Every Day with Rachael Ray.

Beef, Cheddar and Potato Pie

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground beef'
2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 stalks celery, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 large baking potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 c. dark beer
8 ounces shredded Sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed but cool
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 T. butter

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the beef, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, and potato in a large skillet, breaking up the meat, over medium-high heat until the beef is cooked through and some liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, add the beer and cook for 10 minutes. Add the cheese, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then let cool.
2. On a floured surface, roil 1 puff pastry sheet into a 12-inch round. Place this in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet or deep pie dish. Roll the remaining pastry into an 11-inch round. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat mixture into the skillet/pie dish. Lightly brush the edges of the crust with some egg wash, then place the second pastry sheet on top. Press the edges to seal, then trim to a 1/2-inch edge.
3. Place the pie on a baking sheet. Brush the top with the egg wash and cut an "X" in the top. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bake for 45 minutes. Tent the pie with foil if the crust darkens too quickly. Transfer to a rack to cool for 15 minutes when done.