Salsa Verde Chicken

Salsa Verde Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 – 2 1/2 lbs boneless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 16 ounces salsa verde
• 12 oz cream cheese

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Instructions

1. Place all the ingredients in your Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
2. Set cooker to high pressure for 25 minutes.
3. When the timer goes off, quick release the pressure and shred the chicken with 2 forks.

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Notes
Slow Cooker option:
Prepare as instructed and cook on low heat for 6-7 hours or on high heat for 4 hours.
Before serving, add cream cheese. 

Chicken Taquitos

 Chicken Taquitos

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup (3 oz) cream cheese (low fat is fine, avoid fat free)
• 1/4 cup green salsa
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic, or garlic powder
• 3 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 2 Tablespoon sliced green onions
• 2 C shredded cooked chicken (for extra yumminess, use grilled taco chicken!)
• 1 C grated pepperjack or plain jack cheese
• small flour or corn tortillas
• kosher salt
• cooking spray or olive oil

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Instructions
For the filling

1. Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir.
2. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic.
3. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions.
4. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.
5. (You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.)

For the taquitos

1. Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.
2. If using corn tortillas, work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave, wrapped in damp paper towels until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If using flour tortillas straight from the fridge, it helps to warm them in the microwave so they’re easier to roll.
3. Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1 inch from the edges. Roll up tortillas and place seam down on a baking sheet, not touching one another. Spray lightly with cooking spray, or lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Dip in sour cream, or our favorite: Creamy Lime-Cilantro Ranch.

For the freezer instructions

1. Prepare the taquitos through rolling them out and placing them on the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze until solid, then transfer to a large freezer bag. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 and place the taquitos on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Homemade Hot chocolate

Grandma Smith's Hot Cocoa 

One large can powdered Nesquick (or other chocolate milk powder mix)

One large canister powdered coffee creamer

One large box powdered milk

Mix together and add hot water.  Typically, we add more chocolate powder because we like it extra chocolatey and on occasion sugar or powdered sugar.   The large containers should be approximately the same in ounces.

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

1 roll out pie crust from the refrigerated section (typically 2 in a box)

1 frozen bag of vegetables (any blend you choose- I typically get one with carrots, peas & green beans)

1 can cream of chicken (12-14 oz)

1 block cream cheese (16 oz)

2 boneless skinless chicken breast

Instructions:

1. Cook chicken and shred

2. Cook vegetables in the chicken broth left and then drain.

3. Add can of cream of mushroom, cram cheese, and shredded chicken together. Mix well

4. Line bottom of pan with 1 pie and cook 15 minutes in oven at 350 degrees.

5. Pull our of oven and add the filling. Place second pie crust over the top and stuff along edges into the bottom layer.

6. Cook at 350 degrees for approximately 30-45 minutes or until top crust is golden brown.

Christmas Sugar Cookies and Frosting

Sugar Cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon milk

Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Sprinkle surface where you will roll out dough with powdered sugar. Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. If dough has warmed during rolling, place cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill. Cut into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat, and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking time. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then move to complete cooling on wire rack. Serve as is or ice as desired. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week. 

Frosting

• 4 tablespoons meringue powder
• 4 cups (about 1 pound) powdered sugar
• 6 tablespoons warm water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Gel food coloring 

Instructions

1. In a large bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the meringue powder and powdered sugar, then slowly mix in the water and vanilla while the mixer is running on medium-low speed.  Increase speed to medium and beat until stiff peaks form, around 7-10 minutes.  This can be done with a hand mixer, but will take a couple minutes longer.
2. Divide the thick white icing into individual bowls for how ever many colors you want and add gel food coloring, a few drops at a time, mixing well until you achieve the shades you like.  From there, you can reserve half of each color at piping consistency for piping borders as described in the post, or thin all the icing to flood consistency.  
3. To thin each color to flood consistency, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time and stir well, continuing to add water by 1/2 teaspoon increments until you reach your desired consistency.  
4. Once your icing is colored and the right consistency, scoop it into a piping bag fitted with a size 2 or 3 tip.  Decorate your sugar cookies by first outlining the border, then filling in the middle with flood icing which should settle into itself.  Use a toothpick or scribe tool to fill in any gaps by spreading the icing around, then tap the cookie on the counter a few times to help the icing settle into a smooth, even layer.
5. Dry cookies at room temperature for 6-8 hours until the royal icing is completely firm before adding additional layers or design or stacking for transport.

Recipe Notes

Be sure all bowls and utensils are totally grease-free or your icing will never reach the consistency you are going for.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Royal Icing Recipe for Sugar Cookies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 156

% Daily Value*

Sodium 9mg 0%

Potassium 7mg 0%

Total Carbohydrates 39g 13%

Sugars 38g

Iron 0.1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Chick chili

Healthy Chicken Chili

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 (14 oz.) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1 (14 oz.) can corn, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 (8 oz.) package reduced-fat cream cheese
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, minced
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• fresh cilantro, garnish
• sour cream, garnish
• tortilla chips, garnish

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts and chicken broth in slow cooker, then add tomatoes, beans, corn, bell pepper, onion, jalapeño and garlic.



2. Season with cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper, then stir everything together, turn slow cooker on HIGH and cook for 3 hours.



3. Remove chicken breasts from slow cooker and place in a large bowl, then use two forks to shred chicken into small pieces.



4. Return chicken to slow cooker, then add cream cheese. Stir everything together, then cover slow cooker and continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes, or until cream cheese is melted.
5. Serve with tortilla chips

Crock pot Chicken Enhilada Soup

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound) 2 cups good-quality chicken stock 1 1/4 cup (or 1 10-ounce can) red enchilada sauce 2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained 1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with juice 1 (15-ounce) can whole-kernel corn**, drained 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 white onion, peeled and diced 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon salt, or more/less to taste optional garnishes: chopped fresh cilantro, diced avocado, diced red onion, shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips/chips Directions: Add all ingredients to a slow cooker, and stir to combine. Cook for 3-4 hours on high heat or 6-8 hours on low heat, until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily. Use two forks to shred the chicken. Garnish with Tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, or whatever you choose