lacinato kale salad

lacinato kale salad
Ingredients:
1 bunch (whole head) lacinato/dinosaur kale or curly kale or red kale, large stems removed, thinly sliced - I have actually mixed 1/2 lacinato kale with 1/2 curly kale
and it's a wonderful combination, but my everyday preference is the lacinato kale.
juice of 1 lemon - use a hand juicer to get the most juice from your lemon . If your lemon seems extremely juicy, then I would just add 3 tablespoons. I have
noticed that in the winter my lemons have been extra juicy and the dressing can be a bit tart, so I sometimes add 3 tablespoons and give it a taste and add more if
needed.
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced - I always use 3 cloves
pinch of salt & pepper, to taste
pinch of red pepper flakes, to taste
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese - you can use more or less here or omit it all together, it's up to you. I just throw in a handful and call it a day!
A note about purchasing lacinato kale: Don’t purchase lacinato kale that feels tough and paper-like. It will not breakdown and thus will not absorb the
dressing even when you massage it. Kale is best when its soft and pliable, (feels like regular lettuce) as it absorbs the dressing and is tender when eaten.
Wash and de-stem the kale and cut into thin strips. If you're using curly kale then just de-stem and tear the leaves into bite size pieces. Throw the kale leaves into a
salad bowl.
Whisk together in glass measuring cup the juice of 1 lemon, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 cloves minced garlic, pinch of red pepper flakes, pinch of salt and freshly ground
pepper. Make sure to whisk the ingredients together well.
Pour the dressing over the kale and make sure to massage it well so that all the kale absorbs the dressing. When I say, “massage” your kale, I literally mean, get your
hands in there and massage it.
After your kale is well tossed, add 2/3 of the parmesan cheese and toss again.

french toast bake

French Toast Bake

Ingredient Checklist
1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
1 cup brown sugar
1 loaf Texas toast
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar for sprinkling
Directions
1. Melt butter in microwave & add brown sugar....stir till mixed.
2. Pour butter/sugar mix into bottom of 9 x 13 pan....spread around
3. Beat eggs, milk, & vanilla
4. Lay single layer of Texas Toast in pan
5. Spoon 1/2 of egg mixture on bread layer
6. Add 2nd layer of Texas Toast
7. Spoon on remaining egg mixture
8. Cover & chill in fridge overnight
9. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes (covered for the first 30 minutes)
10. Sprinkle with powdered sugar
11. Serve with warm maple syrup

red lobster shrimp scampi

Famous Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi

1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon pure olive oil.
... 2 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups white wine, I use chardonnay
1/2 fresh lemon, Juice only
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
1/2 cup softened butter
1 tablespoon parsley
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions:

1
Heat cast iron skillet and add olive oil.
2
Add shrimp and cook until tender and no longer translucent, reduce heat. Remove Shrimp and set aside.
3
Add garlic and cook 2-3 minutes. Do not allow garlic to brown - it will make it bitter.
4
Add white wine, and lemon juice.
5
Cook until wine is reduced by half. After it is reduced, add Italian seasoning.
6
Reduce heat to low, and add butter. If pan is too hot, the butter will separate.
7
Add shrimp back into sauce, add parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
8
Sprinkle with grated Parmesan Cheese.

loaded baked potatoe and chicken casserole

Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

2lbs chicken breast
8 potatoes
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS fresh Ground Pepper
1 TBS Paprika
2 TBS Garlic Powder
6 TBS Hot Sauce
{Toppings}
2 cups Shredded Cheese
1 cup crumbled Bacon
1 cup diced Green Onion

Instructions
Preheat oven 500F (NOT a typo) 
In a large bowl mix Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper, Paprika, Garlic Powder & Hot Sauce
Cube the potatoes & add to the bowl
Coat a 9x13 dish with cooking spray
Add potatoes, allow for excess sauce in the bowl
Bake the potatoes for 45 minutes, stir every 15 minutes
Cube the chicken & add it to the bowl with the left over sauce
Mix together cheese, bacon & green onion in a small separate bowl
Once potatoes are done, lower oven temp to 400F, add the uncooked marinated chicken
Then layer the toppings over the chicken
Bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked

bacon & cheddar potatoe cakes

Bacon and Cheddar Potato Cakes

3 slices bacon
4 cups cold leftover mashed potatoes
2 eggs
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions
Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon slices, crumble, and set aside. Leave the bacon drippings in the skillet.
Mix the mashed potatoes, eggs, onion powder, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl; stir in the crumbled bacon and Cheddar cheese.
Form the mixture into 8 patties. Heat the bacon drippings over medium heat, and pan-fry the patties in the drippings until crisp on each side, about 4 minutes per side.

cheesy ham biscuit pull apart

Cheesy Ham Biscuit Pull Aparts
1 (16.3 oz) Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers Biscuits (I used the buttery flavor).
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup diced ham
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 11 x 7 or 12 x 8 glass baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, beat egg and milk with a wire whisk until smooth.

Separate dough into individual biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters. Gently stir biscuit pieces into egg mixture to coat evenly. Fold in ham, cheese, onions and granulated garlic. Spoon mixture into prepared dish, arrange biscuit pieces in a single layer.

Baked at 350 for 23 - 25 minutes or until golden brown. You can either cut into squares or just pull apart and serve.

baked parmessan papikra chicken

aked Parmesan Paprika Chicken

Ingredients:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour( i used almond flour)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons milk( i used buttermilk)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup butter, melted

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a shallow baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine flour, parmesan, paprika, salt, and pepper in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Dip the chicken in the egg, then dredge in the flour mixture. Place in the baking dish, and pour the melted butter evenly over the chicken.
Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cheese has browned, and the chicken has cooked.

crazy good casserole

CRAZY GOOD CASSEROLE
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 strips of quality bacon – cooked and crumbled
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1 box (16 ounces) dried spiral pasta
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Salt & pepper to taste

Cook & crumble bacon. While bacon is cooking, cut chicken into bite-sized chunks. Set cooked bacon aside for later use. In the same pan, cook chicken in bacon drippings. Add garlic powder & salt & pepper to taste.

While chicken is cooking, prepare pasta according to directions. Spray a 9 xc 13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Drain pasta, return to pot. Add chicken, both cans of cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of Monterrey Jack cheese ~ stir to mix well. Pour into prepared baking dish. Top with crumbled bacon. Top with remaining Monterrey Jack cheese. Back at 400 for about 20 minutes, just until cheese is melted and beginning to brown on top.

fried mashed tator balls

Fried Mashed Potato Balls

Ingredients
2 cups cold mashed potatoes
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup real bacon bits
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
Oil for frying ( I use Canola Oil )

Instructions
Place mashed potatoes in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stir in the egg, cheese, onions and bacon bits. Shape into 1-in. balls; roll in bread crumbs. Let stand for 15 minutes.
In an electric skillet, heat 1 inch of oil to 375°. Fry potato balls, a few at a time, for 2-1/2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

chicken breast stuffed with pepper jack and spinach

Perfect for low carb, pair this with a salad and your have a great low carb meal!

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded (you can use up to 6 oz)
1 c frozen spinach, thawed and drained (you can also use fresh cooked spinach)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp breadcrumbs (I use Italian style)
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Lots of toothpicks

Directions

Preheat oven to 180 (350 degreesf ).

Flatten the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness.

In a medium bowl, combine the pepper jack cheese, spinach, salt and pepper.

Combine the Cajun seasoning and breadcrumbs together in a small bowl.

Spoon about 1/4 c of the spinach mixture onto each chicken breast. Roll each chicken breast tightly and fasten the seams with several toothpicks. This part requires a tiny bit of skill and I typically use about 8 toothpicks in each roll to ensure none of the filling seeps out. Be sure to count how many total toothpicks were used!

Brush each chicken breast with the olive oil. Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning mixture evenly over all. Sprinkle any remaining spinach and cheese on top of chicken (optional).

Place the chicken seam-side up onto a tin foil-lined baking sheet (for easy cleanup). Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Remove the toothpicks before serving. Count to make sure you have removed every last toothpick. Serve whole or slice into medallians

breakfast muffins

I was asked to repost again! Don't miss this one!!! They are delicious!! If you SHARE it you will save it!!

Breakfast Egg Muffins To Go

Eggs are one of the most versatile breakfast foods around, but few of us can spare the time to cook them in the morning. These eggs muffins are designed to be cooked ahead of time, then grabbed on the go. Egg muffins will keep one week in the refrigerator. Microwave 30 seconds to reheat.

Just add a variety of different goodies to your tin. Maybe 6 with bacon, onion & cheese and 6 with spinach, mushrooms and ham. You can't mess this up! In the morning, just grab a couple from your ziploc and nuke them and away you go! No unhealthy trip to Micky D's. ;

Lots of variations Enjoy!

Yield - 12 muffins

1/2 pound ground Italian pork or turkey sausage

4 ounces frozen chopped broccoli florets

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

12 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

12 parchment paper muffin wrappers or 12 silicone muffin cups

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until no longer pink.

In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave frozen broccoli florets until thawed (approximately 4 minutes) and drain.

If using a muffin tin, line tin with parchment paper wrappers. If using silicone muffin cups, place cups on a baking sheet lined with foil (to catch any egg overflow and making clean-up much easier!).

In a large bowl, combine sausage, broccoli and cheese. Spoon mixture into cups, filling them 2/3 of the way, leaving room to add the egg mixture.

In another bowl with a pour spout, beat together 12 eggs. Add salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture into each muffin cup, being careful to leave a little room (1/4 inch or so) at the top.

Bake 25 minutes, or until muffins have risen and are firm.

Variation: Instead of Italian sausage, try diced bacon, Canadian bacon, ham, chorizo or crumbled breakfast sausage. Try other veggies such as diced red pepper, spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, etc. Mix and match at will!

blueberry cobbler

Blueberry cobbler
1cp milk
1cp flour
1cp sugar
1 stick butter
3tsp baking powder
1qt blueberries
Melt butter add milk and dry ingredients mix well. Pour into greased baking dish add blueberries-DO NOT MIX. Bake for 20 mins or until golden brown @ 350.

pumpkin cream cheese bars

Skinny Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars

• 1 box angel food cake mix- the 1 step kind
• 1 15oz can Pumpkin
• 3/4 Cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 8oz pkg. reduced fat cream cheese
• -few tablespoons of water, to be mixed with cream cheese

I let the cream cheese soften on the counter for a while then I added it to my stand mixer & beat it with a couple of tablespoons of water until smooth. I just wanted it to thin out a little bit.

In a separate bowl, mix the cake mix, pumpkin, water, & cinnamon together until it is smooth & well mixed.

In a 9x13 pyrex dish- sprayed with PAM- add HALF of the cake –pumpkin mix. Then smooth it out with a rubber spatula. Drizzle half of the cream cheese over the top of it and take a small spatula to smooth it over the top. Add remaining cake-pumpkin mix & also the remaining cream cheese just making layers. Finally take a butter knife- stick it into the mix and go back & forth over the top of the cake making figure “8’s” - to blend it a bit.

Bake for 35 minutes at 375 degrees OR until a toothpick comes out clean.

sweet baby rays crockpot chicken

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!!!

Sweet Baby Ray's Crockpot Chicken

4-6 chicken breast
1 btl Sweet Baby Ray's sauce
1/4 c vinegar
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 c brown sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
Mix everything but chicken
Place chicken in crockpot (frozen is ok)
Pour sauce mixture over chicken
Cook on low 4-6 hours

caramel chex

Caramel Crispix

Ingredients
2 small boxes of Crispix Cereal
2 cups of butter 
2 cups of brown sugar
½ cup Light Karo syrup
½ tsp Vanilla
½ tsp Baking Soda

Instructions
Melt butter in a sauce pan. Add brown sugar and bring to a boil. Add Karo syrup, vanilla and baking soda. Put the cereal in a large bowl then pour mixture over the cereal.

double choc cola cake

I can still remember my Mom pouring out a bottle of Coke to make this cake. It was our favorite. This cake is so moist and the icing is just irresistible. I hope you get a chance to make this one.

Double Chocolate Coca Cola Cake

1 cup Coca Cola (real thing, not diet)
1/2 cup oil
1 stick butter
3 Tablespoon cocoa
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting:

1 stick butter
3 Tablespoon cocoa
6 Tablesppon of cream or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar

In a saucepan, mix Coca Cola, oil, butter and cocoa and bring to a boil. In another bowl, combine the sugar, flour and salt. Pour the boiling Cola mixture over the flour mixture and beat well. Add the eggs, buttermilk, soda and vanilla and beat well. Pour mixture into a greased and floured 13 x 9 inch baking pan and bake at 350 degrees or 20 to 25 minutes. Remove pan. Cool for about 10 minutes before frosting.

Frosting: In a saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa, and milk. Heat until the butter melts. Beat in the remaining ingredients and spread on the cake while it's still warm. Enjoy!

cream cheese mints

These remind me of my Grandmother, who made these often...

~ Cream Cheese Mints Recipe ~ sweet, minty, and melt-in-your-mouth
creamy!
Ingredients:
8 ounces soft cream cheese
6 tablespoons soft butter
3/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract (NOT mint extract)
2 pounds sifted powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 drops red food coloring

Combine and push mint mixture into a pastry bag, icing syringe or squeeze bottle with a decorative tip. Create desired shapes for mints. Let set 1 hour.

crockpot beef and broccoli

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR RECIPES I'VE POSTED!

CROCKPOT BEEF AND BROCCOLI

Ingredients
1 pound boneless beef chuck roast, sliced into thin strips
1 cup beef consumme
½ cup soy sauce
⅓ cup brown sugar or honey
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cooled sauce from the crock pot after being cooked

Fresh broccoli florets (as many as desired)
Hot cooked rice (brown rice, or riced cauliflower)

Directions
1. Place beef in a crock pot.
2. In a small bowl, combine consomme, soy sauce, brown sugar/honey, oil, and garlic. Pour over beef. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
3. In a cup, stir cornstarch and sauce form the crock pot until smooth. Add to crock pot. Stir well to combine. (If your sauce is not thickening, try bringing your sauce to a boil on the stovetop with the corn starch mixture. Boil until your desired consistency is reached).
4. Add broccoli to the crock pot. Stir to combine.
5. Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes on high (the sauce has to boil for it to thicken).
6. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Cheese Potato & Smoked Sausage Casserole

Cheese Potato & Smoked Sausage Casserole

Ingredients:
3 cups Idaho potatoes, peeled, boiled and cut into cubes when cool, approx. 1 lb.
4 tablespoons butter
... 4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 lb. Velveeta cheese, diced
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lb. smoked sausage
1/8 teaspoon paprika

Directions:
Cut skinless smoked sausage in half, lengthwise, and then chop into 1/2 inch "half moon" cuts. Cook in a frying pan for about 15 minutes, turning frequently to SLIGHTLY brown.
Meanwhile, put cooked & diced potatoes in 2 quart casserole. Add cooked meat and give it a gentle toss.
Mix all remaining ingredients (except for shredded cheddar cheese & the paprika) in a saucepan over medium heat until warm, melted and smooth. (Use a whisk and stir constantly.).
Pour white/cheese sauce over potatoes and meat. Sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top, and then sprinkle paprika evenly over the top.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 35-45 minutes (watch, until golden brown on top).

Raspberry Zinger Poke Cake

OMG, I got this off a friends post!! Yummmy!

Raspberry Zinger Poke Cake

1 white or yellow cake mix (also water, vegetable oil and eggs/eggs whites as instruc...ted on box)
1 box (3 oz.) raspberry-flavored gelatin
1 c. boiling water
1/2 c. cold water
1 container (8 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed
¾ cup shredded sweetened coconut

Bake cake according to package directions and cool completely. Pierce cooled cake all over with a fork. In a small bowl, stir gelatin and boiling water until sugar is dissolved. Stir in cold water. Pour over cake, cover, and refrigerate 2 or more hours (overnight is fine). Frost with whipped cream and sprinkle coconut over the top. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Serve cold and refrigerate any leftovers.

CHICKEN ALFREDO LASAGNA ROLLS

CHICKEN ALFREDO LASAGNA ROLLS 

9 lasagna noodles
2 ½ cups alfredo sauce
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
oregano
garlic salt
3 cups shredded Mozzarella, or cheese of your choice

Spray an 8x8 pan with non-stick spray and pour ½ cup alfredo sauce, or just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Boil 8-10 cups water in a large pan, cook lasagne noodles until al dente. (I usually cook 1 or 2 extra just because lasagna noodles always seem to break on me when I am stirring them.)
Now this is the important part! Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water to prevent them from sticking to each other. Then, lay out each noodle individually and blot dry with a paper towel.

Spread about 2 Tbs. alfredo sauce over each noodle. (if there is too much sauce you will have a big mess on your hands!) Sprinkle oregano and garlic salt on top of sauce. Take 1/9 of the shredded chicken and spread it out evenly over each noodle. Add approx. 3 Tbs. cheese. To roll up, start at one end and roll the noodle over the toppings. You will need to lift the noodle a little to prevent squishing out the inside ingredients while rolling.

Place the roll-ups in the pan, one by one, seam-side down so they don't come undone. Once they are all in the pan, pour the remaining alfredo sauce over the top. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted on top. I sometimes broil mine the last 5 minutes to make the cheese toasty on top.

CHICKEN ALFREDO WITH BISCUIT CASEROLE

Chicken Alfredo With Biscuits Casserole

1 tablespoon butter
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 jar (16 oz) Alfredo pasta sauce
1/4 cup skim milk
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cups frozen broccoli florets, thawed
1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 can (7.5 oz) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
In 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Cook mushrooms and onion in butter, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in Alfredo sauce, milk, chicken, broccoli and basil. Cook until mixture is thoroughly heated and bubbly, stirring constantly. Spoon into baking dish.
Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Cut each biscuit in half crosswise. Arrange around edge of baking dish, overlapping slightly. Drizzle biscuits with melted butter; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown

GERMAN SKILLET DINNER

German Skillet Dinner~ absolutely wonderful
3 tbl butter or margarine
1/2 cabbage , chopped
2/3 c uncooked rice (I use minute rice)
1 med onion, chopped
2 lbs hamburger
1 can diced tomatoes or rotel tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in skillet, layer cabbage, uncooked rice, onion, raw crumbled hamburger, salt and pepper, then tomatoes. Cover with lid and simmer 25-35 minutes until rice, cabbage and burger are done. Do not stir or lift lid until done.

green chili chicken enchiladas

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Prep time 5 Min   Total time 25 Min   Serves 4

Ingredients

• ½ cup Hidden Valley^® Original Ranch^® Dressing
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 can (19 ounce) enchilada sauce
• 1½ cups shredded Mexican or Cheddar cheese, divided
• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 2 tablespoons diced green chiles, rinsed and drained
• 4 10-inch flour tortillas, warmed

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, ¾ cup of the cheese, dressing, sour cream and green chiles and stir until well blended. Divide the mixture evenly between the tortillas, and roll the tortillas.
3. Place the tortillas, seam side down in an oiled 9-inch baking dish. Spoon the enchilada sauce around the tortillas and top with the remaining cheese.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and is bubbly.

chicken enchilada soup

THE Chicken Enchilada Soup

from thehalfbakedlife.com

**i have not tried this,... but it was posted this morning by one of our memebers!!!*** it sounds good, though.
Cook time
8 hours
Total time
8 hours 30 mins

A delicious slow cooker enchilada soup that is perfect for everyone in your family!
Author: MJ
Recipe type: Main
Serves: 12
Ingredients
2 medium onions – chopped
4 garlic cloves – chopped
1 quart chicken stock
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
2 (10 oz) cans mild enchilada sauce
2 limes – juiced
6 small corn tortillas, minced
16 oz light Velveeta – cubed
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
3 Chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (chili lime chicken is good or use leftover rotisserie chicken)
2 cups canned black beans – rinsed and drained
Garnishes
Avocado slices, sour cream, tortilla chips, shredded cheese

Instructions
Add all ingredients, except chicken and black beans, into large slow cooker
Stir to combine ingredients
Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours
About 30 minutes to 1 hour before ready to serve use an immersion blender to blend soup until smooth
After soup is smooth add in chicken and black beans
Cook on high to heat soup and chicken through for 30 minutes to 1 hour
Serve in large bowls, about 1½ cups of soup, with any garnishes you prefer

crockpot ranch pork chops

Crockpot Ranch Pork chops:
package of boneless pork chops
1 can of Cream of Chicken soup
1 packet dry Ranch dressing mix

In crockpot layer pork chops, add the cream of chuicken soup, then sprinkle dry Ranch dressing all over.
Cover and cook on high for 4 hours OR Low for 6 hours.

The porkchops come out very tender and the flavor is amazing! You also get a good gravy for mashed potatoes 

jalapeno popper dip

Jalapeño Popper Dip

Ingredients

1 4oz can diced jalapenos, well drained OR 4-6 fresh jalapenos, roasted and diced (include seeds if you like it really spicy)
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup + 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 tablespoon dried parsley
Instructions

In a mixer or by hand, combine cream cheese and sour cream.
Add cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, and diced jalapenos, mix well.
Spoon into 8x8 baking dish, spreading evenly.
Blend bread crumbs, melted butter, 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese, and dried parsley, using a fork or your fingers, until crumbly.
Sprinkle the buttery crumb topping evenly over the cream cheese mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until hot and breadcrumbs are golden brown. Do not overcook.
Serve with bread or crackers.

bacon cheddar potatoe cakes

Bacon Cheddar Potato Cakes* (www.keyingredient.com)

Ingredients
3 slices bacon
4 cups cold leftover mashed potatoes
2 eggs
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions


Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon slices, crumble, and set aside. Leave the bacon drippings in the skillet.

Mix the mashed potatoes, eggs, onion powder, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl; stir in the crumbled bacon and Cheddar cheese.

Form the mixture into 8 patties. Heat the bacon drippings over medium heat, and pan-fry the patties in the drippings until crisp on each side, about 4 minutes per side.