White Bean Chicken Chili

I have to admit I used the fast and easy recipe on this one. I got this recipe off of Sisters Cafe. We really liked this soup and it turned out to be a quick and easy week night meal.

White Bean Chicken Chili

1 lb great northern beans ( i like to use Navy beans-they are smaller)

1-2 lbs cooked and shredded chicken

6 cups chicken broth

1 Tb olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

2- 4oz cans diced green chilis

2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated

*additional grated jack cheese and cilantro for garnish

1. Soak beans overnight. Drain, rinse and pick over to remove bad beans. Add broth to beans and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer beans until tender (usually all day in crockpot on low).

2 Heat olive oil in a skillet and saute onion and garlic until onions are translucent (about 10 minutes). Mix in green chilies an spices. Add to the beans. Stir in chicken and then cheese. Stir until thick.

Garnish with grated Monterey Jack cheese and fresh chopped cilantro.

Fast and Easy Method

**This makes a delicious soup in a matter of minutes**

For Step 1: Instead of cooking 1 lb beans in 6 cups of broth--just open 3 (14oz) cans of great Northern (or Navy) beans and 2 (14oz) cans Chicken broth and then proceed with recipe.

Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken

I love to make this meal on a weeknight when I don't have a lot of time. It is very quick to put together and tastes fantastic. As you can see in the picture I didn't have carrots the night I made it.

Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken

Serves 4

2 Tbs olive oil, divided

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 carrot, sliced diagonally into 1/4 inch pieces

1 (10 oz) package frozen broccoli florets, thawed

2 cloves garlic, minced

12 oz angel hair pasta

2/3 cup chicken broth

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat 1 Tbs oil in a medium skillet over medium heat; add chicken. Cook, stirring, until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels. Heat remaining oil in same skillet. Begin heating water for pasta. Add carrot to skillet; cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add broccoli and garlic to skillet; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes longer. Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, add chicken broth, basil and Parmesan to skillet. Stir to combine. Return chicken to skillet. Reduce heat and simmer for 4 minutes. Drain pasta. Place in a large serving bowl. Top with chicken and vegetable mixture. Serve immediately.

Quick Skillet Italian Chicken

As I look at this picture I realize that it doesn't look all that appetizing. Please don't let that deter you from making this dish. It is so easy and tastes delicious. Maybe one of these days I will work on making better pictures.

Quick Skillet Italian Chicken

4 frozen chicken breasts

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup green or yellow bell pepper, chopped

14 1/2 oz can Italian style stewed tomatoes

2 Tbs. lemon juice

1 12 oz pkg. Fettuccine (or other pasta)

2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup black olives, pitted & sliced

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in large skillet. Add frozen chicken in single layer & saute 3 min. on each side or until lightly brown. Add onion, bell pepper, stewed tomatoes & lemon juice. Cover and simmer 25-30 min. or until chicken is no longer pink inside. While chicken is cooking, prepare fettuccine, according to package directions. Keep warm. When chicken is ready to serve, divide pasta among 4 dinner plates. Top with chicken breasts & tomato sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and sliced olives.

Beef and Broccoli

The fam really enjoyed this recipe and it was so simple to make. I think this will be a common meal at our house. I used what ever rice I had on hand. The broccoli had a great taste from being tossed in the oil mixture. Usually my vegetables are very plain so this was a nice change.

Beef and Broccoli

2 beef sirloin or ribeye steak, 1 inch think

1 cup jasmine rice

2 green onions, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 tsp. sesame oil

2 tsp. sugar

2 Tbs. soy sauce

1 lb. broccoli florets

Place refrigerate steak in freezer for a few minutes so it's easier to slice. Prepare rice as label directs. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 1 Tbs. sliced green onion, 1 tsp. minced garlic, 2 tsp. sesame oil, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Set aside. Take steak out of freezer and cut into very thin slices. Toss into a bowl with 1 Tbs. soy sauce, white parts of sliced green onion and remaining garlic. Set aside. In a 12 inch skillet, pour 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Add broccoli and cook a few minutes until tender. Drain well and then add broccoli to first bowl of oil mixture and toss. Heat 2 tsp. sesame oil in same skillet and cook beef until you like it. Stir in remaining green onions and some salt and pepper. Then stir in remaining soy sauce. Serve with rice and broccoli.

Chicken Fried Rice

This is such an easy recipe and a favorite at our house. I have also used leftover pork and it was just as good. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of butter. I have never used that much. I only use about 1/4 cup. I can usually make this recipe in 30 to 40 minutes.

Chicken Fried Rice

1 to 2 chicken breasts or 10 chicken tenders ( cut into small pieces)

3 scrambled eggs

2 carrots (finely grated)

1/2 white onion (finely chopped)

3/4 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup butter

1 to 2 garlic cloves (crushed) or 1 tsp of garlic powder

2 cups white rice (not instant)

Marinate chicken in soy sauce, if you do not have much time, mix it with chicken before cooking. In a large frying pan cook chicken in small amount of olive oil, add carrots and onions and saute until clear.

Add frozen peas and cook until soft

In a separate pan cook rice then add to the mixture.

In another pan, scramble three eggs, chop finely and add to mixture

Melt 1/2 cup butter, add crushed garlic cloves to butter, stir and add to mixture

Mix all together well, add soy sauce to taste.

Carne Asada Tacos

I apologize for not having a picture for this. I hope to make it again soon so that I can remember to take a picture. This is a new twist on tacos and we really liked it. Very easy and you can also freeze the left over meat for another meal. I however used the left overs to make Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches which were really really good. I will post that recipe some time soon. I found this recipe on Deals to Meals.

Carne Asada Tacos (freezer meal)

5 lbs. Roast Beef, cooked, shredded
Or 5 lbs. Steak, grilled and sliced thinly
1 T. Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 onion, sliced thinly
2 limes, sliced thinly
1 T. Beef Bouillon

Pico de Gallo Salsa:
5 large Tomatoes, diced small
1 bunch Cilantro, diced coarsely
1 large onion, diced small
½ c. Lime Juice (approximate)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Tortillas Coijita Cheese

Cook roast in crock pot (4-6 hours). Season meat with steak seasoning, bouillon, lime slices and onion in crock pot. Place meat mixture in flour tortilla. Top with cheese and Pico de Gallo salsa.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

I cut this recipe in half because I knew my family would not eat the whole thing and I didn't think it would be very good as left overs. I was so glad I did. I used one can of green enchilada sauce. I also had some chicken that I had cooked already, so I simmered it in the enchilada sauce for a few minutes. This came together very fast especially with the chicken already cooked. Seems like most of the ingredients are optional so play around with it. We really liked it as long as it had the sour cream on it. Without the sour cream it would just be okay.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

1-2 chicken breasts
1 28 oz can enchilada sauce (or 2 small cans or one small can and one can tomato sauce)
1/2 c corn (optional)
1/2 small onion (optional)
Tortilla Chips, crushed
1 c shredded cheese
sliced olives (optional)
sour cream (optional)

Put endhilada sauce into sauce pan. Add chicken breasts, corn and onions to sauce and boil. Once chicken is boiled and cooked through, shred.
While chicken is cooking, preheat oven to 350.
Take a 9x13 pan and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Line pan with crushed tortilla chips.
Pour chicken, corn, onion and sauce mixture over chips.
Top with cheese and olives.
Bake for 20-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown.
Top with sour cream and serve.

Quick and Easy Nachos

Made these tonight for dinner, and everyone loved them.  I think it took me all of 15 min. to get dinner on the table.  These would make a great appetizer as well.

1 bag tortilla chips

1 can black beans

1/2 lb ground beef or turkey

taco seasoning

sliced olives

shredded cheese

sour cream

green onions

guacamole

salsa

-spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.  Cover cookie sheet with tortilla chips. Sprinkle a small amount of cheese on tortilla chips.   Drain and rinse black beans and heat until warmed through.  Brown meat with 3/4 C water and 1/4 C taco seasoning.  Spoon beans, meat, olives and then cheese on chips.  Put in oven on broil for 5-10 min.  Watch carefully and take out when cheese is melted.  serve with sour cream, onions, salsa and guacamole.