Dump and Go Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy

It only takes 5 Ingredients and a Slow Cooker to make this hearty comfort meal!

It's New Year's Eve!  I'm kissing 2019 goodbye and looking forward to a strong, positive and forward moving 2020.  How about you?

We don't really make resolutions for the New Year as resolutions tend to be specific and goal oriented and let's be honest, we never really stick to them for very long.  Instead we do something we call New Year's "intentions".  I heard about these several years ago and they really resonated with me.  

Deepak Chopra said, “intentions are the starting point of every dream—the seed of creation.”  Don't you just love that?  Intentions are statements and declarations of what you both desire and consciously intend to be, learn, do, have, feel or experience in a coming period of time, like the coming year.  Instead of saying, "I want to lose 10 pounds" say "I would love to have a better relationship with food."

Some of my intentions deal with taking charge of my life and job.  Not to allow circumstances control me.  Just getting my strength back and creating my destiny.  Another has to do with food.  Such as, not stressing over creating the most perfect dish each night, and not worrying about repeat dishes.  As a blogger I cook a new dish most days with little repeats.  This is tiring!  So my intention is to ease up on cooking new meals constantly and to create a base of EASY dishes I can count on in a pinch.  In comes today's recipe.

DUMP AND GO SLOW COOKER CHICKEN AND GRAVY

Comfort food galore....and easy to boot!  This is a simple version of my mom's chicken and gravy she served while I was growing up...but easier.  All you need is a slow cooker and 5 ingredients.  Dump and go recipes are just that.  You literally dump everything in the slow cooker and turn it on.  4 hours later you will have the most wonderful chicken and mushrooms with gravy.  

Use whatever chicken pieces you enjoy.  I used boneless skinless chicken breast since that's what I had on hand.  Serve this with mashed potatoes or rice and a vegetable and a dinner roll and you are set.  But what about leftovers???  Yes! leftovers are fabulous too!  Just shred up that chicken and put it in a toasted french roll, and don't forget to drizzle on the mushrooms and some gravy. Ah Mazing!  

Go ahead and take a cooking break!  You deserve it, and this fabulous meal.
Enjoy!





Dump and Go Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy


serves 4-6

2 pounds chicken pieces - I used boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (1-ounce) packet dried onion soup mix
2 (.75 to 1-ounce) packets brown gravy mix
3 cups water
8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms

Mix the onion soup mix, gravy mixes and water together in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the chicken, making sure it is covered with liquid.  Add the mushrooms and then cover.  Cook on low for 4 hours.

Note: if you prefer a thicker sauce mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Pour this in the slow cooker and stir. Turn the heat to high and cook for 20 minutes.

1 Hour Dinner Rolls

1 Hour Dinner Rolls is an honest to goodness simple basic dinner roll recipe that is done in a flash.

Yum

It's Christmas Eve, Eve...

We're getting ready for the Holiday over here and today I'm doing my last minute grocery shopping.  I like to start any make ahead items that I have on the menu the day before the holiday so that the cooking on the big day is stress free....or at least less frantic!

I make my dessert the day before, such as this Easy Chocolate Coconut Tart or my Pumpkin Pie with Orange Marmalade.  I prep my salads such as Ina's Winter Slaw or my Arugula Spinach Salad with Feta, Cranberries, and Pecans and dress them the day of.  Plus I also make any type of homemade bread if I'm serving that.

1 HOUR DINNER ROLLS

Today we are going to make 1 Hour Dinner Rolls.  These rolls are sooooo delicious and really super easy to make.  Honestly, a stand mixer does all the work for you so you can have hot steamy homemade rolls in an hour.  Don't be put off by the though of using yeast.  It really is easy to use and this recipe doesn't require any special yeast blooming techniques and very little proofing of the dough, so you get your rolls done quick and easy.  That's my kind of bread baking!  We don't have time these days, especially on a holiday, to put a lot of time and effort into one dish when there are so many to focus on.  This recipe is an honest to goodness simple basic dinner roll recipe that is done in a flash.  This will be your go-to recipe for dinner rolls from now on!

As I mentioned your stand mixer is the key here. You'll add your ingredients and mix up the dough, a really simple step.  You'll need to use the dough hook for this recipe, which will knead your dough so you don't  have to do it by hand.  Half the battle is done for you!  After a short proofing in a bowl, then you will just need to roll them into balls and place them on a tray to proof one more time and then bake!  Poof! fresh rolls!

How do you reheat dinner rolls?  As I am making these the day before our meal you can reheat these rolls easily by wrapping them in foil and placing them in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. 

Storing dinner rolls:  Your rolls should be placed in an airtight bag or container on the counter for several days.

Can I freeze these dinner rolls?  Yes!  You can freeze these rolls for up to 6 weeks.  Thaw the rolls and heat them up or eat at room temperature.  They come out really well frozen.

Easy is the word that comes to mind when I think of making these rolls.  Hot, steamy rolls slathered in butter are the perfect accompaniment to any meal, especially when they are homemade!

Enjoy!


1 Hour Dinner Rolls

yield: 16 rolls


4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon instant yeast (rapid rise yeast) 

2 tablespoons sugar 

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, softened 

1 1/2 cups warm water

Topping: 3 Tablespoons butter, melted

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Mix to combine.

Add in the softened butter and mix on low speed until the butter breaks up into large breadcrumbs. While still mixing, slowly stream in the water. (Note: add enough water all for your dough to form a tight ball and clean the bottom of the bowl. You might not need all the liquid)

Increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form it into an even ball. Using a dough cutter or knife, cut the dough in half. Roll each half of the dough into a long log. Cut each log into 8 rolls. Roll each one into the shape of a ball (see easy rolling technique in video above) Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place each rolled piece of dough about 1 inch apart.

While the rolls are rising, melt the butter in a small bowl. Set aside.

When the rolls have risen for the second time and joined together, lightly brush the rolls with half of the melted butter (reserve the other half for after they are baked).

Bake until golden brown, roughly 18-22 minutes. Immediately after removing the rolls from the oven, brush them with the remaining melted butter.

After cooling slightly pull apart and serve. 
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• recipe source: Bigger Bolder Baking

Holiday Treat: Yogurt Pecan Streusel Muffins

Yum

It's holiday baking time and I've got a treat for you today!

Each year for Christmas breakfast I make a special treat that's a holiday tradition.  But what do you make the day after Christmas?  Everyone is tired but you still want that holiday feel to your meal.  Never fear, turn to my latest holiday treat:

YOGURT PECAN STREUSEL MUFFINS

These holiday inspired muffins will fill your house with holiday scents of cinnamon!  They are moist and sinfully delicious inside and topped with a decadent pecan cinnamon brown sugar streusel.  These muffins are to die for!

This is a small batch of 6 muffins.   Just easy enough to whip up for a holiday breakfast treat.  One the kids and the whole family will devour in no time!  The muffins whip up in one bowl so clean up is easy.  Plus, they have the addition of Greek Yogurt for a healthier treat plus a kick of protein. 

These are defiantly something you will want to make right away.  You can double the recipe for a batch of 12 with no problems.  You may want to because these babies will be gone in no time!

Enjoy!








Yogurt Pecan Streusel Muffins


yield: 6 muffins



Streusel topping:
1/3 cups pecans, finely chopped
1/6 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 

Muffins:

2 tablespoons canola oil  

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/2 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt (such as Fage)

2 tablespoons 2% milk

1 large egg 

1/3 cup sugar
1 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a 6 well muffin tin with cooking spray.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine streusel ingredients and mix together into large crumbs. 

In a large bowl add oil, vanilla, yogurt, and the egg.  Whisk until well combined.  Add the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Mix until just combined.  Do not overmix.

Scoop into a prepared muffin tin.  Top with streusel topping.  Bake for 17-19 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and cool in pan for 5 minutes.  Remove from the pan to a cooling rack.  Serve.



adapted from: My Recipes

3 Ingredient Tomato Gnocchi Soup

A steamy hot bowl of delicious tomato soup loaded with plump gnocchi and a dash of spinach.  Served with a salad and some crusty hot bread, this dinner is a nice hearty meal on a cold winter night.  

Yum

Hi everyone!  It's been a couple of weeks since I posted anything.  We took a little time off for the holidays!  Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with family and love (and good food!).

I wanted to pop in today with a quick recipe.  Well, it's not really a recipe because you don't actually have to make anything from scratch!  When we are in holiday mode and there are a zillion things to do to get ready I don't have all day to cook.  Do you feel that way too?  The question becomes "how do we get all this done and still put something hearty and satisfying on the table?  Today's I'm bringing your the perfect convenience item recipe to solve that dilemma.

3 INGREDIENT TOMATO GNOCCHI SOUP

Picture a steamy hot bowl of delicious tomato soup loaded with plump gnocchi and a dash of spinach.  Served with a salad and some crusty hot bread, this dinner is a nice hearty meal on a cold winter night.  

It only takes 3 ingredients to make this....yes 3!  And, I purchased all of them at Trader Joe's.  But, don't worry if you don't have a Trader Joe's near you, you can find similar items at Target, or your local grocery store!

What ingredients do I need?

• tomato soup
• frozen or fresh gnocchi
• baby spinach

That's all it takes and it couldn't be simpler than heating it all up!  Trader Joe's frozen gnocchi are stuffed with tomato sauce and mozzarella, so they create and extra creamy bite in your soup.  But don't stop there....you can substitute the gnocchi with tortellini or ravioli.  Both of which will make an excellent soup add-in and you cook them right in the heating soup!

So take a break from all the holiday rush and serve up a warm bowl of soup with the held of some store bought items.  The recipe below will show you how!

Enjoy!

3 Ingredient Tomato Gnocchi Soup

make 4 cups

32 oz carton tomato soup (such as Trader Joe's Creamy Tomato Soup)

16 oz. bag frozen gnocchi (such as Trader Joe's Outside-In  Stuffed Gnocchi)

2 handfuls baby spinach

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add tomato soup and gnocchi.  Bring soup to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and allow to cook about 5-7 minutes.  Once gnocchi are heated through add in spinach and stir until wilted.  Serve immediately.  

Source: www.thekitchn.com

Pumpkin Waffles with Maple Walnut Cream Syrup

Pumpkin Waffles that are crunchy on the outside and fluffy and tender on the inside doused with warm and decadent maple walnut cream syrup!

Yum

Boy! How time flies!  I just can't get over that it's almost Thanksgiving and the end of the year is around the corner.  It really seemed to sneak up on me this year.  Did that happen to anyone else?

I'm sure that you all have your Thanksgiving menu planned but what are you going to serve for breakfast that day?  Not many give that one much thought because we are all so swamped with getting the turkey in the oven, and cooking all the sides and pies that breakfast is just something that has to get done, and fast!

Luckily, I've got something for that is is easy to make and tastes great.  You could even say that this is a Make-Ahead Meal.  Love those!  If you have time this Sunday I would highly suggest making these Pumpkin Waffles with Maple Walnut Cream Syrup, and then freezing some for Thanksgiving morning.  All you have to do then is pull out the waffles and pop them in the toaster and heat up the syrup in the microwave and voila! breakfast is served.  I'm sure you've all had a toaster waffle before, right?  Well, this is just a homemade version of that, but oh so much better!

PUMPKIN WAFFLES WITH MAPLE WALNUT CREAM SYRUP

Waffles that are worth waking up for!

Slightly crispy edges.

Golden waffled surfaces.

Soft and fluffy on the inside, soaked through with maple walnut cream syrup and melted butter.

And that moment when you bite into it and the warm spices and pumpkin flavor bursts in your mouth…

It’s just a little bit of food heaven right there.

So let me tell you about these waffles.  With an easy to make batter these toasty and fluffy waffles, bursting with warm spices and pumpkin flavors, will be on your table in no time.  

Oh the waffles!  They are heaven on a plate.  I just love the texture of these waffles.  A little crunchy on the outside and fluffy and tender on the inside.  And the flavor....just so warm and comforting.  They are just the perfect fall and winter breakfast treat.  AND let's not forget the star of the dish; the warm and decadent maple walnut cream syrup!  Ohmergawd!  This is a must have with this dish so don't skip it. Trust me when I say that I wanted to lick every drop of the leftover syrup right out of the pitcher.  It's that good....you'll thank me later! 

So I hope you make this incredibly delicious dish part of your Fall breakfast tradition.  It's the perfect holiday meal.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Waffles with Maple Walnut Cream Syrup

makes 12 waffles

Waffles:

4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

4 eggs, lightly beaten

3 cups milk

1 15oz can pumpkin (not pie filling)

1/4 cup butter, melted

Maple Walnut Cream Syrup:

1 Tbsp. butter

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 1/2 cups maple syrup

1/2 cup heavy cream

In a large bowl stir together the dry ingredients for the waffles.  Then add the wet ingredients and stir just until everything is moistened and combined.  Your batter will be slightly lumpy.

Next up, make the Maple Walnut Cream Syrup.  In a medium sauce pan melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the walnuts and cook and stir 1-2 minutes until toasted.  Add in the maple syrup and the cream and heat through another few minutes.  Pour into a pitcher for serving.

Heat your waffle iron according to the manufacturer's directions.  Spray the iron with cooking spray and then add your batter (based upon the suggestions from the manufacturer) and close the lid.  Once the steam has stopped coming from your waffle iron the waffles should be done.  Use a fork to life the waffle off the griddle and place on a sheet pan.  Keep waffles warm in a 300 degree oven while preparing remaining waffles.  Serve warm with Maple Walnut Cream Syrup.

To Make Ahead:  Prepare your waffles as directed above, except, cool waffles completely on a wire rack.  Place waffles in between sheets of waxed paper in a freezer bag and freeze up to 2 months.  The Maple Walnut Cream Syrup will store in the refrigerator up to 1 week.  To serve, remove waffles from the freezer and reheat in a toaster.  Microwave the syrup about 1 1/2 minutes until heated through, stirring every 30 seconds to prevent scorching.  Serve.

adapted from Better Homes & Gardens 100 Best Pumpkin Recipes 2019 publication

Creamy Balsamic Skillet Chicken

Yum

I have a great fall recipe for you.  If you like the comfort feels of a chicken and gravy dish then this will be right up your alley!

I'm doing really well on my New Year's resolution to cook from my collection of cookbook (a library full).  Today's recipe is a real winner and if from cookbook called "The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook: Simple Family-Friendly Recipes for Everyday Home Cooking".  by Mary Younkin who is the food blogger behind Barefeet In the Kitchen.  She makes very tasty family friendly meals, and I have found myself going through her book on several occasions for a recipe.  Today is an adaptation of one of those recipes.

CREAMY BALSAMIC SKILLET CHICKEN

Golden seared chicken breasts smothered in a creamy balsamic sauce, this is a quick dinner you can get on the table in under 45 minutes.  And not to worry, this recipe make plenty of sauce!

One Skillet Meal

One thing I love is skillet meals or one pot meals.  You can't go wrong when everything is made in the same skillet and there's soooo much less dishes to do!  This dish takes little effort when the actual cooking comes in to play.  You may spend a little more time prepping the ingredients but it all comes together really quickly.

How To Make It

I used chicken breasts sliced into strips for this dish however, you could use chicken thighs if you prefer.  Both will turn out beautifully.  

First up is browning the onion and garlic in a skillet, and then browning the chicken pieces on both sides, not until cooked, just browned.  They will finish cooking later.  You will want to do this in a stainless steel skillet.  This allows for great browning and creates a fond* on the bottom of your skillet.  When we create the sauce we are going to deglaze the skillet to pick up all the browned bits on the bottom because they add tremendous flavor to your sauce.

To finish, you will make the sauce, by cooking mushrooms until golden brown and then adding flour to coat them.  I used baby bella mushrooms for their meaty flavor, but any mushroom will do.  The flour will cause the liquids in the sauce to thicken really nicely.  Adding your broth, cream and balsamic vinegar will complete the sauce.  Dinner is almost done!

 "Fond” is the brown stuff left in the pan after you sear things."

What to serve with Creamy Balsamic Skillet Chicken

I added a side dish of basmati rice because MGG is a rice man.  You could easily serve this with mashed potatoes, or a green vegetable such as Sauteed Shredded Brussels Sprouts or Balsamic Glazed Green Beans.

This dish will leave you with all the comfort feels you get from a creamy, steamy dish.  Perfect for fall and winter dinners.

Enjoy!

More quick and easy Chicken dishes:

• Chicken and Asparagus Skillet Supper
• Lemon Herb Chicken and Rice
•  Cilantro Lime Chicken with Rice and Beans
• Crunchy Honey Lime Chicken
• Garlic and Parmesan Crispy Oven Fried Chicken

Creamy Balsamic Skillet Chicken

adapted from The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook:  Simple Family-Friendly Recipes for Everyday Home Cooking


1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 shallot, minced
2- 3 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups)
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2- 3- inch strips
2 tablespoons all- purpose flour
3/4 teaspoons kosher, salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper, divided
1/2 cup chicken broth
2- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Place the chicken pieces in a medium- size bowl. Sprinkle with flour, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Toss to coat. 

Warm the oil and butter in a large stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and toss to coat. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute, until the onions are tender and lightly browned.

Add the chicken in a single layer and cook the chicken for 3 minutes on each side. The chicken shouldn't be fully cooked yet, but it will be white or lightly browned all over. Transfer the chicken and onions to a plate.

Place the skillet back on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes until browned and softened. Add the chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the pan and bring to a simmer. Scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan as the sauce simmers for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream, stir and add the chicken and any juices along with the onions and garlic back to the sauce. Cook 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with the fresh thyme.

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