Crack Chicken

Crack chicken is super easy to make.  This is one I like to make in my slow cooker.  It's the perfect idea for sandwiches for dinner that are ready when you get home from work.  The whole family will love this one.  

2 - 3 lbs chicken breasts (3 - 4 breasts)

1/2 cup chicken broth

16 oz cream cheese cubed

2 packets dry ranch seasoning

8 oz bacon cooked crispy and crumbled

1 cup of your favorite shredded cheese

1/2 cup chopped green onions

Add Chicken broth, chicken breasts, cream cheese and ranch seasoning to your slow cooker.  

Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6 - 8 hours.

Remove chicken and shred.

Whisk together the liquid in the bottom of the slow cooker until the cream cheese is fully incorporated.  

Return shredded chicken to slow cooker.  Add bacon, cheese, and green onions.  Stir until combined.  The sauce will thicken as it stands.  

Serve on your favorite sandwich buns.  

 

Cobb Salad

Cobb salad is a beautiful dish to take for a potluck or picnic.  It is sure to be a hit with just about everyone.  

For the Dressing
3 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 small gallic clove, minced

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
 

For the Salad

6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 hard-boiled eggs

6 cups romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped

2 cups watercress, thick stems removed

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced (about 2 cups)

1 avocado, diced

1 cup cooked diced chicken breast

1/2 cup of your favorite shredded cheese

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients and set aside.

Cook the bacon strips and set aside to cool and then crumble.

Chop the hard-boiled eggs and set aside.

In a large bowl toss the romaine and watercress with 2/3 of the dressing.  Put the dressed greens onto a large serving dish.  Place the tomatoes on top forming a row down the middle.  In strips on either side of the tomatoes place the avocado, chicken, cheese, diced egg and the crumbled bacon on top of the greens.  Drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve.  

Beach Boys Chicken

I have to tell on myself.  I tried this recipe the first time because I loved the name.  Who can help but smile when you think of the Beach Boys and their music.  To this day I absolutely love their music!

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp Italian seasoning

kosher salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

4 slices mozzarella cheese

4 slices avocado

4 slices tomato

2 Tbsp chopped parsley

Balsamic glaze, optional. for drizzling

In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, honey, oil, and Italian seasoning.

Season the marinade with salt and pepper.

Pour the marinade over the chicken and let it marinate for at least 20 minutes. 

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.  Oil the grates.

Grill the chicken until charred and cooked through, about 8 minutes per side.

Top the chicken with the mozzarella, avocado, and tomato, and cover the grill until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.

Garnish the chicken with parsley and drizzle with the balsamic glaze.  

This can be done in a cast iron skillet on your stovetop as well.  Finish in a 350 degree oven.  It's delicious prepared either way.

I promise you, this will bring "good vibrations" for dinner!

Mardi Gras Slaw with Dressing

  

I love a good picnic style recipe.  This Mardi Gras slaw is just that with a little kick off flavor.  This will become a new favorite if you give it a try.

For the Dressing

1 cup mayo

1/4 cup honey

1/8 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp celery salt

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Mix all ingredients together and set aside in the refrigerator.

For the Slaw

2 cups chopped raw broccoli

1/2 cup shredded red cabbage

1/4 cup shredded carrots

1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds

1/2 cup Craisins

Mardi Gras Dressing (enough to lightly coat)

Mis all ingredients together.  Stir well and refrigerate until ready to serve.  

Cilantro Lime Steak

 

I'm a fan of flank steak, but it needs to be treated extra special to make it tender and tasty.  

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves loosely packed, about 1 bunch

4 cloves garlic, peeled

2/3 cup fresh lime juice, about 5 limes

2 tsp salt

2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp sugar

1 cup olive oil

1 cup water

5 - 7 lbs flank steak

Combine cilantro, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, sugar, and water in a blender and pulse until well combined.  (Makes about 3 cups total.)

Add steak to a gallon bag or other container and pour about half of the marinade over, making sure it is well coated.  Reserve remaining marinade for later.

Allow meat to marinate for desired time (but not longer than overnight).

Place your marinated steak on a pre-heated medium-high grill, basting and turning frequently (about every 5 - 7 minutes) until steak is cooked to your desired doneness.

If cooking more well than medium-rare, lower grill to medium heat after about 10 minutes to avoid over-charring.  

Allow steak to rest at least 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.  

Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread

 

This will quickly become a new family favorite.  Your favorite crusty, fluffy bread gets a nice little diamond shape action on top to create the cracks and then the cracks get filled with some savory garlic butter and a pinch of mozzarella cheese.  What's not to love?

For the Garlic Butter

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 large garlic cloves, minced

3/4 tsp salt

1 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped

For the Bread

1 crusty loaf of bread, preferably sourdough 

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter, the garlic, and the salt and melt it in the microwave for about 1 minute. 

Stir the parley into the butter mixture

Use a sharp knife to cut diagonally, going both ways, on top of the bread to create diamond shapes.  Be sure not to cut all the way through the bread.

Use your fingers or a knife to pry open each crack of the bread and drizzle each crack with about 1 tsp of the butter mixture and a pinch of the cheese.

Top the bread with the remaining butter mixture.  

Wrap the bread with foil and bake until the cheese has mostly melted, about 20 minutes.

Unwrap the bread and bake until the bread is crusty, about 5 - 10 minutes.

Serve immediately.  

Old-Fashioned Chicken Salad

This old-fashioned recipe harkens back to our great-grandmother's day when a well-seasoned mix of chopped chicken and celery were bound together with homemade mayonnaise and a generous splash of fresh lemon juice.  

4 cups chopped cooked chicken

2 hard cooked eggs, peeled and chopped

1 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

3/4 tsp table salt

1/2 tsp celery salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Dash of ground red pepper

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 tsp paprika

Fresh parsley for garnish

Gently toss together first 9 ingredients in a bowl. Fold in 1/2 cup of the mayonnaise; cover and chill 2 hours.  

Stir in remaining 1/4 cup mayonnaise.  Spoon chicken salad into a serving dish.  Sprinkle with paprika. 

Serve with croissants or split rolls.

 

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

I was never a fan of asparagus until I tried it prepared with bacon.  I absolutely love it prepared this way!  Crispy bacon and a little balsamic vinegar make this a simple side dish that's ready in just 20 minutes.  

1 lb asparagus, trimmed

6 slices of bacon

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  

Wrap 3 - 6 stalks (depending upon stock thickness) with one slice of bacon to make a bundle.  

Place bundles on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.   Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.  Then broil them for an additional 2 - 3 minutes for a nice crisp on top of the bacon.  

Brush the balsamic vinegar on top of the baked asparagus bundles.  

Serve.  

 

Crunchy Nacho Taco Salad

I love a good taco salad and this one knocks it out of the park!  Using Nacho Cheese Doritos is the perfect touch.

1 lb ground beef

1 packet of taco seasoning

3 - 4 Romaine lettuce hearts, rinsed and chopped

1 cup of black beans, drained -- I like Bush's Taco Fiesta beans

1 large tomato, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup shredded Nacho Taco cheese

1 1/2 cups Nacho Cheese Doritos, broken into bite-sized pieces

1 cup of your favorite dressing

Guacamole and sour cream for topping

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown and crumble the ground beef until no pink remains, about 6 -b 8 minutes.  Drain the grease from the skillet.

Add the taco seasoning to the beef according to the package directions.  Stir until the mixture comes to a boil.  

Reduce the heat to low and add the black beans.  Simmer for 10 minutes.

Transfer the skillet from the heat and let the meat and beans cool slightly.

In a large salad bowl, add the chopped lettuce, tomato and cheese.

Add the slightly cooled ground beef and beans, tossing everything together.

Add the Doritos and the dressing, tossing everything to coat.  

Serve & Enjoy!!

Roasted Carrots - Another Easy Side

This recipe was always a family favorite when my kids were still at home.  Just roasted carrots, garlic, and butter make this easy and delicious.

1 lb whole carrots, peeled and cut into strips
1 stick butter
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Salt to taste

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Rinse carrots well and remove ends.  Peel and slice into 1/4" strips.

Spread over baking sheet in a single layer and drizzle with melted butter and salt to your liking.  Toss to coat.  

Sprinkle minced garlic evenly over the carrots.  

Bake on middle rack of oven for approximately 30 minutes until they are tender to your liking.  

Top with chopped parsley.  Serve and enjoy!