Herbed Chicken & Shrimp (Crock-pot)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 large onion, chopped

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

1/2 cup white wine

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp dried basil

1 lb uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

* Prepare the crock by spraying lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Lay the boneless, skinless chicken thighs on the bottom on the crock and season with salt and pepper.

* Next, top the chicken breast with chopped onion, tomato sauce, white wine, garlic, and basil.

* Cook on low 4 1/2 - 5 1/2 hours. During the last 45 minutes, add the peeled and deveined shrimp. Stir well.

* Serve over rice or pasta.

Hint: This is a great dinner to start later in the day. The cook time is shorter, and the prep is next to nothing. If you buy frozen chopped onion - as I do on occasion - prep will be even less. We topped ours with grated Parmesan cheese....delightful!

Bacon-Chicken Quesadillas

Quesadillas are a favorite at our house, especially when I don't really feel like cooking. Instead of just sending the boys into the kitchen to make a sandwich - I can score mom points for having a hot meal that is both hand-held and delicious.

We have experimented a lot with tweaking several staple recipes in our menu to "Buffalo Chicken" flavor, and last night we tweaked our Quesadillas in the same direction.

These were devoured. No leftovers. None.

I consider that to be a good sign!

Ingredients:

2 fajita size flour flour tortillas per person (10 in our case)
1 large can chicken breast, drained
1/2 cup bacon crumbles
1/4 white onion, diced
1/8 cup ranch salad dressing
2-3 dashes hot sauce
1/2-1 tsp southwest seasoning
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

* Combine chicken breast, bacon crumbles, diced onion, ranch dressing, hot sauce, and shredded mozzarella cheese in a mixing bowl with a fork.

* Prepare cooking surface, preferably a griddle or shallow skillet by preheating after ingredients are assembled and ready to cook. These cook quickly, so be prepared. (I use a double burner griddle.)

* Place 1 flour tortilla on hot cooking surface, then top with filling mixture. Filling should not quite cover the tortilla and make sure to spread it out so that it will melt evenly as it cooks. The more filling, the harder it will be to flip and the cheese will not melt completely. Top with 2nd flour tortilla.

* Cook for 1-2 minutes on medium-high heat on preheated griddle. Tortillas will become crispy and cheese will melt as they cook.

* Cut with a pizza cutter and serve with ranch dressing for dipping...if the kids wait that long!

Enjoy!!



This recipe is linked up to Friday Food at Momtrends - go check out the other recipes linked up today!

Strawberry Kissed Poundcake

Ingredients:

1 strawberry cake mix

1 instant vanilla pudding mix (4 serving size)

4 eggs

1 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups mini chocolate Kisses (<----secret weapon!)

1 cup creamy chocolate icing

1 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 9 inch bundt pan.

2 - In a large mixing bowl combine: strawberry cake mix, vanilla pudding mix, 4 eggs, 1 cup water, 1/3 cup vegetable oil until combined (still slightly lumpy). Slowly add remaining Kisses.

3 - Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes or until table knife inserted comes out clean.

4 - Cool completely on wire rack before removing from pan.

5 - Once completely cool, turn upside down on serving plate.

6 - In a microwave safe dish, heat chocolate frosting for 45 seconds. Stir well. Spoon or slowly pour over cake on serving plate.

7 - **Add sprinkles**

Hint: Cakes taste better with sprinkles :)

I linked this recipe up over at Grateful Belly...go see what other awesome recipes and ideas are being shared there this week!

Tomato Soup and Grilled Ham-n-Cheese

Soup and sandwiches...yes! A meal which can be prepared quickly and easily without making a huge mess in the kitchen.



-AND-



...the boys requested this meal! It was their idea, (they did good).



Sandwiches:



seedless rye bread
deli sliced ham
choice of Swiss, American, of Colby-Jack cheese



Soup:



1 can roasted diced tomatoes
2 cans tomato soup
1 can water



*heat to boil, then reduce to simmer for 5-10 minutes*



Enjoy!!

Ooey Gooey Chicken *Nachos*

We mixed it up a bit last night and served our Ooey Gooey Chicken as nachos for dinner.

The chicken filling served over restaurant style tortilla chips - topped with guacamole, sour cream, and extra cheese. Delicious!



This recipe was shared at the Old Fashioned Recipe Exchange over at Lil House on the Prairie Living...go see what other recipes are linked up here!

Golden Rum Cake

Ingredients:

Cake -

2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup dark rum

Glaze -

1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark rum

Topping -

1/4 cup powdered sugar
**lime green sprinkles**(just because I could)

1st: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 inch Bundt pan.

2nd: Mix together 2 sticks of butter at room temperature and 2 cups of sugar until light and creamy. Next add the 4 eggs, 1 at a time continuing to mix.

3rd: Combine remaining dry ingredients in one bowl. AP flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Combine wet ingredients in another bowl. Milk, vanilla, and dark rum. Alternate adding dry ingredients with wet ingredients, for 3 separate additions to creamy butter-sugar-egg mixture.

4th: Pour batter into the prepared Bundt pan.

5th: Bake for 1 hour, or until golden brown.

6th: Making the glaze: Melt 1/2 stick of unsalted butter in a saucepan and add 1 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, cooking for 5 minutes while stirring. (Set a timer!) Remove from heat and mix in remaining 1/2 cup of dark rum. Pour glaze slowly over cooled, baked cake slowly allowing glaze to be absorbed by cake.

7th: Sprinkle powdered sugar (and sprinkles) over glazed cake.

Hint: Defintely, definitely an adult cake...jus' sayin! Enjoy!!

Mom's Spanish Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup white rice, prepared as directed

1/2 medium white onion, diced

1/2 medium green bell pepper, diced

1 can stewed tomatoes (Mexican seasoned)

3 TBS butter or margarine

1 small can of tomato paste

1 1/2-2 cups of chicken broth

1 1/2 tsp southwestern seasoning

3 dashes of hot sauce

2 tsp taco seasoning

* Melt butter in a deep skillet, then saute onion and green pepper in butter.

* Add stewed tomatoes with juice to onion and green peppers and stir until well combined.

* As vegetables begin to simmer, add tomato paste and chicken broth.

* Add cooked rice, and seasoning and continue to stir until well combined.

* Simmer on low for an additional 5-8 minutes. Add hot sauce (if desired) just prior to serving.

HINT: When I was still living at home my mom would make this rice for us when we had tacos for dinner. Another comfort food from my childhood! Occasionally she would brown ground beef and add it to the rice for serving as the main dish. If there are any leftovers...it is even better the second day! Enjoy!

This recipe is linked up to Church Supper #31 over at Everyday Mom's Meals...visit to check out more recipes from this week's Church Supper!

We're also posting this week on Sweet & Simple at Cups By Kim....go check it out!