Slow-Cooker Bacon-Ranch Chicken and Pasta

        Ingredients:

1  lb chicken breasts - I used at least 1.5 lbs.

6  slices bacon, cooked and diced - I used 3 

2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1  package (1 oz) ranch dressing and seasoning mix

1  can (10.75 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup

1  cup sour cream

1/2  teaspoon pepper

1/2  cup water

8 oz. spaghetti, cooked - I used 14 0z. penne

Directions:

1. Spray 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray; place chicken breasts in cooker.

2.  In medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients except spaghetti. Pour over top of chicken.

3.  Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 hours or on High heat setting 3 to 4 hours.

4.  When about 15 minutes are left, cook and drain spaghetti as directed on package.

5.  Just before serving, shred chicken with 2 forks, and toss creamy chicken mixture with cooked spaghetti.

Frozen Mamas:

Thaw the chicken mixture, put in crockpot and follow direction 3-5 above.  Feel free to spray the crockpot first, but you might not have to.  I gave more pasta than the recipe called for, so you may use it stretch out the meal or use about half the bag according to the recipe.

Adapted from Bettycrocker.com/recipes

Bacon Ranch Chicken

Ingredients:

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tbl. real bacon bits
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 pkg. ranch dressing mix
1 can fat-free, low sodium cream of chicken soup
1 cup low-fat sour cream

egg noodles

Directions:

Combine bacon, garlic, ranch mix, soup and sour cream.  Pour over chicken in crock pot.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.  Shred chicken and serve over cooked noodles or add cooked egg noodles to the crockpot and stir.


Frozen Mamas:
Put chicken and mix in the crock pot.  Follow the cooking instructions above.

Adapted from crockadoodledo.blogspot.com

Veggie Meatball Soup

Ingredients

• 3 cups beef broth
• 2 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
• 16 ounces stewed tomatoes
• 21 frozen fully cooked Italian meatballs (1/2 ounce each) , thawed
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 lb. pasta, cooked and drained

Directions
In a 3-qt. slow cooker, or larger, combine the first six ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Just before serving, stir in pasta; heat through. Discard bay leaves. Yield: 6 servings.

Frozen Mamas

Thaw soup and cook in a slow cooker for 4-5 hours.  Boil pasta for 12 minutes just before serving and add it to the soup.  Discard bay leaves and serve.

Adapted from Veggie Meatball Soup in Quick Cooking May/June 2002, p37

Lighter Ham and Cheese Hashbrowns

6 c. frozen hash browns
2 c. Ham, chopped
10 3/4 oz. can Cream of Chicken Soup - Campbell's Healthy Choice
8 oz. Cheddar Cheese, shredded
3/4 c. Light Sour Cream
1/4 c. Butter, melted
1/2 c. Milk
4 Tbsp. Onion, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F. Thoroughly combine all ingredients except the hash browns. Add hash browns to ham and cheese mixture and stir until all ingredients are well mixed, put in a greased 2 quart baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes.

Frozen Instructions:
Thaw, uncover, bake as directed.

Crockpot Potato Soup

Ingredients:
5 large baking potatoes, peel and cut into 1/2-inch dice
3/4 large yellow onion, chopped
32 oz. chicken broth
1/6 cup margarine
1 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
3/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 cup half-and-half plus 1/4 cup fat-free half-and-half
1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
Directions:
1. Combine first six ingredients in a slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours,until potatoes are tender.
3. Remove 1 1/2  cups of mixture and mash potatoes; return to cooker.
4. Add Half and Half and cheese; mix well.
5. Heat thoroughly.
6. To serve: Top with dollop of sour cream, sprinkles of cooked bacon and more cheese, if desired.

Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/low-fat-loaded-baked-potato-soup-283271?oc=linkback
Frozen Mamas:
1. Cook potato/soup portion for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
2. Mash potatoes if you'd like a smoother consistency.
3. Add half-and-half and 1 cup of cheese - HEAT THOROUGHLY (could take 1/2 hour or longer)
4. Serve with rest of shredded cheese and bacon (both provided) and chives and sour cream.

I added another half of the recipe from the original on food.com to make sure there would be enough per family.  I also made the recipe with full flavor (fat) ingredients, except for 1/4 cup of fat-free half-and-half.  We had this Christmas Eve and everyone loved it, just make sure it's heated all the way before serving.

Chicken/Salsa Dip

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts (I used 3 from a Costco pack because some are so large!)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
1 jar any salsa
8oz. Cream cheese

Directions:

Add the first four ingredients to a crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  A half hour before serving add the cream cheese.  Stir mixture and shred chicken before serving with chips, rice, or as a filling in tortillas.

Frozen Mamas:

Put bag one in crockpot, cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Add bag two (cream cheese) a half hour before serving.  Stir mixture and shred chicken before serving with provided chips, as a filling for tortillas or over rice.

Recipe from Karen Nicholson

Cornbread

Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup yellow cornmeal 2/3 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon salt 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 egg 1 cup milk 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray or lightly grease a 9 inch round cake pan.
2.	In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir in egg, milk and vegetable oil until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3.	Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Frozen Mamas: You will need to add the egg, milk, and vegetable oil to the mix I provided.  Bake as directed above. The chili is from a previous recipe I posted.

Printed from Allrecipes.com 9/23/2012

Honey Chicken Kabobs

Hi ladies, I've been meaning to post this for since July!    Ingredients: 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/3 cup honey 1/3 cup soy sauce 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes 2 cloves garlic 5 small onions, cut into 2 inch pieces 2 red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces skewers   Directions:

 

1.	In a large bowl, whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce, and pepper. Before adding chicken, reserve a small amount of marinade to brush onto kabobs while cooking. Place the chicken, garlic, onions and peppers in the bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours (the longer the better).
2.	Preheat the grill for high heat.
3.	Drain marinade from the chicken and vegetables, and discard marinade. Thread chicken and vegetables alternately onto the skewers.
4.	Lightly oil the grill grate. Place the skewers on the grill. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until chicken juices run clear. Turn and brush with reserved marinade frequently. Frozen Mamas: Just thaw and grill!

from Allrecipes.com

Crock Pot Taco Soup

1 (16 ounce) can pinto beans 1 (16 ounce) can white beans or 1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans 1 (11 ounce) can niblet corn 1 (11 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes & chilies 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies 1 (1 1/4 ounce) envelope taco seasoning mix 1 (1 ounce) envelope hidden valley ranch dressing mix 1/2 lb shredded chicken, ground beef  Directions: Cook meat and drain, shred if needed.  Add all ingredients to crock pot. DO NOT DRAIN CANS.  Stir.  Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours. Keep on low until serving to keep hot.  Garnish with sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped green onions, or tortilla chips. Frozen Mamas: Thaw and stir.  Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours. Keep on low until serving to keep hot.  Garnish with sour cream, shredded cheese (provided) chopped green onions, or tortilla chips. Adapted from Lubie's recipe on Food.com.

Sweet and Sour Turkey Kielbasa

Ingredients: 10 oz. Sweet-n-Sour Sauce  1 can pineapple chunks, un-drained (20 oz.) 1 can mandarin oranges, drained (11 oz.) 1 kielbasa, cut into chunks (I used turkey Kielbasa) Instructions: Put all ingredients into a crock-pot, turn on low/med & simmer 1-2 hrs, or it can be made on the stovetop. Frozen Mamas:   Thaw and follow above directions, serve over rice (provided). Adapted from Budget101.com

Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

6 slices white bread

3oz. Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

3 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

8 eggs (or 6 extra large), beaten

2 1/2 c. Skim milk

1/2 c. Cooked and crumbled bacon

Preparation:

Spray a 9 by 13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Cover the bottom of the dish with the bread slices. Spread the cheeses evenly over the bread. Mix the eggs and the milk well. Pour slowly and evenly over the bread and cheese. Sprinkle the bacon pieces evenly over the top. Refrigerate overnight. In the morning, bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes, or until cooked through and “fluffy.” (The top will rise.)

Frozen Mamas:

Thaw casserole and bake as instructed above.

From: aformercouchpotato.blogspot.com

Beef and Bean Burritos

1 lb. Ground beef, browned

1 can refried beans

1 pkg. Taco seasoning (1/4 cup)

1 chopped onion

1 small can Sliced olives

Cheddar cheese, shredded

8 Flour tortillas

I can enchilada sauce

Mix beef, beans, seasoning, onion, and olives. Put some cheese on a tortilla, top with beef mixture, roll up. Grease a 9 x 13 pan, pour enough enchilada sauce to cover the bottom, place filled tortillas on sauce and cover with remaining sauce and sprinkle with more cheese. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, longer if cold. Uncover and bake 5-10 more minutes. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Frozen Mamas:

Thaw and bake as instructed.

Baked Ziti

Ingredients:

1 lb. Penne or Ziti pasta

2 c. Ricotta cheese

2 c. Mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated

4 c. Marinara sauce

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp. Dried basil

1/4 tsp. Red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp. Black pepper

Boil pasta a couple of minutes shorter than package instructions. Combine ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup parmesan, 2 cups sauce, and all seasonings. Add cooked pasta to cheese and sauce mixture and place in a greased 9 x 13 baking pan. Pour 2 cups of marinara sauce and sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup parmesan on top. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, uncover and bake at least 15 more minutes until cheese is bubbly.

Frozen Mamas:

Thaw casserole and remove plastic wrap from covering, re-cover with foil. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, uncover and bake at least 15 more minutes until cheese is bubbly.

Brown Sugar Chicken

Ingredients:

4-5 chicken breasts

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. black pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbl. soy sauce

2/3 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup lemon-lime soda

Put the chicken in the crock pot and cover with the brown sugar, pepper, garlic, and soy sauce. Add the vinegar, and pour in the soda. Watch for bubbles. Cover and cook on low for 6-9 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours. The chicken is done when it it cooked through and has reached the desired tenderness. The longer you cook it on low, the more tender your chicken will be. Serve over rice.

Frozen Mamas:

Defrost chicken and sugar mixture. Put in crock pot and add the vinegar and soda. Cook as directed above.

From the book Make it Fast, Cook it Slow by Stephanie O'Dea

Meatball Heroes

6 sandwich rolls
1 teaspoon olive oil
30 frozen, precooked Italian meatballs
Jar of pasta sauce (I use Prego)
10 ounces shredded mozzarella
3 ounces shredded or grated Parmesan

Heat oven to 250 degrees. Warm the rolls on the oven rack. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook until browned on all sides. Add the sauce, reduce heat, and simmer for 3 minutes. Put 5 meatballs and sauce in a roll, top with cheese mixture.

Frozen Mamas: defrost meatballs and sauce and reheat in a sauce pan. Warm rolls, add 5 meatballs and sauce per roll, top with cheese mixture.

Slow Cooker Barbecued Beans and Polish Sausage

INGREDIENTS
2 cans (15.5 oz each) great northern beans, drained, rinsed
2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained, rinsed
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 ring (1 to 1 1/4 lb) fully cooked smoked Polish sausage

Spray 3- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients except sausage in cooker. Place sausage ring on bean mixture. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 5 to 6 hours.

FROZEN MAMAS
Thaw bean mixture (and sausage), and use cooking instructions from above.

Recipe from bettycrocker.com

Potato and Double Corn Chowder

1 bag (16 ounces) frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed (4 cups)
1 can (15.25 ounces) whole kernel corn, undrained
1 can (14.75 ounces) cream-style corn
1 can (12 ounces) fat-free evaporated milk
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
5-6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
In 3- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix all ingredients.
Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours (or High heat setting 3 to 4 hours) to develop flavors.

Options: Sprinkle with cheese when ready to serve or serve with grilled sandwiches.

Ham & Cheese Hash Browns

6 c. frozen hash browns
2 c. Ham, chopped
10 3/4 oz. can Cream of Chicken Soup
8 oz. Cheddar Cheese, shredded
3/4 c. Sour Cream
1/4 c. Butter, melted
1/2 c. Milk
2 Tbsp. Onion, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F. Thoroughly combine all ingredients except the hash browns. Add hash browns to ham and cheese mixture and stir until all ingredients are well mixed, put in a greased 2 quart baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes.

Frozen Instructions:
Thaw, uncover, bake as directed.