Slow Cooker Chicken Cream Cheese Chili

This super easy slow cooker chili is a hit!  

The recipe is from the Natasha's Kitchen website.  She has lots of good recipes out there.

https://natashaskitchen.com/chicken-cream-cheese-chili/

Ingredients

For the chili, you will need:

• 2 chicken breasts, frozen or fresh
• 15 oz can black beans; drained and rinsed
• 15 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 12 oz bag of frozen corn
• 10 oz diced tomatoes with green chilies, un-drained
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 0.4 oz ranch dressing mix packet
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro; chopped
• 1 cup chicken broth, I used Better than bouillon reduced sodium
• 8 oz cream cheese (regular or reduced fat)

Optional (but highly recommended) garnish:

• Mixed Mexican cheese, sour cream and chives

Instructions

Put everything into the slow cooker in the order that it's listed above:

1. Heat water and start the bouillon.
2. Place 2 chicken breasts in the bottom of the crock pot.
3. Drain and rinse (rinse until water runs clear) black and white beans; then add them to the pot.
4. Add finely chopped medium onion, undrained can of corn, undrained can of diced tomatoes with green chilies
5. Top with 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 package ranch dressing mix, 1/2 bunch of chopped cilantro, 1 cup chicken broth, and finally place your 8 oz package of cream cheese on top.
6. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. After it's been cooking 5 hours, break up the cream cheese into the rest of the mix. Cover and continue cooking the last hour (if you forget this step, it won't hurt anything to mix it at the end).
7. After the 6 hours, remove the chicken breasts into a medium bowl and shred with two forks. Chicken should be fall-apart tender. Place the chicken back into the slow cooker and stir to combine.
8. Serve over baked potatoes topped with cheese and sour cream. It's also great with tortilla chips or white rice.

Overnight French Toast

1 loaf King's Hawaiian Bread (cubed)

8-9 eggs

1 1/2 cup milk (2%)

1/4 cup maple syrup

6 tbsp melted butter

1 tsp vanilla

8 oz cream cheese (cut into small cubes)

cinnamon sugar

1 pint blueberries

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange half the bread cubes in the dish, and top with cream cheese cubes. Sprinkle blueberries over the cream cheese, and top with remaining bread cubes.

In a large bowl, mix the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and syrup. Pour over the bread cubes.  Press bread into liquid to make sure it is saturated.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.  

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In morning, heat oven to 350 degrees and bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes.

Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes

These individual cakes are delicious and surprisingly easy to make.  Mix ahead of time, pour into ramekins, and refrigerate.  Let stand at room temperature for one hour before baking. 

https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/recipe/069182/chocolate-molten-lava-cakes?fbclid=IwAR3-ZGyndgnoG7FTGpY2eZ9p-cpN8oIwofRSo78xc1Qj353sU63i4O4MtN4 

  

Taste of Home Gluten Free Almond Cookies

8 oz almond paste
1/2 cup Sugar
2 egg whites at room temp
1/8 tsp salt

Beat almond paste and sugar until crumbly.  Add egg whites and salt, beat until smooth.  Drop by tablespoon 1 inch apart onto baking sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.  Cool for 1 minute on baking sheet, then place on wire racks.

Stan's Lingonberry Punch

We discovered this refreshing tart punch at Stan's annual Julbord. 

2 bottles Club Soda (33 oz)
64 oz Cranberry Juice (100% juice, no sugar added)
16 oz bottle of Lingonberry syrup (sold at Ikea)
1/2 cup fresh lime juice

Mix together and enjoy!

Hamburger Soup

A tasty hamburger soup with simple ingredients.

1 lb ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 tsp garlic
1 cup diced celery
1 cup sliced carrots
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes (with Italian seasoning)
1 can tomato paste
1 envelope dry Italian dressing mix
1 T light soy sauce or Bragg liquid aminos
1 14 oz can beef broth
1 14 oz can chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
(40 oz of liquid total)
1 lb cooked orzo (or other small pasta)
Grated parmesan cheese to garnish each bowl.

In a large stock pot, brown beef with onion and garlic, drain, then add celery, carrots, soup mix, salt and pepper, and cook until veggies are tender.  Add remaining ingredients (except pasta and cheese).  Cook on stove top for about 30 minutes.  Wait until last few minutes and add the cooked pasta.  Adding pasta earlier will soak up much of the liquid.  If you want to cook the pasta with the soup, just add more broth or water as needed.

To make in the slow cooker, brown beef, onions and garlic, drain.  Add to slow cooker and add all other ingredients, except pasta and cheese.  Cook on low for 8 hours.  Again, do not add pasta until the end.

Thanksgiving Green Beans

Saute in the electric frying pan - our new favorite way of making green beans for a large group!  Quick and easy and you don't need to take up any space on the stove top or in the oven. 

3/4 to 1 pound of fresh green beans washed and trimmed
1 1/2 T olive oil
1/2 tsp onion salt
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in frying pan.  Add spices, stir, add beans, stir.  Cook and stir for 5 to 10 minutes until done.  Cover the frying pan and trap the steam to cook a little faster.