New Recipes

Today, I am finally taking the time to share a couple of new/old recipes that I have made recently. I have been trying very hard, since January, to stick to meal planning and limit my grocery store visits. So far, so good.  The first quick little recipe I wanted to share is one of Adam's favorite dips, we call it "Cold Rotel" and it is easy!! Ingredients 1 1/2 block of cream cheese (you can use 2 if you want) 1 can white corn 1 can rotel (mild) Instructions 1.Microwave cream cheese for 30 seconds to make soft 2. Drain can of white corn 3. Drain 1/2 the can of rotel 4. Mix cream cheese, corn and rotel in bowl.  5. Heat in microwave for 30 seconds.  (You can serve it hot, but we like it cold so I don't heat it long. I then stick it in the refrigerator to cool) Serve with corn chips!  I have also been trying different things for dinner. We are totally meat and potato kind of people and sometimes I feel like I make the same ole things. I didn't stray far from our normal meals but I did make them in different ways.  Lets start with chicken and rice, one of our favorites. I made it last week, using a variety of different recipes that I found, and eventually just ditched the recipes and created my own thing.  Ingredients 3-4 chicken breast 2 cups of rice 1 can cream of chicken 1 can cream of celery 1 can cream of mushroom 1 can chicken broth Instructions 1. Boil chicken, after chicken has boiled place it in 9x13 pan. (You can shred the chicken, or not, your choice!) Do not drain chicken, you need the broth.  2. Boil rice in the chicken broth  3. In a separate bowl, mix all of the "creams" and 1 cup of the chicken broth together. 4. After rice has boiled, drain and add it to the bowl with the creams. Mix together. 5. Pour rice mixture in 9x13 on top of the chicken.  6. Bake on 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes -Add a roll with it and your man will be happy! JAT loved this new version of one of our favorites!  Have you found that there are soooo many roast recipes out there? I don't think I have made roast the same way since we got married. I have tried several different recipes. A couple of Sundays ago I put one in the crockpot before going to church and it was a hit!  Ingredients 1 roast (doesn't matter size) 1 pack of dry ranch dressing mix 1 pack of brown gravy mix 1 pack zesty italian 1 cup of water Instructions 1. Place roast in crockpot 2. In a bowl, mix gravy mix, dry ranch mix, zesty italian, and 1 cup of water together 3. Pour over roast 4. Leave crockpot on high for 5-6 hours and done!  Super easy, make rice or mashed potatoes with it and you have a meal. We are all about easy in the Tait household.  Ok, last one I want to share. I made this for lunch today and it was just as easy as everything else.  Ingredients 1 pack of pork chops (I used four) 1 can cream of chicken 1 can cream of mushroom 1 cup of rice Instructions 1. Place pork chops in crockpot 2. Pour can of chicken and can of mushroom on top of pork chops.  3. Leave crockpot on high for 4-5 hours 4. Cook rice 5. Pour rice in crockpot and mix with the pork chops. Beyond easy and it was delicious! Now my question for you. Is there something out there that I can use in place of all the "Creams" that recipes call for? I feel like I can't make anything without using a cream of something and I know it can't be that healthy for you. What are your suggestions?  

Maw's Chicken and Rice

Tonight I am making/made the easiest chicken and rice recipe ever known. It just has to be.  I have made it once before and it was extremely easy, I just knew it couldn't be good but no worries it is very good. 
 My grandmother always makes the best and, of course, when I asked for her recipe she said that she doesn't use a recipe, she just "makes it". What kind of answer is that for this newlywed who needs a recipe?  My Maw doesn't measure anything and just uses whatever she has in the pantry to make delicious home cooked meals. At some point I hope I will be that good of a cook but just not yet. So..I took what she told me she normally does and made it into some kind of organized recipe. This is what I got and it was no where near complicated.
Ingredients
Chicken Breast (they usually come in a package of three so I just use one package) 2 cups of rice 1 large can of cream of chicken or two small cans Salt  Pepper
...Told you it was the easiest ever.
Preparation
First, boil your water and add your chicken breast. After the chicken has cooked, take it out of the water and cut the chicken in to small pieces. Do not drain your chicken, you want to use the boiling water. Pour the rice, cream of chicken, and chicken breast back into the pot of boiling water. Stir and let it cook for about 30 minutes. Let it sit for about 5 or 10 minutes after cooking. Add salt and pepper as desired. 

It make a huge pot. Perfect for lunch the next day.


I hope you enjoy this recipe! You can thank this sweet lady..

Cooking with Pinterest

I have to admit that I am probably the worlds worst when it comes to "pinning" a recipe on Pinterest and never actually going through with making it. I love the idea of cooking something that I find but to tell you the truth I just can't get away from my cookbooks and family recipes!
This past Saturday night I made something I found from Pinterest and it was a total hit with my husband!
It was probably one of the easiest things I have ever made. Let me introduce you to Buffalo Chicken Garbage Bread..

This of course is the picture from Pinterest but it was definetly a success and my version looked almost the same. The recipe calls for very few ingredients (chicken, olive oil, ranch or blue cheese dressing, pizza dough, cheese, and buffalo sauce) which I love!
Go find it on my recipe board and make this easy thing. You won't regret it!
JAT and I are of course house sitting again this week...think we should go into the business?
Have a great 4th of July! What will you be cooking?