Chicken Tamale Casserole

This dish has gotten rave reviews every time I have made it.  It is easy to make for a crowd and also heats up well as leftovers.  Thanks to Kari for this great recipe!

Ingredients:

3 C shredded Mexican-blend cheese
1 egg
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
1 can (14.5 oz) creamed corn
1 box Jiffy corn bread mix
2 cans (4 oz each) chopped green chilies
2 cans (10 oz each) enchilada sauce
2 1/2 lbs. chicken breast, grilled and shredded
1 bell pepper, diced
sour cream, tomatoes, and other desired toppings

Directions:
1.) Cook and shred chicken.
2.) Preheat oven to 400 F.
3.) Combine 1 C cheese, egg, cumin, crushed red pepper, creamed corn, Jiffy, and green chilies.
4.) Pour into a greased 9x13" pan.
5.) Bake for 15 minutes.
6.) Place chicken and bell pepper on top of the baked corn.
7.) Pour enchilada sauce on top of the entire dish.
8.) Spread remaining 2 C cheese over the top.
9.) Bake an additional 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
10.) Serve with desired toppings.

Serves 8-10.

Swag Bars

These are a delicious snack or dessert.  I believe it is a Cooking Light recipe.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 C creamy peanut butter
3/4 C sugar
3/4 C light corn syrup
1 1/2 C (6 ounces) chopped, dry-roasted peanuts
3 1/2 C (4 ounces) crushed Total cereal
1/3 C chocolate chips

Directions:
1.) Combine peanut butter, sugar, and corn syrup in saucepan.
2.) Mix and heat over medium-high heat.
3.) Stir constantly until mixture begins to boil (about 4 minutes).
4.) Remove from heat.
5.) Stir in peanuts and Total.
6.) Evenly spread mixture into a greased 9x13" pan.
7.) Melt chocolate (10 seconds at a time in microwave).
8.) Drizzle chocolate on top of bars.
9.) Score into 36 bars while warm.

Makes 36 small bars.

Jess's Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

This recipe was love at first bite!  Jess made it for us several times while we were living in Boston.  Now that we are hundreds of miles away, I have started to make it myself.  Easy and delicious!

Ingredients:
5 lbs. chicken breasts
15 oz. your favorite barbecue sauce
2/3 C Italian salad dressing
1/3 C brown sugar
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Directions:
1.) Place chicken breasts (may be frozen or thawed) in crock pot.
2.) In a bowl, combine all other ingredients.
3.) Pour sauce over chicken.
4.) Cook in crockpot for 4-5 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high.  (Cook longer if chicken is frozen.)
5.) When fully cooked, remove chicken and shred.
6.) Place shredded chicken back in crock pot.  Stir.
7.) Keep setting on "keep warm" for 2-3 hours.
8.) Stir periodically to allow chicken to absorb juices.
9.) Serve on buns and/or with additional barbecue sauce or pickles if desired.

Serves 10-12.

Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and dumplings is one of my favorite comfort foods.  This recipe is similar to the way my mom made dumplings when I was young.  Yum!

Ingredients:
Creamy Gravy:
1/4 C butter
1/4 C plus 1 Tbsp flour
1 C chicken broth
1 C milk
1 egg yolk, beaten
2 C chicken, chopped and cooked
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 C frozen vegetables

Dumplings:
1 1/3 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter
1 egg, beaten
1/2 C milk

Directions:
1.) Prepare chicken.
2.) Begin making gravy by melting butter in a pan.
3.) Add flour and mix well.
4.) Add in broth and then milk.  Mix until chunks dissolve.
5.) Remove 1/2 C of mixture and stir beaten egg into this mixture.
6.) Return egg/milk mixture to pot.
7.) Heat 2-3 minutes, until mixture slightly thickens.
8.) Stir in chicken, desired spices, and vegetables.
9.) Heat on medium-low while preparing dumplings.
10.) Prepare dumplings by mixing flour, powder, and salt.
11.) Cut in butter.
12.) Mix together egg and milk in separate bowl.
13.) Add egg/milk mixture to dry ingredients.
14.) Mix until just blended.  If dough is sticky, add more flour.
15.) Check that gravy is fully heated and simmering.
16.) Give gravy a final stir before adding dumplings on top.
17.) Pull dough apart into walnut-sized pieces.
18.) Drop dough on top of gravy.
19.) Cover pot and heat for 7-8 mins, until dumplings are cooked.
19.) Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Sloppy Joes

This is our favorite recipe for good ol' sloppy joes!

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 C ketchup
4 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp yellow mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
4-6 buns

Directions:
1.) Brown ground beef and drain grease.
2.) Stir in above ingredients.
3.) Reduce heat and simmer for 10-20 minutes.

Serves 4-6 (depending on amount on each sandwich)

Honey Baked Chicken

This marinade was delicious on chicken breasts.  The picture does not quite capture the juiciness of the meat.  (Speaking of the picture, the mashed potato and pea face was not intentional, but I just had to use this picture because it's funny how much it looks like a little chick.)

Ingredients:
1.5-2 lbs. chicken (any type)
1/4 C butter, melted
1/4 C honey
1/8 C yellow mustard
1/2 tsp curry

Directions:
1.) In a bowl, combine butter, honey, mustard, and curry.  Mix well.
2.) Pour sauce over chicken in an ungreased baking dish.
3.) Bake at 350 F for 45-60 minutes, basting chicken as needed.

Serves 5-6.

Sweet Potato Polenta

I think one of my new rediscovered favorite foods is polenta!  I've decided it tastes great with many different main courses, and the possibilities are endless as to what flavors you can mix in.  This recipe is a combination of a few others I saw.  I could have put the sweet potatoes through a food processor for a more homogeneous texture, but skipped this step.  It turned out creamy a delicious - a must try!

Ingredients:
2 medium-sized sweet potatoes
1 C yellow corn meal
1 C cold water
3 C boiling water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried sage
1 C shredded Gouda cheese

Directions:
1.) Bake sweet potatoes until fully cooked (350 about 30 mins).
2.) Cool sweet potatoes and remove from skin.
3.) Mash sweet potatoes and set aside.
4.) Mix together corn meal and cold water.  Allow to sit 3 mins.
5.) Add in desired seasonings and turn burner to medium-high.
6.) Pour boiling water into mixture and stir constantly until boiling.
7.) Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed.  Stir occasionally.
8.) Add in mashed sweet potatoes and cheese.
9.) Stir until cheese is melted and serve immediately.

Serves 6-8.