Category: recipes

January 14, 2013

Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken and Salsa

Here is a super easy recipe that is very filling, healthy and quick to make. It is one of my favourite ones so far and makes you feel satisfied.
Ingredients:
– 4-5 chicken breasts
– 1 can of medium salsa
– 1 can of diced tomatoes
– 1 can of kidney beans
Directions
1) Place chicken breasts at the bottom of your slow cooker.
2) Cover with salsa, diced tomatoes and kidney beans.
3) Set slow cooker to high and cook for four hours.
4) Shred chicken and cook on high for an additional hour.
Enjoy!! This meal is perfect on it’s own or you could add in on a bed of rice.
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November 21, 2012

Chicken Burger Recipe

I wanted to try out a leaner cut of meat for dinner and I had spotted Maple Leaf extra lean ground chicken on sale at Walmart two weeks ago. I picked up a couple of packages (how I wish I had stocked up then!!).

We decided to try making patties with the ground chicken. The texture of the meat was different than what I was used to when I make my own beef patties so I had to adjust my usual recipe to accommodate the difference.

These were a surprising hit with my family. My youngest loved it as it held together when I cut it into smaller pieces but when he bit into the piece it was still soft. My eldest was a bit pickier, possibly because he knew it was chicken versus beef but he still ate one burger.

I decided to make another batch of patties today and wanted to share the recipe. Here is what I did:

Ingredients:

– two packages of extra lean ground chicken

– Italian style bread crumbs (my personal preference as it eliminates having to add the Parmesan and spices later)

– 1/2 medium onion chopped finely

– 1 shaved carrot

– 1 medium egg

Directions:

1) Combine ground chicken and egg, mix well.

2) Add bread crumbs – again the amount varies based on the texture of the meat. For this meal I used a 1/2 cup of bread crumbs. I usually continue to add more until the meat thickens and sticks together.

3) Add the onions and shaved carrots and mix well.

 

4) Form the meat into patties.
5) Use your favourite method to cook: grill or fry! My hubby loves fried food so I fried ours up in olive oil.

 

Between prep and cook time it should take about 35-40 minutes.
Next time I want to add spinach but trying to work out the how’s for that one. Any suggestions or tips for adding spinach to patties?
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October 31, 2012

Banana Cinnamon Bread

I have finally gotten my recipe right for making banana bread! I have tried to bake a loaf on so many occasions and each time the inside always had a wet, undercooked taste to it. I am so proud to have finally gotten in right that I had to share my recipe with everyone! This was so delicious and had my boys coming back for seconds.
Ingredients:
  • 4 ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1/3 cup melted butter
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mix the melted butter and mashed bananas together.
3. Add the sugar, beaten egg, vanilla and mix.
4. Add the baking soda and salt, mix.
5. Add the flour, mix.
6. Sprinkle the cinnamon on top (add more if you love the taste of the cinnamon – I’m sure I added more than a teaspoon!!).
7. Pour the mix into a buttered 4×9 loaf pan. Bake for one hour. Allow to cool and then serve.

 

 

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September 26, 2012

Turkey and Veggie Sloppy Joes

I made up my own version of sloppy joes last night and it was a hit! My eldest had no idea how many different veggies he was eating or that he was even eating mince turkey! I wanted to try out a different type of meat and turkey was an excellent option! I am one of those people that add items to suit how the meal is turning out (i.e.) added spinach at the last moment to add some more green into the meal – but here is an idea of what I did:
Ingredients:
  • – package of Maple Leaf prime mince turkey
  • – 1/2 of a red, orange and yellow pepper, cut thinly
  • – 1 cup of mushrooms
  • – 1 cup of thinly sliced carrots
  • – 1 cup of thinly sliced celery
  • – 1/2 bundle of fresh, washed and chopped spinach
  • – 1 medium onion
  • – 1 1/2 tbsp (approx.) of extra virgin olive oil
  • – 1 jar of tomato sauce (we can our own every September so it is just pure tomato but any tomato sauce can work!)
Directions:
1. Saute peppers, onions, carrots, celery and mushrooms in a pot with the extra virgin oil.
2. Add mince turkey and brown.
3. Add chopped spinach and cook for an additional two minutes.
4. Add tomato sauce and allow to simmer for twenty minutes. You can always add pepper/salt or garlic to taste but I found it had lots of flavour as is.
We served ours on a bed of rice.
Our boys loved this recipe so much and had three bowls each! This was definitely a hit in our home and I will be making it again soon!.
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September 4, 2012

Red Pepper and Onion Tortellini Pasta!

This is one of my favourite go to recipes for my eldest who dislikes his veggies. I do my best to sneak veggies in by blending them into his sauces, smoothies, etc…but this recipe I love because he is convinced that it is a cheese sauce!!
It is a super simple and delicious recipe that takes no more then twenty minutes to complete.
You will need:
  • 1 red pepper (the darker, the better!!)
  • 1 onion
  • butter (I do not usually measure out just go by how much is needed to fry the onions and peppers!)
  • 1 small container of 10 or 18% cream
  • package of Oliveri tortellini (I love the rainbow pasta with seven cheeses!)
Directions:
1. Cut up onion and peppers into small pieces – place into frying pan with enough butter that they soften (but be careful not to burn them – you want them soft but not brown)
2. Boil water for tortellini – follow instructions on the package you purchase (this usually takes about eight to ten minutes). Strain and set aside.
3. Once peppers and onions are soft enough put the mixture into a blender. Add the whole container of cream at a time – depending on the size of the peppers and onions you use you may not need the whole container. Blend until smooth (it will have an orange colour to it, which is why my son believes it is cheese!).
4. Cover pasta and voila!! Delicious pasta that even the pickiest veggie eaters will love!

 

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