Basic. Minimal. Let's focus on those two perfect words with the food this week.
Do you all need a recipe that's 100 percent unashamedly lazy? Beautifully easy? Of course you do. I really promise this is 100 percent kid friendly. I know I say that every week, but even the one-year-old INHALED this. Like, three bowls of it! I think it's the perfect meal for all that RSV, Influenza garbage that's been going around. Or it's perfect to throw in the Crock-Pot if you have a sitter coming over! It is so versatile. It would be perfect to throw in before church, and come home to your home smelling like heaven. I'm guessing, I've never actually been to heaven. We served it over mashed potatoes, but you can easily exchange those taters for noodles. You have permission to be extra lazy and make instant potatoes.
Do it. I dare you.
Whatever your heart desires. With the weather as undecided as it is, and everyone's health up in the air, your menu needs to be a winner and there for everyone.
Now, is this healthy? Eh, this time around, it’s irrelevant.
However, you can throw in some frozen peas when it's about done cooking! I mean, that's a step in the right direction!
Shredded Chicken over Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 4-6 chicken breasts
- 2 (10 oz.) cans cream of chicken soup
- 14-15 oz. can chicken broth or stock
- salt and pepper to taste
- Italian seasoning, just a pinch
- Don't forget to add potatoes or egg noodles to your list, whichever you decided to do!
The How-To:
- Place the chicken breasts (frozen works great!) in the Crock-Pot.
- Pour the two cans of cream of chicken over top with all of your seasonings. I know, cream of yuck soup, but all in moderation.
- Pop the lid on it and cook for 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.
- When the chicken is done cooking, make your mashed potatoes or noodles.
- While that action is happening, remove the chicken from the Crock-Pot and dice or shred.
- Add the can of chicken broth (or stock) to the soup that is still in the Crock-Pot and whisk until well combined. NOTE: I did have to make a quick slurry – I used corn starch and whole milk, mix well, add to the soup. Also, go ahead and add the peas here, if you would like.
- Add that shredded chicken back to the Crock-Pot. I found it works best when a hungry three-year-old isn't around. Otherwise, you won't have very much shredded chicken left.
- If you chose noodles, once they are cooked, add them to the Crock-Pot.
- Give everything a good stir. Taste and add more seasonings if needed.
- Plate up! A salad and some bread rolls would pair beautifully with this!
Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies
I feel like there should be a dessert paired with this recipe. Also, I haven't met my word minimum yet, so let's have dessert, shall we?! Okay!
What are we in the mood for? You know, Easter is right around the corner, and since I'm betting – I mean, guessing – that some of you have given up sweets for Lent, I'll save the homemade Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs that we all adore for later. Homemade. As in, this Easter, you won’t find weird plastic things inside of your child's Easter candy. No, really, that happened to us once buried in the middle of a Reese’s. I assure you, this recipe is plastic free, unless you use margarine, then that's all on you.
Okay. Anyway, if you did give up sweets for Lent, just stop reading now, put down the paper, and back away.
All the sweet Lenters gone now? Just us? Okay.
These are a super delicious chocolate chip cookie. I feel like there should be a better adjective than "super," but it is what it is. Make these for yourself and get back at me with some more compelling descriptors.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 c. granulated sugar
- 3/4 c. packed brown sugar
- 1 c. butter or margarine, softened
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 egg
- 2-1/4 c. Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 package (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate
chips (2 cups)
The How-To:
- Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Mix sugars, butter, vanilla, and egg in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt (dough will be stiff). Stir in optional nuts and chocolate chips.
- Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about two inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft). Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.
