Honey Garlic Chicken and Veggies

I have been finally trying new recipes and found a couple of really tasty meals. 
So easy and DELICIOUS!

Honey Garlic Chicken and Veggies 

Ingredients:

·         4-6 chicken breasts
·         16 oz baby red potatoes, halved
·         16 oz baby carrots
·         16 oz green beans
·         2 Tbsp parsley
·         ½ cup soy sauce
·         ½ cup honey
·         ¼ cup ketchup
·         2 cloves minced garlic
·         1 tsp dried basil
·         ½ tsp dried oregano
·         ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
·         ¼ tsp black pepper

Directions:

Combine soy sauce, honey, ketchup, garlic, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes and pepper.  Place chicken, potatoes, and carrots in slow cooker.  Cover with sauce mixture.  Cook on low  heat for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.  Add green beans last 30 min of cooking. Garnish with parsley.

Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole

Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole....this is seriously so good!!  It takes a while to cook, but is soooo worth it!! I will definitely be making this a regular!! 

Ingredients:

4-5 medium potatoes scrubbed and diced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
8 slices cooked bacon, cooled and crumbled
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 green onions, sliced (green parts only)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp butter cut into small pieces


Directions:

Heat oven to 350*.  Lightly grease an 9x13 baking dish.

Spread half of the diced potatoes in bottom of pan.  Place the diced chicken breasts evenly on top.  Season with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with half the bacon crumbles, 1/2 cup of the cheese and half the green onions.

Spread the remaining diced potatoes on top, followed by the remaining bacon, another 1/2 cup cheese, remaining green onions and another 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Pour heavy cream over top of casserole and the dot with the butter.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.  Uncover and bake for another 30 minutes.  In the last few minutes of baking, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and bake until melted.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

 Okay, I know - another soup recipe. But it really is a great time of year for soups. And this one is really good! It's hearty, and a little spicy, and the bacon adds a great crunchiness, too. Yum!!!

Ingredients:
4 large potatoes
6 slices of bacon
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
1/4 c butter, cut into chunks
2 c chicken broth
2 c whole milk
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper, to taste
2 TBS cornstarch
Toppings:  shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, sour cream

Directions:
Bake potatoes (I put mine directly on the rack, and bake at 400 F, for about 1 hour or until tender).
Remove from oven and set aside to cool a little.
Leaving the skins on, chop 2 of the baked potatoes into small chunks. Scoop out the insides of the other 2 potatoes and mash them up with a fork. (I left mine a little chunky, not too smooth.)

Fry the bacon in a large pot, until crisp.  Remove to a paper towel to cool, and then crumble for topping.  Add chopped onion and garlic to the pot and cook in the bacon grease until just softened.

Stir in butter chunks until melted.  Add milk, chicken broth and all of the potatoes.  Stir to combine. Heat soup on low (do not boil) and when heated, add cheese, cayenne and salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with equal parts water, stirring until smooth.  Add to soup and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.

Serve soup with crumbled bacon, onions, extra cheese and sour cream (if desired).

Serves 6

Enjoy!

Twice Baked Potato

Ingredients:

4-6 large potatoes
olive oil or shortening
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter

Alternate toppings:

Cheddar and bacon version
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
4 strips cooked bacon
1/4 cup chopped green onion

Blue cheese and chives version
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 tsp salt

Paprika version
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven *400. Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Poke each potato several times with the fork to prevent explosion. Rub each potato lightly with oil or shortening. Cook for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 min. Or until potato gives a little when pressed.

Carefully slice the top third lengthwise off the potato. Use a spoon to scoop out the insides, forming a potato "canoe", leaving about 1/4 inch of potato on the skin.
Alternatively you can slice the potatoes in half, lengthwise. In this case you may want to bake an extra potato so that you will have more potato filling to mound into the potato boats.

Place the scooped out potato insides, sour cream, milk, and butter into a large bowl. (Or alternate ingredients) Mash with a potato masher. If you want a creamy texture, beat with an electric beater until desired consistency.

Mix in the extras with the potatoes. Reserve some of the extras to sprinkle on the tops of the potatoes. Spoon fillings into the potato shells. Sprinkle with extra toppings.

Heat oven to 350°F. Place potatoes on a roasting pan and bake 15 to 20 minutes until heated through.

3 Mashed Potato Recipes

Creamy Ranch Mashed Potatoes
(using potato pearls or russet potatoes)

Ingredients:

2 cups of milk
3/4 cup water
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 pkg ranch dressing mix (milk recipe)
1 cup sour cream
4 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled
2 Tbsp thinly sliced green onions
Mashed potatoes or potato pearls

Directions:

Heat milk water and butter to boiling. Stir in ranch dressing mix and sour cream; beat until smooth. Stir in 3 slices of bacon. Add to potato pearls (don't add water) or prepared mashed potatoes. ( I made this with potato pearls, and thought it would work just as well and be just as delicious with regular mashed potatoes.)

Spoon potatoes into serving dish and top with remaining bacon and green onions.

I labeled this one fast if you use potato pearls.

Mashed Red Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 lbs small red potatoes quartered
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Bring large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. (boil water before you add potatoes or else it will be to mushy) Add potatoes (skins and all), and cook until tender but still firm, about 10 min. Drain and place in a large bowl. Combine potatoes with butter, milk, sour cream, salt and pepper. Mash together until smooth and creamy.

Creamy Garlic Mashed PotatoesIngredients:

3 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
2 Tbsp kosher salt
2 cups half-and-half
6 cloves garlic, crushed
6 oz grated Parmesan

Directions:

Peel and dice potatoes. Place in a large saucepan add salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to maintain a rolling boil. Cook until potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork.

Heat the half-and-half and the garlic in medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and set aside.

Remove the potatoes from the heat and drain off the water. Mash and add garlic-cream mixture and Parmesan; stir to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes so that mixture thickens and then serve.

*I'm sure you could use this with your potato pearls also. I haven't tried it. If you do and it works let me know.

Chicken potato bake

Ingredients:

4 chicken pieces (I used boneless skinless chicken breasts)
about 3 potatoes cut into thin wedges
1/4 c Italian dressing
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese *
1 tsp Italian seasoning *

*It could have used more, and definitely make sure it gets all over the chicken pieces.

Directions:

Heat oven to 400* Place chicken and potatoes in 13x9 baking dish.

Top with dressing, sprinkle cheese and seasoning, cover.

Bake one hour or until chicken is done. Remove cover after 30 min.