Chicken Salad Wraps

Kids are always complaining they don't want the same things over and over, well OK sometimes they do. I am not the adventurous type when it comes to eating. I was and am the PICKY eater. That being said, I have always encouraged my children to do the two bite rule or even just try something new. 

I came up with these Kid approved Chicken Salad Wraps (hubby approved too). I give a variety of options in the recipe. What I used this time was apples, cranberries  and celery. I put chips, pickles and carrots on the side. I also gave them a fruit snack. My kids are healthy eaters, and if they didn't SEE veggies (not just mixed in, oh and lots of them) they would have been griping! 

Chicken Salad Wraps

Ingredients:

1 cup shredded/cut up, cooked chicken

1/3 cup "something crunchy" (celery, apple, radishes, pickle slices or a combo)

1/4 cup mayonnaise/Veganaise (or plain yogurt)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 Wraps (you can use tortillas, buns, rolls, or whatever you have on hand)

Optional - Onions - 1 scallion or 1/4 small red onion, chopped

Directions:

Mix shredded/cut up chicken, the "something crunchy," and mayonnaise/Veganaise (or yogurt) together until evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Evenly fill the wraps (can use buns, rolls, or whatever you have on hand) with the salad mix.

PB Banana Smoothie

I was looking for something to snazz up the lunches for the kids on Fridays. We are really tired of the hum drum same things. I came across a recipe for a PB Banana smoothie, personally I hate PB but my kids and hubby love it! I thought OK we shall see. While I was on her site, I came across smoothie frozen pop molds that are reusable! I was super excited! They look like the ones from the Jolly Llama my favorite frozen pop (which I am making on my own...in another post that will be coming up we will go over it). Kids and hubby enjoyed it immensely! (It went too fast, no pic right now. LOL)

Without further ado...

Ingredients:

1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup apple juice
1/3 cup peanut butter
1-2 bananas
1 cup frozen (or fresh**) berries (I used frozen strawberries)
**If using fresh berries use 1 to 1 1/2 cups of ice

(Optional) For fun you can add 1/2 cup of vanilla ice cream.

Instructions:

Use the smoothie option on your blender or blend up until mixed if you don't.

Serve cold!

Original Post: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/06/11/recipe-pbj-smoothie/

To use the frozen pop molds, or any pop mold just pour it in and freeze!



Frozen pop molds:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0036B9KHO/?tag=100dayofreafo-20

Chicken Enchilada Chili

I was looking for something new to cook for the family. I don't eat meat and I am super picky, so I went to the best website for crock pot recipes "A Year of Slow Cooking". I stumbled upon Chicken Enchilada Chili, the mere sound of it to the family made their mouths drop and water! They said "YES! THAT!"

The only thing I did was change the cooking style...I used a pressure cooker on high for 9 mins (also used it to cook the chicken prior). Pictured below is recipe I made.

I topped it with cheese (was going to use sour cream but it was frozen, thanks to the back of the fridge), you could top with olives too. I just used what I had.

Man and kids approved!

Here is a link to the original post:
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2010/01/enchilada-chicken-chili.html

Busy Baking Home Day!

Whew what a busy baking day! Best memories for me...watching the people I love fawn and fight over my baked goods!!

Here is a picture of the bread....mmmmm (no sorry I don't share the recipe!). I will update with a photo of it sliced later. 

If you live in West Texas or Austin, TX we could hook you up with bread! My mom bakes too...

I also baked up some pretzels (cinnamon & sugar and Butter and salt), Oatmeal Butterscotch cookies, Oatmeal Cinnamon Muffins (those were last weekend though, also no recipe being given out for those). I might post the recipes later for those so keep an eye out here. 

Not sure what I will be making next but as always I am sure it will be kid and husband approved!

Until later...

Yummy chewy and soft granola bars

I wanted something tasty for the whole family, something that wouldn't break the bank! I think this recipe is so versatile! You can literally come up with all kinds of combinations!

Husband & Kid Tested and Approved!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c of old fashioned oats
1/2 c fine or coarsely chopped nut - your choice (I used pecans this time, could use peanuts, walnuts, almonds or no nuts - I like mine finely chopped)
1/3 c honey (liquid)
1/4 c unsalted butter, cut up
1/4 c light brown sugar (packed tightly)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I might try maple next time)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c fine or coarsely chopped dried fruit (I like mine finely chopped)
1/4 c chocolate chips chopped up (you can use mini - I prefer bits to minis)

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line the pan, bottom and sides of an 8" square pan with parchment paper (I use parchment rather than aluminum foil and spray - use what you have on hand).
2. Toast oats and nuts (if you used any) for 5 minutes in the oven, stir then toast for another 5 minutes.
3. Put oats and nuts in large bowl and set aside.
4. Combine butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla extract and the salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until butter melts and the sugar completely dissolves.
5. Pour butter mixture in to bowl with toasted oats and nuts (if you used any). Mix well. 
6. Let cool about 5 minutes then add fruits of choice and a 1/4 cup of the mini chocolate chips. Stir to combine. (The chocolate chips will most likely melt a little. They act as glue and help to hold the bars together).
7. Transfer oat, nut, fruit mixture to lined pan then use a rubber spatula or damp finger tips to firmly press the mixture into the pan. Press hard for about 1 minute.
8. Optional - Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips over pressed granola mixture then use a rubber spatula to gently press them into the top. 
9. Cover then refrigerate at least 2 hours.
10. Remove granola mixture and parchment paper from pan. Cut into 12 bars. Serve and enjoy!

**Bars can be stored for up to one week in an airtight container. For firmer bars, store in fridge otherwise room temp counter will be just fine.**

Until later...

Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Soup from scratch

How this recipe came to be...I wanted something like I had before out in the world, but without all the additives etc. I searched and searched but nothing really seemed like it would work. Then I just decided to start somewhere.

I used my pressure cooker but you can use the stove and or combo of some sort.

Makes about 20 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
1 tablespoon onion powder (or 1 1/2 small onions)
1 tablespoon of garlic powder (or use whole garlic cloves minced up)
3 heads of broccoli (I steamed mine in the pressure cooker to make it faster and soft)
6 cups of veggie stock (chicken would also work)
2 lbs of cheddar cheese
3 cups of whole milk
1 cup water
3/4-1 cup corn starch

Directions:

1. In your pressure cooker or pot, steam the broccoli.








2. Add butter and melt it, keep stirring (I kept the pressure cooker on simmer and did everything after steaming broccoli).

3. Add onion and garlic powder (if using raw, use some of the butter and saute them first).
4. Add milk slowly, mixing it up.

5. Add cheese in (if loaf cheese, cube it first), mix until melted.









6. Mix in a bowl corn starch and water, then stir into the soup.


















7. Keep stirring until it thickens up, about 10-15 min.
8. Serve and eat!

Until later...

Yummy Homemade Black Bean Soup

It is a cold crisp (not raining!) type of day. The kids are bored with the lunch menu as of lately (been pretty slim choices due to the holiday and being sick) so I decided to come up with something they might enjoy...a soup! Yes I know sound boring also but it wasn't! They were smacking their lips begging for more and the best part was that it was so simple and easy my kids could have done it!! Recipe below.

Black Bean Soup (Serves 2 - 1 1/2 c each)

Ingredients
1 1/2 c broth (chicken or veg - homemade or store bought)
1 can black beans (or 16 oz of homemade black beans)
1/4 c salsa (homemade or store bought)
2 oz Velveeta cheese or 2 slices of Kraft cheese (Experiment with various cheeses!?)

Directions
Blend the broth, beans and salsa in the blender (I used the soup option on mine) until smooth.
Transfer to a 1qt or more pot, cook for 5 minutes or until starting to bubble.
Add cheese, stir until melted.
Serve and enjoy!

It was so simple my oldest wanted to do it so he could have seconds! =-)

Until later...