LOADED POTATOE SOUP

5 lbs russet potatoes, diced, NOT peeled

5 tablespoons TS garlic garlic

1 large yellow onion, chopped **(I only used half and it was better)

64 ounces chicken broth or stock

16 ounces cream cheese

bacon, sour cream, chives or shredded cheese for garnish

Combine first 4 ingredients in your crock pot, cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 5. Purée soup in food processor with cream cheese. Serve warm topped with bacon, sour cream, shredded cheese & chives.

FINALLY a loaded baked potato soup recipe with NO heavy cream and even better, you can make in in the crock pot! I have to say this is the best recipe I have tried for loaded baked potato soup, and I have tried many. This recipe made enough for a family of 5 and two freezer meals for later. It was to die for!

Spicy Honey Chicken

Ingredients:

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 2lbs (you could use breasts as well but thighs stay more moist)

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Rub:

2 teaspoons granulated garlic (you can sub 1 teaspoon garlic powder here)

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

Glaze:

1/2 cup Honey

1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar

Instructions:

Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well.

Use kitchen shears to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces. Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands and get in there! Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it's not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2 Tablespoons of the honey glaze for later after the chicken has cooked to pour on right before serving. Take the rest and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling.

I'm gonna warn you that this can make a hot mess, literally. It's sugar, and it's gonna drip. But the smelly smoke is worth it for a minute or two. Just leave your grill on for a few minutes after the chicken is done to burn off any excess glaze. It's totally worth it once you taste this stuff.

If you don't have a bbq, try it on an indoor grill pan or use your broiler. Just be sure to open a window in case you burn your glaze!

Recipe is from  Our Best Bites

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken and Fried Rice

I have never tried making Chinese food at home, so I decided to try a recipe. It turned out delicious but did take some time to make.

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken 

The chicken coating:

 3-4 boneless chicken breasts

salt + pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

The sweet and sour sauce:

 3/4 cup sugar

4 tbs ketchup

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp garlic salt

 Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs.  Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes.  

    

FriedRice                                                                                             

3 cups cooked white rice (day old or leftover rice works best!)

3 tbs sesame oil

1 cup frozen peas and carrots (thawed)

1 small onion, chopped

2 tsp minced garlic

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/4 cup soy sauce

    On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok.  Add the peas/carrots mix, onion and garlic. Stir fry until tender. Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side, then pour your eggs on the other side of skillet and stir fry until scrambled. Now add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until thoroughly heated!   **You could really play around with this rice too! Try adding some diced ham, or green onion :) Yum!  

Barbecued Chicken and Pineapple Skewers:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

1 cup of ketchup

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup of honey

1 tbsp yellow mustard

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 lemon juiced

1/2 fresh pineapple, chopped

4 boneless & skinless chicken breasts, chopped

Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Skewers, soaked in water

Drizzle of olive oil

Add the ketchup, soy sauce, honey, mustard, brown sugar, garlic, and lemon juice together in a small pan. Cook for 20 minutes over low heat, stirring often.

Thread the chicken and pineapple pieces onto the skewers, alternating the chicken and pineapple. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Pour half of the sauce into a small bowl then brush the skewers with the sauce.

Heat a large grill pan over medium high heat and drizzle the pan with olive oil. Cook the skewers for 2 minutes on each side (4 sides) for a total of 8 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the finished skewers from the pan and place on a serving tray. Serve the skewers with the remaining barbecue sauce. Enjoy.

SALSA CHICKEN TACOS

I love this recipe, it makes good leftovers and delicious tacos!!

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts 
1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup (I used the cream of chicken)
1 cup salsa 
1 package taco seasoning (I used 1 Tbsp of my homemade taco seasoning)
1 cup sour cream ***(I just use a dollop of sour cream)
cilantro, for serving (optional) (I also added a little shredded cheddar-jack, black beans and scallion on top)

Directions: 

Put chicken, soup, and salsa in slow cooker. Sprinkle taco seasoning over everything. Cook on low for 6 hours. If shredding the chicken, pull the breasts out and shred; return back to slow cooker. Stir in sour cream and heat just until everything is combined.

**I use the meat in tacos. Grab your tacos shells, lettuce, and tomatoes and you have a delicious taco!