Cream of Chicken and Green Chile Soup

This super easy and super yummy soup is the best thing for a time when you're needing something...well, easy and yummy! We loved this! Of course it's got IT Guy's name all over it because it has green chilies in it and it's got MY name on it because it's so simple to make. If you want, you can even use a rotisserie chicken instead of cooking your own chicken. You know rotisserie chicken is a cook's best friend, right? You totally need to make this soon...these cold winter evenings would be a perfect time!

Cream of Chicken 
and Green Chile Soup



4 chicken breasts ~ cooked and shredded
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 small onion ~ diced
1 32-ounce container chicken broth
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1 7-ounce can diced green chilies
1/2 cup long grain rice
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large dutch oven, saute the green chilies, carrots, celery and onion in the butter until tender.

Add the flour and stir and cook for a minute or so.

Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Add the rice. Cover and cook 20 minutes or until rice is done.

Add the chicken and cream. Heat through and serve.

 

The stuff!

 

In a large dutch oven, saute the 

green chilies, carrots, celery and 

onion in the butter until tender.

 

Add the flour and stir and cook for a minute or so.

 

Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.

 

Add the rice. Cover and cook 

20 minutes or until rice is done.

 

Add the chicken and cream.

 

Heat through....

 

...and serve!!

Honey Sesame Chicken Noodles

Well....it was one of those nights when I knew I'd be cooking a couple of different things. My Chinese food desire got the better of me so I whipped this up real quick. But I had to grill IT Guy a steak because I knew there was no way he'd touch what I made for myself. And too bad for him because this was GOOD! Quick and easy...and to make it even easier, you could buy pre-grilled chicken at the grocery store if you're not in the mood to cook your own. Either way you do it...this is pretty stinkin' tasty!!

Honey Sesame Chicken Noodles



12 ounces spaghetti noodles
4 chicken breasts ~ sliced
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 - 3 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons Asian chili sauce
1 clove garlic ~ minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons sesame oil
Salt & pepper to taste
1 small red bell pepper ~ sliced
1 small yellow bell pepper ~ sliced

In a large skillet, heat a little olive oil. Add the sliced chicken, season with salt and pepper and cook until chicken is done and has some color to it.

In a medium bowl, mix together the rice vinegar, honey, Asian chili sauce, soy sauce, green onions, ginger, and garlic.

Add the cooked chicken and stir to combine. Cover bowl with plastic wrap while cooking noodles.

Drain the noodles then return them to the pan. Add the 3 tablespoons of sesame oil and toss to coat. Then add the chicken mixture and toss.

Serve with sliced peppers on top.

 

The line-up!

 

Season and cook the sliced chicken.

 

Combine the rice vinegar, honey, 

Asian chili sauce, soy sauce, green 

onions, ginger, and garlic.

 

Add the chicken and toss to coat.

 

Cook the noodles, Drain. Then 

add the sesame oil. Toss to coat.

 

Add the chicken mixture in 

with the noodles then toss.

 

Serve with sliced peppers on top!

Green Chile Chicken Pasta

Casseroles are one of my "go-to" meals. Everyone loves them and they're so easy. And green chile is one of IT Guy's "go-to" items so this was a winner in our book. This one makes a hefty 9x13 inch pan but you can always break it down into two smaller pans and freeze one for later. Who doesn't love a meal you can pull right out of the freezer...thaw and bake? I know I do!

Green Chile Chicken Pasta



3 cups cooked, chopped chicken
1 7-ounce can diced green chilies
1 8-ounce container sour cream
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Salt & pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
5 cups dried pasta ~ cooked and drained
2 cups grated Monterey Jack Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Toss together the chicken and cheese in a medium bowl.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for about a minute.

Pour in the chicken broth and cook and whisk until thickened.

Remove from heat and add onion powder, garlic powder and salt and pepper.

Stir in the green chilies and the sour cream.

Add half of the pasta to the bottom of the pan then add half of the chicken/cheese mixture.

Repeat.

Pour sauce over the whole thing but do not stir.

Bake for about 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.


 

Our ingredients!

 

Toss together the chicken and cheese in a medium bowl.

 

In a medium saucepan, melt the 

butter over medium heat. Add the 

flour and cook for about a minute.

 

Pour in the chicken broth and 

cook and whisk until thickened.

 

Remove from heat and add onion powder, 

garlic powder and salt and pepper.

 

Stir in the green chilies 

and the sour cream.

 

Add half of the pasta to the bottom 

of the pan then add half of the 

chicken/cheese mixture.

 

Repeat!

 

Bake!

 

Serve!

Cranberry Almond Orange Crunch

Cranberries and orange just scream Thanksgiving to me. I love that combo! So when I bought something similar to this from my granddaughter's girl scout troop, I knew I'd go broke buying it so I set about making my own. This stuff is stinkin' good! This is the kind of thing you leave out on your counter and nibble at as you walk by then realize you've nibbled the whole thing away and it's time to make more. So you make more then snack on it until it's gone and the vicious cycle begins. Worth it? Definitely yes...worth every bite!

Cranberry Almond Orange Crunch

2 cups whole almonds
1 cup dried cranberries (I used Craisins)
1 cup sugar
1 egg white
Juice from 1/2 an orange
Zest from 1 orange

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spray a rimmed cookie sheet with baking spray or line with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whip the egg white with the orange juice and orange zest.

Add the almond and dried cranberries and stir to coat.

Sprinkle the sugar over the almond mixture and toss to coat.

Spread mixture onto prepared pan.

Bake for 1 hour, tossing every 15 minutes.

Cool.

Caramel Apple Bubble-Up

This little dessert is quick and easy and pretty delicious. IT Guy is always happy to eat anything apple related and doesn't care if the apples or fresh or canned. As long as it's sweet and can satisfy that craving, then he's a happy camper. Make sure you serve this with some vanilla ice cream. It'll make your world a little happier.

Caramel Apple Bubble-Up



2 cans apple pie filling (I used the Country Apple)
1 16-ounce can (8 count) refrigerated flaky biscuits ~ cut into eighths
1 cup caramel ice cream topping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the apple pie filling and the cut up biscuits.

Pour apple mixture into the prepared pan.

Drizzle half of the caramel ice cream topping over the biscuits.

Bake for 30 - 45 minutes or until biscuits are done and golden.

Serve with vanilla ice cream and remaining caramel topping.


 

This is all you need!

 

Stir together the cut up 

biscuits and apple pie filling.

 

Then pour it into your prepared pan.

 

Bake!

 

Break out the ice cream and drizzle 

with more caramel topping!

Kielbasa Bacon Bites

I haven't been able to for a couple of years now, but I love having an open house at Christmas. I love inviting our friends over and serving them yummy food. So I'm always looking to see what I can come up with that I haven't done before. These little nuggets of awesomeness are going to make an appearance at my next gathering! These are really simple to make...and you can make a little or a lot! We downed them pretty fast and it's not even Christmas yet!

Kielbasa Bacon Bites




1 package bacon
1 package kielbasa sausage
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a rimmed cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Slice kielbasa into 1" pieces...about 24 chunks.

Cut bacon in half.

Combine brown sugar and cayenne pepper (if using) in a shallow bowl and stir to combine.

Wrap a half piece of bacon around each chunk of kielbasa. (You may have a piece or two of bacon left over)

Roll in the brown sugar mixture, making sure all sides are coated.

Secure with a toothpick and set on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 - 30 minutes or until bacon is slightly crispy and done.

Cool for 5 minutes then arrange on a platter.

 
Here we go!

 
Cut the bacon in half then slice the kielbasa.

 
Mix the brown sugar and the cayenne pepper.

 
Start wrapping and rolling!

 
Secure with a toothpick.

 
Then bake!

 
Serve to hungry people!

Beefy Nacho Soup

Number 1 Son LOVES nachos. When we go out for Mexican food, I'm not sure he ever orders anything else. If I've got the stuff here at the house to make them, he's a happy guy. What he doesn't love is soup. He enjoys the flavor of soup but as he says..."I don't like to drink my dinner". So I knew when I made this I needed to make it thick enough that he would a) be happy with it as a soup or b) be able to pour it directly on top of chips. Well...guess what? It's both! Not only is this super tasty but it can double as a soup OR a topping!

Beefy Nacho Soup



1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion ~ diced
1 clove garlic ~ minced
1 10-ounce can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
1 10-ounce can Fiesta Nacho Soup
1 15-ounce can pinto beans
1 packet taco seasoning
2 cups milk
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

In a large dutch oven, saute the onion and garlic for a few minutes then add the ground beef. Cook until ground beef is done.

Add onion, garlic, Rotel tomatoes, soup, pinto beans, taco seasoning and milk.

Stir to combine then simmer for an hour.

Stir in 1 cup of the cheese until melted.

Serve with tortilla chips and remaining cheese.

 

The line-up!

 

Brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic.

 

Add onion, garlic, Rotel tomatoes, 

soup, pinto beans, taco seasoning and milk.

 

Stir to combine then simmer for an hour.

 

Stir in 1 cup of the cheese until melted.

 

Serve with or over tortilla chips! Yum-o!

Salted Caramel Sugar Cookies

Oh my...you guys! These are SO good! I'm telling you! So. Good. Sugar cookies are one of my favorites and also caramel and also salted caramel so tweaking my recipe a little tiny bit made for a great little cookie! They are so tender but the caramel bits inside make them so yummy!! As soon as we polished off this batch, IT Guy asked when we'd (and by WE he meant ME) be making these again. You definitely want to put these on your "to make" list for the holidays.

Salted Caramel Sugar Cookies




1/2 cup sugar1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tarter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 10-ounce bag caramel bits (found in the baking aisle next to the chocolate chips)

Place parchment paper on cookie pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream sugars with butter and shortening.

Add the egg and mix well.

Add dry ingredients and mix well then add the vanilla.

Gently mix in caramel bits.

Scoop into 1 inch balls and place on prepared pan.

Flatten dough balls and sprinkle with a little sugar.

Bake for about 10 minutes.

Allow cookies to cool on cookies sheets for a few minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

Makes about 2 - 3 dozen


 
The goods.

 
Cream sugars with butter and shortening.

 
Add the egg.

 
Then the dry ingredients.

 
Add the vanilla.

 
Now the caramel bits.

 
Scoop, flatten, sprinkle, bake!



 
Eat!