White Chocolate Cranberry Pecan Bars

This is one of those "let's see what the pantry has to offer" kind of recipes. I revamped an old oatmeal cookie recipe I had and turned it into this. Very yummy if I do say so myself!

White Chocolate 
Cranberry Pecan Bars



¾ cup butter flavored shortening
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups quick oats
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 12-ounce package white chocolate chips ~ divided use
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped pecans

Combine shortening, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, water and vanilla in a stand mixer. Cream together until smooth.

Add flour, oats, salt and baking soda. Beat until mixed well. 

Add the 1 cup of the white chocolate chips, the dried cranberries and pecans.

Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 30 - 45 minutes until golden brown. 

Allow to cool to room temp.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt remaining white chocolate. Drizzle over cooled bars.

Let's go!

Combine shortening, brown sugar, 

granulated sugar, egg, water and 

vanilla in a stand mixer. Cream 

together until smooth.

Add flour, oats, salt and baking soda.

Add the pecans, cranberries 

and white chocolate chips.

Spread into your prepared pan.

Bake then cool.

Drizzle with remaining white chocolate.

 Cut and serve!

Crock Pot Chicken & Dumplings

This recipe makes a ton of food! If you're looking to feed a large family or have lots of leftovers, then your search can end right here. And talk about tasty! And easy? Yep...both. We really enjoyed this recipe and I think you will, too!
Crock Pot Chicken & Dumplings



3 - 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups diced potatoes, (I used Yukon Golds) cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups diced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
1 medium onion ~ diced
2 10-ounce cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup chicken stock
salt & pepper to taste
2 cups Bisquick
2/3 cup milk

Add the chicken, potatoes, onion, carrots and celery in your crock pot. 

Stir together the soup, chicken stock, salt and black pepper in a medium bowl. Pour over the chicken and vegetables that are in the crock pot and stir to combine.

Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or until the chicken is cooked through.

In a medium bowl, stir together the Bisquick and milk.  Drop the batter by spoonfuls on top of the chicken mixture. 

Increase the heat to HIGH.  Tilt the lid to vent and cook for 30 minutes or until the dumplings are cooked in the center.

 
The cast of characters.

 
Add the chicken and veggies to the crock pot.

 
In a medium bowl, 
combine the soup, 
stock and salt and pepper.

 
Pour into the crock pot over the meat the veggies.

 
Stir.

 
Allow it to hang out all day.

 
Mix the Bisquick and the milk together.

 
Then drop by spoonfuls on top 
of the chicken/veggie mixture.

 
Tilt the lid a bit to allow the dumplings to steam/cook.

 
They'll all come together and look like this.

 
Spoon it out and enjoy!

Chuck Roast Chili

This chili is super easy and really good. We thought it was fun to use over chips for nachos. You can certainly add some pinto beans to this to make it a little thicker...also really good. Make sure to break out all the fixin's and you can spoon it over chips in a bowl, too. Cheese, lettuce, sour cream, salsa...you know the drill.

Chuck Roast Chili



4 pounds boneless chuck roast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 6-ounce cans tomato paste
1 32-ounce container beef broth
2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
2 teaspoons garlic  powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground oregano
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
Place meat in your crock pot.

Whisk together the tomato paste, tomato sauce and broth. Pour over meat.

In a small bowl, combine all the spices and seasonings. Sprinkle over meat in the crock pot and stir until combined.

Cook on low for 8 hours until meat in tender, stirring occasionally.

Here's what you need. And pinto 

beans if you want to use those.

Mix the broth, tomato paste and tomato sauce.

Mix the spices.

Add the cut meat to the crock pot, 

then the liquid then the spice mixture. 

Mix to combine. Cook 6 - 8 hours.

Serve it up! In a bowl, over chips,

 in a tortilla...whatever!

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

This recipe came from my mom. She and my dad were traveling and stopped to have dinner at a friend's house...and this is what the friend served. She doesn't remember who the friend was....but she DOES remember the food. (I think that's hilarious.) I've made this casserole since my kids were little and it's always a welcome treat. It's so simple to prepare...and so delicious. I used a store bought rotisserie chicken which made it even easier. I had this thing assembled and baked in about 45 minutes. I tell ya'...those rotisserie chickens are the BOMB! I love them! I buy two or three at a time....take the meat off the bone and bag the meat in freezer bags..pop them in the freezer so I have it ready to go for a quick dinner. Like this!!

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole



3 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 ounces sour cream
1 sleeve Ritz crackers - crushed
1 stick butter – melted
½ cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
Salt
Pepper

Combine soups and sour cream. Add chicken and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour mixture into a greased casserole dish. Melt butter in a small bowl. Combine crushed crackers, almonds and poppy seeds and stir well. Sprinkle over chicken mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

All the goods..... (See my cute 

pineapple salt and pepper set? 

My DIL gave them to me for Christmas! 

I love them!)

 

Combine the soups and sour cream. 

Stir well.

 

Then add the chicken...

 

...and stir again. Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

Pour the mixture into a 

greased casserole dish.

 

Work out your aggressions by 

crushing the crackers with your bare hands!

 

Combine the cracker crumbs, 

almonds, butter and poppy seeds.

 

Sprinkle, sprinkle, sprinkle.

 

Bake! (Fuzzy photo! Sorry)

Copyright © 2011 Simple Fare, Fairly Simple. All rights reserved.

Oven "Fried" Chicken

Make sure you've got plenty of dipping sauces for these! Not only are these terrific for dinner, but they'd be great on a party platter, too! Save yourself the trouble and mess of frying chicken and try these instead! You won't miss the "fried" taste at all!! The panko bread crumbs give these a nice crunch so have at it!

Oven "Fried" Chicken



1 cup panko bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs ~ beaten
1 pound chicken tenders

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine panko bread crumbs, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.

Roll each chicken tender in flour then in the beaten egg.

Dredge in panko bread crumbs and place on prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 20 - 30 minutes until done.

Here we go! I ended up using TWO eggs. 

Only one is pictured here, though.

Get your stuff all ready to dip and dredge.

Go!

Ready to bake.

All done and ready to devour!

Oven Roasted Asparagus

You know...I was never a huge fan of asparagus until recently. The only way I'd ever had it was crunchy...and maybe that's why. I was like, meh. BUT! I discovered that if I roast it then I can make the tips a little crispy and it was perfect! This is an easy side to make however YOU want. Want it crunchy? Then don't cook it as long as the recipe calls for. But, if you're like me and like it a little crispy from being cooked longer, then here you go!

Oven Roasted Asparagus




(This recipe is for one bunch of asparagus, but you can do any amount.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1 bunch asparagus ~ trimmed and the stalks peeled
salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic ~ minced
Olive oil

Spread trimmed asparagus onto a rimmed baking sheet.

Drizzle with olive oil....I used about 3 - 4 tablespoons
Sprinkle with salt and pepper
Sprinkle with minced garlic

Cook for 30 minutes or to desired doneness.

Here's all you need.

Trim and peel the asparagus.

Place on a rimmed baking sheet. 

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle 

with salt, pepper and minced garlic.

Bake!

This is so delicious!!! My new favorite!

Cream of Coconut Poke Cake

Creamy, dreamy and luscious! I'm not sure I have all the words to describe this cake. With coconut being one of IT Guy's most favorite things, I knew this would be a winner for him. I'm just so-so about coconut but I have to say...this cake was pretty stinkin' good. My MIL was here when I made this and she's like me...just "okay" about coconut but she really like it, too. In fact...the whole family gave me a big "thumbs-up" on this one. Well, except my son-in-law...he wouldn't touch it because he HATES coconut. But that's okay...more for the rest of us!! Huzzah!!

Cream of Coconut Poke Cake



1 box yellow butter cake mix (*see note below for a more homemade recipe using the mix)
1 14-ounce can creme of coconut (found in the mixed drink aisle of the grocery store)
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 8-ounce container Cool Whip ~ thawed
1 4-ounce box vanilla instant pudding
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flake coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch cake pan.

Mix cake mix according to directions on box. (Or for a more homemade cake, follow highlighted directions below.) Pour batter into a prepared pan. Bake according to box directions.

Combine cream of coconut and sweetened condensed milk in a medium bowl.
When cake is done and still hot from the oven, poke holes all over it with a fork.

Pour cream of coconut/sweetened condensed milk mixture all over cake letting it run down into the holes.

Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Mix Cool Whip, pudding, milk and vanilla in a medium bowl.

Spread chilled cake with Cool Whip frosting and sprinkle with coconut.

Store in refrigerator.

NOTE: if you want your cake to taste more homemade, do this:

Add an extra egg. Two extra if you want it really rich.
Use melted butter instead of oil...and double it.
Use milk instead of water.

Mix and bake as directed on box.

The cast of characters.

Mix up the cake mix according 

to the box. OR you can tweak it 

like I did. The how-to is in the recipe.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan.

Bake then poke holes all over the cake with a fork.

Mix together the cream of coconut 

and the sweetened condensed milk.

Then pour that over the cake.

Let it all seep down in the holes and cover and chill.

Mix up the frosting ingredients.

Spread over the chilled cake.

Sprinkle with coconut.

Then try not to eat the whole thing in one sitting.