Crock Pot Pesto Ranch Chicken Thighs

Crock Pot Pesto Ranch Chicken Thighs

http://picky-palate.com/2012/09/20/pesto-ranch-crock-pot-chicken-thighs/

Ingredients

• 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 6 ounce jar of pesto
• 1 package Ranch Dressing Seasoning Mix
• 1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions

1. Turn crock pot to high setting. Place chicken thighs, pesto, ranch dressing and chicken broth into crock pot. Stir gently to combine all seasonings. Close with lid and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
2. Serve with a side of mashed potatoes and a simple salad.

Makes 8 servings

No-Bake Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

No-Bake Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
yield: 10 bars
http://www.laurenslatest.com/no-bake-chocolate-chip-granola-bars-easy-healthy/


adapted from Rachael Ray

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups quick cooking oats {not rolled oats!}
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
Directions:
In a large bowl, stir oats and rice cereal together. Set aside. In a small pot, melt butter, honey and brown sugar together over medium high heat until it comes to a bubble. Reduce the heat and cook 2 minutes. Pour in vanilla and stir. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well to moisten all ingredients. Pour into lightly greased small jelly roll pan {about 12x8x1} and press out to be about 3/4 inch in thickness. {If your pan isn’t small enough, pack the mixture into one side. You really want to press them down so they stick together.} Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and press down lightly. Cool on a countertop to room temperature for two hours or until the chocolate chips are set before cutting into bars. Wrap in parchment or plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

Recipe Notes: If your granola bars don’t seem to be staying together when you cut them, you may have made them too thin or you didn’t pack them in tight enough. Stick them in the fridge for 20 minutes and that should help keep them together. {Be sure not to keep them in there too long or else they’ll become super hard!} The next time you make them, try reducing the butter to 3 tablespoons and really packing them down.

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

http://moneysavingmom.com/2012/05/4-weeks-to-fill-your-freezer-chicken-broccoli-rice-casserole-day-14.html

• 10 cups cooked rice (white or brown)
• 4 cups cooked chicken, chopped (I bake mine in the oven like this.)
• 4 cups chopped broccoli, lightly steamed (can use frozen or fresh)
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup (or 2 batches cream of mushroom soup)
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup (or 2 batches cream of chicken soup)
• 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

To freeze: Divide into four ziptop freezer bags and seal tightly. Freeze flat.

To serve: Thaw overnight (or for 8 hours) in the refrigerator. Dump into a greased casserole dish (each bag will fill an 8×8-inch pan; two bags will fill a 9×13-inch pan). Sprinkle with additional shredded cheese, if desired.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly.

This recipe makes around 15-18 servings. Each freezer bag serves 4-5 people.

Trail Mix Muffins (adapted from Family Fun Magazine, Oct '12)

Trail Mix Muffins (adapted from Family Fun Magazine, Oct '12)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup cooked quinoa
• 2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour (Terra Bella Farm, Auxvasse, MO)
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup natural peanut butter (the last of my Sappington Farmer's Market stash)
• 1/4 cup salted butter softened
• 2 eggs (from Happy Chickens, Warrenton, MO)
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, or any dried berries
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (Patric Chocolate, Columbia, MO)

Cooking Directions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk both flours, baking powder, cinnamon until well blended.
3. In a large bowl, beat brown sugar, peanut butter and butter with a hand mixer for about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth then add quinoa.
4. Reduce mixer to low and slowly mix in milk.
5. Fold flour mixture into wet ingredients, then fold in berries and chocolate.
6. Fill prepared muffin tins with scoops of batter to 2/3 full.
7. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Freezer-Friendly Brown Bag Burritos

Freezer-Friendly Brown Bag Burritos

http://moneysavingmom.com/2012/05/4-weeks-to-fill-your-freezer-brown-bag-burritos-day-7.html

Makes 20 burritos

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 2 cans refried beans (you can make your own refried beans)
• 2 cans enchilada sauce (you can make your own enchilada sauce)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup diced onion (you can also use dried or minced onion)
• 1 taco seasoning packet (Amy’s recipe calls for 1 Tablespoon chili powder, 1 Tablespoon garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. I used the taco seasoning packet instead because that’s what I already had on hand and I didn’t have any chili powder on hand.)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 20 burrito-sized flour tortillas (you can make your own tortillas)

Brown ground beef with onions. Drain and add all remaining ingredients except tortillas (and cheese, if you want to sprinkle the cheese on instead).

Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Spoon 1/4-cup of the meat mixture onto a tortilla, sprinkle with cheese (if you didn’t melt cheese into the mixture when you simmered it). Fold sides in and roll up tightly.

To freeze: Wrap each burrito in a paper towel and then in a foil square. (I skip the paper towel part since we don’t buy paper towels.) Put burritos in two airtight ziptop freezer bags and store in the freezer for 2-3 months.

To serve: Pull out desired number of burritos. Remove foil (you can save the foil and reuse it the next time you make brown bag burritos!) and heat a single burrito in the microwave for about a minute or leave the foil on and heat one or more burritos in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30 minutes or until heated through.

These can be eaten plain or served with lettuce, cheese, salsa, and/or sour cream.