Lazy Cooker Chicken & Noodles

Things are beginning to cool down, and autumn is beginning to rear its head just a bit. This is my favorite time of year! I love fall so much! And I do mean everything about it. EV-ER-Y-THING!!

It also gets me excited to start switching over some of the dinner items served, too. We are still in the transition time in our house: we still grill, but it's time for soups & things in the lazy cooker, too! Have I mentioned that I love this time of year? Just checking...

Now then, our lazy cooker still works just fine, but the handle is falling off...and...well...it's one we got as a wedding gift in 1996. So, we've had it a while. But we haven't been using it as much as we probably needed to until last year.

And since I've been using the lazy cooker (see some of the recipes HERE), my hubby has decided to start putting some of his barbecue meat in the lazy cooker, too. So it's gonna get more usage this time around!

My hubby & I laugh at our changing excitements & wants as time goes by. Nowadays, the thought of a new refrigerator, a fancy washer & dryer, or even a new & updated lazy cooker is drool-worthy! (Yeah...I don't know who I've become, either! But I digress...)

I have been so impressed with the oval lazy cookers that can hold more than 4 quarts of stuff, has a timer, buttons, and a locking lid. And then we went out & found one! Just in time to do a couple of lazy cooker meals this week! WOO HOO!!

Last year, I found this recipe on Pinterest, HERE, for lazy cooker chicken & noodles. Sounded good to me! But I, of course, wanted to make a couple of tweaks to it. I just felt the need to boost some of the overall nutritional value, too.

So, here's what I did:

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LAZY COOKER CHICKEN & NOODLES

Ingredients:

~ 3 lbs boneless chicken (breasts, tenders, etc.; fresh or frozen - but thawed if frozen)
~ 42 oz chicken broth/stock or water with 4 chicken bouillon cubes
~ 4 small or 2 large cans cream of chicken soup
~ 2 celery stalks, diced
~ 1 carrot stick, diced
~ 1/4 C minced onion
~ 2 handfuls parsley (I used dried)
~ 2 handfuls coleslaw mix (optional)
~ 1 stick butter, thinly sliced
~ 1 handful flax seed (optional)
~ 2 bay leaves
~ 1 bag egg noodles


Directions:

* in the clean ceramic insert, spray the entire inside with cooking spray

* place the (thawed) chicken in the bottom of the insert

I forgot the minced onion here, but I add it in later;
go ahead & add it in on this step

* add in the carrot, celery, minced onion, parsley butter, cabbage/coleslaw (if using), and flax seed (if using)

* cover everything with the chicken broth/stock or water & bouillon cubes (I didn't have enough broth, so I added some water & added 2 bouillon cubes)

* add in the cans of cream of chicken soup

* give everything a good stir, add the bay leaves, close the lid & set the lazy cooker on low for 8 hours

* when 8 hours is up, remove the bay leaves, make sure the chicken is good & chunked into shreds & pieces

* add in the bag of egg noodles (I used whole grain noodles), give it all a good stir & allow to cook on low for about 45 more minutes

* give everything a good stir & serve


Yield: 8-10

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Tonight was the first time I added the cabbage & flax seed. Guess what! You couldn't taste the difference! So I upped the nutrition & fiber factor without changing the taste. Plus, we've been trying to up the fiber intake in many of our foods, so we have bumped up as much of the whole grains as we can, and I have been sneaking flax seed into a lot of things...and the family doesn't even know! I also used low sodium & heart-smart soups & broths, too. But I always love the color additions of the soup staples of the carrot/celery/onion mix. And I add dried parsley to a lot of dishes (even in eggs)!

As for the taste...it's supposed to be bland! It's supposed to be just a rich & creamy, stick-to-your-bones kind of meal. No need to add a bunch of pepper or salt...or hot sauce. Just allow it to make you feel good.

I just baked up some little homestyle biscuits, and we were happy. My 8 & a half year old had 2 bowls of dinner tonight! I think it went over well...and was so excited to be fixing it again! It also reheats well for lunch the next day or two.

Oh...and loved this 1st time out with the new & fancy-schmancy lazy cooker! Can't wait to use it again...and I'll now take it off my Christmas Wish List (for real)...

So...HAPPY FALL, Y'ALL!!

ENJOY!

Ground Beef Stroganoff

One of our favorite Hamburger Helper meals is the Beef Stroganoff. But as I began to try my hand at more cooking, while building our pantry, I had some egg noodles to use...so I thought I'd try my hand making my own.

I looked around, like on Pinterest, and began to figure out how I wanted to go about making this.

Now then, I usually use canned cream of mushroom soup (which I do include in the ingredients), but when I made it this time...I apparently already used them, or they disappeared. I'd already began making the meal, so I had to improvise a backup plan quick! So I faked a cream soup gravy for this time around. I have given the ingredients & directions to it, too.

Oh...I took pics along the way, too. So here is what I did:

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Ground Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 can cream of mushroom soup (or make *cream soup gravy)

½ C minced onion

2 T parsley

1 T paprika

½ C sour cream

4 C egg noodles

¼ C parmesan

¼ C milk

4 T butter

* Improvised Cream Soup Gravy

½-¾ C beef or chicken broth

½ C heavy whipping cream

½ C flour

4 T butter

1 T garlic powder

¼ t ground black pepper

pinch nutmeg

Directions:

Brown ground beef in a large skillet with the minced onion

Once browned thru, drain the meat & rinse

Place back into the skillet, set heat to Lo






~~ If making cream soup gravy, do so while browning the meat ~~

* melt butter in saucepan

* add in the flour to make rue

* add in broth & cream

* whisk until blended & bring to boil

* turn down burner temp, add in garlic, pepper & nutmeg

(I also added in the parsley & paprika here)

*stir often

Add milk, can soup (or cream soup gravy), sour cream, parmesan, paprika & parsley (if not added to cream soup gravy) to the skillet; stir & allow to simmer









In a large pot, make egg noodles to package directions; drain

When drained, melt the butter throughout the noodles

Combine noodles & meat mixture

Serve

Yield: 4

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So, my hubby liked the improvised sauce. The kiddos weren't as impressed...but they complain about anything they aren't used to. But my hubby is a big critic on about everything...so him liking this improvisation means it's a go again in the future!

Also, I double the recipe since we have a larger-than-4 family. (Not the cream soup gravy - I had to make it in a hurry based on the amount I was already making. If you want a portion that serves 4, cut the amounts in half)

We served it up with some Italian loaf bread. So good!

Let me know which way you went with it & what you thought!

ENJOY!

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Update:

OK...so this recipe has been my most pinned from this blog on Pinterest! So glad you all have enjoyed it!! Thank you SO much! And I've noticed it's because of my improvised cream gravy instead of canned mushroom soup. So glad this has worked out!

Well, I made it again with some changes that is just as tasty & even better for you!

I substituted in whole wheat flour for the all-purpose flour, I dissolved a beef bouillon cube in water instead of chicken broth/stock, I used white pepper instead of black pepper, plain non-fat Greek yogurt for sour cream, then I added in a little bit of kale, rinsed & torn into tiny pieces when I added it to the cream gravy to wilt a bit. I was asked what the green stuff was...I told them it was really big parsley that is supposed to be in there. (Shhhh....don't tell them my secret!)

Oh...and it was still SO good!! Hope you enjoy this kick up in health benefits, too!!

Taco Mac

OK, with Cinco de Mayo right here upon us, I thought I'd give another quick & easy recipe that our family loves to eat on a "Taco Tuesday" rotating menu schedule.

Of course, we enjoy tacos...and then we add nachos to the mix, too. I'll show you how I do my taco/nacho meat in this recipe...so give me a moment. We also have grilled Mexican chicken in the mix. The chicken is my hubby's deal.

We were getting the Hamburger Helper version of Taco Mac for a little while...but my hubby had faith in me that I could just make it on my own. Isn't that sweet of him? He's started having faith in my cooking! That's a big deal since he did all the cooking for years.

So, here's what I have done for my quick, cheap & easy dish that even my kiddos love:

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TACO MAC

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
3 heaping T minced onion
1 envelope taco seasoning (I use McCormick's Original)
1/4 C salsa or picante sauce (I like using Pace picante)
1/2 C water
1 box mac and cheese (we use Kraft's whole grain variety) *to package directions
1/4 C shredded cheese

Directions:
~ in a skillet, brown ground beef & minced onion; drain & rinse

~ place back into the skillet, add salsa/picante sauce, water, taco seasoning (this is my taco/nacho meat)
~ add the cheese sauce ingredients (from mac & cheese & box directions), and shredded cheese to skillet

~ as the meat mixture simmers, make the macaroni in a pot until tender & al dente, drain (DO NOT RINSE)

~ mix the macaroni & meat mixture together

~ serve

Yield: about 4

Notes: 
* Once in a while, I like making tortilla bowls to serve the taco mac in (as pictured, above); I got a Perfect Tortilla set, and love it! Or you can certainly serve the Taco Mac with tortilla chips, too.

* You can make your own mac & cheese recipe if you don't want to use a box version. My kids don't like the homemade stuff...cuz they're weird. It's also really cheap to just pick that stuff up from the store. But if you make your own, you can certainly decide which noodles to use!

* I double the recipe above. This feeds all of our mouths, and gives us some leftovers...sometimes.

* This can be topped with lettuce, tomato, onion &/or sour cream, too.

* Just for a fun & more grown up kick...add some cilantro &/or lime to the mix. YUM! (or even a tequila shot...whatever)

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Now then, I want to apologize to my Mexican friends who are cringing that I would put this down for Cinco de Mayo. It's all extra cheesy & Americanized. I realize this. But Americans use about any excuse to pretend to be cultured for the sole purpose of partying & drinking.

But if this doesn't set well with you for Cinco de Mayo or Dios de los Muertos (aka - Day of the Dead) or even the actual Mexican Independence Day on September 27th, you can always try the Cilantro Lime Mexican Chicken Noodle Soup with Green Tea (click HERE for recipe) instead! You can always have the Taco Mac any time! Well...the soup, too.

However, you could certainly enjoy a Spicy Mexi-Mocha (Mexi-Coco) (click HERE for recipe). That's based on more authenticity.

Even though this dish probably won't be a part of our Cinco de Mayo fiesta...this one is super kid friendly, and is a regular part of our dinner menu a couple once or twice a month.

ENJOY!

Cilantro Lime Mexican Chicken Noodle Soup with Green Tea

We really enjoy eating Mexican around here. Tacos are a staple favorite. It's one of the few things that we know everyone will eat. Nachos, enchiladas & taco mac are also big hits. I think this is about the only line of things my whole family will eat together. Seriously.

Now, even though some of my family freaks out over soup...cuz they are weird...I will have issues with them trying this new version. But...I am quite happy with it!

So...wanna try to make it, too?

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Cilantro Lime Mexican Chicken Noodle Soup with Green Tea

2 lb boneless/skinless chicken breast, cooked & shredded

1/2 C lime juice

80 oz chicken broth

4 C brewed green tea (yes! Green Tea)

1/4 sweet onion, chopped

2 C finely chopped spinach or kale (or other dark leafy greens)

1 - 10 oz can cilantro lime Ro-Tel

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 small can whole kernel corn - no salt added, drained & rinsed

1/4 bell pepper of each color (red, orange, yellow & green)

Ground black pepper, to taste

3 T ground ginger

1/4 C parsley

3 T ground cinnamon

1/4 C cilantro

3 T smoked paprika

2 T chili powder

2 T garlic powder

2 T green onion

2 T cumin

1 T onion powder

1 bag whole wheat egg noodles

Pour lime juice, chicken broth & green tea into a large pot. Bring to a boil.

Once boiling, turn heat down to mid-hi heat. Put in the shredded chicken (I put the chicken breasts in my lazy cooker in the morning so it would be cooked thru & easy to shred by the time I made the soup) into the broth.

Begin adding the vegetables plus the herbs & seasonings to the soup. Continue to let boil on mid-hi heat.

Then add the noodles. Make sure they are tender.

Begin testing the soup's broth to make sure seasonings are to your liking; adjust as necessary.

Let simmer.

Garnish with shredded cheese & tortilla chips (crushed or strips). Serve.

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I made this version after I made the LEMON HERB RAINBOW CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP WITH GREEN TEA and based it off the same soup. So still the healing properties...and still the beautiful comfort food!

Aye-yi-yi...I think I need another bowl.

Soup's on, y'all!!

ENJOY!

Lemon Herb Rainbow Chicken Noodle Soup with Green Tea

This year was supposed to have been the worst flu season on record! And not just flu, but a lot of other junk along with it. And I got hit with yucks. Mine was strep. Ewwww... 

I had been working so hard to stay well, but it didn't really happen. Instead, I had to fight to regain getting well & healthy again.

So, I have decided to take hold of the the chicken & noodles kick. I made some chicken noodle soup designed to help kick this crud where it counts!

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Lemon Herb Rainbow Chicken Noodle Soup with Green Tea

2 lb boneless/skinless chicken breast, cooked & shredded

1/2 C lemon juice

80 oz chicken broth

4 C brewed green tea (yes! Green Tea)

1 C celery, chopped

1/4 sweet onion, chopped

1 C carrot, shredded

2 C finely chopped spinach or kale (or other dark leafy greens)

** other vegetables, fresh or frozen - (i.e. bell peppers - all colors, chopped; corn kernels; peas, shelled; butternut or any other squash, chopped; etc.) - the more color, the better...this is the "rainbow"

1 T salt (any)

Ground black pepper, to taste

3 T ground ginger

1/4 C parsley

3 T oregano

3 T basil

2 T thyme

2 T garlic powder

2 T cumin

1 bag whole wheat egg noodles

Pour lemon juice, chicken broth & green tea into a large pot. Bring to a boil.

Once boiling, turn heat down to mid-hi heat. Put in the shredded chicken (I put the chicken breasts in my lazy cooker in the morning so it would be cooked thru & easy to shred by the time I made the soup) into the broth.

Begin adding the vegetables plus the herbs & seasonings to the soup. Continue to let boil on mid-hi heat.

Then add the noodles. Make sure they are tender.

Begin testing the soup's broth to make sure seasonings are to your liking; adjust as necessary.

Let simmer.

Serve.

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This soup is PACKED with the good for you stuffs! And, it was pretty good. I toned down the amount of lemon juice...I used about 2 cups of it when I first made it...and it was REALLY strong! Didn't need quite that much. Half a cup was just perfect!

And? It's a beautiful comfort food, too!

So...stay well, my friends.

ENJOY!