Chicken Taco Soup

Yes, this is another version of taco soup.  I love taco soup so when I found this recipe I had to try it.  I had my doubts, but it was delicious!  Not too spicy and full of flavor.  It makes a lot so we ate it for a few days and it just got better with time.  I can't wait to make it again!  Recipe is from Favorite Family Recipes.

Chicken Taco Soup

• 3 chicken breasts
• Valentina hot sauce (any hot sauce will do)
• 2 cans chicken broth
• 3 cans italian stewed tomatoes
• 1 bunch cilantro, with the stems removed
• salt to taste
• 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cans sweet corn, drained and rinsed

Place chicken breasts in crockpot and cover with hot sauce.  Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.  When chicken is done, remove from crockpot and shred.  Put it back into the crockpot and add chicken broth, beans and corn.  Put stewed tomatoes and cilantro in a blender and blend until smooth.  Add to crockpot.  Season with salt and any other seasonings you prefer.  I added a little bit of chili powder and cumin.  Cook for 1 more hour until heated through.  Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and crushed tortilla chips.

Butterscotch White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

I wish I could remember where I saw this cookie, but I honestly cannot.  I have narrowed it down to Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, or another recipe blog.  All I remember, is seeing a picture of a cookie and someone saying that butterscotch/white chocolate chip cookies were their favorite.  Well, after that I couldn't stop thinking about these cookies and finally decided I had to make them.  But since I can't remember where I saw them in the first place, I just used my favorite go-to cookie recipe and switched up the chips.  Success!  These cookies really are delicious and now I can see why someone, somewhere, said they were their favorite.

1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup butter, softened to room temp.
2 eggs
1 Tbs. vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups oats
1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

*Mix the sugars.  Add butter and cream together until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Add flour, salt and soda.  Mix well.  Add oats and stir together.  Add the chips until all combined.  Scoop onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.  I usually do 11 minutes and they come out perfect.  Cool on sheet for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Quick and Easy Kettle Corn

I learned this trick from my daughter, Emery, who learned it from her cousin, Darren, at a cousins' sleepover during the summer.

If you're in the mood for some sweet kettle corn but all you have is regular microwave popcorn, never fear.  The solution is here.

The only problem is that after making popcorn this way, I don't think my kids will ever eat it plain again.

1 bag microwave popcorn
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 Tbs. sugar

*Pop popcorn according to directions.  Pour into a bowl when done.  Immediately drizzle on melted butter and sprinkle on sugar.  Stir well until popcorn is coated.  Voila...kettle corn!

Carolyn's Zucchini Bread

I don't know who Carolyn is, but I do know that she makes a mean zucchini bread.

I got this recipe out of a cookbook that Nat gave me called "Favorites."  It's a collection of somebody's favorite family recipes.  

So wherever you are Carolyn...thanks for the awesome recipe!

3 cups flour (I used whole wheat)
1 Tbs. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar (I used 1/2 cup)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil (I used Canola)
1 Tbs. vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional...I didn't add them)

*Mix flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and baking powder.  Set aside.  Beat eggs, sugar, brown sugar, oil and vanilla.  Slowly mix in dry ingredients.  Add zucchini and nuts and mix well.  Pour into greased and floured bread pans and bake at 325.  I used 3 smaller pans and baked them for 50 minutes.

Italian Chicken Dinner

We all love one-stop shopping, right?  That's why Costco and Walmart are always so crowded!

Well let me introduce to you a one-stop dinner!  The whole dinner in one pan.  You gotta love this idea and, of course, I found it on Pinterest.  Where else?

Easiest Sunday dinner I've ever made and super tasty, too.  Everything was cooked perfectly.  I definitely recommend this for those nights when you just don't want to pull out all the pots and pans.

3 large chicken breasts, cut into halves
8-10 red potatoes, quartered
a bunch of fresh green beans
1 packet Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
1 cube (1/2 cup) butter, melted

*Place chicken in the middle of a 9x13 pan.  Pile up potatoes on one side and green beans on the other.  Sprinkle dressing mix over everything.  Drizzle butter over the top.  Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour at 350.  (I baked mine a little longer because the chicken breasts were really thick).

*My husband did add a little bbq sauce to his chicken when we ate it because he wanted a little more flavor.

Oven-baked Chicken Drumsticks

It's been months since I have posted a recipe on here.  I feel so bad about it.  I got pregnant and didn't want to think about cooking.  Then, we went to AZ for 3 weeks.  Now I am 17 weeks along and all I think about is food!  I go grocery shopping and come home with so many random things.  Hence, the drumsticks.  I never buy these.  Ever.  But when I passed by the chicken aisle, they called out to me and I had to have them.  I came home and looked up some recipes and decided to go the easy, simple route.  These are a snap to whip up and make for a delicious dinner.  My five year old wants to eat them every night!  We loved them!

Oven-baked Chicken Drumsticks

5 drumsticks
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup flour
 1 tsp. Outback Rub or season salt
butter

Beat egg and milk together in shallow bowl.  In another bowl, mix flour and season salt.  Dip drumsticks in egg mixture then in flour mixture.  Coat well and place in greased 9x13 pan.  Drizzle with melted butter.  Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.  Turn drumsticks and bake another 20 minutes. 

GRILLED LONDON BROIL

It is still hotter than blazes here in AZ so I am trying to use my oven as little as possible. The kids all went back to school this week (sadly, mine are all grown now) and I know there are lots of happy moms. I get it--it's nice to have a break and be back on a schedule for a while.  I have experimented with several marinades for London Broil and this is what we love the best.  It seems like a lot of ingredients, but most of them you will already have.  Serve it with a nice green salad and some crusty bread. Or a baked potato if you really want to turn on your oven!!

1-2 lb. London Broil steak

1/3 c. olive oil

2 T. red wine vinegar

1-2 cloves minced garlic

1/3 c. soy sauce

1/3 c. honey

Juice and zest of one lime

1/4-1/2 t. red chile flakes (depending on how you like the "heat")

1 T. tomato paste

1 t. coarse black pepper

1/2 t. dried leaf oregano

Whisk all ingredients except meat together in a medium bowl until well mixed.  Place in a large resealable plastic bag and add meat.  Marinate at least 4 hours in refrigerator or up to 12 hours.  

Preheat gas or charcoal grill to medium. Remove steak from marinade.  Pour marinade in small sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Set aside.

Grill steak on medium heat for desired doneness.  6 minutes on each side for rare.  Transfer meat to a place and let it rest for 5-10 minutes.  Cut steak into thin slices on the gross grain in diagonal slices.  Serve with the extra marinade.