What's cooking . . .

If I haven't said so already, have your friends set up takethemameal.com. It was awesome! The meals came for about 3 1/2 weeks after Baby B was born. It was incredible helpful to not worry about cooking and not ordering out every night.

Now the meals have stopped (insert tear drop and pout face here). I LOVE cooking and baking, but figuring out the right time to do it can be challenging, as Baby B isn't exactly on a schedule. I have, however, started my meal planning again. This stops us from eating out during the week for lunch or dinner. We are big on leftovers in this house. :) So, what did I cook this past week as we settled into a schedule?

Creamy Chicken Casserole

This is one of my favorite recipes, which  my cousin Susan introduced me to about 10 years ago when I was living with her and Michael and teaching intersession. I double it for left overs (or to feed 4 - 6 people). It is super yummy warmed up and so easy to make. It has become one of my hubby's favorite meals!

Ingredients:

• 1 roasted chicken (the bigger the better - I cheat and buy mine already roasted from Costco or Giant - they have the best sizes)
• 16 oz of sour cream
• 2 cans of cream of chicken soup
• 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds
• 2 rolls of Ritz crackers (crushed)
• 1/3 cup butter (melted)

What to do. . .

1. Chop up the chicken into chunks
2. mix sour cream, chicken, cream of chicken soup, and poppy seeds
3. Pour mixture into 9 x 13 pan  
4. Combine crushed Ritz crackers and butter in a large Ziplock bag until all pieces are moistened
5. Pour cracker combination over mixture already in baking dish
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes 

I serve it with brown rice and rolls. Delicious! 

Chicken Club Braid 

This is Pampered Chef recipe and I love it!!!!!!!! Sometimes I substitute the tomatoes for bell peppers for something different. I also switch up the cheese. I like to use Monterey Jack.

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, snipped
1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
1 (5 ounce) can chunk white chicken, drained and flaked
4 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
1 cup finely shredded Swiss cheese, divided
2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper - See more at: http://www.recipegoldmine.com/pamperedchef/chicken-club-brunch-ring.html#sthash.lr8mZ31Y.dpuf
Read more at http://www.recipegoldmine.com/pamperedchef/chicken-club-brunch-ring.html#8Bl3y9Y0juiBgo0Z.99

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, snipped
1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
1 (5 ounce) can chunk white chicken, drained and flaked
4 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
1 cup finely shredded Swiss cheese, divided
2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper - See more at: http://www.recipegoldmine.com/pamperedchef/chicken-club-brunch-ring.html#sthash.lr8mZ31Y.dpuf
Read more at http://www.recipegoldmine.com/pamperedchef/chicken-club-brunch-ring.html#8Bl3y9Y0juiBgo0Z.99

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, snipped
1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
1 (5 ounce) can chunk white chicken, drained and flaked
4 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
1 cup finely shredded Swiss cheese, divided
2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper

What to do....

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix mayonnaise and mustard; add parsley and onion and mix well.

Mix chicken, bacon and 3/4 cup cheese with 1/3 cup mayonnaise mixture.
 

Unroll 1 package of crescent dough; do not separate. Arrange longest sides of dough across width of 12" x 15" rectangle baking stone. Repeat with remaining package of dough. Using roller, roll dough to seal perforations. On longest sides of baking stone, cut dough into strips 1 1/2 inches apart, 3 inches deep using a pizza cutter (there will be 6 inches in the center for the filling). Spread filling evenly over middle of dough. To braid, lift strips of dough across mixture to meet in center, twisting each strip on turn. Continue alternating strips to form a braid. Tuck ends under to seal at end of braid. Brush egg white over dough using pastry brush.

 Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

I serve this with salad and it also makes great leftovers. When I heat it up at work everyone would ask for the recipe :)

Italian Slow Cooker Chicken

This makes the whole house smell delicious and is my friend, Tristan's, favorite :) It falls apart like pulled pork and is great with rice pilaf or Parmesan couscous.

Ingredients: 

•   1 can of stewed tomatoes (I use two because I love tomato sauce and it makes everything juicy)

• 1 can of tomato paste (six ounce can)

•  1 package of sliced baby bella mushrooms

• 3 chicken breasts (you can cram four in there, but then you need to add more tomato paste)

• 2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning (I use the salad dressing dry packet mix)

• 1 clove of minced garlic

• - You can also dice an onion, but I'm not a big onion fan. 

   

  What to do . . . 

• 1. 1. Put chicken breasts in slow cooker 

     2. Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl

     3. Pour mixture over chicken

     4. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours (I like how it turns out on low better)

      

      

   

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, snipped
1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
1 (5 ounce) can chunk white chicken, drained and flaked
4 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
1 cup finely shredded Swiss cheese, divided
2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper - See more at: http://www.recipegoldmine.com/pamperedchef/chicken-club-brunch-ring.html#sthash.lr8mZ31Y.dpuf
Read more at http://www.recipegoldmine.com/pamperedchef/chicken-club-brunch-ring.html#8Bl3y9Y0juiBgo0Z.99

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, snipped
1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
1 (5 ounce) can chunk white chicken, drained and flaked
4 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
1 cup finely shredded Swiss cheese, divided
2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper - See more at: http://www.recipegoldmine.com/pamperedchef/chicken-club-brunch-ring.html#sthash.lr8mZ31Y.dpuf
Read more at http://www.recipegoldmine.com/pamperedchef/chicken-club-brunch-ring.html#8Bl3y9Y0juiBgo0Z.99