Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 cooked, boneless chicken breast halves, shredded
1 (4.5 ounce) package quick cooking long grain and wild rice with seasoning packet
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
2 cups milk
I added celery and carrots and onion. I sauted the onion in butter first and then started the soup from there.

Directions
1. Saute onion and vegetable oil in large pot.
2. Over medium heat, combine broth, water, chicken, carrots and celery. Bring just to boiling, then stir in rice, reserving seasoning packet. Cover and remove from heat.
3. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and flour.
4. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in contents of seasoning packet until mixture is bubbly. Reduce heat to low, then stir in flour mixture by tablespoons, to form a roux.
5. Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes.
6. Stir cream mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.

Roasted Potatoes

1 lb red potatoes or gold potatoes
olive oil to drizzle on top
1 packet of dry ranch dressing/ or italian seasoning
sea salt

Directions:
1. cut the potatoes in 1/4 or 1/8. drizzle olive oil over them.
2. season with sea salt and then spread the ranch dressing over the top of the potatoes. toss to coat.
3. cook on 400 degrees for 45 minutes.

Honey-Mustard Lentils

this is a low budget great meal!

Ingredients
2 1/3 cups lentils (1 lb)
1 small bay leaf
5 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup water
1/2 cup honey

Directions
1. In a dutch oven or saucepan combine lentils, bay leaf, 5 cups water and salt and boil
2. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Discard bay leaf.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. In a bowl combine ginger, soy sauce, mustard onions and 1 cup water.
6. Add to lentils.
7. drizzle honey all over the top.
8. Cover tightly.
9. Bake for 1 hour.
10. Serve over rice.

Ground Beef Tacos

This recipe is great way to sneak some veggies (tomatoes, corn and beans) into taco meat. The beans are a good source of lean protein as well.

Ingredients:
1 lb Ground beef
1 can (caribbean or cuban- has green chilis in them) black beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can corn
1 package taco seasoning
Water per instructions on seasoning packet.

12 tortillas

topping: (optional)
sour cream
mexican cheese
avocado
salsa

Direction:
1. Brown ground beef in a skillet
2. when it is no longer pink add water and seasoning packet according to directions.
3. Add black beans, tomatoes and corn. Let it simmmer covered on low until water is mostly gone.
4. Serve in tortillas and top as desired.
5. Save leftovers for taco soup, or taco salad.

Barbeque Beef Sandwiches

2-3 lbs roast (chuck or rump are my favorite)
1 (16 ounce) can of sweet baby ray's original barbecue sauce
2 minced garlic cloves
1 (12 ounce) can Coke (I use vanilla coke)
2 teaspoons onion salt
12 rolls or French baguettes

Directions
1. Put the chuck roast in the crock pot.
2. Pour the can of coke over the roast, sprinkle the onion salt on top of the roast add the minced garlic and then smother the whole thing with barbecue sauce.
3. Cook it on low for 8 - 10 hours. the meat will practically shred itself when you insert a fork into it. Just continue to move the fork around and mix the meat completely with the sauce.

Crock Pot Pork Tacos

Ingredients
1 (1 lb) pork loin roast
1 (8 ounce) jar salsa
1 (4 ounce) can green chilies
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
8 tortillas
1 small sour cream
1 avocado, cut up
1 cup shredded cheese

Directions
1. Add Pork roast to crock pot.
2. Combine salsa, green chilis, ginced garlic, and onion powder in a crock pot. Cook it on low for 8 - 10 hours. when you open the crock pot use 2 forks and the meat will practically shred itself when you touch. Continue until shredded.
3.Arrange meat mixture on tortillas and let everyone top their tacos as desired with sour cream, avocado, or cheese.

Sour Cream Enchiladas

Ingredients
1 onion, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup chicken broth
1 (14 oz) can of diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can of green chili's
3 lbs boneless cooked chicken
16 flour tortillas
1 lb Mexican cheese blend, grated


Directions
1. Cook Chicken in an aluminum foil packet in oven. WHen chicken is done it is very tender and easy to shred by pulling at the meat with 2 forks.
2. In a large skillet brown onion in butter.
3. Combine sour cream, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth,onions, diced tomatoes and green chili's.
4. Place half the mixture in another bowl; adding the chicken.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F.
6. Divide chicken mixture among the tortillas, roll, and place in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish.
7. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and top with grated cheddar cheese.
8. Bake for 30 minutes; remove from oven and serve hot.

Blackberry Jelly Chicken

Serves 6-8
Ingredients
1 cup ketchup
1 cup blackberry jam
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
3 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 lbs chicken pieces or chicken breasts (I like to use thighs and drumsticks the best)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Place all ingredients into a prepared baking dish, turn chicken to coat. Bake until chicken juices run clear - about 45-60 minutes for chicken pieces, or 20-30 minutes for chicken breasts.
3. For freeze ahead prep: Place all ingredients into a 1 Gallon freezer bag. Lay flat in freezer.
4. To cook from the freezer: Thaw in the refrigerator.
5. Preheat the oven to 350º.
6.Empty the contents of the bag into a large baking dish and bake until the juices run clear.
Serve over rice or pasta.