Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad

 

  Alright so I totally failed at starting a new blog.  I guess I admit I'm a little embarrassed.  You see, I was kinda hoping that this fresh start would inspire and motivate me to regularly blog since I was starting at square one.  That, plus a lot of the posts on this here blog were old and not very well written and consisted of weird formatting... blah blah.  But then I came to realize that this blog still has a ton of recipes that I love and will always come back to... and so what if the writing is a little immature? So what if a bunch of the recipes were posted in 2010?  This blog is me and it's just a fun outlet for me to write about food that I love.  Ha sounds a little cheesy.  

I'm not gonna stick to any set posting schedule, I'm just gonna post about recipes that I've made and both my husband and I have loved when I get the chance.  I don't post anything on here that (at least) I haven't loved! My husband is a little bit pickier than I am when it comes to healthier foods but he will still eat anything I put in front of him.  I always make sure to get his opinion on everything I make because his is a different perspective than mine.  I have very broad taste buds; I love trying new things whereas my husband already knows what he likes- and that's what he wants. 

This here recipe is super yum!  It's made in a slow cooker, so it's super easy.  I altered it a bit and made a homemade BBQ sauce instead of buying the bottled kind.  You can find that homemade recipe here.  I used one whole recipe for the chicken, but you could probably get away with halving it.  I had a lot of leftover sauce in the crock pot.

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad

adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff

Makes about 6 large salads

5 chicken breasts
1 recipe homemade BBQ sauce or 18 oz. bottle BBQ sauce
12 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
2 avocados, diced
3 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 green pepper, chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 hard-boiled eggs, diced
2 cups cheddar cheese

Other toppings you might want to add: cucumbers, red onion, green onion, bleu cheese . . . the possibilities are endless!

Directions:
Spray the inside of your crock pot with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken breasts inside and pour the bottle of barbecue sauce on top. Cover with lid and cook on low for 4-5 hours (or high for about 2 1/2 hours). Take chicken out of slow cooker and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Once chicken is cut, assemble your salads. Place about 2 cups of lettuce on the bottom of your plate and top with the vegetables/toppings of your choice. Top salad with your favorite salad dressing (Ranch, Italian, Thousand Island- whatever you want! I prefer Ranch)

Bacon Cheddar Florentine Quiche

KAY so I'm just gonna get right down to it.  Never made quiche before today (yes I actually made this recipe today!) and I was pleasantly surprised at the easiness and deliciousness! I'm thinkin' this recipe might be on the repeat for this Sunday's morning brunch..

Bacon Cheddar Florentine Quiche
recipe adapted from the Picky Palate cookbook
serves ~4 main dish servings

2 cups spinach
1/2 cup white onion, chopped
1/2 pound bacon, chopped
8 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup cheese- cheddar or monterey jack
1 refrigerated pie crust (or frozen pie crust- I used this, or homemade pie crust)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unroll the pie crust and put in a 9-inch pie plate.  Poke the bottom of crust with a fork several times.  Put chopped bacon in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until it is cooked through, about 10 minutes.  Place bacon on a paper-towel lined plate.  Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease. Add spinach and onion to the reserved grease over medium-high heat and cook until onions are tender and spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes.
When oven temperature is ready, bake pie crust for about 10 minutes to pre-bake it (do not need this step if using a frozen pie crust).  In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper.  When crust is done baking, take out of the oven and spread the spinach and onion mixture over the pre-baked crust, and top with the bacon. Pour egg mixture over, and then top with parsley and cheese.  Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until eggs are set.  Let cool for about 5 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Bacon-Cheddar Ranch Pinwheels

Okay so it's nothing new to say that I have a slight obsession with recipes.  When I say slight... I mean that if I have any free time (which is quite lately now that all I am pretty much doing is waiting for my baby to be born....) I will choose to browse one of the 25 cookbooks I own, scour Pinterest for each and every food post or plan meals for the next 18 months (slight exaggeration).  Ha it's a little bit out of control.  Hilarious.  But I can't help it... I'm a huge foodie and I will always be obsessed with food-especially healthy food- and trying fabulous new recipes (as well as making old favorites again and again).

ANYWHO.  It's no surprise I'm a member of the Pillsbury and Betty Crocker websites and by being a member, you can get the fun bonus of a receiving free calendar in the mail each year featuring one delicious recipe each month! I love it!  Well last year I think I made all of zero recipes from each calendar.  I know, very surprising considering my recipe obsession (but when you have a gazillion resources to pull recipes from, it's easy for one resource to get pretty left out, hence the calendar simply sitting on my wall without ever being used in 2012- I'm sorry calendar)!  Well this year I want to do much better! I want to make each and every recipe! With the exception of a few (either they're boring or they have beer in them) I vow to make each recipe from the Pillsbury and Betty Crocker 2013 calendars.  I've already one-upped last year because I made Pillsbury's January recipe!  Wow I'm a hoot.

P.S. these were super easy and super YUMMY! My hubby and I ate them all in pretty much one sitting...


Bacon-Cheddar Ranch Pinwheels
 from Pillsbury

Servings: 16 pinwheels (I think I got more like 10-12, depends on how thick you slice them)
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
2 tablespoons ranch dressing (I eyeballed it, probably was a little more)
1/4 cup cooked real bacon pieces or 4 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled
1/2 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz) (again I didn't measure, just sprinkled it on)
1/4 cup chopped green onions (4 medium)

• Heat oven to 350°F. If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate into 2 long rectangles. Press each into 12x4-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut lengthwise into 2 long rectangles. Press each into 12x4-inch rectangle. 
• Spread dressing over each rectangle to edges. Sprinkle each with bacon, Cheddar cheese and onions. Starting with one short side, roll up each rectangle; press edge to seal. With serrated knife, cut each roll into 8 slices; place cut side down on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 12 to 17 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

*Nutritional Info:  1 pinwheel= 80 calories, 6g fat (2g saturated), 180mg sodium, 2g protein



*Not healthy but oh so good and would be a perfect appetizer for the Superbowl that's quickly approaching!

Cowboy Spaghetti

If you have a man in your life, I suggest you make this for him.  There are 4 different meats in this thing.  FOUR!  And it is dee-licious!! Probably not something to make every week, as it's not "healthified," sorry to say. But a good one to keep in the recipe box. I found this recipe at Favorite Family Recipes.  A good, cute blog with some yummy food!

 

 Cowboy Spaghetti

from Favorite Family Recipes

1 pkg (1 lb) spaghetti noodles
6 slices bacon (chopped)
1 Lb ground beef
1 medium onion (chopped)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
salt & pepper (to taste)
2 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 Lb deli pastrami, roughly chopped
1/3 c. pepperoni, chopped
2 Tbsp canned, chopped jalapeno
1/2 c. sliced mushrooms
1 small can diced olives
½ c. beef broth
1 (14 oz) can fired roasted diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
green onions (chopped)

 
Heat a large deep skillet to medium-high heat. Add bacon and fry until crisp, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. In the same skillet add ground beef. When beef is browned stir in onions and garlic. Season with salt, pepper, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in bacon, pastrami, pepperoni, jalapeno, mushrooms and olives. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes.
Add beef broth and cook for an additional 5 minutes or so. Stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce. Cover and reduce heat to low (at this point you can also throw everything in a crock pot and cook on low heat for a few hours. If it gets too thick, add another can of fire roasted tomatoes and a little more beef broth). Prepare spaghetti noodles according to package directions. Drain noodles well, add to meat sauce, and toss it all together (or you can serve with the sauce over the top). Top with sharp cheddar cheese and green onions.

Penne with Mushroom-Tomato Cream Sauce

Okay okay so I've been slacking a bit... I've just been a tad busy!  I made this pasta a few weeks ago and it is AMAZING! The sauce is a perfect creamy tomato blend with sauteed mushrooms and bacon bits to boot... I can't wait to make it again!

Penne with Mushroom-Tomato Cream Sauce

2 2/3	cups uncooked penne pasta (8 oz)
3	oz pancetta or 4 strips bacon, chopped*
1	tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
2	cloves garlic, finely chopped
8	oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
1	can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes with basil, undrained (or just add basil to regular crushed tomatoes)
1/2	cup whipping cream
2	cups packed fresh baby spinach leaves

1.  Cook and drain pasta as directed on box. Return to saucepan; keep warm.
2.  Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven, cook pancetta over medium heat until crisp. Remove pancetta to paper towels to drain. In same skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook garlic and mushrooms in oil 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender. Stir in tomatoes. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in whipping cream; heat just until hot. Stir in pasta.
3. Add spinach; toss until spinach is wilted. Sprinkle individual servings with pancetta.
4. *If using bacon, omit olive oil and use bacon drippings to cook garlic and mushrooms.
   After adding the cream, be sure the mixture does not boil, because overheating can cause curdling.
   

Grilled Cheese with Apples & Bacon

I'm not too creative when it comes to arts and crafts- I was always the little girl who could never create a paper airplane because I could only fold my piece of paper in seemingly obvious patterns, ahem- hamburger & hotdog style! :) nor have my drawing skills ever expanded past the good ole' stick figure.

When it comes to food, however, I won't be too modest- I'm pretty creative.  I know, I'm SO boastful ;)  I'm no picky eater at all, in fact I should probably be more picky.  Of course I always choose good, quality foods, and prefer them, but I have no problem eating many things others might turn their noses at.

Sorry, off topic.  As I was saying, I like creative, odd combinations of foods that trick your taste buds and give you something to think about.  Like instead of plain PB&J, why not throw in some strawberries and bananas, or honey or agave nectar, or nutella or powdered sugar?

Or oatmeal- this is one of my favorite things to experiment with.  So many different combinations can be made: apples, cherries, nuts, dried fruit, cinnamon, maple syrup, cereal, granola, bananas, jam, brown sugar, honey, peanut butter- mix & match em for a scrumptious AM meal.

How about GRILLED CHEESE? A classic American comfort food, it's something I grew up on- grilled cheese served with tomato soup (probably one of the best combinations ever).  But, come on- how about spicing it up a little?!  This recipe is from the book Cook This, Not That.  I don't know, maybe I'm weird but when I saw this recipe I thought it looked delicious.  One of my go-to snacks is apple slices with cheese and crackers.  This just seemed like my fave snack in meal form, plus bacon.  Who can turn down bacon?

The result, in my mind (and mouth) was delicious.  The apples & Dijon mustard add a tart/tangy taste that really complements the sharp cheddar.  Okay so my teenage brothers thought the apple idea was a little strange and ended up taking out the apples, but everyone else liked it.  

Are you willing to give it a try? I dare you. You just might love it.

Grilled Cheese with Apples and Bacon

1 Tbsp butter

8 slices whole-grain bread

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

6 oz. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (or cheddar cheese slices)

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and sliced

8 strips cooked bacon

Heat the butter in a large skillet or nonstick saute pan over low heat.  Slather 4 slices of bread with the mustard, then divide the cheese, apples, and bacon among them.  (I would suggest starting with a little cheese on the bottom, and some on the top as well). Top with the other bread slices and add to the hot pan.  The key to a great grilled cheese (crispy crust, melted cheese) is patience, so cook these slowly until each side is deep brown and crunchy, about 10-12 minutes total.

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition:  330 calories, 15 g fat (6g saturated), 790mg sodium