Pizza/fajita filled crescent braids

What I had:

• Pillsbury crescent roll tube
• Pillsbury crescent sheet tube
• Pizza topping mix, made by mixing all the following together
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp powdered garlic
• 1/2 cup diced pepperoni
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 cup shredded Italian cheese mix
• Chicken fajita mix - premade leftovers, mixed with 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese

What I did:

• Pre-heated oven to 350.
• Rolled out the crescent roll dough and pinched all seams shut; of course the other tube, I just rolled it out.
• Spread pizza topping mix one one and the fajita mix on the other, down lengthwise in the middle. Left an inch on each side.
•  Cut strips on both sides of the filling.
• Folded the strips over the filling, overlapping them a little.
• Baked for 25 minutes.
• Cut and served with steamed vegetables.



Pizza braid

Fajita filled

Watched my kid dance after taking a bite:

       

Yes, his clothes come off when he's happy with my food.

Lower carb egg white strata

I call it lower carb because I used the new Pepperidge Farm Light bread that has 9 grams of carbs per slice, versus the usual 12 or up. If you are watching carbs, every little gram helps.

What I had:

• 12 slices Pepperidge Farm Light Style 7 grain bread
• 4 ounces pancetta, cubed
• 12 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and water squeezed out of it
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 ounces of Cabot Hot Habanero Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 16 ounce containers of  egg whites

What I did:

• Heated the garlic till fragrant, added pancetta and cooked till brown
• Added spinach and bell peppers and cooked till soft
• Cut bread slices into 9 pieces each and spread across the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan
• Sprinkled the cooked vegetables over the bread
• Sprinkled the cheese over the vegetables
• Poured the egg whites over everything
• Baked at 375 degrees for 30 minutes
• Checked and left them in there for another 10 minutes

Look at the beautiful colors:

It didn't fluff up as a regular egg one would but it's delicious nonetheless:

Naan pizza take 2

So, we decided to do a make your own naan pizza night and Oli had so much fun.I only had a few things to use as toppings but we did ok.

What we had:

• Trader Joe's naan
• Wegman's chunky tomato sauce
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• basil
• Wegman's shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
• Hormel pepperoni minis
• Kirkland real crumbled bacon
• Red onion thinly sliced

What we did:

• Turn oven on to 350 degrees
•  Mix tomato sauce with garlic powder, onion powder and basil to your taste
• Spread some sauce on your naan, add toppings, cover with cheese
• Baked for 25-30 minutes
• Burned our tongues eating it :)

Oli loved the whole thing! Watch it unfold in photos:

All ingredients ready to go

Ready for the oven

Mmmmm

First bite

Smile of approval

Cheesy bacon potatoes

What you need:

• Some number of red potatoes, sliced about a quarter inch thick
• Your favorite cheese, shredded, enough to cover all the potato slices
• Crumbled bacon, as much as you want
• Your favorite butter or butter like product

What to do:

• Brush the butter on both sides of the potato slices, I used Country Crock.
• Lay them on an untreated pan, bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn them over, bake for another 10 minutes.
• Cover each slice with shredded cheese and then some bacon.
• Bake for another 10 minutes.
• Let cool or burn your mouth and enjoy.

Pardon my dirty baking sheet but they were going way to fast to wait for a plate. And they were a perfect accompaniment to our steak tonight.

Orange liquor pound cake

What I had:

For the cake:

• Duncan Hines orange cake mix
• Vanilla instant pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/4 cup Pucker citrus vodka
• 1/4 cup Frangelico liqueur 

For the icing:

• 1 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons Pucker citrus vodka
• 1 tablespoon Frangelico liqueur 

What I did:

• Mixed all ingredients for cake and baked in a greased bundt pan at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.
• Let it cool, and mixed all ingredients for icing.
• When cake is cool, brushed icing all over the top.
• Cut and enjoyed!

Cheesecake squares

I have been on a cooking hiatus, thanks to my mom being here and cooking all the yummy Indian food! But, I have baked a bit and last night, I was inspired by this recipe to make cheesecake squares. I changed it up a bit, because I had a a little less than a lb of sugar but when I measured it, it was about 2 cups whereas the recipe said 4. I stuck with what I had and trust me, it was sweet enough.

What I had:

• box of lemon cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup butter, melted in microwave
• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 13.5 oz confectioner's sugar
• Optional: white chocolate baking chips and flaked coconut

 What I did:

• Mixed the cake mix, 1 egg and butter together till it formed a dough. Patted it down in a greased 9X13 glass baking pan.
• Sprinkled the coconut and white chocolate chips over the dough.

•  Mixed cream cheese, sugar and remaining eggs with a hand mixer. Poured it over the dough/coconut/chips and spread evenly.

• Baked at 300 degrees for an hour.
• Let it cool for 15 minutes before cutting into squares.

It didn't look pretty when it came out, but it sure was yummy. By this morning, there was only a half of the pan left!

Chicken Tamale Casserole

 

This recipe was adapted from here, since I rarely follow anything to a t. Plus it was missing onions. Mexican and Indian food to me needs onions.

What I had:

For the bottom layer:

• Jiffy cornbread mix
• 1 egg
• 1 can creamed corn
• 1 cup taco blend shredded cheese
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp cumin powder
• 1/3 cup 2% milk

For the top layer:

• 2 cans Costco brand cooked shredded chicken, drained
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 cup shredded queso blanco
• 1 can enchilada sauce
• cumin powder, garlic, salt and paprika to taste

What I did:

• Started oven to preheat at 400 degrees
• Mixed all the ingredients for the bottom layer and poured into a greased 9X11 pan
• Baked for 28 minutes till the cornbread was pretty set. Doesn't have to be completely baked since it'll bake more with the second layer
• Poked holes in it with a fork
• Poured half the enchilada sauce over the cornbread
• Mixed chicken and onion with all dry spices and spread evenly over cornbread
• Poured remaining enchilada sauce over it
• Sprinkled the queso blanco over eveything
• Baked in oven for 15 minutes till cheese was bubbling

Verdict: Absolutely delicious. It didn't even need any salsa or hot sauce over it.

Slow cooker cashew chicken

Adapted from here.

What I had:

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3/4 cup gluten free soy sauce
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp light brown sugar
• 16 oz frozen broccoli florets
• 16 oz sliced mushrooms
• 2 red bell peppers, sliced thin
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1/2 cup cashews 

What I did:

• Put chicken breasts on the bottom of a 7 quart slow cooker
• Layered the vegetables on top - broccoli, mushrooms, peppers, ginger, and garlic
• Poured the soy sauce, ketchup, and vinegar over the vegetables
• Sprinkled the brown sugar over everything
• Cooked on low for 5 hrs
• Shredded the chicken breasts, added the cashews, and mixed everything together
• Served over thin spaghetti noodles with some hot sauce, added some crushed cashews on top for garnish

Verdict:

Delicious! Could be spicier but since I was feeding the toddler, I just added the hot sauce to my plate. It's got the perfect level of sweet ad spicy, with a lot of vegetable servings.

Indian chili chicken

What I had:

• 1.5 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Marinade:

• 4 green chillies
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 4 tsp gluten free soy sauce
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 2 tsp lemon juice

For the chicken:

• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp corn flour

Sauce:

• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium whie onions, sliced thick
• 2 orange bell peppers, sliced thinly
• 6 green and red chillis, cut into small rounds
• 3/4 warm water 
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup Maggi hot 'n sweet sauce

What I did:

• Ground the garlic and chilies for the marinade.
• Added that to the chicken pieces, along with the soy sauce, vinegar and lemon juice in a small container.
• Left it in the fridge overnight.
• Next evening, added 1 beaten egg to the chicken pieces, coating them completely. Repeated with the corn flour.
• Cooked the chicken pieces in olive oil in a 12 inch deep skillet till lightly browned and cooked through. Pulled them out and put aside.
• Removed all except 2 tbsp oil from the skillet. Added garlic to the pan till fragrant.
• Added onions till soft, then added both peppers.
• Mixed the 3/4 cup warm water with the 2 tbsp corn starch; added to the skillet till it comes to boiling.
• Added the chicken pieces to the pan and heated it well.
• Served it with yogurt to cut the heat and roti.

Slow Cooker Chicken Barley Stew

What I had:

• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless breasts, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
• 1 bag crinkle cut frozen carrots
• 3 stalks celery, cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 cups chicken broth (I used 3 bullion cubes in 2 cups boiling water)
• 3 cups water
• 3.4 cup Goya Barley
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups water

What I did:

• Layered onions on the bottom of slow cooker, added the carrots and celery on top
• Added the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables
• Poured in the broth and water
• Added some coarse ground black pepper
• Cooked on low for 8 hours

We haven't eaten it yet, but it smells great. From the small taste I did, I'll probably add a little salt and paprika to my bowl. Serve it with some fresh baked rolls on a rainy evening.

Possibly the best cookies ever

 and easiest ever! Chewy on the inside, burst of ginger and cinnamon flavor!

What I used:

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1 egg
• A box of Pillsbury pumpkin Quick Bread mix
• 1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
• 1/2 cup raisin
• 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
• A mix of sugar and cinnamon to roll cookies in

What I did:

• Mixed the butter and egg well
• Added the bread mix, raisin, cinnamon and ginger, mixed till everything was wet
• Rolled 1 inch balls through the sugar and cinnamon mix
• Baked at 350 degrees for 15 minutes
• Inhaled 2 within 2 seconds!

I don't even like pumpkin and I swear these were the best cookies ever!

Mac and cheese muffins

Or cupcakes, as Oli called them.

What I had:

• Ronzoni small elbow macaroni, entire box cooked al dente
• 3 oz shredded gruyere cheese
• 3 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
• 16 oz cut spinach (I used frozen, defrosted and drained)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1 egg + 1 egg white
• Salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder

What I did:

• Melted the butter over medium heat in a medium sauce pan
• Added the flour and whisked it fast to avoid clumping
• Poured the milk and garlic in, continuously whisking
• Brought it to a boil and added both cheeses, mixing till its a creamy cheese sauce
• Mixed the pasta, spinach and cheese sauce in a large bowl till everything is covered in cheese
• Poured heaping spoonfuls into a greased muffin pan
• Baked at 400 for 15 minutes
• Let sit for 5 minutes before taking the muffins out

Next time, I would add more cheese. I think I used more pasta than the original recipe did here.

Slow cooker coconut chicken

Recipe adapted from here

What I had:

• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 large red onion
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1 can of coconut milk
• 1 very large tomato
• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp paprika

What I did:

• Put the chicken in the crock pot
• Put everything else in a blender and mixed till pulverized
• Poured the sauce over the chicken
• Cooked on high for 5 hours
• Shredded the chicken in the sauce
• Served over rice, with a side of steamed veggies

This was toddler approved, he ate a big bowl of rice and the curry without a single complaint!

the red flecks are tomato skin, I didn't have any paste

Vegetable Tian

What I had:

• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 yellow squash, sliced thin
• 1 zucchini. sliced thin
• 2 medium white potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
• 1 large tomato, sliced thin
• variety of spices, I used salt, paprika, garlic, parsley
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• olive oil

What I did:

• Cooked garlic and onions in olive oil till soft
• Sprayed an 8X8 glass baking pan
• Layered garlic and onions on the bottom
• Created rows of sliced vegetables, alternating them for beauty
• Sprinkled spices over the vegetables
• Covered with aluminum foil and cooked at 400 degrees for 30 minutes
• Removed the foil, sprinkled cheese over everything and cooked for another 15 minutes

It was delicious! One note, for next time, I would put spices on all vegetables before lining them up in the pan to more evenly distribute the flavor.

Bite-sized pecan pie

When it comes to pies, I'm not a huge fan of the fruity ones. My husband loves the pecan pie and I love the crisp topping, but not the gooey inside or the crust. So, when Anjuli sent me this recipe, I thought it was perfect.

I made 23 mini muffins and those small little things are 161 calories each, so it takes a lot f self control to stop at one.

Or two.

What I had:

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 2/3 cup melted butter
• 2 eggs

What I did:

• Heated my oven to 350 and greased a mini muffin pan well
• Mixed the dry ingredients together in one bowl and the wet ones in a second one.
• Mixed the two together.
• Filled the pan 2/3 full of the batter, like I said before, I managed to fill 23 out of the 24 containers in the pan.
• Baked for 25 minutes.

Oh my goodness these are so good! The inside is soft but not oozingly gooey and the top is crunchy.

Slow cooker lamb tagine

What I had:

• 3.5 lbs lamb shoulder, cut into half inch bite sized pieces
• 2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
• 1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
• 2.5 cups beef broth (I used 3 beef bullion cubes)
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom

What I did:

• Placed lamb in crock pot (I have a 7 quart one and this recipe filled it to the top)
• Cooked the garlic in a little bit of love oil till fragrant, add onions till limp, and then add all the dry spices and ginger. Cook for a minute.
• Sprinkled the mixture over the lamb.
• Poured the tomatoes and broth over everything.
• Cooked on low 7 hours.
• Served over couscous.

Verdict: it was absolutely delicious and will be joining our dinner rotations.

chicken tots casserole

Recipe adapted from here.

What I had:

• 32 ounces tater tots
• 2 lbs chicken from a rotisserie chicken
• 1 cup shredded mexican style cheese
• 1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
• 3/4 cup milk
• salt, pepper, garlic, paprika to taste

What I did:

• Sprayed a 2.5 qt casserole dish with Pam.
• Layered half of the tots on the bottom.
• Spread 1/3 of both cheeses over the tots.
• Layered the chicken over the cheese, sprinkled spices to taste.
• Spread another 1/3 of the cheeses over the chicken.
• Layered the last of the tots over chicken.
• Spread last of the cheeses over the tots.
• Poured the milk over everything.
• Baked for an hour in a 350 degree oven.

It was delicious! I served it with some green beans on the side and it was a perfect meal.

Zucchini feta flapjacks

I had torn this recipe out of a Parenting magazine for zucchini feta flapjacks. I thought I had everything listed but I didn't so I adjusted the quantities. As you can see, they are toddler approved.

What I had:

• 2 zucchinis shredded
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp oregano

 What I did:

• Heated small fry pan with spray olive oil
• Mixed all ingredients together well
• Dropped spoonfuls onto fry pan so it made a thin pancake, cooked about 2 minutes on each side
• Served with yogurt on the side

My ingredients made 8 flapjacks, I calculated 2 per serving and it was only 95 calories.

Chicken paprikash and home made spaetzle

So, according to the meal plan, tonight was chicken paprikash & home made spaetzle.  And, it was a success! Even Oli had some, after he had an entire pb&j sandwich. I followed the linked recipes with minor changes.

Chicken paprikash:

What I had:

• 1.5 lbs chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
• Olive oil
• 8 oz fat free sour cream mixed with 1 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 medium chopped onion
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp paprika
• 2 tbsp garlic
• 2 cups chicken broth (I used 2 chicken buillion cubs in 2 cups boling water)

What I did:

• Cooked the chicken in olive oil till done, put aside
• Browned the onions in the same pan
• Added the paprika and salt and mixed well
• Added the chicken stock and brought it to boiling
• Reduced the heat and added the sour cream and flour mixture, whisking so it mixes well
• Added the chicken to it
• Let it cook on low heat till sauce was a little thick

Spaetzle:

What I had:

• 1.5 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp milk
• 3 eggs

What I did:

• Mixed the first five ingredients well
• Mixed in the milk and eggs, alternatingly
• Brought a pan of water to boiling
• Used a slotted spoon to drop the batter into the water
• Removed it as soon as it rose to the top

Slow cooker Indian chick peas and spinach

I have been looking for easy slow cooker recipes for Indian food. I want to make more of it for Oli but don't have time to spend hours in front of the stove for one dish. I read some in The Indian Slow Cooker book, and looked at a few online. I didn't like any in their entirety so I decided to take the plunge and make my own!!!

What I had:

• 2 cups dry chick peas, rinsed and drained
• 8 oz fresh spinach
• 2 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes
• 2 russet potatoes diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 inch piece of ginger, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped finely
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper 
• 2 cups water

What I did:

• Put the chick peas in the slow cooker
• Added the potatoes and tomatoes
• Added the garlic and ginger
• Added all the spices
• Put the spinach on top
• Added 1 cup water
• Started the slow cooker at high for 8 hrs
• After 3 hours, I checked and the spinach seemed to be getting dry on top so I mixed it all up and added another cup of water
• I checked at 5 hrs into cooking and it was done!

You can swerve this with naan, over rice or even over bread slices.

Oven baked breakfast casserole

We had friends coming over this morning and I promised them the slow cooker breakfast I have made before. The only problem was Oli decided to sleep in and by the time I got myself up and going, I didn't have the 4 hrs needed for my crock pot. So, I looked at some recipes online, looked at what was in my fridge and decided to try an oven casserole that could be baked in an hour. If I might say so myself, it was successful.



What I had:

• 32 oz bag of tater tots
• 10 eggs
• 1 medium onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and diced finely
• Green Giant frozen vegetables (I had the antioxidant blend with the olive oil)
• 1 cup shredded cheese, I used the Mexican mix

What I did:

• Turned oven on to 350 degrees
• Cooked the garlic on medium heat in a tablespoon of olive oil till we could smell it in the entire house
• Added onions and cooked till they were soft and translucent
• Added the frozen veggies and cooked till soft
• Beat the 10 eggs in a large mixing bowl, added the vegetable mix and cheese to it
• Added the tater tots and mix well
• Poured into a greased 9X11 pan
• Baked in the pre-heated oven for 1 hour or till the middle is cooked through
• Served with some crescent rolls, scones and fresh fruit that friends are generous enough to bring over

Meal planning

So y'all, I've been doing meal plans. A week in advance, for the next week. This has resulting in us eating out less, saving money on groceries and eating healthier. I plan my meals around what I have in my freezer and pantry, and what's on sale at the grocery store. I thought I'd start putting my meal plans here so I could keep an eye on it and link them to the recipes I am inspired by (because I never use the recipe as is). I'll also post successful recipes with whatever changes I make.

Weekday lunches aren't listed because those are leftovers.

So, the upcoming week or so looks like this for us:

Saturday 4/6: 
Brunch - slow cooker breakfast
Dinner - Going to the O's game so most probably out. I have a deal to Patrick's of Pratt Street, so maybe there.

Sunday 4/7:
Lunch: Costco since need foods from there :)
Dinner: slow cooker meatloaf

Monday 4/8: 
Dinner: chicken paprikash & home made spaetzle

Tuesday 4/9:
Dinner: spinach and beef casserole

Wednesday 4/10:
Dinner: man pleasing chicken

Thursday 4/11:
Dinner: baked eggs and spinach

Friday 4/12:
Dinner: pizza (Jeff and a friend are going to the Hops & Grass Festival at the Heavy seas Brewery, so it's the wives and children enjoying some ordered in pizza!)

Saturday 4/13:
Lunch: probably at Wegman's after grocery shopping
Dinner: double date at the Alehouse Columbia with friends

This week's heavier than most with going out, just seemed to happen that way. Usually, we only have 1 night of eating out and 1 lunch after grocery shopping.

The only sauce you'll ever want for your dessert

What I had:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup Bailey's Irish Cream Liquor
• 1/2 cup Kahlua (or any coffee liquor)

What I did:

• In a saucepan, I melted butter on low heat
• Added sugar and egg, whisking to blend well.
• Cooked over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickened. 
• Whisked in Bailey's and Kahlua.
• Removed from heat. The sauce should be soft, creamy, and smooth.
• Right before serving, heated it up and whisked it before pouring onto bread pudding.

The original recipe used a cup of Bourbon but since I was doing a St. Patrick's Day party, I changed that up. For the actual bread pudding, I soaked my raisin in Irish whiskey (of course). I used the recipe linked exactly as it is, but I wasn't ecstatic about the bread pudding. The top was dry and I don't know if using more liquid would help because that would mean more time baking. I guess there's more experimentation to this before I post a successful bread pudding recipe.

But the sauce, oh the sauce! Guests poured it on the pudding, they had it over ice cream, with chocolate cake ... some licked it with their fingers. This is a keeper, it takes any plain old dessert a couple notches up.

Slow cooker Mediterranean chicken reinvented

I have started doing meal plans, look at me all domestic ;-) But, with Oli keeping us more and more busy, it was hard to leave every night's dinner up to that day. We ended up either eating fast food or going out and spending too much money at a restaurant. So, every week now, I plan the dinners for the next week. Sunday through Sunday.

Yesterday was slow cooker Mediterranean chicken since I had a lot of the ingredients and I remembered really liking it the first time I'd made it. I read my note about the chicken being a little dry, so I did half the onions underneath the chick this time, and half over. Same with olives and the pepperoncinis.  However, this time, I also added a 28 oz can of San Marzano tomatoes, sliced with basil leaves. I also substituted the sour cream with Philadelphia garlic cooking creme. So, the new recipe is:

What I had:

• 1 lb of chicken breasts
• 2 medium white onions, sliced
• about 20 Spanish manzanilla olives, sliced
• 9 pepperoncinis, rinsed and drained
• 1 container Philadelphia cooking creme, garlic
• 28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes, sliced with basil leaves
• garlic

What I did:

• Layer 1/2 of the sliced onions, olives and pepperoncinis at the bottom of the slow cooker
• Lay the frozen chicken breasts on top
• Layer rest of the onions, olives and pepperoncinis on top of the chicken
• Sprinkle garlic. Pour a little bit of lemon juice on top
• Pour the can of tomatoes, juice and all, over the chicken
• Cook on low for 8 hrs
• Take out the chicken and put aside. Pour cooking creme in and cook on high in slow cooker till it thickens. 
•  Shred the chicken and add it back in
• Serve over your favorite noodles

Notes after eating:

• Not dry at all
• The flavors were amazing, no paprika needed, the pepperoncinis added a nice slight kick
• Even Oli ate some and that's a complement to this chef ;-)

 Look at him enjoying some noodles with just cheese and butter before he demanded some of mine.

Cheesecake stuffed strawberries

What I had:

• Strawberries
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 2 tablespoon confectioner's sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Graham cracker crumbs
• Vegetable peeler
• Piping bag

What I did:

• Used the vegetable peeler to cut the top of the strawberry and hollow it out. For this, you need nice plump strawberries, or a skinnier knife so you don't poke holes through the berries.
• Mixed the cream cheese, sugar and extract till nice and creamy. Put in piping bag. Cut a small hole on the bottom of the bag.
• Piped the cheesecake mix into the strawberries.
• Dip the open end of the strawberries in graham cracker crumbs.
• Ate them.

Note: If you leave out the crumbs, these are gluten free.