Five Easy Meals

Now that summer's over and I'm back in the classroom, meals like these are great to make during the week. Hopefully you'll find some new additions for your own weeknight routine.

Fiesta Crock-Pot Chicken
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 6ish hours on low

I found this recipe on this blog, who copied it from this blog... and now it will be on our blog. So I'm thinking you should definitely try it. :)

Lay frozen chicken on the bottom and place drained black beans, drained corn, UNdrained Rotel, and 8 oz. of cream cheese (one package) on top.

I added sauteed onions and garlic (of course!)... so my prep time was 10ish minutes.

I actually made this on the weekend and lifted the lid every 1.5 hours (you're not normally supposed to life the lid on crock pot meals, but this one can be soupy and I didn't want it to be). This is what it looked like after I stirred the first time to mix all of the ingredients.

And this is what it looked like after I added approximately 1/2 a cup of cheddar cheese (another addition not in the original recipe... I happen to love cheese)

Cook this in the microwave according to the package.

Wa-lah. . . not the prettiest meal, but it is tasty. Serve with sauteed spinach or mix it in at the end if you want to get in your green for the day.

Pasta with Vodka Sauce:

Prep Time: 1 minute

Cook Time: 15 minutes

If you know me at all, you know I'm crazy about this sauce. It is the only store-bought sauce I buy that I don't doctor at all. It is DELICIOUS! Whenever Matt's not home for dinner, this is what I make.

I prefer using rigatoni, and, as you can see, like a little fresh parm too. ;) Speaking of, if you like cheese like me and are willing to spend a little money on some good parmesan, the BEST kind I have ever tried and always buy is Locatelli. (yes, sadly, I pretty cheap in a lot of areas yet splurge on cheese).

A block this size costs about $10.00 at Costco and will last a good while (if you grate it right away and don't eat it as a snack like I do). And no, I don't buy $80 worth of cheese at a time. . . this is a random picture I found on the internet.

If you want to make this pasta recipe into a meal, add sauteed onions, garlic, diced tomatoes, and either shrimp or grilled chicken. That is what I do when it's not just me eating. :)

Vidalia Onion Chicken Bake:

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Bake Time: 35 minutes

Lay thawed chicken on the bottom of a greased baking dish.

Pour this on top.

Crumble 10ish Ritz crackers on top.

Bake at 375 for 35 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. (hint: when you're baking chicken, it is done when the center is boiling, not just the sides of the dish)

 

Serve with broccoli and biscuits (these biscuits bake at 375 so it works great for a single oven).

Chicken Parmesan with Sweet Pepper Sauce:

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutess

Sauté onions with fresh garlic, then pour sauce over top.

Beat 1-2 eggs in a bowl (we only had egg-whites, that works too!), mix progresso bread crumbs (italian style) and fresh parmesan together (about a 1/4 cup of each)

Dip the chicken in the egg bowl, then the bread-crumb bowl, and then lay onto a greased baking dish.

Spread sauce on top.

Bake for 25 minutes at 375. Take out, cover with mozzarella cheese, and return to oven for 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Cook according to directions- this is GOOD!

Serve over couscous with broccoli.

Crock-Pot Chicken and Pasta:

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 6ish hours

The orginal recipe actually calls for the Good Seasons Zesty Italian dressing, but Matt doesn't like Italian dressing, so I tried the ranch instead. It turned out well! But I think the Zesty Italian would be even better.

Placed thawed chicken on the bottom.

Cover with dressing package. (If you're using Zesty Italian, use the whole package, if you're using Ranch, use 3/4 of the package.)

Mix together 2 tbsp of butter, 8 oz. of cream cheese, and one can of cream of chicken soup.

Pour over chicken and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Cook according to the box.

Serve.

If you have any recipes to share, I'd love to hear them!! The last recipe was actually from a comment on one of my last recipe posts. I love trying new things! Especially when they're quick and delicious. :) Hope you can find something on here to enjoy this week!