CentsAble Recipes: Chicken & Dumplings (Slow Cooker)

Photo Provided By Campbell's Kitchen

I have not posted a CentsAble Recipe in quite some time and the other night I came up with a fabulous and very nummy Slow Cocker recipe for Chicken & Dumplings.  This is one of those great American comfort food recipes.

I made this last week and it really was amazing. We ate it up within a day, I have no doubt you will all enjoy this as much as my family did.

INGREDIENTS

3 lbs of Chicken Thighs or Breasts

1 Cans of Cream of Celery Soup

1 Can of Cream of Mushroom Soup

2 Cans of Chicken Broth

2 Tbls of Olive Oil

3-4 Cloves of Garlic

½ Tbls Thyme

1 Bay Leaf

Salt & Pepper to Taste

1 Onion Chopped

1 Green Pepper Chopped

1 Pkg. of Mushrooms

2 ½ Cups of All Purpose Baking Mix (such as Bisquick)

¾ Cup Milk

DIRECTIONS

1. In a sauté pan heat the oil on Md. Low. Add mushrooms, green peppers, onions, and garlic. Saute for 10 mins.

2. Add 2 Cans of Broth to slow cooker, add all of the chicken, & the veggie mix from pan. Turn cooker on high for  2.5 hours.

3. After 2.5 hours, turn cooker down to low. Add both cans of cream of celery & cream of mushroom soups.  Add thyme & bay leaf.

4. Cook on low for at 4-5 hours

5. In a medium mixing bowl add all purpose baking mix and milk, stir with fork. Dough will be slightly lumpy, and that is ok, does not need to be over mixed.

6. Drop by the Tablespoon dough mix right into soup mixture. Once all the dough is added to the soup, turn cooker back up to high, cover, and cook for another 2 hours.

7. Serve and Enjoy!!

Centsable Recipes: Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I had to share this new chocolate chip cookie recipe I came across this year, it is certainly a new favorite of mine. I love chewy chocolate chip cookies, not the crunchy ones. So, if you are a crunchy chocolate chip cookie lover this may not be for you ;).

I discovered this recipe on Land O' Lakes website. They are actually called 'Chewy Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookies' on their site, but I did not want to make jumbo cookies, just regular size ones, and this recipe is completely adaptable either way.

CentsAble Recipe
INGREDIENTS
 4 ¼ cps - All-Purpose Flour*

1tsp - Baking Powder

1tsp - Baking Soda

1 tsp – Salt

1 ½ cps – Butter, softened

1 ¼ cps – Sugar

1 ¼ cps – Firmly Pressed Brown Sugar

2 – Eggs

1 Tbls – Vanilla

1 pckg (12 ounces) – Chocolate Chunks or Chocolate Chips

*Tip: It is important to measure flour properly when cookie baking. Stir flour in the bag or canister with a large spoon to lighten it. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a spatula or knife. Be careful not to tap or shake the measuring cup when measuring. It is not necessary to sift the flour in baking unless the recipe specifically states to do so.

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees

2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, & salt in medium bowl – set aside

3. Combine butter, sugar, & brown sugar in large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed, scraping often, until creamy.

4. Add eggs and vanilla to butter mixture, continue beating & scraping sides, until well mixed.

5. Reduce speed to low – beat while gradually adding flour mixture, until well mixed

6. Stir in chocolate chips with a wooden spoon

7. Drop rounded Tablespoon size balls on an ungreased baking sheet 2 inches apart

8. Bake for 10 mins, or until light golden brown (DO NOT OVER BAKE!)

Should yield approx. 4 dozen cookies. 

CentsAble Recipes: The Banana Bread

Over Thanksgiving while visiting my family, my wonderful mother made this amazing banana bread, and the best part is that is that is one the of the easiest recipes out there. I know you will enjoy this as much as my family has. I made some tonight and half of it is already gone. I think I am going to have to make some more tomorrow.;)

INGREDIENTS
-3 or 4 Ripe Bananas
-1/3 cp of Melted Butter
-1 Egg
-1cp of Sugar
-1 tsp Vanilla
-1 tsp Baking Soda
-Pinch of Salt
-1 1/2 cps Flour

DIRECTIONS
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 4x8 loaf pan.

Combine bananas and melted butter in a large bowl, and mix with a wooden spoon until bananas are well mashed and combined with butter. Add egg, sugar, vanilla, & salt, mix with spoon. Sprinkle banking soda in the mixture and stir.

Finally add the flour slowly and mix with spoon until well combined.

Pour mixture into the greased loaf pan and bake for 1 hour or until golden brown. Cool on a rack for awhile then cut and ENJOY!

I promise you will not be disappointed in this recipe it is simple and moist and simply wonderful!

CentsAble Recipes: Fudge Recipes (With a Surprise Ingredient)

Pic Courtesy of Foodnetwork.com

Yesterday's Advent activity in our house was to make Fudge. I have to say I have never made fudge before but figured it wouldn't be that hard.

I did some searching on the internet and came across a couple recipes. One seemed quite basic and what I was expecting, and the other was a recipe by Paul Deen, I found on Foodnetwork.com that I just had to try, and now want to share with all of you.

I like to feature new and interesting recipes to all of you, as not to bring you the same ole' thing you might not have expected. So, here is a new and different recipe.

Chocolate Cheese Fudge

INGREDIENTS

-1/2 LB  Velveeta Cheese, cut into small cubes

-1 Cp. Butter

-1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

-1 cp Chopped nuts, pecans, walnuts (optional)

-16 ounces of Confectioners’ Sugar

-1/2 cp Cocoa Powder

DIRECTIONS

Grease the bottom of a 9x2 inch pan (I then sprayed it as well, otherwise this stuff will stick to the pan)

In a saucepan over md-low heat, place the cubed cheese, wait a minute for the cheese to begint o melt, then add the butter. Stir constantly until smooth. Remove from heat, add the vanilla & nuts.

In a large bowl, sift together the sugar & cocoa. Pour the cheese mixture into the sugar and cocoa mixture & stir until completely mixed (you are going to need to use your hands towards the end to make sure everything mixes together well).  The candy/fudge will be very stiff.

Using your hands, remove the candy from the bowl and press evenly and firmly into pan. Because of the amount of butter in this recipe, pat the top of the candy with a paper towel to remove the excess oil. Place pan in refrigerator until candy is firm (about 15 mins).

Cut into pieces and Enjoy!

I am including the video, it's just over 3 mins long, that shows Paula Deen making this recipe. You are going to be amazed at how good this recipe is, and surprised!

CentsAble Recipes: Broccoli Cornbread

I know, I know you are all thinking: "Ewwww...gross! Broccoli Cornbread?!" Ok, now stop thinking that, because when I first heard and saw this recipe I was a little taken aback and had the same reaction but I was persuaded to at least give it a try and it was AMAZING! It is actually one of my favorite recipes of all time and is so delicious.

I love how unique it is, and that if you go to a holiday party and bring this dish, you know no one else will have brought this same dish. And I promise you it will be a HUGE hit!

Let me also say before giving you this recipe that just because it has broccoli in it does not mean this is a low-fat, healthy recipe. Because it's NOT, but it sure is yummy!

INGREDIENTS

-2 boxes of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, or similar

-4 eggs, beaten

-1 ½ Sticks of melted butter (or margarine) – 6oz

-1 pkg. (10oz) chipped broccoli, thawed & drained

-1 md. Onion, chopped

-1 cup Cottage Cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Grease a 9x13 baking dish

3. Combine ALL ingredients from above (batter will be slightly lumpy)

4. Pour batter into baking dish

5. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until lightly browned

6. ENJOY

CentsAble Recipes: White Velvet Christmas Cutout Cookies

This is my favorite Christmas Cookie Cut-out recipe. They are not sugar cookies and are soft and taste oh so yummy. And I thought I would share this with all of you, in case you are not familiar with this recipe.

Ingredients:

-2cps Butter, softened

-1 (8oz) package of Cream Cheese, softened

-2cps Granulated Sugar

-2 Egg Yolks

-1tsp Vanilla Extract

-4 ½ cps All-Purpose Flour

Directions:

1.  In a mixing bowl cream butter & cream cheese until light and fluffy

2. Add sugar, egg yolks, & vanilla; mix well

3. Gradually  & Slowly add Flour

4. Cover and Chill for at least 3 hours or until firm (I usually make the day/night before)

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

6. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to ¼ inch thick

7. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes

8. Place 1 inch apart on a lightly greased baking sheet

9. Bake for 10-12 mins or until set (NOT Brown)

10. Place on cooling racks

11. Once completely cool decorate

12. Enjoy!

CentsAble Recipe: White Bean Chicken Chili

Courtesy of All You

I just came across this amazing White Bean Chicken Chili recipe on All You, and wanted to share this with all of you. Especially with the weather finally cooling off in most of the country - I thought this would make a wonderful weekend dinner.

INGREDIENTS

2 – 15oz Cans White Beans, rinsed & drained

4 cps low-sodium chicken broth

1 Tbls Vegetable Oil

2 Whole Bone-In Chicken Breasts (3lbs)

Salt & Pepper to taste

2 Onions, chopped

4 Cloves of Garlic, chopped/minced

2 – 4oz cans of rosted green chilies, drained

1Tbls Grd Cumin

2 Tbls Fresh Cilantro, chopped (this was my personal addition)

PREPARATION

Place beans and broth in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until beans are tender, 2 hours

Warm oil in skillet over md-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and peper. Place chicken skin side down in skillet, cook until brown, about 4 mins. Turn and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Transfer to a plate; remove and discard skin.

Drain all but 2 Tbls fat from skillet, add onion & garlic. Cook until softened, 5 mins. Add onion and garlic, chilies, 1 cup water and cumin to slow cook. Stir; add chicken.

Cook on low for 6 hours, stirring twice. Remove 1 cup beens plus ½ cups liquid from slow cooker. Puree in a blender, return to slow cooker. Remove chicken, shred it and return to slow cooker. Sppon into individual  bowls. (Sprinkle with Cilantro & top with some sour cream)

CentsAble Recommendations

I personally would not cook the beans for 2 hours prior, I plan to add everything at once to the slow cooker and let it all cook for 6 hours, the beans, imo, would become too soft if they cooked too much longer than the rest of the ingredients.

I will also add ½-1 tsp of Cayenne Pepper to mine, just for a little kick (or you could toss in a a few jalapeno peppers).

I would serve with Tortilla chips or some fresh garlic bread. Or for a fun twist serve with Frito Lays Chips

Let us all know if you made and if you did anything different from the original recipe!