Chicken and Rice Casserole

Chicken and Rice Casserole!

My grandma use to make this all the time! This brings back one specific memory from when I was little and I lived in New Mexico. One day is was just me and my dad at home. We were going to go on a bike ride with some neighbors but I got hurt, so we stayed home and he made me this. That's what I think of every time I make this.

INGREDIENTS:

1. 2 cups of Rice. (you can use minute rice, wild rice..any kind you want)
2. 2 cans of Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup. (I use the 98% less fat kind)
3. 1 cup of Milk and 1 cup of Water. (These are my families measurements but I use 3/4 milk and 1/3 water because its too soupy if I do it the other way when it is just the two of us)
4. 3-4 Chicken Breasts, boneless.
5. A Casserole Dish or a 13x9 dish.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put the 2 cans of soup, milk, water, and 2 cups of rice into the dish and mix together well. (I use a whisk)
2. Put in your chicken. Place them to where it starts to be covered by the other ingredients.
3. Preheat your oven to 350. Cook for 30 minutes.

This is really good with steamed broccoli and melted cheese. We also steam Asparagus with it too at times. If you want to know how to steam fresh Asparagus Click--> HERE <--

TWITTER: @haleymarie1991

INSTAGRAM: @haleymarie1991

Crock Pot Chicken n' Dumplings!

Crock Pot Chicken n' Dumplings!

I love Chicken n' Dumplings! They remind me of the south! This is really easy to make! 

If I can make something in a crock pot I do it! haha! It's nice to be able to just stick everything 

in there and leave it until its done! 

INGREDIENTS:

1. 3-5 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces.
2. 2 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces.(about 2 cups)
3. 2 cups of whole baby carrots.(you can cut those in half if you want)
4. 2 stalks of celery, sliced. (about 1 cup)
5. 2 cans of Campbell's Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup,10 3/4oz each. (I use the 98% fat free)
6. 1 cup of water.
7. 1 teaspoon of dried thyme leaves, crushed.
8. 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
9. 2 cups of all-purpose baking mix.(also known as bisquick or jiffy. I use jiffy)
10. 2/3 cup of milk.

NOTE: 9 and 10 are for the dumplings. You will make these 45 minuets before eating!

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the chicken, potatoes, carrots and celery into a 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Stir the soup, water, thyme and black pepper in a small bowl. Pour the soup mixture over the chicken and vegetables.
3. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours* or until the chicken is cooked through.
4. FOR THE DUMPLINGS: Stir the baking mix and milk in a medium bowl. Drop the batter by spoonfuls onto the chicken mixture. Increase the heat to HIGH. Tilt the lid to vent and cook for 30-45 minutes or until the dumplings are cooked in the center.

NOTE: If you need to have these cooked in a shorter amount of time, you can cook on HIGH 4 or 5 hours!

How to Steam Fresh Asparagus | Make like the Canned Kind

Asparagus! 

My Husband loves the canned Asparagus, but I love the fresh kind. He likes the canned kind because they are really tender; which I like to but I prefer the fresh tasting kind. So how do you go about getting that really tender taste without buying the canned. (canned is more money too) There is a way to do so. After all marriage is about compromise and meeting in the middle. So I had to find a way to make the fresh taste like the canned haha!

STEAM THEM!

Step One: Cut off the bottoms of the Asparagus. This is the part that starts to turn white and is very "stalk" like or hard. Cut it off! haha

Step Two: Peel from the middle to the bottom of the Asparagus. This takes of the very thin layer and allows it to become tender. (see picture below)

Step Three: Lay them in a skillet that has 1 cup of water in it. Put a few thin slices of butter on top of them.

Step Four: Cover them with a lid and turn your stove on medium heat. Let them come to a boil then to a low simmer until your ready to eat them!

We LOVE Asparagus! haha! We eat them with Steak, Chicken n' Rice, Moroccan Chicken, and many other things!

INSTAGRAM: haleymarie1991
TWITTER: @haleymarie1991

Tomato Chicken

I would like to share with you all a dinner I came up with all by myself! This was one of the first meals of many I came up with by myself a few months into marriage. It is now one our favorites! 

  INGREDIENTS:

1. 3-4 Boneless Chicken Breasts.
2. 2 Cans of Diced Tomatoes. (I use the Del Monte brand)
3. 1 Can of Chicken Broth
4. Salt (to taste)
5. Pepper (to taste)
6. Onion Powder (to taste)
7. Crushed Red Pepper (to taste)*optional
8. Minute Rice (for 2 servings is 1 cup of water and 1 cup of rice)
9. 1 Can Black Beans
10. 1 Cap full of Olive Oil

  DIRECTIONS:

1. Season both sides of chicken with salt, pepper, and onion powder. Heat skillet on medium and add 1 cap full of olive oil. Cook the chicken until white and almost golden on both sides. Add both cans of diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Stir, add crushed red pepper, and let come to a boil. Let boil for 5 minutes. (if you are wanting to let this marinate and eat the next day, this is where you want to put all the contents into a container and put in the fridge. just put in the skillet again the next day and reheat. bring to almost to a boil)
2. Cook rice.
3. Cook black beans.

* We like it better the second day! It tastes a whole lot better! But, be warned, the longer it sits the hotter it gets if you add the red pepper.

INSTAGRAM: haleymarie1991

TWITTER: @haleymarie1991