Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

Recipe modified from Skinnytaste.  It was pretty good, but the chicken breasts I bought were huge and almost 2 lbs of meat, so it was a lot for 6 servings.  I seasoned the chicken breasts with salt, but the canned sauces had salt, sooo too much salt.  It was also cool because I used the slow cooker bags and because I was at my parents and couldn't cook right away, I had Eric put the bag in the slow cooker as it was being held by the big red bowl in the fridge.  He just added the chicken broth and bay leaves.  Also, wasn't so much of a soup, more "soupy" which Eric liked better.  Eric said it was a 5 and he would eat again :)

UPDATED: cooked on low for 3.5 hrs and chicken was done already, so try 3 hours next time esp if cut them in half

Ingredients:

-16 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I had closer to 32 oz, oh well)

-kosher salt (didn't need)

-fresh black pepper

-1 tsp olive oil

-1 SMALL yellow onion chopped

-1 sliced shallot (I added last time I cooked)

-1 head of garlic

-1 jalapeno, sliced (USED MULTIPLE HABANEROS AND SERRANOS FROM GARDEN)

-4 cups of reduced sodium chicken broth (the whole box) --> USED BONE BROTH BETTER

-8 oz can tomato sauce (I used fresh tomatoes cooked on stove with olive oil and salt and pureed)

-1/2 Tbsp chipotle chile in adobo, chopped (used the whole 3.5 oz can)

-1 tsp dried oregano

-1/4 tsp cumin

-2 bay leaves

-1/4 cup chopped cilantro

VEGGIES:

-2 zucchini, chopped instead of spiralized

-1 red bell pepper, chopped

-1 green bell pepper

-1 SMALL white onion to add cold and fresh on top

-frozen corn (half a bag)

-consider adding garbanzo beans next time - YES, ADD GARBANZO BEANS YUM

-queso fresco - didn't use because it expired

-avocado

Directions:

1. Chop veggies - zucchini, red bell pepper, onion (divided), jalapeno - and set aside

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in slow cooker

2. Sauté garlic, half the onion, and jalapeno 3 min

3. Transfer to slow cooker with bone broth, tomato sauce, chipotle, cumin, oregano, half cilantro, and bay leaves

4. Cover and cook on LOW 4-6 hrs --> TRY 3 HOURS

5. Shred chicken with 2 forks

6. Add in rest of veggies while shredding chicken and cook on HIGH (10 min or so)

Served with some rice, avocado, and fresh cilantro. Eric made homemade tostadas.  A lot of food given 2 lbs of chicken.

*Mexican

Sweet Potato Waffles

Wanted to christen my new mini waffle maker that I got for my birthday. So made a recipe from Feel Good Foodie the 1st night and A Mind Full Mom the 2nd night.  I think I liked the latter better, but they are both very similar except 1st one used all purpose flour.  Modified a little to make it simpler for me. 

Ingredients:

-1 cup (almond) milk

-2 cups sweet potato puree (1 large sweet potato)

-2 eggs

-2 cups (rolled) oats

-2 tsp baking powder

-1 tsp baking soda

-1/2 tsp salt

-1 tsp cinnamon

-1/2 tsp nutmeg

-1 tsp vanilla extract

-zest of an orange (optional)

Directions:

1. Microwave sweet potato for 5 min total, turning halfway through

2. In large Cuisinart, add all dry ingredients and blend a little

3. Add sweet potato and blend

4. Add egg and milk and blend

5. Preheat waffle iron and spray waffle iron with cooking spray (didn't seem to need it, at least later)

6. Put about 3 Tbsp batter each time

7. Cook for 7 min

8. Let waffles cool on baking rack - forgot to do this and just put on plate

9. Reheat in toaster when ready

Note:

-Made 6 total waffles.  2 for the sausage sandwich + 1 for just maple syrup and pecans for each of us

-I only used 1 sweet potato for recipe, but seemed too dry, so likely needs more milk or less oats.  When I looked up how many sweet potatoes 1 cup mashed is, it turned out to be 2 sweet potatoes, so 4 sweet potatoes???

-They were too soft to use as buns for my sausage sandwiches, so had to reheat in toaster.

-Served with maple syrup and sriracha sauce made by Eric

-Sausage sandwich tasted SOOO much better with avocado slices. Should add red onion and tomato next time.

-Took a long time to make the waffles, but just washed dishes while I was waiting

-sprayed with olive oil spray each time, but then forgot and didn't seem to need me to spray, so maybe just spray the first time?

-Original recipe called for ingredients to be added to blender in order listed, but I didn't want whole oat pieces for Eric, so did the way I wanted in directions.

*Breakfast

Breakfast sausage

Easier recipe I modifiedfrom littlespoonfarm.com

I'm using it for breakfast for Eric since once a week, we are eating at home savory oatmeal or sourdough toast. Eric wanted it spicer.

NEXT TIME MAKE BIGGER BATCHES WITH 93 AND 99% COMBINED

Ingredients:

-1 lb ground turkey 93%

-1 TBSP maple syrup

-1 tsp salt

-1 tsp fennel seeds (added as not in recipe)

-1/2 tsp garlic powder (I used more)

-1/2 tsp dried thyme

-1/2 tsp dried sage

-1/4 tsp black pepper (eyeballed it)

-1/4 tsp cracked red pepper (eyeballed chili flakes, and Eric said not spicy enough)

-1/8 tsp or more of cayenne (add next time for more spice per Eric)

-1/8 tsp nutmeg (in previous recipe, but I didn't add this time)

Directions:

1. Mix spices and turkey

2. Cook on pan - didn't make patties

3. Divided into silicone molds and froze.

-------------------------------------------

OLD RECIPE

Modified from Damndelicious.net - used 93% ground turkey instead of pork.  Didn't used sliced bacon. Made for 2 nights (4 servings) as was making with sweet potato waffles as like a sandwich.

Ingredients:

-1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage leaves

-2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves

-1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed

-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

-1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

-1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

-1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

-1 pound ground turkey

-3 slices (uncooked) bacon, diced (didn't use)

-2 Tbsp maple syrup (forgot)

Directions

1. SAGE MIXTURE: Combine sage, thyme, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, salt, pepper

2. Combine sage mixture with ground turkey (+maple syrup, +bacon)

3. Form patties and cook until browned.

Mint Juleps

Recipe taken from Martha Stewart and the Chunky Chef, but Eric wasn't a fan, so likely won't make these again. Maybe tasted a bit too strong.

Ingredients for 2:
-4 oz Bourbon
-Spearmint
-4 oz simple syrup
-Water and ice

Directions
1. Put spearmint leaves in with Bourbon overnight, up to 24 hrs
2. Shake/mix Bourbon and Simple Syrup with ice
3. Pour over crushed ice
4. Add water as needed



*Drinks

Thyme cocktails

Made 3 different thyme cocktails last weekend using Thyme simple syrup.  Made for a pretty bad hangover the next morning, so need to try using monkfruit simple syrup next time.  Made 1:1 cup ratio in the morning and had plenty of leftover, so next time can use like 3/4 cup. Garnish with sprigs of thyme and lemon or lime peel.

Thyme gives it a nice smokey taste.

Double recipe for 2 people.

JIGGER RULES:

Small side = 0.75 oz / filling to the brim = 1 oz

Large side = 1.5 oz

1 OZ = 2 TBSP

THYME SIMPLE SYRUP

-1 cup of sugar

-1 cup of water

-Handful of thyme

Directions:

1. Boil water and sugar

2. Pour into mason jar

3. Add in thyme

4. Let cool in fridge

#1. Meyer Lemon and Thyme Whiskey Sour - from footnetwork.com (Eric's favorite!)

-1.5 oz bourbon

-1 oz Meyer lemon juice = 1 lemon + 1 mandarin orange

-1.5 oz thyme simple syrup

FOR 4 DRINKS:

Barely fits in the shaker - don't add a lot of ice because you add ice to the drinks anyways

I added too much ice in shaker and it overflowed

#2. The French Gimlet - from freutcake.com (maybe too sour and needed more simple syrup?)

-2 oz gin

-1.5 oz St. Germain

-1.5 oz lime juice

-1/2 oz thyme simple syrup (maybe do 0.75 oz?)

#3. Lemon Thyme Cocktail - from bettycrocker.com (it was ok, but #1 better)

-2.5 oz vodka

-3 oz cranberry juice

-1 oz thyme simple syrup

-1/2 oz orange-flavored liqueur

-1/2 lemon juice- orig recipe called for lemon-thyme simple syrup with 2 T grated lemon peel added to the simple syrup when making, but I had already made

*drinks

Key Lime Pie

Taken from Once Upon a Chef.

It's funny how when I bake things like desserts, I usually don't modify.  Anyways, this was a hit.  Eric really liked it. I thought the filling wasn't lime-y enough, but on subsequent days, it tasted pretty good.  Also, I definitely need to take a lactaid beforehand.

Ingredients for the crust:

-12 graham crackers

-1/3 cup packed light brown sugar (I only had dark, so used dark)

-4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Ingredients for the filling:

-two 14 oz cans sweetened condensed milk

-1 cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or whole, but I only had fat free on hand)

-1 Tbsp grated lime zest (used heaping)

-3/4 cup fresh lime juice (could use slightly more) - almost a whole 2 lb bag

Ingredients for the topping:

-1 cup cold heavy cream

-2 Tbsp powdered sugar

-1 tsp grated lime zest (used a LOT more to cover whole pie)

-Thin lime slices (only did 1 in the middle for a good picture)

Directions for crust:

1. Zest and juice limes until you get about 3/4 cup of lime juice

2. Cuisinart graham crackers into fine crumbs

3. Preheat oven to 375 and set oven rack in middle position

4. In medium bowl, combined graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter.  Stir with fork first, and then hands if needed.

5. Use fingers, press crumbs firmly into bottom and sides of a pie pan.  Crust should be about 1/4 inch thick.  (Tip: do sides first)

6. Bake for 10 min, until just slightly browned (do 8-9 min as it was a little burnt).  Let cool.

Directions for filling:

7. Lower oven temperature to 350

8. In large bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, yogurt, lime zest, and lime juice. 

9.  Pour the thick mixture into the warm graham cracker crust

10.  Bake for 15 min, until filling is almost set; it should wobble a bit.

11.  Let cool at room temperature for 30 min

12.  Chill in fridge for about 3 hrs

Directions for topping:

13. Using mixer, beat heavy cream until soft peaks form

14. Add sugar and beat until medium peaks form

15.  Top the pie with the whipped cream

16.  Decorate with lime zest and lime slices

Notes:

As mentioned before, can do with more lime juice.

Divided the pie into 8 slices and had for 4 nights - lasted until then.

Times in oven need to be a little less to not burn it.

*Dessert

Mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot

Recipe taken from Dinner at the Zoo and maybe some others.
Original recipe called for 2 lbs of Russet potatoes, but I could only buy a 5 pound bag and didn't want it to go to waste.  I used it for 3 nights of dinner + 5 lunches - I was mashed potato-ed out by the end of the week.

Ingredients:
-5 lbs of Russet potatoes

-2 cups of water

-2 tsp salt

-1/2 cup of milk/heavy cream/half n half - I used heavy cream and probably used less

-1 stick of butter

-black pepper

-garlic powder

Directions

1. Peel potatoes and cut into similar sized cubes

2. Place potatoes, water, salt in Instant Pot

3. Set on on manual for 10 min

4. When timer goes off, release valve to vent

5. Drain potatoes into colander

6. Add milk, butter, pepper, and garlic powder to Instant Pot

7. Use mixer to mix in the Instant Pot

Notes:

Don't forget to add water when reheating in the microwave.

Could try adding roasted garlic to the mix, but that would be more work.

*American

*Sides