Easy Taco Soup (AKA the easiest meal you will ever fix)

posted by Traci from 101 Things To Do With a Slow Cooker

1 can (15 ounces) chili with beans and meat (I like to use Hormel Turkey Chili 98% fat free)

1 can (15 ounces) whole kernel corn, with liquid

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, with liquid

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, with liquid

1 1/2 to 3 tablespoons dry taco seasoning mix

Combine all ingredients in greased 3 1/2 to 4 1/2-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat 6-8 hours. Makes 4-6 servings.

Serve with quesadillas.

All you need is a can opener and a tablespoon. I love how easy this meal is, and it tastes great!

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

by Traci

*Note: I made up this recipe for the most part and when I make up a recipe I don't always measure. So some of the listed ingredients (the ones with stars by them) are estimates. Also, I have only made this twice, so I will likely tweak it in the future. Feel free to do the same.
P.S. I know pretty much nothing about seasonings/spices so I pretty much guessed which spices would be good in this recipe based off of other pizza recipes and what I had in my cupboard.

Crust

*1 tbs sugar or honey

1 cup warm water

1 package or 2 1/4 tsp yeast

2 tbs oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

2 1/4 cup flour

oil or grease

cornmeal (I would say this is optional)

Toppings

*1 cup Alfredo sauce (I used a four cheese Alfredo sauce)

1-2 Roma tomatoes

chicken (I used leftover Cafe Rio chicken see recipe below. This made the pizza extra tasty)

*1 cup mozzarella cheese (you don't need to entirely cover the sauce like a regular pizza)

pepper

crushed basil

Put sugar or honey in the bottom of a medium bowl. Pour in warm water. Add yeast (don't stir) and let sit for 5-10 min. Then add oil, salt, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Stir. Then stir in flour with vigorous strokes until blended. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prep pizza pan by greasing with oil, crisco, or whatever you have on hand. Sprinkle cornmeal on pan if desired. Turn dough out onto pan. Using a rolling pin or glass, roll dough out to edges. Be sure to have plenty of flour on hand to prevent your rolling device from sticking. Once the dough is rolled out you can either put it in the oven right away, or let it rise for a thicker, fluffier crust. I usually don't have time to let it rise so I just put it in right away. Bake crust for 8-10 min. In the mean time, chop the tomatoes.

After you have removed the baked crust from the oven, spread the Alfredo sauce on. Then sprinkle the cheese over the sauce. Add the chicken and tomatoes. Finally sprinkle pepper and basil over the pizza. Return to the oven for 10-12 min. Enjoy!

Variation: The first time I made this pizza, I omitted the garlic powder from the crust. When I took the crust out of the oven, I coated it with melted butter and then sprinkled garlic salt on top of the butter. The Alfredo sauce then went on over the butter/garlic layer. That was actually very yummy, but the next time I omitted the butter to make the pizza slightly less unhealthy.

Cafe Rio Chicken

contributed by Traci

1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian dressing
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cumin
3 cloves minced garlic
5 lbs chicken breast

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours (low for 8 hours). Shred chicken, then cook for additional hour.

Traci's note: I usually half this recipe and it makes plenty. We usually have burritos or tacos from the chicken the first night and then I use the leftover chicken all week in other meals that require cooked chicken such as casseroles and on pizza.

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

contributed by Traci
from 101 More Things To Do With A Slow Cooker

12 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 jars (16 ounces each) Alfredo sauce
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 cups chicken, cooked and diced
1 carton (16 ounces) ricotta or cottage cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Break 4 noodles to fit in the bottom of greased 6 to 7 quart slow cooker. Layer a third of Alfredo sauce, half of water, and half of chicken over noodles. Spread half of ricotta or cottage cheese and sprinkle a third of mozzarella over meat layer. Add another layer of noodles. Layer a third of Alfredo sauce, remaining chicken, water, and ricotta or cottage cheese. Sprinkle second third of mozzarella. Layer remaining noodles, sauce, and mozzarella. Cover and cook on low heat 4-5 hours. Do not cook more than 5 hours. Makes 10-12 servings.

Serve with hot garlic bread.

Variation: Add a small can (2.25 ounces) of sliced olives between layers.

Carrie's Creamy Cheesy Casserole

Ok, so this picture may not look all that appetizing, but trust me, this casserole is good! I made it with items we happened to have in the pantry.

3 cups rice (cooked)
2 chicken breasts (cooked and cut into strips)
1 cup (approximately)grated cheese
1 can green beans
1 can cream of potato soup (or mushroom, or chicken...whatever... we only had potato in the house)
Pepper
Dried Bread Crumbs
Dried onions

Place rice at bottom of pan. Mix in can of soup. Add as much pepper to mixture as desired. Add desired amount of onions. Mix together. Add green beans, chicken, and cover with bread crumbs. Cover mixture with desired amount of grated cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

Strawberry Parfaits

These are really light and easy to make. Perfect summer dessert!

1 lg. box vanilla pudding
1 package strawberries
1 package cool whip
1 small bag vanilla wafers, crushed

You can put this together in a large bowl, or separate into individual portions. The key is to layer. On the bottom put the vanilla wafers, then spoon some vanilla pudding on, then strawberries. Top it off with cool whip. Cover with plastic wrap and chill.

*You can do all this the reduced fat way, like I did. Reduced fat vanilla wafers are available, sugar free pudding, and light cool whip. It doesn't taste bad at all. In fact, it tastes GREAT! :)

90 Minute Bread

by Claudia Topham submitted by Traci

1/4 cup honey
2 cups warm water (like a baby bottle)
2 pkgs (or 2 tb. yeast)

Pour honey on the bottom of the bowl. Pour water on top of honey and then yeast on top of the water. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes. Then add:

2 tsp. salt
2 tbs oil
5 to 6 cups flour

Knead well (at least 10 minutes) and let sit until double in size (about 30 minutes)

Punch down.

Form into loaves or rolls and let rise for about an hour (or until double). Bake bread 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Brush with Crisco or butter. Bake rolls about 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Brush with Crisco or butter.


I learned how to make this bread in Young Womens and it is super easy to make and delicious!

Mrs. Fields Low-Fat Chocolate Cookies

submitted by Traci

note: if you want a GREAT cook book for desserts buy Mrs. Fields Best Ever Cookie Book, it's my favorite cook book!

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

*In a medium bowl, combine the flour, coca, baking soda, and salt.
*In another medium bowl with an electric mixer, blend the brown and granulated sugars. Slowly beat in the oil. Beat in the applesauce, egg whites, and vanilla, and blend on low speed until smooth.
* Add the flour mixture and blend on low speed until the dough is just combined. Refrigerate the dough until firm, about 1 hour.
*Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
*Roll the dough into small 1-inch balls, place on a cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Sprinkle with the mini chocolate chips, then bake for 17 to 19 minutes (do not overbake; when the cookies cool, they will get hard). Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool.

Traci's Notes:
*I actually have never ever had canola oil in my house. I didn't really want to buy it just for this recipe either. So I thought about using vegetable oil, but it turns out that there is actually less fat in butter. I ended up just using 1/3 cup butter instead of the canola oil.
*Also, I did as the recipe said and sprinkled the chocolate chips on top. Next time, however, I think I will just mix them in (and, like this time, there is no way I'm measure just 1/2 cup). This is because the chocolate chips really made a mess on top. Maybe they eventually harden elsewhere, but since I live in AZ, they still haven't solidified totally on top and giving these cookies to a toddler makes a huge mess!
*Finally, these cookies were actually really good. I have eaten about a billion and don't feel guilty because they are low-fat (I know, a billion can add up though). They kind of remind me of Oreo Cakesters. I think next time I make these I will freeze some as sandwiches with lite whipped topping in the middle. I would do it this time... but there are only two left!

Pregnancy Approved/ "Healthy" Cookie Dough

invented by Traci

1/4 cup light margarine
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup oats
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup - 1 cup chocolate chips

Combine margarine, applesauce, sugars and vanilla in a small to medium bowl. Add remaining dry ingredients. Stir. Enjoy!

I just invented this recipe (I was craving cookie dough) and have only tried it once, so there very well may be edits. I just had to write it down before I forgot how I did it. This dough doesn't have the raw egg of regular cookie dough so it's safe for pregnancy. Plus, I used light margine for part of the butter and replaced the rest of the butter with applesauce. The applesauce makes the dough sweeter, so I reduced the sugar. I figure adding oats in adds a little extra fiber too, therefore making the dough healthy :)! Okay, less unhealthy. I am aware that the salt and the baking soda don't really make a difference because the dough isn't going to be baked, but I swear I can tell a slight difference in taste when I don't add them. It's up to you whether you want to include these ingredients.

Marshmallow Fondant

Marshmallow Fondant----- by Amanda, an expert apparently

16 ounces white mini marshmallows (use a good quality brand)
2 to 5 tablespoons water
2 pounds powdered sugar
½ cup Crisco shortening (you will be digging into it so place in a very easily accessed bowl)

**NOTE: Please be careful, this first stage can get hot.

Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave or double boiler: Put the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, open microwave and stir, back in microwave for 30 seconds more, open microwave and stir again, and continue doing this until melted. It usually takes about 2 ½ minutes total. Place 3/4 of the powdered sugar on the top of the melted marshmallow mix.

Traci's note: Another recipe I read had exactly the same ingredients, but that lady liked to stir the powered sugar in as much as possible in the bowl before kneading it out. I kind of tried it that way, but a lot of the powdered sugar stuck to the bowl, but it generally worked. Anyway, just thought I'd throw that in.

Now grease your hands GENEROUSLY - palms, backs and in between fingers, then heavily grease the counter you will be using and dump the bowl of marshmallow/sugar mixture in the middle. Start kneading like you would bread dough. You will immediately see why you have greased your hands. Keep kneading, this stuff is sticky at this stage! Add the rest of the powdered sugar and knead some more. Re-grease your hands and counter when the fondant is sticking. If the mix is tearing easily, it is to dry, so add water (about ½ tablespoon at a time then knead it in). It usually takes me about 8 minutes to get a firm smooth elastic ball so that it will stretch without tearing when you apply it to the cake. Its best if you can let it sit, double wrapped, overnight (but you can use it right away if there are no tiny bits of dry powdered sugar). If you do see them, you will need to knead and maybe add a few more drops of water. Prepare the fondant for storing by coating it with a good layer of Crisco shortening, wrap in a plastic- type wrap product and then put it in a re-sealable or Ziploc bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible. Marshmallow Fondant will hold very well in the refrigerator for weeks. If I know that I have a cake to decorate, I usually make 2 batches on a free night during the week so it is ready when I need it. Take advantage of the fact that this fondant can be prepared well in advance.

P.S. Another note from Traci: I also dyed some of the fondant for the turrets and for the flowers. That was actually really easy to do. You just put a few drops of food coloring in the fondant and work it through by kneading it like bread. If you have gloves, you may want to wear them, but I didn't have any so I was just really careful to put the dye in the middle of the ball of fondant and not to touch the pure dye.