turkey and chipotle chili (six sisters stuff)

Another fabulous crock pot meal. We make taco soup at least once a month and this reminded me of taco soup a little, but with a twist. I like the addition of the squash, zucchini, and carrots, and the chili seasoning packet added a slightly different flavor than the packet of taco seasoning I typically use when I make taco soup. So, this is a keeper when I want to shake things up a bit!

(photos and recipe credit: six sisters stuff)

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups ground turkey (light or dark meat, both work great)
• 1 diced red onion
• 1 large diced carrot or 8 baby carrots sliced
• 1 diced bell pepper
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1.25 ounce packet chili seasoning
• 1 diced zucchini
• 1 diced yellow squash
• 15 ounces canned yellow corn
• 14.5 ounces canned roasted diced tomatoes
• 15.5 ounces canned red kidney beans or black beans
• 12 ounces canned chipotle peppers (depending on how spicy you want it)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Shredded cheddar, sour cream and chopped scallions for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put slow cooker on high and add red onion, carrots and bell pepper.
2. Then put the turkey on top of the veggies.
3. Add 1/2 cup of chicken stock and chili seasoning and mix into the turkey meat.
4. Cover with zucchini, corn, tomatoes, beans, chipotle peppers, the remainder of your chicken stock, salt and pepper to taste.
5. Stir in your slow cooker until combined.
6. Cover slow cooker and let the chili cook for at least 4 hours on high, or 10 hours on low.
7. Taste throughout cooking and adjust salt and pepper levels to your desire.
8. Serve with cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped scallions and enjoy!

chicken and bacon autumn chopped salad (six sisters stuff)

This salad is so tasty and can be a meal on it's own, but since I had kids I like to make sure I have rolls or something on the side. 

(photo and recipe credit: six sisters stuff)

Ingredients

*6 to 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
*2 medium apples, chopped (pears are also delicious if you want to use those)
*1 cup dried cranberries (Craisins)
*1 cup chopped walnuts (pecans or almonds are also a yummy substitution)
*8 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled (we used turkey bacon- use what you want)
*4 to 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
*1-2 grilled chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
*3/4 cup Poppy seed Salad Dressing (I like Brianna’s)
*1/4 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette (I used store brand because it tastes just the same to me)

Directions
*In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, apples, cranberries, walnuts, bacon, chicken and feta cheese.
*In a smaller bowl, combine poppy seed dressing with balsamic vinaigrette. Drizzle over salad right before serving. If you prefer your salad to have more dressing, feel free to experiment with the combination.
(This salad makes enough for about 6-8 servings. If you are not going to be eating it all in one sitting, only put dressing on what you will be eating or it will get all soggy.)

spinach-chicken stromboli (briana holt)

I made this for dinner last night and everyone loved it! It was super easy and it seemed fancy. 

zesty slow cooker bbq (janelle morris)

This was probably the simplest of the four recipes I have tried so far. It tastes very similar to a bbq pork recipe that I make, but it's way easier! 

barilla stuffed jumbo shells (april hart)

This is a nice twist on lasagna and just as easy, if not easier. It took about 30 minutes to prepare and another 35 minutes to bake. My kids who don't like lasagna (two of them) didn't like this either, so no surprise there. But the rest of us loved it!

crock pot curry chicken (shared by tiffany hawes)

This recipe took about 30 minutes to put everything in the crock pot in the morning. It made our house smell so good all day! And I was extra happy I had decided on this recipe when the missionaries texted me to see if we were still good for dinner at 2pm (and I had totally forgotten!). This makes plenty of food. Even with feeding a family of 7 (yes, 10 month old Pierce loved this recipe, too!) and 2 hungry missionaries we had some leftovers for lunch the next day. Win-Win. 

one pan crispy lemon chicken with veggies

I  am really becoming a fan of one pan meals these days. Not one of my children turned up their noses at this delicious meal, so it's a keeper!

For The Chicken:

• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (or juice of ½ a lemon)
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• ½ tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
• ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper, to season
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• ⅓ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (or thighs)
• 
  

For The Veggies:

• 8-10 (1 pound | 500 g) baby potatoes, quartered
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• salt to taste
• 1 pound | 500 g green beans, cut into thirds

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 200°C | 400°F. Lightly grease a baking tray / sheet with cooking oil spray, or a light coating of oil. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.
3. Dip chicken into egg mixture, cover and allow to marinade in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour (if time allows).*
4. In another bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the parmesan cheese.
5. Dredge the egg coated chicken in the breadcrumb/parmesan mixture, lightly pressing to evenly coat.
6. Place chicken onto the baking sheet / tray and lightly spray with cooking oil spray. Arrange the potatoes around the chicken in a single layer. Mix together the butter, 2 teaspoons garlic and salt to taste, and pour half of the butter mixture over the potatoes. Toss to evenly coat.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
8. Remove baking tray from the oven and flip each chicken breast. Move the potatoes to one side and place the green beans around the chicken on the other side of the baking sheet. Pour over the remaining garlic butter and return to the oven to broil (or grill) on medium-high heat for a further 10 minutes, or until chicken is golden and crisp, and potatoes are cooked through.
9. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley (optional), and serve immediately.

NOTES

*The chicken develops a deeper flavour when marinaded in the egg mixture, although if you don't have time, you can omit this step

Recipe found HERE

one pan honey garlic chicken

One of our family's favorite dinners. I love that it bakes in one pan so there is less clean up.

Ingredients: 

3 Tbsp olive oil, divided

2 Tbsp butter, melted

2 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp dijon mustard

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried basil

(or you can just use 1 tsp italian seasoning)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

24 oz. baby red potatoes, halved

4-5 boneless chicken breasts, or thighs with skin removed

24 ounces broccoli florets

*Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat sheet pan with nonstick spray.

*In a small bowl, whisk together 2 Tbsp. olive oil, butter, honey, brown sugar, dijon, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

*Place potatoes in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken to pan and drizzle each with honey mustard mixture.

*Roast in oven until chicken is cooked through (about 25-30 minutes). Stir in broccoli during the last 10 minutes of cooking time. Then broil for 2-3 minutes, or until caramelized and slightly charred.

Original recipe found HERE.

italian sausage and peppers {don't knock it 'til you try it}

 I admit that this dinner doesn't necessarily look the most appetizing, especially when you look at the sauce in the pan. Buuut, don't knock it 'til you try it! It got rave reviews in the Chunn household. If even the kids will eat something that looks like this, you know it must be good.

Ingredients:
1 package mild Italian Sausage
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 large or 2 small sweet onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. tomato paste (we just used the whole can)
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

*cook sausage in large saucepan over medium-high heat until browned on all sides. You do not need to cook it through at this point. Remove sausage from pan and set aside.
*Add onion and peppers to grease left in pan and cook over medium heat until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
*slice sausage into 1 inch pieces. Return to pan with all other ingredients.
*Cook for 5-10 minutes, until sausage is cooked through and sauce is thickened.
*Serve on hoagie rolls or over rice.

Original recipe found HERE.

chicken marsala

This dinner is super tasty served over noodles. The sauce is my favorite part of this meal. Make sure you get extra sauce to pour on top of your noodles (or rice, even!).

Ingredients:

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 

salt and pepper

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup marsala wine (we use white grape juice)

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 cup heavy whipping cream (if you don't have any on hand use 3/4 cup milk, 2 Tbsp. butter. Add butter directly to the sauce while cooking and stir 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch in with the milk before adding to the sauce).

1 tsp. ground mustard

1 tsp. garlic powder

fresh chopped parsley for garnish

*In a large skillet over medium heat add 1 Tbsp olive oil to pan. Add the chicken and lightly salt and pepper. Cook until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove chicken and set on plate.

*Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil and saute mushrooms for 1-2 minutes. Add marsala wine (or white grape juice) and bring to a boil over medium heat 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, heavy whipping cream, ground mustard, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Place chicken back in sauce and continue to simmer 1-2 minutes. 

Original recipe found HERE.

taco soup

This is one of my favorite meals to make because it's a one pot meal, it's full of veggies and legumes, and everyone loves it.

Soup:

1 pound lean hamburger meat

1/2 large yellow onion

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can corn, drained

1 can sliced olives, drained

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can water

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 taco seasoning packets

Topping:

shredded cheddar

sour cream

tortilla chips

chopped cilantro (optional)

First, brown 1 pound of hamburger with 1/2 large onion (diced) in a large pot until the hamburger is cooked through and the onion is translucent. Meanwhile, drain beans, corn, and sliced olives. Add to cooked hamburger and onion. Add one can of diced tomatoes and one can of water to pot and stir. Stir in 2 taco seasoning packets and 1 Tbsp. brown sugar. Bring to a boil then cover and let simmer until you are ready to serve.

Serve with shredded cheddar, sour cream, tortilla chips, and cilantro!

Some of our favorite toppings....

Delicious!

murray's chicken marinade

I could eat this chicken every single week and never get tired of it. It's that good!

1/4 cup cider vinegar

3 Tbsp. mustard 

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 lime, juiced

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. salt

6 Tbps. olive oil

ground black pepper

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Whisk together all ingredients except chicken and pour into a gallon sized ziplock bag. Place chicken in the mixture. Marinate in fridge 8 hours or overnight. Discard marinade. Grill or broil a about 10 minutes per side.

honey broiled salmon

Even my picky eaters like this salmon!

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. onion (minced)
2 Tbsp. soy sauce (reduced sodium)
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 pound salmon filets
1 tsp. sesame seeds

Directions:
1. Whisk onions, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and ginger in a small bowl until the honey is dissolved. Place salmon in a plastic Ziplock bag. Place 3 Tbsp. of the mixture into the bag with the salmon and put it in the refrigerator to marinade for at least 15 minutes (a couple of hours is much better).

2. Preheat broiler. Line a small pan with foil. Then spray foil well with non-stick cooking spray.

3. Place salmon into the pan and broil it for 6 to 10 minutes until it is cooked through. Drizzle with the reserved sauce and garnish with sesame seeds.

pizza dough

I got this pizza crust recipe from my friend Melissa Eastman 11 years ago back when we lived in New Mexico! It has been a family favorite ever since. I really don't think you can mess this up, even if you struggle with bread making.

Pizza Dough:

2 cups flour

1 cup water (warm)

1 Tbsp. yeast

1 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. oil

*Dissolve yeast in water with 3 Tbsp. sugar. Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir for 3-4 minutes with dough hook if you're using an electric mixer, or a little longer if you're kneading by hand. Add flour as needed. I usually just roll the dough out directly on the pizza pan or cookie sheet (you can sprinkle with flour to prevent sticking or use cooking spray). Add the toppings of your choice and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. 

**I usually double this recipe and it makes one 11x14" pizza and one standard round sized pizza. A single recipe will make one round pizza, but it's not quite enough dough to fill an 11x14" pan.

***Have fun with toppings! Our favorites are traditional cheese and pepperoni OR hawaiian with canadian bacon and pineapple. We also like bbq chicken pizza.

garlic chicken pesto pasta

I found this recipe while looking for meal ideas on Pinterest. It's simple and delicious. Here is a link to the original post where I found it.

Here’s what you will need for four servings:

·         1 tablespoon canola oil

·         2 chicken breasts, sliced into ½-inch strips

·         2 tablespoons garlic, chopped

·         ½ tablespoon kosher salt

·         ½ tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

·         ¾ cup heavy cream

·         ½ grated parmesan cheese

·         ¼ cup pesto

·         3 cups penne pasta, cooked and drained

·         ¾ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

·         Parmesan cheese to garnish

·         Chopped basil to garnish

Directions:

Heat the oil in a pan over high heat. Combine the chicken, garlic, salt, and pepper, cooking until chicken is browned.

Then, mix in the heavy cream, parmesan, and pesto, stirring until evenly combined.

Next, bring to a boil and cook until the sauce has reduced, about five to seven minutes.

Toss in the pasta and cherry tomatoes, stirring until evenly coated. Remove from heat. To serve, sprinkle parmesan cheese and basil on top!

creamy lemon chicken with wild rice

Another delicious meal. We had this last night and Murray and I loved it. The kids weren't wild about the wild rice (pun intended), but they gobbled up the chicken. We will definitely be making this again and again.

The changes I made to the original recipe:
1-I bought chicken thighs with skin removed
2-After I browned the chicken in the skillet I moved it into a 9x13 glass dish, THEN salted and peppered it. I cooked it at 400 degrees in the oven while I made the sauce.
3. By the time the rice and the sauce was ready, the chicken was cooked through so I just poured the sauce over the chicken and it was ready to serve. Easy.

Creamy Lemon Chicken with Wild Rice

INGREDIENTS

·         6–8 chicken thighs

·         kosher salt

·         Freshly ground black pepper

·         extra-virgin olive oil

·         1 tbsp. unsalted butter

·         3 garlic cloves, minced

·         1 onion, chopped

·         1/2 c. dry white wine (I used ½ Tbsp. vinegar+1 Tbsp brown sugar. You can also use white grape juice)

·         1 c. low-sodium chicken stock

·         2 lemons

·         1/4 c. heavy cream

·         1 c. wild rice

·         1/4 c. chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS

1.    Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Preheat large cast iron skillet on high heat. Rinse chicken and pat dry thoroughly; season with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter; cook chicken skin side down in two batches until skin is crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a dish skin side up and set aside.

2.    Reduce skillet heat to medium-high; add garlic, onion, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze pan with white wine and chicken stock; scrape bottom of pan and bring to a boil. Add zest and juice of one lemon, then cut remaining lemon into wheels and add to sauce. Stir in cream; bring to a boil and place chicken in the skillet skin side up in a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes.

3.    Meanwhile, cook the wild rice according to package directions.

4.    Add cooked wild rice to the skillet to absorb the sauce. Garnish with parsley and serve in skillet immediately.

Original Recipe found HERE