Italian Chicken with Mushrooms

{source}

I love a good crock pot recipe!!  This one is delicious and just about the easiest thing you can imagine.  I literally quadrupled the amount of mushrooms it calls for, because you all know that I adore me mushrooms.  It totally hit the spot.

{What you need}

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix

1/4 cup water

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 can {10 3/4 oz} cream of chicken soup, condensed

1 package {8 oz} whole mushrooms, washed

Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a greased crock pot.  Combine the water and Italian dressing mix and pour over chicken breasts.  Mix together the cream cheese, soup, and mushrooms and pour on top of chicken.  Cook on high for 4-6 hours, or on low for 7-8 hours.  Serve with either rice or noodles. Makes 4 servings.

{From the recipe book 

101 Things to Do with a Slow Cooker 

by Stephanie Ashcraft and Janet Eyering}

Chocolate Chip Cookie S'Mores

{source}

Untouchably delicious.  Really.  How can you go wrong with these ingredients??  This is a fun and mouth-watering variation on traditional s'mores.  I got the idea off a cooking segment on the Today show, but I don't know how to find it to reference... Sorry, Matt, Anne, and Al.

{What you need}

your favorite chocolate chip cookies {this recipe rocks}

peanut butter

Hershey Chocolate Bars

jumbo marshmallows

tin foil for grilling

Take two cooled chocolate chip cookies and spread your desired amount of peanut butter on the bottoms of both.  Using the two cookies as the ends of the "sandwich", stuff with chocolate bar and mallow, as you would with a traditional s'more.  Wrap the cookie sandwich in tin foil and grill on a low-heated grill for 5 minutes, or until the mallow reaches the desired meltiness.  Careful not to burn!

Grilled Pizza

{source}

Such a fun summer party dish!  And pretty easy, too, if you buy the pizza dough ready-made at the store like I did {sell out!}.  This really is such a fun meal to entertain with.  It's a social experience putting it all together, too, and absolutely delicious!

{What you need}

your favorite pizza dough recipe {Whole Foods has the best pizza dough!!}

mozzarella cheese {or feta, goat, whatever you like}

pizza sauce {Boboli brand is delish!}

olive oil for grilling

your favorite pizza toppings, like:

mushrooms

pepperoni

chicken

bacon

tomatoes

spinach

sausage

basil

oregano

garlic

blah blah blah

Divide the dough into as many pieces as personal-pizzas you will be making.  On a floured surface, roll each piece of dough out into a circle about 1/8th inch thick. Brush some olive oil on each piece of dough and place, oil side down, on a heated grill.  Grill for about one minute or until the bottom is brown.  Flip it over with tongs and grill the other side for about 30 more seconds.  Repeat with all your pieces of dough.  Let the crusts cool.    When you are ready to eat, top your personalized pizza with the toppings of your choice and return to the grill for about 2-3 minutes, watching carefully so that it doesn't burn.  It's best to do one pizza at a time.

{Inspired by THIS recipe}

Beans and Rice

{source}

"Red beans and rice didn't miss her!"  They sure didn't miss me..... and I cannot lie....This is an easy and delicious recipe for beans and rice.  It's a great vegetarian dish, too, even though we served it with chicken.

{What you need}

1 tsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 tsp garlic, minced

3/4 cup uncooked rice

1 1/2 vegetable broth

1 tsp cumin

1/8 tsp chili powder

2 cans red beans, drained

In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the oil.  Add the onion and garlic and stir for 4 minutes.  Add the rice and stir for an additional two minutes.  Next, add the broth and bring back up to a boil.  Cover and turn heat down to simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is done.  Add the spices and the beans and stuff your face.

Cabbage Crunch Cole Slaw

{source}

A delicious and elegant variation to a regular cole slaw.  My MIL recently made this for a birthday bbq and I was delighted to see that I already had the cookbook that the recipe she used was from.  This may be my new favorite summer salad!

{What you need}

1/2 c vegetable oil

1/4 c sugar

3 T vinegar

1/2 t salt

flavor packet from ramen noodles {I used chicken flavor}

1/2 head cabbage, shredded

4 green onions, chopped

2 T toasted sesame seeds

1 package ramen noodles, broken up and uncooked

1/2 c toasted sliced almonds

red seedless grapes, as desired {I used about 2 cups}

In a blender or food processor combine veg oil, sugar, vinegar, salt, and ramen flavor packet.  Pour over shredded cabbage.  Add green onions and sesame seeds.  Toss together.  Just before serving, add ramen noodles, almonds, and grapes.  Makes 6 servings, and easily doubles/triples/etc...