Sweet and Spicy Slow Cooker Chicken

*Note: leaving the tomatoes undrained makes for a fairly juicy chicken mixture. If you don’t want the finished shredded chicken mixture to be quite as liquidy, slightly drain the tomatoes before using them. Also, I nearly always double or triple this recipe because it freezes so well.

*Serves 4

1 pound (about 2) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (14-ounce) can petite or regular diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (add more if you like extra heat – with this amount it is mild enough for my kids to eat it up but spicy enough to help offset the sweetness)

Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Pour over the chicken. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-9 hours. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Return to the slow cooker and mix the chicken with the juices from the tomato/brown sugar sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in flour tortillas with toppings of choice: lettuce, sour cream, cheese, avocados, etc.

*Freezable Meal: I freeze the leftovers in a freezer-safe container and let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving the next day. I reheat over medium-low heat in a saucepan on the stove.

** I didn't have any red pepper flakes so I just sprinkled some ground red pepper and cayenne on the chicken and it tasted great.

Caroline's Spinach Salad

Salad:
Package of Raw Spinach
One red onion sliced and separated into rings
Mushrooms washed and sliced (the amount is your preference)
Mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1/2 to 1 cup-whatever your preference)
Package of bacon cooked crispy and chopped

Mix above together and just before serving toss with the following dressing:

Dressing:(Makes 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup veg oil
1/2 cup vinegar
2 TBSP poppy seed
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard

This salad was served at a dinner and made by my great friend Caroline. It was SO delicious and Caroline was gracious enough to give me the recipe! She said it is her grandchildren's favorite and I know why and now it's one of mine too!!

Peanut Butter-Fudge Cheesecake

Peanut Butter-Fudge Cheesecake




Serves 12-16 (depending on how generous you are with portions)
For the Crust:
32 Oreo cookies, finely crushed or ground in a food processor
5½ Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of salt
For the Fudge:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
20 miniature peanut butter cup candies, unwrapped and roughly chopped
For the Cheesecake:
24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
For the Ganache Topping:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup heavy cream
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (300 degrees F if you are using a dark or non-stick pan). Butter a 9″ springform pan and set aside.
2. To make the crust, stir the Oreo crumbs, melted butter and salt in a small bowl with a fork until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan. (I like to use the bottom a measuring cup to press the crumbs around the pan. I’ve found that they get evenly distributed that way and end up looking neater around the sides.) Freeze the crust for 10 minutes.
3. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a rack and let cool.
4. To make the fudge, put the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream to a simmer over medium heat. Immediately pour the simmering cream over the chopped chocolate. Let stand for 1-2 minutes, then add the vanilla extract and stir with a whisk or rubber spatula until smooth and combined. Pour the fudge into the cooled crust and spread evenly over the bottom. Place in freezer for 10 minutes. Remove from freezer and sprinkle surface with the chopped peanut butter cups. Return to freezer for 10 more minutes.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the cheesecake filling. Beat the cream cheese and peanut butter together on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar and vanilla extract and continue to beat on medium speed until thoroughly combined. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, beating until combined after each addition. Scrape the bowl and mix on low for another 20 seconds.
6. Remove the pan from the freezer and pour the cheesecake filling over the fudge and peanut butter cups. Bake until the sides of the cheesecake are set and the middle just slightly jiggles, about 1 hour. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool to room temperature (at least 1 hour). Refrigerate the cheesecake at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled. To unmold the cheesecake, wrap a warm towel around the outside of the springform pan to loosen the crust from the sides. Carefully remove the sides from the springform pan.
7. Before serving, prepare the ganache topping. Place the chopped chocolate in a small bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a simmer over medium heat. Immediately pour the simmering cream over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for 1-2 minutes and then stir with a whisk or rubber spatula until smooth. Pour the ganache on the top of the cheese and, using an offset spatula, spread evenly over the top of the cheesecake. Return to the refrigerator to set the ganache, about 20 minutes.

Tracy's Cheesy Potatoes

A Delicious Compliment to any Chicken, Fish, or Beef Dish! This recipe is compliments of my good friend Tracy who gladly shared it with me!

6 potatoes (more or less depending on size of potatoes)
Cheddar cheese
Cream
Salt & pepper
Garlic powder


Peel and slice thin, enough potatoes to fill a 9 x11 Pyrex baking dish. Place one layer of potatoes in Pyrex dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Salt and pepper the potatoes. You can also add a little garlic powder. Top with a layer of grated cheddar cheese. Repeat with another layer of potatoes, seasoning, and cheese until the baking dish is full. Cover the potatoes with cream and bake in a 400 degree oven for about 45 minutes until potatoes are tender.

** Can add green onions and chopped, cooked bacon in between layers of potatoes and cheese if desired.

Lemon Icebox Cheesecake

Serves 12 to 16
Original Recipe from America’s Test Kitchens

NOTE: Let the dissolved gelatin mixture cool down for a few minutes or the gelatin will seize when combined with the filling. It does not matter which brand of lemon sandwich cookie is used (I used the cheapest and the crust was great!)
This cheesecake tastes similar to Sour Cream Lemon Pie at Marie Calendar’s. It has an incredibly smooth texture and is SO YUMMY! It makes a great dessert for company! I modified the crust slightly, increasing the cookies from 10 to 12 and I also omitted the zest – original recipe called for 1 tsp lemon zest). This looks like it takes a lot of work, but it is actually quite easy to make!

Crust:
12 lemon sandwich cookies, broken into pieces (about 1 ¼ cups)
2 TBSP melted butter, unsalted

Curd:
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
¼ cup sugar
Pinch salt
2 TBSP lemon juice (fresh is best!)
1 TBSP butter
1 TBSP heavy cream

Filling:
¼ cup lemon juice from 2 lemons
1 envelope (2 ¾ tsp) unflavored (KNOX) gelatin
1 ½ lbs (3 8-oz) cream cheese, softened
¾ cup sugar
Pinch salt
1 ¼ cups heavy cream, room temperature

1. Make crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Process cookies in food processor until finely ground. Add butter and pulse until combined. Press mixture into bottom of 9-inch spring-form pan. Bake about 5-7 minutes until lightly browned and set. Cool completely.
2. Make curd: While crust is cooling, whisk egg, egg yolk, sugar, and salt together in saucepan. Add lemon juice and cook over medium-low heat stirring constantly, until thick and pudding like, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter and cream. Press through fine mesh strainer into small bowl and refrigerate until needed. (I did not press through a strainer – I just refrigerated as it is. If you want a clearer colored curd, then press through strainer).
3. Soften gelatin: Combine lemon juice and gelatin in small bowl and let stand until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Microwave until mixture is bubbling around edges and gelatin dissolves, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
4. Make filling: With mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, sugar and salt until smooth and creamy, scraping down sides of bowl, about 2 minutes. Slowly add cream and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 more minutes. Add gelatin mixture and ¼ cup of the curd, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until smooth and airy, about 3 minutes.
5. Chill cheesecake: Pour filling into cooled crust and smooth top. Pour thin lines of remaining curd on top of cake and lightly drag paring knife or skewer through lines to create marbled appearance. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours. Remove sides of pan. Serve. (Cheesecake can be covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated for 3 days-if it lasts that long!)