Chicken, red potatoes, and green beans

I have a few recipes that I make sure to have the ingredients on hand so that I can make them quick.  This is one that I love to make.  I have canned green beans on hand at all times and chicken that is frozen, so all I must make sure to have is potatoes.  My preference is red potatoes but you could use any potatoes you want.  So now, on to the ingredients:

3 chicken breast (frozen or thawed is fine)
5 fist size red potatoes cut up
2 cans of green beans
1 stick of butter
1 package of Italian seasoning

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and put the chicken, then potatoes, then green beans in a 9x13 pan.  Slice the butter up and put the pats on too of the green beans.  Then sprinkle the Italian seasoning over it al.  Cover it with aluminum foil and cook for 375 degrees for 1 hour or until the potatoes are soft and the chicken is cooked. 

I always stress thinking I haven't let it cook long enough for the chicken.  Even when it is thick pieces that are frozen, one hour to a hour and 10 minutes is okay.  There is enough liquid to make sure that that everything is moist.  I also store everything together with the juice to have for the next day.  This is a great meal that anyone can fix.  Even the leftovers are amazing and warm up good. 

What is a go to recipe that you love?  leave the link to your recipe so I can build up my stash too!

Beef stew

2.25 lbs 90/10 ground beef
2 cans corn
2 cans diced potatoes
2 cans no salt added green beans
1 can carrots
2 cans petite diced tomatoes
2 large cans tomato sauce
Salt
Pepper
Season salt
Garlic powder

Cook beef in pan. Add all of the rest of the canned items and seasonings. Do not drain the juice. You want the juice the combine with the tomato sauce. Cook on medium-high heat until boiling, then turn down to low heat. Serve with crackers. Tastes so much better the next day.

Spiced Tea Recipe

Spiced Tea Recipe

1 cup instant tea
2 cups Tang
1 cup lemonade
3 cups sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 cup red hots

Mix together well. Use 2 tablespoons in hot water and then adjust to taste. Wonderful for those cold nights!

Healthy dressing - Avocado dressing

Although we all love dressing on a salad, that is what actually can be hurting us in the long run.  Dressings are made up processed items, fat, sugar, and salt.  It can sabotage all of the good parts of the salad.  This will help you still have healthy dressing and it will also help you get in your healthy oils for that meal!  You want this to be able to be poured. Not chunky like mine!  I put too much avocado it in at first.  If you put too much avocado, just add to it with oil and a bit more juice and you will be good. 

Ingredients
1 avocado (halved)
1 small garlic clove or 1 TB of minced garlic
Juice of 1 lime or lemon or 3 TB of juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

To make this dressing, place the avocado, garlic, lime/lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor and blend until the mixture is light and creamy.

Roasted veggies and salad with avocado dressing

This is one of my new favorites and my favorite thing is that you can freeze the veggies and have them ready to eat this winter too! 

INGREDIENTS

For the salad
1 red bell pepper, chopped in large chunks
1 lb butternut squash, chopped into squares
1 lb baby Brussels sprout, frozen
2 tsp dried oregano (this was optional. I used a bit of Italian seasoning instead.)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
3 TB olive oil

For the Avocado Dressing
1 avocado (halved)
1 small garlic clove or 1 TB of minced garlic
Juice of 1 lime or lemon or 3 TB of juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400°F/
2. In a large bowl, mix the butternut squash, bell pepper, Brussels sprouts, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and olive oil until the veggies are evenly coated.
3. Pour the vegetables onto a baking sheet in one even layer and roast for 40 minutes.
4. To make the dressing, place the avocado, garlic, lime/lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor and blend until the mixture is light and creamy. You want this to be able to be poured. Not chunky like mine!  I put too much avocado it in. 
5. To assemble the salad, place a handful of mixed greens on a plate and top with the roasted veggies. Spoon on the Avocado Dressing and enjoy this utter yumminess!

Roasted veggies and salad with avocado dressing

The recipe for this is coming!!

Potato soup

Potato soup

5 lb potatoes
1 stick of butter
2 lg containers heavy whipping cream
2/3 block velveeta
Bacon bits
Garlic salt
Onion powder
Salt
Pepper

Peel, cut, and dice potatoes. Put in crockpot and just cover with water. Cook for 2-2 1/2 hours. Add bacon bits, butter and velveeta cover until melted. Add heavy whipping cream, garlic salt, onion powder, salt, pepper. Cover and let warn through. Turn to low or keep warm and serve.


You can adjust the cheese to your taste.  I have some who like more cheese and others who don't.  This is easily cut in half.  I will tell you though, the secret is cooking the potatoes in the crock pot.  It makes them a much softer potato and is the best way to cook them for this.  You can make it on the stove, but the potatoes don't cook the same. 

I also make this is much larger batches in a turkey roaster. I start the potatoes late that night, let them cook, turn it off and it is cool when I get up in the morning.  I take it to where ever I going turn in back on to warm it up and then add the ingredients like normal.  It has definately been a hit!