Chili Lime Chicken (Pressure cooker)

I love my friend Robin for many reasons.  Her introducing me to Trader Joe's Chili Lime seasoning and this recipe is most definitely among them!  (The fact that she has a huge heart, is funny, kind and teaches a kick-a** yoga class doesn't hurt, either.)  This recipe has become a staple in my house, as she promised me it would be.  It is easy and versatile, and there isn't a member of my family who isn't happy to see it on the menu.  Though Robin originally made it in the slow cooker, I love tossing this together in the pressure cooker and serving it with some rice.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lb Chicken breast
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 cup frozen corn
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 T chili  lime seasoning (Trader Joe's)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place chicken in instant pot and add all other ingredients on top of it, in the order listed.
2. Set pressure level to high and timer to 6 minutes. Start.
3. When the timer goes off, allow the pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes and then quick release.
4. Shred chicken.  Serve over rice with toppings of your choice or as burrito or taco filling, or as the protein in a taco salad.  The options are limitless!
5. Slow cooker instructions: add all ingredients to slow cooker, cook on low 6-8 hours.

Sometimes I add tomatoes and sour cream, too!

Difficulty: super easy
Time: 15-20 minutes
Source: My friend, Robin J.

Slow Cooker Apricot Salsa Chicken

As I try to feed my family a more healthy diet, I need to consider time. Most of my life centers around time needed to do things. That said, Irving Naxon's invention of the crock-pot is one of my most prized possessions given the time it can save me.

Many of the recipes I find I skim over because I know I don't have the time to dedicate to the food prep.  Sometimes this leads me to looking on the "Kids Can Cook Clean" section of one of my favorite food blogs The Gracious Pantry. Not so I can have my kids prepare the meal, but because I know if a child can do it, I can too (and probably faster).

My husband raved about this meal each time I have made it; I serve it over quinoa or couscous.   The other great thing about this recipe is most homes stock these items. When I am running short of time or have no idea what to make, I throw this is the crock pot-5 minutes flat.




INGREDIENTS:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 3/4 cup salsa
• 1/2 cup apricot spread
• 1 cup frozen corn

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place chicken in slow cooker.
2. Top with chicken stock, salsa, apricot spread, and corn.
3. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
4. Shred chicken with forks.

DIFFICULTY: Easy

TIME: 5 minutes prep, 4-6 hours in slow cooker

SOURCE: adapted from The Gracious Pantry

Mexican Lasagna

I've been trying to change the way my family eats.  This is by no means easy.  I have a rotation of meals that have been successful for a long time. Finding and trying new recipes isn't always the easiest thing when you work full time and have three young children.  My absence on the blog is mostly because I am trying to find worthwhile recipes that are healthy and easy.  Easy being the most important feature.

This dish was a hit with my family.  I've made it a few times.  I prefer it to be made with ground chicken because I can still taste it despite the seasonings; the turkey seemed to take on the flavor of the seasoning.  But, I have added almost any vegetable that I had in my house-I've used corn, zucchini, kale, onions. You name it, I've thrown it into the skillet.  The first few times I tried cooking this layered dish, I used regular tortillas since I had them on hand; but now, I am trying to increase our whole grains.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound of ground turkey or chicken
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 T chili powder
• 2 T cumin
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 16 ounces salsa 
• 1 can black beans, rinsed
• 1 cup diced squash
• 1 cup chopped eggplant
• 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed (or fresh)
• 1 cup red pepper, diced
• 6 whole wheat tortillas
• 1 cup shredded cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup Feta cheese, divided

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Add olive oil to large skillet, Over medium-high heat, throw garlic, cumin, chili powder, and ground chicken or turkey.
3. Add vegetables, beans, and salsa. Heat through (about 5-6 minutes).
4. Spray 9 x 13 baking dish. Place first 2 tortillas. Top with meat mixture and 1/3 of cheeses.
5. Repeat.  
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes until cheese is bubbly. 

Difficulty: Medium-lots of chopping

Time: 20 minute prep , 35 minutes baking time

Source: adapted from Schall Fitness

Fiesta Meatloaf

One of my kids' favorite foods is meatballs. I use their love of meatballs to get them to eat other foods that include ground meat. In this recipe, along with many others, I add salsa saving me the trouble of chopping onions and peppers. It really is a time saver, and the added spice keeps my husband happy.  I've made it without black beans, but my husband requested that I try to add more beans to our diet to take advantage of  both the protein and fiber.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 package stuffing, 6 oz
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 T chili powder
• 1/2 cup oatmeal, uncooked
• 1 can black beans
• 1 cup salsa, divided
• 3/4 cup Mexican cheeses
• optional chopped fresh veggies (I throw in whatever is around)

Forgot the  beans in the first photo...love this can opener!

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Mix all the ingredients, except 1/4 cup of salsa and 1/4 cup cheese.
3. Shape into loaf in a 13 x 9 baking dish. (Ever since I made Joyce's mini-meatloaves, I make this recipe in muffin tins; baking for 30 minutes)
4. Top with remaining salsa.
5. Bake 1 hour.
6. Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining cheese; continue baking 5 minutes.
7. Allow to stand for 5 minutes.

Difficulty:Easy

Time: 10 minute prep; 65 minutes baking

Source: Adapted from Kraft Food and Family

Salsa Chicken Tortilla Bake

While I love leftovers, my family is not always as excited as I am to see the same dish.  One of my favorite recipes is Salsa Chicken; it's a regular in my monthly meal rotations.  I try to change it up by serving it one day with pasta and the next with quinoa...my family is not fooled.  When I saw a recipe calling for chicken, salsa, and tortillas, I made it the next day; after my family enjoyed it; I thought I could make recipe much easier on myself by using my crock pot leftovers (I even threw in the extra quinoa and mixed it up).  It was a quick hit with my family; the kids loved being able to pick up the wedges and dip into additional salsa.  No one realized it was yesterday's chicken.

Salsa Chicken ingredients; add tortillas and cheese for Day 2!

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 10-inch flour tortillas
• Shredded salsa chicken (leftovers)
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
• Garnish-sour cream, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place one tortilla in the bottom of a lightly greased 2-quart round casserole dish; set aside.
2. Spoon 1/3 of leftovers over tortilla in the dish, top with 1/4 cup cheese; repeat layering, ending with last tortilla.
3. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; cover with aluminum foil.  Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly; uncover for the final 5 minutes.
4. Cut into wedges and serve. 

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 10 minute prep, 35 minutes baking time

Source: inspired by Gooseberry Patch's Weeknight Dinners

Salsa Chicken Bake

My family loves this recipe. It is one I often prepare on vacation because it is easy and stores nicely as leftovers for lunches. Sometimes to save time, I make a double batch and freeze half. If I have some fresh vegetables on hand, I chop them and throw them in with the salsa and chicken as it heats; last time, I added some fresh orange peppers.

INGREDIENTS:

•  2/3 cup of Bisquick mix 
• 2 T water 
• 1 egg 
• 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces 
• 2 t vegetable oil 
• 1 1/4 cup salsa 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat over to 400 degrees F.
2. Spray 9 inch square baking dish.
3. Stir together Bisquick, water, and egg.
4. Spread in pan.
5. Sprinkle with 1 1/4 cup cheese.
6. Cook and stir chicken in oil over medium-high heat until outsides are white; drain.
7. Stir salsa into chicken until hot.
8. Spoon over batter in pan to within 1/2 inch of edges.
9. Bake 22-25 minutes or until edges are dark golden brown.
10. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.
11. Bake 1-3 minutes until cheese is melted.
12. Loosen from pan.

Difficulty: Easy
Time: 10 minutes to prep; 25 to bake
Source: Kraft Food and Family

Zesty Chicken Pasta

This a super easy dish that even my kids like! (And if they are being picky, I can serve different parts of the recipe to them). As a busy mom trying to keep her kids eating healthy foods, I try to find ways to use lots of fresh vegetables in my dishes; the red peppers have lots of Vitamin A. When I make this for company, people always ask for the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound of rotini (uncooked)
• 1 T olive oil
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite size pieces; I do this the night before)
• 2 red peppers, chopped (I use yellow and orange if that is what I can find; I chop these up the night before as well)
• 1/4 cup Zesty Italian Dressing
• 1 T chilli powder
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook pasta.
2. Heat oil in large skillet.
3. Add chicken. Cook and stir 6 minutes.
4. Add peppers, dressing, chilli powder; cook 3 minutes.
5. Stir in salsa and sour cream.
6. Toss pasta with chicken mixture.
7. Sprinkle with cheese.

Difficulty: Easy
Time: 30 minutes
Source: Kraft Family & Food

Creamy Mexican Dip

This dish makes a great appetizer for a tailgate party or informal party. We are big Steeler fans, and this recipe makes an annual arrival during the playoffs! I love that I can quickly throw it together without having to prepare any meat to put in the dip.

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
• 8 oz sour cream
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 jar of salsa (12 oz)
• 1 green pepper (chopped)
• 1 red pepper (chopped)
• shredded Monterey Jack cheese (16 oz) I do sometime substitute Mexican cheese
• small can of black olives (drained)
• tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo.
2. Spread in the bottom of a 13x9 glass baking dish.
3. Layer remaining ingredients-salsa, red pepper, green pepper, cheese, olives
4. Chill.
5. Serve with tortilla chips.

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 15 minutes

Source: my aunt