Sunday, October 4, 2009

Still Cooking...

I'm determined to keep up with this so this past week I have cooked every night but Thursday (Mike had to go to dinner for work so I did not want to cook something just for me and the girls). Oh and I didn't cook on the weekend but that's usually when Mike cooks anyways. Thanks so much for all the comments, suggestions and recipes, I have used several of them this week and they were all delicious!

I just have to share
this awesome recipe
that Kelly from The Carpenter Chronicles


gave me {it's sooo good and great for fall}!! Thanks Kelly!

It's super easy and my new best friend...


the crockpot, was all I needed to make this yummy dinner.

Yes, I've used the crockpot before but for the most part, unless Mike has used it to cook barbeque, it's main home has been in the pantry. Poor thing has been neglected just dying to come out of the dark to help me:)
So here's the recipe: Salsa Chicken
  • Put 3 or 4 frozen chicken breasts in the crock pot,
  • cover with 1 can cream of mushroom soup ,
  • sprinkle 1 package of taco seasoning
  • top with 1 jar of salsa.
  • Cook on high for approx. 4 hours and the chicken falls apart just by stirring it.
  • You can put the chicken in tortillas with lettuce, tomato, cheese, etc for burritos or tacos.
  • *To make the soup that is shown*
  • add chicken broth,
  • a little extra water,
  • can of black beans,
  • frozen or canned corn (drained) and cook to boiling.
  • Pour over tortilla chips for the BEST tortilla soup ever.
  • Top with cheese and sour cream if you prefer

Here's the girls giving it a try...



{Hmmm, not so sure about this mommy}


{I'll try it but I'm probably not going to like it}




This picture leads me to the big problem I'm having {this was not eaten}: the girls have turned their noses up to almost everything-even this soup and it really is good! They gave it a few bites but just didn't want any more and I know it looks kind of yucky but how can you not like cheese, chips, sour cream, corn (they normally love corn) and beans(they normally love beans) and chicken? We've had more fits thrown during dinner time this week than ever before and I know it's not because my cooking is so awful, really everything has tasted great. So I'm feeling quite discouraged and unappreciated (get used to it, right?) I'm trying so hard and cooking these good meals and all they want is chicken nuggets. Am I expecting too much? Will they just have to get used to it? I feel like if I give in and give them the usual toddler stuff they'll just continue to demand it and not to mention it's not very healthy. I'm excited that I know I can do this, cook meals every night so when they are all teenagers they won't be eating mac-n-cheese and nuggets for dinner but that's 10 years from now! Uggh!!

I guess I'll just keep at it and if they're hungry they'll eat and if not then no dessert! I'm such a mean mommy! Poor Ainsley, (it's really quite funny), she starts stressing as soon as she sees me start to concoct something in the kitchen. I think it's change, not our normal routine and kids don't like it too much when you change up the routine. ~Sigh~ Hopefully it will get better.


Here's another recipe I'd like to share. This may be familiar to some of you (I think I've made this before (probably for someone that just had a baby but not for my own family, until now;)) but it was very easy and very yummy! Tammy from Ma Maison gave this to me (thanks Tammy!):

  • lay boneless chicken breasts in a baking pan,
  • lay a slice of Swiss cheese over each breast
  • Mix together pepper, a can of cream of chicken soup, 1/4 cup white wine or cooking wine.
  • Pour that over the chicken/cheese and then follow with Pepperidge Farm seasoned stuffing mix.
  • Pour some melted butter or margarine over it and bake at 350 for approximately 45 minutes (you may want to cover it as the stuffing sometimes gets too done).

    Anyways I've got some other recipes some of you suggested that I need to try but anyone else that wants to share recipes just send them my way! Dare I start a recipe blog?? Ha-Ha, totally kidding!! Again, this is sooo not my thing! So if you share go easy on me because I need something quick and something that doesn't take a whole lot of cooking skills:) Oh and I must get that Kraft recipe book some of you are talking about!

12 comments:

  1. Yum! I am SO going to make that soup this week! My chicken tortilla soup recipe seems SO much more complicated. YUM! I should send you some of my crock pot recipes...they are SO good and SO easy! :)

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  2. Everything looks great. My kids don't eat 90% of what I make, If it's not a chicken wing or macaroni with butter they don't want it. I'm done with cooking 6 different dinners. I cook and if they don't like it they can find something else. No one has died of starvation yet.
    I'm taking those recipes, they sound yummy.

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  3. Bless your heart!~ I have that similar problem...I just don't know what i'm going to do! I really love your blog!

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  4. Do your girls like a homemade pot of fresh tomato sauce, meatballs, fried chicken cutlets, pasta? That is a must in my family. Four of us (one of my kids does not eat soup)eat homemade soups, I make a different pot of soup each week. It's a good way to get in those needed veg's. It is hard to find meals that all of us eat. I cook 5 nights a week, one we eat out and the other is left overs or sandwiches. I love crockpot meals in the winter months.

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  5. It looks delicious! I may have to try, and I do have a killer chicken casserole recipe that my family loves! It's a staple, eaten at least once every couple of weeks.

    Boil preferred amoung of chicken (about 3-4 breasts) until cooked through. Shred chicken.

    While chicken is boiling combine 1 melted stick of butter with 1 box of stuffing (we use Stove Top Chicken)

    In a separate bowl mix one can of cream of mushroom soup, one can of cream of chicken soup and 1 and 1/2 cups of chicken broth.

    Layer in a baking dish, 1/2 the stuffing,1/2 the soup, all the chicken, 1/2 the soup and 1/2 the stuffing.

    Bake for 30 min on 350.

    It is a little time consuming because it's a bit of pain to shred the chicken but it is fabulous!

    As far as a button, I do have photoshop, but I just got it and I'm just learning all the fanciness...will it be hard to guide me through it?

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  6. Way to go!! That's so awesome that you are trying to get them to eat healthier. Keep up the good work and sooner or later they will come around. I sometime use Jerry Seinfeld's wifes book, Deceptively Delicious to hide good food for Blyss. It has things like chicken nuggets or fingers made with lots of healthy things. Lots of finger foods and stuff. Best of luck, you are doing a great job.

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  7. I love trying something new and I nominated you for a award on my blog. :)
    Caroline

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  8. Good for you for trying new things! My kids aren't fans of many vegetables, so last week I dusted off my "Deceptively Delicious" cookbook (that was given to me 2 years ago & I had never used until now!!) and made three meals from it...all of them have veggies and other healthy ingredients "hidden" in them and my kids didn't like ANY of them. It can be so frustrating! I'm definitely going to try the recipes you suggested!

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  9. I'm so proud of you. That's awesome. I actually cooked on Friday and Saturday evening both(I never ever cook on the weekend). Congrats!!!! Don't be discouraged, you're doing great.

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  10. Good for you!! I know it is not easy cooking for kids. Caleb and Joel seem to like opposite things which can make dinner choices interesting!

    I have a really simple recipe for you. It may sound a little strange but it tastes so yummy!

    Russian Chicken

    4-6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
    One small bottle of Kraft Russian salad dressing
    One packet of Lipton Onion Soup Mix
    One small jar of Apricot Jam

    Mix the dressing, soup mix and Jam together and pour over the chicken breasts. Cook for one hour in a 350 degree oven.

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  11. I read somewhere how often something new has to be served before kids will even try it, let alone like it, and is is something like 20 times. So you are doing great- they are trying it already! Don't be discouraged- they'll come around eventually :) I'm with you on the no dessert if you don't eat dinner thing- way to go. The only thing mine get after not eating dinner is plain bread if they are starving- just so they sleep through the night!

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  12. Hi Again - I wanted to let you know that I made both of the recipes you suggested this week. They were delicious - my kids even liked them! So, thank you and keep those recipes coming!!

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