EASY Crock Pot Chicken Soup

(variation from cooks.com, link)

This recipe is a winner for everyone. For me, it's easy. My husband loves the taste. And my son actually eats it... which is always a success. This recipe is a bit like stone soup. You can add whatever veggies that you like, or add noodles... even bacon. It all tastes good.

4-5 hours cook | 20 min prep

Ingredients

• 2 large chicken breasts, frozen
• 8 slices cooked bacon (or turkey bacon), chopped (optional)
• 1 onion, cut in half
  
• 3 medium potatoes, cubed
• 1 can corn
• 1 can cut green beans
• 1 cup finely cut fresh chives (or 1/2 cup dried)
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (2 tablespoons if no bacon)
• 2-3 teaspoons salt (to taste)
• 64 ounces water
• onion powder to taste
• garlic powder to taste
• chicken bullion to taste (check for milk warnings)
  

Optional Ingredients

• chopped baby carrots
• chopped celery
• sliced mushrooms
• chopped bell pepper
  
• 12 oz. egg noodles or dry pasta noodles

Directions

1. Add all ingredients into the crock pot with the onion halves placed on top (with the exception of noodles, those will go in after the chicken is fully cooked). Include all juices of canned vegetables. Do not worry about cutting the frozen chicken breast at this time.
2. Cook on high for 4 1/2 hours.
3. Remove onion halves and discard.
4. Either remove chicken from crock pot to shred or chop with wooden spoon while still in the soup.
5. Add more salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and chicken bullion as needed to flavor the broth.
6. If you are adding noodles, add them now and cook for an additional 45 minutes.

Notes

1. I usually don't do both potatoes and noodles. It feels like a lot of starchy stuff for one bowl of soup. And it sucks up all the broth after a night in the fridge. I do one or the other.
   
2. I wait to add the onion powder, garlic powder, and chicken bullion until after the chicken is cooked and I can taste the broth.
   

Baked Sweet and Salty Salmon

(Variation from allrecipes.com, link)

I was going to call this, "The Best Thing You've Ever Tasted In Your Life, Easy Too, And Served With Rice... Salmon" but it wouldn't fit in the title bar. That should tell you all you need to know.

20 min bake | 15 min prep | (marinate 2 hours)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets
• lemon pepper to taste
• garlic powder to taste
• salt to taste
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• cooked rice (if desired)
  

Directions

1. Season salmon fillets with lemon pepper, garlic powder, and salt.
2. In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and vegetable oil until sugar is dissolved. Place fish in a large resealable plastic bag with the soy sauce mixture, seal, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
4. Make a small foil packet for each fillet. Pour as much marinade into each packet as it will hold without spilling out (a few tablespoons). This will be used later to top the rice. Seal each packet well and place on a cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 15-20 min until salmon is cooked through.
6. Place salmon and extra sauce from the foil packet over rice.
7. Yum.

Notes

1. If your fillets have the skin on, leave it on to cook. Cooking salmon in the foil packets perfectly steams the fish and makes the skin peel right off after.
2. The longer you marinate the fish the better.
3. The original recipe link at the top gives instructions for grilling.
   

Crimson Chicken Salad

(From my sister)

This recipe was surprisingly flavorful and unique. I've eaten a ton of bland chicken salad recipes before and this is definitely not one of them. It's the perfect blend of spices and sweetness. Enjoy!

30 min total | 20 min prep

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken, cooked, shredded and cooled
  
• 1 1/2 cups craisons
• 1 cup diced celery
• 2 green onions, diced
• 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 1 cup mayo
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• pepper to taste

Directions

1. Mix together mayo and spices in mixing bowl.
   
2. Stir in all other ingredients.
3. Serve on bread or rolls.
   

Notes

1. I only used one green onion and no nuts and my family loved this.

Butter Substitutes

I have a few favorite butter substitutes. These three are my favorites because I can find them at normal grocery stores and even Walmart. The vegan movement has been the best possible thing for people with milk allergies!

#1) For baking, I recently found this jewel. It's called Bestlife Buttery Baking Sticks. I love these!


#2) For spreading and other non-baking uses I love Blue Bonnet Light Spread. To me it tastes the most like butter on toast.


#3) But my husband likes Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread better. So we have both in our fridge most of the time.

Remember to always check labels because dairy-free does not always mean it's safe and companies are constantly changing recipes.

Banana Crumb Muffins

(From allrecipes.com, link)

These muffins are great for those times when you have extra ripe bananas lying around... which I always seem to. They would make a yummy snack or even breakfast.

20 min bake | 15 min prep

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup butter substitute, melted

for topping:

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter substitute

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease 10 muffin cups or line with muffin papers.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter substitute. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter substitute until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Notes

1. This makes a lot of topping so the "sprinkle" topping over muffins part is more like "dump". And you will still have some left over.
   
2. One of the comments on allrecipes.com says that you can double the recipe to make 4 mini loaves baked at 350 degrees F for 30 min.
   

French Toast Casserole

(From food.com, link)

This recipe is the perfect combination of crispy and moist. It takes a little more time than your standard hot cereal or pancake breakfast but it is so worth it.

30 min bake | 15 min prep

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons dairy-free butter substitute
• 1 cup vanilla-flavored soy milk
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 cup dark molasses
• 1 (16 oz.) french bread, cut into 1 inch cubes (dairy-free.. and egg-free if desired)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon again

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Spray a 9x13" baking dish with dairy-free cooking spray
3. Combine melted butter-substitute, vanilla soy milk, corn syrup, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, salt, and molasses in a large bowl.
4. Fold bread into mixture so that it absorbs liquid evenly. Place in prepared baking dish, and cover with aluminum foil.
5. Bake 15 minutes.
6. Remove foil, and bake 15 minutes more.
7. If desired, sprinkle 1/2 tsp cinnamon over top.
8. Serve and top with syrup, powdered sugar, or fruit.

Notes

1. Getting the liquid to absorb evenly is difficult so you have to quickly fold in the french bread.
2. I like to arrange the bread in the casserole dish with the crust side down. It helps dry out the soggier pieces of bread.
   

Old-Fashioned Banana Cream Pie

(adapted from food.com, link

image from www.thehungrywife.com)

This recipe is so yummy! Even my extended family loves this one and can't tell it's dairy-free.

45 min total | 15 min prep

Ingredients

• 1 9-inch dairy-free graham cracker crust
• 3 cups Silk Pure Almond Vanilla Almond Milk (or soy milk)
  
• 2 tablespoons Bestlife Buttery Baking Sticks (or other dairy-free butter substitute)
• 3/4 cup white sugar
  
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
  
• 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons Bestlife Buttery Baking Sticks (or other dairy-free butter substitute)
• 2-3 bananas

Directions

1. Have pie crust ready.
2. In a large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter substitute into 3 cups almond or soy milk.
3. In another saucepan, combine the sugar, flour and salt; gradually stir in the heated almond milk and butter substitute mixture.
4. Over medium heat, stirring constantly, cook until thickened. (15-20 min.)
5. Cover and, stirring occasionally, cook for two minutes longer.
6. In a small bowl, have the 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten, ready: stir a small amount of the hot mixture into beaten yolks; when thoroughly combined, stir yolks into hot mixture.
7. Cook for one minute longer, stirring constantly.
8. Remove from heat and blend in additional 2 tablespoons butter substitute. If using plain almond or soy milk, stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla at this point.
9. Let sit until lukewarm.
10. When ready to pour, slice bananas and scatter in pie shell; pour warm mixture over bananas.
11. If desired, make a meringue (you'll have 3 leftover egg whites) to top the pie, or just refrigerate pie until firm and serve.

Notes:

1. I have used both almond and soy milk in this recipe. Both work but I like the flavor of the almond milk better.
2. You should be able to slice into this pie and have it hold it's shape. A way to tell if the mixture is thickened enough is if in step 8 it is already starting to hold it's shape a bit. (a.k.a You could push the mixture over to one side of the saucepan and it would very slowly move back and not really return to level.)