My tex mex chicken conglomeration

My goal for the summer is to compound and condense my pantry. I am forever running to the store for my bi-weekly trip only to pick up something that I bypassed in my prelist checking or simply finding it buried among other things. So I'm cooking to the pantry. I pull out things and I'm throwing things together bad and good and seeing what works out. Today it was a breezy 90 degree day so we trekked over to the zoo for a quick trip. I knew cooking would be out since the heat always zaps us so I threw something in the crockpot. LIterally. I pulled out stuff from the fridge and my pantry and whipped up 'somethin' good'. Good enough for us to want to make again so I wanted to post about it. I had some chicken breast in the fridge that were thawed so I for sure, wanted to use them up. Plus I have an abundance of black beans (why- I'm clueless) and I've been on a corn kick, salsa kick and spicy kick. Glad that all worked out when I threw all of the team together. We all know that's not always the case. Being that I've been on a salsa, spicy kick, I had to make my 3 ingredient salsa to go along with! I went to a picnic at my cousins's new house last weekend and his wife, SO WONDERFUL, made this INCREDIBLY easy and super delish salsa (my one food vice-HA LOL! Yeah right!) I figured it was a good day for easy, fast and convenient. That being said, I didn't want to give up on flavor, health and family either. Check it out! This lends itself to being very adaptable to what you have on hand too! Try it out!

Tex Mex Crock Pot Chicken

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breast

3/4 c Fat free sour cream

1 can rotel

1 can black beans

1 can corn, drained

1/2 jar salsa

Cheese for topping, opt.

Stir in sour cream and rotel together. Layer in crock pot chicken, sour cream mixture, black beans, corn, onion slices and top with salsa. I cooked on low for 4-5 hours and on high for 1 hour.

3 Ingredient Salsa

3 cans Rotel

1 large bunch cilantro

1 T minced garlic

Blend or process until desired consistency,

YUM!

Points-Yes I keep track

Thinking about this post I recall a conversation I overheard. My husband is listening while the friend is sharing the following..."well I don't understand why they don't keep score anymore. I want my kids to know who won and who had the bigger score." While I don't necessarily agree it came to mind when I sat down to post. I recently joined the weight watcher bandwagon and I have to read every label (already do anyway) so that I can figure the total points value per serving of everything I put into my mouth. Now I have to track and log my points which are in essence the food I take in, boiled down to a point target that I can reach but not cross at the end of every day. So today after our monthly Costco trip and grocery get we are well stocked and I can finally craft up a storm in my favorite art of cooking. Whenever the fridge is stocked and full of goodies I have to admit that this MUST be what an artist feels like when they have a palette full of paint and a brand new, fresh white canvas in their midst. I get this childish giddiness that nearly resembles the night before Christmas and I quickly rub my hands together so I can snatch up the first foodie idea I can while the ideas roll around my head knocking into one another. The idea didn't quite seem "mona lisa" more like a palette practice of the color wheel but we made crock pot Chicken tacos and they were simply amazing. And when it's as easy as this it (almost) makes me feel guilty-but not quite

Crock pot Chicken Tacos

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 packet of taco seasoning (I make my own-see below)
1/2-1 c salsa
1/4 c water

Place all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low 4-6 hours

For dessert I was craving lemony goodness. I'm sure you have all heard of the weight watcher diet soda cakes. IF not check this out or this.


Tonight I made these lemon cupcakes using the following recipe:

Lemon WW cupcakes

1 pkg Lemon Cake mix
1 can diet 7-up

Mix ingredients together in a bowl. Bake according to package directions. (Mine were about 17 minutes at 350 degrees.) For icing if you're trying to keep points low, I top mine with Fat free cool whip (2 T) for zippo points. Whoo hooo yummmmmmmmMMM! Just the right amount of sweet and lemon. You won't believe how terrific these are. You've gotta try them! I think I might try these in the summer and keep them in the fridge for a fresh and cool sweet treat!


Homemade Taco Seasoning
(I usually quadruple this so that I can have plenty on hand. I hate buying the packets!)
1 T chili powder
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t onion powder
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1/4 t oregano
1/2 t paprika (I sometimes use smoked for flavor)
1 1/2 t cumin
1 t sea salt
1 t black pepper

Mix all together. I use about 2 T per pound when cooking. Enjoy!

Crock pot love

Shame on me for not posting more often. Moving on. I have this supersonic love for my crock pot and sadly it's home is on my kitchen floor due to lack of cabinet and counter space. It used to be housed on my kitchen shelf in the garage (extension of my cabinets) but I got tired of up and downing the stairs every day or every other. I have a severe affinity for kitchen galore (gadgets, serving trays, plates and fun mania that I can use when I have my pals over) and it never ceases to amaze me at how much stuff I have in this room. Oh well. I love it and don't care. I'm trying a new recipe today and now can't find the webpage. DANG! (winks to Jerm! That was for you mofo) I love all the ingredients here independently and together I thought shazam! This ought to be fantastic! So we're giving it a whirl.

Crock pot chicken

3-4 chicken breasts
1 can Health Valley organic cream of chicken soup
1- 8 oz package fat free cream cheese
1 packet Good Seasons Italian Seasoning/Dressing mix

Place chicken in crock pot and with hand mixer, combine remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken and cook on low 8 hours. Enjoy friends~!