Cream Cheese Chicken in a Pot

If you don't already have this as part of your working recipe repertoire, make it one. It's absolutely divine, so easy, and so bad for you.

Cream Cheese Chicken in a Pot:

4 chicken breasts (I use frozen tenders, about 10)

1 cube margarine (I hate margarine, but it must be done for this recipe)

1 envelope dry Italian seasoning mix

1 (8 oz.) block of cream cheese, room temperature

1 can cream of chicken soup

milk to consistency

Place chicken in bottom of a crock pot.

In small bowl, melt margarine in microwave. Add Italian seasoning mix and whisk together. Pour over chicken in crock pot.

Cook on low for 6 hours, or high for 2-3 hours.

Shred chicken with a couple of forks (sometimes I drain out some of the margarine before I shred the chicken to make myself feel a little better about this recipe).

In a medium mixing bowl, blend cream cheese, soup, and milk to a creamy mixture (almost runny). Add to chicken in crock pot. Mix. Turn to low, and continue cooking/warming for about a half hour.

Serve over rice.

I serve this with steamed broccoli. It's truly divine.

Oh, and I'm going to start taking pictures. I promise.

Recovering Ed's Bumper Pad

When I bought Ed's bumper pad from The Land of Nod, I loved it! It said "gender neutral" right on it, but I really thought it was very boy-ish.

Quite often, we'll see Ed asleep in his crib with his face burrowed into the bumper pad. He loves cuddling into things, and his bumper pad was almost a canvas material - ouch!

So, with some minky and Moda Dottie fabric, I went to town and within a couple of days, I finished it. It's not perfect (okay, so it isn't even worthy to be on here because I did such a shoddy job), but I thought I'd explain how I did this in case anyone wanted to recover a bumper pad for their little one. Or better yet, learn from my mistakes and do a better job. Leave me a comment and tell me how you have done yours in the past, please!

I'm recovering one for new baby boy soon, too. I've learned my mistakes, new lessons, and how to improve. I'll post pictures of that one when I get it done.

I started out by cutting strips of fabric and sewing them together.

Next, I folded the fabric under, pinned it to the existing bumper pad, and sewed it right next to the roll/edging.

The finished product (not in the crib because Ed is sleeping right now).

And one of the many mistakes I made. I didn't realize I was sewing the tie-down strap into the bumper pad until it was too late (from sewing the other side, not this one. I'm not that stupid). I wish I could say this only happened once. Nope. Three times. I know, right?

Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas

One of my favorite dinners is the Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas at a quaint little place here in Lehi, Utah called Carena's (is that even right?). It was in an old historic home on Main Street, run by what seemed to be the local Young Women's organization (don't even ask about what level of personnel ran the cash register). The decorations left much to be desired (unless you came from the 1990's and like country blue, mauve, and fake flower arrangements everywhere). However, the food - the food! It was amazing.

When the economy took a turn for the worst, it turned into a Thai restaurant. So sad for me. I tried replicating those delicious enchiladas, and I'm proud to say I actually perfected this one. I took a few recipes, mixed them up and came up with what I really like in an enchilada. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does. Oh, and don't even think about counting the calories in this one. You'll never make it again.

One more thing. It freezes really well. Another aspect of perfection. If I'm going to take the time to make something this time-consuming, I'm making a bunch. And I mean a bunch.

Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas
Kristi Askew

8-10 chicken tenders
¼ c. butter
3 pkgs (8 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cans (4 oz) green chiles
1 ½ c. sour cream, room temperature
4 c. shredded cheese (I use Colby Jack)
24 “soft taco” tortillas
Salt and pepper to taste
Milk to consistency (a lot, about 4-5 cups total, divided)

In the crock pot, add chicken and butter. Add some salt and pepper. Cook on high 3 hours. Shred chicken with a fork.

In a large mixing bowl, combine and mix with hand mixer until smooth:
2 pkgs cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. sour cream
Milk to consistency (about 2+ c.)

Then add and combine:
2 cans of green chiles
Shredded chicken
Salt and pepper to taste
More milk to consistency (if needed)
2 c. shredded cheese

Fill tortillas with mixture.
Fill pans.
8 enchiladas in each of the three 11x7 pans. (They freeze very well)

In same mixing bowl, combine until smooth and runny:
1 pkg of cream cheese
½ c. sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
Milk to consistency

Pour over enchiladas.
Top with remaining 2 c. cheese.

Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes

Kelly Wilcox's Chili

I want to post some of my all-time favorite meals to make. You know, the tried and true ones. Nothing hokey. Just good home-cookin' and a lot of love for food.

My friend Kelly served this Chili for a friends' dinner a couple years ago, and I can't stop making it now. I love all the green and red peppers and tomatoes in it. Not to mention the brown sugar. It's sweet, and power-packed with deliciousness! Enjoy!

Kelly Wilcox’s Chili

1 lb. ground beef
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (I don't use these)
1 t. chili powder
1 tsp. granulated garlic, or 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. crushed black pepper
1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (I don't use this, either)
1 T. canola oil
1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (4-oz) diced green chilies
2 cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can tomato soup
1 c. tomato juice
1 c. brown sugar
water to consistency (about 1-2 c.)
Sour Cream
Cheese, grated
Onion, finely chopped

Preheat large heavy skillet or Dutch oven. Brown beef, bell peppers, onion, and spices together in canola oil. When beef is browned, add remaining ingredients and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Garnish with dollop of sour cream, grated cheese, and finely chopped onion. Serves 8-10.

Let's Get This Party Started!

Just starting out. I want to be able to post my fetishes with food, fabric, and maybe photography/photoshop. I'm not great. I'm just beginning the frontier on all of these aspects, but I want a place to show my progress and not jamb up my family blog with this nonsense. So? Here we go!