Black Bean, Corn & Salsa Chicken With Cilantro Lime Rice

It's great to be back in the bloggy saddle again. Last week I took a bit of a break because my sister was here visiting from San Diego. I can't tell you how much it meant to me to have her here. We have so much in common and enjoy doing so many things together when we have the chance.

The last 6 months have been a pretty difficult time for me. Then just as the new year was beginning my mother passed away. So for me it's been a roller coaster of mixed emotions. Having my sister here was exactly what I needed. I just know 2012 will be a better year! I'm hoping it brings happiness, peace, patience and great things for myself and my family.

While my sister was here we did a lot of cooking, so I have some new recipes that I will be sharing with everyone. One dish we made was Black Bean, Corn & Salsa Chicken. This dish was easy peasy because you just toss everything into the slow cooker and that's it. Don't ya just love those types of recipes?

We served the salsa chicken on flour tortillas and paired it with a batch of Cilantro Lime Rice. I have to say this is my new favorite rice dish. If you love cilantro than you will enjoy this recipe. This rice pairs nicely with any Mexican inspired dish and is such a nice change from traditional Spanish rice.

I couldn't help myself and kept eating serving after serving of this rice. The Salsa Chicken yields a good size batch, so I froze the leftovers for another night. I think they would make great Quesadillas or Tacos.

My sister isn't a big fan of black beans, but I am, so we came to a happy compromise. I used one can black beans and one can pinto beans to please everyone. I think this dish would be great using all black beans or substituting with pinto beans. It's really all up to you.

Everyone enjoyed this meal and gave it a thumbs up. This recipe is defiantly a keeper.

Slow Cooker Black Bean, Corn & Salsa Chicken

5 - 6 - chicken breasts
1 - 15 oz can Bush's black bean, drained & rinsed
1 - 16 oz can Bush's pinto beans, drained & rinsed,
2 - cans mexican corn, drained (mexicorn)
1 - packet taco seasoning
1 - cup salsa
3/4 - cup water
garnish: cut avocados, sour cream, lettuce, tomato, queso fresco or cheddar cheese.

Drain and rinse beans. Add beans, mexicorn, taco seasoning, and water in crock pot and mix together until seasoning is dissolved. Place chicken breasts on top and spread salsa on chicken. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 - 8.

Remove chicken to cool. Using a fork shred meat and add back to the crock pot. Cook an an additional 20 minutes. Serve on flour tortillas Garnish with cheese, sour cream, avocado, lettuce, tomato, and hot sauce.

adapted from: six sisters


Cilantro Lime Rice

1 - cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1 - tablespoon butter
1 - cloves garlic, minced
2 - teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 - teaspoon lime zest
2 - cups chicken broth
1 - tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
2 - teaspoons granulated sugar
2 - tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan add the butter and melt. Add rice and saute for 1-2 minutes until the rice is nicely coated. Add the garlic and saute for an additional minute. Add 2 teaspoons of lime juice, lime zest and chicken broth. Bring to a boil.

Cover and cook on low 20 minutes, or until rice is tender and all the broth is asborbed. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, whisk together additional 1 tablespoon lime juice, sugar, and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice. Serve warm.

adapted from: Two Peas and Their Pod

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Stewed Chicken & Dumplings

Today I want to share a warm and comfy recipe for Stewed Chicken & Dumplings. A couple weeks back we had a cold spell and this meal really hit the spot. Fast forward to today and we are experiencing more spring like weather here in Texas.

It's hard to believe we are in the middle of January and its 73 degrees outside. That's Texas for you. I always say if you don't like the weather here in Texas just stay a bit, because it always changes at the blink of an eye.

I love my semi homemade chicken and dumplings, but this version was especially good. I think it was because this recipe had the addition of vegetables along with the chicken and dumplings. I loved the fact that you stewed the chicken first in the oven and then finished the stew off on top of the stove.

The original recipe called for drop dumplings, but here in our house we prefer more of a chewy dumpling. Instead of dropping the biscuit dough on top of the stew I rolled out the dough to form dumplings instead. It's all in what you prefer I guess. I have included some step by step photos below, so lets get started.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large dutch oven, brown the onions and celery in butter over medium heat. Add the chicken and brown on all sides, turn breast side down last. Add carrots, bay leaf, one cup chicken broth, salt and pepper; Cover Dutch oven and bake at 300 degrees for 2 hours stirring occasionally.

Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Remove chicken and bay leaf from pan. Let the chicken cool before pulling the meat from the bone. Return meat to dutch oven and add the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth. Place the dutch oven on top of the stove over medium high heat to bring the stew to a boil.

Add the flour and water together into a small bowl and mix to combine. Add the flour mixture to the gravy in the dutch oven mixing well. Lower the temperature to medium - low and prepare the dumplings. Combine dumpling ingredients in a medium bowl.

Mix until it forms a dough. Turn dough out on the counter or large cutting board that has been dusted with additional baking mix. Knead additional baking mix into the dough and knead until the dough is no longer sticky. Roll dough out to about 1/4 inch thick into a rectangle (9x13 inches). Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife cut the dumplings into squares.

Drop the dumpling pieces a couple at a time into the bubbling stew. Cook the dumplings for an additional 2o minutes. Stirring occasionally and pressing down the dumplings with a spoon into the stew. Keep pot covered while dumplings cook.

When done ladle into bowls and serve with hot rolls or a wedge of cornbread.

Stewed Chicken & Dumplings

2 - onions, quartered
3 - stalks celery, cut in 1 - inch pieces
1 - tablespoon butter
1 - roasting chicken, rinsed
3 - cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 - lb baby carrots or
regular carrots, peeled and cut into one inch pieces
1 - bay leaf
salt and pepper
3 - tablespoons flour
1/3 - cup cold water

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large dutch oven, brown the onions and celery in butter over medium heat. Add the chicken and brown on all sides, turn breast side down last. Add carrots, bay leaf, one cup chicken broth, salt and pepper; Cover dutch oven and bake at 300 degrees for 2 hours. stirring occasionally.

Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Remove chicken and bay leaf from pan. Let the chicken cool before pulling the meat from the bone. Return meat to dutch oven and add the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth. Place dutch oven on top of the stove over medium high heat to bring the stew to a boil.

Add flour and water together into a small bowl and mix well. Add the flour mixture to the gravy mixing well. Lower the temperature to medium - low and prepare the dumplings.

Dumplings:

2 - cups biscuit baking mix
(bisquick, pioneer or jiffy)
2/3 - cup milk

Combine dumpling ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix until it forms a dough. Turn dough out on the counter or large cutting board that has been dusted with additional baking mix. Knead additional baking mix into the dough and knead until the dough is no longer sticky.Roll dough out to about 1/4 inch thick into a rectangle (9x13 inches).

Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife cut the dumplings into squares. Drop the dumplings a couple pieces at a time into the bubbling stew. Cook the dumplings for an additional 2o minutes. Stirring occasionally and pressing down the dumplings with a spoon into the stew. Keep pot covered while dumplings cook.

Serving Size: 6
Adapted from: Gooseberry Patch Family Favorites

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King's Hawaiian Bread French Toast

Do you love King's Hawaiian Bread? In our house we love the King Hawaiian Rolls and the Original Round Bread. I was first introduced to the round bread at a party. Someone had brought a Spinach Dip and it was so delicious. The inside was cut out to form a bowl which held the dip and the bread pieces were cut into cubes to use for dipping.

Genius I thought!!! I was immediately hooked on this soft, sweet, delicious bread. My daughter loves to use the rolls to make ham and cheese slider for her school lunch. I like to use the round loaf to make King Hawaiian French Toast. I know this recipe isn't anything new, but I still think it should be shared.

The sweetness of the Hawaiian bread compliments this french toast perfectly. Make sure to slice the bread at least one inch thick and let the bread dry out overnight on a baking sheet. The recipe at the King Hawaiian website doesn't specify to dry the bread out, but the recipe on the package does.

I prefer drying the bread because I think it keeps the bread from soaking up too much of the batter. This is my little guy Carson's absolute favorite french toast recipe. Anytime I make it he eats it for breakfast and then reheats the leftovers for lunch. You can serve this french toast dusted with powdered sugar or drizzle on your favorite syrup.

I wanted to let everyone know that if you Join the King Hawaiian Club you will get a $2.00/1 coupon for Kings Hawaiian Original Sweet Bread. That's an awesome deal my friends.

Walmart has them priced at $2.98, so that make it only .98 cents a loaf. Once you confirm your membership they will email you a link to download the printable coupon. Now you don't have any excuse not to try this recipe.

Before you go download your free King Hawaiian Bread Favorite Recipes Free E-Book . It's packed full of recipes using King Hawaiian Bread products. There you go a recipe and two great deals.

King's Hawaiian Bread French Toast

1 - loaf Original Kings Hawaiian Round Bread
3 - eggs, beaten
1/2 - cup milk
1 - teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 - teaspoon baking powder
1/4 - cup sugar
1/8 - teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 - teaspoon nutmeg
powdered sugar or syrup

Slice the Kings Hawaiian bread into 1 - inch thick slices - then cut each slice of bread in half. Lay the bread slices flat on a baking sheet for 4 hours or overnight to dry out (I did overnight). Beat the eggs until smooth; add the milk and vanilla and blend; Add baking powder, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; blend until the sugar dissolves.

Preheat slightly a buttered pan or griddle. Lightly dip each piece of bread into the batter making sure not to over soak. Place bread on pan - stirring batter between dipping. Turn with spatula when golden brown. Sprinkle butter and powdered sugar on top or syrup.

Recipe slightly adapted from: King Hawaiian

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