Over the years, I have learned a lot about cooking and what people really enjoy eating. Unforgettable, delicious, and healthy recipes are hard to find in the sea of infinite recipes on the internet. To make your life easier, here are a few of my all time favorite recipes that are always a hit:

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs Cooked Chicken (about 2 breasts), cubed or shredded
• 1 bag Mixed Vegetables, frozen
• 6 Small Gold Potatoes, skin on and diced
• 1/3 cup Butter
• 2/3 cup Yellow Onion, diced
• 2/3 cup All-Purpose Flour or Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
• 3 1/2 cups Chicken Broth
• 1 1/3 cup Milk
• 2 double Pie Crusts, pre-made/frozen (Pastry pie crusts will work)

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Prepare/thaw pie crusts and set aside.
3. In a medium pot, combine vegetables and potatoes. Add water to cover and boil for 12-15 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through and are fork tender. Remove from heat, drain, and set aside.
4. In a large saucepan, cook onions in butter until translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning to form a paste. Slowly mix in chicken broth and milk, about .5 cup at a time. Stir and bring to boil for one minute or until sauce thickens. Stir in cooked chicken and veggie/potato mix.
5. Pour filling into pie crusts. (If you have any filling leftover, you can eat this for lunch the next day!)
6. Cover with top crusts, seal edges, and cut away excess. Make 2-3 small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
7. Bake until thermometer reads 165 degrees or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly – about 45-60 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Note: These pies can be frozen for later use. Just skip step 7 and let the pie cool before wrapping and placing in the freezer.

Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless Chicken Breast or Tenders
• 1 cup Barbecue Sauce (Your Favorite Kind)
• 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire
• Salt
• 4 Brioche Buns, toasted if desired

Instructions:

1. In a slow cooker, place chicken and season with salt. (I use slow cooker liners to make clean-up a breeze. Get them here: http://amzn.to/2D7Yl3U
2. In a small bowl, mix together barbecue sauce, Italian seasoning, brown sugar, and Worcestershire. Stir well until combined.
3. Pour sauce over chicken, cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or until internal temperature of the chicken reads 165 degrees.
4. Once the chicken is cooked through, shred with 2 forks.
5. Serve with additional barbecue sauce, coleslaw, pickles, red onions, or any topping you like. Enjoy!

Note: This barbecue chicken recipe is great on salads or over rice as well! Get yourself a Slow Cooker (http://amzn.to/2ENbRui) or Instant Pot (http://amzn.to/2D64Vrx) to make your life easier!

Homemade Classic Burgers 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Ground Turkey or Beef
• 1 large Egg
• 1/2 cup Diced Yellow or White Onion
• 1/4 cup Bread Crumbs
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Pepper
• 4 Brioche Hamburger Buns
• Condiments, cheese, and veggies, if desired

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil.
2. In a large bowl, mix together ground turkey/beef, egg, onion, bread crumbs, Worcestershire, garlic, salt, and pepper. Separate into 4 portions and shape into patties.
3. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Place patties onto oiled skillet and cook until seared to golden brown – about 3-4 minutes. Turn and sear until golden brown on the other side – about another 3-4 minutes. (A griddle may also be used for this step)
4. On a foil lined baking sheet, place seared burgers and bake at 350 degrees until thermometer reads 160 degrees.
5. Meanwhile, toast brioche buns on a griddle or dry non-stick pan, if desired.
6. Once burgers are cooked, let rest for 5 minutes. Serve on toasted brioche buns with your choice of condiments, cheese, and veggies. Enjoy!

Note: These burgers may also be grilled. When shaping the patties, press down to make thinner before placing on the grill.

Taco Seasoned Turkey Burritos

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Ground Turkey
• 1 packet Taco Seasoning
• 1/4 cup Water
• 1/2 Yellow Onion
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 can Refried Beans
• Whole Wheat Tortillas

Instructions:

1. In a large skillet, brown ground turkey on medium-high heat until cooked through.
2. Add onion and garlic and continue cooking until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant.
3. Add taco seasoning and water. Heat on medium-high until boiling. Reduce heat and let simmer until sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally – about 8-10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat refried beans in a sauce pan on medium heat until heated through.
5. Warm tortillas in microwave for 10-20 seconds, if desired.
6. Serve in tortillas with salsa, sour cream, hot sauce, shredded lettuce, or any desired toppings. Enjoy!

Chicken Tenders

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs raw Chicken Tenders, trimmed
• 3 Eggs, beaten
• 2 cups Italian Bread Crumbs
• 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
• Cooking Oil, if frying

Instructions:

1. In a shallow dish, place eggs. In another shallow dish, place flour. In another shallow dish, place bread crumbs.
2. Coat chicken in flour, then eggs, then bread crumbs. While coating chicken in bread crumbs, press down so bread crumbs adhere to chicken completely.
3. Frying Option: Heat cooking oil in large skillet over medium heat. Once oil is hot, place chicken tenders into pan carefully, making sure no oil is splashed. Brown chicken tenders then flip to brown the other side. Continue cooking until chicken is cooked to 165 degrees or no pink remains in the middle. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to soak up any excess oil.
4. Baking Option: Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Bake tenders for 15-20 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and cooked to 165 degrees and no pink remains in the middle.
5. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce and your favorite veggie on the side. Enjoy!

Homemade Hearty Chili Cheese Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Ground Turkey
• 1 medium Yellow Onion, Chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 can Black Beans, rinsed
• 1.5 cups Salsa
• 1/2 8-oz can Tomato Paste
• 1 tbsp Hot Sauce
• 1.5 cups Shredded Cheddar
• Tortilla Chips

Instructions:

1. In a medium skillet, cook turkey over medium-high heat until browned, about 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant, about 3-4 more minutes.
3. Add black beans, salsa, tomato paste, and hot sauce and heat until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.
4. Top with cheese, mix, and heat on low for about 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted.
5. Serve in bowls with tortilla chips. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: These statements are the opinion of the author. The information provided in this post is for entertainment purposes only and is not intended to provide medical, legal, or other professional advice. Read and/or use any of the information from this post at your own risk. Some or all of the links displayed on this site may be affiliate links.