Chicken Gnocchi Olive Garden Dupe

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients 

4 Tbs butter

3 finely chopped celery stalks

1 cup or 1 small onion diced to same size and celery

1 cup carrot (matchstick or chopped)

lots of garlic

salt

pepper

1-2 chicken breasts

garlic powder

onion powder

Italian seasoning

32 oz. chicken stock

Gnocchi

1/2 cup parmesan

1/2 cup half and half 

1 bag Baby Spinach

Directions

Add butter, celery, onion, carrots and garlic to pan and sauté.  Salt and pepper to taste. Once veggies are translucent add in uncooked chicken breast and additional seasonings to taste. Cover with chicken stock. Let simmer 15-25 minutes until chicken is cooked. Remove and rustic shred chicken. Add gnocchi to pot until they start to float. Add parmesan and a bit of half and half to thicken mixture. (Hack - if not thickening fast enough add some instant potato flakes to thicken) Add chicken to mix. Let thicken until desired texture. Add baby spinach and let wilt down. 

Serve with breadsticks 

Ohio Shredded Chicken Sandwich

Ingredients 

3 lbs chicken breast

2 cans cream of chicken 

1 cup chicken stock

1 sleeve crushed Ritz butter crackers, about 1-1/4 cup

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

salt, to taste

Instructions 

For Instant Pot

Add chicken breast, chicken stock, and condensed soup to the pot of an Instant Pot.

Place the lid on the Instant Pot, close to lock, and make sure the vent is one the "sealed" position.

Place on "manual" for 10 minutes of high pressure.

When fully cooked, manual release the Instant Pot to release the steam and unlock the lid. Leave the Instant Pot on the "warm" setting.

Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot (leave the juice in the pot) and shred. Add the shredded chicken back to the Instant Pot.

Stir in your crushed Ritz butter crackers, dried parsley, garlic powder, and black pepper. Taste, and add kosher salt if needed.

Let the mixture set up for 20 minutes. If it's still thinner than desired you can add more crushed crackers to help thicken the mixture. If it's too thick thin out with chicken stock.

Scoop onto a bun and enjoy hot and juicy!

For Slow Cooker

Add chicken breast, 1/4 cup chicken stock, and condensed soup to the slow cooker.

Cover, place on "low" and let cook for 4 hours.

After 4 hours, remove the chicken, shred, and add back to the slow cooker.

Stir in your crushed Ritz butter crackers, dried parsley, garlic powder, and black pepper. Taste, and add kosher salt if needed.

Cover, and let the mixture cook for another 30 minutes. If it's still thinner than desired you can add more crushed crackers to help thicken the mixture. If it's too thick thin out with chicken stock.

For Stovetop

In a large high-sided 12-inch skillet or 5 quart pot, set over medium-high heat, add condensed soup, 1 cup chicken stock, and seasonings. Stir to combine.

Once warmed, add in 2.5-3 pounds of shredded leftover chicken, or rotisserie chicken and stir to combine.

When the meat is warmed, add in the crushed crackers to help thicken the mixture. If it's too thick, thin out with chicken stock, or if it's too thin, you can thicken it with more crushed crackers.

Tater Taco Casserole

Serves 6 with leftovers 

Ingredients:

2 lbs Tater Tots 

2 package taco seasoning

Ranch dressing

Cheese

1 package ground beef

Instructions:

Mix together ingredients in a bake dish until combined. Cheese is used to hold the ingredients together and should be used generously. Add enough ranch to make sure all taco seasoning is wet and ingredients are starting to stick together.   

Spread mix into small layer for faster cooking. Separate in multiple containers if doing a larger batch. 

Cook dish in oven at 425 for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted and tots are hot. Add additional ranch as desired to individual dishes. 

Broccoli Soup

Ingredients: Makes 8 servings

4 cups basic white sauce

1 lb Broccoli 

1 tbs salt

1/2 tbs garlic powder

1/2 tbs onion powder

pepper

Instructions:

Warm broccoli enough to easily cut. Chop into bite size pieces. (Will not shrink while cooking so make sure they are they size you want)

Start White Sauce base. Add broccoli. Heat sauce until warm. Add seasonings. Add additional seasoning as needed. Stir to prevent scalding until desired consistency. 

Add cheese when serving into individual bowls. 

Fettuccini Alfredo

 Ingredients: Makes 6 servings

Basic White Sauce 

            - 2 TBS Flour

            - 2 TBS Butter

            - 1/2 quart half and half

Noodle of Choice

1 1/2 cup grated parmesan/ 

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

3/4 tsp salt

Instructions:

Start noodles.

Make White Sauce. If if sauce is thin let cook longer, if sauce is to thick add more milk. 

Once white sauce is completely mixed together, add parmesan, garlic and salt. Stir until well combined. Taste and add more seasoning as needed. Over garlic needs more salt to mellow and milk if way over garlicked. 

Serve with noodles, grilled chicken and cooked broccoli. 

Honey Garlic Chicken

Ingredients: (Makes 6 servings) 

Chicken Breast

1/2 cup Honey

1 spoon Minced Garlic

1/2 cup Ketchup

1 Tbsp Soy sauce

1 tTbsp flour

1 Tbsp water

Instructions 

Cube Chicken and season with salt and pepper. 

Combine honey, garlic, ketchup, soy sauce and chicken in pan. Cook on Low/medium heat until chicken is done. Remove chicken, combine flour and water until smooth. Add to pan and let sauce simmer until desired thickness. (3-5 minutes) Add chicken back to pan. Mix until chicken is coated. 

Serve with rice. 

Creamy Chicken Noodles

Ingredients (Makes 4 meals with leftovers)

1 bag Egg Noodles

2 cans Cream of Chicken soup

1 Cans Milk

Cheese

Butter

Instructions:

Cook Egg Noodles until ready. 

Combine soup, milk, cheese and butter and warm in pan. When cheese is melted add noodles back to pan. Serve Hot. 

Creamy Skillet Tomato Spinach Chicken

4 Chicken Breasts

1 tbsp Olive Oil

2 spoons garlic

1 pint Cherry Tomatoes

1 cup Chicken Stock

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

1/2 cup Grated Parmesan

4 cups Baby Spinach

Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Start noodles or rice.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook and set the chicken aside on separate plate.

Add to the same pan the minced garlic, chicken stock, and cherry tomatoes then allow to simmer on a low heat to let the flavors come together for 2-3 minutes. Simmer until the cherry tomatoes start to burst.

Stir in the heavy cream and the grated parmesan cheese. Mix gently until it has melted into the sauce.

Finally stir through the baby spinach until it has just wilted.

Place the chicken pieces back in the sauce to gently reheat for a moment or two.

Serve on Carb base of choice. 

Stroganoff

 Noodle of choice

2 can cream of mushroom soup

1 bag ground hamburger 

1 can of milk (split between the two soup cans) 

6 oz Sour Cream

1 spoon Beef Bouillon

Start your noodles. 

In seperate pan, warm your hamburger. Add cream of mushroom, milk and bouillon. After combined, add sour cream and noodles.

Sloppy Joe

 Bun

Can of Sloppy Joe Mix 

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

(Serves 6)

16 oz noodle of choice

1/2 cup bacon (or more if wanted)

2 small onion, diced

5 tsp Garlic 

8 oz cream cheese, cubed

3 cup milk

2 Dry Ranch Seasoning Mix packets

4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

6 cup Chopped Rotisserie Chicken (or 2 chicken breasts cubed)

1/2 cup sliced green onion

Preheat the oven to 375°F. 

Sauté onion and garlic. Whisk in the cream cheese, milk, ranch seasoning mix, and 2 cup of the mozzarella until smooth; remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, stir together the ranch mixture, cooked pasta, chicken, 1/4 cup bacon and green onion until well combined. Transfer to a pan. Sprinkle evenly with the rest of the bacon; top with the remaining 2 cups mozzarella.

Bake until the top is golden brown and crispy, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly; top with more green onion just before serving.

(If you'd like to add a vegetable to this casserole, stir in 4 cups spinach with the chicken in step 3, or add 2 cups of broccoli florets to the pasta during the last 2 minutes of its cook time.)

Homemade Mac and Cheese

Use recipe for correct servings 

(Serves 2 people)

8 oz Noodles of Choice

1 cup White Sauce

2 oz Velveeta cheese

1/4 tsp mustard powder

Shake of salt

1 cup Grated Cheddar Cheese 

Start noodles. Make white sauce. As soon as milk, and butter/flour mixture are combined with no lumps, add Velveeta cheese. Mix in mustard powder, salt (to flavor). Add grated cheese and immediately remove from heat (or you get chunky sauce). 

If it gets to thick, add milk until right thickness, 1 tbs at a time while mixing well. 

Add to drained noodles, and mix until combined. 

(Serves 4 people)

16 oz Noodles of Choice

2 cup White Sauce

4 oz Velveeta cheese

1/2 tsp mustard powder

Shake of salt

2 cup Grated Cheddar Cheese 

Start noodles. Make white sauce. As soon as milk, and butter/flour mixture are combined with no lumps, add Velveeta cheese. Mix in mustard powder, salt (to flavor). Add grated cheese and immediately remove from heat (or you get chunky sauce). 

If it gets to thick, add milk until right thickness, 1 tbs at a time while mixing well. 

Add to drained noodles, and mix until combined. 

(Serves 6 people)

24 oz Noodles of Choice

3 cup White Sauce

6 oz Velveeta cheese

3/4 tsp mustard powder

Shake of salt

3 cup Grated Cheddar Cheese 

Start noodles. Make white sauce. As soon as milk, and butter/flour mixture are combined with no lumps, add Velveeta cheese. Mix in mustard powder, salt (to flavor). Add grated cheese and immediately remove from heat (or you get chunky sauce). 

If it gets to thick, add milk until right thickness, 1 tbs at a time while mixing well. 

Add to drained noodles, and mix until combined. 

Basic White Sauce

 Makes 1 Cup White Sauce

Adjust milk proportions to get correct servings of sauce. Only add more rue if using large quantaties of sauce. 

2 TBS Butter

2 TBS Flour

1 cup Milk (use milk, cream or half and half depending on availability, Milk takes longer and cream needs to be thinned)

Melt butter in a small saucepan. Wait until butter is fully melted and pull off heat. Whisk in flour to form a thick paste. When it looks like cookie dough, whisk in 1 cup milk.  Return to medium heat. Cook and stir until desired thickness. Add extra milk if needed for right consistency.

Hawaiian Haystacks

(6 Servings)

2 cups uncooked rice (Follow rice directions)

1 chicken breasts (or 1 can of chicken)

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 can of milk                green onions

tomatoes                     cheese

pineapple                    Chinese noodles

PeasDice chicken and cook until to temperature or open can of meat and warm up. Cook rice. Mix cream of chicken and milk into bowl and warm in microwave until mixed well and warm. Warm up peas. Chop green onions and dice tomatoes. Set out all items for people to self serve.

Chunky Tomato Spaghetti Sauce

 (6 people)

2 onions                                 2 tsp Italian seasoning

4 beefsteak tomatoes             Garlic powder

1/2 Tbs Garlic                       Onion Powder

                                              Salt and Pepper

Dice onions and tomatoes. Onion will cook to same size. Tomatoes will cook to half its size. 

Cook onions until slightly clear and soft. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until the garlic starts to get a little brown. Add tomatoes. Add Italian seasoning then add garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste. Cook until tomatoes are half the size and to texture desired. 

Serve with favorite type of noodle (doesn't work well with elbow noodles.)

Fajitas

 (6 People)

3 peppers                                            2 fajita spice packets

3 onions                                              water according to spice packet

3 chicken breasts

Slice peppers, onions and chicken into small strips. Cook onions and peppers in a small amount of oil until they are soft. Remove peppers and onions into bowl. Cook chicken in small amounts of oil until meat temperature is 165 degrees with the thermometer. Add onions and peppers back into pan and add spice packets and water to pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes until sauce is well mixed. 

Serve with tortillas, cheese, sour cream, tomato, lettuce. and avocado. 

Rice

2 cups Rice                          1 tsp Salt

4 cups Water                         1/4 cup Butter

Put everything in the pan. Stick on high heat to bring to a rolling boil. As soon as it starts to boil, put on lid, and turn heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes. Let sit 3-5 minutes before serving or adding other ingredients.

Roast

Roast                                                   carrots

Onion, Sliced                                      pepper, sliced

Garlic powder                                     salt

Ground pepper                                    onion salt

Beef bouillon

In Crockpot put vegetables in a layer at the bottom of the pot.   Put roast on top.  Add a nice layer of all the seasonings on top.   Turn on high with lid on.   If meat is frozen cook for 6-7 hours.  If meat is thawed cook for 4-5 hours.   Don’t lift lid!

Meat Loaf

(will vary slightly depending on mood)

Hamburger                                          Onion

Pepper                                                 Grated Cheese

1 can tomato sauce                              1 egg

Bread crumbs                                      ground pepper

Salt                                                      garlic powder

Onion powder                                     season salt

Mince onion and pepper into small pieces.  Mix everything else in bowl.  Things without amounts will vary depending on what looks good.   Either cook right away or put in Freezer bags and freeze till ready to use.  Cook in 9 x 13 pan at 350 for a hour.   Drain extra grease before serving.

Chili (crock pot)

2 cans Small red chili beans                2 cans diced tomatoes

Hamburger                                          Chili seasoning packet

Onion                                                  bell pepper

Sauté diced onions and pepper.   Brown hamburger and drain grease.   Add to crock pot with all cans (don’t drain)  and seasoning packet.  Mix and then cook 3+ hours without lifting lid.