Connie's Tuesday Kitchen: 5 Easy Crock Pot/ Instant Pot Dinners that are Easy on the Budget! By Connie Vines

What's the saying? "Winner, Winner. Chicken Dinner!"

Five Family pleasing meals that are easy on the budget  😍🥰 and the family will love!

Straight from Connie's Kitchen🍽

  BBQ Chicken :

3-4 Chicken breasts/tenders  (boneless, skinless).

16 oz bottle of BBQ Sauce (whatever I have in the fridge).

1/2 cup Zesty Italian Dressing

1/4 cup brown sugar

Put in the crock pot and chicken. Mix together ingredients. Cook low: 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.

Shred with a fork and serve on buns for yummy BBQ chicken sammies. Leave them whole and serve with some garlic mashed potatoes and veggies. For a twist during hot weather: serve as I did this week:  french bread that had been buttered and toasted under the broiler, shred the chicken and add a side of broccoli. 😋   

2. Orange Chicken :

3-4 Chicken breasts

1 cup BBQ sauce

1 cup Orange Marmalade

1-2 tsp soy sauce (optional)

Cut chicken into cubes and put it in the crock pot./Instant Pot Mix ingredients together and pour over chicken. Cook low: 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours. 

Serve this with a side of homemade fried rice and add a ton of veggies, or rice noodles/low-mein noodles and veggies! Beats takeout every time! 🍽

3. Creamy Ranch Chicken

3-4 Chicken breasts

1 can Cream of Chicken (I prefer low-sodium)

1 packet Ranch dressing mix

1 packet Italian seasoning packet

1/2 package of cream cheese (4 oz) 

Mix together the cream of chicken soup, ranch, and Italian seasoning. Place chicken in the crock pot and pour mixture over. Cook low: 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours. 

Once done, shred with a fork and add the cream cheese to add thickness and make it creamy. Serve over egg noodles or rice.😋

4. Salsa Chicken

3-4 Chicken breasts

1 jar of salsa

1 can of black beans

1 can corn (Usually do not have canned corn and substitute frozen)

Mix all ingredients together and put them in the crock pot. Cook low: 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours. Shred with a fork. 

Serve over rice,🍚 use as filling for burritos 🌯🌯, or toss on top of lettuce for a fun taco salad 🥗.

5. Ranch Chicken Tacos

3-4 Chicken breasts

1 can of chicken broth (I prefer low-sodium)

1 packet ranch mix

1 packet of taco seasoning

Put everything in the crockpot/Instant Pot and let it do its magic! Cook low: 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours. 

Shred with a fork when done; serve in a taco shell with your favorite toppings! Super fun and easy for Taco Tuesday! 🌮🌮🌮🌮

If there are leftovers, you will have a take-to-work lunch for tomorrow. 🚗🚌

May your kitchen be filled with Gingerbread Hugs and Peppermint Kisses,

Connie

Connie's Tuesday Kitchen: Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup By Connie Vines #Keto Friendly, #WW points, #Yummy Soup,

 Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

This broccoli cheddar soup is one of my favorite soups and the best easy recipe soup for all of us counting calories or points! 😋

INGREDIENTS

  2 cups Broccoli diced (small)

8 tbsp Butter

16 oz Cheddar Cheese shredded or grated

½ cup Onion diced

½ cup Celery diced

3 cup Chicken Broth optional

1 cup Cream (heavy whipped cream)

1 tbsp Salt

1 tbsp Black Pepper powder

3-4 cloves Garlic minced or finely chopped

½ tbsp Paprika Powder optional

1 tbsp Cornflour 

INSTRUCTIONS

 1..Wash the broccoli under water and cut it into small pieces, separating the florets from the stalks. You can be chopped roughly the stalks if you want.

2  Heat the pan or put the saucepan with butter on a medium flame. If you put the flame on high, your butter will burn.

3.  Add chopped onion and fry this well. When you see the onion turns light brown, then add salt, pepper, and garlic, and saute them a little until you get a nice flavor from it.

4.  Then add the chopped broccoli and stir gently until this broccoli is soft and light green. Sprinkle cornflour on top of butter and onion.

5. Add chicken broth or water. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes with the lid on the pot.

Optional: sprinkle with paprika, combine well and cook for another minute. 

6. Let the mixture come to a boil and then simmer for a few minutes. Combine well and add more pepper and salt if necessary. If the soup is too thick, you can add some water or broth.

7.  Set the temperature to medium. Add the cream and cheese,  whisking gently. Cook until the cheese is melted perfectly. 

8. Serve hot and garnished with shredded cheddar cheese or green broccoli.

                                                                    😋🥣🥦🧀

We all love leftovers! 

After the soup has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container or jar.

Keep the soup in the fridge and you can store it for about 3-4 days.

Q and A:

Q. Can Broccoli Cheese Soup be frozen? 

A. Yes. Cooled soup can be ladled into plastic containers or resealable plastic bags and frozen for up to 6 months. 

Q. What do you serve with broccoli soup?

A. Broccoli soup cheese is so delicious and heavy. So light, salad, vinegar-based side dish great to serve well, like salad or coleslaw-based side dish.

 " Soup is the song of the hearth and the home."

Connie

XOXO