Crockpot Mexican Chicken

Okay, I know I say this every time I post something, but I believe I might have found a new favorite recipe. I feel pretty confident this time because I've made this about 6 times since I first found it a couple of months ago. I've also gotten a couple people hooked on it, so I take that as a good sign. This chicken is pretty darn good by itself, but it's also fabulous as a taco base or even over pasta (as beautifully showcased here). I also like to add a little cheese and jalapeños to the top of mine.

Note: Since I've tried this a few times, I've found that chicken tenderloins work out better if you're putting this over pasta. It eliminates the need to shred the chicken and it will cook faster.

Ingredients:

1 package boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins or breasts. (this can be anywhere from 1-1.5 pounds)
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 cup of salsa (any kind is fine, but the chunky kind is less runny)
1 cup of plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream, if you prefer)
1 package of taco seasoning

Directions:

1. Add everything but the chicken. Stir until blended.
2. Add chicken, making sure it's covered in the sauce.
3. Cook on low for about 4-6 hours, or until chicken is white all the way through. Note: Cook time can vary depending on how you cut your chicken. It can take longer if you're using whole chicken breasts.

Recipe slightly varied from Chef Mommy.

Excuses, Excuses

Oh, hi there!

So I haven't posted in a while. Sorry about that! I have some new stuff to share with you, though! I haven't had a lot of time to cook, but I do have some recipes in store for you in the coming weeks.

Now, as for Tunesday... I've actually started DJing on a local radio station. It's a 1.5 hour show and I mostly play indie and folk-y music. Shocking, right? Anyway, I'll post some of the playlists soon. I'm recording my shows, but 1.) My first couple of shows were horrible and 2.) I'm not sure if anyone even wants to hear it. (haha!) But that might be something I'll be posting in the future.

Anyway... stay tuned.

I miss you.

love,
Laina

Tunesday - Joshua Radin

First, I'd just like to apologize for the lack of posts lately. I've had a lot of stuff going on with school and social events. Please forgive me! Here's an adorable song to brighten your day. Honestly, it's one of the sweetest songs I've ever heard. One word: duet.I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

love,
Laina

Tunesday -- mewithoutYou

I had heard snipets from mewithoutYou when I was younger, but one of my friends absolutely adores them. Through his love for them, I was given the opportunity to really appreciate them. I finally got to check them out in Richmond, VA back in August. I feel like they'd probably be really stellar, but the combination of an inexperienced sound tech and our location made it somewhat lackluster. The day I had was fantastic, and I do appreciate them a lot, so I can't complain too much. It's incentive to see them again!

Here's a song from their newest album Ten Stories (which is, you guessed it, stories!).

Here's a picture from the show we went to. You can see that we had an awesome view, but we were catching the bouncing sides of the sound and a lot of sound from the on-stage monitor speakers.

love,
Laina

Tunesday - The Lumineers

"The opposite of love is indifference."

I've been falling in love with this band for a while now. My life has been super hectic and a little stressful. This particular song is one that I can listen to and instantly feel calm. Not only does this folky band have a great sound (um, hello... violin!), but they're also lyrically gifted. Man, I would love to see them live.

Take a break from your day, stop whatever you're doing, and just listen to this. Really take it in.

Until next time.

love,
Laina

Tunesday - Kate Nash

Sorry for the lack of posts. I've been super busy with school lately. I underestimated working full time and going to school too. Oh well. The good news is that my moodiness has lead me into the arms of some pretty fantastic music.

I really dig Kate Nash. I love that she has this angry and torn vibe going on. The first song is super relevant to my life.

I hope your week is fantastic! I'm going to try to post a new recipe by the end of the week.

love,
Laina

Crockpot Lemon Italian Chicken

This is one of my most coveted Pinterest finds for two reasons: 1. It's wicked good and 2. It's astonishingly easy. I can be a pretty lazy person, so I love a recipe that requires little effort. Not only that, but the main dish only requires 4 (yes, 4) ingredients. So here's the thing, this recipe varies around the web since the original post isn't available. The amounts are somewhat dubious, but here's what I did tonight. I liked this over pasta, but I'm thinking it'd be really good with rice too.

Note: I doubled the recipe that I originally found.

Ingredients:

About 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. (I used 2 super big breasts that I halved.)
1 stick margarine/butter (I used about 1 1/4 stick of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter)
2 packets of ranch dressing mix
Lemon juice to taste (I used about 3 tbs)

Directions:

1. Let the butter melt in the crock pot. I do this on the High setting.
2. Add lemon juice and ranch packets. Stir until well blended.
3. Add chicken and make sure it's coated with the liquid.
4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. I check on it every couple of hours and ladle the liquid over the chicken.