Busy Days & Slow Cooker Cola Chicken

Is it me or did summer just flown by? It feels like it just began and already its over. I miss the lazy days of summer and this summer has been anything but lazy.

We were very busy over the summer by making friends, playing a lot and taking some family time to do some traveling and camping. However, we have been so busy that dinner is usually late and quickly put together. I started thumbing through my cookbooks to find something quick and easy for dinner and something that I knew my family would chow down on and eat at a more normal time. Plus with school now session this recipe is great for the busy nights of after school activities!

In a new cookbook purchased at my favorite little shop, Euna Maes in Springdale, "The Southern Pantry Cookbook" by Jennifer Chandler is a simple recipe for "Slow Cooker Cola Chicken." The picture looked good and I just happened to have all the ingredients, so I gave it a try.

Y'all, this chicken was so tender, it kept falling off the bone as I was trying to put it on a serving plate. Hence, no pretty photo of my chicken. The chicken was moist and it had that smokey BBQ sauce flavor that we all love but at the end you could taste a little bit of the cola. So yummy!! Plus my family ate at a normal time, I barely had to do anything to make it, the ingredients are cheap and I didn't have to stand outside in this unbearable heat to grill or heat up my house to cook in the kitchen.

Enjoy!!

(Sorry I have no photo of my end result, again, it kept falling off the bone, so it didn't look as pretty)

Slow Cooker Cola Chicken

Ingredients

4 split, bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 3 pounds) or any cut of chicken

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered

1 lemon, quartered

1 (18oz) bottle barbecue sauce

1 (12oz) can cola (not diet)

Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Generously season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a slow cooker AKA crock pot. Add the onion and lemon. Pour the barbecue sauce and pop AKA soda over the top.

Cover and cook and low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for about 4 hours.

*You will need at least a 3 1/2 quart slower cooker for this recipe.*

**Slow cookers cook best when the lid remains tightly in place. Opening the lid often will require additional cooking time.**

Enjoy!

Bubble Up Enchiladas

Looking for something a little different for dinner tonight? This meal is so easy to make and the kiddos will love it! Goes great with a side salad and fills the tummy up to be left satisfied. Hope your tribe enjoys this as much as mine did!

Bubble Up Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ lbs ground beef or ground turkey
• 1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce
• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (7.5 oz) can refrigerator biscuits, cut into quarters 
• 1 cup shredded low fat Mexican Cheese 
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
• Lightly mist a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
• Brown ground beef  in a large skillet or sauté pan. Drain fat.
• Combine the beef, enchilada sauce, tomato sauce and black beans, together.
•  Stir the biscuit pieces into the meat mixture.
• Transfer the entire mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly. 
• Bake for 25 minutes. 
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle the cheese on top. 
• Bake an additional 10 minutes. 
• Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Homemade Italian Meatballs

Eating meatballs in this family is like eating your veggies. It's a must. We have meatballs at least a few times a month and its pretty much my go to when I have to feed a crowd.

These are great served in crock pot full of spaghetti sauce or on their own. Put them in a zip lock baggie for a quick high protein treat, or eat them on a sub smothered in sauce and mozzarella cheese, or even served them on top a pizza and wash down with a cold beer! These are simply delicious and you can't go wrong any way you choose to eat them! 

Enjoy!

Homemade Italian Meatballs

Ingredients

2 slices sourdough bread

8 oz ground turkey

3-4 Italian sausage links (casings removed)

1 cup minced onion

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 TBSP milk

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

4 cloves minced garlic

1 large egg

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parcment paper

Process bread in a food processor

Combine crumbs, turkey, sausage, onion, basil, Parmesan cheese, milk, salt, pepper, garlic and egg.

Mix well, go on, get your hands in there and get dirty! 

Use a small spoon to shape turkey mixture into meatballs, dropping them on the lined baking sheet. 

Bake 20-25 minutes or until browned and cooked through.