Chicken and Biscuits

This is an easy crockpot meal. Perfect for Sunday dinner. Our family loves this meal with our favorite Drop Biscuits. I usually make this at least once a month in the fall and winter.

Sorry, no photo!

· 2 envelopes chicken gravy mix
· 2 cups water
· ¾ cup chicken broth
· 1 garlic clove, minced
· 1 Tbl minced fresh parsley
· 1-2 tsp chicken bouillon granules
· ½ tsp pepper
· 1 large onion, cut into wedges
· 3-4 chicken breasts (I use two and it is plenty for us)
· 3 Tbl flour
· 1/3 cup cold water
· 10 biscuits

Directions: In a slow cooker, combine gravy mix, water, broth, garlic, parsley, bouillon, and pepper until blended. Add the onion and chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. At this point, shred your chicken if you want it shredded. Increase heat to high. In a small bowl, combine the flour and cold water until smooth. Gradually stir into slow cooker. Cover and cook for 1 hour (but I usually only cook for 20 minutes and its just fine!) Use chicken gravy to top biscuits.

Can also serve on top of rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes.

Drop Biscuits

We love these biscuits at our house. I make them all the time! They are fast to throw together too. Because they are drop biscuits it takes less time than rolling and cutting.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk (can also use homemade buttermilk: 1 cup milk & mix in 1 Tbl white vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes)

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda onto a sheet of wax paper, then sift again into a bowl. Blend in butter with your fingertips or with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. (There will be small butter lumps. Don't worry, they cook in nicely.)

Add buttermilk and stir with a fork until a dough just forms (dough will be moist). Drop onto baking sheet or baking stone with a spoon.

Bake until pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool to room temperature. Makes 6-10 biscuits, depending on the size you drop them.

Make Your Own Condensed Soups

Back in 2008 I learned how to make my own condensed soups...specifically cream of chicken, cream of mushroom and cream of celery. But I most often use cream of chicken. Making these soups yourself is so much healthier! And it is SO easy! I got away from doing this for awhile but I am back doing it again. It has helped me with my 2012 Grocery Budget Crack-Down Plan.

Here is the recipe for cream of chicken soup. I made it just last night for my family to use in gravy for Hawaiian Haystacks. It tastes so much better than the canned version. Plus, it helps me use my food storage.

Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup
1 c. Magic Mix
3/4 c. Chicken Broth (either from a can, bouillon, or liquid from canned chicken)
1 t. Dry Parsley
Dash of Onion Salt

Mix together with wire whisk over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.


Magic Mix
2 1/3 c. powdered milk
1 c. all purpose flour
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, room temperature (NO margarine!)

Combine together in a mixer bowl. I use my Bosch. Whip up nice and thoroughly until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Put in the fridge and use for a variety of recipes, including condensed soups. (Using it for chocolate pudding is really good!) Will keep in the fridge for several months.

Quick Chicken & Rice Burritos

This recipe is FAST, easy and delicious! It is now a regular on our menu. Everyone loved it at our house.

Original Recipe Source

• 1 (12.5 oz) can canned chicken, drained
• 1 pkg taco seasoning mix (or 1/8 c. homemade mix)
• 1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed Tomato Soup
• 1 3/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cup uncooked instant white rice (like Minute Rice)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 12 flour tortillas

1. Add chicken to a skillet and break up into pieces.
2. Mix in the seasoning mix, soup, water, and rice. Bring to boil over medium heat.
3. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook for 5 minutes until the rice is tender and water is absorbed.
4. Place 2 Tbsp of shredded cheese in the center of each tortilla. Add some of the chicken/rice mixture to the center on top of the cheese and roll up burrito style.

2012 Menu Planning

I blog for Pinching Your Pennies and this month I am doing a series I am calling the 2012 Grocery Budget Crack-Down Plan. Here is what I am doing this year to cut down on my grocery bill:

CRACK-DOWN PLAN
1. I would like to spend no more than $300 per month for my family of 6. We are starting to eat more fresh foods so I am leaving my budget flexible at the beginning until I see how much we eat and how much things will cost. I will adjust if necessary.
2. We will eat out no more than once per month. That includes Little Ceaser’s Hot N Ready Pizza (which has become too much of a friend to us).
3. I will plan my menus out a month at a time. I would like to get 6 months at a time if possible. Meal planning always helps me spend less at the store and takes the headache out of the end of the day.
4. Cook from scratch as much as possible.
5. Start couponing again as much as possible for the foods we eat.
6. Use supplies from my food storage and stockpile to fuel my meals. This will get us used to the food I store as well as rotate what I have.

In case you are interested, here is my January Menu Plan. It is a pdf file in Google Docs. I am starting to plan out my menus a month in advance. I have already done January and February! It feels so good.

You can follow along if you like. Through the next  month I am posting about my progress, if I am staying on budget or not, and lots of tips and helpful hints. Here are the posts I have made so far.

2012 Grocery Budget Crack-Down Plan
2012 Grocery Budget Crack-Down Plan: Menu Planning
2012 Grocery Budget Crack-Down Plan: Menu Planning Binder

Lasagna Soup

This soup I saw on Pinterest. It was delicious, although a little on the spicy side for me and the kids. Chad loved it!

Lasagna Soup


for the soup:
2 tsp. olive oil
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
3 c. chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 T. tomato paste
1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 c. chicken stock
8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta (I actually used Raditore. Looks like mini lasgana noodles.)
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

for the cheesy yum:
8 oz. ricotta
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy. Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

Homemade Playdough

This is a playdough recipe from Mom. I remember her making this all the time growing up. We never had store-bought playdough. I made these two for the girls and some friends last week and they were entertained for over an hour!

Homemade Playdough
Boil 1 cup water. Then add:


1/4 c. salt
1 Tbl. alum powder
1 Tbl. baby oil
food coloring of your choice


Then stir in 1 c. flour. Add a little more if needed. Knead together. Cool and store in an air tight container.