Ranch Chicken Skillet

Ingredients:

2 tsp Olive oil
2 cups cooked chicken (bite sized pieces)
1 lb pkg of broccoli stir fry veggies
2 T ranch dressing mix
1 can black beans, drained
½ cup instant brown rice, uncooked
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
½ cup chicken broth
minced dried onion (to taste)
shredded cheese

Directions:

In deep skillet, heat oil, chicken, frozen stirfry, ranch dressing mix and saute for 2 minutes.

Stir in onion flakes, beans, tomatoes, rice and broth. Bring to a boil, then cover. Simmer on low for 5 minutes until rice is tender.

Sprinkle cheese over skillet and let stand covered for 5 minutes until liquid is absorbed.

Italian Peasant Soup

This one takes a lot of chopping, but after that it's fast. Makes a ton, I often serve this for gatherings, but I freeze serving sizes in ziplocs when we make it for ourselves.

1 lb. sausage links, cut in 1" pieces

1 lb. cubed cooked chicken

1 large or 2 med. onions, chopped

6 large garlic cloves, minced (I use equivalent of preminced garlic from jar)

2 cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained

2 cans (3.5 cups) chicken broth

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano

6 handfuls of fresh spinach (small bag or half of a large bag), chopped

grated parmesan

In skillet/cast iron preferred over med. heat, cook sausage til no longer pink, transfer to large dutch oven/pot. Cook onions (& garlic if you're using fresh garlic) in skillet til tender, transfer to pot. Cook chicken if uncooked til no longer pink, transfer to pot. Add broth, beans, tomatoes, basil and oregano (& garlic if using preminced). Cook uncovered 10 min. Add spinach and heat just til wilted. Sprinkle with parmesan.

Even finicky kids eat it - just don't tell them ahead of time there is spinach! I get raves over this soup all the time and often lots of people go back for seconds.

Kidney Bean and Rice Curry

My friend posted this on Making Home Work and after ordering the Garam Masala from SpiceSage.com (free shipping!) we tried it and it will now be on the menu more often! Of course, I tweaked the recipe, I tweak everything anymore.

Kidney Bean Curry
A Delicious & Nourishing Indian Dish

Ingredients
3-4 tbls. oil
1 onion chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
2 minced garlic
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp curry (or tumeric)
1 heaping tsp garam masala (found in Indian grocery stores or perhaps International section of your local grocery)
2 cans kidney beans (don't drain)

Prepared Rice


Directions
Fry onions in large pot until translucent (about five minutes). Add ginger, garlic and tumeric, fry for one minute. Add tomatoes and remaining spices. Let simmer for ten minutes until oil separates from spices. Add kidney beans and salt to taste. If there isn't enough curry, add a little water. Simmer for 1/2 hour and serve with Basmati or Jasmine rice.

Optional: add a variety of vegetables. I added grated carrots, and roasted red peppers. To learn how to roast a red pepper click here Sometimes I add spinach.