Slow-cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Okay, so I love Pinterest.  I have found some real winners as far as recipes go.  This one is one of them from Polish the Stars.  It is so simple, goes in the crockpot, and makes you feel really great when you eat it.  I have made this recipe quite a few times and my kids can't get enough.  I was worried that the biscuits wouldn't be good, but they hold their flakiness in the dish.  It is not the most health conscience, but on these cold windy Idaho days it is awesome.

1lb of Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (3-5)
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
2 cans (10.5oz) Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can (14oz) Chicken Broth (I use two cans so I can add more biscuits)
1 medium White Onion, diced
4 Large Flaky Refrigerator Biscuits  (I use a whole can)

Place chicken in crock pot and top with butter. Add cream of chicken soup, chicken broth and diced onions. Cook on High for 4-6 hours.  Remove chicken from crock pot and use a fork to shred. Return chicken to the crock pot. Cut each uncooked biscuit into 9 pieces and stir into the chicken mixture. Continue to cook on High for 30 minutes. Serve hot.
Makes about 6-8 servings.

Vegetable Enchiladas

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and it came from Perry's Plate. I was a little skeptical, but we didn't miss the meat at all. I am kind of picky right now about strong flavors and I only like what I like. Hopefully it will get better in a few months. I loved these and two of my four kids loved them. I have two kids that think black beans are pure torture to eat. Definitely a quick fix meal and easy to substitute in things if you wanted.

1 10-oz can mild enchilada sauce
3 cups (12 ounces) grated pepper jack cheese or whatever you have on hand
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 box (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed or 1 can corn kernels, drained
6 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
1 teaspoon cumin
1-2 teaspoons Williams-Sonoma Spicy Chipotle Rub  (I just used taco seasoning)
1 teaspoon salt [if using 2 teaspoons rub or taco seasoning, reduce to 1/2 teaspoon and add more as needed]
1/2 teaspoon pepper
16 small corn tortillas (6-inch) or 8-10 (depending on how big you roll them) flour tortillas [we used 6-inch tortillas and ended up with 12 enchiladas, and filling to make 2 more if we had room in the pan]

Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine 2 cups pepper jack cheese, black bean, corn, scallion whites, rub (or taco seasoning), and cumin. Season mixture lightly with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9×13 baking dish [two 8-inch square baking dishes will also work, and set aside. Stack the tortillas, and wrap in damp paper towels; microwave on high for 1 minute, or, if you have a moral objection to bombarding your food with microwaves, stack and wrap in aluminum foil and heat them in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes.

Top each tortilla with a heaping [seriously – heaping] 1/3 cup of filling, roll them up tightly and arrange, seam side down, in prepared baking dishes. Sprinkle the enchiladas with remaining 1 cup pepper jack cheese.

[If you want to make this ahead of time, you can stop right here, cover the dishes with plastic wrap and foil, and freeze the enchiladas for up to 2 months.]

Top with enchilada sauce. Bake the enchiladas uncovered until hot and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. [If baking from frozen, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes first, then uncover and bake for 15 more minutes.] Cool for 5 minutes and serve garnished with scallion greens.

**The original recipe called for frozen spinach thawed and squeezed dry and added to the filling.