Crockpot Buffalo Chicken (only 4 ingredients!)

I feel like I only post about super recipes, and this one may just be the most simple one yet.

We both liked it, and it is one of those meals to keep in mind when I do not have a lot of prep time but have enough advance notice to throw it in a crockpot in time.

Ingredients:
2-5 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken - (I did 2ish pounds, and it was plenty for us.)
12 oz of hot sauce (I mixed multiple bottles of hot sauce that we had in the fridge to get enough.)
a packet of ranch dressing mix
shredded cheese (however much/what type you like)

Pour the hot sauce in the crockpot. Place the chicken on top of the sauce. Sprinkle the ranch dressing mix on top of the chicken. Cook on low for 5 hours. Take the chicken out and place on a plate. Use two forks to shred the chicken. Return to sauce in the crockpot and mix sauce and chicken well. Cook for another hour on low.

Add cheese on top when you are making your plate. Enjoy!

Book Review: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

My co-worker Jon told me I needed to read this book by Malcolm Gladwell. When I went to the library to get my next set of books for the drive to Tallahassee for an AAC meeting, I remembered it picked this up to listen to it instead.

It turns out that Jon was suggesting Tipping Point, so I will read that one next.  I had heard Outliers reference a lot in graduate school but never got the chance to read it until now.

Side note: I saw Malcolm Gladwell on The View recently promoting his new book, Talking to Strangers. It seems really promising, and I want to read that one.

When I am not driving, books on CD are also useful because I listen to them while cooking and it is a hands-free activity. I like multi-tasking. Additionally, many times the author reads her or his own book, and I like to hear the books in their voices. It is almost like hearing them write it as they think it into existence.

This book may just change the way you think. Do outliers exist? Malcolm Gladwell explains his answer. He goes through famous cases of people and events and describes how factors, some which people could control and some which the people had no part in, influence our lives.  Some of these factors even happened in our ancestors' lives.

This book might affect how you look at success and really successful people. There is definitely more there than the outcome and the deeper story can explain what aligned to get that successful person to where they are.

One takeaway from this book is that it takes about 10, 000 hours to master something. That old saying, "Practice makes perfect," is true. Thanks, Mom.  That is about 20 hours a week for 10 years. Start those kids young on things they love like an instrument or a fruitful hobby. It takes time to get good.

He ends the book with an epilogue that talks about his family history, and I like how he goes from the impersonal to personal. It makes you think about your family and how you got to where you are. It may make you rethink those old family stories and their place in your current life.

(Also, there is a cool interview with Malcolm on the book on CD version of this at the end.)

This not an entertaining book, but it is a very useful and thought-provoking one. It is backed up with lots of scientific evidence and studies, so it is not just an opinion piece.

If you like re-thinking and re-examining things you think you already know, check this one out.

No Name Casserole: The Remix

You may have read about the note recipe I found in the recipe box. If not, you can check it out here. It is a super easy yet delicious meal for when you do not have a lot of time to prep and are trying to get away with cooking from something for which you already have the ingredients.

This was a different take on that simple meal you can make when you really just do not have a lot of time with ingredients you might already have in your kitchen. (I had them on hand.) I just made this one up, and it turned out well.

It is kind of like a taco casserole.

Take a pound of ground beef or ground turkey or chicken. (I used ground turkey.) Add a can of whole kernel corn (not drained), a can of Rotel (not drained), one diced and sauteed onion, and however many jalapenos you would like.  Mix it all together. Put it in a casserole dish.  Sprinkle with taco seasoning and ranch mix. If you want a recipe on how to make your own taco seasoning, which is what I used, check it out here.  Top with cheese.  (I used a jalapeno cheddar mix.)

Cook at 375 for 40 minutes.

The original was good. The remix might be better. I liked them both.  Enjoy!

Low Calorie Chronicles: Ranch and Bacon Butternut Fries

These are such a delicious alternative to potato fries. Between these and the carrot ones I will post soon I think I actually like them more because they have more flavor and are less bland than potatoes. Plus, they are less calories and more healthy for you. They'll put more color in your diet.

And there is ranch and bacon!

These are only 235 calories per serving.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup fat free sour cream
1/2 tablespoon ranch dressing/dip seasoning mix
one 2 pound or half of a 4 pound butternut squash (20 oz. once peeled and sliced)
1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
4 slices turkey bacon (I actually like this better than "real" bacon.)
optional topping: chopped scallions

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray 2 baking sheets with non-stick spray.

In a small bowl, thoroughly mix sour cream with ranch mix. Cover and refrigerate.

Peel squash and slice off the ends. Cut in half widthwise, just about the round section. Cut the round piece in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.

Cut squash into French fry-shaped spears. Thoroughly pat dry. Lay spears on the sheets and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 20 minutes.

Flip spears and bake until mostly tender on the inside and crispy on the outside, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook bacon until crispy, either in a skillet over medium heat or on a microwave-safe plate in the microwave. (See package for cook time.) Cut into very thin strips.

Toss fries with bacon strips and drizzle or serve with ranch mixture.

makes 2 servings



*This recipe was from the Hungry Girl to the Max cookbook.*

Book Review: Dream More:Celebrate the Dreamer in You by Dolly Parton

I cannot speak highly enough of this book! This is one you definitely want to listen to instead of read.  It goes very quickly on CDs, only 1.5 hours.

This book is based on a commencement speech that Dolly did at the University of Tennessee. She later elaborated on it and added things thought about after that fact.

What a treat! Dolly sounds like she is smiling the entire time she is reading this book. She sometimes breaks into song.

She talks a little about her life, and Dolly has always been an inspiration to me (and many others) since she came from nothing and achieved such great success.

There are great quotes in this book like, "It is a long way from the bottom of the Great Smokey Mountains to the top of the world, but I am here."

Her book is truly inspiring and motivating.

She talks some about her Imagination Library and literacy work, and there is some interesting research in it for those that educate or work in literacy outreach.

Dolly makes a lot of jokes at her own expense, and you might find yourself laughing aloud.

I would give this one more than a 10/10. I highly recommend it.  Also, I think Laura Bessent would like this one.

Low Calorie Chronicles: Bacon-Bundled BBQ Shrimp

This is only 154 calories per serving and a fun twist on barbecue. Note: South Carolina and North Carolina folks, this is not your style of barbecue. It is tomato based, which is the kind I grew up with, although I did grow to appreciate the mustard and vinegar based ones of the Carolinas.

This recipe makes 4 servings, but it does not feel like a lot of food. You might want to double the recipe for a more hearty meal.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup canned tomato sauce
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar (not packed)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
8 slices center-cut bacon or turkey bacon, halved widthwise
16 raw, large (not jumbo) shrimp (peeled, tails removed, deveined)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix tomato sauce, ketchup, vinegar, sugar, and garlic powder.

Coat each half-slice of bacon in sauce mixture. Wrap it around a shrimp, and place on the bacon sheet, seam side down.

Bake until shrimp are cooked through (10-15 minutes).

makes 4 servings

*from Hungry Girl to the Max cookbook*

Book Review: I Finally Finished Manhattan Beach

This book is a best-seller, and my sorority alumnae club including it in one of their book clubs. I started it back in the spring in SC and eventually finished it when I was settled in FL.

I finished it mostly because I like to finish what I started, and I wanted to see if it got any better.

I did not think this book was that great, but it was set in a great time period (World War II). The setting was my favorite part of the book.

I felt like the book went slow until about 3/4 of the way through. Then the point of view started changing, and you heard from other characters. The book got more exciting then, and I looked forward to listening to it at that point.

There are a few plot twists,  and I did like part of the ending. However, the actual very ending of the book left me unsure if the book actually ended. (I listened to it on tape so I could multi-task.)

It did get me more intrigued about diving during this time and made me think of my one friend that does underwater archaeology.

I give it a 5/10, and I do not recommend listening to it when you drive because it is not that riveting. I also felt like the main character was a bit flat; she needed a bit more personality. Actually, all of the characters could have used more fleshing out.

If you have read this one or end up reading it, let me know what you think. I do wonder what exactly so many people liked about this book. Let me know what it is for you.

Low Calorie Chronicles: Movie Snack Sandwiches

These sandwiches are only 158 calories per serving! I like them especially because I like mixing flavors, and there is a little bit of salty and sweet here.

It certainly was an interesting dessert. I think I liked them more than Jared. He wanted either a different flavored rice cake or ice cream between the rice cakes.

Anyway, this is an unique treat that is good for the still hot temperatures around here.

You will have to plan a little ahead of time because they need to freeze beforehand. I just kept them in the freezer until we finished eating them all, which was fine too.

Ingredients
8 oz. container Cool Whip free (thawed)
3 pieces Twizzlers Strawberry Twists, finely chopped
1 tablespoon mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon chopped peanuts
14 full-sized butter-flavored rice cakes

Directions
Place Cool Whip in a medium-large bowl. Gently stir in chopped Twizzlers, chocolate chips, and chopped peanuts.

Evenly distribute Cool Whip mixture among 7 rice cakes, a heaping 1/4 cup each.

Lightly place another rice cake over each filling-topped cake to form 7 sandwiches.

Place sandwiches in an even layer on two places or a baking sheet and freeze until filling is firm, at least 1 1/2 hours. Enjoy!

makes 7 servings

Low Calorie Chronicles: Orange Chicken

Orange chicken is my favorite Chinese dish. I also love orange flavored pretty much anything.

This is a healthier version (not fried) of one of my favorites.

It is delicious. 10/10 I highly recommend.

It also only dirties one pan/wok.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 pound ground chicken
1 tbsp ginger root minced
2 tsp garlic minced
1/4 tsp hot red chili pepper crushed
1 tbsp rice wine (or rice wine vinegar is what I used because I had it on hand)
2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp sesame oil
4 tsp soy sauce
5 tbsp sugar
5 tbsp white vinegar
zest of 1/2 orange
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp cornstarch



To make the sauce combine the rice wine, 2 tablespoons water, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, white vinegar, and orange zest.


To make the cornstarch mixture, dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in the remaining 1 tablespoon of water and set aside.


In a large pan add 1 tablespoon oil and ground chicken. Add the orange sauce and bring to boil. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pan and cook for just a few seconds, stirring until it thickens.


Cook until a good crust forms before breaking apart, then finish cooking by breaking it apart with a spatula and cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes.


Once the chicken is cooked, add the ginger, garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for about 10 seconds.

Makes 4 servings

Low Calorie Chronicles: Asian Style Honey BBQ Chicken

We like Chinese food as I have said before in this blog, and this was a great alternative that is not fried. Each serving is only 291 calories.

Note: I should have cut the meat up, but it was frozen and not cutting up well when I was starting so I just did the same amount of ounces in bigger pieces.

This is from the Hungry Girl to the Max cookbook.

Do not forget to allot for the marinating time in preparation.

Nutritional information per serving (1/2 recipe, about 7 pieces)
291 calories
3.5 g fat
1,061 mg sodium
28g carbs
.5 g fiber
25 g sugar
35 protein

You'll need: small bowl, large sealable bag, baking pan, nonstick spray, pastry brush
Prep: 15 mins
Marinate: 30 minutes
Cook:  20 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp reduced sodium/light soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
2 tsp chopped scallions

Directions:
In a small bowl, thoroughly mix hoisin sauce, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and cayenne pepper.

Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in a large sealable bag. Add 3 tablespoons of the sauce mixture and seal. Set remaining sauce aside. Marinate chicken in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking pan with nonstick spray.

Place chicken in the pan and discard the bag of excess marinade. Bake for 8 minutes.

Flip chicken and brush with remaining sauce. Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 8 more minutes.

Serve topped with sesame seeds and scallions.

Makes 2 servings

Jared made hot chili oil.

We were eating left-overs from Uncle Jiang, and Jared wanted to make some of the hot oil like we sometimes get with our Chinese food.

There was a previous failed attempt by using the wrong pepper, but he quickly fixed the error and had some pretty good hot chili oil pretty quickly and mostly effortlessly.

Here's how to make it in case you want some too.

1/4 c. japones chili peppers (ground in a blender)
1/2 c. vegetable oil
sprinkle of salt (pinch or two)
light sprinkle of garlic powder

Heat the oil to around 400 degrees (before smoking point). Combine the dry ingredients. Mix it all together. Stir and cool before use. Enjoy.

(This does not need to be refrigerated.)

I know this is typically used for Chinese dishes, but I dipped some potato chips in it and that was nice too.

Book Review: Whiskey In A Teacup

full title: Whiskey In A Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love, and Baking Biscuits

I do a lot of driving these days between advising the chapter in Tallahassee and every time I go home for anything, and there have been baby showers and birthday parties just about every weekend lately. Listening to a book on cd always makes the ride go more quickly (if it is a good one at least), and it can help you not focus on high stress situations like the inevitable bottenecking of the Mobile Tunnel.

Usually books on cd are much longer than this one; it was only 3 cds. I finished it in a trip to MS and back. The reason it was so short was that it had recipes and pictures on a PDF file; that file was 272 pages when I opened it later.

This book is lovely.

She talked about hostessing a lot, and a major takeaway here is RSVPing. A quick no is better than a long maybe. Let your yes be yes and your no be no (Matt. 5:37).  It takes a lot of effort to plan a party and to leave someone hanging like that is just not nice. Also, do not be the last person to leave a dinner party.

She touches on how the people at your wedding are the ones that are supposed to help hold you to your wedding vows, and you should not invite anyone there for that sacred moment that you do not want to be there or even know.

Reese talks a lot about her grandmother, and I miss mine something fierce. Grandparents are lovely and the world is less sweet without them here.

I cannot wait to try out some of her recipes; I have a whole folder on my computer now of new recipes to try from this book.

Reese Witherspoon talks about growing up in the South (Nashville), Southern hospitality, her grandmother, and her favorite recipes. She tells you how to be a good hostess and guest.

Thank you notes and kindness seem to be a thing of the past lately, but Reese has not left them behind yet.

It is also fun to get an insight into her Hollywood life.

She mentions The Loveless Cafe, which I have been to, and that is pretty neat.

Reese lists Southern books and movies that she lives, and I want to check out the ones I have not seen. She made me want to rewatch Steel Magnolias.

It is just all around a fun book.

If you want to hear Reese talk about her book, check this out.

10/10 I highly recommend.

Book Review: Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic For A Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living

I told you I am on a Shauna Niequist kick lately, and at this point, I only have 2 more books of hers to read so I already put in an inter library loan request for those two. I am a person that enjoys completion.

My next book that I review, though, will not be one of hers. I can assure you of that because I have already finished the next one.

Shauna Niequist's writing is so easy to read. It is almost like each chapter is a short story in itself. They chapters and the parts that the book is broken up into are so quick to get through. You can feel like you are making progress on something reading this, which I have this innate desire to feel like I am making progress, so it really works for me.

There is so much truth in this book.

She talks about perfectionism, which I struggle with daily.

One big takeaway from this one is not something I have not thought about and tried to put into practice, but it bears repeating - only say yes to a few things not everything. Think about what really matters and do those things.

It is better to do a few things well than everything poorly.

It is hard to say no for some of us, but it gets easier with time.

Simplicity is also a big part of this book. Niequist was Marie Kondoing before Marie Kondo took the world by storm. There is an ease that comes with simplifying your life, whether it is through where you give your time and energy or your cabinets.

I like Shauna's books because she is so candid about being a writer and that whole process.

She also values quality time and loving people for who they are, where they are.

She is also a person of faith that is open and honest about the flaws in organized religion but still maintains her faith through it all.

If life is complicated, if you are always looking to the next big thing and not exactly living in the moment, this book could be a breath of fresh air in your life.

Peach Crunch

This one is great for when you have peaches that you need to use up before they go bad, which is exactly what I did. I like cobblers of all kinds. This one is not quite a cobbler, but it was nice.

It is from the Table Blessings cookbook that I got as a wedding gift. It is credited to Marie Fairey.

It only has 6 ingredients and is quick and easy. I already had everything on hand. I made a half batch of it based on the amount of peaches I had to use up quickly. I am putting the full recipe here, though.

I apologize for not having a plated picture. I was such in a hurry to eat that night that I had to grab one from the pan before we ate it all.

1 c. sugar
1 c. self rising flour
1 egg
1 tbsp. lemon juice
9 fresh peaches (4 c.)
1 stick butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Peel and slice peaches. Pour lemon juice over peaches. Place peaches in a 9 X 12 " casserole dish. Mix sugar and flour in a large bowl. Add egg. Using fork quickly mix egg into flour and sugar so that it looks crumbly. Add the mixture to the top of the peaches. Drizzle butter on top. Bake for 15 minutes.