Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette

This recipe is from my sister-in-law Adrienne, and has become a Poulsen family staple:

1 lemon (juiced)
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/4 -3/4 c. vegetable oil (the original recipe calls for 3/4 cup; Jen only uses 1/4 cup)

Blend thoroughly.  Serve over salad with romaine lettuce, slivered almonds, bacon, cheese (if you're into that :)), tomatoes, etc.

Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Treats

I could generally take or leave Rice Krispie treats, but the salted caramel twist on these treats is amazing! Definitely a taker.  

I found this recipe here:  http://ourbestbites.com/2014/08/salted-caramel-rice-krispie-treats/    

Enjoy!!!

(Recipe slightly adapted from Food Network)

Ingredients:
6 cups Rice Krispies
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon kosher salt or flaked sea salt, plus more for sprinkling on top
1 10-ounce bag of mini marshmallows, plus about 1 cup of additional mini marshmallows

Instructions:
In a large, heat-proof bowl, toss together the Rice Krispies and 1 cup of mini marshmallows. Set aside.  [I was short on marshmallows, so I did not use this extra cup of marshmallows in the Rice Krispies.]

Spray an 8×8″ baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large, heavy pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. When it’s melted, reduce the heat to medium and add the brown sugar, whipping cream, and corn syrup and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring frequently to keep the caramel from scorching. 

When the caramel is thick and syrupy, add in the salt and stir to combine, then remove from heat and add the 10 ounces of marshmallows. Stir until the marshmallows are dissolved, then quickly pour over the Rice Krispies and stir quickly to coat completely. 

Press into the prepared baking pan and sprinkle with sea salt. Allow to cool completely (I allow mine to cool in the freezer so I am then allowed to eat them more quickly) and then cut into squares.

Crock Pot Quinoa Chicken Chili

This is a good, freezer-friendly meal, that tastes much better than it looks :).  The recipe below makes a lot, so get out your big crock pot!

I got the recipe here:  http://queenbeecoupons.com/crock-pot-slow-cooker-quinoa-chicken-chili-recipe/

Here it is!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup of quinoa, rinsed

One (1) 28 oz can of diced tomatoes (you could use crushed)

One (1) 14 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel)

Two (2) 16 oz cans of black beans, rinsed, drained

One (1) 15 oz can of corn, drained

3 Cups chicken stock

2 large chicken breasts, frozen or thawed (cook longer if frozen)

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp crushed red pepper

2 tsp chili powder

This has a nice little kick to it, but I didn’t think it was too spicy. If you’re nervous about spice, reduce the red pepper and the chili powder by half.  {I usually do cut the spices by half...my family isn't into spicy.}

HOW TO PREPARE

1.) Toss everything into slow cooker and cook for 6-8 hours on low or 4-7 hours on high. I added frozen chicken breasts to mine and cooked on high for about six hours. As long as the chicken is cooked – it’s done!

2.) Remove chicken and shred it with two forks. Return to slow cooker.

3.) Top with cheese, sour cream, avocados – whatever sounds good to you! I’m thinking the next day it would probably thicken up enough to eat in a whole wheat tortilla.