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Posted in #Recipes

47 Leftover Chicken Recipes You’ll Want to Eat

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Leftovers for dinner—again? Eating up what’s in the fridge might be easy, but it’s always not the most exciting. Follow our leftover chicken recipes for a fresh take on yesterday’s dinner!

Let’s admit it: we eat a lot of chicken dinners. We have good reasons. Chicken’s mild flavor suits many cuisines and seasonings, and it’s a lean protein that even the kids will eat. But it’s easy to get tired of the same ol’ leftovers, especially the second (or third) night in a row.

Our favorite leftover chicken recipes make exciting meals from the scraps in your fridge. A roast chicken, for example, can turn into any number of meals, from cozy soups to stacked sandwiches to big dinner salads. Sliced or ground chicken can top pizzas or stuff ooey-gooey enchiladas. You can even use up leftover chicken bones in savory broth (which then becomes soups, risotto and so on). Ah, the places your chicken will go!

Taste of Home

Posted in Book Reviews

WeightWatchers New Complete Cookbook

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Over 500 Delicious Recipes for the Healthy Cook’s Kitchen (WeightWatchers Lifestyle)

The newest and fully revised edition of one of America’s bestselling cookbooks for people who love to eat while embracing a healthier lifestyle.
 
WeightWatchers knows the secrets for pairing good nutrition with great taste. From hearty breakfasts to flavorful dinners, you’ll discover new recipes that rely on lean meats, whole grains, and fresh produce. Try new favorites like Cremini Mushrooms with Quinoa and Thyme or Swiss Chard au Gratin, or family standbys like Buttermilk-Blueberry Corn Muffins and Sicilian Sausage-Stuffed Pizza. Reflecting the current trends in food, this edition boasts new chapters on appetizers and beverages, featuring a no-cook cocktail party; small plates for creating tapas for light meals; recipes for the grill; 20-minute main dishes, including advice on shopping and streamlining; plus numerous tips and techniques. With more than 60 color photos, this book will make everyone healthier and happier.

Posted in #Recipes

Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Discover the ultimate comfort food with our irresistible slow cooker corn chowder recipe. This hearty and creamy dish blends sweet corn with the rich flavors of bacon, potatoes and aromatic herbs. Perfect for chilly evenings or any time you’re craving a bowl of warmth and flavor. Our recipe promises a simple yet deeply satisfying soup.

The best part is, your slow cooker does all the work. Combine and refrigerate the ingredients for the corn chowder the night before, then pour the mixture into your crockpot and turn it on in the morning. When you come home from work, a hot, tasty meal awaits.

Ingredients for Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder

  • Milk: Milk is the main binder for this chowder. Its combination with the creamy soup creates a velvety base for the rest of the ingredients. You’ll need 2-1/2 cups of 2% milk but you can use 1% or reduced fat if that’s all you have.
  • Creamed corn: We’re not gatekeeping our secret to the creamiest corn chowder—it’s a can of cream-style corn.
  • Cream of mushroom soup: Condensed cream of mushroom soup also imparts lots of earthy, savory flavor and amps up the creamy factor in this slow-cooker chowder.
  • Frozen corn: Two types of corn add to the chunky nature of this chowder. We also used a bag of frozen kernels but canned or fresh would work too.
  • Hash brown potatoes: Traditional chowders usually involve onions and potatoes but we went one step further in the comfort food department with a cup of frozen shredded hash brown potatoes. It is a total game-changer in this soup.
  • Fully cooked ham: Ham and corn are a flavor-enhancing combination and sneak some protein into this chowder, too.
  • Onion: Sauteed onion bits add some sweetness to the soup and the chunky texture.
  • Parsley: A peppery herbaceous finish in the form of dried  (or fresh) parsley flakes is the right move.
  • Butter: For an extra silky, buttery chowder, you’ll need 2 tablespoons of butter.
  • Bacon: Although optional, crispy crumbled bacon is the ultimate topper for chowder.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

19 Favorite Restaurant Copycat Soup Recipes

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

It’s cold outside, and you’re craving your favorite restaurant soup. Skip the drive, the wait and the bill, and instead whip up one of these hot, steamy copycat soup recipes that taste just like their restaurant counterparts. And hello, leftovers!

We have all the copycat favorites right here in this list. Expect the iconic soups from Panera Bread, like broccoli cheddar and tomato soup, plus copycat Olive Garden recipes, like their zuppa toscana or minestrone. But there are so many more copycat options, too, like Wendy’s chili, Cracker Barrel’s chicken and dumplings, and Red Lobster’s clam chowder.

Of course, serve these soups with some restaurant-copycat bread recipes. Whip up Cheesecake Factory’s brown bread, bread bowls from Panera, Red Lobster’s cheddar bay biscuits and Olive Garden’s breadsticks.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

Navy Bean Soup

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

When soup season hits our house, we have a steady list of recipes on rotation. We love all the classic homemade soup recipes because they’re affordable and easy to make in bulk, and they can use up those vegetables in your crisper! This Test Kitchen-approved navy bean soup is one of our favorites, and you might even already have all the ingredients on hand.

Soaking beans overnight is recommended when cooking dried beans, which this recipe calls for. Though it means having to plan ahead just a bit, you’ll never regret cooking dried beans from scratch. As the beans simmer with the rest of the ingredients, everything melds together to create a creamy, delicious soup base. A minimal number of other ingredients, time and simple seasoning are all it takes to make a heart-warming, tummy-filling soup.

Ingredients for Navy Bean Soup

  • Dried navy beans: Cooking dried beans is important for this recipe because the cooking liquid becomes part of the soup base. If you don’t have time to soak them overnight, you can quick-soak dried beans. Soak the rinsed beans in boiling water for just an hour.
  • Ham: Ham is important here, as it adds a whole depth of flavor to this soup. Navy bean soup is one of those great leftover ham recipes you’ll want in your back pocket to use up leftover meat!
  • Chicken broth: You can use store-bought or homemade chicken broth if you have the time. In a pinch, you can also use vegetable broth or even water.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

17 Dump Soup Recipes That Practically Cook Themselves

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Some dinners start with a plan. Others start with a can of tomatoes and a prayer, and that’s when dump soup recipes become your secret weapon. They’re the kind of meals you pull together between errands, after work or on nights when sauteeing onions is one step too many. Just like shortcut soups, these recipes don’t ask for much. With a handful of pantry staples, a few minutes to combine everything and a little trust that it will all come together, dinner will be ready before you know it.

This collection has family-friendly dump soups inspired by tacos and hamburgers, vegetable-loaded minestrone and boldly flavored spicy sausage soup. Most are endlessly adaptable too. Swap in shredded rotisserie chicken for another meat or use a different canned bean or lentil if you don’t have the one the recipe calls for. Many of these easy soup recipes can be frozen for future meals—just make sure you know which soups freeze well and which you should refrigerate instead. If you are cooking for a crowd, these soups are easy to double since most start with canned and pantry-friendly staples.

Dump soups may be low on prep, but they’re not low on flavor. They work when you’re short on time, light on groceries or just need an easy dinner plan. Sometimes, that’s exactly what makes them the best kind of comfort food.

Taste of Home

Posted in Kitchen Tips

The Internet Taught Me the Best Tip for Using Tomato Paste

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Wasting food, even just a tablespoon or two of something, doesn’t sit well with me. I keep small amounts of leftover vegetables in a freezer container to use for chicken pot pie. I make breadcrumbs from stale bread. I freeze overripe fruit to use in smoothies or cocktails. Of course, I never throw away a Parmesan rind. 

Before you think I sound like a perfectionist, I am the first to admit that I’m far from perfect. Some veggies do die in the crisper drawer. The final serving of a casserole that gets shoved to the back of the fridge often goes unnoticed until it’s too late. And one food that I seem to waste more than I’m proud to admit is tomato paste.

I often open a 6-ounce can of tomato paste that doesn’t get entirely used up in whatever recipe I’m cooking. Then the leftover tomato paste goes into a container and, like that final serving of a casserole, makes its way to the back of the fridge until it’s inevitably found with fuzz on the top.

And yes, I know the trick of spooning tomato paste into ice cube trays, freezing them, and then popping out the cubes to live in a freezer-safe bag until needed, but that’s three whole steps. Please don’t judge me, but that’s two more steps—despite good intentions—than I’m likely to do. Plus, who wants to stain their ice trays with tomatoes?

So when I saw a simple tip on TikTok to freeze tomato paste by the tablespoon that has just one step and no extra equipment, I thought it was genius.

Allrecipes

Posted in #Recipes

Over-the-Top Baked Ziti

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

I adapted a ziti recipe to remove ingredients my kids did not like, such as ground beef. The revised recipe was a success not only with my family but at potlucks too. It’s so versatile: You can use jarred sauce, double or triple the recipe, and even freeze it. —Kimberley Pitman, Smyrna, Delaware Field Editor

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

88 Slow-Cooker Recipes to Warm Your Winter

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Come in from the cold and sit down to slow-simmered pot roast, loaded chili and breakfast-for-dinner, too. Even on the snowiest day, these winter slow-cooker recipes warm you from your toes to your nose.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

42 Make-Ahead Freezer Meals for Busy Nights

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

These convenient make-ahead freezer meals are for anyone with a busy schedule. We know it can be challenging to find time to make delicious home-cooked meals when time is tight. Luckily, with a little planning and creativity, you can enjoy flavorful make-ahead freezer meals like aromatic lasagnas, melt-in-your-mouth pot roasts and slow-cooked stews.

Simplify meal prep with our delectable recipes for casseroles, pies and soups. They freeze well and can be reheated in the oven or microwave, ensuring you’ll always have access to easy weeknight dinners. Whether you’re planning for a busy week, stocking the freezer to prepare for your baby’s arrival or streamlining meal prep, these freezer-friendly recipes make for quick homemade meals.

Taste of Home