3 ingredients and a slow cooker.  This couldn’t be simpler to throw together.

And it’s really good too!  I’m not sure why I thought to mix Teriyaki  and BBQ sauces, but the combination makes a flavorful sauce that was a hit with the kids.

Here’s what you’ll need: 

In addition to the teriyaki and bbq sauces, you’ll need chicken legs, of course.  I used a bag of frozen legs that I defrosted part way in the microwave.  You could also use any other cut of chicken or even pork or beef with the sauce.  And I thought it would be great on the outdoor grill.

Don’t worry about measuring exactly with this.  I used the whole bottle of each, but that was a lot more sauce than necessary.  Next time, I’ll go for 1/2 bottle of each.

My family loves creamy pasta dishes.  They’re so quick and easy to make that we can have this favorite meal on a busy week night or cooked up after church on a Sunday.

This version has roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes and chicken marinated in red wine vinegar and homemade Italian Herb Salt.  Serve it up with a salad and a loaf of crusty bread with seasoned olive oil for dipping.  Even better than going out to eat and much cheaper too!  

I usually take ingredient photos, but I can’t find one for this dish on my computer.  We must have been really busy the night I made it and I forgot to take the photo.

This soup has a lot of things going for it.

It can be made entirely in the slow cooker.

The chicken cooks in the soup, so no need for an extra step.

Just like taco soup, there are a million variations.  Use what you’ve got available in your pantry.

Here’s what I used: 

I also used an onion, which didn’t make it into the photo.

Here are a few variations:

• use both red and green peppers, or just a green pepper
• use a can of diced tomatoes with green chilis
• use canned corn, instead of frozen
• use kidney beans or red beans
• skip the rice
• skip the chicken and use a variety of beans to make it meatless
• top with cheddar, Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese

It will turn out different every time, but they will all be good!

I’m never going to convince my family to love sweet potatoes like I do.  But this dish did convince the to eat them.  My oldest daughter even said the sweet potatoes were pretty good.  She didn’t think she liked them at all, but decided to give them a try when I served this.

This is a basic, quick recipe.  The prep is easy – just 4 ingredients too!  Chicken and sweet potatoes are a great combination.  Add a little butter and brown sugar and they’re even better.

Here’s what you’ll need: 

Feel free to alter this recipe as you see fit.  Add more butter and brown sugar.  Or less.  Or add apples too.  Or use carrots instead of sweet potatoes.  I don’t think you can mess this one up.  Adapt away!

My family loved this!  We love all things pasta.  Our weekly menu always includes at least one pasta dish.

So when Philadelphia Cooking Creme asked me to swap out one of our regular dinners with one of their recipes, I jumped at the chance.    There are several recipes in their Fresh Family Favorite recipe collection.  I chose this Creamy Chicken Florentine. Creamy pasta meals make my family happy. And you know how I love easy recipes.  This one fits that category too.

I chose to use the Reduced Fat Savory Garlic flavor of Cooking Creme.  I was afraid it might be too garlicky tasting, but it was perfect.  The taste was subtle, with just the right amount of flavor.

I did make a few minor alterations to the recipe.  First, I doubled it.  The original recipe serves 4.  Not enough for my family of 6.  I also skipped the pine nuts.  You can substitute slivered almonds, if you don’t want to spring for pine nuts.  (I love pine nuts, but they are pricey.)

Here’s what you’ll need: 

You can win a $50 Grocery Gift Card!

PHILADELPHIA Cooking Creme is giving one of you a $50 Grocery Gift Card!

To enter:

• First entry – Leave a comment here letting me know if you’ve tried PHILADELPHIA  Cooking Creme or which flavor you’d like to try.
• To earn additional entries – “Like” PHILADELPHIA  on Facebook and/or pin this post on Pinterest. Leave a comment here for each you do.

Contest closes Monday, 2/13 at 9am.  Winner will be announced on the Eat at Home Facebook Page.

Disclosure: I am one of 9 bloggers selected by Kraft Foods to participate in the Philadelphia Cooking Creme recipe program. While I have been compensated for my time, my opinions are my own, and I have not been paid to post positive comments.

Does this ever happen to you?  You know dinner is going to be chicken because you’ve got a pack of boneless breasts/thighs/tenders or bone-in legs/breasts/thighs.  But you have no desire to think up a recipe to turn them into dinner.

You don’t need a recipe.  You just need some ideas.

Here are 10 ways (plus a few cooking methods) to get you started.  

Cooking method 1:  Slow Cooker

This is my favorite way to cook.  Throw it in the crock and bam – hours later, dinner is ready.  Obviously, this method works best if you have plenty of time.

Cooking method 2:  Oven

Thawed boneless pieces should take about an hour to cook, less if they’re thin (like breast tenders).  Bone-in pieces I give an hour and 15 minutes or more if they are thick.

Sprinkle or Pour on Flavor

1. Salsa  – Any type.  Try black bean and corn or chipotle lime or another style for a fun variation.
2. Bbq sauce – Any type.
3. Salad dressing – French, Catalina, Italian etc.
4. Stir fry sauce, orange sauce, mandarin sauce etc.
5. A sweet (like honey or jelly) with a sour/tart (like ketchup, cocktail sauce, chili sauce, bbq sauce) use up the bottles in your fridge.
6. Taco seasoning – shred and serve in tortillas
7. Spaghetti sauce – add mozzarella or provolone slices during the last few minutes of cooking
8. Crushed tomatoes/diced tomatoes/tomato sauce with Italian seasoning
9. Jar of gravy
10. Cream of…soup, add onions and/or other veggies

What’s your favorite way to fix chicken?

Stir fry is a cooking method that can’t really be replicated in a slow cooker.

But you can make a pretty good fake!

I’ve made this recipe twice now.  It’s easy and quick to fix.  The chicken gets cooked in stir fry sauce for several hours.  The veggies are added later, so they don’t get mushy.

No ingredient photo this time.  I was in a big hurry both times I’ve made it.

I’m sure you can use this method for other meats and veggies too.  We love Asian food and it’s fun to be able to make it in the slow cooker, even though it’s not authentic at all.

Off the wall question: Do you know how to eat with chopsticks?

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Carapelli for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Did you know that fine olive oil can be tasted, like a wine or bourbon tasting?  Neither did I!

Recently, Carapelli Olive Oil asked me to do a tasting of their premium extra virgin olive oil.  I have to admit, the process was different but the taste was divine.

It’s best to use a blue glass when tasting olive oil.  This disguises the color of the oil, which is not an indicator of quality.  I didn’t know that either!  I always thought that the better quality oils had a darker color.   A myth of olive oil exposed. 

There are four S’s of olive oil tasting:

• Swirl – Swirl the olive oil in the glass to release the aroma.
• Sniff – Inhale deeply and notice the scent.  I found the Carapelli Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil to be fresh and a bit earthy scented.
• Slurp – Sip in the oil with a bit of air.  This helps spread the oil through your mouth so you can taste it thoroughly.
• Swallow – The oil should leave your mouth with no aftertaste, which is exactly what happened.

Carapelli Olive Oil is produced in Italy in the Tuscany region.  I decided that it would be perfect for making roasted chicken.  The chicken turned out as pretty as a chicken can.  It was nicely browned, sprinkled with herbs.  The olive oil not only gave the meat a wonderful flavor, it sealed in the moistness of the chicken as well.

Here’s what you’ll need:

$1.00 OFF coupon at www.CarapelliUSA.com

Have you ever done an olive oil tasting?

This recipe was created simply by standing in front of the pantry and pulling out a few likely ingredients.  I needed something that would be ready to eat when we got home, with minimal fuss required.

Oh, and I only had about 3 minutes to get it fixed and get out the door.  Ever have a morning like that?

Here’s what I used to make these Sloppy Chicken Tacos, but please feel free to alter as needed.  I really don’t think you can mess this up.  Put in whatever you have that sounds good to you.  Experiment!  

I ran across a recipe for Chicken Shwarma on the blog, Jersey Girl Cooks.  Lisa roasted her chicken in the oven and it looks fabulous.  But being the lazy cook that I am, I decided this would work in the slow cooker.

Hot dog!  I was right!  My family loved this meal and I know I’ll be making it again.

I only made minor alterations to Lisa’s recipe.  I changed the cooking method and more than doubled the recipe so it would feed my family.  I never could find tahini, so I served it with cucumber-yogurt sauce instead.  If I ever find tahini paste (Walmart, are you listening?) I’m going to try Lisa’s sauce.

Here’s what you’ll need: 

I’m showing this off at Gooseberry Patch One Pot Meals link up.