Monday, February 8, 2021

Swiss Chicken Crockpot Casserole

 

Swiss Chicken Crockpot Casserole




Snowing here again this Sunday...not as much as last Sunday, but enough to make it a cozy day at home.  Last Sunday, during the storm, I made this recipe that I had not made for a long time.   The recipe came in the cookbook that came with a crockpot that I replaced several years ago.  Can I just say I love cooking in the crockpot?  I loved it when I was teaching and there was nothing like coming home after a long day, opening the door, and smelling that dinner was DONE!   But, now retired, I still love my crockpot.  I love getting everything ready early in the day and then...forget about it!  Now, when dinnertime gets close and I am right in the middle of a good book, or a good movie, or a long conversation ... I don't need to stop and make dinner.  IT IS DONE.   And, because it is just the two of us, there are always leftovers.  Or, as I call them, "planovers".  I am so glad we brought our small, upright freezer with us when we downsized and moved to our apartment home.  It fits perfectly in our laundry room and I keep it filled with soups, dinners, and baked goods to enjoy anytime we want.  So...we enjoyed this last Sunday, and there are two more dinners in deep freeze just waiting to be enjoyed.  Here is how to make it:

Swiss Chicken Crockpot Casserole
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 slices of swiss cheese
1 can of cream of anything soup...original called for mushroom, I use celery.
1/4 cup of milk...or cream...or water if you are out of everything.
2 cups of herbed stuffing mix - I use Pepperidge Farm that I buy at the local outlet.
1/2 cup margarine or butter, melted

Spray the crockpot with non-stick cooking spray.  Arrange the chicken breasts on the bottom of the crock pot.  Top with cheese, layering if necessary.  Combine soup and milk, stir well, and spoon over the cheese.  Sprinkle with the dry stuffing mix and then drizzle melted butter over all.  Cook on Low for 8-10 hours or High for 4-6.  Serves 6.

I was inspired to make this because our local grocery store had a sale on boneless, skinless chicken breasts ...
These chicken breasts were HUGE...


So, in the spirit of "portion control"  I cut each large breast in half...and I cut up the extra little hangover pieces and put them in a freezer bag for stir fry at a later date.

You can see how even cut in half these pieces fill up the crock pot.  
I used Swiss cheese from the dairy aisle...sometimes if I am buying other deli items I will look for a lower fat/sodium Swiss, but the deli was a zoo that day so I went with this...
I broke the slices in half and laid them all over the chicken...overlapping a bit...
I know there is a lot of talk about not using these creamed, canned soups...not too healthy...so I use the fat free version and figure I don't use them often...

Mixed the soup with skim milk ( see, I am being healthy)...
Then poured it evenly over the chicken and cheese...
You can see from the "red line" on this bag that I purchased it at the Pepperidge Farm Outlet.  There is a factory not too far from here, and that store is open on the weekends.  We used to live quite close to there and when we would take walks near the plant and they were baking you could smell the most delicious things in the air.  Now we live further away and there is an outlet store in a nearby outlet mall.   And...Tuesdays are Senior Citizen days when you get an extra 10% off your bill.  I stock up on healthy breads and rolls...once again, put them in the freezer.  And...sometimes I stock up on the not so healthy layer cakes ( COCONUT!!) and put them in the freezer in case of company dropping in.  Now with Covid, no company....

Sprinkle the stuffing evenly over the entire pot...I sometimes us more stuffing because I LOVE stuffing...

And then I use Squeeze Parkay on top...or I will melt Smart Balance.   Then pop the lid on and let it go all day....dinner is DONE!
I like to serve it with a big side of vegetables...a cheesy, warm comfort meal - perfect for these cold winter days!
Do you use a crockpot often ?  What are your favorite recipes for the crockpot ?  Thanks so much for stopping by Our New Vista today...please leave a comment below and tell me what you think.  Blessings and enjoy the winter!


Monday, February 1, 2021

Hello February !

 


Hello February !




February is here and 2021 is moving along.  I don't like to change my January decorations until the last minute...so I spent yesterday getting all my Valentine items out and ready for February 1st.  The best thing about February is that we got our Covid vaccines on Friday and are scheduled for our second shot later this month.  Such a great feeling of relief.  We had to drive over an hour to get the shot as there is not good availability in our area...don't know why???   Seems this whole roll out is messed up.  Luckily we enjoyed the ride and then enjoyed lunch in our car after going through a drive thru ...it was "a date" and we look forward to another lunch date when we get the next shot.

The wreath above is "vintage"...I purchased the straw heart form over 30 years ago for the front door of the first house we built.  I was trying to remember if everyone had wreaths on doors for all seasons before that...before then we lived on a dead end so nobody really saw our front door unless you were visiting our home.   But when we built a home on a corner lot where everyone driving past could see our door I started to make wreaths for each holiday/season.   This has had many new ribbons and hearts over the years, but the original straw is still holding up fine.

I found these fillers at Dollar Tree and used them in several places...


A very simple dining room table with some of the filler, a heart garland and some heart decorations...

I found these two heart plates at Ross years ago...I would love to get some more Valentine dessert/salad plates for when Covid is over and we can entertain again.  We love to have friends and family visit us for brunch, lunch, dinner...and the other day I realized this is the longest we have ever gone without having company!

A simple tray from Dollar Tree, some filler, and a few chocolate hearts on the coffee table...

My cozy corner...I should have waited to take this photo as now it is REALLY cozy because it just started to snow like crazy outside our windows....

Don't know where I found this pillow, but the sentiment is true...even being together 24/7 during Covid...life is wonderful!  Every year I pull this out and think..."what can I add to make this a little better...some red ribbon, some trim??? - then forget until I pull it out  again the following year!

Some heart shaped picks from Dollar Tree are stuck in most of our plants...the little snow couple was a Christmas ornament, but since they have hearts I keep them for Valentine decor...

There may be dark chocolate hearts in that tin...easy to snack on while making dinner....

A little more filler, and ornament tied with a ribbon...and a cute plate from Ross...

A little love on the wine rack...

Even though we are the only people seeing our foyer, I like to decorate for the season...

This printable quote was one of many you can get from Ann at On Sutton Place - and I follow Ann on her blog, so you can also see the link on my Following links.  Thanks, Ann - I love all the printables you share!

Last of all this beautiful red lantern that was a gift from a dear friend who passed away...I use it for Christmas, Valentine's Day, and patriotic decorations...for Valentine's I just added a silver heart with a ribbon.
Do you decorate for Valentine's Day ?  When do you put out the heart stuff...and how long do you keep it out ???   Please leave a comment below - it would make my day!  Thanks so much for stopping by Our New Vista - have a fabulous day and stay safe!

Travel Items I Tried

 Travel Items I Tried We just returned from a wonderful trip to London, Paris, and Nice!  I will post some of the highlights as soon as I go...