An experiment for lab party tomorrow! I tried one of the baby pies and am a fan =)

in honor of our upcoming trip, a sweet potato pie mickey

finally tried out our mini cocottes!

• 1 lb (about 2) sweet potatoes, peeled, cubed and cooked
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1 package (4-serving size) vanilla pudding mix
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp lemon peel
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 unbaked pie crust to fit your pie pan

Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Prepare pie crust in (9″ to 12″) pie pan. Beat sweet potato until fluffy. Add all remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into pie crust. Bake 40 minutes or until golden and center is set.

Cold weather inspires me to experiment with the slow cooker. What’s more cozy on a cold day than being home with Chris, Henry and a warm meal of comfort food?

crockpot creamy chicken and noodles

The first one I tried this season is from The Crockstar. I am trying to gather recipes that are easy to prepare ahead and/or on a week night, especially since I foresee family meals will become a major responsibility — I can’t eat cereal for dinner like a college student anymore. (Well, I can, but Chris can’t — he needs protein. A lot of it.) The Crockstar’s recipe for Creamy Chicken and Noodles fit my search criteria. I tried it with a few modifications to fit our tastes, and it was a success! By which I mean: Chris approved. We’ve made it twice now.

Side note: I did some research trying to find a more descriptive name for this combination of ingredients and found several similar recipes for “Chicken Stroganoff,” but I disagree with that designation. The principal ingredients for a Stroganoff seem to be a sauteed meat — usually beef, but it can also be chicken — and a sour cream sauce, usually made with sauteed mushrooms and onions. This recipe has no sour cream, mushrooms, or onions.

Crockpot Creamy Chicken and Noodles, a la Butz

Ingredients:

• 2-3 lbs boneless skinless chicken (dark or white meat), cut in 1″ cubes or smaller
• 11 oz condensed cream of chicken soup
• 11 oz condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 packet (about 1 oz) dry vegetable dip mix (I like Lipton Recipe Secrets Kosher Soup & Dip Mix because it doesn’t contain MSG; you could also try dry ranch, Italian dressing, or onion dip mix)
• 1 tsp onion powder (optional but tasty)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional but tasty)
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus 1 cup water (or substitute 4 cups water if you prefer less salt and more vegetable flavor)
• 2 oz (1/4 package) cream cheese or neufchatel cheese (which tastes like lower-fat cream cheese), cut in small slices/pieces (you could also substitute sour cream)
• 1 bunch celery, sliced 1/4″ thick
• 12 oz (1 package) wide egg noodles

1. In the crockpot, combine the two soups with the 2 cups of broth. Add half the dry dip mix and stir all together until smooth.
2. Lay the chicken pieces in the pot and season it with the remaining dip mix, onion powder, and garlic powder.
3. Set the slow cooker to Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours.
   ** The remaining steps can be done an hour or two before the cook time is completed, or they can be done after 8 hours on Low. Leaving the slow cooker for 4 hours on High might burn or dehydrate the sauce around the edges of the pot. **
4. Add the cup of water, cream cheese, and celery. Stir well to mix. (If this step is done after the cooker has finished 8 hours on Low and it has switched to Warm, set the temperature to High.)
5. Cook the egg noodles al dente, about 7 minutes. Add the noodles to the crockpot and stir well to mix. If the sauce is too thick, add more water in 1/2-cup increments.
6. Simmer until the chicken is cooked and the celery is tender.