Tag / Easy

by Pinch Plate Party

No Fuss Chicken Taco Filling

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So I know it’s not taco Tuesday but that does not mean I can’t share a recipe for you to use on Taco Tuesday!

This recipe is so simple and don’t tell anyone, but it’s a slow cooker recipe. I rarely cook with the slow cooker but for this recipe it just makes sense. Some things that you will need for this recipe is a can of diced tomatoes with green chilies, a red onion, and traditional tex-mex spices. This is a set it and forget it type of recipe that cooks for a few hours.

Unlike most slow cooker recipes, there is a secret step that happens just before serving. After the chicken is cooked, you separate the chicken from the broth and then reduce the broth in a separate saucepan. The result is a rich, silky, and flavorful broth that you toss the chicken back in before serving. The reduced broth is the secret step that separates this recipe from all other slow cooker chicken recipes.

I serve my chicken on corn tortillas with a variety of toppings. My favorite combination is corn tortillas with picked red onions, avocado, cotija cheese, and cilantro. I find the best way to warm corn tortillas is on the open flame of a gas stove top (I love that texture from the charred edges).

Check out the video, give the recipe a try, and let me know what you think!

No Fuss Chicken Taco Filling

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

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Unlike most slow cooker recipes, there is a secret step that happens just before serving. After the chicken is cooked, you separate the chicken from the broth and then reduce the broth in a separate saucepan. The result is a rich, silky, and flavorful broth that you toss the chicken back in before serving. The reduced broth is the secret step that separates this recipe from all other slow cooker chicken recipes.

Ingredients

  • 2.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1//’4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 cup diced red onion

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.
  2. Cook on high for 3 hours (or on low for 6-8 hours).
  3. After cooking, remove all the chicken from the broth and shred it using two forks.
  4. Pour the broth into a medium saucepan and boil over high heat for 6 minutes or until the broth has reduced to 1/3 cup.
  5. Combine the chicken and the reduced broth.
  6. Serve the chicken with your favorite taco ingredients.

by Pinch Plate Party

Birthday Cake Crispy Rice Cereal Treats

July is the month of birthdays for us. My husband, sister, father, nephew, brother-in-law- and sister-in-law all have birthdays this month. Two of these family members even have a birthday on the same day!

So in honor of the month of birthdays, I’m sharing a recipe for crispy rice cereal treats. It’s yet another twist on the traditional treat. To achieve the birthday cake flavor you mix in salt, vanilla, white cake mix, and sprinkles!

It’s an easy treat that comes together really quickly… and it has a flavor that both kids and adults will enjoy.

Birthday Cake Crispy Rice Cereal Treats

  • Servings: 16
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

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White cake mix is the secret ingredient for this crispy rice treat cereal recipe. The cake mix gives these treats that birthday cake flavor!

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 10 oz package of marshmallows
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cup white cake mix
  • 6 cups crispy rice cereal
  • 1/2 cup sprinkles
  • 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
  • Food coloring, additional white chocolate chips, and sprinkles for decorating (optional).

Directions

  1. In large pot, melt butter over low heat. Add in marshmallows and stir until melted.
  2. Add in the salt, vanilla, and cake mix and stir to combine. Once combined, remove from the heat.
  3. Add cereal and sprinkles. Stir until combined.
  4. Press the mixture into an 8 x 8 inch pan coated with nonstick spray. Let cool completely
  5. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave (using short 30 second bursts until melted).
  6. Pour the chocolate over the top of the treats and spread it in an even layer.
  7. Melt additional white chocolate and tint it with coloring. Drizzle over the top and add more sprinkles.
  8. Place treats in the freezer until the chocolate has hardened, about 5 minutes.
  9. Cut the treats into 2″ x 2″ pieces and serve.

by Pinch Plate Party

Tiny Turkey Meatballs: Infant and Toddler Recipe

Baby girl had her first puree about a week short of 6 months. It was a puree of leftover avocado and lime zest. Ever since that first taste of food, our lives have never been the same. Like her mom, she loves food! Not only does she love food, but she loves “good” food. I think I’ve turned my child into a baby foodie.

I am very mindful of the food that I put into my own body; I limit the processed food I eat, cook at home as much as possible, eat natural and organic foods when I can, and do my best to have a well balanced diet. I’m doing my best to do the same for the baby. I’ve found the best way to control what’s going into her body is by making her own food.

When she started solids I made homemade purees. We moved to finger foods pretty quickly by adapting some of the ideas from Baby Led Weaning.

I want to start sharing some baby recipes with you as I experiment with my little one. This first recipe is for Turkey Meatballs. I will share the recipe exactly as I make it but it also includes alternative ingredients for children with allergies.

These meatballs are packed full of flavor but don’t contain any added sugar, salt, or gluten. 3/4 cup of grated sweet potato are mixed into the ground turkey to add additional nutrients.2020-03-15-10.28.38-1

The first step in the recipe is pureeing a whole egg with red onion. I found that this puree is a nice binder and it assures that there are no chunks of onion in the meatballs.

I use oat flour in this recipe. Oat four is literally just old fashoned oats pureed to a powder. Don’t buy oat flour, just make your own or substitue with breadcrumbs.2020-03-15-10.28.30-1

I found that these bake best on a parchment paper lined sheet pan. If you don’t have parchment paper you can use a sheet pan that’s been sprayed with nonstick spray… but parchment is best. 2020-03-15-10.28.32-1

If you have a toddler you can serve the meatballs just as they are. With my nine month old I choose to cut the meatballs into bite size pieces before serving.2020-03-15-10.28.29-1

Tiny Turkey Meatballs: Infant and Toddler Recipe

  • Servings: 20
  • Difficulty: Intermediate
  • Print

2020-03-15-10.28.25-1These meatballs can be eaten on their own or mixed with other infant foods. They should be eaten within a few days or can be frozen for up to 6 months. These are best fed to infants eating stage 3 foods or to toddlers and kids.

The raw meatballs are very sticky before going into the oven so be mindful of this when shaping them into balls. It might be helpful to rub your hands and fingers with oil before forming the balls.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup diced red onion (about 1/2 of a small red onion)
  • 1 egg (if your child has an egg allergy you can omit this or replace with 1 tbl of mashed avocado)
  • 1.2 lb ground turkey
  • 3/4 cup raw sweet potato, finely grated
  • 1/4 cup oat flour (if you don’t have oat flour you can use standard breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp dried parsley

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper (if you don’t have parchment paper spray the sheet pan with nonstick spray).
  2. In a blender combine the red onion and egg and blend until pureed.
  3. In a large bowl combine onion and egg mixture with the remaining ingredients. If the mixture is too loose add a little more oat flour until the consistency is firmer.
  4. Using a melon scoop, portion the turkey mixture into 1 inch meatballs and place evently spaced on the parchment lined sheetpan.
  5. Bake meatballs for 20 – 22 minutes.
  6. Let cool and serve!