Trim Healthy Mama Archives

Crock Pot Whole Baked Chicken

I have a confession – I used to be afraid of whole chickens…..whole dead chickens. Well, I guess I might be afraid of a live chicken too if it was to run after me, trying to peck me to death.

I mean, in the packaging it looks so…..chickenish. It really looks like a chicken. I mean, there are legs and wings and body parts. When I open a pack of steak, it doesn’t look like a cow. With the chicken, I feel like I need to apologize while I’m fixing it. Sorry bird, but you are quite tasty. Not to mention I have this weirdness about meat on the bone that I’m trying to overcome.

So, I set out to teach myself to cook a whole chicken in the crock pot. I read tons of recipes, and this method suited me the best. And guess what? It’s EASY! I love it! The meat is so tender and it just falls off the bone. This is my method for cooking chicken forever! This particular chicken is from Earth Fare.

After watching Food, Inc I can’t buy any more Tyson chicken. This chicken was $10, but let me tell you…..it was GOOD. Totally worth the $10 and knowing it came from an okay source – and plus, I got 3+ meals out of this 3 pound bird. It did not die in vain…..it died somewhere, but not in vain. [Read more…]

Homemade Greek Yogurt

Annie can kick back the yogurt. Seriously. Applesauce and yogurt are her two favorite foods. If she even sees it on the counter, you’re a goner. If you had plans for that yogurt in a recipe, you’re outta luck. I’m going to have to start hiding yogurt in a paper bag like it’s liquor or something. And she really, REALLY likes Greek yogurt – but I DIDN’T……have you noticed that it’s a lot more expensive than regular yogurt? But following the fashion of most of my kitchen capers, I decided I would save money and make it myself (also going to show y’all how to make your own yogurt here in a week or so). It’s really very easy and will save you money that you can use at yard sales.

You’ll need cheesecloth and yogurt. That’s it. Are you surprised? You should know by now that I’m really not into difficult stuff. You can buy cheesecloth just about anywhere. It’s easy to find at fabric stores – mine is from Hancock Fabrics. You can use plain yogurt or flavored yogurt. Our family favorite happens to be plain ole vanilla…..and I’m a Dannon fan. [Read more…]

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

Oh. My. Word. These are amazing. Actually, amazing doesn’t even cover it. They are stupendous! Spectacular! Dreamy! Totally Tubular! You want to make these soon. Very soon. In fact, you’re already too late. Gosh, you’re so slow……cooker. Slow cooker, get it? Okay, sorry.

[Read more…]

Crock Pot Jerk Chicken Hoagies

****I have edited this recipe to fit our Whole Foods lifestyle by using homemade buns and organic ketchup.********

When I told Barry I was going to make these Jerked Chicken Hoagies, he kept going around saying, “What a jerk!” Yes, I married a comedian. Anyway, we love jerk seasoning in our house. What is it? It’s actually a Jamaican spice. Cooking “jerk style” means that you use a dry rub or a wet marinade for meats – the marinade being a very hot spice mixture. So, what’s in it? Allspice, peppers, cloves, cinnamon, scallions, nutmeg, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper. It sounds like a weird combination, but it just works……trust me. Sorta like green beans and ketchup. They just go together. [Read more…]

Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce

Wowza! This is GOOD stuff right here, y’all. I’m having a lot of fun playing with my crock pots…..and this one is a recipe you’ll probably add to your regular rotation.

And you’ll kiss me after dinner and bestow upon me tons of gifts in the form of fancy dishes (or enamel-coated cast iron cookware – HINT, HINT) and pretzel M&Ms. Yes, it’s THAT good.

Another plus to this one is that it makes a large amount, so you can put the extra in the freezer for another meal. You’ll start this in the morning when you go to work, and then when you come home 8 hours later, you’ll just have to boil your noodles and fix a side salad. Voila! I’m falling in love with my crock pots (yes, pots…..I have 5). [Read more…]

Skillet Pizzas

I’ve been on a pizza kick recently. I want it all the time. We fix these tortilla pizzas a lot in our house. You can vary the toppings depending on how you’re feeling. Feeling especially frisky today? Use hot salsa and jalapenos. Feeling bland and blah? Plain cheese works too. It’s ok if no one in your house likes the same toppings…..if usually that makes you travel somewhere like CiCi’s Pizza (be still my heart!) then today you’re in luck! Each pizza can be customized to your pickiness. There won’t be a recipe at the end, as this is just to give you a general idea. Then I’ll unleash you and let you go. If you love something, let it go! I love pizza, and I let it go…….down the hatch. [Read more…]

How to Make Stuffed Burgers

In honor of the Labor Day holiday, Barry said I should post something that was made on the grill. I guess most of you are going to pull out your grill and give a last hurrah for the summer. Although around here, if the heat keeps up, we’ll be having sweaty buns for most of the winter months. Yesterday, it was so hot, spit would have evaporated before it hit the ground. Stupid Global Warming. I blame it on Al Gore. Anyway, I thought I would show you how to make stuffed burgers. It’s more of a method than a recipe, so no recipe will be included at the bottom. You can take this idea and run with it. Run like the wind! Happy Labor Day!

For these burgers, you’ll need ground meat, garlic powder, salt, fresh pepper, bacon bits, feta cheese, and cream cheese. Now, you can use any type of ground meat that you want – beef, veal (too expensive for my blood), turkey, chicken, or just about anything you can think up. As far as the cheeses go, I used these because that’s what I had. You could use ANY type of cheese – bleu cheese, goat cheese (YUM!), cheddar, mozzarella – let your imagination run wild. Try to pair things together. I used bacon, but you could use pepperoni, or anything else you think might pair well with the cheese you’re using. To make a pizza burger, use mozzarella and chopped pepperoni. The burger is your canvas! [Read more…]

Roasted Green Beans

Ahhhhh, fall. It brings an abundance of fresh produce. I love green beans! I could be happy with an entire pot of green beans all to myself. Sometimes I’m not very good at sharing. Taste of Home put out a recipe for how to roast green beans in the oven, so I decided to try it. I’m always looking for a different way to prepare things, especially when we have an abundance. These were so good that Barry and I ate the entire batch….which was supposed to be enough for 6 people. Oops. We were popping them like M&Ms. I think it was a contest to see who could eat more. [Read more…]

Baked Eggs

Scrambled, fried, boiled, poached. I love cooking eggs! They’re so yummy and very filling. Plus, they’re cheap. We all know I love cheap things. I really like finding new ways to cook eggs. Around here, sometimes things are so busy that I don’t have the time to stand over the stove and cook eggs, keeping a watch so they don’t stick. When that’s the case, I make baked eggs. They’re quick, easy, and delicious. Try them sometime when you’re pressed for time but don’t want to eat ANOTHER granola bar. [Read more…]