Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

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Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Every year, for as long as I can remember, I have watched the Oscars and, of course, the Red Carpet, with my mom. 

We usually fail to make dinner plans until the last minute and end up getting pizza or some other fast food, but this year I decided I should plan ahead and actually cook dinner. I wanted to make something that wasn't too labor-intensive, but would be flavorful and satisfying on a cold winter evening. Also something we could eat with chips because I always like an excuse to eat chips. 

I think it will be a new Oscar night tradition. 

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Pasta Carbonara Recipe

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Pasta Carbonara Recipe

The summer after my junior year of college, I studied abroad in London. While there, my friends and I were pretty wary of some of the traditional British fare (bangers and mash, anyone?), so we often sought out Italian restaurants when dinner-time approached. We knew we could count on a big plate of pasta to satisfy our American hunger. That was the summer I discovered my love for pasta carbonara. Bacon, eggs,  cheese, and pasta? Yes, please.

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Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Recipe

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Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Recipe

I'm always looking for new and exciting proteins to feed my family. I realize that chicken is not a new protein, and generally not all that exciting, but when done right, it can be. I have attempted different versions of parmesan-crusted chicken in the past, but until last night, none had been all that successful - the chicken was too thick, the breading fell off, etc. Not this time! This time, my chicken turned out golden brown and delicious, and exactly how I had pictured and intended it. I finally got it right, and you can, too...

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Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs Recipe

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Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs Recipe

As I've mentioned before, I love Asian flavors. So, one day a few months ago I decided I wanted to make some sort of Asian-inspired meatballs using ground turkey (probably because ground turkey was on sale). I read a bunch of turkey meatball recipes to see how other people recommend turning boring ground turkey into mouth-watering meatballs. Then, as usual, I decided not to follow any of these recipes, but to do my own thing once I had a basic understanding of how I might make an Asian-inspired turkey meatball.

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Kid-Friendly Turkey Chili Recipe

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Kid-Friendly Turkey Chili Recipe

Last week, I invited my mom, who is generally not a very adventurous eater, to join us for dinner before staying to babysit one kid while I took the other to a school event (grandma deserves a reward for occupying my - what's a nice way of saying monstrous? - "spirited" toddler when I can't). I wanted to make something that she would enjoy and my kids would eat without complaint. It was also freezing outside and my husband was out of town. That combination called for a non-fussy meal that I could throw in the slow cooker in the morning.

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Chicken Mai Fun Recipe

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Chicken Mai Fun Recipe

I love Asian food. Or, at least, what we call "Asian food" here in America. Really anything that involves rice and/or noodles, soy sauce, and a good amount of spice does it for me. Several years ago, I decided I wanted to try to make my own "Asian food."

What I came up with (and have since improved upon) has become one of the most-requested meals in my house. We call it Mai fun after the rice noodles I buy in the Asian section at Meijer.

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