Author Archives: Carl Fisher

Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken

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We have made this recipe two times and it was excellent both times. It is easy to prepare, taking only a few minutes to throw together.

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Creamy Slow-cooker Chicken

Easy
Course: Main Course
Keyword: Chicken
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 6 each chicken breasts skinned and boned (about 2.5 pounds
  • 2 tsp Seasoned Salt
  • 2 TBL canola oil
  • 10 oz can cream of mushroom soup reduced fat
  • 8 oz package cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup white wine we used Pinot Grigio
  • .7 oz envelope Italian dressing mix
  • 8 oz package mushrooms fresh and sliced
  • 6 sandwich style biscuits or rice

Instructions

  • Sprinkle chicken with seasoned salt. Cook chicken, in batches, in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes on each side or just until browned. Transfer chicken to a 50qt. slow cooker, reserving drippings in skillet.
  • Add soup, cream cheese, white wine, and Italian dressing mix to hot drippings in skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth.
  • Sprinkle mushrooms over chicken in slow cooker. Spoon soup mixture over mushrooms. Cover and cook on LOW 4 hours. Stir well before serving.
  • Prepare biscuits or rice according to package directions. Serve chicken mixture over biscuits.

Notes

We first made this recipe in December 2016 and then again in June 2022. It was excellent both times.

Collegiate Loop of Colorado Trail August 2022

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Four backpackers (Ed Tucker, John Gundry, Mark Schedler, and Carl Fisher) plan a 140 mile trip along the East and West loops of the Collegiate Loop of the Colorado Trail (with a couple of modifications) starting in late August. The planned 15 day trip ended after 8 days.

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Rhubarb-Strawberry Crisp

Rhubarb-Strawberry (or Apple) Crisp

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Rhubarb-Strawberry Crisp
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Rhubarb-Strawberry (or Apple) Crisp

Our go to rhubarb recipe.
Course: Dessert
Servings: 8

Ingredients

Fruit Mixture

  • 3 cup rhubarb small dice
  • 3 cup strawberries (halved or quartered) OR Apples (peeled, cored, sliced and cut in half)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 3/4 tsp orange zest
  • 2 TBL cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup orange liqueur Grand Marnier or just plain orange juice
  • 1 TBL butter

Topping

  • 9 TBL butter cold, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 3/4 cup oats quick cooking

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Fruit Mixture

  • In a large bowl, combine the rhubarb, strawberries or apples, sugar, orange zest, cornstarch and orange liqueur and toss to thoroughly combine. Grease an 8 x 8 casserole or baking dish with 1 tablespoon of butter and transfer the fruit mixture to the prepared casserole.

Topping

  • In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, flour, brown sugar, and oats and cut together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit and bake until the topping is golden brown and crispy and fruit is bubble in places, about 45 minutes.
  • Cool briefly and serve warm, with a dollop of whipped cream or French Vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Chicken Santa Fe

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One of our favorite freezer meals.  Easy to put together and easy to heat up.  This recipe serves 10 folks.

1 TBS olive oil
4 large chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
15 oz. canned corn, drained
15 oz. canned black beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz. canned black eyed peas, drained
15 oz. canned pinto beans, drained
12 oz. canned diced, tomatoes, Ro-Tel brand recommended
15 oz. picante sauce
1 TBS chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (about 4 oz.)

Assembly Directions: In a large skillet add olive oil and chicken breast at medium heat.  Cook until done (no pink in the middle).  Remove and cut into bit sized pieces and set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the corn, black beans, black-eyed peas, pinto beans, tomatoes, and picante sauce.  Add the chili powder, cumin, and chopped chicken, stirring until evenly mixed.

Freezing Directions: Put mixture in a one-gallon freezer bag.  Put the shredded cheddar in a quart freezer bag.  Seal, label, and freeze both bags.  This recipe can easily be split in half in two quart freezer bags.

Serving Directions: Thaw bean mixture bags.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9×13 pan (or an 8×8 pan for 1/2 recipe) with cooking spray.  Pour the bag of chicken mixture into the pan.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, or until heated through.  Remove foil.  Top with shredded cheese.  Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Serve over rice. Serves: 10

Chicken Stock in an Instant Pot

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Instant Pot Chicken Stock (Bone Broth)

Great way to use the leftover store bought rotisserie chicken carcass
Keyword: Instant Pot
Servings: 8 cups

Ingredients

  • 2 medium onion chopped into large pieces, untrimmed
  • 2 stalks celery chopped into large pieces with leaves
  • 2 medium carrot large chunks
  • 2 cloves garlic smashed
  • 2 ½ pounds chicken carcass
  • 2 each bay leaves
  • 2 TBS soy sauce
  • 1 TBS cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp black peppercorns whole
  • ½ tsp marjoram dried
  • ½ tsp thyme dried
  • 8 cups water or as needed

Instructions

  • Step 1: Without peeling any skin or trimming any ends, prepare vegetables: Roughly chop onions. Roughly slice celery and carrots. Smash garlic gloves.
  • Step 2: Place chicken carcasses in a 6-quart multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®). Add onions, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, soy sauce, vinegar, peppercorns, marjoram, and thyme. Loosely pack down. Add enough water to reach the max fill level. Close and lock the lid.
  • Step 3: Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 2 1/2 hours. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
  • Step 4: Release pressure using the natural-release method according to manufacturer's instructions for 45 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid.
  • Step 5: Use a mesh strainer to strain solids from liquids. Cool and remove the solidified layer of fat if you wish. It's ready to use right now but that's a lot of chicken broth. It can be frozen and used later.
Butterfly stained glass piece

Nature themed Glass

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Homemade Laundry Soap

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Homemade Soap (for front loading clothes washer)
1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup Washing Soda
1/2 cup blue Dawn Dish Soap (I don’t know why blue?)
1 Gallon of Water

Mix Borax and Washing Soda with 2 cups of hot water until dissolved.  Add mixture to a gallon jug (I used one that had previously held store bought laundry soap) and add cold water until about 3/4 full.  Add Dawn dish soap and shake to mix it up (it will suds a bit) then finish filling with cold water.

Use 1/4 cup per load.