Budget Travel

Buffalo Chicken Dip

SERVES 12 | PREP TIME 10 Min | COOK TIME 20 Min

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
1 cup Buffalo wing sauce
1 cup ranch or blue cheese salad dressing
1 ½ cups Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 ½ cup Gruyere cheese, shredded

For Dipping:
French bread baguette slices, celery ribs, carrots, broccoli, soft pretzels, chips

Preheat oven to 350°F.

You can cook the chicken by boiling it until done and after that shredding it or you can use rotisserie chicken and shred the breast.

Spread cream cheese into an ungreased shallow 2-qt. baking dish.

Layer with chicken, add the Buffalo wing sauce and the salad dressing.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted.

You can also broil the top layer, for the last 5 minutes of baking. Watch it closely to not burn it.

Serve with French bread baguette slices, celery ribs, carrots, broccoli, soft pretzels, chips or crackers.

Serve immediately.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

SERVES 4 | PREP TIME 15 Min | COOK TIME 5 Hours

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
2 chicken drumsticks, bone in, skin on
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 cup Kalamata olives
2 cups baby bella mushrooms, sliced (aka crimini)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5 ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 cup reduced sodium chicken stock

Mix 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper and sprinkle over the chicken.

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet (I love using cast iron) over medium-high heat. Place about 1/2 of the chicken pieces in the skillet skin side down. Cook until browned, about 3 minutes each side. Place browned chicken in the slow cooker while you cook the remaining chicken. Repeat.

Meanwhile: add onions, peppers, olives, mushrooms, garlic, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken stock, and remaining 1/2 salt to the slow cooker.

Cook on low for 5 hours.

Serve over polenta, mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice and enjoy!

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Instant Pot Belgian Ale Beef Stew

SERVES 8-10 | PREP TIME 10 Min | COOK TIME 50 Min

1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 - 2 pounds chuck roast, cut into 1” cubes
2 tablespoons steak seasoning
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 (12 ounce) bottle Belgian Ale
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1” lengths
5 stalks celery, cut into 1” lengths
1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 package beefy onion soup mix
2 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon Better than Bouillon Beef Base
3 springs rosemary
1 packet beef gravy mix (optional)

Select the sauté setting and adjust to HIGH. Insert the inner pot and add olive oil.
Season the cubed chuck roast with steak seasoning. When the Instant Pot is heated, add the beef to the pot. Brown on all sides. Sprinkle the flour over top and stir to coat the beef. Cook for 1-2 minutes further.

Add the ale, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, soup mix, beef base, rosemary and beef stock to the pot and stir to combine.

Place the lid and lock. Set top valve to “Sealing,” and select the “Meat/Stew” setting and adjust time to 40 minutes.

After the timer runs out, let naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release. If stew is too thin for your liking, you can add a package of brown gravy mix to thicken it further.

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Everything Cheese Sauce

from The Simple Kitchen Cookbook by Chad and Donna Elick

MAKES 1 1/2 Cups | ACTIVE TIME 5 Min | TOTAL TIME 10 Min

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup freshly shredded pepper Jack cheese
1/2 cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
8 oz Velveeta cheese, cut into chunks

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour, salt and
cayenne pepper and whisk to combine. Cook for 1 minute to cook out the floury
taste. Don’t skip this step. Trust me, floury sauce is not tasty, and cooking it for a
minute will also brown the flour, adding a slight nuttiness to your cheese sauce.

Add the milk, whisking constantly. Simmer until the sauce begins to steam, about
3 minutes. Decrease the heat to low. Add the cheeses a handful at a time, whisking
after each addition until the cheese melts into the sauce. Lift your whisk out of the
sauce. If there are still cheese shreds on the whisk, keep stirring. Continue adding
the cheese and whisking until all the cheese is melted into the sauce, and then stir
the sauce until it’s well-combined.

The sauce will keep in the refrigerator in a mason jar for 3 to 4 days.

DONNA’S SIMPLE KITCHEN TIP: When making cheese sauces and cheese-based
soups, be sure to add the cheese slowly over low heat, or your sauce could
become grainy. Reheat cheese sauces and soups low and slow to maintain
the smooth texture.

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Italian Sausage and Pepper Sliders

SERVES 12 | PREP TIME 15 Min | COOK TIME 30 Min

12 slider buns, split (we love Hawaiian)
1 pound ground Italian sausage (hot, mild or sweet)
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 cup marinara sauce
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350°F.

On stove saute together your Italian sausage, peppers and onions until no longer pink and vegetables are tender, remove from heat, drain and set aside.

Place the bottom half of your sliders in your baking pan and sprinkle with one cup of cheese.
Top with your sausage and pepper mixture.

Spread your marinara over the top and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Place top of your buns over your cheese.

Bake, uncovered, 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and heated through.

In small bowl mix together your melted butter, Italian seasoning and garlic powder.

Spread over the top of slider buns, reserving just a little bit to brush on after they are done baking.

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Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

SERVES 8 | PREP TIME 15 Min | COOK TIME 16 Hours

3 pounds sweet onions, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
5 fresh thyme sprigs
3 bay leaves
6 cups beef stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 (12-ounce) French baguette, sliced
2 cups Gruyère cheese, shredded

Add the thinly sliced onions to a 6-qt slow cooker. Stir in butter, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, sherry vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.

Cover and cook on high heat for 8-9 hours or on low for about 12-14; or until onions are caramelized and browned. Make sure to stir halfway, as needed, to prevent burning.

Stir in beef stock, season with salt and pepper, to taste and add thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Cover and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-5 hours. When ready discard thyme and bay leaves.

Preheat oven to broil.

Place baguette slices onto a baking sheet and broil until golden brown on both sides, about 1-2 minutes per side.

Divide soup into ovenproof bowls, place the bowls on a baking sheet. Top with toasted baguette slices, about two slices per bowl, the bread should cover the soup; top with lots of shredded cheese.

Place into the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Serve immediately.

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Olive Garden Copycat Zuppa Toscana

SERVES 6 | PREP TIME 10 Min | COOK TIME 45 Min

1 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 bunch curly kale, leaves stripped and chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 slices cooked bacon, chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, for serving

In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook sausage until browned and no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Break into smaller pieces with your spatula as you cook, Transfer to a plate to drain.

Add onion to pot and cook until soft, 5 minutes, then add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add chicken broth and potatoes and cook until potatoes are tender, 23 to 25 minutes. Smash a few of the potatoes to create a creamy texture.

Stir in kale and let cook until leaves are tender and bright green, 3 minutes, then stir in heavy cream, sausage, and bacon and simmer 5 minutes more.

Garnish with Parmesan or Romano and serve.

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