If You Give a Kid a Crockpot: Crockpot Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken

Over the next several weeks, we'll be bringing you recipes for beginning cooks designed to teach basic cooking skills. So be on the lookout for all the recipes in the series. Today's recipe is part of the Cooking Challenge series.

Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken in the crockpot is the perfect "set it and forget it meal." It's sweet and savory and makes the perfect busy weeknight meal when served with rice and a side of steamed broccoli or on Hawaiian buns as sliders.

Crockpot Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 Tbsp sesame oil

1/4 cup brown sugar

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 Tbsp salt

1/2 Tbsp pepper

1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)

20 oz can pineapple chunks, drained with juice reserved for sauce

1 Tbsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp cold water

Garnishes (optional)

sesame seeds

green onions, chopped

1. In a small bowl, whisk together, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes (if using), and 3 Tbsp of reserved pineapple juice. 
2. Place chicken in crockpot and evenly pour the sauce over top.
3. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2.5-3 hours, until chicken is tender and easily shredded.
4. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, in a small bowl, whisk together 1 Tbsp cornstarch and 2 Tbsp cold water to make a slurry. 
5. Stir cornstarch slurry into sauce along with drained pineapple chunks.
6. Turn the crockpot to high and cook 15-30 minutes until sauce is thickened.
7. Shred the chicken and stir back into sauce. Serve over rice or on slider buns.

You Can Get with This or You Can Get with That (Recipe Substitutions):

• Substitute boneless chicken thighs for the boneless chicken breasts.
• Substitute apple cider vinegar for rice vinegar.
• Substitute olive oil for the sesame oil. 
• Substitute garlic powder or jarred minced garlic for fresh minced garlic.

This Is How We Do It (Kitchen Skills You'll Learn in This Recipe):

• Chopping vegetables
• Measuring ingredients
• Reading and following a recipe
• Setting a timer
• Shredding chicken
• Using a crockpot

If You Give a Kid a Cooking Challenge

This recipe is part of the three-part If You Give a Kid a Cooking Challenge recipe series. These recipes are designed to: 

• be easier to make
• have a minimal number of ingredients (minus pantry staples like oil and spices)
• be quick to prep 
• make enough for one person to have leftovers for a few days

Make sure to visit the main post to see all of the recipes in the series.

If You Give a Kid a Cooking Pot: One Pot Taco Soup

Over the next several weeks, we'll be bringing you recipes for beginning cooks designed to teach basic cooking skills. So be on the lookout for all the recipes in the series. Today's recipe is part of the Cooking Challenge series.

With only one pot needed to make this soup, it's an easy-to-make dinner!

As written, the recipe is a healthy, high protein meal that makes a BIG pot of soup. This is a great one for beginner cooks because you can get dinner on the table in 30 minutes and have plenty of leftovers for later in the week or to freeze for later.

One Pot Taco Soup

Soup Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion, diced

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 15 oz. can light red kidney beans, undrained

1 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans, undrained

1 15 oz. can canneloni beans, undrained

1 15 oz. can chili beans, undrained,

1 15 oz. can black beans, undrained

1 15 oz. can pinto beans, undrained

1 15 oz. can corn, undrained

1 15 oz. can Rotel, undrained

2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1 28 oz. can tomato puree

4 cups water

1 1/2 1 oz. packets Taco Seasoning Mix, or 4 1/2 Tbsp. homemade taco seasoning mix

1 oz. packet Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning, or 3 Tbsp. homemade ranch dressing mix

1 1/2 pound ground beef (optional)

Garnishes

green onions, chopped

fresh cilantro, chopped

jalapenos, sliced for serving

avocados, peeled and diced

sour cream

hot sauce

shredded cheese

1. Heat olive oil in a large 8-quart pot over medium heat. Saute onion until soft and translucent. If adding ground beef, brown it along with onions, about 5-6 minutes. Drain grease before proceeding with the rest of the recipe as written.
2. Add the minced garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add tomatoes and spices, stirring to combine.
4. Add remaining soup ingredients, and stir to combine.
5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer covered for 25 minutes.
6. Serve topped with garnishes of your choice (optional).

You Can Get with This or You Can Get with That (Ingredient Substitutions):

• If interested in making a smaller quantity of soup, use only 3 cans of beans, tomato puree (omitting diced tomatoes), and 1 packet of Taco Seasoning Mix.
• Substitute garlic powder or jarred minced garlic for fresh minced garlic.
• All garnishes are optional.

This Is How We Do It (Kitchen Skills You'll Learn in This Recipe):

• Boiling vs. simmering
• Browning ground meat (optional)
• Chopping vegetables
• Measuring ingredients
• Reading and following a recipe
• Sauteing vegetables
• Setting a timer
• Using a can opener

Mama Said Knock You Out (Prep Ahead for Easy Dinners):

You can either freeze taco soup before cooking, or you can cook it first and then freeze to reheat later. (This works well with leftovers.) Either way, the flavors in the soup will remain the same. Taco soup can be stored in the freezer for 4-6 months.

If You Give a Kid a Cooking Challenge

This recipe is part of the three-part If You Give a Kid a Cooking Challenge recipe series. These recipes are designed to: 

• be easier to make
• have a minimal number of ingredients (minus pantry staples like oil and spices)
• be quick to prep 
• make enough for one person to have leftovers for a few days

Make sure to visit the main post to see all of the recipes in the series.

If You Give a Kid a Casserole Dish: Upside-Down Pizza Casserole

Over the next several weeks, we'll be bringing you recipes for beginning cooks designed to teach basic cooking skills. So be on the lookout for all the recipes in the series. Today's recipe is part of the Cooking Challenge series.

This easy Upside-Down Pizza Casserole will includes all your favorite pizza toppings to make a quick and filling weeknight meal. With the help of a boxed biscuit mix, you'll have dinner on the table in no time flat!

Upside-Down Pizza Casserole

Casserole

1 lb. sausage

1 small onion, diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

2.25 oz. can sliced black olives, drained

24 oz. jar pasta sauce

6 oz. pepperoni

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Crust

11.36 oz. box Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix

1 1/4 cups water (note this is 1/2 cup more than required per box instructions)

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Herb Butter Sauce

Seasoning Mix from Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix

1/4 cup butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 425° F. Spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Dice onion and bell pepper. Sauté in a large skillet until onion is translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
3. Add sausage and use a spoon to break it into pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, about 4 to 6 minutes. Drain excess grease.
4. Add olives and pasta sauce to the skillet and mix well. Add the mixture to the casserole dish.
5. Layer the pepperoni evenly over top of the mixture. Then, layer the mozzarella evenly over top of the pepperoni.
6. Prepare biscuit mix as directed on package instructions, adding an extra 1/2 cup of water to make the mixture more spreadable.
7. Pour the biscuit mixture over top of the mozzarella cheese layer, and spread evenly using the back of a spoon.
8. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, until biscuit topping is browned.
9. While casserole is baking, prepare the Herb Butter Sauce according to package instructions.
10. Brush Herb Butter Sauce onto casserole when you remove it from the oven. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

You Can Get with This or You Can Get with That (Recipe Substitutions):

• Substitute a bag of frozen chopped pepper and onion blend for the fresh chopped onion and peppers to save time on this recipe.
• Add a can of mushrooms stems and pieces (drained) to include more vegetables in the recipe without adding a lot of prep time.
• Customize this casserole to your own tastes by adding or omitting your favorite vegetables. If omitting vegetables, suggest serving this casserole with a side salad for a complete meal.
• Substitute 3 cups Bisquick, 3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1 cup milk for crust instead of Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Mix. (For this recipe, can substitute 1/4 cup butter, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp Italian seasoning for the Herb Butter Sauce.)

This Is How We Do It (Kitchen Skills You'll Learn in This Recipe):

• Browning ground meat
• Chopping vegetables
• Measuring ingredients
• Preheating an oven
• Reading and following a recipe
• Sauteing vegetables
• Setting a timer

If You Give a Kid a Cooking Challenge

This recipe is part of the three-part If You Give a Kid a Cooking Challenge recipe series. These recipes are designed to: 

• be easier to make
• have a minimal number of ingredients (minus pantry staples like oil and spices)
• be quick to prep 
• make enough for one person to have leftovers for a few days

Make sure to visit the main post to see all of the recipes in the series.