Helm Family Recipes

I was inspired by my friend Lindsay's Blog Post about her family's favorite recipes! They all looked so yummy, so I thought we would share some of ours as well! Keep in mind all ye with gigantic families--Travis and I are two people. So most of these recipes serve 2-4 people. Sometimes I will make extra so we have leftovers to eat off of for a few days, so you might consider doubling these recipes if you are cooking for more than 2-4 people!

The first one is Travis' absolute favorite! We eat ours over brown rice. I save the extra teriyaki marinade to pour over the rice as well! 

Sriracha Salmon

Original Recipe Here

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons honey

2 salmon filets

SRIRACHA CREAM SAUCE

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2-3 tablespoons Sriracha*

1 1/2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

**If you've never had Sriracha before, BEWARE it is extremely spicy! I personally like my salmon sweeter, with a little kick, so I only use 1 tablespoon of Sriracha. 

DIRECTIONS

-To make cream sauce, whisk together all three ingredients and set aside

-In small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1/4 C water, set aside

-In small saucepan, over medium heat, add soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic powder, honey, and 1 Cup of water. Bring to a simmer.

-Stir in cornstarch mixture until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 2 minutes)

-In a ziploc, combine teriyaki mixture and salmon. Let marinade 30 min (or overnight if you are really on top of your game)

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake 20 min 

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This next one is SUPER easy, healthy, and a good alternate to the usual burger! We tried these when we were visiting Travis' dad in Washington and they added feta and it was AMAZING! 

Chicken Avocado Feta Burgers

Original Recipe Here

INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground chicken

1 lrg ripe avocado

1/2 c panko (or other bread crumbs)

1 chopped clove garlic (we used minced and it was just fine!)

1/2 c feta

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

-Chop avocado into bite size chunks.

-Combine avocado chunks, panko, garlic, feta, and salt & pepper

-Add ground chicken

-Shape mixture into patties and grill 8-10 minutes

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I have to admit something. I LOVE chicken salad. The sweetness of the grapes and the saltiness of the cashews is just absolute perfection. I have tried this chicken salad recipe with both mayonnaise and greek yogurt. Because I usually make it in bulk for lunches, I have to satisfy both mine and Trav's taste preferences. He prefers the less healthy mayo. I think both versions taste great, but just know that if you want to cut some calories and fat, you can use greek yogurt instead of mayo! 

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Original Recipe Here

INGREDIENTS

2 cups cooked shredded chicken*

Red grapes, halved (to taste)

Green onion

Cashews (to taste)*

1 cup mayo (or greek yogurt)

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon tarragon

**The easiest way for me to cook the chicken is to put 3-4 frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot with a little chicken broth on high for 4-5 hours. If the chicken falls apart when I stab it with a fork, then I know it's done! The original recipe also noted that you could buy Costco rotisserie chicken, which would be good too!

**I don't add the cashews until I'm eating my actual sandwich, because like I said, I make this ahead of time to eat on for a few days and the cashews get soggy if they are mixed into the salad mix right away! Also, Travis doesn't like them. He's crazy. 

DIRECTIONS

-Halve some red grapes and cut green onions, set aside

-Combine mayo, celery seed, paprika, salt, and tarragon to make homemade dressing

-Add chicken, grapes, and green onions to the dressing mixture

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This soup is our go to on Sundays or on days we are both super busy and just want to throw stuff in a crockpot and forget about it until dinner time! This is extremely unhealthy, but so creamy and delicious--definitely a winter comfort food! This recipe makes a TON! Travis and I usually can eat off of this for one more night.

Tortellini & Sausage Crockpot Soup

Original Recipe Here

INGREDIENTS

1 19oz bag frozen cheese tortellini

1 lb sausage (I prefer italian, it is amazing!)

2 cans italian style diced  tomatoes

2 cans (or 1 box) low sodium chicken broth

1 (8oz) cream cheese, cut into cubes

DIRECTIONS

-Cook sausage

-Combine tortellini, sausage, tomatoes, chicken broth, and cream cheese in crockpot

-Stir to combine

-Cook on low for 5 hours, stirring twice during cooking

**The original recipe had spinach in it. I really , really, really, dislike cooked spinach, so I took it out! 

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Last, but certainly not least is the big daddy of them all. I've never met a soul that did not love these creamy chicken taquitos! This recipe is from my all time favorite cook book Our Best Bites! If you don't have this cookbook, go and buy it RIGHT NOW! Every recipe that we have tried is fantastic! Also, the cilantro is KEY in this recipe. Don't make them without it! 

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup (3oz) cream cheese

1/4 cup green salsa

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped green onions

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

6 inch corn or flour tortillas (as fresh as possible; the longer they sit the more likely they are to crack)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Nonstick cooking spray

Salt

DIRECTIONS

-Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it lightly with cooking spray

-Heat cream cheese in the microwave for 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro, green onions, chicken and pepper jack cheese.

-Wrap 3-4 tortillas at a time in damp paper towels and microwave for 20-30 seconds so they are soft and pliable. If you find your tortillas are cracking when rolled, use a damper paper towel and increase microwave time. **I've never had a problem with flour tortillas doing this, but due to the lack of fresh corn tortillas in southeast Idaho, I have been forced to use the mass produced, prepackaged filth, and they crack very easily!**

-Place 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture on the lower third of each tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges, and then roll up

-Place seam side down on the baking sheet in a single layer. Brush the tops lightly with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt. Place pan in the over and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Cool for 5-10 minutes and then serve with sour cream. 

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Easy peasy, lemon squeezy

Enjoy!

Lindsay