Chili

Chili can be made lots of different ways and everyone knows someone who makes the best Chili. This is a basic version of chili, to make it your own depends on your preferences some like it HOT! I do not!




What you will need:


1 lb ground beef / I use lean ground beef
2 cans of beans, pinto or kidney or mix them. I had 2 cans of pintos so that's what I used.




1 small onion
about 2 cups chopped celery
1 green bell pepper
2 cloves of garlic
2 cans of tomatoes, you can use stewed tomatoes, diced or whole and squish them up. I used stewed tomatoes.
1 can tomato paste
4 cups of beef stock
spices: salt, pepper ,chili powder, cumin, garlic powder

Brown meat in large dutch oven or large pot, drain if necessary ( I used lean meat there was not anything to drain)

Add Veggies and saute for 5-7 min.


Spices: this is the hard part for me because I don't usually measure spices, I just add and taste, add and taste!

1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp of garlic powder


Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil then reduce heat cover and simmer 25-30 min.

After it has been simmering for about 10 min. taste test: add more chili powder for spicier taste and a pinch of cayenne pepper


Serve with cornbread and sprinkle some cheese on top and a dollop of sour cream. Yummy!

Triple Sec Chocolate covered cherries!

What you will need:

1 small bottle of Triple sec liquor or Grand mariner 

1 jar of maraschino cherries

butter

marshmallow cream/fluff

powdered sugar

almond extract 

salt 

semi-sweet chocolate chips

1st step: 

Drain cherries, and soak in liquor ( I soaked mine for 2 days in the fridge)

After soaking for desired amount of time drain cherries line a plate or cookie sheet with wax paper and freeze cherries. Make sure your cherries are not touching each other, they will not freeze all the way due to the alcohol.

Second step:

To make the fondant: 

1/3 cup	butter, softened
2 cups	marshmallow cream/fluff
1 tsp	Almond Extract
4 cups	Sifted Powdered Sugar
dash	Salt

Directions:

Cream butter. Beat in marshmallow fluff, and almond extract. Add powdered sugar gradually, mixing well. Turn out the mix onto a board, and knead until smooth, working in more sugar as necessary if mix becomes too sticky, it should be like play dough. Refrigerate for 24 hours.

  

Step 3

Drain cherries very well, then using the kneaded sugar mix, "fondant"---pinching off some of that fondant, wrap each cherry make sure the cherry is completely covered,put on a cookie sheet in freezer for 24 hrs. 

 Step 4

Have to work fast when rolling in choc-mess if they defrost. Melt the chocolate in top of double boiler, over hot, but not boiling water. Dip each wrapped cherry in the melted chocolate and place on waxed paper and refrigerate to harden.

Step 5

ENJOY!!

*For regular chocolate cherries follow same instructions just do not soak in liquor, I like regular ones the best but these were also a big hit!

Veggie Alfredo Pizza

You can make your own homemade pizza crust, or use packaged pizza crust mix or a ready made pizza crust which ever you like. I use a packaged pizza crust mix (great value .44 cents ).

2 packs of pizza crust for thick crust one for thin crust.

your favorite veggies, for this one I used:

1 Zuccinni
1/2 an onion
1/2 green bell pepper
1 garlic clove
1 roma tomato
about 5-6 mushrooms
Chop all of the veggies up and saute on med high kinda of roast a little ( you can also roast them in the oven at 475 until light brown.)
salt, pepper, garlic, Italian seasonings , a little Greek season (optional)
I used refrigerated alfredo sauce, you can use what ever kind you like.
Make the dough according to package directions brush with olive oil bake crust 5-7 min. remove from oven. Spread your desired amount of alfredo sauce on crust sprinkle with Parmesan cheese top with veggies and shredded pizza cheese. bake at 450 for about 15 min.

You could add some shredded chicken, bacon bits , feta cheese these are some of the variations I use when making this type of pizza. We LOVE to make Home Made Pizza!!

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs
3sliced cooked apples w/ cinnamon,brown sugar,butter until tender. Then chop or put in food processor.
2/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla


Heat oven to 350. spray loaf pan with cooking spray ( I use a mini loaf pan, makes 8 loaves)

In a large bowl, whisk sugar, oil, eggs , apples , milk and vanilla until well blended

in separate bowl mix flour , baking powder, baking soda , salt , cinnamon , nutmeg . Mix together well.

Stir the flour mixture into the Apple mixture until well blended.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Double-Delight Peanut Butter Cookies

 This is not my recipe, all though I wish it was it won a million dollars!! These cookies are the best Peanut butter cookies I have ever had and they are very easy to make.   Try and Enjoy!



Double-Delight Peanut Butter Cookies
adapted from Carolyn Gurtz's Million Dollar Cookies

1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, finely chopped
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 package (16.5 ounces) Pillsbury Create' n Bake refrigerated peanut butter cookies, well chilled

Preheat oven to 375 degree.

In a small bowl, mix chopped peanuts, granulated sugar and cinnamon; set aside.

In another bowl, stir peanut butter and powdered sugar until completely blended.  Shape the mixture into 24 1-inch balls.

Cut a roll of cookie dough into 12 slices.  Cut each slice in half, crosswise to make 24 pieces; flatten slightly.

Shape one cookie dough piece around one peanut butter ball, covering completely.  Repeat with remaining dough and balls.

Roll each covered ball in peanut mixture; gently pat the mixture completely onto the balls.  On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart.

Spray the bottom of a drinking glass with cooking spray.  Flatten each ball to 1/4-inch thickness with the bottom of a glass.  Sprinkle any remaining peanut mixture evenly on tops of cookies; gently press into the dough.

Bake 7 to 12 minutes  or until edges are golden brown.  Cool one minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack.  Store tightly covered.

Coconut Mango Bread

Preheat oven to 325

makes 2 loaves or 16 mini loaves

What you need!
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups quick cooking rolled oats
2 tsp baking soda
3 1/4 cups flaked coconut
2tsp salt
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp vanilla
1/4 cup canola oil or melted butter
2 ripe mango's diced very small or processed in a handy chopper of food processor ( about 2 cups) reserve 1/2 cup for mango butter sauce

Blend together the 2 flours , oats, baking soda, 3 cups coconut, and salt In separate bowl beat eggs until foamy , add brown sugar, vanilla, oil, and mango blend well.

Combine the 2 mixtures blending until dry ingredients are moistened. Batter will be thick, spoon batter into loaf pans that have been sprayed with cooking spray.

Sprinkle to of each bread with coconut.

Will make 2 regular size loaves or 16 mini loaves ( I like the mini loaves seams to last longer) Bake for 30 min. if using the mini loaves Bake for 50-55 min using regular size pans.

I topped this bread with a sauce that I made using:
1/2 stick Smart balance butter blend
1/2 cup mango pureed
a dash of cinnamon
a dash of nutmeg
1 tbsp of brown sugar 3 tbsp of apricot preserves

Bring to a simmer, turn down simmer of about 10 min. add to top of bread while warm.

Creamy Veggie Soup

Making home made soup today - Going to make a creamy Vegetable soup

celery, onion, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots spinach, and corn

chicken stock

Half and Half

Going to make a rue to thicken it and make some savory croutons to go on top with some montereyJack cheese and bacon bits!


First you will need:

4 cups of chicken stock , bring to a boil in large pot.

Your favorite veggies or whatever you have on hand.
Chopped: onion, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots
add to chicken stock turn down to a simmer.

*add seasonings to taste, like basil, oregano,garlic, salt,pepper

Make a rue: 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup flour
melt butter in skillet add flour stir for about 10 min. while your veggies are simmering
slowly add rue to soup make sure it is simmering when you add it, then add half and half until desired thickness of soup. Add corn and chopped baby spinach. Cook until spinach is wilted. Top with cheese , bacon bits and croutons.

croutons: french bread cut into small cubes seasoned with oregano, basil, olive oil, thyme and garlic. lightly toasted in the oven at 350 for about 10 min.

Enjoy!