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!!