Slow Cooker Chili

I've done it. I've finally made a chili that Matt will eat!! Woohoo!!!!!! It was so easy and I am so happy because I LOVE chili! This recipe made a lot of chili. We each had a big bowl for supper and we have enough for 3 or 4 more large bowls in the freezer.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb ground beef or turkey
1 small onion, chopped
1 can light red kidney beans
1 can dark red kidney beans
2 can chili beans
1 (15oz) can tomato sauce
1 packet chili seasoning

Directions:
Brown ground beef or turkey in skillet.

Combine ground beef or turkey with all other ingredients in slow cooker.

Cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Blueberry Mini Muffins

Yum! These will make a wonderful grab and go breakfast for the next few mornings. I found this recipe in a little cookbook my grandmother gave to me a couple years ago. It was made from recipes from all the women (and their families) at the nursing home her mother (my great grandmother) lived in. My great grandmother died two years ago this coming January. She was a wonderful woman and I love that I have recipes to some of her tried and true meals in this cookbook.

Anyway, these are basic blueberry muffins. The original recipe calls for brown sugar but I did not have any one hand so I used regular sugar and I think they turned out just fine. If you like a sweeter muffin, I'd add a bit more sugar than the recipe calls for though.



Blueberry Muffins
Yields: 24 mini or 24 regular sized muffins
Ingredients:
1 egg
3/4 c milk
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 c flour
1/3 c packed brown sugar (I used white sugar)
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 c fresh or 3/4 c frozen blueberries, thawed and drained

Directions:
Heat oven to 400*

Grease bottoms only or line 24 mini muffin cups or 12 regular sized cups

Beat egg in large bowl. Stir in milk and oil. Stir in remaining ingredients except blueberries just until flour is moistened. Fold in blueberries.

Fill muffin cups with equal amounts of batter.

Bake until golden brown, about 11-13 minute for mini muffins and 18-22 minutes for regular muffins.

Immediately remove from cups.

Chicken Stuffed Shells

I stole this recipe from Cook Like a Champion, one of the blogs I follow. It was originally stolen from Annie's Eats. I modified the recipe slightly since I knew that making the entire thing would turn out to be WAY too much food for us. I also don't have a food processor big enough so I just stirred by hand. Also because, I only had half the amount of ricotta on hand ;-P. Next time, I think we will try this without the chicken but with a meat sauce instead. Even so, it was very yummy and made enough for dinner for and leftovers for lunch tomorrow for both Matt and I.

Chicken Stuffed Shells
Ingredients:
About 30 uncooked jumbo pasta shells (slightly more than 1/2 box)
3 cloves garlic
1 chicken breast, cooked and finely shredded
15 oz part skim ricotta cheese
1/6 c Italian breadcrumbs
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp dried parsley
3/4 tsp dried basil leaves
1/6 c half and half (I used 2% milk)
1 jar pasta sauce
Parmesan Cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375*

Cook pasta shells according to package directions and drain. Separate onto a cutting board or cookie sheet to prevent from sticking together.

Combine ingredients garlic through half and half in bowl and stir until combined. Add more salt and pepper if necessary, to taste.

Spoon enough sauce into baking dish(es) to cover the bottom.

Fill the cooked shells with the ricotta mixture and place open side up in a prepared baking dish.

Spoon as much of the remaining sauce over shells as desired.

Bake covered with foil for 15-20 minutes, remove foil and continue baking for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

*If freezing extra shells, to cook from the freezer, thaw in refrigerator overnight and bake as directed above.

Cookie Platter

This is just a picture of all the yummy cookies I made for the cookie platters this Christmas. All recipes are posted below. Enjoy!

Christmas Cookies!

These are the last of my Christmas baking. To fill out the platter, I made Russian Tea Cakes (aka Mexican Wedding Cookies), Chocolate Drop Cookies, and Snickerdoodles. I pulled all these recipes from the good ole Big Red Betty Crocker Cookbook. I love that thing. It was one of the two cookbooks my mother gave to me when I moved out and went to college. It has definitely came in handy in those 5 1/2 years.

Russian Tea Cakes
Ingredients:
1 c butter or stick margarine, softened
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 c all-purpose flour
3/4 c finely chopped nuts
1/4 tsp salt
Powdered sugar

Directions:
Heat oven to 400*

Mix butter, 1/2 c powdered sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Stir in flour, nuts, and salt until dough hold together.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10 -12 minutes or until set but not brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool 5 minutes.

Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar. Cool on wire rack 5 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar again.

Chocolate Drop Cookies
Ingredients:
1 c sugar
1/2 c butter or stick margarine, softened
1/3 c buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
2 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled
1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
Heat oven to 400*. Grease cookie sheet with shortening or spray with cooking spray.

Beat sugar, butter, buttermilk, vanilla, egg, and chocolate in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, baking soda, and slat.

Drop by rounded tablespoons full about 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched in center. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cook completely, about 30 minutes. Frost with Chocolate Frosting (recipe below).

Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients:
2 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
2 tbs butter or stick margarine
2 c powdered sugar
3 tbs hot water

Directions:
Melt chocolate and butter in 2 quart saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and hot water until smooth. If frosting is too thick, add more water 1 tsp at a time. If frosting is too thin add more powdered sugar 1 tbs at a time.

Snickerdoodles
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c butter or stick margarine, softened
1/2 c shortening
2 large eggs
2 3/4 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:
Heat oven to 400*

Beat 1 1/2 c sugar, thebutter, shortening, and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.

Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Mix 1/4 c sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Gingerbread Cookies

Yum yum yum. I love these little guys. Especially right out the oven. The only problem I have with this recipe is that they get hard quickly. I prefer chewy, soft cookies. So, I will be looking for another recipe next year. But, it you like crunchy gingerbread, this is a great recipe for you.

Ingredients:

1 c. packed brown sugar

1/3 c. shortening

1 1/2 c. dark molasses

2/3 c. cold water

7 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground allspice

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

Beat brown sugar, shortening, molasses, and water in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed. Stir in remaining ingredients (this got tough with all that flour!). Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

Heat oven to 350*. Grease cookie sheet lightly with shortening or spray with cooking spray.

Roll dough 1/4 inch thick on floured surface (this requires muscle, let me tell you!). Cut with floured cookie cutter. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Decorate as desired. I used the same frosting that is in the post below (sugar cookies).

Source: Betty Crocker

Sugar Cookie Cutouts

Nothing says Christmas goodies like a nicely decorated, delicious sugar cookie cutout. I don't know how nicely decorated my cookies are, but they sure do taste fabulous. I will work on my decorating skills with the next batch this weekend. But for now, I settled for the classic, delicious sugar cookie straight from Betty Crocker.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 c. butter or margarine, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 large egg

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cream of tartar

Granulated sugar

Directions:

Beat powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract, and egg in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in remaining ingredients except granulated sugar. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Heat oven to 375*. Light grease cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray.

Divide dough in half. Roll each half 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes with 2 to 2 1/2 inch cookie cutters. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Frosting (courtesy of allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

4 c. powdered sugar

1/2 c. shortening

5 tbs. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

food coloring

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream together the sugar, and shortening until smooth. Gradually mix in the milk and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth and stiff, about 5 minutes. Color with food coloring if desired.

Lemon Chicken Tenders

Ever since I was little, I had loved the taste of lemons. Lemon candy, lemon desserts, lemonade, even so far as sucking straight on a lemon. It wasn't until recently, however, that I found the joy of cooking "real food" with lemon. This is a very easy dinner to make that doesn't require many ingredients, or any real skills. So, if you are wondering what's for dinner tonight, make this.

Ingredients:
Skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Lemon pepper seasoning
Breadcrumbs
Egg

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400*

Line baking dish with foil. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Beat egg in small bowl.

In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs and lemon pepper seasoning to taste.

Cut chicken into 2 inch. tenders. Dip tenders in egg and then in breadcrumb mixture. Lay in prepared pan.

Bake 10 minutes. Turn tenders over and bake another 10 - 15 minutes until done.

Hot Cocoa Mix and Peppermint Marshmallows

This is such a great little treat you can make this time of year to hand out for gifts. Perfect if you are short on cash or even if you want to make your gifts a little more personal this year. It is very easy to put together and wonderful for those cold winter nights.

Hot Cocoa Mix
Ingredients:
6 1/2 c. powdered milk
1 (5 oz.) package of non-instant chocolate pudding mix
1 c. powdered chocolate drink mix
1/2 c. powdered non-dairy creamer
1/2c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions:
In a large bowl, stir all ingredients together until well mixed.

To make cocoa, stir 1/3 c. mix into 1 c. boiling water. Top with peppermint marshmallows.

Stored in airtight containers, mix will last about 3 months.

Source: allrecipes.com

Peppermint Marshmallows

Ingredients:

1 bag marshmallows

1 c. powdered sugar

3-4 tsp. water

About 5 candy canes

Directions:

Crush candy canes in food processor until few large chunks remain.

Stir water in powdered sugar 1 tsp. at a time tuntil a smooth glaze forms.

Dip tops of marshmallows into glaze and roll in candy cane. Lay, candy side up on was paper until dry.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens, December 2008

Menu 12/11-1217

Thursday: Grilled Cheese and Soup
Friday: FFY
Saturday: Our nephew and neice's 1st birthday party!
Sunday: Tacos, Corn
Monday: Lemon Chicken, Broccoli, Potatoes, Honey Yeast Rolls
Tuesday: Beef Pasta Bake, Green Beans, Honey Yeast Rolls
Wednesday: Out!

Hamburger Pie

Sorry my pictures are always fuzzy. I have shaky hands. I'm working on it though!

I love this recipe. It is one of my favorites from childhood. It is super easy. It is very tasty. So, what's not to love? I have made some slight variations (noted below) from the original recipe to work with Matt's taste. I also use a circular casserole dish instead of a 9x13 pan and it still comes out perfectly.

Ingredients:

4 medium potatoes

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

2 cans condensed tomato soup (I use just one can so it is thicker)

1 can green beans, drained

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat over to 350*

Bring large pot of water to boil. Peel and quarter potatoes. Introduce into boiling water. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes.

While potatoes are cooking, cook ground beef an onion until brown. Drain. Stir in tomato soup and green beans. Pour into baking dish (at least 2.5 quarts).

Drain potatoes and mash. Mound potatoes on top of beef mixture. Top with cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until potatoes are golden.

Crock Pot Salsa Chicken

Another fabulously easy and fabulously yummy dish! I love my crock pot and I love this recipe.

Ingredients:
4 chicken breast
1 jar (about 1 1/2 c.) salsa
1 can black beans
1 1/2 c. frozen corn
Shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Combine chicken, salsa, beans, and corn in crock. Cook on low for 7-8 hours of high for 4-6 hours. Mine cooked about 9 hours on low and was perfect.

Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese.

Andrea's No Bake Goodies

This past weekend I spent a wonderful two days with one of my best friends, Andrea who lives about 4 hours away. Andrea and I met in college while we worked together and quickly became good friends. She is my sorority big sis, was a roommate, and also the Maid of Honor in our wedding this past September. In short, she's awesome. Not only because she is a great friend but also because when you visit her, she feeds you. Very well. We had homemade meatloaf, mashed potatoes, cornbread, chili, and these wonderful little no bake cookies that don't have a name (if you think of something good to call them, let me know).

These cookies taste very similar to Little Debbie Nutty Bars with a little surprise of a marshmallow every once in a while. They are delicious. I will try to get a picture of them up tonight. That is if Matt hasn't eaten the ones I brought home yet.

Ingredients:
1 package chocolate almond bark
About 1/2 box Rice Krispies
About 3/4 bag mini marshmallows
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

Directions:
Melt almond bark over low heat, stirring constantly.

Once almond bark is completely melted, stir in peanut butter.

Gently fold in rice krispies and marshmallows.

Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls on to waxed paper. Allow to sit until hardened.

Buckeyes!

Adventures in holiday "baking", round two.

Round two is again not a true baking recipe. But, it is one that my mother made every year around the holidays. Christmas is not complete without them. These peanut butter chocolate balls are called buckeyes because they look just like the nuts that grow on trees. So close that I remember trying to eat one that fell out of my grandparents' buckeye tree when I was a kid. It was not even close to as good as these puppies.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. peanut butter

1 c. butter, softened

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

6 c. powdered sugar

4 c. semisweet chocolate chips OR 16 oz. semisweet baking chocolate squares

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar. The dough will look dry. Towards the end I always end up using my hands to make sure everything is mixed together.

Roll dough in to 1 in. balls and place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.

Press a toothpick into the top of each ball and chill in freezer about 30 minutes, until firm.

Melt chocolate in double broiler or microwave, sitrring every 10-15 seconds, until smooth.

Dip frozen peanut butter balls in chocolate holding on to toothpick. Leave a portion of peanut butter showing at the top. Put back on cookie sheet and refridgerate until chocolate is firm.

Store in refridgerator or freezer.

Cheddar Biscuits

These biscuits are a copycat of the fabulous ones from Red Lobster. Matt and I really enjoyed these. They were also super east so I will be making them often.

Yields 8 biscuits

Ingredients:

2 c. biscuit baking mix (I used Bisquick)

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

2/3 c. milk

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tbs. margarine, melted

2 tsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. garlic salt

Directions:

Heat oven to 400*. Grease a cookie sheet.

In a large bowl, combine baking mix, cheese, and garlic powder. Stir in milk. Drop batter by heaping tablespoon fulls onto prepared cookie sheet.

Bake in heated oven for 10 minutes. Brush biscuits with melted margarine, and sprinkle with parsley and garlic salt. Bake for 5 more minutes, on until lightly browned on the bottom.

Source: allrecipes.com

Pasta e Fagioli

Wow! This soup was wonderful and very easy to make. It made a ton of soup. Enough for both Matt and I to have a big bowl tonight and another in the fridge for tomorrow. Plus, another two or three bowls worth in the freezer. I modified this recipe from And a Cookie for Dessert. Instead of diced tomatoes, I used two 15 oz. cans of tomato sauce. Matt refuses to eat anything I make with tomato chunks so this was a necessary change. I don't think it changed the integrity of the dish at all though. I also just used 24 oz of beef broth. This is a thick soup. I liken it to a chili thickness. I prefer it that way but if you like a brothier (is that a word?) soup, just add more broth.

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

1 lb. ground beef (I used 1/2 lb)

1 small onion, diced

1/2 of a small 1 lb. bag of baby carrots, chopped

5 stalks of celery, diced (I omitted)

2 (14.5 oz.) cans of diced tomatoes (I used 2 cans of tomato sauce)

1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (32 oz.) carton + 1 (14.5 oz.) can of beef broth (I used just 24 oz. broth)

1 1/2 tsp oregano

1 1/4 tsp pepper

2 1/2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped (I omitted)

3/4 tsp tabasco sauce

1 jar (1 lb. 10 oz.) spaghetti sauce

1 cup dry small pasta (I used elbow macaroni)

salt to taste

Directions:

Brown ground beef in oil. Drain if necessary.

Add onion, carrot, celery and diced tomatoes. Simmer 10 minutes.

Add beans, beef broth, oregano, pepper, parsley, tabasco sauce and spaghetti sauce. Simmer soup on low for about 30-45 minutes until carrots are almost tender.

Add pasta to pot and simmer on low for about 15-30 minutes until pasta is just shy of al dente. As the soup cools, the pasta will absorb the broth. You can cook the pasta separate and add it to the soup after the soup has cooled.

Gel Gems Anyone?

So every year, Springfield has this store come to town around Christmas time. It is called the Design Ideas store. Basically, it has a bunch or overstocked items reduced to very low prices. They have office furniture, desk supplies, tote bags, candles, dishes, holiday decor, magnets, scrapbook paper, and, of course, Gel Gems. If you know me, you know that I LOVE decorating for holidays. I decided to check out the store for the first time this year (I always missed it in the past) and I sure scored a great deal. I got all the above Gel Gems (sorry, I don't know how to rotate pictures... anybody know?) for $15.80. Yep, that's right. $15.80. Normally, I would have had to spend around $75 for them. I was so excited. They are constantly bringing out new items and this year they have so much that they will be open until just before the new year. I plan on going back a couple time on my lunch to what other good deals I can score. Hopefully I'll even find a Christmas gift or two.

Carnation Famous Fudge!

My holiday baking has begun! on my list this year are about 12 treats. I'm not sure I will get to them all but I am sure going to try. Last night I began "baking" with fudge. I have never had fudge turn out but I am proud to say that this turned out perfectly! It was the easiest fudge recipe I have ever tried and it tastes just like a classic chocolate fudge. I actually doubled the original recipe and am freezing my fudge until closer to Christmas when I will put it on various treat plates. The directions below are how I made the fudge. Feel free to halve the recipe if you would like a smaller portion.

Ingredients:

3 c. granulated sugar

1 1/3 c. (10 oz.) Nestle Carnation Evaporated Milk

4 tbs. butter

1/2 tsp. salt

4 c. mini marshmallows

3 c. (18 oz.) Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts (I omitted)

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Line 13x9 inch pan with foil (if halving recipe, use 8x8 pan)

Combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt in medium, heavy duty saucepan, Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in marshmallows, morsels, nuts, and vanilla extract. Stir vigorously for 1 minute or until marshmallows are melted. Pour into prepared pan. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from pan and remove foil. Cut into 1 inch pieces.

*I used a pizza wheel to cut the fudge which was much easier and made for a much cleaner look than a knife.

Source: verybestbaking.com

Menu: 10/4 - 10/10

I've been slacking! Matt and I have both been sick the past two weeks. Matt got a cold and gave it to me. His turned in to bronchitis, mine in to an ear infection. Now, Matt feels are stuffy again and I am nursing my ears. Ah, well. Hopefully we'll be able to eat this next week. It will be a nice change.



Thursday: Eggs, Bacon, Fried Potatoes, Toast

Friday & Saturday: FFY (I'll be out of town!)

Sunday: Pasta e Fagioli, Cheddar Biscuits

Monday: Crock Pot Salsa Chicken

Tuesday: Hamburger Pie, Bread and Butter

Wednesday: Ham, Peas, Shells n Cheese



I'm also hoping to make fudge and buckeyes to freeze for the holidays at some point this week.