Chili

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 small green bell pepper diced
• 3 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes - drained
• Pepper
  
• Ground cumin
• Chili powder
• 2 (14 1/2-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 package chili seasoning mix
• Shredded cheddar, sour cream, chopped green onions, for garnish

Directions

In a skillet brown ground beef, drain and set aside.

Spray large pot with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the onion, and green pepper, and saute briefly. Stir in the diced and whole tomatoes. Add pepper, cumin and chili powder, to taste, and cook for about 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the beans, browned meat, and chili seasoning. Partially cover, and let simmer for 4 hours.

Serve with Cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions.

Curry BBQ Chicken Wraps

This is a really easy & quick recipe that is delicious!! We made a few changes from a Sweet Pork Recipe to come up with this. I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out, but it turned out really really good. This recipe feeds about 4, so adjust for more people.

Tortilla Tip: Use the uncooked tortillas from the store and cook them yourself. They are much much much much better than the pre-cooked tortillas. TRUST ME!!!

Ingredients

1 store bought rotisserie chicken - can use any chicken really
1 small bag shredded cabbage
Tortillas
Shred the chicken and set aside in a bowl.
1 21 oz Dr. Pepper
4 Tbs. Brown sugar
2 Tbs. Vinegar
1 Tbs. Curry Powder
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
2 Tbs. Taco Seasoning


Directions

Pour bottle of Dr. Pepper into hot saute pan to simmer reduce down to about half the liquid on medium high heat. Add the brown sugar & vinegar and continue to simmer for a minute. Add the curry powder, BBQ sauce, and taco seasoning. Simmer for another minute, then pour over chicken and stir.

In the wrap: Put chicken, top with cabbage & Jalepeno ranch dressing. You can also add cheese, tomatoes, or anything else you would like. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup...mmmm

This soup is so delicious. I know I say that about everything on here. But I only put the stuff I really love on here. This soup is very easy, just requires a little bit of time. I really love butternut squash soup, and I couldn't find a recipe that I love, so I came up with this.....

Ingredients

1 medium Butternut squash - 2-3 lbs
1 medium onion
3 tbs butter
4 cups chicken broth - may need more if soup is too think
1 1/2 cup applesauce
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. ginger powder (you can add more of each of these for a stronger taste)

Directions

Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut each half in half again, long ways, to have four pieces. Put squash on a greased cookie sheet, skin side down, and put into a 400 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes, until soft. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the squash. In the mean time saute the onions in the butter until soft. Once onions are soft add the chicken broth, curry, and ginger and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Once squash is done, let cool enough to handle, then take skins off and put squash in with onions. Then add the applesauce. Put everything in a blender and blend until smooth. You only want to fill the blender a little over half full each time, or you will have a big mess. You will probably need to do it in 4 batches or so. Put the soup into a pot, stir together. When serving, top with a little sour cream for a little extra bite.

Ingredients

1 pound prepared pizza dough

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Olive oil, for deep-frying

Directions

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a floured 2-inch cookie cutter, cut out doughnut rounds. Using a floured 1-inch cookie cutter, cut out a hole in the center of each doughnut. Gather the dough scraps and reroll. Cut out more doughnuts.

Whisk the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl to blend. Set the cinnamon-sugar aside.

Pour equal parts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F. Working in batches, fry the doughnuts until they puff but are still pale, about 45 seconds per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the doughnuts to paper towels to drain. Cool slightly. While the doughnuts are still warm, generously coat each 2 times with the cinnamon-sugar. Serve warm.

Cheese Rolls!!

These cheese rolls are sooo good! Jen found a picture of these rolls and they looked amazing. There wasn't a recipe with the pic, so this is our awesome version! You can really use any cheese you love. We used cheddar with a little parm.

Start with your favorite dinner roll recipe. While the dough is rising prepare the butter to slather in the dough.

Butter:
1 cube softened
1 to 2 TBS. chopped garlic - depending on how much you like garlic

Once dough is ready, roll out on a floured surface to about 1/4" thick. Spread the butter mixture on the dough, all the way to the edges. Sprinkle several cups shredded cheese all over, we used about 5 cups, and I could have handled more :). So use however much you want. I know that isn't very exact, but everyone is different. Roll and cut the dough just as you would for cinnamon rolls. Cut about 1- 1/2" thick. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet and let rise again for about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes, or until doubles in size.

Bake @ 375 for 15 - 20 minutes, until turning golden brown.

Pizza on the Grill

We have made pizza on the grill several times now, and it is tasty stuff. We have found a crust that we really like. We made some with Mat & Jen this week that turned out fabulous! It didn't hurt that we had fresh tomatoes from Mat & Jen's & Missy's garden. You can do so many things for toppings. What ever you little hearts desire.


Dough:

1 C, plus 3 TBS warm water (105 F to 115 F) 2 1/4 tsp yeast 3 tsp sugar 3 C flour 1 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/2 TBS olive oil

You should prep this dough one day in advance for best results.

In a small bowl dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Let it sit for 5 minutes until the surface of the mixture turns foamy. (If it doesn't foam, your yeast is bad or your water was too hot or cold) Sift together the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Make a hole in the center of the flour and pour in the olive oil and yeast mixture. Use a fork to stir the liquid, pulling in the four slowly as you stir, until everything is combined. When you can no longer stir with a fork, use your hands to form the dough into a ball. Knead the dough with the heels of you hands on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes (give or take), or until the texture of the dough is smooth. Form the dough back into a ball, coat it lightly with oil, and place it into a clean bowl covered with plastic wrap. Keep the bowl in a warm place for about 2 hours to allow the dough to double in size. Punch down the dough and put it back into the covered bowl and into your fridge overnight. Take the dough from the fridge 1 to 2 hours before you plan to build the pizza so it can warm up to room temperature.

This will make 4 8" pizza's (approximately)

Marinara sauce - The is the easiest thing ever!
Use a can of the flavored diced tomatoes, such as Italian, or Garlic Basil
Drain the juice of and either mash really well, or put into a food processor or blender till smooth
Either leave as is, or put in some Italian seasoning
If it is too runny add some tomato paste, and season accordingly to make up for the extra tomato flavor.

Toppings:

Here are a few options that we have really liked:

Margarita
Marinara Sauce
Mozzarella
Fresh Basil

BBQ Chicken
Favorite BBQ sauce as the marinara
Chicken, cut into bit size pieces, we through our chicken on the grill first to have it all ready to go
Mozzerella
Red onion, through this on the grill with the chicken also
You can also throw on some tomato if it sounds tasty.

CHeEse
Use any fo you favorite cheeses. Some that we have loved are:
Smoked Gouda
Smoked Swiss
Parmasean
Mozzerella

Veggie - the guys loved this one!!
Grilled or sauted onions
grilled or sauted bell peppers - all colors
grilled or sauted mushrooms

Grilled Potatoes w/ Lemon-Garlic-Chive Aioli

These potatoes are pretty darn good. You could consider it a very easy Potato Salad without all the fuss. I don't usually measure much out when I am cooking, so with this I typically use more mayo than I have listed here. The potatoes will really absorb everything, and I like lots of flavor and sauce. So you can do what ever you want with this. I also made it with dill for a reunion last weekend due to the fact that I forgot to cut some chives before I headed to my brothers house. It turned out great with the dill! I also didn't put them on the grill for the reunion because of the lack of grill space and time, and they still turned out great. So just do whatever you want with it.


3 pounds small new potatoes (do not peel)
3/4 cup Mayo (I use more)
2 tsp chopped garlic (I use the stuff already chopped in the jar)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
3 Tbs olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped chives


In a large pot of salted water, boil the potatoes until just cooked through but not completely soft, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size. Drain immediately and set aside to cool.

Combine the mayo, garlic, lemon juice, chives salt, and pepper in a bowl and whisk together until smooth.

Cut potatoes in half & brush with oil. Grill the potatoes cut side down until golden brown and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Mix potatoes with aioli.

This can be made in advance and re-heated if needed.

Flavored Butters

These Butters are really really good. You could use them for anything your heart desires. But they are fantastic on corn on the cob. mm mm mmm.



Garlic Basil Butter

1/4 cup basil leaves
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

Just mix all together.


Jalapeno Lime Butter

1 stick butter
1 lime, juiced and zested
1 small jalapeno, seeded
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Coarse salt

Italian Wings

We just made the Italian wings last night ON THE GRILL. It was sooo delicious!, We used chicken thighs this time. Everything else is still done the same....roll them in the sauce once you take the chicken off the grill. Tasty Tasty!

Itialian Style Wings

These wings are sooo amazing!! They are not your normal wing.....they are better!! They take a little bit of time, but it is well worth it, trust me! I have also made them with chicken tenders, which takes less time, and equally delicious....mmmm..... We ate some amazing wings at Carmines in New York City, and this is our version of them.

24 medium size chicken wings, cut in two
1/4 cup chopped garlic - (I usually use less)
1/2 bunch fresh chopped rosemary -(I always use fresh)
1/2 bunch chopped fresh oregano - (You can use dried as well, just don't use as much)
Salt & Pepper to taste

For Sauce:
1 large shallot, chopped
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
3 tablespoons white wine - (I use the the cooking wine usually next to the vinegars)
1 cup chicken stock
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Marinate the wings in garlic, rosemary, oregano, salt and pepper for 2-4 hours. I typically do it the night before so it ends up being 24 hours, which still turns out better if you ask me.

To make sauce: saute shallot in butter until lightly brown and limp.
Add white wine, stock, and lemon juice. Boil, stirring, until thickened and reduced. It will reduce quite a bit. But don't let it reduce too much because you still want to have enough sauce.

Deep-fry wings for 10-15 minutes, or bake at 350-degrees for 25-30 minutes. I prefer to bake, it is a lot less messy, and healthier. And if you use tenders instead of wings, they cook a lot faster than the wings, which makes a pretty quick meal, if you marinate the night before.
Drain on paper towels if deep-frying. Mix wings with sauce, and toss to coat. Serve with celery and blue cheese dressing. Delicious!!

Peanut Butter Fudge

This is soooo simple! And, of course, very tasty...

1 cup butter, plus more for greasing pan
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound powdered sugar

Microwave butter and peanut butter for 2 minutes on high. Stir and microwave on high for 2 more minutes. Add vanilla and powdered sugar to peanut butter mixture and stir to combine with a wooden spoon. Pour into a buttered 8 by 8-inch pan lined with waxed paper. Place a second piece of waxed paper on the surface of the fudge and refrigerate until cool. Cut into 1-inch pieces and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Sweet Potato - Chicken Hash with Green Chile Hollandaise

This is our version of a dish I get at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill pretty much everytime we go. I LOVE IT! I have tried to make it as simple as possible. It is a spicier dish, so if you don't handle spice well, leave out the chipotle, or use very little.

2 cans of cut sweet potatoes 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 2 scallions, thinly sliced 1/4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped 1/4 cup canned chipotle peppers -(I usually only use 1 chipotle out of the can) 1 tablespoon honey Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 cups water 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 4 eggs To prepare the hash: Drain the sweet potatoes and cut into 1/4-1/2" cubes. Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper and place in a saucepan of simmering water. Poach for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through. Another option is to just throw them in the oven. Cut each breast into 1/2-inch cubes. Place the potatoes, chicken, scallion, cilantro, chipotles and honey in a large bowl and mix gently until combined, season with salt and pepper. Form into 4 equal-sized patties. Heat the oil in a large saute pan until just smoking. Season the patties with salt and pepper to taste and saute the patties on each side until golden brown. Keep warm. To prepare the poached eggs: Heat the water and vinegar until simmering in a large frying pan. Break each egg into a cup and gently add to the water. Poach for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the yolk is nearly cooked. Remove the eggs from the pan with a slotted spoon to drain the liquid and top each hash patty with 1 poached egg. Green chile hollandaise: 1 package of store bought powder hollandaise mix 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt Pinch white pepper (black pepper is fine too if you don't have white) 1 large poblano pepper, roasted, skinned, seeds removed and finely chopped** Prepare hollandaise as directed on the package, add salt & pepper. Place in a bowl and fold in the chopped poblano peppers. Serve immediately or place the bowl over a pot of simmering water to keep warm, stirring occasionally.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes

This is from Paula Dean, and so amazing! I absolutely love anything pumpkin!! It is very easy to make, just be careful not to overbake it, as the crust will burn.

1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Variations: For a Pineapple Gooey Cake: Instead of the pumpkin, add a drained 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.

For a Banana Gooey Cake: Prepare cream cheese filling as directed, beating in 2 ripe bananas instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

For a Peanut Butter Gooey Cake: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter to the cream cheese filling instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

New Potato Salad

I got this recipe from Ina Garten. I love love love dill! So I knew I would love this one. It takes a little bit of time just because you have to cook the potatoes and then let it chill out and let the flavors combine, but it is still super easy. It is actually pretty dang good warm too.

3 pounds small red potatoes
Kosher salt
1 cup good mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk, milk, or white wine
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onion

Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Allow the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, dill, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them into quarters or halves, depending on their size. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, pour enough dressing over them to moisten. (As the salad sits, you may need to add more dressing.) Add the celery and red onion, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.