Requested Chili Recipe

I was tweeting today I was having chili and hoping kids liked the new 'recipe' and someone asked for it. Really it isn't much of anything, because I am not a big "put spices together" kind of person.... but here's what I did and how.....

3 lbs Angel Food ministries steaks (these are really tough cooked up on the grill, so this is a good use of them)
3 pkgs chili seasonings from Dollar general (.40 each)
6- 8 oz cans tomato sauce

Cut up, and take off fat as much as possible, steak into bite size pieces. Place into crockpot lined with liner bag (from Reynolds.....LOVE these, makes cleanup sooooo much easier!). These steaks also can have a good deal of gristle, so this is a good reason to use it for this or beef stew.
When all meat is in the pot, add seasoning and 4 cans of tomato sauce. If it looks too thick, add one more can of tomato sauce. 6 cans was just way too watery for us, so I added a bunch of cornstarch to thicken it up. But I said 6 cans in case you like it thinner. Cook on low 4-6 hrs or until meat is cooked through.

* add ins- 2-3 cans kidney beans
replace 2 cans tomato sauce with 1 can chopped tomatoes

to go along with our chili: Crush up fritos into the bottom of the bowl, top with chili, top with shredded cheddar and a dollop of sour cream on top. You could also add finely chopped onions and black olives, more fritos, finely shredded lettuce, etc. Go crazy! :)

hope you enjoy!

Recipe: Greenbeans with Bacon and Brownsugar

Ok, I meant to post this earlier! Sorry I didn't!!!! LOL You caught me! hehe I went out to the movies with the "ladies" and we watched "Fast and Furious"! yay! mommy time! LOL

Ok

2 bags (1 lbs each) frozen greenbeans
1/2 cup brownsugar
1 lb bacon
3-4 Tbsp butter*

*Variation You can use the grease from the bacon instead of the butter to make it a dairy free recipe.

cook the greenbeans until desired doneness (in some water on the stove or in the microwave).

cut the bacon into 1/2 inch pieces and cook until almost browned completely. Take out of grease, set aside on paper towels to drain.

Put the green beans in the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Top with bacon. sprinkle brown sugar over -you may use less brown sugar if you don't want them too sweet. Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper to taste. Drizzle with bacon grease or melted butter. Cook in 350 degree oven for 20 min or until bacon is done and greenbeans are done.

Pasghetti Pizza

Ok, so this is an OOOOLLLDDD family favorite from when I was a kid.....I will tell you the recipe for a regular pan of it, and if you have individual crocks, you can just adjust to put it in those instead.

16 oz thin spaghetti noodles
2 eggs
1 cups mozzarella cheese
1 T oregano

1 jar spaghetti sauce
2 cups mozzarella cheese
Any toppings you like: sausage, ground beef, pepperoni, black olives, ham, etc

cook noodles as per package directions. When done, rinse with cold water, then put into a LARGE bowl. Add the eggs, mozzarella cheese and oregano and mix.

Place into a LARGE casserole (bigger than 9X13 I think!....can't remember what mine is....14X20?)that has been sprayed with pam or lightly oiled. press down to make a "crust" and compress the noodles flatter.

bake in a 375 degree oven for 7 min.

Take out the dish and top with spaghetti sauce, then toppings and cheese as you will. Put back in the oven for 15-20 min or as long as it takes to get the cheese melted and slightly browned to your desired doneness. cut into rectangles and enjoy!

Recipe: Chicken Casserole

Ok, this one can be a bit pricey/fattening, so here's how I am going to make it a bit better for you......

For our family of 5.......

6-8 bone IN chicken breasts (from AFM box)
1-2 cups fat free/low fat (your choice) sour cream
1-2 cans reduced fat cream of chicken soup

*1 tube ritz crackers (you can use lower fat ones)
*1 stick butter (or margarine, etc)
*poppy seeds

*as a variation.....I have used 2 boxes of jiffy cornbread mix instead for this step

boil breasts in water until cooked. Now, if you want to (not neccesary) you could add some carrots, onions and celery (even some bay leaf) to the water and save the resulting broth in the freezer for chicken broth for other recipes later on down the road in 1 cup serving sizes. Just a tip. After Breasts are cooked, LET COOL.
When cool, get all the meat off, and shred it into bite size shreds (think pulled pork bbq). Put into a bowl, add 1 cup sour cream, 1 can cream of chicken soup. mix. if it doesn't look creamy enough add more of the sour cream and cream of chicken soup until it is good and creamy.

Put into a 9X13 (or maybe 2 of them!) and top with crushed up ritz crackers that have been coated with the melted butter. then sprinkle with poppy seeds. If you don't have that you can use the jiffy cornbread mix (my middle daughter liked that a lot! My husband prefers the ritz style crackers)

Bake in a 350 degree oven until bubbly and topping starts to brown slightly.

Menu Week of March 15- 21, 2009

wow! I was SICK! let me tell you! If you THINK you are sick, and MIGHT need some meds- GO TO THE DR!!!!! If not, you will get worse and worse until you have to be put on the strongest antibiotics, and a bunch of other crap and it takes you 3 weeks to get over what should have taken 1! Ok, enough of that lecture for today! I am just glad I am feeling better in time to get ready for my oldest daughter's birthday party on Saturday! she will be 13 on sunday! OMG! time flies!!!!!

So, to keep me on track, here's my menu for the week:

Sunday March 15, 2009
Crock pot chicken divan http://www.crock-pot.com/Recipe.aspx?rid=283
Over buttered noodles
With veggies/dip on the side


Monday March 16, 2009

Garlic Pork chops in Crock pot http://www.crock-pot.com/Recipe.aspx?rid=629
Potatoes
Cooked veggies

Tuesday march 17,2009

Happy St. Paddy’s Day!

Family Friendly Shepherd’s Pie http://www.recipezaar.com/Family-Friendly-Shepherds-Pie-262339
Salad
Rosemary bread from store

Wednesday March 18, 2009

Chicken noodle soup
Bread/rolls
Veggies/dip

Thursday March 19, 2009

Breakfast for dinner- Pancakes
Bacon
Eggs

Friday March 20, 2009

Salisbury steak and gravy
Over toast or rice or noodles
Cooked veggies

Saturday March 21, 2009

Birthday Party! 13 yrs old!
AFM Pick up

6’ sub sandwich with fixins: cheese, onions, tomatoes, pickles, mustard, mayo, honey mustard-meat- ham/turkey/chicken (some from AFM Pickup)
Meatballs in mustard/jelly sauce (Meatballs from AFM pickup- 3-5 lbs)
Nacho meat dip (meat from AFM- 2lbs) w/velveeta, taco seasoning, rotel, chips
3 types of chips
some sodas/frozen virgin drink mixes
icecream sundae bar- 2 types of icecream, make: fudge sauce, caramel sauce, raspberry sauce and strawberry sauce, add, mini choc chips, whip cream, cherries


Sunday March 22nd- Go out to dinner at restaurant of daughter's choice, or make her a dinner of her choice!

Quick easy dinner for tonight

Since I haven't posted a menu for the week (still sick here!) I figured out dinner and will post the recipe here:

1 lb ground beef (could use ground turkey, prefer ground turkey- cheaper, healthier)
1 16 oz bag frozen broccoli
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 8 oz pkg ff cream cheese
1 pkg crescent rolls or canned biscuits (or homemade)

Empty bag of broccoli into microwave safe bowl, cook for 5 min. while cooking brown ground meat. Stir broccoli, cook 5 more minutes. Finish browning meat and drain. Add to the meat the soup and cream cheese, allow cheese to melt and all things mix together.

Empty broccoli into the bottom of a 9X13. If it doesn't look like enough for your family, do another bag! There is no right or wrong when it comes to broccoli! top with meat mixture. Roll crescent rolls, or place biscuits on top of mixture, sides touching, bake until bread is browned and cooked through according to package directions. YUMMMMMMM

***I can never make things the same way twice I swear! LOL I use what is on hand sometimes! Thought I had more broccoli than I did, so I used 2 bags of the "stir fry mix" I got from Angel Food Ministries this month- cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, onions and red peppers. so I cooked those in the microwave until done, then picked out the red peppers....we like the flavor, not biting into them! LOL Once I put it in the 9X13 it was too much, my bigger casserole it was too little, so I added the spot of broccoli I had (about 2 cups cooked). I also used 2 lbs ground meat (1 lbs beef, 1 lbs turkey), and an extra can of soup. I used 3 of the small cans of crescent rolls (4 to a pkg). This will be enough for tonight and lunches for me and dh (and possibly kids too!). Yay!

Menu Week of 2/22/09- 2/28/09

well, here it is! simple, but yummy! At least for our family! LOL

Sunday 2/22/2009

Leftovers from lunch

Monday 2/23/2009

Spaghetti with meat sauce
green beans

Tuesday 2/24/2009
Cream of broccoli Soup
http://www.savingdinner.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=123:cream-of-broccoli-soup&catid=909:recipes&Itemid=78

homemade bread

Wednesday 2/25/2009

Amigo Chicken Tortilla Soup http://www.savingdinner.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=99:amigochickentortillasoup&catid=909:recipes&Itemid=78
With fun fixins

Thursday 2/26/2009

Hotdogs wrapped with biscuits
French fries
Veggies/dip

Friday 2/27/2009

IHOP at home (got changed last week due to rework of menu)
Bacon
Eggs
Pancakes
Biscuits
Etc

Saturday 2/28/2009

Kids choice/kids cook! I will let them choose that day

Simple Recipe for Thursday Feb 12, 2009

Crustless quiche (very flexible)

I use this recipe to make breakfasts for the week, lunches on the go, or a quick dinner with leftovers. It is a "kitchen sink" kind of recipe, so add the flavors you love.
8 eggs
1/2 cup milk (skim, whole, soy, whatever you have)
1 cup cheese (shredded, whatever flavor you like, or 1/2 cup parmesan )
1/2 lb meat (bacon, canadian bacon, sausage, sausage links, or omit)
1/2 cup veggie( onion, peppers, broccoli, tomatoes are most popular)

Whisk eggs and milk together, add in milk, cheese, meat, and veggies. Put into a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown on top (25-30 min). cut into desired size squares. freeze in freezer baggies to make take and heat snacks or lunches or breakfasts.

Price: MUCH cheaper than Mcdonalds and MUCH better on your heart too!