Black Bean Chili-Stew

I realize that chili-eating season is almost over, and if you're like me, that makes you sad. One of my favorite things about winter is eating hearty soups and chili (especially with warm-from-the-oven bread!). But since those days are now numbered, I thought I should pull out a trusty ol' recipe that I hadn't had a chance to use yet this year.

I came up with this recipe a couple of years ago when I was scrounging through the pantry and fridge for something warm to cook up on a cold wintry night. Since I love black beans, I tried a new twist on and old fave...chili. It turns out pretty thick, so it's really more like a chili-stew. If you like your chili a bit more soupy, add more tomato sauce and adjust seasoning as needed.

Another reason I love it is because it is chocked full of veggies and my kiddos are non the wiser (but it does make the chili so pretty and colorful!). These are the veggies I typically use, but any veggies you have on hand would work. I hope you enjoy!

Hearty Black Bean Chili-Stew

2 cloves garlic

1 Tblsp olive oil

2 carrots, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1 lb ground beef

1 can tomato sauce

1 can diced tomatoes

2 15 oz can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 pkg chili seasoning

Grated cheese to garnish

Heat oil in skillet, add ground beef and all vegetables. Cook till beef is no longer pink. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beans, and chili seasoning. Simmer 15-20 minutes. Serve with grated cheese and corn bread or over rice.

Serves 4-6



You're One Smart Cookie, Valentine!

At our house, Valentine's Day is second only to Christmas when it comes to cookie-making holidays. This year I decided to do something a little different than the traditional cut-out heart cookies.

Because of Little Man's food allergies, it's hard to find a good, cut-out cookie recipe he can eat. And since he loves to help me in the kitchen, I don't feel right about making something he can't enjoy right along with us (even though I always keep alternative snacks on hand for him).

I found a recipe for "angel wing" cookies last Christmas (recipe to follow). It's similar to a butter cookie or Mexican wedding cookie with plenty of butter and powdered sugar, but no eggs or nuts...yeah! They were a big hit last Christmas so I decided to adapt them for Valentine's Day this year.

It's such an easy recipe that I figured the adaptation would be a cinch. It was, with one minor exception: Shaping them into hearts without a cookie cutter proved to be more challenging than I expected (especially with a couple little helpers on hand). Regardless, I think they turned out pretty well...

And once they are covered in powdered sugar, you can't see all the little blemishes and finger-indentions. (I would recommend adding more powdered sugar. I did a "quick" dusting with these for photograph purposes.)

Since we are giving these to teachers and friends, I packaged them up in red and white and attached a cut-out heart card that read...


All in all, I think they turned out pretty nice (and yummy, too!)

Angel Wing Cookies (a.k.a. Powdered Heart Cookies)

(originally from BGH.com)

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

4 tsp vanilla

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl, beat butter on medium to high for 30
seconds. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; beat until
well-combined. Beat in as much flour as you can. Stir in remaining flour. Chill
dough for 30 minutes or until easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with
parchment paper. Shape dough into 1-inch balls then pinch and shape into
crescents (for wings) or hearts. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets.

Bake 12-13 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown. Cool 1
minute on baking sheets. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Roll or
lightly dust cooled cookies with powdered sugar.

Makes 3 1/2 to 4 dozen cookies.

I hope you get the chance to enjoy some sweets with your "Sweet" today...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Iced Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Last week, a friend of mine brought me some pumpkin cookies. Little did she know that I am a lover of all things pumpkin...pie, bread, muffins, cheesecake, lattes, brownies, etc. (it's almost like chocolate for me...almost.) Well, the cookies were delicious, but only lasted long enough to make me want some more! So this weekend I dug out a recipe I've made only once. They were a hit at the time, and I've beeen looking for a reason to make them again. So to celebrate the end of Daylight Saving Time this weekend, I whipped up some of these:

Iced Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon babking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 cup sugar

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups semi-sweet morsels

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Vanilla glaze (see below)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, bbaking
powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a large
mixing bowl until creamy. Beat in pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla. Gradually stir in
flour mixture, semi-sweet morsels, and nuts. Drop by spoonful onto a prepared
baking sheet

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until edges are
lightly browned. Cool on a baking sheet for 2 minutes then remove to a wire
rack. Allow to cool completely. Drizzle or spread with vanilla glaze.

Vanilla Glaze
Combing 1 cup powdered sugar, 1-1 1/2
tablespoons milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a small bowl; mix well.

Yummy Microwave Meatloaf

Several years ago, when I first moved into my own house, one of my best friends gave me a cook book of her favorite recipes. I use many of them, but one in particular has become a family favorite....Microwave Meatloaf. We LOVE meatloaf, but when I was working I rarely thought to make it in enough time to bake for 45 min to an hour! So, imagine my thrill when I discovered that I could make our fave dish in under 30 minutes! And on top of all that, it's really YUMMY, too! So I thought I'd share it with you all...

Microwave Meatloaf

Ingredients:

1.5 lb ground beef
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup chopped onion
1.5 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup your favorite BBQ sauce or ketchup


Combine first seven ingredients and mix well. Pack mixture
into a 2-quart microwavable dish. Microwave on high for
5 minutes then cover with BBQ sauce or ketchup. Cover and
cook another 15 minutes
or until done. Enjoy!

I know it's Tuesday, but just to prove that I really DID do a menu this week (and so Hubby knows what to expect this week), here's our menu for the upcoming week:

Monday--Microwave Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans
Tuesday--Some sort of takeout since we are having our furnace replaced and the water has been off all day!
Wednesday--Sloppy joes, sliced baked potatoes, salad
Thursday--Slow Cooker Turkey, sweet potatoes, rolls
Friday--FAMILY NIGHT OUT!!!
Saturday--Spinach Artichoke Pizza with salad
Sunday--Cook's Day Off


If you would like any of the other recipes, just let me know. I'd be happy to post them!

Fall Family Fun

We're still waiting on the weather to reflect it, but the calendar shows that Fall is officially here. So our family kicked our fall festivities off in full swing this weekend. We started Saturday morning with a childhood favorite of Hubby's (made by his grandmother, then mother). I heard much about these Apple Fritters long before I ever tasted them....and let's just say I was NOT disappointed. This is only the second time I've attempted to make them since we've been married (actually it becomes a team effort with the peeling, coring, slicing, battering, frying, etc.). I think it might have to become a first-weekend-of-fall tradition around here! Here are some pics, and the simple and delicious recipe...

Hubby taking his turn at the stove...

And the delicious finished product...YUM!

After breakfast, we headed out to a Fall Festival at a local farm park that recently opened. It's the first time we had been there, and we all had a great time!

The kiddos LOVED the animals.

And we even got to "milk" a fake cow! (After my comment on last Know & Tell Friday!)

Hubby and the kids "driving" a tractor.

They even had a pumpkin patch, and Little Miss and I got some pumpkins to bring home!

It was a great weekend to kickoff this Fall season, but I'm ready for some cooler weather, and I have the sunburn to prove it!

And as promised the Apple Fritter recipe...

Grandma's Apple Fritters

3 apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1 cup flour

1 egg

milk--enough to make batter the right consistency

1-2 Tbls vegetable or canola oil

1 cup of sugar and cinnamon mixture

Batter: Combine flour and egg. Add enough milk to make batter
the consistency of a thick liquid (make sure there are no lumps).

Heat oil in a skillet. Dip each apple slice in batter, making
sure it is completely coated, then add to skillet. Cook until
lightly browned, then move it to cinnamon and sugar
mixture until completely coated. Allow to cool.

Menu Plan Monday

I have some bad news...my Beef Sour Cream Noodle Bake from last week turned out rather...bland. I mentioned it was a new recipe and promised to post it if anyone was interested. There was some interest in the recipe, but I'm afraid it was so disappointing, I just can't (in good conscience) pass it along. The good news is that I realized (as I was making it) that I already have a similar recipe that I really like. (Sometimes it takes me a while!) So, I'll post that one soon.

With birthday celebrations last week and Hubby working all weekend, we didn't get to a couple of the meal plans from last week. That made this week's menu so much easier! ;)

Monday--No Peek Chicken, green beans, french rolls (I found the link...yea!!)

Tuesday--Italian-baked tilapia with garlic-tomato pasta

Wednesday--Teriyaki-grilled pork tenderloins with Asian noodles/veggie stir-fry

Thursday--Leftover buffet

Friday--FAMILY NIGHT OUT!!

Saturday--Grilled Tri-tip, mashed potatoes, steamed veggies

Sunday--Mama's kitchen is closed!

For lots more menu ideas, head on over to Org Junkie or check out the menu plans at newly-renovated Blissfully Domestic.

********I don't know why there are no hard-returns...I can't get them to
stay once I publish. I apologize for the run-on post!*******

Mondays in the Blogosphere

I've discovered there's a lot going on in the blogosphere on Mondays. While I'm doing well to get my brood up, dressed, and fed, some of my fellow bloggers are already getting a jump on things. In case you're new to the world of blogging (I still am), I thought I'd point you toward some bloggers who are "up and rarin' to go on this Monday morning":

Two of my favorite bloggers over at Kickin' It In Crazyville have started a new Friendship Hall of Fame every Monday. Each week they honor a friend of the many nominated by bloggers everywhere. So, if you have a special friend you'd like to nominate, head on over and submit his/her name. I'm sure your friend will greatly appreciate it!

Also, Org Junkie has Menu Plan Monday every week where you'll find lots (and I do mean LOTS) of great menu plans and recipes (my favorite part!). So, if you're menu-planning-challenged (as I am), head on over and glean from the creativity of others! And, if you're interested, here's my Menu Plan Monday:


Monday: Homemade pizzas (with my favorite pizza crust recipe listed below) and salad

Tuesday: Pork roast (in the slow cooker) with seasoned rice and steamed veggies

Wednesday: BBQ Pork sandwiches (made from the leftover pork roast), french fries, fresh corn on the cob

Thursday: Leftover night (any combination of leftovers from the fridge)

Friday: Family Night Out

Saturday: Breakfast for dinner (bacon, scrambled eggs, biscuits, and fruit

Amish Pizza Crust

(My mom made this all the time when we were growing up...

she got the recipe from an old amish cookbook years ago).

Combine:

1 cup warm water

1 pkg yeast

When dissolved add:

1 large tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/4 cup flour

Beat until smooth and add:

2 cups flour, or enough to make stiff (I substitute up to have with whole wheat flour)

Knead until elastic (about 5 min). Place in greased bowl and let rise until it doubles in size (about 45 min). Form 2 balls, pat and stretch to fill 2 greased pizza pans. Let rise another 10 min. Add pizza sauce and your favorite toppings. Bake @ 450 degrees for 20-25 min until crust is golden.

If you do not need to make 2 pizzas, you can freeze one crust. After I spread it on the pizza pan and let it rise again. I move it to a sheet of cling wrap, place another on top, then roll the crust and place it in the freezer. Let thaw completely, then add toppings and bake.

Do you know any other secrets to freezing pizza dough (or any other kind of dough, for that matter)?

Menu Plan Monday

OK, here is my first attempt at "public" Menu Plan Monday (and yes, I did it for the free giveaway...keeping my fingers crossed!) Anyway, here's what our menu looks like this week:

Monday:

Rotisserie chicken (from the grocery deli as I need to go grocery shopping this afternoon)

Pasta salad (from a box)

Green beans (from a can)

*It was a crazy weekend and I haven't been shopping yet, so keeping it easy today!

Tuesday:

Lasagna (frozen from a couple of weeks ago)

Salad

Garlic toast

Wednesday:

Chicken Divan (recipe below)--recipe from my friend Jill, haven't tried it yet, but I'm sure we'll love it!

Vegetable medley

Thursday (breakfast for dinner):

Egg and sausage casserole (click here for recipe)

Fresh fruit

Toast

Friday:

Family night (which means dinner out!)

Saturday:

Grilled hamburgers with buns

Corn on the cob (on the grill, of course!)

Cucumber and blue cheese salad (click here for recipe)

Sunday:

Eat out after church, then whatever you can find for dinner!

Chicken Divan
2 pkgs. frozen broccoli, cooked

pieces of cooked chicken (whole chicken, deboned, or 4 chicken breasts)

2 cans cream of chicken soup (mix 1/2 c. milk with soup to thin)

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Layer the above and bake at 425 for 15 minutes.

Recipes for Blueberry Muffins and Scones

OK, here are the recipes for the muffins and scones we made yesterday. The muffins turned out AWESOME (or "BODACIOUS"). I'm pretty sure I got this recipe from a blog, but I neglected to write down which one, so if you recognize it please let me know. I want to give credit where credit is due!

Bodacious Blueberry Muffins

1 and 3/4 C flour

1/3 C sugar

2 t baking powder

1/4 salt

1 beaten egg

3/4 C milk

1/4 C cooking oil

1 C blueberries

Mix together all dry ingredients. In a separate bowl mix together beaten egg, milk, and oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just moistened. Fold in blueberries. Place in prepared muffing pan. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes, or until tops are golden brown

Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/8 cup all purpose flour

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1 T. Butter

Combine topping together w/a fork until it resembles a coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle on top, just before baking. This mix can easily be made in advance.

And here is the link to the scone recipe (at AllRecipes.com), although I must include a disclaimer: they did not turn out as flavorful as I'd hoped (and I had to add more flour to make them a bit stiffer). Since this was my first attempt at making scones, it could have been the fault of the cook! They are OK, but I think I'm going to keep looking for a scone recipe.

Mmmmm....Blueberries!!

I love blueberries, and I'm so glad they're finally in season. I picked up some delicious-looking berries at the store this weekend, so today we made blueberry muffins and scones. My assistant and I had a wonderful time baking (and eating) our special treats. I will post the recipes soon, but for now here are a few pics of our day of baking...

Calling All Chinese Food Lovers!

I meant to post this recipe last week when I made it, but life got crazy, and I never got to it. So, for all you Chinese-food lovers, here's something different. I admit, I was a bit skeptical at first. The town I live in happens to be Chinese food mecca...seriously there is a Chinese restaurant on almost every block. And legend has it that the Chinese-American dish, Cashew Chicken, originated right here in my humble, little, college town. Thus, the reason for my apprehension. But I do love me a good casserole, so I made the dish nonetheless. And it turned out really good! Even my 3-year-old gobbled it up! It's a keeper, so I thought I'd share it with you! (I forgot to take a picture of the dish before the family dug in, and by then it would not have been an appetizing picture, trust me!)

CASHEW CHICKEN CASSEROLE
¼ cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery (this is optional)
4 cups diced cooked chicken (or turkey)
2 T. reduced calorie margarine
2/3 cup fat-free chicken broth
2 cans 98% fat-free cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
¼ cup soy sauce
2 cups cooked rice
½ cup cashews
1 cup chow mein noodles
1-2 green onions, chopped

Sauté onion & celery in margarine.
Add broth & soup—simmer 5 minutes.
Add rice, chicken & soy sauce.
Pour into 13” x 9” casserole that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Bake until bubbly and brown—approximately 30 minutes.
Remove from oven & sprinkle cashews & noodles on top.
Bake 5 minutes more.
Sprinkle with green onions before serving.

Serves 8

(Note: As with most casseroles, this makes for great leftovers. But the noodles and the cashews get a big soggy when reheated. You might want to keep some "fresh" ones on hand to sprinkle over the leftovers.)