#1,199: Magic Perrier (Cotton Candy Flavored Fizzy Water)

 

I was deleting some pins off my Pinterest board and saw this recipe for "Magic Perrier" water.  I was about to actually delete the post figuring I'd probably never realistically make the drink but shockingly it requires 2 ingredients and I happen to have both on hand.  A few weeks ago our school had a family fun night and my kids did the cake/candy walk.  Allison came home with Cotton Candy which I hid in the pantry and haven't let her eat.  I was about to throw it out yesterday too and got sidetracked and forgot!!  Good thing since it mean I can cross another recipe off my Pinterest Board.  :)  (And 1 step closer to 1200 recipes!!

My girls thought this was super fun to make and loved the color and bubbles it made.  Allison thought it was good but Chloe didn't enjoy it as much.  It was a sugary tasting fizzy water.  Personally, I think adding some 100% fruit juice to the Perrier was 1000 times better than this.  But it was fun for a one time drink.  Maybe a two time drink.  We still have cotton candy left! 

1/4 c cotton candy
about 1 1/4 c Perrier water

Place cotton candy in a glass.  Slowly add the Perrier water on top to dissolve the cotton candy. 

#1,198: Not Your Momma's Meatloaf

I have had this recipe on my Pinterest Board for a very long time.  I keep thinking I've made it and then realize I didn't.  So when I had some extra ground turkey waiting to be used, I figured it was about time I made this recipe.  I also made this in my crockpot so it could cook all day while we were at work.  Turns out just as good as it does when I make it in the oven (in my opinion) EXCEPT the texture is softer/more tender/mushier (let's be honest). 

Brian really liked this recipe, but it was a little too soft of a texture for my liking.  I think it was because of the bread pieces instead of bread crumbs.  I might try it again with breadcrumbs.  I ended up eating this on a ciabatta roll as a meatloaf sandwich.  That was good!  The kids thought this was okay but prefer meatloaf muffins instead.  Probably won't make this recipe again for our family, but it certainly wasn't bad.   

1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 egg
3/4 c of milk
3 slices of bread torn into small pieces
1 tbsp worchestershire sauce
1/2 tbsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp hot sauce
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/2 c catsup

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all ingredients (EXCEPT CATSUP) in a large bowl.  Spread mixture into an ungreased loaf pan.  Spread catsup on top.  Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Let stand for 5 minutes and serve.

Here is how I made this recipe:
Combine all ingredients (EXCEPT CATSUP) in a large bowl.  Place into a container that will fit inside your crockpot.  Freeze.  When ready to cook pop out the frozen, raw meatloaf mixture and place into a foil lined crockpot (just the meatloaf, not the container you froze it in...obviously).  Pour catsup on top of meatloaf.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  (I cooked mine for 9+ hours).  

#1,197: Pickle Dip

I was deleting photos off my phone and I ran across the picture of this pickle dip.  Although I try taking pictures of the recipes I try with my actual camera, sometimes I have to use my phone if it's the only thing I have on me.  I brought this to book club in January (!!) and realized I never posted it.  Guess I better now since I'm deleting pics so I can update my phone!!

This dip was easy, different, and well, tasted like pickles.  I liked this recipe and went back for seconds, but when I think about all the chip/dip recipes out there, I don't see myself ever craving this one.  It also got mixed reviews, but if you don't like pickles you won't like this.  I used kosher dill pickles but I think this might taste better with bread and butter chips instead.  Those are a tad sweeter and tart. 

8oz cream cheese, room temp
 3/4 to 1 C dill pickles, finely diced
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Dill for garnish if desired (I omitted)

Mix cream cheese, pickles and worcestershire sauce.  Top with dill if desired and serve at room temperature with thick potato chips.

#1,196: Virgin Sangria

Yesterday it was 61degrees outside.  I had the windows open, we played in the backyard on the swing set for the first time in months, and we grilled hamburgers for dinner.  This morning it's a snow day and it's been lightly snowing all day.  It is 7 days until spring.  It's time for this winter weather to be done!!  So in hopes of warm weather, I made some virgin sangria.  I would have made it non-virgin, but I'm home with Allison and it probably isn't a good idea to start drinking....yet.  Since this is non-alcoholic Allison enjoyed some too and loved it.  It is sweet though so I think I might add some more sparking water to it.  Although it sure is good as is!!

1 apple
2 limes, washed
2 lemons, washed
1 orange
3/4 cup apple juice concentrate (I think apple juice or cider would be fine too!!)
3 cups grape juice (I used cran-grape)
1 3/4 cups sparkling water or club soda

Core the apple and cut it into 8-12 slices. Place the slices in a serving pitcher. Slice the lime, lemon (seed it), and orange and place them in the in pitcher. Juice another lime and lemon and add the juice to the pitcher. Add the apple juice concentrate and grape juice. Chill until ready to serve. Immediately before serving, add the sparkling water or club soda and serve over ice, trying to get some of the fruit into each glass. Serves 4-6.

PS....I know this is NON-alcoholic but bookmarked under "alcoholic beverages."  No need to email me and tell me of my mistake, I plan on using wine instead of grape juice next time! 

#1,195: Green Breakfast Smoothie

Here is another super healthy, green smoothie recipe just in time for St. Patrick's Day.  I enjoyed this smoothie and so did Allison (7), but I didn't love this enough to want to make it again the next day.  Part of that might be due to the large number of ingredients.  Don't get me wrong, this isn't a hard recipe at all, but in my rush to get out the door as fast as possible each morning, this has a few too many ingredients for me.  It was good though.

1 cup orange juice
1 banana
1 avocado
3 almond milk ice cubes (I used about 1/2 c unsweetened chocolate almond milk)
1/2 cup frozen mango chunks
1 handful baby spinach
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1 tbsp bee pollen (I omitted)
1/2 tsp spirulina powder

Place all ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth.

#1,194: Rolo Stuffed Ritz Crackers

This is my new favorite dessert.  Or snack food.  Ok, dessert.  Eh, both!  These are SOOO good.  Sweet, salty and best of all, EASY!!  The kids helped me make these and were happy to unwrap the Rolos for me. I will definitely be making these again...and again...and again! 

Rolo Candies 

Ritz Crackers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place Ritz crackers on a cookie sheet face side down, and top each one with a Rolo candy.

Bake for 3-5 minutes to soften (but not fully melt) the Rolos, Remove from the oven and immediately top  the Rolos with a second Ritz cracker. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

#1,193: Copycat Little Caesars Crazy Bread

I had such high hopes for this recipe, and although they were good bread sticks, they were NOTHING like Little Caesars.  In taste, maybe.  In texture, no way.  Would I make these again?  Probably.  Will I make them instead of getting some from Little Caesars?  Definitely not.  

1 (10 ounce) can pizza dough

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/8 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Unroll dough on a clean surface.  Cut dough in half lengthwise, and then cut 8 strips vertically (making 16 small bread sticks).  Place each strip onto a lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake 6-8 minutes or until golden brown.  While bread sticks are baking, melt the butter and stir in garlic salt.  Remove bread sticks from the oven and brush on garlic butter mixture.   Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.   Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.

#1,192: Roasted Sweet Potato & Prosciutto Salad

I don't know why I waited so long to make this recipe, it is WONDERFUL.  I love it and cannot stop making/eating it.  It is really that good.  I love the combination of the sweet potatoes and veggies and I also love that it has radishes in it.  Love radishes and you can barely taste them in this recipe if you are scared to try it!

3 medium sweet potatoes (about 2-1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, julienned (I used uncured bacon instead)
1/2 cup sliced radishes
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted (I used raw cashews)
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper (I used green pepper b/c I had it on hand)
2 green onions, sliced, divided
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey

Preheat oven to 400°. Place sweet potatoes in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; toss to coat. Roast 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Sprinkle prosciutto over sweet potatoes; roast 10-15 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender and prosciutto is crisp. Transfer to a large bowl; cool slightly.

Add radishes, pecans, red pepper and half of the green onions. In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice, honey, and remaining oil and salt until blended. Drizzle over salad; toss to combine. Sprinkle with remaining green onion. Yield: 8 servings (3/4 cup each).

#1,191: BLT Chopped Salad with Homemade Creamy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

I may have gone a little overboard with the dressing on this salad.  You think?!?!  This recipe makes a ton of dressing, so you can have it to eat for a week every night at dinner if you so desire.  I think I need to find a co-worker to take the leftovers tomorrow.  (Whomever reads this first let me know if you want it!) :) 

Although I definitely liked this salad a lot, it wasn't anything super special that I haven't made before.  Would I make this again?  Yes.  Is this going to become my go-to favorite salad recipe? No.  I did really enjoy the homemade ranch though!

Salad
1/2 cup cooked, diced bacon
about 3 to 4 cups salad greens
1 small/medium ripe tomato, sliced into thin rounds
half of 1 cucumber, about 10 thinly sliced rounds
1/4 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup corn (I used canned)
I also added some shredded Parmesan cheese and croutons 

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
1/2 heaping cup mayonnaise
1/2 heaping cup sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk + extra if necessary to thin
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoon minced fresh green onion, scallions, or chives
1 small garlic clove, peeled, optional and to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste

Salad 

Cook bacon according to manufacturer's instructions. Dice small; set aside.

In a large bowl, add the greens, top with tomato, cucumber, carrots, peas, corn, and sprinkle bacon pieces over the top; set aside.  (Add cheese and croutons if desired)

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing - To the canister of a food processor or blender, add all ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds. Taste dressing and if necessary, adjust flavor balance by adding more lemon, oil, herbs, salt and pepper, or whatever dressing needs, to taste. I like my dressing thicker and didn't use more than 1/4 cup buttermilk, but add more, to taste, to thin it out. Brands of mayo, sour cream, and buttermilk all vary in their thickness. Transfer dressing to a glass jar with lid, or airtight container with a lid.

Drizzle over salad and toss to combine. Serve immediately. Extra dressing will keep for 7 to 10 days airtight in the fridge; shake well before next use.

#1,190: Honey Poppy Seed Fruit Salad

 

This is such an easy fruit salad recipe to make.  You could probably use just about any fruit you had on hand, but I used the ingredients suggested/listed below.  My kids loved this, and I took the leftovers and froze it on a wax paper lined cookie sheet, and then bagged up the extras (when frozen) to add to my smoothies during the week. This needs to be made just before serving because the fruit was pretty mushy within 24 hours of making this. 

 

Also, add the dressing a little at a time because I felt it was a little overpowering.  

 
2 medium firm bananas, chopped
2 cups fresh blueberries
2 cups fresh raspberries
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
5 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon poppy seeds

In a large bowl, combine the bananas and berries. In a small bowl, combine the honey, lemon juice and poppy seeds. Pour over fruit and toss to coat. Yield: 8 servings.

 

#1,189: Spirulina Smoothie

At some point I'll remember to take a picture of this recipe!


So my new favorite "super food"/find is spirulina.  What is that you ask?  Here is some information that I found at:  http://www.thespirulinabenefits.com/  IF YOU ARE INTERESTED.  (If not, skip to the recipe below)

"The supplement actually contains about 60% of protein, 12-13% of vital minerals such as Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium, Iron, Zinc, and Phosphorous as well as a complete group of vitamin B. It’s also rich in several anti-oxidants, which protect body cells. In fact it is the only source of the antioxidant phycocyanin."

I'm adding it to my smoothies in the morning for some added nutrients and protein. 

I made this recipe, and loved it.  I'm loving it so much I've made it every day for breakfast the last three days.  I plan to give it to my kids eventually too, but so far, I'm not willing to share.  :)

10-12 oz of coconut water (I use about 12-16 oz unsweetened chocolate almond milk)
1TB chia seeds (I use hemp hearts)
1-2TB of spirulina 
1 Frozen Banana
1/2 cup Frozen Berries (I've been using frozen cherries)
Optional: 1-2 scoops of your favorite protein powder (I omit)

Throw everything in the blender and blend till smooth. Add more liquid until desired consistency.

#1,188: Homemade Marinara Dipping Sauce

(sorry, I know this isn't the best photo, but I was in a rush to get it taken before I forgot!)

I was making some homemade breadsticks so that meant I had to make some homemade dipping sauce to go with it.  When I googled recipes and realized it was just a combo of tomato sauce and paste + seasoning, I figured it would be simple enough to make my own recipe...and it was.  I personally thought it was really good.  My kids and husband seemed to enjoy it as well.  So simple!  But if you've been following this blog for any time, you will notice I don't measure as I cook so I have no idea how much of each ingredient I used.  So I listed how many shakes of each container I did.  :)  Hope that helps!!

This makes about 3 cups.

2 cans (15 oz each) tomato sauce
2 cans (6 oz each) tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion diced very fine
1 tbsp olive oil
crushed red pepper, to taste (I used about 4 shakes)
dried oregano (I used about 10 shakes of it)
salt and pepper, to taste
garlic powder, (2 shakes)
pinch of sugar

Sautee the onions in olive oil over low-medium heat for about 6 minutes or until softened and just beginning to brown. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until it starts to boil and is heated through.  I used an immersion blender to puree the onions because my family doesn't like them but I don't think you necessarily need to. 

#1,187: Easy Slow Cook Korean Beef

I had 2 1/2 lbs of ground turkey in the fridge and nothing in mind for dinner, so when I stumbled across this recipe I knew it would be perfect for us for dinner.  Yes, I know that the recipe title says "Korean beef," but I use ground beef and ground turkey interchangeably, so it's pretty much the same thing to me.  If you prefer beef, definitely use it instead.  I however, am partial to ground turkey.  :)
Here is what I love about this recipe...it cooks quickly in the crockpot and you don't have to pre-cook the meat ahead of time!  That's right, just dump it in the crockpot, break up the pieces with a spoon and you are pretty much ready to eat.  So simple.

Now with that said, this recipe got very mixed reviews in our house and I was not surprised that my husband did not enjoy it.  I however loved it, but would have loved it more with some crispy Chinese noodles on top!  Matthew (2) wouldn't try it at all, Chloe (4 1/2) only ate it when I told her she had to, but Allison (7) enjoyed it a lot. 

The recipe says to serve the beef over some rice, but I knew I had a better chance of my family eating this if I mixed it together...so I did.  Since I got mixed reviews I will not make this again for my family, but I just might make it again for my lunches!!

1 lb extra lean ground beef (I used lean ground turkey)
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c soy sauce (I used coconut aminos)
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1 tsp minced ginger (I used ground ginger and just about 2 shakes of it)
1 tbsp. tomato paste
sliced green onion for garnish

Add uncooked beef to slow cooker and break it up into small chunks with a spoon.
In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, red pepper, ginger and tomato paste.  Stir into the slow cooker and really coat the beef.  Cover and cook on LOW for about 3-4 hours.

Stir again, breaking up chunks.  Serve beef and sauce over rice and garnish with green onion.

#1,186: BBQ Pork Tamales

 Mmmm, tamales!  I love tamales but I've only attempted making them once before, and they were stuffed with chicken and cheese.  I liked them a lot but didn't love them and haven't made them since.  A few weeks ago I made shredded BBQ pork in the crockpot and had a ton leftover.  So I froze the leftovers and waited to use it up for this recipe.  This recipe makes about 23 small tamales, although I could have probably gotten at least another 6 or so if I would have had more corn husks to wrap them in. This recipe isn't hard, but it is time consuming.  It went faster for me because I had my mom helping me with the filling and my husband wrapping them up.  It still probably took about an hour with all of us working together. 

PS...this also isn't super healthy considering it has LARD in it (and quite a bit of it!)

PSS...I found the dried corn husks, masa harina and the lard in the Mexican section of our grocery store (Meijer)

We also don't have a steamer basket to use in the large pot, so we had to cut the edges off a foil pie plate, poke holes in the bottom of it, and the place rolled up aluminum foil all around the edges to keep the tamales standing up right and off the water on the bottom of the pot.  I called in my MacGyver husband to help me figure out that one!!

For the filling, I used leftover of this recipe: Lazy Man's BBQ Pork

I found a blog (Barefoot Kitchen Witch) that gave me the recipe for the tamale part as well as cooking instructions.  It worked pretty well, but you do have to let these sit so they firm up.  I ended up pulling mine out of the pot and placing in a foil lined crockpot with the lid off.  Our tamales weren't hot, so next time I'll probably put my crockpot on the warm setting so there is at least a little heat keeping them warm.  The recipe I followed says to let sit for 15 minutes to firm up, but for me, 30 minutes was better. 

Makes 24-36 tamales, depending on the size of your corn husks

Ingredients:
24-36 corn husks (If the husks are dried, you’ll need to rehydrate them: soak in a large pot of hot water for at least 2 hours, personally that wasn't long enough and next time I will do four hours! Place a plate or bowl on top of the husks to help keep them submerged in the water)

For the filling:
Roughly 2-3 cups leftover shredded pulled pork.
About 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (I omitted)

For the dough/batter:
About a cup and a quarter of lard, softened, and separated into  one cup and one quarter cup portions
6 oz chicken stock
3 1/2 cups dried masa harina
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-2 teaspoons salt, depending on how salty your stock is
Approximately 12 ounces hot water
1 1/2 cups hot chicken broth


To make the dough/batter:
Melt the 1/4 cup of lard with the 6 oz of chicken stock.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the rest of the lard until light and fluffy. Add the hot water and the melted lard mixed with chicken stock to your dried masa harina and stir until combined.  Add this mixture to your whipped lard in three stages, and follow that up with at least a cup and up to a cup and a half of warm chicken stock.

The mixture should be light and fluffy, and a little dollop of it should float in a cup of water. (Another blog says it should be the consistency of cookie dough.  Mine was probably a little too thin, still turned out good though)

Assembly:
Place a corn husk on the work surface in front of you, the long way, and with the wider end closest to you.  Place about two tablespoons (depending on the size of the husk – you’ll have to figure this out as you go) of the dough toward the wider end of the husk and flatten it slightly.

Place a couple of teaspoons of the pork filling in the center of the dough, in a bit of a straight line going the same direction of the husk.

Using your fingers or the edges of the corn husk, wrap the dough around the filling so that it’s completely hidden inside. Then fold up the corn husk, bottom first, then the sides, and the fold the top down over everything.  If you wish, you can tie the tamales closed with some string or some strips of corn husk, but it’s not absolutely necessary. (I did use corn husk strips to keep it sealed!)

Steaming:
Place a steamer insert in a large pot and add water to just below the bottom of the steamer.  Cover, and bring water to a boil.  Arrange tamales in the bottom of the steamer insert, so they’re standing up.  Don’t crowd them – steam in two batches if necessary, or, if you have a smaller insert that fits on top of the deeper one, steam in two layers. Place the lid on the pot and seal the edges with foil.

Steam the tamales over medium heat for about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes.  Shut off the heat, remove the foil and lid, and let them rest for about fifteen minutes so they firm up.

#1,185: Li’l Slice of Heaven Cornbread (aka: bacon jalapeno cornbread)

Can you see a main ingredient missing from this piece of cornbread?  Bacon maybe?!  How in the world did I forget the bacon????  That was so stupid of me!  So in an effort to add bacon to this, I ended up spreading some honey butter on it and placing several pieces of diced bacon crumbles on top of the butter.  Much better!  Although I greatly, greatly enjoyed this recipe, doubled the recipe and made it in a 9x13 pan and it was too thick and each piece broke in half.  Next time I need to make this in a much larger pan.  Maybe spread out on a cookie sheet??

Will I make this again?  Definitely...and I'll make sure I incorporate the bacon INTO the recipe instead of having to place it on top.  Delicious!  Next time I'm also adding more cheese into the batter!

6 strips apple smoked bacon (raw), finely chopped
¼ red onion, finely minced
Salt
Black pepper
1 ¼ cups cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ cups buttermilk
2 eggs, beaten
7 tablespoons melted butter
¼ cup honey
1 cup pepper-jack cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 425°, and butter a 8 ½” x 8 ½” x 2” (roughly) baking dish.  Place a large, non-stick pan over medium-high heat, and once hot, add in the chopped bacon and cook until crispy and golden brown; remove bacon with a slotted spoon, and allow it drain on paper towel; set aside for a moment.

Next, pour most of the bacon grease out of the pan, leaving back about 1-2 tablespoons; with the heat on medium/medium-low, add in the minced red onion, along with a pinch of salt and pepper, and caramelize it for a few minutes until very soft, sweet and golden-brown; remove from the pan and set aside for a moment.

Prepare the cornbread batter by adding the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and 1 teaspoon of salt to a large bowl, and whisk to combine those dry ingredients; next, add to the dry ingredients the buttermilk, the eggs, the melted butter and the honey, and gently fold/stir just until combined; add in the crisped bacon, the caramelized red onion and about half of the cheese, and fold those ingredients in, just until combined; pour the batter into the buttered baking dish, sprinkle over top the remainder of the grated cheese, and bake for about 25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted; allow to cool slightly before cutting and serving. Serve with salted whipped butter and some honey on the side.

#1,184: Minted Fresh Fruit Salad

I made this HUGE fruit salad for the kids' birthday party this weekend.  This makes a huge amount, so if you are cooking for a crowd this is the perfect recipe.   I wasn't totally in love with the dressing and combo of the orange and lemon juice.  I think next time I'm going to add in the lemon juice a little at a time until it makes the dressing slightly tart but not too sour.  Also, in an interest of prepping as much ahead of time, I placed the dressing ingredients into my blender so the mint got very finely chopped.  I was okay with that, but it didn't make it as pretty as it could have been if the pieces were larger.  I'd still do it again that way next time though. 

1 medium cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and cubed 1 lb fresh strawberries, halved (I quartered mine) 1 fresh pineapple, peeled and cubed 2 large granny smith apples, cubed 2 c seedless grapes 1/2 c dried cranberries 3/4 c orange juice 1/3 c lemon juice 2 tbsp. minced fresh mint 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 c flaked coconut, optional In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk orange juice, lemon juice, mint and cinnamon. Drizzle over fruit; toss lightly to coat. If desired, top with coconut before serving. Yield: 24 servings (3/4 cup each).

#1,183: Easy Crockpot Ground Beef and Pork Chili

Chili is such a hard recipe to make and to please everyone who eats it.  Everyone has a different preference for the kind of chili they like: with/without beans, type of meat, traditional vs white chili, with or without beer/chili powder/hot sauce, etc.   There is no way to please everyone.  So I was a little nervous about making this chili for A and M's joint birthday party this weekend with my family.  I personally enjoyed this chili, although I don't think it would win any sort of chili cookoff competition...but let's be honest, I'm still partial to my mom's chili that she made growing up. 

Anyhow, here is the recipe I made to serve my family, which we enjoyed...but I made so much I have A TON leftover.  I think my co-workers might be benefitting from my over-cooking tomorrow for lunch. Would I make this again?  Yes I would!  Although there are a lot of ingredients, it was easy to make and I love that I could cook it in my crockpot.

2 1/2 lb. lean chuck or lean sirloin, ground (I used ground turkey)
1 lb. lean pork, ground
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped onion
8 oz. hunt's tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 can beer (12 oz.)
3 Tablespoons chili powder
2 Tablespoons instant beef bouillon (or 6 cubes)
2 Tablespoons cumin, ground
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons oregano leaves
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon coriander, ground (I omitted)
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce 

1 can stewed sliced roma style tomatoes with oregano and basil, 28 ounces, drained (I used plain diced tomatoes instead)

1 can red kidney beans, 15 ounces, drained

1 can cannellini beans, 15 ounces, drained

Last steps: 

1 teaspoon cornmeal
1 teaspoon flour

1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon warm water

In a large saucepan brown brown the ground beef and pork.  About half way through, add in onions and garlic and continue cooking until meat is no longer pink.  Place cooked beef/pork mixture into a large crockpot.  

Add the tomato sauce, water, beer, chili powder, bouillon, cumin, paprika, oregano, sugar, coriander, cocoa, hot sauce, diced tomatoes, kidney beans and cannellini beans. Mix well.

Set the crock pot to low and cook for 4-6 hours.  (Mine went as long as about 7 hours).

In a small bowl, stir together the cornmeal, baking soda, and flour, then add the warm water and mix well. Stir into chili and cook, covered, for an additional 20 minutes.

Top your chili with all your favorite toppings: cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese, oyster crackers, Fritos, red or white onions, green onion, hot sauce, avocado, over cooked noodles, etc.

#1,182: Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken (with Olives)

It is obvious from looking at the photo above that there is an ingredient missing from the title of this recipe.  No there were not olives in the chicken I cooked.  That would have really been pushing it to get my family to eat, and I wasn't even sure they were going to eat this anyway.  I'll be honest, I wasn't sure I was going to eat it either.  After getting the flu several years ago, I have a really hard time eating chicken in a tomato-based sauce (TMI...sorry!!).  So I omitted the olives.  And chopped up the chicken pretty fine and served it next to the spaghetti for the kids. 

They loved the spaghetti and the sauce.  They liked the chicken...but not with the spaghetti.  One of my kids asked to eat it again tomorrow....but just the spaghetti part.  :/  Brian ate his chicken chopped up and on a ciabatta roll, so his was more of a Parmesan chicken sandwich.  He's eating it again for lunch tomorrow so it must have been okay! 

Would I make this again for my family, probably not.  It was good, but we didn't love it enough to add to our menu rotation.  But it sure was easy and would be a great meal to serve to company because it looked like you spent a lot of time on it. 

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)

1 can tomato sauce (14.5 oz)

1 onion thinly sliced

4- 6 garlic cloves, whole

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

2 T olive oil

12 pitted kalamata olives

palmful Italian herb mix (thyme, basil, rosemary, oregano)

ground black pepper and salt to taste

 

Pour the olive oil into the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the chicken breasts into the slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper. Top each breast with sliced onion, garlic cloves and Italian herbs. Pour in vinegar, tomatoes and tomato sauce.  Cook on high about 4 hours.  (I put my chicken in frozen and cooked this for about 8 hours on low)

 

Remove chicken breasts, slice on the bias, and place back in the tomato/vinegar sauce. Add olives and let them warm through for about ten minutes. Serve over whole wheat spaghetti, polenta or your carb of choice. Sprinkle with grated parmesan or a little crumbled light feta.

According to the original website: The chicken/sauce (not the spaghetti/carb) 6 Weight Watchers Plus Points

#1,181: Corn Crisps

Mmmm...don't these little cornbread type things look good?!  They are.  But I can't decide if I should make them for the kids' upcoming birthday party or not since I'm also making two different types of cornbread.  I don't know if it's worth the effort/difference to make these as well.  My kids did not like these.  I, however, did enjoy it a lot.  I enjoyed them cold (but I like my food cold!) and reheated in the toaster oven. 
 
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (I used a few dashes of hot sauce instead)
1 large egg
1/4 cup milk
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 cups can or frozen corn, thawed if frozen
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
Canola or vegetable oil

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, cumin, sugar, and cayenne.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and butter. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until they are just blended. Fold in the corn and scallions. 

Pour oil in large nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering.  For each crisp, drop a slightly rounded tablespoon of batter into the oil. Fry them in batches over medium-high heat until they are golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. (I did not use a lot of oil and flipped my corn crisps instead of submerging in a oil bath!) 

Transfer the crisps to a paper towel-lined sheet pan, sprinkling them immediately with a bit of salt. Repeat with the remaining batter.

#1,180: Nutella Waffle Sandwich Cookies

I was really hoping this recipe would be more like a sandwich and less like a cookie.  It's not.  It's really a cookie.  That didn't stop me from serving it to my kids for lunch though!  If you look at the original recipe, she makes these nice and browned and crispy.  I preferred to eat this less cooked and much softer.  I think I enjoyed these the most, but I have a huge sweet tooth and will eat/enjoy just about any kind of snack/cookie.  The kids really liked these the first day, but were not as big of fans with the leftovers the next day.  I don't know if I'd go through the trouble of making these again since my kids would prefer Nutella sandwiches, but for a different way of eating Nutella, these were good.  They were a little bland, but still enjoyable. ...at least to me!

1 cup heavy cream
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ cups powdered sugar
1½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Nutella
 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream with the vanilla extract on medium-high speed until mousse-like, about 5 minutes.

Sift together the powdered sugar, flour, cinnamon and cornstarch in a separate bowl then gently fold the dry mixture into the wet until it is fully incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Heat the panini press to medium-high heat (or 375°F).  Place a heaping tablespoon of batter in the center of the panini press, close the lid and cook the waffle for about 90 seconds. Quickly remove the waffle from the press and use a circular 2-inch cookie cutter to cut out rounds. Set the waffle cone cookies aside to cool.

Once the waffle cone cookies have cooled, spread one side of a cookie with Nutella and top with a second waffle cone cookie to form sandwiches.