Easy {Prize-Winning} Chili

Note: not my actual chili...just a photo of what *looks* like our chili. Photo Source.

Last Halloween we went to a trunk-or-treat event at our church. There was a chili contest going on in the meantime. My husband signed us up to bring some chili -- since it was also providing dinner to the ward members in attendance. We weren't making any attempt to win a prize; we just wanted to contribute to dinner.

I like the flavor and convenience of this Quick Chili, but I don't like the idea of all the mystery ingredients included in the store-bought packet. So I googled something like: "mccormcick quick chili substitute"....and stumbled across a chili seasoning recipe on Allrecipes.com. I doubled the recipe and stored it in a small mason jar in my spice cupboard. After reading a few comments on the recipe, we whipped up a basic chili and probably added a few extra ingredients to our own taste. We headed to the Church with our chili, enjoyed trunk-or-treating and went home. We got a call later that our Chili won a prize...1st Place!! We were both cracking up and feeling guilty, since we knew that so many people had entered their very best recipes with all sorts of exotic meats and had been cooking all day. We whipped ours up about an hour before the event. Ah well, it gave us a good laugh. Every now and then I ask my husband to make his "prize-winning chili" for dinner. It's a keeper.

Update: We entered this recipe in another chili cook-off...again, not really aiming to win a prize, but merely participate in a church activity with our neighbors. Wouldn't you know, this chili won the "best overall chili" prize again! I pretty much always finely dice up onions, carrots, bell pepper and cook with the beef....as well as adding some broth. My husband likes to doctor it up sometimes by stirring in shredded cheese or other random things -- but the base recipe is a real keeper.

Here's the base of the recipe:
1 lb of ground meat of choice (I like beef)
2 Tbsp of Chili Seasoning Mix
1-2 cans of beans, rinsed and drained (I like kidney beans and/or black beans)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can of tomato sauce

I like to add:
Diced onions, carrots, and bell pepper; sauteed and cooked with the ground beef
A small can of green chiles
1 cup (or more) chicken/beef broth -- depending on preferred consistency

This Week's Menu: 1/25 - 1/31

A new baby in our house means embracing the concept of super-simple dinners. I have been chopping and dicing sliced deli meat from the deli counter or rotisserie chicken for a lot of our meals. Less cooking, baby!

Monday: Pasta w/ Red sauce & ground beef from freezer + Corn
Tuesday: Panini Sandwiches (chicken + spinach + tomatoes + cheese) + Sweet Potato Fries
Wednesday: Egg McMuffins + Green Smoothies
Thursday: BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizzas (BBQ Sauce, Shredded chicken, red onions, mozzarella, add cilantro after baking) + Fruit
Friday: Waffles (make extra for freezer) + Scrambled Eggs
Saturday: Quesadillas + Fruit
Sunday: Chili + Cornbread Muffins

This Week's Menu: 9/11 - 9/17

Photo of Flatbread Pizza by Pioneer Woman

Friday: Easy: leftovers/ramen/cereal
Saturday: Flatbread Pizzas on Naan Bread + Fruit
Sunday: Crock Pot Baked Potatoes + Corn on the Cob + Green Salad
Monday: Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup + Whole Wheat Biscuits
Tuesday: Easy Chili (onions, carrots, bell peppers, ground beef, beans, canned tomatoes, chili seasoning) with toppings - sour cream, cheese, avocado + Cornbread
Wednesday: Black Beans + Brown Rice + Fruit
Thursday: BFD -- Eggs + Banana Oat Pancakes

Other: 
Carrot Applesauce Muffins
Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

This Week's Menu: 7/31 - 8/6

Friday: EASY - Ham & Cheese Crescent Rolls
Saturday: OUT / Mac & Cheese for kids
Sunday: Crock Pot Baked Potatoes with all the fixings (sautéed onions & mushrooms & spinach; plain greek yogurt; cheese; diced deli ham) + Fruit Salad
Monday: Hamburger Patties + Coleslaw + Sautéed Yellow Squash
Tuesday: Eggs, Toast, Smoothies
Wednesday: Flat Bread Pizzas (on homemade Naan bread from Blendtec cook book)
Thursday: Ham & Veggie Frittata/Quiche + Fruit

This Week's Menu: 10/27 - 11/2

Banana Ghosts & Tangerine Pumpkins from Weelicious.com

Monday: Family Halloween Party -- bring Pumpkin Bars
Tuesday: Lentil Soup + Apple Slices
Wednesday: Eggs + Toast + Green Smoothies
Thursday: Family Halloween Dinner at In-Law's; bring ____________
Friday: {Halloween} Some combination of the following: Mummy Pizzas (on English muffins) + Pumpkin Oranges + Carrot fingers w/ almond finger nails + Spider Eggs
Saturday: Crock Pot Baked Potatoes w/ toppings (chili, cheese, sour cream, onions) + Green Salad
Sunday: Spaghetti (sauteed veggies and browned ground beef with White Linen marinara sauce over whole wheat noodles) + Green Salad + Corn

Blair's Baked Macaroni & Cheese

[photo to come]

I once heard my friend, Blair tell another friend how she makes her favorite baked macaroni and cheese. Blair has a way with words, but I knew once she described it that I must have the recipe. I knew it would be delicious. And it was - BOTH times I made it within the week she gave me the recipe. I made it for company one night. The group included small children, teenagers, and adults -- and everyone loved it. I'm a fan.

8 oz macaroni elbox noodles (whole wheat)
8 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
1 1/2 c. cottage cheese
1 c. sour cream
1/4 c. (or more) parmesan cheese
salt & pepper, to taste
1 c. milk
Ham, cubed - optional (deli-sliced or baked)
Broccoli bits or peas - optional 

1 c. bread crumbs (or crushed crackers, cornflakes)
1/4 c. butter, melted

Boil noodles according to package directions. Drain noodles and combine with all other ingredients (except for bread crumbs and butter) in 9x9 baking dish and stir it well. Sprinkle bread crumbs over macaroni mixture then drizzle butter over it. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes to warm.

Quick Chili

Photo Source

Growing up, I was not a fan of chili. My handsome husband, however, loves it. He's not picky about it -- he even enjoys the cheap stuff from a can. I guess if I'm going to eat chili I want it to taste more "fresh" or homemade (and less like a chunky, gluey substance). I found some of these seasoning packets in our pantry, so I gave them a try. And guess what -- they made some seriously delicious chili!

Lucky for me, this chili not only tastes good, but it's the sort of meal you can whip up in minutes. Like, when you look at the clock and realize you've waited too long to start dinner and need something QUICK. I always love getting other people's ideas for fast, go-to meals, so that's why I'm sharing this. I never knew it existed until recently, and maybe I wasn't the only one. You could probably get creative and add things like extra beans, corn, bell peppers, or onions to the pot.

Serve it along side some tortilla chips or cornbread and ENJOY! It's a perfect Fall meal.

Recipe from the McCormick Chili Seasoning packet

1 pkg. McCormick Chili Seasoning Mix

1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
2 cans (8 oz. each) tomato sauce OR 1 can (14 ½ oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 to 16 oz.) kidney or pinto beans, undrained
Assorted Toppings: Shredded Cheese, Chopped Onions or Sour Cream

BROWN meat in large skillet on medium-high heat. Drain fat.

STIR in Seasoning Mix, tomato sauce and beans. Bring to boil; cover. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with toppings, if desired.

Completos (Chilean-Style Hot Dogs)

During high school, I lived in Santiago, Chile for two years while my parents served as Mission Presidents for our Church. I feel so lucky that as a sixteen year-old girl I was able to learn firsthand about the beautiful culture of Chile and its people.

It's been almost ten years, but I remember the details of life in Chile like it was just yesterday; like the smell of fresh bakery bread and the taste of a Completo. There are not a lot of Chilean dishes that I truly love -- but this hot dog is one of them. Even if you are a hot-dog-hater, I am pretty convinced that you'd change your mind if you had an authentic Completo. Now, I won't claim that I make them the same way an average Chilean would -- but I make what tastes good to me.

As luck would have it, I married a handsome fella' who served an LDS Mission in Chile (but we met years later on U.S. soil). He appreciates Completos as much as I do. Isn't that romantic?

Here's how to make your own Completo...

1 pkg favorite Hot Dogs

1-2 Tomatoes, diced

2 Avocados, mashed

Juice of 1 lime

Salt & Pepper

1/4 - 1/2 Onion, finely diced

Mayonnaise

Ketchup, optional

Hot Dog Buns (bakery-fresh, when possible -- I like this relatively quick recipe for homemade buns -- shaped into hot dog buns instead of hamburger buns, of course.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread hot dogs on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes. (Of course there are other methods to cooking your hot dogs -- this is just what I typically do.)

Meanwhile, mash the avocado with lime juice and salt & pepper.

To prepare: Place hot dog in bun and layer with mayonnaise, ketchup (optional), avocado, tomatoes, and onions. ENJOY!

Eating with the Caceres family in Til-Til.

With my sister at a bakery in Santiago.

Chileans make the Best.Bread.Ever!

Pepperoni Pasta Bake

When I was in college (and pretty clueless in the kitchen), I started making a pasta dish similar to this one. I wanted the taste of a lasagna, but easier. I would boil some mini pasta shells, dump them in a bowl with pasta sauce and cottage cheese then microwave it. Ta-da! I tweaked it over time to something my roommates and I called "Pasta Surprise" or "Pasta Creation". I started adding corn, diced tomatoes, and other little treasures. I didn't use a recipe so sometimes it was good and other times it wasn't. With a little more practice and adapting a few similar recipes online, I've come up with something a little more consistent: a meal that we all really like.

Recipe adapted from Family Fun

1/2 to 3/4 lb. rotini pasta (or shells, penne, etc.)
1 12-oz. pkg. sliced pepperoni (or as much or little as you like)
Your favorite spaghetti sauce (I use about 3/4 of a jar)
1/2 - 3/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 - 1 cup cottage cheese
Fresh spinach, chopped
Tomatoes, diced

Optional Add-ins:
Corn
Zucchini, diced
Broccoli florets, cut into small pieces
Ground meat
Mushrooms

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, and spread it evenly in the bottom of an oven-safe casserole dish (I use an 8 x 8). Pour sauce, cottage cheese, and veggies over noodles and combine. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 17 to 22 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

How I Cook an Omelet

DJ and I both grew up in families where omelets were our dads' specialties. They had each perfected the egg mixture, pan coating, and folding. But when I'd make an omelet, I would usually end up calling it "scrambled eggs" instead.

So, recently I was watching a "Barefoot Contessa" episode. She was making an omelet...but she threw all the ingredients into the pan, then slid it into the OVEN...and let it cook while she prepared the rest of her meal. What?!? Ever since then, that is how I've made our omelets. They are always a puffy, yummy texture. No flipping or folding. And guess what, our omelets are all done at the same time so we can actually eat them together -- while they're still warm.

Liam and I had these omelets for lunch today so I snapped a quick picture and thought I'd share. Not necessarily because it's super gourmet, but because it's an easy meal idea that can be dressed-up to your liking.

Oven Omelets

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten

5 or 6 large eggs

2 Tbsp. plain yogurt

Grated cheddar cheese

Salt & pepper, to taste

Optional Fillings:

Bacon or ham, (I've used Bacon Bits)

Vegetables and fresh herbs such as: tomato, chopped fresh spinach, bell pepper, red onion, cilantro or parsley, diced potato, etc.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch oven-safe saute pan. Whisk eggs and yogurt together in pan. Add cheese and salt and pepper, then diced vegetables and chopped herbs. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes. Be careful when removing the pan from oven as handle will be HOT (learned TWICE from personal experience). Divide into halves or quarters and serve right from the pan. Garnish with diced avocado, sour cream, or salsa.

Quiche

Frisco 1st Ward Enrichment

Whisk together:

4 eggs

1 1/2 c. milk

1 Tbsp. flour

2 Tbsp. sour cream

Dash nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

Add:

1 c. cheese, shredded

1/4 c. cooked bacon or ham (optional)

Add (to taste):

1/4 c. red pepper, diced

1/2 c. onion, diced

1/2 c. chopped spinach

Pour into prebaked frozen pie crust. Or freeze, then thaw quiche mixture prior to use. If frozen, thaw and shake completely then pour into pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes, until lightly browned on top and well set in the center. Cool about 5 minutes before serving.

Pizza Bagels

Frisco 1st Ward Enrichment

12 mini bagels or 3 regular bagels

1 c pizza sauce

1 c mozzarella cheese

Up to 3/4 c. toppings of choice: sausage, pepperoni, olives, peppers, ham, etc.

Cut bagels in half and spread 1-2 Tbsp of sauce depending how thick you prefer it. Many people toast the bagels.

Pizza bagels can be frozen before or after cooking. Either way, freeze on cookie sheets without touching for 3 hours or until frozen solid. Then repackage in freezer bags and store for 2-3 months.

Bake pizza bagels at 375 for 10-12 minutes until the cheese melts in a preheated oven or toasted oven.

Chicken Rolls

Lauren Wright/Lynette Carver

These are like our Chicken Pockets but with a few changes and possibly more yummy.

2 cups diced chicken
1 8oz pkg cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
2 chopped green onions
1/2 cup mushrooms
Dash of pepper
2 pkgs of pillsbury cresent rolls
1/4 cup melted butter
1 sm. Pkg stuffing

Cream cheese and butter together. Add mushrooms, onions, pepper, add chicken. Mix well. Stretch rolls into triangles, place 2 TBS mixture on each and fold up and seal. Dip into butter, then into stuffing mix. Bake 350 for 20-30 min.

BLT's Reloaded

Recipe and photo from Chenae Duerden

from The Christensen Family Recipe Blog

• Bread, toasted (get exciting and try some fancy bakery bread)
• Bacon slices, cooked (cook on a Foreman Grill or bake in oven)
• Avocado
• Cheese of your choice
• Lettuce or Spinach
• Tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Sliced bell pepper of your choice
• Condiments

*Corn-on-the-Cob: Bake in oven for 30 minutes at 375. It's perfect, and EASY. No boiling, and each to their own husking.

Pita Pizza

4 Pita Bread rounds
1-8 oz. can Pizza Sauce
Favorite toppings such as: olives, mushrooms, chopped onions, pepperoni, tomatoes, green pepper, etc.
1 c. Mozzarella Cheese
Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese

Sprinkle with seasonings: Basil, Oregano, Garlic Salt, Onion Salt, etc.

Drizzle with Olive Oil

Spread pizzas on baking sheet. Heat in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Tin Foil Dinners

For each serving:

1/4 lb. Ground Beef

Potatoes, thinly sliced

Carrots, sliced

Onions, sliced

Salt & Pepper

Shape hamburger into patties. Place in center of a square piece of tin foil. Arrange potatoes, carrots, onions, and salt and pepper on each patty.  Spread vegetables evenly over meat. (Optional: Add cream of mushroom soup for moisture) Wrap up in foil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes (or over hot coals or fire if outdoors). Serve hot with ketchup or barbecue sauce. 

Easy Chicken Tacos

Debbie Vogelsberg

2 (13 oz) cans Chicken Breast, in water (or boiled, shredded chicken)

1 pkg Chicken Taco Seasoning

Flour Tortillas

Cheddar Cheese

Lettuce 

Tomatoes

Other taco fillings, such as avocado, sour cream, onion, salsa, olives, etc.

Drain canned chicken and place in frying pan. Break up pieces until shredded while heating on the stove. Add taco seasoning mix and water according to directions on the mix. Warm the flour tortillas in the microwave and fill with your favorite toppings. Very easy, quick, and yummy! 

Chicken Pockets

From Cooking with Hilary
1 8 oz. Pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/4 Cup chopped green onions
3 Cups chicken pieces
1 Can cream of chicken soup
Bread Crumbs
2 Cans Refrigerator crescent rolls

Combine chicken, cream cheese, and onions. Pinch together two rolls and a spoonful of chicken mixture. Seal edges tightly. Brush with melted margarine and roll in bread crumbs. Put into bag and freeze.

When thawed, bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (until golden brown). Heat cream of chicken soup and enough milk for desired consistency for gravy. Pour gravy over each roll.

Taco Soup

1 can Black Beans
1 can Corn
1 can Diced Tomatoes
1 can Chicken Broth (or 2 cups)
Chicken, diced, and cooked. (Season with lemon or lime juice and lemon pepper)
1 pkg Taco Seasoning

Combine in large pot. Heat until warmed through. Serve with sour cream, cheese, avacado, and or/ tortilla chips.

(Variations: Use kidney, pinto, or red beans instead or in addition to black beans. Add 1/3 c. salsa. Add chopped onion and chopped green pepper)