Wednesday Chili

My sister, Lori, received this recipe while living in Nevada. It is very easy to prepare and very tasty!

2 pounds Lean Ground Beef
10 oz. Can French Onion Soup
1 Tablespoons Chili Powder
2 Teaspoons Cumin
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
Few Drops of Tabasco Sauce (to your taste)
21 oz. Can Red Kidney Beans, Undrained
6 oz. Can Tomato Paste
8 oz. Can Tomato Sauce

Brown ground beef and drain. Puree soup in the blender. Pour over meat and heat until it is the consistency of rice. Stir in spices, add beans, tomato paste, tomato sauce. Stir until well combined. Heat over low heat at least 20 minutes. Great frozen and warmed for later meals.

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Tacos

1 1/2 Pounds Chicken Breasts
15 oz. Jar of Salsa
1 Packet of Taco Seasoning
1/2 - 1 Package of Cream Cheese

This version of Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos is so yummy in either a taco salad, hard or soft shell tacos, or to make enchiladas .

Combine the chicken breasts, salsa, taco seasoning, and cream cheese in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours. Once cooked, remove chicken from the crockpot and shred using two forks. Place shredded chicken back in the crockpot and stir to combine in sauce before serving. The serving options are endless -- over salad, in taco shells, over rice, use as enchilada filling, etc.

Minestrone Soup

1 Cup Onion, Chopped
1 Cup Celery, Diced
2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
10 Cups Beef Broth*
2 Cans Diced Tomatoes
1 29 Oz. Can Hunt's Pasta Sauce
1 Cup Carrots, Sliced
2 Teaspoons Dried Basil
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Pounds Ground Beef, Cooked
1 1/2 Cups Zucchini, Sliced
1 Can Kidney Beans, Rinsed and Drained
1 Can Garbanzo Beans, Rinsed and Drained
2 Cups Uncooked Ditalini Pasta

In a large stock pot, saute onions, celery and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, pasta sauce, carrots, basil and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45-60 minutes. Then add zucchini beans, ground beef and pasta. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until pasta is tender. Remove from heat.

* * I like to use an actual beef base paste instead of buillon as it has more flavor. I am a little more generous in my measurements so that it is a little more concentrated (more flavor).

Crockpot Kalua Pork -- Cooks 16 Hours

Kalua pig is a popular at Hawaiian lluaus where a whole pig is smoked in a sand pit with sea salt, banana leaves and wood. This simple corckpot method mimics the smoked flavor of using natural liquid smoke and the results are an easy, mouth-watering juicy pork recipe anyone can make at home.

You can serve this over rice or serve on hamburger buns as a sandwich. Make sure to make the Pineapple Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce recipe also found on this blog.

Coarse Red Hawaiian Sea Salt can be found at Trader Joes. Make sure to use boneless pork shoulder blade roast, as it is leaner than the pork shoulder picnic. A pork loin roast would also work, although it's a bit leaner and therefore drier. This slow cooks in your crockpot for about 16 hours.

2-3 Pounds Trimmed Pork Shoulder Blade Roast
1 Tablespoon Liquid Smoke
Coarse Red Hawaiian Sea Salt

Place prok in the crockpot. Stab it all over with the tip of a knife. Rub sea salt all over pork. Drizzle the liquid smoke all over and set crockpot to low and cook for 16 hours.

Remove from crockpot and place on a large platter. Remove any fat you may have missed. Shred pork with a fork.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

This recipe is my sister-in-laws. It is delicious.

3 Cups Broccoli, Chopped and Steamed Well
1 1/2 Cups Chicken Broth
2 Tablespoons Flour
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Teaspoon Salt
3/4 Cup Cream
3/4 Cup Half and Half
Optional: 1/2 Cup Onion and 2 Cloves Garlic

In a blender, puree broccoli and 3/4 cup of chicken broth. (I add dried minced garlic and dried onions to this.) In a saucepan, melt margarine and stir in flour and salt; cook and stir until bubbly. Add cream and half and half. Cook until thick and bubbly, then cook about 1 minute longer. Stir in remaining chicken broth and pureed broccoli mixture. Stir in other seasonings to taste (such as garlic salt, more onion, etc.) If not thick enough, add a little milk to about 2-3 tablespoons cornstarch and pour in slowly while stirring constantly. Return to slow boil to check thickness.

My sister-in-law likes to add fresh chopped onion (about 1/2 cup) to the butter and cook several minutes before adding the flour. Garlic is great added too. Need to use 4 Tablespoons butter.

The Best Pork Chop Marinade

I came across this recipe from Six Sisters. We tried it for dinner tonight and it was delicious. Everyone in our family really liked it. That doesn't happen very often.

1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup Chili Sauce
1/4 Cup Honey
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
2 Tablespoons Green Onion, Finely Chopped
1 Teaspoon Curry Powder
1 1/2 Pounds Boneless Skinless Pork Chops (about 4-6 chops)

In a gallon-sized resealable bag, add the soy sauce, chili sauce, honey, vegetable oil, green onion, and curry powder and mix until completely combined. Add in the pork chops, then seal the bag. Place in the fridge for 6-8 hours (or overnight). Remove bag from fridge, place pork chops on grill over medium high heat. Brush some of the left-over marinade on the pork chops while grilling. Grill for 6-8 minutes on each side or until the insides of the pork chops are no longer pink. Serve! Yumm!!

Baked Tacos

My mother-in-law made these one night for Bryon and Sam while they were down there for dinner. Sam couldn't stop talking about these. I decided to give them a try. My mom made them for my family one weekend while she was up helping me. They lived up to their reputation! They were a hit for everyone in my family.

Serves: 8-10

2 Pounds Ground Beef
4 Teaspoons Dry Minced Onion
2 Teaspoons Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Cornstarch
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
1/8 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 (8 Ounce) Can Tomato Sauce
1 (16 Ounce) Can Refried Beans
2 Cups Colby Jack Cheese, Shredded
18-20 Hard Taco Shells

Toppings:
Shredded Lettuce
Diced Tomatoes
Salsa
Guacamole

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl combine minced onion, chili powder, cornstarch, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and set aside.

In a large skillet, brown ground beef over medium-high heat. Drain off any excess liquid. Add refried beans, tomato sauce and bowl of seasonings. Mix well.

Spoon the taco meat mixture into the taco shells. Place in a 9x13 baking dish, standing up. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the taco meat in each shell. Place into the 400 degree oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the tacos are heating through. Remove from the oven and garnish with toppings.

If you are short on time or seasonings, you can replace all the above seasonings for a package of taco seasoning.

Lime-Chili Steak Rub

So as I have mentioned before, Bryon and I belong to a dinner group. We rotate months and people's houmes. This month it was at our house. I really struggled with what to cook. With the heat of summer, I didn't want to cook on the stove or oven that would heat my kitchen up even more. I learned this past week what a great cook the counselor's wife that serves in the bishopric with Bryon is. She gave me a couple of suggestions. So while the meal was delicious, I cannot take credit this recipe came from her.

1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Granulated Garlic
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin
1/2 Teaspoon Coriander
1/2 Teaspoon Oregano
1/8-1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Lime (about 2 Tablespoons Lime Juice)
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 Pounds Flank Steak, or other good grilling cut (Tenderloin, NY Strip and Tri-Tip all work well) (We used petite sirloins and they were delicious.)

Juice 1 lime into a boil and then add remaining ingredients, except steak. Place the steak in a shallow dish and pour the spice mixture on top. Now is the time to make friends with that hunk of beef. Use your hands to massage it in there. Trust me -- your hands work a lot better than smooshing it around in a zip lock bag. Let it sit in the marinade for 15 minutes. During that time you can preheat your grill, make some side dishes, set the table, paint your nails, sneak some dessert, whatever.

Place meat on hot grill. (BBQ is best, but an indoor grill pan or broiler will work fine too). If you are using flank steak it should take about 5-7 minutes on each side. When steak is finished, remove from grill and let sit for 5 minutes before cutting into it. Otherwise all of the juices will run out and you'll be stuck with dry steak. And who wants to eat dry steak? Slice in strips against the grain. Serve with Mango Pico De Gallo (Recipe on this site).

Corn Chowder

4-5 Slices Bacon
1 Onion, Chopped
2 Tablespoons Green Pepper, Chopped
4 Green Onions, Chopped
2 Tablespoons Flour
2 Teaspoons Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Pepper
4 Medium Potatoes, Peeled and Cut in Cubes
4-5 Cups Frozen or Canned Corn, Drained
1 Can Evaporated Milk
1 Teaspoon Sugar
Butter
1 Quart Milk

Cut the bacon into bite-size pieces. In a saucepan saute bacon. Once the bacon is cooked, add onion, green pepper, green onions, potatoes, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Then cover and simmer 5-10 minutes until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and set aside.

In another pan add corn, canned milk, sugar, and one lump of butter. Simmer for 10 minutes. (I did this step while I was doing the above step and so they finished at the same time.)

Once the time is up, add the corn mixture and the potatoe mixture together so they are in the same pot.

In a skillet melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add flour, salt, and pepper to make a rue. Then add just a little of the milk (of the 1 quart) to the flour mixture and stir until you get the lumps out. Pour into the saucepan that has the corn and potatoes in. Then add the rest of the milk. Cook until the mixture slightly thickens. You may need to cook a little longer as my potatoes weren't quite done.

Cheese Fondue

This recipe is a fond memory for me growing up. I remember my mom having a fondue pot and I remember her getting it out and us having this fondue, occasionally. It has now become one of our family traditions to have this fondue for New Year's Eve or on New Year's Day.

1 Pound Swiss Cheese, Grated
1 Pound Mild Cheddar Cheese, Grated
6 Teaspoons Flour
1/2 Clove Garlic Cut in Half
2 Cups White Grape Juice
2 Pinches Nutmeg and Pepper
Wooden Spoon
Breadsticks (We always use the kind in the can)
Vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, celery, broccoli), cut in bite-size pieces
Raw Hot Dogs Cut in bite-size pieces

Grate cheese and place in a bowl. Toss the grated cheese with the flour. Rob the fondue pot and wooden spoon with cut garlic. Pour the white grape juice in the fondue pot. Heat, but do not boil. Add cheese. Stir until melted. Add seasonings and serve. Eat by spearing bread or vegetables on forks and dipping into mixture. YUM!

Stroganoff Sandwiches

We had this at our dinner group in October. It was delicious! She served it on individual buns so everyone could fix their own as they wanted. She also substituted sliced sirloin instead of the ground beef and that is what I do when I make this.

1 Loaf French Bread
1 Pound Ground Beef
1/4 Cup Onion, Chopped
1 Tablespoon Milk
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/8 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
Butter or Margarine to spread on the bread
Toppings of Your Choice: Tomatoes, Green Peppers, Red Peppers, Sauteed Mushrooms, Cheese

Cut bread in half lengthwise. Wrap in foil and put in the oven at 350 for 7-10 minutes.

Brown the hamburger with the onion. Drain off the grease. Stir in the sour cream, milk, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. At this point, add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat.

Butter bread. Spread the mixture on each half of loaf. Arrange toppings. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes or until cheese is warm.

Crockpot Beef Tips & Rice

Another recipe from my favorite crockpot website. I made this one for dinner and it was a huge hit. The meat was super tender. It is super easy to make. Good and easy, it doesn't get much better than that!

2 Packages of Stew Meat
2 Family Size Cans Cream of Mushroom Soup
2 Packages Lipton Beefy Onion Soup Mix

Add all together and place in a crockpot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice. Yum!

Crockpot Bacon Ranch Chicken

I found this recipe online. I made it the other night for my family for dinner. It was a HUGE hit.

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
4 Tablespoons Real Bacon Bits
2 Teaspoons Minced Garlic
2 Packages Ranch Dressing Mix
2 Cans Cream of Chicken Soup
2 Cups Sour Cream
Egg Noodles, Cooked

Combine bacon, garlic, Ranch dressing mix, soup, and sour cream; mix well. Place chicken in the bottom of the crockpot. Pour mixture over the chicken. Cook on high for 3-4 hours. Take out the chicken and shred. Place the chicken back in the crockpot. Serve over cooked egg noodles.

Chow Mein Dinner

1 1/2 Pounds Hamburger
2 Medium Onions, Chopped
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 1/2 Cups Warm Water
1/2 Cup Uncooked Non-Instant Rice
Chow Mein Noodles

Brown hamburger with onions. Drain off fat. Add cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, soy sauce, water, and rice. Put in a large casserole dish. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook another 30 minutes. Take from oven and sprinkle with Chow Mein noodles. Return and bake uncovered another 15 minutes.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

We had this recipe for dinner one night at our dinner group. It was delicious!

2/3 Cup Salsa
2 Cans Black Beans (Do not drain or rinse)
2 Cans Corn
2 Cans Red Beans
1 Can Diced Tomatoes with Chilies
1 8 oz. Can Tomato Sauce
1 Small Can Diced Chilies
2 Cans Cooked Chicken Breast (Break Up With a Fork)
1 Package of Dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
3 Cans Chicken Broth
Dash of Lime Juice
Cook in slow cooker for 6-8 hours on low. Serve with tortillas that are crumbled, sour cream, and grated cheese.

Creamy Salisbury Steak

I think I have been missing out on life. Salisbury steak isn't something I make hardly ever. I think I have only made it one other time during our married life. I wasn't a big fan. The other day, when planning my menus I came across this recipe. It was a huge hit at our house! YUM! It is definitely a comfort food and great for those cold winter nights.

2 Pounds Ground Beef
1 Package Onion Soup Mix
1/2 Cup Cracker Crumbs (I used Saltines. I think you could use bread crumbs.)
1 Egg
2 Packages Brown Gravy Mix
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Small Can Sliced Mushrooms, Drained
Egg Noodles, Rice, or Mashed Potatoes (We did mashed potatoes!)

Make hamburger patties using ground beef, onion soup mix, cracker crumbs, and egg. Fry or grill patties until they are browned on both sides.

While the hamburgers are cooking, in a bowl combine the brown gravy mix, the amount of water called for on the packet, and the sour cream. Whisk together.

Grease a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place the patties in the bottom. Pour gravy mixture over the top of the patties.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Serve the patties and gravy over mashed potatoes.

Cheeseburger Chowder

1/2 lb Hamburger, Browned
4 Cups Potatoes, Diced
3/4 Cup Onions, Chopped
1/4 Cup Flour
3/4 Cup Carrots, Shredded or Diced
8 oz Velveeta
3/4 Cup Celery, Diced
1 1/2 Cups Milk
1 Teaspoon Dried Basil
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Parsley Flakes
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
3 Cups Chicken Broth
1/4 Cup Sour Cream

Saute onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 T butter for about 10 minutes. Add brother, potatoes and hamburger. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt about 3 T butter. Add flour and cook, stirring, for about 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup. Bring to boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.

Chicken Quesadillas

I made this last week for dinner. It is perfect for those nights when you need something fast for dinner. I got it off of life-should-be-delicious.blogspot.com.

2 Chicken Breasts, Cooked and Shredded
1-2 Cups Montery Jack Cheese
1/2 Cup Prepared Ranch Dressing
1/4 Cup Diced Green Chilies
1 Small Can Shoepeg Corn
1/2 Cup Salsa

Flour Tortillas
Butter

Combine chicken, cheese, dressing, chilies, corn and salsa. Mix well. Butter one side of tortilla. Place chicken mixture on unbuttered side of tortilla and fold in half to seal. Place on greased baking sheet. bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crispy. Serve with guacamole, salsa, and more ranch dressing.

I used the normal size flour tortillas and got about 10 quesadillas out of this recipe. Also, I had never bought shoepeg corn before. I googled it and found that it is a white, sweet corn. We found it on the canned vegetable isle. I do think you could probably use canned corn and it would be just fine. If you do use canned corn, I probably wouldn't use a whole can.

Pizza Casserole

My Aunt Arlene said that she makes this casserole all of the time to take to people in the ward who need a meal brought in and she always gets rave reviews. My mom made this dish while we were home for New Years. It was really good and the kids loved it.

1 Pound Hamburger
1 Can Tomato Soup
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 Can of Milk
1 (6 oz.) Can Tomato Sauce
1 Small Onion, Chopped
1/2 Green Pepper Chopped
1 Package Egg Noodles, Cooked and Drained
Pizza Spice or Italian Seasoning
Cheddar Cheese, Grated

Brown hamburger with the onion and green pepper. Mix the tomato soup and mushroom soup with the milk. Add soup mixture, seasoning, and noodles to the hamburger. Stir well. Place in a 9x13 casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes. Top with grated cheddar cheese the last ten minutes.

White Bean Chicken Chili

Also, while we were home for New Year's my sister, Alyson, made this one night for dinner. It was really good.

1 Pound Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, Cooked and Cubed
1 Medium Onion, Chopped
1 1/2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
2 Cans Great Northern Beans, Drained and Rinsed
1/2 Can Chicken Broth
2 Cans Chopped Green Chilies
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Oregano
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (My sister did a little less)

Boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Take off the heat and add 1 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream.