Award Winning Chili

I am always looking for new chili recipes. I love any kind and have several linked from this blog. A couple of my favorites are Skinny Taste's Sweet Potato & Turkey Quinoa Chili and White Chili. If you are looking for a good traditional tomato based chili, this is the ticket! It's not called "Award Winning" for nothing. I didn't have any venison on hand (no one hunts in my family, so if you have some lying around, we will gladly take it off of your hands), so I used ground beef. My six year old helped me make this chili. It's always so fun to have him in the kitchen, and this time was no exception. He told me that he pretends like our house is a restaurant everyday and that he calls our restaurant "Home." I thought that was a pretty clever name. I told him that maybe we should open a restaurant together; he informed me that we won't be able to do that until he turns 15. Deadpan. Try this recipe for a hearty, yummy, satisfying weeknight meal! And don't forget your toppings!

Recipe found on Food.com

Ingredients:
1 lb ground venison or ground beef or ground turkey
2 onions, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 T jalapeno, finely chopped
14oz can Rotel tomatoes
16 oz tomato sauce
2 T cumin
2 T chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
14 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup water

Method:
Complete recipe found on food.com, HERE.

Happy Cooking!

Creamy Parmesan Polenta

Wow! If you think you don't like grits, please try this Creamy Parmesan Polenta Recipe. It is so so yummy. I originally had it with The Pioneer Woman's Beef Short Ribs , but tonight I served it with Marinated Pork Tenderloin. I made it exactly as the recipe stated the first time, except for I used only half of the salt. Tonight, I improvised a bit. I used yellow grits rather than corn meal. I had some Queso Fresco left over from last week when I made Food and Wine's Silky Tortilla Soup so I used that rather than the Parmesan cheese. I did not have any creme fraiche (actually I didn't last time either, so I used mascarpone cheese) so I substituted half n half. Really, any cheese that melts well plus any sort of cream will probably work here. Use your imagination and make it suit your taste. Any way you do it, just try it!

Ina Garten's recipe from foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:
4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
1 T kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
1/4 cup creme fraiche
2 T unsalted butter


Method:
Complete recipe found on foodnetwork.com, HERE

Happy Cooking!

Beef Short Ribs aka Heaven on a Plate

Oh. My. Word. These truly are heaven on a plate. I was introduced to them by my dear friend, Erin, and I have made them twice since. These do take some time as they require 2.5 hours+ cooking time, but they are easy to prepare on the front end, and so so worth the time. Tonight I am serving them with The Pioneer Woman's Creamy Mashed Potatoes, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Last time I served them with The Barefoot Contessa's Creamy Parmesan Polenta and Roasted Broccoli (toss broccoli florets with olive oil, salt & pepper, and bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes until they start to turn brown). Whatever you serve this with, it will be out of this world. If you want to wow your friends/family next week during Thanksgivinng, make this ahead of time and warm it up when you're ready to serve it. It's delicious!

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

8 whole beef short ribs

Kosher salt & pepper to taste

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

6 pieces pancetta, diced

2 T olive oil

1 whole medium onion, diced

3 whole carrots, diced

2 whole shallots, peeled and finely minced

2 cups red or white wine

2 cups beef or chicken broth 

2 sprigs thyme

2 sprigs rosemary

Method:

Complete recipe from The Pioneer Woman found on her website, HERE. 

Happy Cooking! 

Sausage & Cream Cheese Pinwheels

Cooking for a morning tailgate inspired these beauties! I was looking for something that wouldn't take long but that would feed a crowd for a tailgate. I started out wanting to make something with vegetables, and my sister responded, "do you want people to look at it, or do you want people to eat it?" Excellent point, Lucille! My mom used to make these pinwheels for breakfast on Christmas morning, and I always loved them. I doubled the recipe, and it made almost 50 pinwheels. They were a big hit and were super easy. I would recommend them for a tailgate of any size or just to have something yummy to munch on while watching the game at home.
Ingredients:

2 cans crescent roll sheets (I found these right next to the crescent rolls...if you can't, just use crescent rolls and pinch the triangles together to make one sheet.)

8oz cream cheese (regular not light or nonfat)

1lb ground sausage (I used a breakfast sausage from Lowe's Foods SausageWorks section, but you could use mild Italian sausage or whatever your favorite sausage is.)

Method:

Brown sausage over medium high heat. Unroll the crescent roll sheets. Spread 4oz of cream cheese on each sheet. Top the cream cheese with cooked sausage. Roll sheet into a log. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut logs into 1/2 inch sections and lay flat on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. 

Happy Cooking!

Sister Wives Chicken Pot Pie

Recipe from one of my "sister wives," Elena Boiardi!

Elena made this while we were at the beach with 9 adults and 10 children. I can't remember if she made 5 or 6 pies, but all of the pies were eaten for dinner and then for leftovers for lunch the next day. The prepared pie crust, pre-chopped veggies, and rotisserie chicken make this recipe a breeze. All of the adults and children loved it. It's great to make for just yourself, your family, or for a crowd. Most chicken pie recipes that I have made have frozen carrots and peas in them, and I love the change from peas to celery in this recipe. This was by far the easiest (and yummiest) chicken pie I've ever made, and I will be making it over and over again all year long!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter

1 pint of pre-chopped onion, carrot, celery (or you can chop it yourself using one small onion, two carrots, and two celery stalks)

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

1 1/2 cups chicken broth (you can make your own by using 100 Days of Real Food's Crockpot Chicken Stock)

2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken (you can chop beforehand and use the carcas for the above chicken stock)

1/2 cup half n half

1 to 1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 to 3/4 tsp pepper

(salt & pepper depend on how salty your rotisserie chicken is)

2 prepared pie crusts (I use Pillsbury)

Method

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Line a pie plate with one of the prepared pie crusts.

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook until softened but not browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for one minute. Add chicken broth slowly, stirring constantly, and bring to simmer. Stir until thickened. Add chicken, half n half, salt and pepper and cook for a couple of minutes until just heated through and half n half is incoporated.

Pour chicken mixture into pie plate lined with the crust. Arrange second crust on top and cut slits into the top of the pie. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until pie crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling. Let pie rest for 10 minutes, then serve.

Happy Cooking!

Basic Cheese Sauce

This basic cheese sauce is perfect for picky eaters to dunk their vegetables in, for cheese lovers to pour over their baked potatoes, for creamy mac n cheese, or for any time you just want something cheesy. It takes 6 minutes!

Ingredients:

2T butter

2T flour

1c milk

1 1/2c shredded cheddar cheese

Method:

Melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and keep whisking until smooth. Add milk and whisk constantly until it starts to thicken...about 3 minutes. Add cheese and whisk for another 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!!

Weeknight Bolognese

My good friend, Erin gave me this Barefoot Contessa cookbook. I have found so many yummy, easy recipes that I cannot wait to share with you all. This took about half an hour to make from start to finish and made a very special weeknight dinner for our family. All five of us LOVED it. You can use any kind of little pasta that you like: I chose mini farfalle. Also, the San Marzano tomatoes that she suggests really do make a difference, so if you can find them, use them. (I could only find whole ones, so I crushed them with my hands...our you could use a food processor.) This dish definitely has a kick so if you or your kiddos are not a fan of spicy food, cut down or cut out the red pepper flakes. This recipe is hearty but not heavy and is truly worthy of a special occasion without a lot of fuss.

Recipe from Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?

Ingredients:
2 T good olive oil, plus extra to cook the pasta
1 lb lean ground sirloin
4 tsp minced garlic
1 T dried oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (omit if you don't like spicy)
1 1/4 cups dry red wine, divided
28oz can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
2 T tomato paste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound dried pasta such as orecchiette or small shells (farfalle shown in picture)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Method:
Recipe from Ina Garten found on Foodnetwork.com HERE.

Happy Cooking!

Raw Kale, Grapefruit, and Toasted Hazelnut Salad

I had some kale and grapefruit that I received in my Salem Delights box last week. I knew that I needed to make some sort of salad, but I didn't have a recipe and am not creative enough to whip this up myself. This was SO healthy and delicious. The dressing is simple and pairs perfectly with the sharpness of the kale and the tartness of the grapefruit. The red onion was perfect too. If you don't like red onion, you could always substitute green onion. I did not have hazelnuts, so I substituted pine nuts, and they were great. The biggest tip I will give is to use your food processor to get the kale into small enough pieces that it's not too tough. If you've never tried kale, this is a great way to start, and if you have this is a yummy new recipe to try.
PS - no, I did not make this for my children...I made it to take to a friend's house for a dinner/playdate :)

Recipe from Health.com.

Ingredients:
2 pink grapefruit
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced, divided
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
8 oz lacinato kale, very thinly sliced, or baby kale leaves
1 oz toasted hazelnuts, chopped (1/3 cup)

Method:
Complete recipe from Health.com found HERE.

Happy Cooking!

Smashed Sweet Potatoes

I can truly say that I have never been disappointed by Ina Garten's recipes. She can make intimidating dishes accessible and everyday dishes a little more fancy. These potatoes are easy and really yummy. They spices enhance the flavor of the potatoes while not making them TOO sweet. Enjoy!Recipe from Ina Garten





Ingredients:
4 lbs sweet potatoes (about 6 large(
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 T unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Complete recipe found on foodnetwork.com, HERE.

Happy Cooking!

Greek Grilled Chicken Salad with Pitas

I have made this with the grilled chicken, and it makes a beautiful salad. Last night, I opted for the time saving option of using a rotisserie chicken from Lowe's Foods. The dressing could not be simpler. It is absolutely delicious over this salad. You may note that there is no added salt/pepper in the dressing. It does not need it with this salad. The olives and Feta cheese are salty enough for the whole dish, and the red onion gives it a good bite. My husband and I LOVE this salad...the kids all eat parts of it...one eats tomatoes, one eats olives, one eats pretty much all of it. They all eat the chicken.




Ingredients:
1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg pita bread
1 lemon, juiced and zested
3 T red wine vinegar
1/2 c olive oil
1 T fresh oregano, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 head Romaine lettuce
1/2 c Kalamata olives, pitted & chopped
8 oz Feta cheese
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 red onion, sliced
1/2 c flat leaf parsley, chopped

Method:
Make dressing with lemon zest & juice, vinegar, olive oil, oregano, and garlic. (Combine all in a jar and shake). Pour half of the dressing over the chicken, turn to coat. At this point, chicken can be covered and refrigerated as long as overnight. When ready to serve, wrap pita bread in foil and warm in moderate oven for 5-10 minutes. Grill chicken 4-5 minutes per side until done. Placed grilled chicken on cutting board and cover tightly with foil for 10 minutes or so. In the meantime, place salad ingredients in large bowl. Toss with remaining dressing. Slice chicken breasts in thin slices, leaving one edge attached so that they can be fanned out attractively on top of salad. Served with warmed pita bread.

Happy Cooking!

Celebrate Good Times

So, my cooking has been less than consistent lately. This month has been chock full of celebrations for our family. My husband and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary;  my son, my sister, my dad, and my grandmother all had birthdays, and my sister and her husband celebrated their third wedding anniversary (don't worry, I was NOT there to crash their celebration!). It's been a whirlwind of a month, and it's been so much fun to do some special things to celebrate everyone's big days.

10 years ago

First up was our anniversary. We had a fun night out on the town after my oldest child participated in the Whitaker Elementary School Talent Show. If you know my child, you know that this was a big deal. He tends to be on the shy side, and I couldn't believe that he wanted to be a part of this event. A family friend of ours taught little George some magic. He had the full ensemble complete with a magic hat, a magic wand, and a special table on which to perform his tricks. I honestly think (actually I know) that I was more nervous than he was when he got up to perform in front of about 200 children and parents. He did an awesome job and was super proud of himself (as was I!). He even landed his first appearance on twitter from the performance! Afterwards, we dropped him at home with the other two children and our babysitter and headed out to a delicious dinner at Noble's Grille...one of our favorites! We were SO surprised when we walked in and our precious babysitter had called ahead and had the table decorated and two splits of champagne waiting for us. It was such a thoughtful gesture and started the night out on a very celebratory note!

Next on the agenda was little George's birthday. He is pretty much only into sports these days, so his party at the Soccerplex was just perfect. My sister, brother-in-law, niece, grandmother, and in-laws made the trip up for the party, and it was all hands on deck keeping the chaos to a minimum. This was the first year that my son requested a cake rather than cupcakes and that he didn't really need any decorations. After I swallowed back my tears that I would not be ordering cute decorations from Etsy to adorn his cupcakes or to decorate for a party, I headed to Lowe's to order his cookie cakes (WFU Demon Deacon cakes of course) and a few balloons (you guessed it, black & gold). I finished off my party shopping at the Dollar Tree to get tablecloths and little party favors (I really hate party favors, so I opted for mechanical pencils and mini-composition books...not too exciting for some kids but right up George's alley). Although I was sad not to do a big themed party for him this year, I must admit that this party was super easy, and it was exactly what George wanted. Let's be honest, playing soccer with some of his best buddies was party enough for him!

My brother flew in that night, and my parents arrived the next day. We were all set to celebrate Nena and her 90th birthday. What a HUGE deal! We planned a private party catered with some of her favorite foods...fried chicken (okay, it was pecan crusted but along the same vein), mashed potatoes, green beans, squash casserole, and chocolate cake (actually three....one for Nena, one for dad, and one for my sister) for dessert. My dad started out the evening with an incredibly touching speech honoring Nena, and my mom followed suit with an extremely heartfelt, special toast. We all enjoyed cocktails and good food and stories and laughs. It was a birthday miracle that the children were all entertained and well-behaved for nearly TWO hours while we celebrated our birthday girl. Again, part of me was sad to not have thrown everything together at my house and cooked this special meal along with my sister and my mom, but at the end of the day, it was absolutely perfect because we got to focus on what was important...celebrating Nena.

celebrating three birthdays

The next day was my sister's birthday. My dad made a trip to Biscuitville, and we celebrated with breakfast and another cookie cake before she and her fam had to head back to Charlotte. We also got to give my dad his birthday gifts...couldn't let his birthday be overlooked!

Later that afternoon, my husband, the boys and I headed down to Great Wolf Lodge to complete little George's birthday celebration. He won a gift certificate to Great Wolf Lodge playing Bingo, so we thought it would be perfect to use it for his birthday. It was our first trip to the Great Wolf Lodge, and it did not disappoint. We all had a blast riding down the water slides, playing in the wave pool, getting drenched by the huge bucket on the fort, and playing pool basketball. We were all thoroughly worn out at the end of 24 hours. We came home and met back up with my parents, my grandmother and my brother and we had one final night of celebration over Village Tavern take-out.

At the end of the week of celebrations when everyone had gone their separate ways to head home, my husband and I headed to Charleston for our anniversary celebration/his ten year medical school reunion. Luck would have it that the ten year reunion reception was at the same place where we had our wedding reception. We spent the weekend reliving our days pre-marriage, pre-kids, pre-four moves. We ran along the Battery, we ate delicious seafood at Graze, Leon's Fine Poultry and Oysters, and one of our old favorites, The Variety Store.  We walked past First Baptist Church in downtown Charleston where we got married, we drove past our old homes, we sat in the gazebo where we danced the night before we got engaged, we danced the night away to the tunes from the same band that played at my sister's wedding in Charleston three years ago (The Mighty Kicks). It was a wonderful weekend that just reminded me where we once were and how far we have come in the past ten years. I know it's cheesy, but MAN, I love my husband!

South Carolina Aquarium then and now

This week, as I sit here thinking about all the people and moments that we celebrated this month, my heart is full. I always have a wonderful time with my family, but this time was different. Although this wasn't a "holiday" per se, the week they were here felt like one, and I thought that I might experience some of the holiday stresses...wanting everything to be perfect, wanting to make sure everyone was perfectly entertained and perfectly happy, wanting the schedule to work out just perfect, wanting the perfect family photo to document the occasion, wanting the meal to be the perfect focal point of the holiday fanfare. Let's be honest, perfection is overrated. This time, I didn't strive for perfection. It wasn't about ME, or the meals that I prepared, or about MY agenda. It was about the special moments in life that we were celebrating and the special people involved in those moments.

Something I've been striving for for a while now is to be intentional about spending quality time with friends and family. I don't want to just be around them, I want to be present when I am with them. I do love to cook, and I love a plan, but I often find myself missing out on what's going on around me because I am so focused on "the plan." I know that there is a balance, and I want to shift my focus ever so slightly from what I'm doing to who I'm doing it for. Whether it be a night at home with just the five of us or a family celebration with twenty people around the table, I want to look into the beautiful faces of those that I love and really see them, not just what needs to be done for them. Sometimes letting go is the best plan for everyone. I didn't cook one meal during this week of celebration (very out of character for me), but it was ok...it was more than ok, it was fantastic!

On that note, dinner is simmering away in the crockpot, and the sound of laughter and the basketball bouncing on the basketball court is beckoning me.  Happy Spring Break...I hope you can find some moments to "let go" and enjoy spending time with those that you love.

Happy Cooking!