Spicy, Smoky, & Sweet Chili

Original Recipe HERE

This chili was a success all around, with even picky *J* asking me to make it again sometime.  His vote counts twice because I get it less frequently than anyone else's. 

This recipe is easy to tinker with.  I added a can of navy beans that weren't called for in the original recipe because the chili was looking too saucy during cooking.  I'm sure the meat could be eliminated and more beans could take its place.  Also, I made it stovetop because I ran out of time to put it in the crockpot.  I didn't have enough tomato sauce, so I used one 15-ounce and one 8-ounce can.  This actually made it too tomato-y for my taste.  Next time I'll just use the 15 ounces and add a cup or so of water or broth.  Also, I put in the full three tablespoons of chili powder, and future makings will see that decreased.  The overall taste was definitely good, but it bordered on too intense.  I prefer my chili a little milder.

Ingredients

1lb ground beef or turkey
1 large shallot or 1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
15 to 28 ounces tomato sauce
15oz can Bush’s Vegetarian Baked Beans
15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 oz) navy beans
2 to 3 Tablespoons chili powder
1 to 2 heaping Tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more or less)
Toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, tortilla chips, sour cream

Directions
(1) In a large pot over medium heat, brown beef, shallot/onion, and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.
(2) Add remaining ingredients.  Simmer 30 minutes; stir several times.

* To make in slow cooker: transfer beef mixture to 6-qt pot, add other ingredients, & stir.  Cook on low 4-6 hours.

Kid Participation: None.

Southwest Pasta with Beans & Corn

Original Recipe HERE

This is one of those throw-together recipes that surprised me.  I just needed to make something for dinner and grabbed random cans out of the pantry after being inspired by this.  Everyone thought it was great.  I wasn't as sold as the rest of them, but that could be because the evil olives were lurking throughout.

The seasonings are purely to-taste...any amounts or substitutions are possible.  Next time I'll probably go even easier and just do a few shakes of the McCormick Southwestern blend.

Ingredients

12 oz. pasta

1/2 cup mayonnaise [I used light]

1/8 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained [I used pinto]

1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, drained

1 can (4 oz) sliced black olives, drained & rinsed

2 cups frozen corn

grated parmesan [optional]

Directions

(1) Begin cooking pasta according to directions.

(2) In a large serving bowl, whisk together mayonnaise and spices.

(3) Add beans, tomatoes, and olives to bowl; mix well.

(4) With a few minutes left on pasta's cooking time, add corn to boiling water.

(5) Drain pasta and corn; mix with beans and tomatoes.

(6) Serve warm or refrigerate two hours.  Garnish with parmesan if desired.

Kid Participation: 

* Measure spices

* Whisk mayonnaise

* Stir all ingredients together

Slow Cooker Chicken & Black Bean Soup

Original Recipe HERE

This was a huge hit, which surprised me because I've made many variations on Mexican/chicken/bean soups before.  Before it was even served, *J* told me that it looked delicious.  I served it with everyone's favorite cornbread, and the only complaint I heard was when I cut them off from more helpings.

The seasonings can be adjusted for heat.  I kept it mild so the kids would eat it.  To make it easier, I could've just done some generous shakes of McCormick Southwest seasoning.

I gave the soup a few zaps with the immersion blender to make it thicker.  We ate it straight from our bowls with spoons, but it could be served over rice or scooped with tortilla chips if thickened enough.

Ingredients

3 or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts [I cut each in half]

2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained & rinsed

2 cans (15 oz each) corn, drained & rinsed

2 cans (10 oz each) diced tomatoes & chilis [I used mild Rotel]

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

2 cups water

2 Tablespoons chili powder

1/2 Tablespoon cumin

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

4 large garlic cloves, minced [I did not use]

4 to 8 ounces cream cheese

garnishes: shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, green onions, etc.

Directions

(1) Place all ingredients except for cream cheese into slow cooker.

(2) Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours, or until chicken is cooked.

(3) Remove chicken; shred.

(4) If desired, blend soup to desired consistency.  Return chicken to slow cooker.

(4) Add cream cheese; stir.  Heat until cream cheese is melted.

(6) Serve with garnishes.

Kid Participation: None.

Sloppy Joe Bites

Original Recipe HERE

This is a rare recipe that got rave reviews from *J*.  He ate two of them and asked for a third, and the following night he was even excited about leftovers.  The others liked them, too, but I barely paid attention to their reactions because I was busy picking my jaw up off the floor.

I made the from-scratch sloppy joe mixture since cracking open a can of the stuff would resurrect childhood memories better left in the past.  I used Pillsbury Grands buttermilk biscuits, and the ratio of biscuit to joe wasn't balanced.  Next time I'll use smaller biscuits or maybe the flaky kind.

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 Tablespoon minced onion

1 Tablespoon paprika [I did 1/2 smoked and 1/2 regular]

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 pound ground beef

1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce

6 to 8 ounces water

1 Tablespoon mustard

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

2 canisters (8 or 10 count each) canned biscuits

1 to 2 cups shredded cheese [I used cheddar]

Directions

(1) Mix together brown sugar, minced onion, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

(2) In a large skillet, brown the beef.

(3) Add tomato sauce, 6-8 ounces of water, mustard, cider vinegar, and spice mixture.  Stir to combine; simmer 5-10 minutes. 

(4) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease muffin tins.

(5) Flatten or roll out biscuits.  Press each into a muffin well.

(6) Fill biscuits with sloppy joe mixture; sprinkle with cheese.

(7) Bake 10-12 minutes.

Kid Participation: 

* Flatten biscuits

* Put biscuits into muffin wells

* Scoop in sloppy joe mixture

* Sprinkle cheese

Stovetop Black Beans

Original Recipe HERE

 

I was looking for a side dish that I could whip together and was in the mood for something salty and slightly spicy.  This recipe came up in my Googling.  Super easy to make, can be abandoned until dinner is ready (I made it ahead of time and just let it sit on the stove), and easy to tweak the spices to suit your taste.

 

I thought it was fantastic, and everyone at the table had at least one helping.  There were six of us eating, and only about half a cup was remaining at the conclusion of dinner.  I would double the recipe next time to get decent leftovers.

 

Ingredients

2 cans (14 oz each) black beans, drained & rinsed

1/2 Tablespoon olive oil

2/3 cup diced onion

2 or 3 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced

2/3 cup broth or water

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon coriander

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 lime [or bottled lime juice]

 

Directions

(1) In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.

(2) Add onions; saute several minutes until becoming translucent.

(3) Add garlic; saute 30 seconds more.

(4) Add beans, broth, and seasonings.

(5) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low simmer; cook about 7 minutes.

(6) Remove from heat.  Add several squirts of lime juice.

(7) Use the back of a spoon, potato masher, or spatula to smush beans to desired consistency.  Beans will thicken more upon standing.

 

Kid Participation: None.

White Chicken Chili

Original Recipe HERE

 

I simplified the original recipe a lot, both for convenience (I didn't feel like hunting down a variety of peppers) and the sake of hoping my kids would eat it (because they don't like super spicy things).  So it's really just a basic white chicken chili recipe now.  But that's OK, because everyone loved it.  Even my picky *J* said he, "LOVED it!"

 

My kids aren't big meat eaters, and they turn their noses up to chicken most of the time.  I knew I'd have better luck getting them to eat it if I incorporated it into the dish better than cubing it would.  So I cooked the chicken that afternoon and shredded it with the KitchenAid paddle.  No one complained at mealtime.

 

I ran out of cumin and couldn't find my chili powder, so I added a few shakes of Cuban seasoning to make up for it.  It was still pretty mild, but I could taste a hint of the jalapenos so it wasn't too bland.  Spices and seasonings and heat factor can be easily tweaked.  As expected, the kids added plenty of sour cream and cheese on top. 

 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 Tablespoon ground cumin
1½ teaspoons chili powder
¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups broth
3 cans (15 oz) cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups chopped cooked chicken [I used shredded]
1 tablespoon lime juice
½ cup heavy cream [optional; I forgot it]

garnishes: lime wedges, shredded cheese, cilantro, sour cream

rice [optional]

 

Ingredients

(1) Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.

(2) Add onions, jalapeno, cumin, chili powder, paprika, cayenne, and salt.  Cook until vegetables have softened, about 7 minutes.

(3) Meanwhile, drain and rinse one can of beans.  Mash thoroughly.

(3) Add garlic.  Cook an additional minute (do not allow garlic to brown).

(4) Add flour; stir in thoroughly.  Cook for about 1 minute.

(5) Add mashed beans.

(6) Stir in remaining 2 cans of beans, chicken, and lime juice.  Bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to low; cook about 20 minutes.

(7) Add heavy cream.  Serve with garnishes and by itself or over rice.

 

Kid Participation: None, other than require me to grate several rounds of cheese for toppings.  Kids like them some cheese.

Chicken, Black Bean, & Green Chile Skillet

Original Recipe HERE

 

I thought this was just going to be a run-of-the-mill, easy one-pot meal that we'd all eat and then forget about (unless I put it on here and filed it away for a weeknight clean-out-the-pantry type meal).  But my kids LOVED it.  Yes, worthy of capital letters.  *N* and *P* each asked for three helpings, and *J* asked for two (which is big, considering he's going through a picky phase right now).  The four of us polished off almost the entire thing, so I thought the leftovers would be a hearty lunch for me.  No luck, since at breakfast *N* asked if we were having the same thing for dinner again.  This sort of question is rare, and usually I'd assume it would be followed by a, "...because I don't want it!" (they are usually very leftover-averse).  But she actually asked to eat it again!  Well, knock me over with a can of black beans! (actually, don't, because that would hurt).  I felt especially vindicated because *J* said several times how gross it looked before actually tasting it.

I was going to poach the chicken but realized I had a better chance of getting the kids to eat it if I made it more interesting (because they are also meat-averse lately).  So I followed the basic steps for the lime chicken that is linked to in the original recipe.  I sliced up the chicken breasts into "tenders"-sized pieces, marinated them for about 15 minutes (all I had time for), and then browned them until cooked through in a separate skillet.  I do think it helped the flavor of the dish.

 

I eyeballed most of the ingredients, so the amounts I used aren't exact...it's an easy recipe to play with to suit personal tastes. Also, since I had no hot sauce in the house, I bought the Cholula brand used in the original recipe (sorry, Tabasco...I'm just not that into you). I assume it was good, though I used it sparingly since my kids aren't fans of hot-and-spicy things.

 

I served it with sour cream and salsa mix-ins, and green onions would've been a nice touch.  In the future, I may use this as a taco, burrito, or enchilada filling.

 

The only thing I didn't like was that the cheese congealed on top once it cooled, so maybe mixing it into the main dish before putting it in the oven - or just waiting until serving and sprinkling it on then - would work better.

 

(sidenote: I think I set a personal record for number of parentheses and hyphens in one post)

 

Ingredients

2 to 3 cups cooked brown rice

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup white onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

2 cans (4 oz each) chopped green chiles

1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

additional seasonings of choice [I used about 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning mix]

1 to 2 Tablespoons lime juice

2 cups cooked, chopped chicken

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

 

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

(2) Heat oil in cast iron skillet over medium heat.  When hot, add onion.  Saute several minutes, stirring occasionally.

(3) Add garlic to skillet.  Cook another two minutes.

(4) Add rice, chiles, beans, cumin, seasonings, lime juice, chicken, and hot sauce.  Stir until thoroughly combined.

(5) Sprinkle cheeses on top.  Bake skillet about 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

 

Kid Participation: None, other than eating multiple portions.

Slow Cooker Lentil Chili

Original Recipe HERE

 

This almost filled my entire 5.5 quart (I think?) slow cooker.  Therefore we ate it for two dinners, plus we had leftovers for lunches.  Good thing everyone liked it, though it looked like it would've frozen well.  Or, instead, you could just cut the ingredients in half (or maybe just use less canned beans) and adjust cooking time slightly.  As long as the lentils are sufficiently softened, it's ready to go.  I served it with cheddar dill biscuits.

 

Ingredients

1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeño, diced, seeds removed
1 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and diced [I didn't have one]
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 cans (15 oz each) tomato sauce
2 cans (15 oz each) diced tomatoes
1 bag (16 oz) brown lentils, rinsed
2 cans (15 oz each) small red beans, rinsed and drained [I used 1 black and 1 great northern]
2-3 tablespoons chili powder [I used 1-1/2 Tablespoons]
1 tablespoon cumin [I omitted]

1 to 2 Tablespoons seasoning of choice [I used a Cajun mix]
Salt and black pepper, to taste

"Mexican-style" toppings of choice

 

Directions

(1) Dice onion, peppers, and carrot.  Mince garlic.

(2) Remove seeds from jalapeno; finely chop.

(3) Add all ingredients to slow cooker.  Stir to combine.

(4) Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours.

(5) If desired, blend a small portion of the soup to thicken it.

(6) Serve warm with sour cream, shredded cheese, diced green onion, etc.

 

Kid Participation: None.

Spicy Pasta Salad

Original Recipe in Taste of Home's Contest Winning Annual Recipes 2004

 

This was more filling than the average pasta salad due to using filled pasta.  I used tortellini because I figured its nooks and crannies would hold the sauce better.

 

Despite using no spices, mild ingredients, and drained Rotel, *J* still found it too hot.  It did have a little bite to it, so I assume that canned petite diced tomatoes could be substituted for the Rotel.

 

While this was all we needed to eat for dinner, it could be made heartier with additional vegetables like chopped peppers and sliced olives.

 

Ingredients

2 packages (16 oz each) frozen cheese ravioli or tortellini

1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes & green chilis, undrained [I used mild Rotel]

2 cups corn

1 cup taco sauce [I used mild]

1 cucumber

1/2 red onion, sliced thin

1 garlic clove, pressed

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon cumin [optional; I did not use]

shredded cheese [optional]

sour cream [optional]

 

Directions

(1) Cook pasta according to package directions.  Allow to cool to room temperature or refrigerate.

(2) Peel cucumber.  Cut into quarters, length-wise.  Slice into bite-size pieces (not too small; you want to keep some crunch).

(3) In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine all ingredients.  Cover and, ideally, refrigerate at least two hours (I served before that).

(4) Serve with any desired toppings.

 

Kid Participation: Stir everything together.

Baked Ham with Spiced Cherry Glaze

Original Recipe HERE

* This is one of the menu items Husband researched, planned, shopped for, and executed for Easter 2013. It was the best meal he's ever made. *

 

Ingredients

Nonstick spray

1 (5-pound) boneless ready-to-eat ham

1/2 cup water or white wine [he used water]

1 cup cherry preserves

1 tablespoon creamy prepared horseradish [he used regular]

1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 lemon, zested and juiced

 

Directions

(1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a roasting pan with foil and spray it with nonstick spray.

(2) Score the top and sides of the ham with a small sharp knife in a crisscross pattern.

(3) Put the ham in the pan, pour 1/2 cup water or white wine into the bottom of the pan and bake, covered loosely with a tent of foil, 45 to 60 minutes.

(4) To make the glaze, combine the preserves, horseradish, brown sugar, cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, salt, and lemon juice in a medium bowl.

(5) Transfer the cherry mixture to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil until the glaze is slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the lemon zest.

(6) Remove the ham from the oven and brush the top with 1/4 cup of the glaze.

(7) Bake, uncovered, until the ham is hot and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 140 degrees F, about 20 minutes longer.

(8) Remove the ham from the oven to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Arrange the sliced ham on a serving platter and serve with the reserved glaze.