.chili. {husband's choice}

Here is my hubby's favorite chili recipe from his childhood. He has been begging me to make this recipe from his mom's for years (she calls it "Pork n Beans One Pot Dinner") and I finally made it for the Super Bowl. It was a huge hit and super easy to make. Its a bit sweet so if you want extra spicy I would just add some hot sauce into your bowl before serving. Also, I served this with cheese (duh), onions, and fritos. So GOOD!!! enjoy!

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
3/4 lb bacon, cut into small pieces
1 c chopped onion
2 28oz. cans Bush's Original Baked beans
1 15.5 oz. can Kidney beans, drained
1 15 oz. can Butter limas, drained (or called butter beans)
1 c ketchup
1/2 c brown sugar
1 T liquid smoke (in a bottle next to bbq sauce at store)
3 T white vinegar

Preparation
Brown ground beef in skillet, drain off fat and put into Crockpot. Brown bacon and onions, drain off fat. Add to crockpot. Add remaining ingredients and stir together well. Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours. Enjoy!

.pizza + homemade dough.

Ok, so while I have been a major slacker in the blog world I have still been cooking it up at home. We love love pizza and when I saw this pioneer woman post I decided its about time I try to make my own crust and try out some new recipes. This was a lot to tackle in one day but it was for my mom's birthday so it was well worth the extra effort. The crust was much easier than anticipated but does need to be made a few days in advance so some pre-planning is needed. Also, both of these pizza recipes are vegetarian, it was good but next time around I would add some meat. Meat is good. Try it out for yourself and enjoy! Now since I'm lazy and pioneer woman is awesome here are direct links to each recipe.
Eggplant/tomato pizza + dough
Grilled Vegetable Pizza
And a little hint. Add goat cheese to each pizza after it is cooked. I heart cheese.

.chicken & spinach alfredo light.

Ok friends I AM BACK!!!! It has been over a year since I have blogged, although I have still been cooking. I just have to get back into the swing of things. Thanks so much to those who have continued to ask about my blog and encouraged me to get back with it. This recipe has been adapted and turned into a "light" (well lighter..) version of this amazing Pioneer Woman recipe that can be found here. I basically used regular milk and added spinach. Not rocket science but delicious indeed. Try it out for yourself and enjoy!

Ingredients
12 ounces, spaghetti pasta
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Salt And Pepper, to taste
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
3/4 cups Chicken Broth
3/4 cup milk (I used 1%)
3/4 cups Parmesan Shavings Or Grated Parmesan
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley (I used dried)
Crushed red pepper (to taste)
3-5 cups of spinach


Preparation
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook until deep golden brown on both sides and done in the middle. Remove from the skillet, slice into thin strips, and set aside. Add additional 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet, followed by the minced garlic. Stir the garlic around the pan to avoid burning, and cook for 1 minute. Pour in broth, then let it bubble up and reduce for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add milk, and extra salt and pepper, whisking constantly until it's all combined. Allow liquid to heat up and thicken for a few minutes. If it gets too thick, you may thin it with a little chicken broth. When the sauce looks good, remove it from the heat. Add Parmesan and spinach to the pan, then throw the hot pasta right on top of it. Toss it a bit. Add the chicken and continue tossing until it's all combined. Again, if it gets too gloopy, splash in a little broth (you may return the pan to low heat if it needs it.) Taste it, adjust seasonings, and top with minced parsley, crushed red pepper and extra Parmesan. Serve immediately!

.taco pie. {husband's choice}

This recipe is beyond fabulous!!! no joke. My wonderful friend Megan introduced a different adaptation of this recipe where she individually wrapped the taco meat in each crescent roll. Since I am lazy I just made it into a huge pie, it didn't look as great but it tasted perfect. Big hit with the man. Try it out for yourself and don't be afraid to hold back on the toppings. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1-2 pkg. crescent rolls (I used 1 but if you like extra crust 2 would probably be best)
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix (1¼ oz.)
1 lb. ground beef
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup salsa or chopped tomatoes
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded (4oz.)
sour cream, optional

Preparation Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a pie pan with crescent rolls. In a medium skillet, cook beef and onions until beef is browned and onions are tender. Drain off fat and stir in taco mix. Cook while stirring until bubbly, then pour into pie crust and top with cheese. Then top with the remaining crescent rolls. Bake uncovered in oven for 30-35 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, and then top with cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes/salsa. Cut into squares and serve with sour cream. Enjoy!

.crockpot beef stew.

Call me special but I am one of those people who grew up never having or making stew. My friend Alison told me how easy it was and boy was she right. Not only was this one of the best meals but it took almost no time to make thanks to the most amazing invention called the crockpot! I also cheated and used a seasoning packet for beef stew, if you do this no need to add the other spices listed below. We ate this meal over rice the first day and with a yummy crusty bread the next and it was excellent both ways. Try it out for yourself and enjoy!



Ingredients
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups beef broth
3 potatoes, diced (I used butternut squash, SOOO good)
4 carrots, sliced (I used baby carrots)
1 stalk celery, chopped (I omited)
*not in recipe but I added diced tomatoes.

Preparation
Place meat in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and pepper; pour over meat, and stir to coat meat with flour mixture. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, onion, beef broth, potatoes, carrots, and celery.
Cover, and cook on Low setting for 10 to 12 hours, or on High setting for 4 to 6 hours and enjoy!

.p.f. chang's lettuce wraps. {husband's choice}

This recipe takes all the cake. It is so beyond delicious and healthy, what a wonderful combination. Thanks to Pinterest I found this amazing recipe here. I just love how simple it is to make and how I don't feel all gross after. I posted the original recipe below but the hubby and I enjoy things with extra flavor so we doubled the sauce. yum. try it out for yourself and your life will be ever changed. Enjoy!



Ingredients
1lb ground chicken breast (i used ground turkey)
1/2 medium onion, minced
salt & pepper, a dash of each
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 inch nob fresh ginger, peeled & minced
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
2 1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 Tablespoon water
1 Tablespoon natural peanut butter
1/2 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce (or more if you like it hotter)
dash of fresh pepper
3 green onions, chopped
1/2-8oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained & chopped (i omitted)
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
10-12 large outer lettuce leaves, rinsed and patted dry

Preparation
Heat a large, non-stick skillet on high. Add chicken, onion, salt & pepper, and cook until chicken is nearly done, stirring often to break up the meat. Add in minced garlic and ginger, and continue cooking until chicken is no longer pink.
Meanwhile, in a microwave safe bowl, combine sesame oil, soy sauce, water, peanut butter, honey, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce and pepper. Microwave for 20 seconds, then stir until smooth. Add into the skillet and stir to combine.
Add green onion and water chestnuts into the skillet then cook for 1-2 minutes until the onions are soft and the water chestnuts are heated through.
Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, and serve with cold lettuce leaves

.corn dogs & cheese on a stick.

So I pretty much am a fan of anything battered and deep fried. Cheese is also a major plus. I had the urge to make corn dogs one day and found this recipe, gosh I love Pioneer Woman. I don't think I did as great of a job as her..It might be because I had no way of telling how hot my oil was or it could just be because I'm not Pioneer Woman. haha. But it was very tasty and fun to make. Especially the cheese..which needed to be timed just so..before it exploded. whoops. When I do this again I will also dunk it in the batter several times mid-frying process to make it thicker on the dog. yum



Ingredients
3 cups Krusteaz Pancake Mix
1 cups Yellow Corn Meal
1 whole Eggs, Slightly Beaten
3 cups Water, More If Needed To Thin Batter
Hot Dogs
Cheese, Cut Into 1/2-inch X 3 Inch Sticks
Chopsticks
Canola Oil, For Frying
Spicy Mustard, For Serving

Preparation
**USE CAUTION WHEN FRYING WITH OIL. KEEP POT ON THE BACK BURNER TO PROTECT SMALL KIDDOS**
In a large bowl, combine pancake mix and cornmeal. Stir to combine. Add eggs and water, adding more water as needed for the batter to become slightly thick (but not overly gloopy.) Start out by adding 1 cup, then work your way up to 3 cups or more.
Heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Drop in a bit of batter to see if it's ready: the batter should immediately start to sizzle but should not immediately brown/burn.
Insert sticks into hot dogs so that they're 2/3 of the way through. Do the same with the cheese sticks.
Dip the hot dogs into the batter and allow excess to drip off for a couple of seconds. Carefully drop into the oil (stick and all) and use tongs or a spoon to make sure it doesn't hit the bottom of the pan and stick. Flip it here and there to ensure even browning, and remove it from the oil when the outside is deep golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Repeat with cheese, allowing it to get as golden as possible so that cheese will melt completely.
Serve with spicy mustard.