Hearty Chili

Everyone is gearing up for Hurricane Sandy around here.  The local schools are closed, some until Tuesday and my office is closed tomorrow!  So what could be better on cold rainy day than a bowl of warm, hearty chili?  This hearty chili is satisfying with chunks of ground beef, vegetables and red kidney beans.  You can quickly put this chili together within an hour for an easy weeknight dinner.  This would also be a perfect game day chili to share with family and friends.  Serve with shredded cheese, green onions, and/or sour cream.  Top with some tortilla chips or corn chips for extra crunch.  Enjoy!

Hearty Chili 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil (vegetable or olive oil)

1 ½ cup red onion, diced (½ large red onion)

1 cup diced peppers

1 pound ground beef

15 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies

28 ounce crushed tomatoes

15 ounce can red kidney beans

salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoons cumin

2 tablespoons chili powder

Directions

In a large heavy pan or dutch oven, over medium heat, add in oil and onions.  Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add in peppers and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Next, add in ground beef.  Season with salt, pepper, and cumin.  Cook for about 5 minutes until beef is lightly browned.

Stir in diced tomatoes, beans and crushed tomatoes.

Stir in chili powder.

Cover and cook on low for at least 30 minutes.

Serves 6 to 8.

Top with shredded cheese, sliced green onions, and/or sour cream.

Marinated Flank Steak

This marinated flank steak recipe is simple and flavorful.  The smell of the steak grilling was amazing.  I adapted this recipe from allrecipes.com.  I marinated my flank steak for about 2 hours, but the longer you marinate your meat, the more flavor you will add to it.  If you don't have an outdoor grill, you could use a stovetop griddle or a Cusinart Griddler, which is what I have and used.  I know I have been talking about my Griddler lately but I have been trying to use it more often.  I promise I'm not getting paid to endorse it because I am not famous enough to be paid to endorse it.  LOL.  I served this marinated flank steak with a baked sweet potato and my roasted lemony parmesan asparagus (recipe to be posted tomorrow).  This was one awesome dinner!

Marinated Flank Steak

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 pound flank steak

¼ cup vegetable oil

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1/8 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced (or ½ teaspoon minced garlic)

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a shallow glass dish (I used an 8x8 baking dish), mix the oil, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic and pepper.   Whisk to mix marinade well.

Place meat in dish with marinade.  Turn meat to coat on both sides.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or more.  (I turned meat halfway through marinade time.)

Preheat grill to medium-high heat (I used my Cusinart Griddler at 400 degrees F at medium-high.)

Spray grill with non-stick spray. Grill meat for 5 minutes per side for medium.  Cook longer if desired for well done.

Allow meat to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing across the grain.

Eggless Waffles

Easy like Sunday morning...with Eggless Waffles!  I finally received my waffle plates for my Cuisinart Griddler.  I have been wanting to make my own waffles for awhile now and I finally caved in and bought the waffle plates.  Its actually great since I don't need another appliance to make waffles, I just have to switch out the plates.  I was finally ready to make waffles but then realized I had no eggs.  Major fail on my part!  I realized I didn't get to go to the farmers market last Tuesday due to torrential rain and I usually buy my eggs from an Amish farmer.  So instead I did some online research and realized there were plenty of recipes for waffles with no eggs.  These Eggless Waffles turned out great and I couldn't even taste a difference. 

  

Eggless Waffles

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons sugar

2 cups milk (I used organic lowfat 1% milk.)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 tablespoons melted butter

Optional Ingredients

2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips (I added this to half the batter.)

Directions

In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients - flour, baking powder and sugar.

Add in the remaining ingredients - milk, vegetable oil, water, vanilla and melted butter.

Whisk together until batter is mixed, it will be slightly lumpy. (Optional ingredient, add in chocolate chips last.)

Spray waffle maker with non-stick spray.  Once heated and ready, I used a ¼ measuring cup of batter for each waffle.  Let cook for about 3 to 4 minutes depending on your waffle maker instructions.

Serve warm with butter and/or maple syrup.

 Mmm.....I love Sunday morning waffles!

Buddy likes to sleep in on Sundays...or everyday!

Chocolate Bundt Cake

This chocolate bundt cake was scrumptious especially with my homemade chocolate sauce.  I served this cake for dessert this weekend and I was told it was the "best chocolate cake".  He must be right since he ate 2 slices!  This cake was moist and chocolatey.  You wouldn't think there was greek yogurt in the cake either.  What made this cake extra special was the homemade chocolate sauce, and it was simple to make.  If you love chocolate, you will love this cake, enjoy!

Chocolate Bundt Cake

Printable Recipe

Ingredients for Cake

1 package devils food cake mix

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1 cup greek yogurt, plain

¼ cup coconut oil

½ cup vegetable oil

3 eggs, beaten

½ cup water

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions for Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease and flour a bundt pan (or other baking pan).  

In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, mix together the cake mix, cocoa powder, coconut oil, vegetable oil, eggs, and water.  

Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour cake batter into bundt pan.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool cake in pan for about 10 minutes.

Invert cake onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

 Drizzle cake with chocolate sauce.

Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken 2

I have previously made Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken and it is still one of my favorite slow cooker meals.  This is version 2 of my original recipe since I made it for my mom-to-be friend as a make ahead meal/freezer meal.  I used chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs this time and left out the onions.  The sauce is basically the same, and since I froze this before cooking, I didn't add in the sesame seeds (which is for garnish).   My cousin made the first version with chicken tenders and she said it was "so delicious."  My friend is also allergic to nuts so sesame was on the safe food list, yay!  I hope she likes this dish as much as I do!


Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken 2

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 pound chicken (I used 2 large chicken breasts)

½ cup honey

2 tablespoons soy sauce (I used low sodium soy sauce)

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon sesame oil

¼ teaspoon ginger, minced

Directions

In a bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, sesame oil and ginger.

Add chicken into a freezer bag and pour sauce into bag.  Mix together sauce and chicken in bag with hands.

Freeze until ready to cook in slow cooker.  I would suggest defrosting the night before to cook in slow cooker the next morning.

Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or on high for 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours, until chicken is cooked through.

Serves 2.

Veggie and Beef Chili

I have a great vegetarian chili recipe but wanted to change it up since I was making a batch of chili for my friend who is expecting a baby this month.  Chili is such a versatile dish and its easy to adjust the flavors and ingredients.  This Veggie and Beef Chili is also a very freezer friendly dish.  I allow the chili to cool and place in a freezer bag.  When you are ready to have chili, just defrost in the fridge the night before and reheat the next day.  How simple and easy right?  This is great served on its own, over rice, or with corn bread.  I also love "chili mac", pasta with chili on top, yum!  This Veggie and Beef Chili is one of those dishes that stick to your ribs and won't leave you feeling hungry afterwards.  Enjoy!

Veggie and Beef Chili

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

½ pound ground beef

2 bell peppers, diced

1 onion, diced

28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes

11 ounce can Mexicorn

15 ounce can hominy

15.5 ounce can black beans

2 tablespoons  and ½ teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon and ½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

In a non-stick pan over medium-high heat, add ground beef.  Add in ½ teaspoons cumin, chili powder and garlic powder.  Cook for about 5 minutes until meat is mostly cooked.  Drain fat.

In a large pan over medium-high heat, add in vegetable oil, diced bell peppers and onion.  Cook for about 5 minutes until softened.

Add in diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes to vegetables.

Drain and add in black beans, hominy, and mexicorn. 

Add in ground beef.  Stir in remaining chili powder and cumin.

Cover and cook over medium-low heat for at least 30 minutes.

Serve immediately.  Top with shredded cheese and/or sour cream (or plain greek yogurt).

You can also freeze this after chili is cooled in freezer bags.

Serves 6 to 8.