Chili

Chili

1 Lb ground beef
1 Med onion
2 cans of red kidney beans
1 lg can of stewed tomatoes
1 cup of ketchup
4 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
1 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp chili powder
3/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste

Brown ground beef with chopped onion and drain. Add all ingredients and let simmer at least an hour. Serve with grated cheese and a dollop of sour cream

Cream of Cauliflower Soup

This recipe came from the "Winning Recipes from The Taste of Home" cook book. It is one of my favorites, and so far everyone who has tried it...loves it! I also love the fact that Cohen will eat it!

2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium carrots, grated
2 stalks of celery, sliced
2 minced garlic cloves
1/4 cup plus 6 Tablespoons butter, divided
1 medium head of cauliflower, chopped
5 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon of salt
pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
6 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/2 whipping cream (I have used whole milk instead)
1/4 cup sour cream

In a pot saute onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in 1/4 cup butter until tender. Add the cauliflower, broth, parsley, salt, pepper, basil and tarragon. Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, melt the remaining butter. Stir in the flour until smooth. Gradually stir in the milk and whipping cream. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir into Soup mixture. Remove soup from heat and add 1/4 sour cream before serving.

Banana Bread

1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
3 bananas (mushed)
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 bag chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream first 3 ingredients together. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix together.

Grease loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. After one hour I loosely cover with tin foil and bake for another 20-25 minutes. Do not remove from pan until cooled.

This makes great muffins as well. Bake muffins for 15-17 minutes.

*I always sprinkle the top of my banana bread loaf and muffins with a little brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.

Sweet Pulled Pork

This recipe is one of Karen's. She made it for us in Waterton last summer and it is now a favorite!

In a Crock pot place:

1 pork roast

2 cups salsa

2 cups brown sugar

Cook for 8-10 hours low or 6-8 hours on high. (If you have the time do it on low, it makes the meat so tender)

After cooking, remove roast and shred it and place back in crock pot with all the liquid. I usually leave my crock pot on low or warm setting and let the meat sit in the liquid for 1/2 hour or more to absorb all the flavors.

Cook Rice of your choice.

Green Sauce

1 1/3 cups sour cream

3/4 cups mayo

1 small bunch of cilantro (If you don't care for the taste of cilantro, parsley works well also)

1 pkg. of dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing

1-2 cloves of garlic crushed

1-2 dashes of tobasco sauce

4 tbsp. of Salsa Verde

1- 2 limes juiced

Combine the following ingredients and place in blender. You can save the left over sauce and keep in the refrigerator.

Place rice on soft tortilla shell and add shredded pork with green sauce and toppings of your choice and roll it up.

Toppings can be…. shredded cheese, tomatoes, lettuce ,black beans guacamole etc.

Another serving suggestion is place a tortilla shell on the bottom of a deep plate with sides and add shredded lettuce and pork with all the of toppings and make a pulled pork salad.. This is also good if you add guacamole and squeeze a lime over the salad with green sauce.

Bourbon Chicken

I found this recipe a few months back at My Kitchen Cafe blog and it is now a regular at our house. I love the flavor of this chicken and I also love how quick and easy it is. My only suggestion when serving it is not to use too much sauce on your rice, it can be a little overpowering if you use to much.

Ingredients:
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 tablespoons oil (for pan-frying)
cornstarch (for dusting, optional)

Sauce:
1 garlic clove (minced)
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ cup apple juice
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
½ cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce

Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces, and if you choose lightly dust with cornstarch. Heat oil in your wok and fry chicken bits in batches until just lightly browned. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

In a bowl combine all sauce ingredients. Pour into wok and bring to a boil. Add chicken bits back to the pan, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Bruschetta Chicken over linguinie

Bruschetta chicken over linguine
½ cup flour
2 eggs lightly beaten
4 boneless skinless chicken breast

Topping for chicken (I usually x2 the topping)
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup bread crumbs
1 tbsp melted butter

Bruschetta (you can make as much or as little of the bruschetta) I always make lots
6-8 Roma tomatoes
Basil (fresh or freeze dry)
Garlic it taste (I use lots)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
(When making the bruschetta you really have to make it to your own taste. I make mine stronger. I think it’s all about the seasoning)

Instructions:
Take each chicken breast and pound between plastic or wax paper. Pound to about 1/4 inch thick.
Toss chicken in flour and coat well. Then lightly coat each piece in the egg mixture. Do not drench, just lightly coat. Then place flat in a 9x13 pan. Spread the chicken out to cover the entire bottom of the pan. (I usually cut my chicken into smaller pieces and just arrange them in the pan close together kind of like a puzzle.) After you have arranged the chicken in the pan, take your topping and spread over the chicken. (I usually double the topping.) Cover pan with tin foil the cook for 20 min @ 350. Then cook uncovered for 5-10 min to brown the topping. Then spread the bruschetta over the chicken and put back in the oven for another 5 mins. Serve over linguine. We just scoop the chicken and bruschetta over the pasta. It’s sooo yummy!