Jacob's 20th

Happy Birthday Jacob!!

It doesn't seem possible that you are 20 years old.....the time has gone by so very quickly!!

We are so proud of the fine Godly man you have become.

We are blessed 

Love you so much!!

Turkey and Bean Chili

Turkey and Bean Chili

2 Tablespoons butter

½ onion finely chopped (or 1 T. dry onion)

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ c. flour (I omit the flour if I am using the crockpot)

1 (32-ounce) chicken broth

1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies

2 (15.5-ounce) cans Northern Beans (white beans)

3 c. chopped cooked turkey

1 T. chili powder (or less)

1 T. ground cumin (use as you like)

1 teaspoon chopped rosemary

-In a Dutch oven, (or big soup pot) melt butter over medium heat.

-Add onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring.

-Add flour to onion mixture and stir constantly for 2 minutes.

-Add chicken broth, beans and tomatoes.

-Cook for 2 minutes then stir in turkey and spices, simmer for 15 minutes.

(Now if I am going to use a crock pot I just put it all in the crock and turn it on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours) I usually add more chicken broth, which makes it more like soup.

Baking Bacon

Baking bacon :) is the only way I preapre bacon now. Cooking it on top of the stove has never been a fun job, not only do you have a greasy mess to clean up afterwards but your clothes smell like bacon too. I have experimented with this and am so happy to share the results.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

Line a cookie sheet with foil, this will make cleaning up much easier.
 Arrange bacon on the pan and place in oven on the center rack.
Bake for 10-15 minutes and then start watching closely, it make take 20 min. depending on how thick the bacon is.
Remove from the oven and carefully tranfer bacon to a paper towel. Pour hot greese into a heat resitant container.


 

Italian Pasta Salad

OK, first of all let me say, when I bake I measure but when I cook I don't. So some of you may find this recipe frustrating. My suggestion would be to start with a small amount, write it down and then determine how much you think would be the right size for your family. I make this for many different things, so the size I make never stays the same. The longer is sits in the fridge, the better it gets!!!

Italian Pasta Salad

cooked spiral pasta

(multi-colored)

red pepper cubed small

green pepper cubed small

chopped green onions

red onion cut small

pepperoni sliced into strips

fresh Parmesan cheese

provolone cheese cubed

olives cut into thirds

Fat Free Italian Kraft Salad Dressing

Cook pasta, rinse with cold water, and toss lightly with olive oil. If you use the olive oil you can do this a day ahead and refrigerate. Do all of your cutting, this will take longer than you think. Put all ingredients together in large bowl. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving. Also put in a little more dressing before serving to keep it moist, pasta will soak up the dressing.

Easy Santa Fe Chili

1 lb. cooked hamburger meat

1 med. chopped onion

1 can pinto beans (drained )

1 can black beans (drained )

1 can kidney beans (drained )

1 can corn (optional)

1 can diced tomatoes with peppers

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

1 pkg. dry Ranch dressing mix

1 pkg. dry Taco seasoning mix

2 cups of water

Garish with;

Grated cheese

Sour cream

Green onions

Tortilla chips

Sauté onions in a Tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside. Cook hamburger meat until done, drain off grease.
Mix all 12 ingredients. Put in a large pot that has a lid ( like a dutch oven ).
Bring to a good boil, then turn down and simmer, put lid on and cook for 2 hours.
Occasionally lift lid and stir, making sure nothing is sticking to the bottom.

Garish and serve.

Salsa Chicken

I am into very easy recipes!! This one is so... easy and good.
***I guessed on the measurements, give or take a little it doesn't matter. I bake this recipe when I have left over salsa, sometimes I have just a cup of salsa.

Salsa Chicken

5 or 6 Frozen chicken breasts

2 cups of salsa

1/4 c. brown sugar (or more)

1 Tablespoon regular mustard

Put frozen chicken breasts in glass baking dish, mix 3 ingredients, place a dab on each piece of chicken. Bake at 400 about an hour, or until done.

Kentucky Chocolate Pie

Kentucky Chocolate Pie

Make one, 8 inch pie crust and put in the bottom of a pie plate.

1 cup sugar

6 T. flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup butter melted

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 325. Combine sugar and flour in a bowl. Add eggs, melted butter, and vanilla.
Stir in chocolate chips, pour into unbaked pie shell. Sprinkle with pecans. Bake for 50-60 min. Cool on wire rack.



Whip Cream

1 cup heavy cream
3 T. powdered sugar or more

Beat cream to stiff peaks with powered sugar. Serve with pie.


I hope you enjoy this recipe, it is my boys favorite!! Although it is so.....rich you can only cut it into very tiny pieces to serve. Probably cut it into 12 pieces.