Hillary's Chili

I got this recipe from my friend Hillary.  It is so good!  It is sweet and tangy.  Delicious!!!

1 lb bacon, cooked, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 lb pork sausage (recipe calls for 1 lb)
1 lb ground beef
1 onion (cook with ground beef)
1 red, yellow, or green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-28 oz can chili beans in mild sauce (2 small cans)
2-15 oz can great northern beans, drained
1-15 oz can crushed tomatoes (2 c. fresh, pureed)
1-14 oz can tomato sauce  (2 small cans)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbs red chili powder
1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup ketchup
about 1 c brown sugar
about 8 oz water (tomato sauce can)

In large fry pan cook bacon until crispy, cut in bite-sized pieces, place in crock pot.  Next, cook sausage, drain, place in crock pot, then cook ground beef with onion, drain, place in crock pot (can probably do sausage and ground beef together.)  Add the rest of the ingredients to the crock pot and cook on low at least 6 hours.  About 10-12 servings

*I modified the meat by not adding bacon and using about 3/4 lb sausage, 3/4 lb ground turkey, and 1/2 lb ground beef.  It turned out just great!

Stuffed French Bread

I got this recipe from one of my roommates at BYU-ID.  We really like it!

Stuffed French Bread

1 loaf French Bread
2 c. diced, cooked chicken (or just 1 c.)
2 c. montery jack cheese, or any kind, I normally just do cheddar (save 1/2 c. cheese for top)
1 c. Mayo (1/2 plain yogurt)
1/2 c mushrooms (opt)
1/2 c + green onion
1/2-1 c. green pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp onion salt

Slice loaf in half lengthwise.  Hollow it out (save the bread, and break it into small chunks).  Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl, then add the bread pieces that were hollowed out of the loaf, reserving 1/2 c. cheese.  Stuff the hollowed out bread with the mixture. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
Bake at 350 for 25 min, covered.

Improv Tamale Pie

Tonight I wasn't sure what to make for dinner, but I found some cooked ground beef in the freezer. It could have been seasoned for tacos, but I'm not sure.

I ended up heating together in a skillet:

Ground beef (1/2 - 3/4 lb?)
Frozen corn (a cup?)
Black beans (a can's worth?)
Pace salsa (until it was kind of juicy looking)
Sprinkles of dried oregano

While that was heating/simmering, I mixed up some corn bread for an 8"x8" pan. I don't usually add all the sugar the recipe calls for for cornbread, but I added most of it this time because I wanted the kids to eat it.

Then I spread the cornbread on top of the hot meat mixture and baked it for 20 minutes at 350.

Then I added cheese to part of it (not all of us like cheese in this family) and baked it for 5 more minutes.

It was actually good and Evan said I had to write it down.  Eli had thirds and Sarah had at least seconds. Abby wouldn't touch it, still, and Ruby had fallen asleep.

I liked putting olives, green onions, sour cream, and lettuce on mine. Tomatoes would have been good too, and extra cheese.

Superb Green Salad

We ate this on Mother's Day/Mom & Dad's 41st Anniversary

1 head lettuce
1 bunch spinach
1/4 C feta
1/2 lb. swiss, grated
1/2 package bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/3 purple onion
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced

Dressing
1 T poppy seeds
1 C oil
1/2 C balsamic vinegar
1/2 C sugar
1 T minced dry onion
1 t salt
1/2 t dry mustard

Prepare all ingredients, but do not toss together until ready to serve. Marinate onions and mushrooms overnight in dressing.

Toss together. Serve immediately.

From Winona Moss

Easy and Good Pizza Sauce

From Jenn Kessler

2 cans tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
1 T basil
1 T oregano
3 T parsley
sugar optional (1 t)
salt and pepper to taste

Corn Pudding: Addy's Cookbook

3 eggs
2 C corn
1/4 C flour
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 T butter
1 C milk
1 C cream

Fill baking pan with an inch of water and set in oven. Preheat to 325.

Grease casserole dish

Beat eggs with whisk until bubbly. Stir corn into eggs, sprinkle on flour, salt, and pepper, mix in. Melt butter. Add with milk and cream to corn mixture. Stir. Add to dish. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until inserted knife comes out clean.

A corn dodger was a cornmeal cake cooked hard. Scratchbacks were cornmeal batter dropped into a buttered tin, came out with scratchy tops.

Thai Recipes

Thai Recipes from Cooking the Thai Way

Coconut Milk

2 C unsweetened dried coconut
3 C boiling water

Put coconut into electric blender. Pour boiling water over coconut. Cover blender. Blend at medium for 30 seconds. Drain thru sieve press coconut to squeeze out all the milk. Chill and use within 3 days.

Satay

2 t sugar
1 T fish sauce
1 1/2 t curry powder
1/4 t pepper
1 1/2 lb meat cut into 1/2 x 2" strips
1 1/2 C coconut milk
4 T chunky pb
2 t fish sauce (I don't like this flavor, so use less or omit)

Mix first 4 ingredients. Marinate 4 hours or overnight. Mix other ingredients in saucepan, bring to boil, stir constantly. Place in bowl, cover, refrigerate. Soak 8-10" bamboo skewers in water so they won't burn. Turn oven to broil. Thread pork onto skewers accordion style. Broil 8-10 min or until done, turn frequently. Serve with bowls of coconut-pb sauce.

Thai Stir-Fried Veggies

1 T vegetable oil
1 small onion peeled and sliced
2 C bite-sized pieces of mixed fresh vegetables
1 T fish sauce
1 1/2 t sugar
1/4 t pepper

Heat oil over high for one minute. Fry onion for 3 min., or until tender. Add vegetables, cook for 2-4 minutes stirring constantly, until thickets vegetable is crisp-tender. Add fish sauce, sugar, and pepper, and stir. Serve with hot rice.

Cucumber Sauce

1 C peeled and thinly sliced cucumber
1/2 C white vinegar
1 C sugar
1 t salt

Place sliced cucumbers in small bowl. In medium saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Pour sauce over cucumbers immediately before serving.

Pad Thai

1/2 lb narrow (1/8") rice noodles
3-4 T fish sauce (or olive oil)
6 T granulated sugar
6 T white vinegar (tried red wine vinegar)
1 T ketchup (opt)
1/2 lb meat
1/3 C vegetable oil (or coconut oil)
2-3 cloves crushed garlic
2 eggs
4 green onions, sliced
12 oz. fresh bean sprouts (4 3/4 C)
3/4 C ground roasted peanuts (or 1/4 C nuts plus 1/2 C peanut butter... YUM, tastes like Noodles' Indonesian)
red pepper flakes (or Sriracha sauce)
lime wedges

Soften noodles by soaking in water, following directions on package. Drain. They should be bendable and soft.

Mix fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, and ketchup, set aside.

Cut meat into 1/8" x 1-2" pieces. Heat wok/skillet, add oil. Stir fry garlic until golden, add meat, cook until no longer pink.

In another bowl, beat eggs with fork. Scramble in pan.  Add fish sauce mixture and continue stirring. Add noodles and toss. Add green onions and 2/3 of the bean sprouts. Cook, tossing gently until sprouts are tender, but crisp. Garnish with other sprouts and peanuts. Serve with red pepper and lime.

Chicken Coconut Curry Soup
from SAVORY SWEET LIFE / ALICE CURRAH

This probably isn't authentic, but it is tasty! We had it at a Halloween party in 2017. I like to add some more rice, or potatoes would be good too. If you wanted more of a sauce, decrease the chicken broth. If you want it more Thai, use curry paste, if you want it more Indian, use curry powder.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped - except for a few matchsticks for garnish
• ½ onion, chopped finely
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped finely - except for a few thinly sliced pieces for garnish
• 1 cup cooked chicken meat, chopped
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste (if you like it less spicy, just use 1 tablespoon)
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (or salt if you don't like fish sauce, ebf)
• 21 oz chicken broth (roughly 1.5 cans of Swansons brand)
• 13.5 oz can Asian coconut milk or cream (unsweetened)
• Optional: few sprigs of cilantro
• Note: Reserve some of the coconut milk, carrots, and red bell pepper (and cilantro) for optional garnish.

1. In a medium sauce pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat and cook the carrots, onions, and red bell pepper for approximately 5 minutes.
2. Add the chicken, rice, brown sugar, curry paste, and fish sauce stirring and sauteing everything until curry paste is completely incorporated (approx. 2-3 minutes).
3. Pour chicken broth and coconut milk into the pan and give it a good stir for a half minute. Reduce heat to medium and allow the soup to cook for 15-20 minutes.
4. Serve with a spoonful of coconut milk added on top with a few matchstick carrots and a slice of red bell pepper for garnish. Enjoy!

Indian Recipes

I saw and got some fun international kids' cookbooks at the library recently. We've tried some of the recipes and I wanted to save some of them, too.

Fruit Lassi - Cooking the Indian Way

1 C plain yogurt
1 1/2 C ice cold water
2 ripe bananas or half a mango
2 T sugar

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend 15 seconds or until frothy. Serve immediately.

Yogurt Chicken

3 1/2 - 4 lbs. chicken pieces
1 t salt
1 green chili, finely chopped
1 C plain yogurt
1/4 C fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1 T fresh ginger, chopped
3-4 cloves chopped garlic
1/4 C butter, melted

Prick chicken all over and place in a large bowl. In small bowl combine salt, chili, yogurt, coriander leaves, ginger, and garlic and mix well. Marinate 6 hours or overnight.

To cook, preheat oven to 400. Pour half the melted butter into a roasting pan. Put chicken into pan and pour yogurt mix on top. Place pan in middle of oven and roast for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and continue roasting, basting frequently with remaining butter and pan juices for about 30 minutes, or until chicken is done.

Remove chicken and place on serving platter. Pour sauce over chicken and serve immediately.

Puris

2 1/2 C WW flour
2 T butter
1 t salt
1 C lukewarm water
2 T vegetable oil

Put  2 C flour into a large mixing bowl. Cut butter into small pieces. Make a hollow in the flour and add butter. Rub butter into flour until mixture looks like large bread crumbs. Mix salt into water. Add enough water, a little at a time, to flour mixture to make a firm (but not stiff) dough. Knead for about 5 - 10 minutes. Cover with damp cloth and let stand at room temp for at least an hour. Divide into pieces the size of walnuts. Roll into a smooth ball with your hands. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 C flour onto flat surface. With floured rolling pin, roll each ball until it resembles a think pancake, about 1/8" thick.  Heat oil in skillet over medium-high. Place puri in oil, one at a time. Using a spatula, carefully splash oil onto puris while frying. This will make puris puff up and will cook the top side of each one. Fry about 2 minutes, or until golden brown on both sides. Remove and drain on paper towel. Brush cooked puris with butter and serve warm.

To make chapatis, cook each circle of dough in a skillet without oil. when small brown spots appear on bottom of dough and edges begin to curl up (about a minute), turn chapati over with a spatula. Cook another 1-2 min. Serve hot.

Banana Yogurt

1 1/2 C plain yogurt
2 large banans, peeled and sliced
1/4 C flaked cocnut
1 green chili, finely chopped
1 t lemon juice
1/2 t garam masala or 1/4 t each ground coriander and ground cinnamon
1/4 t salt
1 t chopped fresh coriander leaves

In a medium bowl, beat yogurt until smooth. Stir in banas, coconut, chili, lemon juice, garam masala, and salt. Cover and chill at least an hour. Just before serving, sprinkle on coriander leaves.
For breakfast, add seasonal fruits and garnish with slivered almonds or granola.