Fall Chili Recipes, Ya'll

With the weather being cool and rainy lately (especially rainy at this particular moment), I've really been craving warm and hearty crock-pot meals for dinner. In the last few weeks, I've pulled my crock-pot out more times than I haven't. I've always been a huge fan of soups this time of year, but Ryan is convinced that soup does not constitute a "meal." Since he was never really on board, I rarely ever make any sort of soup, including stews, chili, and chowders. HOWEVER, we had friends over a couple of weeks ago to watch the Pats game and I made a big batch of chili to share. Surprisingly, Ryan actually enjoyed it! So, clearly with this sudden change of heart I have been making as many variations of "soup" that I can get away with. Tonight, I'm sharing two of my favorite chili recipes, which happen to be polar opposites of each other. The first is a traditional chili recipe I have made time and time again, tweaked from one of my favorite Southern Living recipe books. The recipe makes a TON... I mean a ton! But it can always be cut in half OR frozen to make TWO meals!

Traditional Big Batch Chili 

Ingredients: 

• 4 lbs. Ground Beef
• 2 Onions, chopped
• 1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
• 3 tsp. Minced Garlic
• 3 (14.5 oz) cans Diced Tomatoes, undrained
• 4 (8 oz) cans Tomato Sauce 
• 1 (6 oz) can Tomato Paste
• 1/4 cup Chili Powder
• 1 tbsp. Sugar
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Pepper
• 1/2 tsp. Paprika
• 1/2 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper
• 2 (16 oz) cans Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
• Toppings: Sour Cream, Cheddar Cheese, Green Onions 

Directions: 

1. Cook ground beef until no longer pink; drain. 

2. Place meat in slow cooker; stir in the rest of the ingredients. 

3. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours or high 5-6 hours. Serve with desired toppings

Simple and Traditional! 

The next chili recipe is a little more unique. I had a couple of sweet potatoes in the house that I wanted to cook up and I thought they would be a great addition to a turkey chili, but I COULD NOT find a recipe online that I liked...so, I made one up! I was a little nervous about how this would turn out, but it was delicious! Next time, I will probably add more beans. (I didn't add as many this time because my friend Heidi doesn't like them and she was coming over for dinner.) 

Turkey & Sweet Potato Chili 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Ground Turkey
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
• 2 Sweet Potatoes, diced
• 30 oz. Tomato Sauce
• 30 oz. Diced Tomatoes 
• 1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed 
• 2 tbsp. Chili Powder
• 1 tbsp. Cumin
• Salt/Pepper, to taste 

Directions: 

1. Brown ground turkey and onion; transfer to crock-pot.
2. Combine remaining ingredients and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 5-6 hours.

There you have it! Two very different, very tasty chili recipes to try out during this wonderful time of year!

Happy Hump Day, ya'll!

Holiday Recipes: Aunt Lorie's Hanky Panks

Now that we're into January, our lives are beginning to return to normal again. While we had an amazing time driving up and down the east coast and spending time with friends and family over the holidays, I'm looking forward to getting back to our regular schedule! I don't begin my second semester until the end of January though, so I plan to spend this in-between time after work FINALLY catching up on the many MANY recipes I wanted to get up here. While all of the recipes I plan to post are delicious and some of my favorites, this first recipe will always hold a special place in my heart. This Hanky Panks recipe comes from the kitchen of my Aunt Lorie and always makes me think of some amazing memories with the Schoeff family in Lawrenceburg!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Ground Beef
• 1 lb. Ground Sausage
• 1 pkg. Velveeta Cheese
• Red Pepper Flakes, to taste (I tend to use a lot because I like the kick)
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 1-2 packages of either (or both) Party Rye Bread or Pumpernickel Bread

Directions:

In a pan, brown both the meats. While the meat is browning, cube the Velveeta cheese. Add the cheese and spices and mix until everything is melted/well blended.

Line a baking sheet with tin foil and lay the small slices of bread out. Scoop a spoonful onto each bread and place the whole pan in the freezer. Once the mixture is frozen, transfer the Hanky Panks to a gallon-size Ziploc bag and keep in the freezer until ready to heat and serve.

To heat up:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread Hanky Panks out on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until heated through and bread is a bit crispy. Enjoy!

These are easy to make and will definitely be a party pleaser (at least they are for my family!)

Stay tuned for more recipes!



TWO Freezer Meals. 5 Minutes

These are too good and too easy not to share with EVERYONE! Today, after work, I headed to the grocery store to pick up a couple groceries. While I was there, I was thinking about how little I wanted to cook dinner every night when it gets dark at 4pm. I decided to grab what I needed to make a couple more freezer meals and keep from cooking a few extra nights this month! From start to finish, these meals took 5, I repeat, FIVE minutes to put together and get in the freezer! 

1. Chicken Tortilla Soup: 

Ingredients: 

• 2 Chicken Breasts 
• 1/4 cup Diced Onion 
• 1 tsp. Minced Garlic 
• 1 (4 oz.) can Chopped Green Chiles 
• 1 (10 oz) can Enchilada Sauce 
• 1 can Rotel 
• 1 can Corn, drained 
• 1 tsp. Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp. Chili Powder 
• Salt/Pepper, to taste 

Directions: 

Place all ingredients in a gallon-size Ziploc bag. Seal and lay flat in freezer. *I have found that freezer meals take up less space in the freezer when you lay them flat until frozen. Then you can stand them upright and stuff them in like folders!* 

When ready to cook, take out and defrost overnight in fridge. Transfer contents of bag into a crock-pot and cook on low for 7-8 hours. This is great on it's own as a soup or over rice, which is the way I prefer it! 

2. Cream Cheese Chicken Chili:

Ingredients: 

• 2 Chicken Breasts 
• 1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed 
• 1 can Corn, undrained
• 1 can Rotel 
• 1 package Ranch mix 
• 1 tsp. Cumin 
• 1 tbsp. Chili Powder 
• 1 tsp. Onion Powder 
• 1 pkg. Cream Cheese 

Directions: 

Add all ingredients into a gallon size Ziploc bag except for the cream cheese. Freeze flat.  

When ready to cook, defrost in the freezer overnight. Place the contents of the bag into a crock-pot. Place the cream cheese on top and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir cream cheese into mixture when done cooking and shred chicken. Again, Ryan and I like this chili served over white rice. 

That's it. SO easy and it'll save you time in the kitchen in the long run. Enjoy! 

A Weeks Worth of Meals Chillin' In My Freezer

In 4 days, my life is going to get A LOT busier. On top of starting a new job, I will also be attending classes for my Masters... all starting next week. I think I know myself well enough to know that I'm probably not going to want to cook dinner every single night, especially when I don't get home until after 8 p.m.. I love Ryan, but we probably shouldn't eat chicken and rice three times a week. So, I set out yesterday to stock our freezer with meals that we can enjoy on those days where we're too tired to make anything else!

I've seen these recipes floating around Pinterest for a while now, so putting them on my blog is really just for my sake and the sake of anyone else who just wants a couple easy freezer dishes all in one place. Anyways, first thing yesterday morning, I headed to the grocery store to pick up everything I would need for 6 meals + all of our dinners for next week! This turned out to be a really good day to buy all of my ingredients because the Stop & Shop was having a HUGE sale on all their meat. Score!

When I got home and unpacked the groceries, I immediately threw all of the chicken in to a pot of water to poach and all of the ground beef in a pan with chopped onions to brown. That way, all of my meat was cooked and could be incorporated into whichever meal it was intended for quickly.

Mid- Madness. 

In no particular order, here are the recipes I cooked up yesterday! (Sorry the pictures are crappy. I didn't take any pictures before I put them in the freezer, so everything was already frozen when I got around to it last night. Plus the lighting in my kitchen at night isn't the best!)

Baked Ziti: 

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb. ziti pasta 
• 1 onion
• 1 lb. ground beef 
• 1 1/2 jars spaghetti sauce 
• 10 slices provolone cheese
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream 
• 6 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded 
• 2 tbsp. parmesan cheese 

Directions: 

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta and cook according to package directions.
2. In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. add spaghetti sauce and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Layer in pan: half of the ziti, half the sauce, 5 slices of provolone cheese, half the sour cream, and half the mozzarella cheese. Repeat with remaining ingredients and top with parmesan cheese. Cover tightly with tin foil and place in freezer for up to 2 months.
4. When you're ready to eat, take casserole out of the freezer and defrost in the fridge over night or for 8 hours. Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until cheese is melted.

Original Recipe can be found here.

Broccoli, Chicken, and Rice Casserole

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups cooked rice (I used white) 
• 1 1/2 cups chicken, chopped 
• 1 1/2 cups broccoli, chopped and steamed 
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 
• salt and pepper to taste 

Directions: 

1. Once everything is cooked and prepared, combine all ingredients in a large pot and transfer to a lightly-greased casserole dish. Sprinkle the top with cheddar cheese and seal the casserole dish with tin foil. 

2. When you're ready to eat, defrost in fridge overnight or for 8 hours. Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is bubbly. 

Original recipe can be found here.

**The rest of these recipes came from one of my favorite cookbooks- Southern Living's Busy Mom's Weeknight Favorites. No, I am not a mom, but I can be busy and these recipes are awesome!**

Taco Casserole

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 onion
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 can kidney beans, drained 
• 1 can cream of chicken soup 
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup 
• 1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into quarters 
• 16 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded (Original recipe calls for Velveeta cheese crumbles- but I couldn't find them.) 

Directions: 

1. Cook first four ingredients in a large skillet, until beef is no longer pink. Drain and return to skillet. Stir in beans, cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, and diced tomatoes. 
2. Layer half of tortillas in the bottom of your casserole dish. Top with half of the meat mixture and half of the cheese. Repeat layers with the remainder of the ingredients. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and freeze for up to two months. 
3. When you're ready to eat, defrost in fridge overnight or for 8 hours. Bake, uncovered, for 45-55 minutes, or until thoroughly heated. 

Beef Lombardi

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 tsp. sugar 
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt 
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf 
• 1 package egg noodles
• 1 (8 oz) container sour cream
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese 
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese 

Directions: 

1. Cook beef in a large skillet over medium heat until browned. Drain and return to pan. Stir in diced tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and bay leaf, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
2. Meanwhile, cook egg noodles according to package directions; drain and return to pan. Stir in sour cream. Spoon noodle mixture into casserole dish. Top with meat mixture and sprinkle with cheeses. 
3. Cover tightly and freeze for up to two months. 
4. When you're ready to enjoy: Remove from freezer and defrost in fridge overnight or for 8 hours. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 more minutes.

Chicken & Stuffing

Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup butter 
• 2 celery ribs, chopped 
• 10 cornbread muffins, crumbled (my grocery store always has fresh cornbread for sale in the bakery, so I just bought a pan of that.) 
• 1/2 (16 oz.) package herb-seasoned stuffing mix
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped 
• 2 large eggs 
• 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning

Directions: 

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add celery and saute 5 minutes or until tender. 
2. Combine cornbread and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; add sauteed mixture, stirring well. Spoon mixtures into a casserole dish; cover tightly with aluminum foil and freeze for up to two months. 
3. When you're ready to eat, defrost in fridge overnight or for 8 hours. Uncover casserole and bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until lightly browned. 

And there you have it! 5 good-looking recipes waiting to be defrosted and consumed on a night off from the kitchen!

Now, the 6 recipe was originally intended to be a freezer meal, but I needed something to bring with me to life group last night, so I cooked up double of this one and put the other half in the fridge to eat for dinner tonight. (I just cooked for 5 hours... I'm taking a day off!)

Ham Tetrazzini 

Original recipe calls for Turkey instead of ham- but Ryan and I always preferred ham in this one!

Ingredients: 

• 12 oz. vermicelli, broken in half 
• 1 tbsp. butter 
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 package mushrooms
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 4 cups cubed ham steak
• 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can cream of celery soup
• 1 (8 oz) container sour cream
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: 

1. Cook vermicelli according to package directions. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat; add onion, mushrooms, and garlic; saute 5 minutes or until tender. 
2. Stir in ham, 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, and remaining 7 ingredients. Drain vermicelli, and add to ham mixture; stir well. 
3. Spoon mixture into casserole dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and freeze for up to two months. *I skipped this step since we're eating it tonight!*
4. When you're ready to eat, defrost in fridge overnight or for 8 hours. Bake at 350 degrees, covered, for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes or until thoroughly heated and cheese is bubbly. 

Phew, that was A LOT of cooking! If this turns out to be as good of a thing as I think it will be, I will be doing something like this once a month! Stay tuned!