Black Bean Chili and Corn bread

This is my favorite chili recipe. I have also included an easy corn bread recipe.

Black Bean Chile
Serves 8-12

3 lbs coarsely ground beef
Extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine
2 cup homemade beef stock
2 onions, finely chopped
2-4 small green chilies, hot or mild, seeded & chopped
2 cans tomatoes, chopped
3 cloves, peeled and mashed
1 Table ground cumin
2 Table dried oregano
2 Table dried basil
¼ - ½ teas red chili flakes
4 cups cooked black beans

Brown meat until crumbly in a little olive oil in a heavy pot. (Olive oil may not be necessary if the beef contains a lot of fat.) Add remaining ingredients and simmer about 1 hour.

Never Fail Corn Bread

1 cup blue, yellow, or white corn meal
1 cup spelt or whole wheat flour
1 Table baking powder
2 Table - ¼ cup honey
1 cup milk
1 Table oil (optional, makes less crumbly)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine dry ingredients. Add milk & honey & oil. Mix until well blended. Pour into 8x8 oiled pan & bake 15-20 minutes. To make a lighter cake add one egg, beaten, when sweetener was added.

Roasted Carrots and Shallots

I love this as a side dish. They cook up so yummy and sweet!

Roasted Carrots and Shallots

Serves 4.
2 pounds carrots, cut into 3-inch lengths, thick pieces halved lengthwise (You can also make them rounds.)
12 ounces shallots (about 10), peeled and halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil (I use melted butter)
coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 450. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss carrots, shallots, and oil; season with salt and pepper. Bake until tender, 30 to 35 minutes, tossing once halfway through. Add parsley and lemon juice; toss to combine

Beef Dinner in a Pumpkin

This is something I grew up with as a kid. I really liked it. It was always our Halloween dinner.

Beef Dinner in a Pumpkin

2 lb. lean hamburger1 (8-12") diameter fresh pumpkin or squash (Hubbard or turban)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 med. onion, chopped
12 Sm. mushrooms, sliced
1 med. bell pepper1
1/4 c. uncooked rice1
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
5 tbsp. butter
1 #303 can stewed tomatoes
2 c. beef broth
1/4 c. grated Cheddar or Longhorn cheese
Parsley sprigs
8 to 12 cherry tomatoes

Wash the pumpkin and cut the top stem out to create a lid. Scoop out the seeds and stringy fibers. Melt the butter but only 2 tablespoons and take a plastic sandwich bag to dip into the melted butter to oil the inside of the pumpkin. Turn the pumpkin on its side and remove to sprinkle inside with 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Saute onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, and garlic in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Add the 2 pounds lean hamburger, brown, and drain. Then add the rice and stir until thoroughly mixed. Add the remaining salt and pepper, the stewed tomatoes, and the beef broth and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes then fill the pumpkin with this mixture. Replace the pumpkin lid and place the pumpkin in a shallow greased baking pan. Bake approximately 1 to 1/2 hours at 350 degrees.

Pumpkin is ready when tender and should remain firm enough to hold the filling without danger of collapsing. If necessary, more beef broth can be added as needed. When baked, remove from the oven, lift lid and sprinkle inside with the 1/4 cup cheese. Return pumpkin to oven, lift lid and sprinkle inside with the 1/4 cup cheese. Return pumpkin to oven without lid until cheese is melted. Remove from oven, replace lid and garnish around the bottom of the pumpkin with fresh parsley and cherry tomatoes. Serve from the pumpkin, scraping some of the pulp into each serving. Serve with green salad and French bread.

Serves 12.

Leek & potato Galette

This is so yummy. I know it sounds different and daunting, but it is good, and not that hard!

Leek & potato Galette

6 tablespoons butter, melted
3 pounds (5 to 6 medium) baking potatoes, peeled
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 leek, white and light-green parts, thinly sliced crosswise, well washed
6 ounces Gruyere cheese, coarsely grated (about 1 1/2 cups)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, with rack set in top third. Line bottom of a 9-inch cake pan with a round of parchment paper. Place melted butter in a large bowl. Using a mandolin or cutting by hand, slice the potatoes 1/8 inch thick; add to bowl with butter. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. In prepared pan, arrange some of the potatoes around edge of pan, overlapping the slices.

Fill center of pan with more overlapping slices.
Sprinkle with half the leek and half the cheese; season with salt and pepper. Repeat with another layer of potatoes and remaining leek and cheese; season with salt and pepper. Top with remaining potatoes. Using a spatula, press galette down firmly.

Bake until potatoes are tender, 70 to 80 minutes, pressing down firmly twice with a spatula during cooking. Run knife around edge of pan. Carefully invert galette onto a plate, remove parchment, and re-invert onto serving plate. Cut into wedges, and serve.

Deneen's Curry

This is my sister in law's recipe. I know she got it from somewhere else, but I will give her credit. :) It is SO yummy! I am craving some right now!

Curry

2 cans coconut milk
2 1/2 cups water
4 Table red curry paste
1 teas curry powder
3 chicken breasts
3 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, quartered
1 large onion, cut
1/3 fish sauce or soy
1 teas sucanat (or sugar)
1 bell pepper, cut

In a large pot combine milk& water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add curry paste & powder. Mix well. Add chicken & potatoes. Cook 5 min. Reduce heat to low. Add onion, soy, sucanat & pepper. Simmer covered for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender & chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally.

Chicken Roll-ups

This was one of my childhood favorites. To make it healthier I make my own crescent rolls.

Chicken Roll-ups

Filling:

2 cups cooked chicken
8 oz cream cheese
½ cup butter
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Italian Seasoning

Place some of the filling on each crescent roll and roll up. Dip in melted butter and roll in bread crumbs and spices.

Spices: Bread Crumbs Onion Powder
Garlic Powder Italian Seasoning
Let rise for 20 minutes. Bake for 30 minutes (or until no longer doughy) @ 350.

Berrocks

This one is one of Roland's favorites. His mom makes them. It is the German homemade recipe for a Runza.

Berrocks

9” circles of dough cut into fourths (I just use my favorite bread recipe. You can us frozen bread or bread mixes.)

Filling

1 lb hamburger
1 med head cabbage
1 small onion
Salt & pepper to taste

Divide mixture among 12 piece of dough and pinch sides together. Let rise. Makes 12 Bake @ 350 until golden.

Chicken & Black Bean Fajitas

This is one of our favorites and it is SO easy!

Chicken & Black Bean Fajitas

Combine the following in s 5 quart crock pot:

4-6 chicken breasts 1 cup chicken broth
1 cup salsa 1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained 1 pkg taco seasoning

Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. When done pull out chicken & shred. Put chicken back in a add ½ cup sour cream & 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese and stir. Serve with corn chips or flour tortillas.

Gingerbread Muffins

These are one of Victoria's favorites!

Gingerbread Muffins

2 Table oil
1 egg
½ cup molasses
¼ cup honey
1 ¼ water or milk

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 Table lecithin
2 teas cinnamon
1 ½ teas ground ginger
½ teas soda
1 ½ teas baking powder
¼ teas salt

DO NOT OVER MIX! Bake 20-25 minutes @ 350 degrees or until tops are cracked.

Homemade Tortillas

A lot of people think I am crazy for making my own tortillas, but it is a lot easier than you think!

Flour Tortilla

Ingredients:

2 cups unsifted Bread Flour
3 teaspoons Baking Powder1 teaspoon Salt
1/4 cup Lard, chilled (I have used butter or coconut oil)
3/4 cup Warm Water

Directions:

Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Add the lard and mix in with your fingers until you have completely crumbled it in. Slowly add the warm water and mix with a large spoon. Take the ball out and put on a "floured" board and knead 3-5 minutes-until elastic. Store in a warm place inside an oiled, plastic bag for 1 hour. Pinch off pieces of dough about the size of a golf ball (1 inch) and let rest 15 minutes. Roll the balls into circles approximately 7 inches in size. Cook on a HOT (450-degrees) griddle turning only once. Remove to a basket lined with a cloth towel or put between a towel until cool. After the tortillas have cooled completely, store them in a plastic bag. The best homemade tortillas by far!Yield: 9-10 tortillas.

TIP: tortillas are best eaten hot right off the griddle (comal). You can refrigerate and freeze them as well. To freeze tortillas: wrap tightly in a plastic wrap and place inside a Ziploc bag. When ready to use: thaw at room temperature, remove plastic wrap, re-wrap in foil with a moist paper towel inserted, place in a 250 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Corn Tortillas

Ingredients:

We are all familiar with both the corn and flour tortillas, but the original ones were of the native corn only, and except in Northern Mexico, corn tortillas remain the staple.

4 cups masa harina
*1/2 tsp. Salt
21/2 cups hot but not boiling water

*Masa harina (corn flour) can be purchased in most supermarkets. Quaker and Maseca brands are both excellent. If you are fortunate to have a specialty Mexican market nearby, you can purchase the masa dough freshly made and ready to press or roll out.

Directions:

Place the masa harina and salt in a large bowl. Add the water and mix with your hands to make a dough that comes together in a soft ball. Continue mixing and kneading until the dough is elastic enough to hold together without cracking, about 3 minutes. If using right away, divide the dough into 18 equal portions and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. If making ahead for later use, wrap the whole ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day and then divide.To form the tortillas, place a portion of dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Press with a tortilla press or roll out with a rolling pin into a circle 6 or 7 inches in diameter. Use your fingers to smooth any raggedy edges. Continue with the remaining portions until the dough is used up.To cook the tortillas, heat a heavy skillet, griddle or comal over high heat until it begins to smoke. Peel the plastic wrap off a tortilla and place the tortilla in the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for 30 seconds. Turn and cook on the other side for 1 minute. Turn again, and cook until the tortilla puffs a bit but is still pliable, not crisp, about 30 seconds more. Remove and continue until all the tortillas are cooked. Serve right away as this is when they are the best. The best homemade tortillas by far!

Tortilla Chips

Procedure:

Using flour or corn tortillas (use old rather than freshly made or store bought) cut the tortillas in wedges or strips, set aside. Pour oil into a heavy saucepan or skillet to a depth of one inch. Heat to a temperature of 375 degrees F or until a tortilla chip browns in 60 seconds.
Drop the tortilla wedges or strips into the hot oil in batches and cook for one to two minutes or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle salt (optional).
Let cool and store in an airtight container (avoid humidity).

Rice Noodles with Chicken & Carrots

 

This is another of my favorites. I sometimes get so busy trying new recipes that I forget about my favorites. My friend Melissa reminded me about this one. She also wanted the recipe. Here it is!

1 package of rice noodles (follow the boiling recipe on the back)
1/2 butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can cooked chicken (You can use fresh too. I just like the canned stuff because it breaks up and mixes in better)
2-4 carrots, peeled, shredded
Salt & Pepper to taste

Start by preparing the noodles. Melt butter in a skillet. Add onions and garlic and saute until onions are soft. Add shredded carrots and chicken with the broth. Break the clumps of chicken up. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Cover and simmer until the carrots are tender.

Drain the noodles and use kitchen scissors to make them smaller. When the carrots are done, dump in the noodles. Mix well and serve.

Autumn Soup

 

I love this soup. I wanted something different today. I can't believe that I forgot about this one. It is so easy. It looks so pretty and has a simple yummy flavor. It is perfect for these subzero Nebraska winters. Enjoy!

Autumn Soup

½ lb ground beef
½ cup chopped onions
2 cups hot water or beef or chicken stock
¾ cup chopped celery
¾ cup chopped potatoes
1 cup chopped carrots
1 teas salt
¼ teas pepper
½ bay leaf
Pinch of basil
1 quart tomatoes

Brown hamburger and onion. Add remaining ingredients. Cook 30 minutes. Double recipe for a family of 5.