Chili Bowls!

Since the weather has started to turn a little colder I have been craving chili! I've never made chili before and I didn't want to spend a lot of time on it. I know people soak their beans and what not, but after working 8 hours I don't have the time or energy to deal with that. I wanted fast and easy. I was so glad when I found a recipe on allrecipes.com that was titled "Easy Homemade Chili". That was it for me, I had to try it.

I also used my edible bowl maker pan to cook some sweet homemade corn bread. Gotta have cornbread with chili right? I loved the bowls even though no one else in my family wanted their chili to touch their cornbread. Silly family.

EASY HOMEMADE CHILI
(from allrecipes.com)

PREP TIME 10 Min
COOK TIME 20 Min
READY IN 30 Min

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 pound ground beef
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
* 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
* 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 1 pinch chili powder
* 1 pinch garlic powder
* salt and pepper to taste


DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the beef and onion and saute until meat is browned and onion is tender. Add the stewed tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, beans and water.

2. Season with the chili powder, garlic powder, salt and ground black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.



SWEET HOMEMADE CORNBREAD RECIPE
(from grouprecipes.com)

Ingredients:

* 1 1/4 Cup of All-Purpose Flour
* 3/4 Cup of Cornmeal
* 1/4 Cup of Sugar
* 2 Teaspoons of Baking Powder
* 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
* 1 Cup of Skim Milk (any milk will do though)
* 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
* 1 Egg, beaten


Directions:

1. Heat over to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease 8-9 inch square pan.*
3. Combine dry ingredients.
4. Stir in milk, oil, and egg until moistened.
5. Pour into pan.
6. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

*Or use the edible bowl maker pan! Spray pan with Pam. Fill sections 1/2 full. Bake 15-20 minutes. Makes six bowls.

Sugar Free Hot Cocoa

I was looking for something to satisfy my sweet tooth this weekend without all the extra calories. Oh what to eat even though a Hershey bar is calling my name!!! So I settled for making some sugar free hot cocoa. I was surprised that it actually calmed down my craving and I was satisfied. It had just enough chocolaty flavor to trick my tummy. Try it, you won't be disappointed!



"Perfectly Chocolate" Sugar Free Hot Cocoa

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Hershey's Cocoa
Dash salt
1 cup nonfat milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sugar Substitute with sweetening equivalence of 2 tablespoons sugar


Directions:

Mix cocoa and salt in mug. Heat milk in microwave at HIGH (100%) 1-1/2 minutes or until hot. Gradually add hot milk to cocoa mixture in mug, stirring until well blended. Stir in vanilla and sugar substitute. 1 serving.

I, of course, had to add whipped cream to the top. Yum!

Recipe from Hershey's.com.

Edible Bowl Maker Pan

photo from cookschoice.com

I love the edible bowl maker pan! I just can't believe that I have had this pan for a long time now and I still haven't used it. Okay, well I've used it but they didn't turn out. I attempted to make brownies in it, but my eggless brownie recipe still needs work. I think I'll have to try something other than brownies in this. Or else just use my tried and true brownies with pumpkin. I'm thinking that corn bread with chili or pancakes and fruit sound like delicious starts to break in the pan. Yum...

By the way if anyone knows of a brownie recipe that works in high altitude and doesn't turn into a soupy mess please let me know!!

This weekend I am going to have to try and post a working recipe for a yummy edible bowl. I know the kids would love it if I do.

Ta-ta for now!

Pirapple Cupcakes...Aaarg!

Ahoy me mateys! Saturday was "Talk like a pirate day" so we wanted to rustle up some pirate grub. (We use any excuse to party!) We made a meal of Cornish hens, "hard tack" biscuits, and pirate grog. To top it off we served up some Pirapple cupcakes. What the heck is Pirapple you may ask? It's just a combo of yummy apple cupcakes with a little Pirattitude.

I found a new cinnamon apple ice cream topping the other day and I was dying to see how it tasted in cupcakes. Oh boy was it delicious!

Kami's Pirapple Cupcake's

Ingredients:

1 box Betty Crocker Spice Cake
3 eggs
1/3 cup applesauce
1 1/4 cup water
1 medium apple, peeled and chopped
1 jar apple cinnamon ice cream topping

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl add cake mix, eggs, water, and applesauce. Beat for 3 minutes. Stir in chopped apple. Fill 24 muffin cups 1/4 full with cake batter. Place a teaspoon of apple cinnamon topping in middle of each cupcake. Top with remaining cake batter. Bake for 17-22 minutes or until toothpick poked into side of cupcake comes out clean. Once cooled, top with caramel frosting recipe below.

Betty Crocker's Caramel Frosting:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup margarine or butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Heat margarine in 2-quart saucepan until milted. Stir in brown sugar. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir over low heat 2 minutes; stir in milk. Heat to boiling; remove from heat. Cool to lukewarm. Gradually stir in powdered sugar. Place pan of frosting in bowl of cold water; beat until smooth and of spreading consistency. If frosting becomes too stiff, stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time. Frosts a 13x9-inch cake or fills and frosts two 8-or9-inch cake layers. 15 servings; 185 calories per serving.

That there be a mighty fine treat fit for any pirate!

Chocolate Waffles

I have the hardest time getting my son Collin to eat breakfast in the morning. He inherited his daddy's tummy because he doesn't like to eat in the morning either. Not me! I'm hungry as soon as I get up! Collin is also a major junk hound and would rather eat candy for breakfast. That doesn't really fly with mama.

So, in an effort to find some common breakfast ground we made chocolate waffles. That way it seems like he is getting more of a treat in the morning and I know he's getting something a little bit healthier than the M&M's he wanted for breakfast. We served our waffles with sliced bananas and syrup. Enjoy!

Chocolate Waffles

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs


Directions:


1. Heat waffle iron. (Waffle irons without a nonstick coating may need to be brushed with vegetable oil or sprayed with cooking spray before batter for each waffle is added.) In medium bowl, stir all waffle ingredients with spoon until blended. Pour batter onto hot waffle iron. (Check manufacturer's directions for recommended amount of batter.) Close lid of waffle iron.

2. Bake each waffle about 5 minutes or until steaming stops. Carefully remove waffle. Serve with toppings of choice. Makes 6 servings.

Click here for the link to the recipe. It has a delicious banana topping that I totally didn't have time to put together in the morning rush.

Wizard Hats!

I'm starting my Halloween fun early! These Wizard hats were super fast and super yummy! The kids and I gobbled them up in no time.

Wizard Hats

Ingredients:

1 can Pillsbury crescent rolls
Grated Pizza cheese
Pepperoni slices
Pizza Sauce
Italian Seasoning

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Unroll crescent rolls. Grease cookie sheet and lay down 4 crescent triangles. Set the rest aside. Cut 2 pepperoni into fourths. Place pepperoni's onto middle of one triangle and top with 1-2 tablespoons pizza cheese. Repeat with remaining 3 triangles. Brush sides of triangle with water and top with remaining crescent triangles. Press edges to seal. Fold over bottom to make a hat brim. Sprinkle top of hat with Italian Seasoning. Decorate hat brim with cut pepperoni's if desired. Bake for 8-11 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with warmed pizza sauce for dipping. Makes 4 Wizard hats.


Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Witch Hats.

S'mores Mix

Sometimes the simplest things in life are the best things. Take S'mores ingredients for example. They are super simple and great together! I always see recipes of how people use these ingredients in recipes, but why not just let them stand alone? My kids were VERY excited to get little snack baggies of this mix as a treat.

S'mores Mix

1 Hershey's chocolate bar
1 cup mini marshmallows
2 rectangles graham crackers

In a bowl pour one cup of marshmallows. Break graham crackers into bite sized pieces and add to marshmallows. Cut Hershey bar squares in half or in thirds, your preference, and add to bowl. Gently toss ingredients together. Store in airtight container or separate into three snack sized baggies.

Just for fun! The Swedish Chef.

Now that is one heck of a way to make a donut...

Puffed Pastry Baked Brie

This weekend we were lucky to get my older brother Mark home. We were lucky not only for his company, but also because he made us baked brie. I have never in my life had it but now I am hooked!! Think of gooey cheese sticks except this is even better.

He said people usually make cute little cut-outs or fancy it up but he just made it plain because we were in a hurry to try it! I'm sure it tastes the same whether it's fancy or plain.

Mark's Baked Brie

Here's what he used:

1 sheet puffed pastry
1 small wheel of brie, wax removed
1 teaspoon McCormick Savory Spice
1/2 teaspoon Thyme
1 teaspoon Parsley

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray square glass pan with cooking spray. Roll out pastry sheet. Place brie in center and top with spices. Fold pastry over brie. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 10-15 minutes before cutting into the center and taking out a slice of heaven!

Thanks Mark!

Oatmeal Fruit Cocktail Muffins

What to do when you open up a huge can of fruit cocktail and the kids say, "I don't want to eat that!" First of all you call them little stinkers and then you start dreaming up ways to get rid of it. I did make them eat some of it then I pureed the rest. I instantly thought of putting the puree into muffins. I have been on a really big muffin kick lately! Anyways I thought it would be a great way to sneak these multiple fruits into a recipe.

Oatmeal Fruit Cocktail Muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup old fashioned oatmeal
1 cup pureed fruit cocktail
1 large egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup apple juice or cider
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)

Topping:

2 tablespoons old fashioned oatmeal
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Spray 12 muffin cups with Pam or use metal muffin liners. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stir together the oatmeal, fruit cocktail, juice, egg, and oil. Set aside. Stir together the flour, baking powder, soda, sugar, and cinnamon. Make a well in the center, and add the fruit cocktail mixture. Stir until well combined, but do not over beat. Add raisins or cranberries if desired. Pour into the muffin tin. Each cup should be 2/3 full. Mix topping ingredients together with a fork. Press one teaspoon of topping onto each muffin. Bake 15-20 minute, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes before removing muffins. Makes 12 muffins.

(I adapted this recipe from a applesauce oatmeal muffin recipe on cooks. com although I added the topping ingredients and changed the ingredients a little.)

Rice Krispie Ice Cream Cones

I love to put a special treat inside my kids lunch boxes. I was going to make plain ol' rice krispie treats but then I got brainstorming. My kids love ice cream (not very portable for your backpack) so I came up with this:

Rice Krispie ice cream cones! Aren't they fun?!

To make these you need to make half a batch of rice krispies using regular rice krispies and then half a batch using cocoa rice krispies. Here's Kellogg's recipe. You do the math:


Kellogg's Rice Krispies Recipe

* 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
* 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
* - OR -
* 4 cups miniature marshmallows
* 6 cups Rice Krispies®


1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.
3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.

You can put them into one cake pan. I'm all about using the least amount of dishes!

Once the krispies are cool you can start cutting out ice cream cones.

They would be pretty cute just like this but I wanted to mix the flavors.

I cut the cone off of each ice cream and then stuck them together with opposing colors. The krispies were still pretty sticky so it worked out great.

Now you can decorate them by pressing sprinkles down gently onto the krispies. Don't wait to do this later or they might not stick. You can also heat up some chocolate chips and dip the tops in chocolate. Be creative! Your kids will love to have one of these in their lunch box or as an after school treat. I know mine did!

Eggless Poptarts

I began to scour the Internet for a homemade pop-tart recipe last week. I always feel so bad when Collin eats a pop-tart in front of Carlee. They make their crust with egg or egg wash so she can't eat them. When I came across a website called Bake Me More I knew I found a recipe worth trying. I adapted the recipe a little to make it Carlee friendly and we were in business! The best part of this recipe is that you can adapt it to suit your taste. You are no longer limited to the flavors on the shelves. Plum is my favorite! As an added bonus you can also freeze these and re-heat on a busy morning. (see below)

Homemade Eggless Pop Tarts

Ingredients:

Pie crust, refrigerated or homemade
Jam or Preserves
Colored Sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

If using refrigerated crust unroll one of the pie crusts and square the edges. If using homemade crust like I did, then just do the best you can to roll out a square or roll out a circle and cut into square. Cut into rectangles with pizza cutter. Center 1 tsp of jam in a rectangle and top with another piece of crust. Crimp all four edges with end of fork. Repeat until all of the pie crust is used. I think the edges of the dough would have stayed together better had I moistened the edges with water. I'll have to try that next time! As it was they stayed together pretty great.

Bake the pop-tarts for about 7 – 8 minutes or until slightly brown. Once pop-tarts are cool, spoon on glaze and decorate with colored sugar.


Ingredients for Glaze:

* 1 cup powder sugar
* milk to thin

Place powdered sugar in bowl. Pour milk slowly until it has a consistency of really thick syrup.

Yummy!

To freeze:

Flash freeze. When partially frozen place in a gallon freezer bag for storage. Microwave 1-2 minutes or heat in oven. Do NOT put in toaster if using glaze.

English Muffin Pizzas

Pizza ingredients are such a great thing to have on hand! My kids love it when we make our mini pizzas on English muffins. So quick and easy. Plus they can make an awesome after school snack! I made some extras to put in the freezer for when the kids say, "I'm hungry!"

English Muffin Pizzas

Ingredients:

English muffins
1 small jar pizza sauce
Pizza cheese (I like mozzarella and cheddar)
Assorted toppings: pepperoni, Canadian bacon and pineapple, etc.)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut open desired amount of English muffins in half. Spread a spoonful of pizza sauce onto each slice. Sprinkle on cheese and top with desired toppings. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until cheese is melted.