Slow Cooker "Hunters" Chili

For several years I used to "wing it" with chili...including a few batches where Chris and I would politely eat the chili while sweating and taking down several glasses of milk. For the heck of it I decided to try this slow cooker chili recipe. BINGO!!!!! Ever since we have not strayed from the recipe.

Why do I call it "Hunters" chili? It's become a tradition for me to cook up this chili for Chris and the boys before they go off hunting. I always send it off with chopped onions, cheddar cheese, and Frito Scoops. I almost alwasy double the recipe for bigger crowds, or share, or freeze. It's yummy! Feel free to play with the kinds of beans. When I double I use one can of garbanzo beans and one can of black beans.

SLOW COOKER "HUNTER'S" CHILI (not doubled)
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound italian sausage
1 medium onion (1/2 cup)
1 can (28oz) Crushed Tomatoes (you can use diced or whole, but we don't like chunks so we use crushed)
1 can (15oz) tomato sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 can (15oz) spicey chili beans (undrained)
1 can (15oz) garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)

1. In skillet, cook beef, sausage and onion over medium-high heat, stir frequently until cooked through, drain.

2. In 3-4 quart slow cooker, mix beef mixture, remaining ingredients, break up tomatoes if using whole.

3. Cover; cook on low 7-8 hours. Top with whatever goodies you like.

YUMMY IN THE HUNTER'S TUMMY!

Samoa Kiss Brownies

Don't deny it...you look forward to Girl Scout Cookie season for the Samoa Cookies...or Caramel Delights as they are known in other parts of the US still. Some people fall over for those Thin Mints...but I'm all about Samoas...okay the Tagalongs too.

I came across this brownie recipe a few years back...made it for my leaders last year...they loved it...and made it again this year. Sharing is caring!

SAMOA KISS BROWNIES

1 box Devil's Food cake mix
1/3 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup melted butter
Mini cholocate chips (I use milk chocolate chips or the mini ones)
3/4 cup caramels melted (I wonder if you could use caramel ice cream topping)
1/2 package Samoa cookies (crushed)
Coconut 1 tbsp (toasted)

Mix cake mix, evaporated milk and butter. Pour half of the mixture into a 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 6 minutes. Sprinkle 1 cup kisses on top. Spread melted caramel over kisses. Add 1/2 box Samoas and 1 tbsp toasted coconut. Pour remaining cake batter on top and bake 10 minutes. Drizzle with melted kisses and sprinkle with coconut.

I wasn't really able to "pour" the remaining batter on top...it was more clumpy, so I kinda smooshed it and put it on top.

YUM!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Prior to my weight loss surgery I was not a fan of green peppers...but now I seem to enjoy them cooked and even raw! GASP! So, in the almost 15 years Chris and I have been together I never made stuffed pepppers...til NOW! If my stomach would have allowed me to gobble the whole thing down...I totally would!!!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Salt
4 bell peppers (pick whatever color you like...I used green, 1/2 inch trimmed off the top, stemmed, and seeded
1 1/2 cup minute rice (the original reciped called for long grain rice, but I don't own any of that so I used minute rice)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
1 pound ground beef
3 garlic cloves, minced (I used my jar stuff again)
1 can tomato sauce
5 oz (1 1/4 cup) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon parsley (or 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley)
1/4 cup ketchup

Bring 4 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to boil in a large pot over high heat. Add the bell peppers and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Remove the peppers from the water, allowing excess water to drain back into the pot. Place the peppers, cut side up, on a paper towel lined plate.

Cook up your minute rice or your long grain rice, whichever you go with.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat until simmering. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the beef and cook, breaking into small pieces, until no longer pink. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant. Drain if needed. Combine with tomato sauce, 4 oz of cheese, and parsley. Add rice until it looks like enough. I realize that sounds weird...just depends how saucey you want it. Season the rice mixture with salt and pepper.

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the peppers, cut side up, in a 9x9 baking dish. Divide the filling evenly among the peppers. Top with ketchup evenly over the top of peppers, sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of cheese. Bake until the cheese is browned and the filling heated through, about 30 minutes.

YUMMINESS!!!!!

Chicken Zucchini Casserole

So...my hubby is pretty good about me trying new recipes and he will tell me if it is a keeper followed by how many times I could make it per year. The more times per year, the more he likes it. It's that or he'll say PASS...or "um baby, don't make this again". Well...he could not say enough how GOOD the following recipe was, which is rare for him to keep going on about how GOOD something is.

Thank you from my dear friend Susan for sharing it with us!

Chicken Zucchini Casserole

1 package (6oz) stuffing mix (I used a box of Stove Top Stuffing)
3/4 cup melted butter (or margarine)
3 cups diced zucchini (2 regular zucchini worked for me)
2 cups cooked cubed chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 medium carrot, shredded
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup sour cream

Set aside 1/2 cup stuffing mix for topping. Pour the rest in a large bowl with melted butter. Add the zucchini, chicken, soup, carrot, onion and sour cream to the remaining stuffing mixture. Transfer to greased 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with reserved stuffing mix. Bake, uncovered at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Enjoy!

Here a recipe...there a recipe

Why do I stink at blogging? Seriously...it's March 2nd...haven't been on here since September 1st. I love the idea of it. I just can't seem to keep up!

Anyhoo...adding some recipes I've been asked to share!

WHITE LASAGNA
Non Stick Cooking Spray
1 pound ground turkey or chicken (Susan suggests using mild italian turkey sausage)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced (I'm lazy and use the jarred stuff)
1 1/4 cups cottage cheese
1 10oz package frozen chopped spinach, well drained, squeezed (I used broccoli because my hubby is not a spinach fan)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup flour
1 can (14.5oz) chicken broth
1 1/2 cups milk divided
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 box no-boil lasagna noodles
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Heat oven to 350. Coat 13x9 inch baking pan with no stick cooking spray.

2. Spray a large skillet with no stick cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Add meat (whatever you pick), onion, and garlic. Saute about 10 minutes, stirring and crumbling until onion is clear and meat is done. Remove from heat. Stir in cottage cheese and veggie of choice. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well.

3. Heat oil in medium saucepan. Stir in flour. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Slowly pour in chicken broth and 1 cup milk. Bring to a boil, whisk constantly. Whisk until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in nutmeg, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Add up to 1/2 cup milk as needed to thin sauce.

4. Place 1/2 cup sauce in bottom of prepared pan. Cover with a layer of lasagna noodles. Pour 1/4 of the remaining sauce over noodles. Top with 1/4 of the mozzarella and 1/3 of the meat mixture. Top with another layer of noodles. Pour another 1/4 of the sauce. 1/4 of the cheese and 1/3 of the meat mixture. Top with another layer of noodles. Pour on another 1/4 of the sauce. 1/4 of the cheese and remaining 1/3 of the meat mixture. Top with lasagna noodles, remaining sauce and cheese. Cover with foil.

5. Bake 35 minutes. Remove foil and back 20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing.

And there it is! This recipe came to me from my dear friend Susan while she was living in Alaska...now in Texas!

I was making this while my 3 year old was talking my ear off...so I missed a few steps...like mixing the cottage cheese and veggie with the meat. I ended up mixing it into the sauce instead. Ooops...but it all ended up together anyways right.

My hubby Chris liked it...but he thought it lacked in flavor...which could have been my choice of using ground turkey. Next time I will try mild italian turkey sausage as Susan uses.

This was my first time using no bake lasagna noodles...I think I like them!