Cornbread Waffles with Spicy Chili

This was good but I would make sure to cook the waffles until they are crispy.  They got soggy and yucky after a little while.


1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs
Spicy chili, recipe follows
Shredded Cheddar, for garnish
Sour cream, for garnish
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions
Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions.
In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add milk, oil, and eggs; stirring until smooth. Pour batter onto hot waffle iron and bake in batches. Set aside and keep warm.

Serve with Spicy Chili. Garnish with shredded Cheddar, sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro.
Spicy Chili:
1 pound lean ground chuck
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans ranch-style beans
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (15-ounce) can niblet corn, drained
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown ground chuck, until beef is crumbly. Stir in onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
Stir in beans, tomato sauce, corn, diced tomatoes, and green chiles. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally.

peanut butter and banana stuffed french toast

This was really good but rich so you can only eat a lil bit.  Essie tore it up!!

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1 banana, peeled and thinly sliced
2 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup peanut butter
8 slices of white bread
1/2 cup granola
1 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
maple syrup

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the granola in a shallow bowl; set aside.

Spread each slice of bread with peanut butter. Drizzle honey evenly over peanut butter. Divide the banana slices among four slices of the bread; top with the remaining bread, peanut butter sides down. Remove the crusts and tightly pinch the edges of each sandwich together to seal.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Soak each sandwich in the egg mixture for 5 seconds. Roll the edges of each sandwich in granola.
In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the sandwiches, working in batches if necessary; cook about 2 minutes per side or until golden. Transfer the sandwiches to a baking sheet; bake for 10 minutes. Serve immediately with maple syrup.

Corn Chowder

I have never had corn chowder before but thought it'd be good to give it a whirl! This was really good!

3 strips bacon, chopped
1 onion diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/4 c all purpose flour
1 32 oz chicken stock
2 russet potatoes, diced
1/2 tsp salt
1 pkg frozen corn
1 cup milk
3 TB half and half
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 TB fresh cilantro (chopped)

In large saucepan brown bacon until crispy.  Remove bacon to paper towel.  To the grease  add onion and jalapeno and cook about 5 minutes.  Add flour, cook 1 more minute.  Add broth, potatoes, and salt. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are softened (12 minutes or so).  Add corn, milk, half & half and cook another minute.  Remove from heat and stir in cheese and cilantro.  Sprinkle with bacon!

Dirt Cake

You are supposed to serve this in a flower pot with a fake flower inserted in it and hide gummy worms all in it just for fun.  BUT I didn't have those things and my hubby wanted this for dessert so we just made it anyways.  My favorite time  I made this was when I made it for my PreK students during our garden unit and even served it with a (new) garden trowel.  So funny! P.S. this is also on the menu for essie's sesame street birthday party...can you guess who is going in the dirt cake???

1 pkg oreos
8 oz cream cheese
1 c powdered sugar
1 cont. Cool Whip
1 small vanilla pudding mix
1 stick butter
1 & 1/2 c milk

In food processor, crush the oreos.  Mix cream cheese, butter, and sugar.  Beat pudding mix and milk together and add to cheese mix.  Beat until smooth then fold in the cool whip! layer with cookies!

Spicy Vegetable Soup

Since we are stuck inside on this COLD snowy day I thought I'd make some yummy Spicy Vegetable Soup! (and no it's not really spicy, spicy...it just has a nice little kick!)

1 lb lean ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

30 oz chunky vegetable spaghetti sauce

10 oz can beef broth

1 &1/2 cups water

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

10 oz can rotel

16 oz can diced veggie (or bag of frozen mixed veggies)

cornbread or crackers

In a Dutch oven, cook beef, onions, and garlic until brown, drain fat. Add spaghetti sauce, beef broth, water, celery, chili powder, sugar, salt, and pepper.  Bring to boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.  Add rotel, diced veggies and simmer 15 more minutes.

Pumpkin Baked Apples

1 pie pumpkin (pie pumpkins are smaller than the ones you carve)
2 apples (I used granny smith)
sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon to taste

Preheat oven to 350 (I convected to speed things up). 

Scoop out alll the pulp and seeds from pumpkin.  Peel and slice apples and mix with sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  Pour apples into the hollow pumpkin and place the top back on.  Bake until pumpkin turns black (could take a few hours).  You can also use the pumpkin flesh to bake a fresh pumpkin pie so this recipe actually will make you two desserts!

Enchilada "ish" casserole

I kinda just threw this one together...using stuff I had left over in the fridge etc.

1/2 lb sirloin
1/2 sm onion
1 can diced green chiles
1 tsp cumin
1/2 can black beans
2 green onions diced
2 cups shredded cheese
1 can enchilada sauce
1TB oil
1TB flour
1 cup chicken broth
2 TB cilantro
corn tortillas

Brown meat with onions and add cumin, green onions, black beans and cook a lil bit longer.

In pot add oil and flour and stir to create a paste. Add cilantro, enchilada sauce, and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil and then let simmer for a bit.

Cover the bottom of 13x9 pan with corn tortillas.  Pour meat Mixture on top and cover with diced green onions, cheese, and pour half the sauce on top.

Add another layer of corn tortillas on top and cover with a lil more cheese and sauce. 

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Paprika Chicken with Cream Sauce

I found this recipe and thought I'd give it a whirl..it was actually very tasty!!!

1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground red pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz sour cream
2 green onions, sliced

Stir flour, paprika, pepper, garlic powder, red pepper together.  Heat butter in skillett over medium high heat.  Coat chicken in flour mixture and add to skilllett.  Cook chicken for 10 minutes or until well browned on both sides.  Remove chicken from skillett. 

Stir the soup and cream cheese and green onions together in the skillet until boiling.  Return chicken to skillet and cook an additional 5 minutes or until no longer pink.

Beef and Black Bean Sliders

I saw this recipe on Food Network and thought I'd give it a try! It was really very good and Travis couldn't even tell it had black beans hidden in it! I didn't take a pic of the final product though!

1/4 cup cooked black beans (I used canned)
1/2 pound sirloin
2 TB olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 TB dijon mustard
1 package little Hawaiian Rolls

Preheat a grill pan and coat with oil lightly.  In bowl mash the the black beans, 1 TB olive oil, and garlic powder.  Add the sirloin to the black bean mixture .  Season with salt and pepper.  Divide meat mixture up into 8 equal portions...they will be very small.  Make into patties...press in the center.  Lightly brush the outside of the burgers with Dijon mustard and place mustard side down on the grill.  Brush the other side as well.  Cook on each side for approximately 3-5 minutes until done.  Serve on toasted rolls.

The toasting of the rolls made this dish along with the brushing of mustard.  The mustard gives a great flavor and wonderful crust to the burgers!

Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients
3 or 4 large firm green tomatoes
Salt
2 cups vegetable or peanut oil, for deep-frying
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups self-rising flour
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Slice the tomatoes 1/4-inch thick. Lay them out in a shallow baking pan and sprinkle with salt. Place the tomato slices in a colander and allow time for salt to pull the water out of the tomatoes, approximately 30 minutes.

In a skillet, heat the oil for deep-frying over medium-high heat.

Dip the tomatoes into buttermilk, then dredge them into flour with a dash of pepper. Deep-fry until golden brown