Halloween means CHILI

You know my chili has to be fast and easy if I'm able to make it after I get home from work.

Fast and Easy Chili

2 lbs ground beef

1 large onion- chopped in 1/2 inch pieces

1 tsp garlic (I use the pre-minced in a jar)

1 can kidney beans

1 can northern beans

1 can corn

2 cans tomato sauce

1 can diced tomatoes

3 tsp chili powder (can add more to taste)

2 tsp cayenne pepper (can add more to taste)

hot sauce (optional)

Brown the meat with the garlic. Add the onion and saute until the onions are clear. Drain any fat. Add everything else and stir (don't forget to drain the beans and the corn). Let simmer until heated throughout.

Can freeze leftovers.

Dinner at Sea

Amy's Mac and Cheese

Boil any shape of noodle- enough for 2 cups cooked

Once cooked, but not too soft, drain and return to hot pan.

Add 3 TBSP of cream cheese

1/2 c of shredded cheese

1 TBSP sour cream

1 TBSP milk

Prepare a muffin pan with six muffin liners. Spoon in enough to fill the cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and gold fish

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until lightly brown

Squid Hot Dogs

Cut a hot dog in half

Take 5 or so spaghetti noodles and poke them in the cut end of the hot dogs

boil until noodles are tender

serve with ketchup and mustard

The Squid Hot Dogs came from an article I saw on Family Fun. I wish I would have marked the link, but I saw it, loved it and had to try it.

The green- seaweed- is steamed spinach. Luckily it is one of my girls' favorite veggies.

A Dinner for Kids

We've been eating really healthy and it gets really mundane for the girls. The other night, Scott and I weren't really wanting to eat, so I made up these little dinner rolls.

1 package flaky biscuits

2 hot dogs- sliced

1/2 cup shredded cheese

Separate the rolls in half. Place 3 pieces of hot dog and some cheese on the bottom half. Then replace the top. Put one more slice of hot dog on the top and sprinkle with more cheese.

Bake according to the instructions on the package.

I served these with jello and a pickle. It would have been a great lunch, but it worked for the girl's dinner when we weren't eating.

Spinach Artichoke Bites

Many years ago, Melissa and I were on a quest to find a good spinach artichoke dip recipe. We went looking through a large pile of cookbooks. Finally we came upon this one. We wrote it down on a scrap of paper from one of our planners and went home to try it out. It was awesome. I've stuck with the original recipe, but Melissa has updated her recipe.

For our ward prom, we were asked to bring appetizers or desserts. One of the items I brought was these individual Spinach Artichoke Bites. I got the idea for the individual bites here. These were a hit and very easy to make.

Follow the recipe below...

2 T butter
½ onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 small pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 8 oz cream cheese
½- ¾ pint sour cream
2 shakes WHITE Worcestershire Sauce
½ tsp white pepper
2 c parmesan cheese, shredded

Sauté onions in butter, add garlic when onions are almost clear. Once clear add artichoke hearts to sauté pan. Mix in spinach. Continue heating until warmed through out. Add cream cheese, stir in until melted. Add sour cream until desired consistency. Season with Worcestershire sauce and pepper. Stir in 1 c parmesan cheese.

While it is cooking on the stove, put wonton wraps in mini muffin tins. You'll have to be careful, because it is very easy to put a fingernail through the very thin wraps. Then fill the shells with a little less than a tablespoon of the dip. Sprinkle remaining parmesan cheese on each cup.

Bake at 350 for 8 minutes. Watch them so that they don't burn.

Try them with a crab dip, cheese dip or any other hot dip. They are yummy and easy.

Amy's Cocoa Buttercream Frosting...

I've never really been a baker or cake decorator, but I wanted to make mini cupcakes with a cocoa buttercream frosting. I searched the internet and found so many different ways to make buttercream frosting. So I made up my own and I really liked it.

1 package cream cheese- softened

3/4- 1 pound powdered sugar

1/2 cube softened butter

1/3 cup sour cream

6 tablespoons cocoa

1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat until creamy and frost your cake or cupcakes.

You can store the remaining frosting in an air tight container for a few weeks in the fridge.

Oreo Truffles from Kraft Foods

If you are in need of an easy hit at a party, make these. Oreo Truffles are really yummy.

Here's how easy...

1 package of Oreos

1 8 oz package of Cream Cheese- softened

1 1/2 bags of milk chocolate chips

1 cup of white chocolate chips

Smash the Oreos into little tiny crumbs. Mix in the soft cream cheese. It is easier to use your hands rather than trying to stir it in with a spoon.

Use a melon ball-er or cookie scoop and make 1 inch round balls. Place them in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Melt the milk chocolate (double boiler or in the microwave). Dip the truffles in the melted chocolate and place on parchment paper. Then melt the white chocolate and drizzle over the truffles.

Keep refrigerated until serving. They can keep in the fridge for weeks.

Enjoy!

Spaghetti Sauce...

I love the spaghetti sauce that I grew up eating. My mom would start it cooking first thing Sunday morning and let it simmer all day. I've made a few changes, but here's the recipe the way I do it...

1 lb lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
8 oz of sliced mushrooms (optional)
½ c of red wine
1- 2 T of brown sugar
1 tsp dried oregano (2 tsp fresh)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp dried parsley (4 tsp fresh)
2 bay leaves
1 can of tomato sauce
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 can of tomato paste (optional)
1 bottle of any flavor Spaghetti Sauce
1 can of olives (optional)

Sauté ground beef. Drain off access fat. In a separate pan, cook the onions, garlic and Italian seasoning until the onions are transparent. Add mushrooms. Sauté until juice from mushrooms is gone. Add mushrooms and onions to meat. Add wine, brown sugar and rest of seasonings. Continue to sauté for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, tomato paste and spaghetti sauce. Simmer for at least a half an hour. Add olives 15 minutes before serving. Cook until they are heated through. Serve over any noodles.

Variations:
You can add additional vegetables such as zucchini, squash, egg plant etc. Add them to the pan just after the mushrooms.
You can also make it with vegetables only.

Enjoy!