Beans Are Cheap, Beano Is Not

This has been an interesting observation as I've passed through the grocery store.  Beans are beneficial because they are high in protein and are a vegetable.  They are high in fiber, thiamin, folate, vitamin B6, niacin, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and manganese.  Read my source article HERE.   They help lower cholesterol and reduce your risks for coronary disease and heart attacks.  Some beans, like black beans, have many antioxidants that reduce your risk for developing some types of cancer and help you fight illnesses.  Beans do not have the steroids and hormones that many meats are pumped with and, therefore, will not react negatively to growing children's bodies or those who struggle with mood swings (like me).  These are some of the reasons why I've tried to add more beans to our family's diet.  Here are some bean recipes I really enjoy.

Neli's Puerto Rican Garbanzos

1 lb. dry garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

2 Tbs oil

2 Tbs Sofrito Red Tomato Base

2 links smoked or breakfast sausage (about hot dog size)

3 or 4 Tbs Tomato Sauce

1 packet Sazon Goya con culantro y achiote (that's coriander & annatto)

one of the following vegetables, chopped:

2 potatoes, 1 spanish squash, 1 large carrot or 1/2 yellow ripe plaintain

Soak the beans overnight.  Rinse the beans and boil about 1 hour until softened.  In a separate pot or skillet combine the oil, sofrito, sausage, tomato sauce and sazon cooking over medium heat for about 5 minutes.  Add the beans & vegetable and cook over medium heat until thickened, about 20 - 25 minutes.  Add water for desired consistency.  Serve over rice.

*Variation: use any dried bean - pink, pinto, white navy, black beans.

 from Nelida Rivera

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Cuban Black Beans

1 lb. dry black beans

1 green bell pepper

2 bay leaves

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp cumin

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 oz. of tomato sauce

1 Tbs apple cider vinegar

salt & pepper to taste

Soak the beans overnight.  Rinse.  In a large pot, place beans and cover with 2 inches of water.  Add green bell pepper, bay leaves, tomato sauce, salt & pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Meanwhile, in a skillet saute the onion, garlic & cumin in olive oil until translucent then add to the beans.   Reduce heat to simmer & cover until thickened, about 1 hour.  Add the vinegar and simmer another 30 minutes.  Serve over rice.

from Dr. Jorge Campana 

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Sausage Lentil Soup

1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced

1 lb. dry lentils, rinsed

1 cup ham, diced

1 medium onion, minced

1 small green bell pepper

1 medium carrot

2 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cumin

1 bay leaf

30 oz beef broth

30 oz chicken broth

2 cups spinach

Combine all ingredients except for the spinach in a slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours or until the lentils are tender.  Add the spinach and let stand 5 - 10 minutes until the spinach wilts.  Remove the bay leaf and enjoy.

from Menus for Moms

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White Chicken Chili

5 - 6 cups Great White Northern beans (I use 1 lb. dry beans, soaked & rinsed)

2 cups chicken broth

1 Tbs minced garlic

2 cups minced onions

1 Tbs olive oil

8 oz chopped green chiles

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp cloves

4 cups cooked chicken

1 hot pepper, seeded & minced *optional

Saute the onions & garlic in olive oil.  Add all remaining ingredients and simmer until the beans are soft (if using dried beans) about 1 1/2 hours.  Garnish with sour cream, jack cheese & onions.  Dip with tortilla chips, also good over rice.

 from Wanda Jackson

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Our Best Baked Beans

5 slices crispy bacon, crumbled

32 oz canned baked beans, drained

1/2 green bell pepper, seeded & chopped

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 tsp prepared mustard

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup hickory-smoke bbq sauce

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Mix all ingredients in a slow cooker.  Cover & cook on Low setting for 8 to 12 hours (on High for 2 - 3 hours).  Makes about 1 1/2 quarts, 6 - 8 servings.

 by Marilyn Neill

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Bowman Black-eyed Pea Stew

Combine in a pot:

1 lb. dry black-eyed peas, soaked & rinsed

1/4 head cabbage, chopped

16 oz can tomatoes

3 potatoes, diced

3 carrots, diced

1 onion, sliced

9 or 10 cups water

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

3 Tbs olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

Add sliced yellow squash and zucchini to make it even nicer.  Simmer until beans are soft.

from Madia Bowman 

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Reuse, Reduce: Keys to Variety within a Budget

Many of our dinners use ingredients from previous meals, saving cooking time and money. Some recipes call for ready-made ingredients, like spaghetti sauce. But if I prepare it myself, I can produce a large quantity for a fraction of the cost it would take to buy the same amount. For instance, one week I’ll prepare spaghetti. I will cook enough meat sauce to freeze at least three containers for later meals, including calzones, pizza, lasagna and chicken parmesan. Plus there is an added benefit knowing all the natural contents of the foods I prepare, taking comfort that we’re not consuming hydrogenated oils, excess salt and sugars.

Another key to feeding many mouths on a food budget and still maintaining variety is to use ingredients that are inexpensive, for example carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, rice, dried beans and pasta. Soups also tend to cost less per serving and per pot. These cheap ingredients make a bulk of filling foods without breaking the bank.

It is also important to utilize everything: waste not, want not. For example, I bake all our sandwich bread. But no one wants the end pieces of the loaf. With my bread knife I take a little sliver off the ends and freeze them to use for breadcrumbs later for meatloaf, meatballs, etc. Just thaw in the toaster, crumble in the food processor with the seasonings of choice and add them to the meal. Voila!

Biblically, it is imperative to follow God’s command regarding gluttony. Refraining from the third, fourth and fifth helping allows the family to enjoy the meal longer, thus stretching the dollar as well. The dollar is stretched because less food needs to be prepared, but also because the waist is not expanding to require new clothing. Neither do we starve ourselves, but it is important to stop eating when satisfied and avoid overeating as is popular in the current American restaurant culture. There is always tomorrow’s lunch when you can enjoy the blend of flavors again. Exhibit self-control; it is a fruit of the Spirit. If we're truly still hungry, then we eat more side items, like rice and beans, and not the expensive main course.

There are two important items to maximize your menu potential. The first is a large freezer, which is well worth the investment as many cost less than $10 to run each month and save you hundreds of dollars in food storage power. Secondly, a very large pot to cook huge quantities of soups and sauces. This goes without saying that you would also benefit from a large or extra large baking dish and a good number of freezer storage containers that can be labeled for quick reference.

Cheesy Chimichangas

The presentation

The hidden goods

Oh so yummy! I fell in love with chicken chimichangas at El Sombrero restaurants. This beef version is healthier because it's baked instead of fried and these are so very cheap to make. To make it more like the restaurant, you could pour that wonderful white queso over them to serve. My mouth is still watering!

I only used one pound of ground beef, 1/2 an onion, garlic powder and sea salt. Enjoy!

Cheesy Chimichangas
1.5 pounds lean ground beef
2 large onions, chopped
2 tsps garlic salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

8 (8-inch) soft flour tortillas
2 tbs vegetable oil, divided
16 oz salsa
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded Monty Jack cheese
Shredded lettuce & chopped tomatoes
Guacamole dip

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Grease or lightly coat 13x9 dish with nonstick spray; set aside.
Cook and stir beef & onions in large skillet over med-high heat until no longer pink. Drain and discard fat. Stir in garlic salt & pepper.
Brush one side of each tortilla with oil. Spoon 1/4 cup beef off center on oiled side. Top beef with 1 tbs each of salsa, Cheddar and Monty Jack cheeses. Fold ends of tortilla to middle, then roll tightly around to seal. Place in prepared dish seam side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Brush tops with remaining oil.
Bake uncovered 10-15 min or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 2-3 min longer to melt cheese.
Serve warm on bed of lettuce & tomatoes. Spoon remaining salsa over chimichangas. Serve with guacamole, if desired.

Shrimp Tostadas!

Oh so yummy! I really, really enjoyed this meal. It was almost like eating at a restaurant, except I prepared, served and cleaned up myself. :-) But that's what makes it a fraction of the cost! :-D

Jeramy bought me a recipe book, Mexican at Home: Favorite Restaurant-Style Recipes, for Christmas and that's where this recipe comes from. The publishers collected recipes from well-known companies using their name brand food products. This one is from Ortega.

Shrimp Tostadas

1 pound cooked shrimp, peeled & deveined
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup chopped white onion
4 oz can diced green chiles
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons lime juice
16 oz can refried beans, warmed
10 count tostada shells, warmed
2 & 1/2 cups shredded lettuce

Combine shrimp, tomatoes, onions, chiles, cilantro, oil & lime juice in a bowl; cover.
Spread about 2 tablespoons of beans on each tostada shell. Top with 1/4 cup lettuce and 1/2 cup shrimp mixture. Makes 10 servings. Time from start to finish: 15 minutes.

The shrimp mixture may be prepared in advance, covered & refrigerated.

Because Jeramy likes warm dinner meals & because I'm pregnant, I tossed the shrimp mixture in a non-stick skillet until steaming before layering on top the lettuce. I also added diced avocado and served with rice. It was excellent! Enjoy!

Fab Foods

Traditional Southern Apple Crisp!

Green Granny Smith apples and dried cranberries tossed in butter, white and brown sugars with a wonderful buttery, brown sugar oatmeal crisp baked on top served hot with a generous helping of cool whipped topping!

Yum to the MAX!

Recipe from Food & Wine Magazine

Homemade Chicken Parmesan

Leg quarters breaded with homemade whole wheat bread crumbs smothered in homemade spaghetti sauce sprinkled with shredded mozzarella cheese and a touch of parsley to garnish.

Recipe from Menus 4 Moms

Homemade Whole Wheat Crackers

1 and 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp iodized salt

3/4 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp chili powder

6 tbs oil

1/2 cup + 1 tbs water

salt for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium bowl place all ingredients in order, then mix with a fork until a soft dough forms, about 30 seconds. Place dough directly on ungreased pizza stone or metal cookie sheet. Using a rolling pin, roll very thin to 1/4" thickness or less. Use a pizza cutter to make cracker shapes. Dust salt on top of crackers and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until medium brown in color. Crackers should lift easily from baking surface. Cool completely uncovered, then cover to store. Crackers will be chewy immediately but will become hard and crunchy, a hearty, strong cracker, once cooled. These crackers stand up to my thick, dense chicken cheeseball without breaking.

The edges will cook more quickly than the center. After 10 to 12 minutes, remove browned crackers and replace stone in oven. Keep a close eye on it and remove the inner crackers after the remaining 2 to 3 minutes. When in doubt on the color change, remove the stone from the oven and allow the crackers to remain on stone.

I developed this recipe by altering an unleavened bread recipe I got from my friend P. Truelove.

Crackers are so expensive in the store and these are easy and really cheap to make. From start to finish it only takes about 15 minutes! Enjoy!

Trade the Calories, Not the Taste

Call me crazy but, I like celery.

I like the crunchy texture and I like that I can use it to substitute for bread or chips. I also like that it has very few calories and helps keep the intestinal tract moving. And it's very inexpensive.

It can be used in place of onion in recipes.

Use it instead of high-calorie tortilla chips when dipping salsa. It's packed with veggies. You can eat as much of this as you like and still not pack on the calories. Yum!

Use it instead of bread with the same sweet salty flavor to make the always fun Ants on a Log snack with peanut butter and raisins. It's high in protein, get a fruit serving and lots of flavor.

Make a sweet sweet snack with PB-free Ants on a Snowy Log using cream cheese and raisins. You'll get a serving of calcium-rich diary, protein, and a serving of fruit too. Who said you can't have your cake and eat it too?!

I like to use it to dip my chicken cheeseball with instead of high-calorie crackers. Use it to dip tuna fish too. Oh, the possibilities!

Does anyone else like celery?

Red, White & Blueberry Cake

Celebrate Memorial Day

Vanilla covered pretzel sticks with red sugar sprinkles and blue York peppermint pieces

Triple Chocolate Cake with a powdered sugar dusting and decorative corners

Blueberry Cake

The Birthday Man

Thank You, God for all the brave soldiers who have served, fought and won battles and wars, giving their time, years, blood, limbs and lives so that we might enjoy some freedom in this country. This includes my husband, Captain Jeramy W. Anderson, who served 9 years in the Air Force, is currently on inactive reserve and who is also celebrating his 33rd Birthday today. Happy Birthday, Honey!

Do The Twist!: Soft Baked Pretzels

I love soft baked pretzels! We have a membership at Sam's Club and almost every time I go, I have to get one of the soft pretzels! (They're only $1.00!) I came across this recipe in the December 2010 edition of Food & Wine magazine and was really excited to give it a try. All the ingredients are normal stocks for any baker and therefore would be very inexpensive to make. I really enjoyed this experience and the outcome . . . ooh, yummy! Enjoy!

German-Style Pretzels

Active: 45 min Total: 4 hrs Makes 8 pretzels

3 and 3/4 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting

1 and 1/2 cups warm water

1 and 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

2 tsp kosher salt

2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

2 quarts water for boiling

1/2 cup baking soda

coarse or pretzel salt

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer with dough hook, combine flour, warm water, yeast, salt and butter. Knead on medium speed until evenly moistened, about 2 minutes. Knead on high speed until smooth, elastic dough clings to the hook, about 8 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface and cover loosely with a dry towel for 5 minutes.

Cut the dough into 8 pieces and form each into a ball. Re-cover with the towel and allow to rest for another 5 minutes.

On an unfloured surface roll each ball into a rope, tapering the ends. Shape into a "U", cross the ends twice to make the twist, then bring the ends to the bottom of the "U" and press the tips into it. Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and let stand uncovered in a warm place 45 minutes or until slightly risen. Then refrigerate uncovered 2 hours or overnight.

To bake: preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Dissolve baking soda in 2 quarts of boiling water. Boil each pretzel for 30 seconds, then drain on a wire rack before salting with coarse salt. Bake on top and middle racks in the oven until they are shiny brown and risen, about 17 minutes. Shift the pans half way through baking, if applicable. Let cool slightly before serving.

Tips:

• The whole wheat flour held together much better than with all-purpose flour and looked much more attractive as real pretzels once they were finished.
• When using all-purpose flour, be careful that the dough doesn't rise too much if you really want them to maintain their pretzel appearance.
• Use a little bit of water on your hands to help roll the dough into ropes.
• When boiling the white flour pretzels, it might be better to do them one at a time instead of several at once, so that each pretzel will stay well-formed and won't boil longer than intended.
• Do not bake the pretzels on the parchment paper because they will stick once they are cooled! It might be better to bake them directly on a cookie sheet greased with butter.
• I used salted butter and they came out wonderfully. I never use unsalted butter because I'm too cheap to buy it special when I have the other always in stock.

Two More Recipes for Nursing Moms

Shiphrah still has a hard time with flatulence, particularly when I eat dairy. Yesterday my Mom made this wonderful strawberry trifle (Paula Dean Christmas recipe) with cream cheese, whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk. Afterwards, Shiphrah screamed for at least an hour. :-( Bad, Mommy, bad!

Garlic and onions are unavoidable in almost every prepared food, except meat and plain white bread. However her reaction is much less severe, she only spits up (a lot) when I eat these foods. So I'm still finding ways to prepare foods without those gas causing ingredients. Here are two more recipes:

Maple-Glazed Spiced Carrots

3 medium carrots (8 oz. total), peeled, diagonally cut into 1/4" slices

1/4 cup water

2 tbs unsalted butter

2 tsp maple syrup

3/4 tsp fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste

1/4 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

pinch of cinnamon

pinch of cayenne pepper

Combine the carrots, water, butter, syrup, lemon juice and spices in a small nonstick saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook until the liquid has reduced to a glaze and the carrots are tender, about 8 minutes. Just before serving, taste and adjust the seasonings by adding more lemon juice and salt, if necessary. Makes 2 servings.

Notes: To save time, you may use 8 oz. packaged peeled baby carrots. After reducing the heat to low, cook for about 10 minutes.

To make it non-dairy, eliminate the butter and use 1 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs sifted flour for the fat and thickener. I tripled the recipe for 2 lbs. of carrots for our Christmas meal and it was great. When cooked using the time guidelines, the carrots will have a more al dente texture, not completely soft in the center. Adjust the cooking time until you reach the texture you desire.

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Campbell's Tomato Vegetable Soup

1 can Campbell's condensed tomato soup

2 stalks of celery, diced very thin

2 carrots, diced very thin

2/3 can Leseuer peas

1 and 1/2 to 2 cans of water

1/4 tsp oregano

salt & pepper to taste

In a non-stick pot combine soup, celery, carrots and water on high heat. Allow to boil for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the carrots and celery are the desired texture. Once your texture is reached, add the peas and spices and cook for another 1 or 2 minutes. Allow to cool before serving. Makes a little more than two 8 oz. servings.

This was really good, easy and off-the-cuff.

Notes: If you don't have a non-stick pot, first boil the celery and carrots in about 3 cups of water until you get the texture you want, then add the rest of the ingredients. We still had the maple carrots left over, so I just rinsed them in water and added them to the pot. Super easy.

Recipes for Breastfeeding Moms

Our little one seems to have quite a bit of gas and it causes her a lot of belly discomfort. Jeramy and I refuse to call it "colic" because we reason that that term is just what doctors use to say, "Yeah she screams and we don't know why."

But since cutting my diet down significantly to eliminate the majority of known gas-causing foods, laying her to sleep on her stomach and keeping her over my shoulder during her wake times has brought about a better disposition and a somewhat more steady sleep routine. (And I'm more pleasant, too.) The list of gassy foods I found Here are:

• Apples
• Artichokes
• Asparagus
• Beans
• Broccoli
• Brussel Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cheese
• Corn
• Fruit Drinks
• Ice Cream
• Milk and Milk Products
• Onions
• Pasta
• Peaches
• Pears
• Potatoes
• Prunes
• Soft Drinks
• Whole Wheat

Which is pretty much everything I eat! Also I had to eliminate caffeine and chocolate. *NO! Not chocolate!!* And I was very surprised to see some fruit on that list!

So, I've taken to making pumpkin bread for breakfast with grapes, melon, nectarines or oranges and an egg or bacon or french toast with jelly or maple syrup. For lunch and/or dinner I'll have white bread sandwiches with mustard, pretzels, Campbell's tomato soup, cucumber slices, salads with catalina dressing and brown rice. PB and J works too and buffalo wings. Spicy things seem to be okay when done low to moderately. I'm taking a calcium supplement and the white bread is fortified with calcium too.

About two weeks ago I made a chicken soup in the crockpot with 3 bouillon cubes, 2 white meat frozen chicken breasts, 1.5 cups brown rice, carrots, celery, 1 can of Leseuer peas, parsley, salt and pepper, cooked on high for 4 hours. Everything was raw when I put it in the crockpot and filled the remaining room with water. After it cooked I cut the chicken up into smaller, bite sized pieces and it was great. Give it a try. It was really easy and really yummy. It also doesn't cost a lot.

Last week I made another crockpot soup with 1 lb. hot italian sausage (which probably has some garlic and onion in it, I'm sure), maybe 1/4 cup of olive oil, a heaping handful of fresh basil, some oregano and parsley, about 2 cans of diced tomatoes, 1 can of Campbell's tomato soup, carrots, celery and I filled the remaining room in the pot with water and cooked for 4 hours on high. It was good but next time I think that chicken broth or bouillon will add more flavor instead of water and possibly a bay leaf or two. I wanted to add rice to this soup too, but we ran out. Only add one or two carrots if you add any. I really wanted something similar to sausage and lentil soup, but I'm unsure as to whether lentils are considered a bean. It's more like a pea, but aren't beans and peas from the same family?

If you have recipe ideas that don't contain those gassy foods -- PLEASE SHARE!!

Key Lime Pie

Mom gave me a packet of Wind & Willow mix and I just followed the directions. It only took about 5 to 10 minutes to prepare. This recipe produces a flavor that is not too bitter or too sweet and the texture is medium thickness (cream cheese and whipped cream). This is a great dessert to make if you're pressed for time and/or don't want to spend a lot of money on special ingredients. But for the future, I think making a pie with more scratch ingredients won't be too much more trouble and might produce the texture and flavor I prefer.

I made it for us (my pregnancy cravings) and Jeramy thought it looked so good, he insisted I take a picture.

Low Country Boil

There are so many things that I was ignorant of when I first moved down to Register with Jeramy in August 2007. This meal, typical of the South Carolina-Georgia coast land, was one of them. (Also pictured Grandma Gladys' Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese.) Each time I've enjoyed this meal, it's been with a very large crowd. Here's the recipe printed on the back of the sausage box:

Crab boil - 1.5 tsp per quart

10 medium new potatoes, quartered

5 Roger Wood Sausage links (1.5 pounds)

5 ears of corn

3 pounds of shrimp (they usually get medium sized)

Directions:

Fill a large pot with enough water to cover all the ingredients and add the crab boil. (You need a gigantic pot!) When the pot begins to boil add the potatoes. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

Add corn and cook for three minutes. Then add the sausage and cook seven more minutes. Add shrimp, cooking for only 2-3 minutes. Drain and serve hot.

Not Your Average Treat

I've had a cravings for Rice Krispies Treats lately and so I decided to make some. When Jeramy saw the ingredients, he decided to do it for me. :-) Jeramy has a history with these Rice Krispies Candy (as they call it) and I'll share it with you.

Jeramy's parents have historically been in business for themselves. They owned the second largest tobacco farm in GA before the Government Buy Out when they retired and they have also owned other, smaller operations including a convenience store. At the time they co-owned the store, Jeramy, then 12 or 13, decided that he wanted to make a little money too. He decided to invest in homemade Rice Krispies Candy. He had this down to a very fine science from how much each ingredient would cost, counting the marshmallows, the wrapping materials - everything. He was very successful at this enterprise and made a good bit of money. People would rave about these Treats and it got to the point where customers requested them by name and preferred these to other candies and favors. As a result the other co-owners decided that they didn't want Jeramy to continue with his Candy business and shut him down. Customers got mad when they pulled it from the shelves because they were the best. The consistency and ratio of marshmallow to cereal, the texture, a personal recipe and the price were what drew people.

He has kept his original recipe a secret (even from me) but here are a few tips from the master about making your own Rice Krispies Treats:

1. Use real, brand name ingredients. Don't use generic cereal or marshmallows.

2. Use water on your hands and utensils to keep the marshmallow from sticking.

3. Cover with air-tight plastic wrap to keep it moist if it lasts through the next day.

4. Allow 30 minutes to cool and set before serving.

5. Cut with a straight-edged knife.

Cheesy Chicken

This is one of my favorite recipes! My mother-in-law makes this and it is easy and super tasty! It is pictured here with mixed veggies, stewed tomatoes and rice. You have to serve this entree with a lot of filling sides because it will be gone too quickly if you only make one or two. Enjoy!

Cooked chicken (about 1 1/2 cups best from the crockpot or roasted)

about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

1 - 8oz. can of crescent rolls

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 cup of milk (preferably whole)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine chicken and 1 cup of cheese in a bowl. Separate the crescent rolls into 8 triangles. Place a heaping ball of mixture on the dough and roll up the crescent around it. Set aside. Combine the soup, milk and remaining cheese in the bottom of a stoneware cookie sheet or glass casserole pan. Arrange the crescents on top of the soup mixture and bake for 20 - 30 minutes or until golden brown. It makes 8 stuffed cheesy chicken rolls.

I'm getting hungry already! :-)

An Unexpected Compliment

Today I made chili. It's appropriate - Chili on a chilly day. :-) Jeramy took some to work and when he called me on his break he told me that it was better than his chili . . . which is his Mom's recipe!

Wow.

I never thought I would have heard that one. :-) "Your cooking is okay but not like Mother makes . . . " (Tim Hawkins) I knew this and I'm not offended by it like some women might be. I learned the majority of my cooking skills from my Mother-in-Law directly from her or secondarily through my husband who was taught by her. Besides that I grew up in suburban Northern VA and she is a country Southern GA cook. That doesn't mean the NoVa has inferior food (hey-MD crab cakes aren't too far away!), not at all, it's just a different style.

But this compliment was so memorable, I had to share it. Thanks, Honey.

This recipe for chili I got from my Mom, although I alter it a tad, it still has her marks all over it. I take a big can of diced tomatoes from Sam's Club and make a big pot. Browning 2 lbs. of 90/10 ground beef with diced onion, green pepper, celery, salt, black pepper, just a touch of Italian seasonings, and lots of cumin and chili powder (although I cut out the onion due to my 1st Tri-nausea). I can't tell you how much seasonings I used, I just throw them in there and taste as it's simmering. The kidney beans I bought dry and used the quick soak method the night before, then had them simmer/cooking while the meat was browning. After the meat browned, I added the big can of diced tomatoes and more chili powder, cumin, salt & pepper seasonings, brought it up to med-high temp then added the drained beans to continue cook/simmer for a total of 2 hours for the beans. The longer it simmers, the better the flavor. It's done when the beans and celery are tender. Sometimes I add ground red pepper if I'm in the mood for spicy chili. I always serve it with cornbread muffins, sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese. I like this chili a lot because it's a complete healthy and hearty meal - meat, vegetables, and dairy - and a big pot is not expensive to make, about $5, the dairy will cost more.

If you try it, I hope you'll like it.

Baking Secrets

If you're making a box cake mix (Duncan Hines, Moist Deluxe, Betty Crocker, etc.) the directions say that you only need to add oil, water and eggs. As I was watching my Mother-in-Law prepare cupcakes for Lily's Birthday Lunch tomorrow, she gave me this tip:

Instead of water, add milk (with fat, 2% or whole).

Mmm, creamy.

And instead of 1/2 cup of oil, add 1/2 cup of butter.

Mmm, smooth and buttery.

Mmmm, Pumpkin Bread

I got this recipe from Jeramy's Aunt Janice Jenkins. It's easy and great! Part of a complete breakfast. :-)

3 cups sugar

1 cup oil (vegetable is best)

2 cups pumpkin (15 oz can)

4 eggs

3/4 cup water

3 1/3 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Mix all ingredients together in an extra large bowl. Bake in 3 greased loaf pans for one hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Baking tips: Mix together the wet ingredients first, then add the spices, then the flour last, mixing well between each ingredient added. You want the dough mixture to be as smooth (no lumps or clumps) as possible. Greasing the pans with butter adds more flavor but non-stick spray is easier and less time consuming. You will know the bread is fully done when a knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cheddar Sausage Balls

I received this recipe from one of my friends from Seminary who is currently living in China, Kelly.

1 lb. fresh, ground spicy pork sausage

16 oz. pkg shredded Cheddar cheese

2-3 cups baking mix

1. Blend all ingredients together and shape mixture into walnut-sized balls.

2. Place on a sprayed, foil-lined cookie sheet.

3. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Serve hot.

Personal Notes: For our girls' joint birthday party I doubled the recipe and used 1 lb. spicy and 1 lb. mild sausage. I shredded my own mild cheddar cheese in the food processor (about 1.5 lb.) and added 5 cups of baking mix. It would be best to mix the sausage and cheese together first before adding the baking mix (Bisquick) a little at a time. It took me about 10 to 15 minutes to mix all three ingredients together to get a nice even consistency. The larger you roll the sausage balls, the longer they will take to bake through and they rise upon baking. Jeramy found that they were difficult to remove from the foil after baking.

These were a hit! Enjoy!

Vegetable & Meatball Soup

My Mom got this recipe from a good friend who now lives in North Carolina. We really like this soup because it's hearty and very filling, considering that it's a vegetable soup. It has a northeastern flavor. Enjoy.

6 cups water

4 cups Italian stewed tomatoes

1, 1/2 cups chopped celery

2 cups diced carrots

5 medium potatoes, peeled & diced

2 large onions, chopped

4 tsp. salt

3 bay leaves

2 tbs chopped parsley

1 tbs sugar

2 tsp ground oregano

2 tsp pepper

2 tsp ground basil

2 - 16 oz cans cut green beans

12 oz whole kernel corn

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2 lbs. lean ground beef

2 eggs

1/3 cup bread crumbs

2 tbs milk

2 tsp salt

pepper to taste

Combine the first 13 ingredients in a large dutch oven or pot. Cover and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

To make the meatballs: combine hamburger, eggs, crumbs, milk, salt, pepper and mix well. Shape the meat into 1 inch balls. Drop raw meatballs into boiling soup and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the beans and corn for the last 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and serve.

This soup can be frozen.

The bay leaves will be difficult to find in all of the soup. Mom and I just serve it and remove the leaves as we find them.

The meatball recipe is really versatile. You can put them in spaghetti, calzones, as an appetizer or make your own meatball submarine sandwiches!