White Bean Chicken Chili

 Ingredients:
1 lb great northern soaked 24 hours sorted (way less sodium this way)
1 bullion cube (I used Chicken)
various seasonings (I wing it and add what looks good)
    season-all (Lawry's)
    onion powder (use real onion if you prefer)
    garlic powder (use garlic clove if you prefer)
    chili powder
    ground black pepper
    ground cumin (just a pinch or so)

1 lb. uncooked chicken (I used white breast tenders)
1 can cream of chicken soup
3-5 cups of water
1 cup of frozen corn

 Directions:
Put all the ingredients in the crock-pot 6-8 hours on low 3-4 hours on high.  Taste as it cooks as the flavors will change, it may need salt, or more chili powder just don't go crazy.  Once the beans are cooked through pull the cooked chicken from the pot to shred.  Using a blender or emulsion blender, blend up part of the bean soup mix and thicken the soup.  Add the shredded chicken back to the soup. (I did not end up doing the emulsion blender step at all.  My chicken fell apart in the soup and the cream of chicken soup thickened it up plenty for me)
 Serve:
top with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream.  Serve with bread.  I just made a loaf of beer bread yesterday so that is what we will be enjoying.

Banana, Zucchini, Chocolate Chip Muffins

So I had a bunch of borderline banana's and a zucchini someone gave me.  Kodie does not care for zucchini so I try to find creative ways to use it since it is so good for you.  One trick I have found is pealing the zucchini, nothing says mom is sneaking healthy food in like green flecks of skin.  Then I went to search out a recipe to use up borderline banana's and sneak in some zucchini.  This is what I found......

Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1.5 cups grated zucchini (squeeze the extra water out of it)
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1.5 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup pecans
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. 
Grate zucchini (either by hand or using a food processor), then squeeze grated zucchini to remove some of the water. Measure 1 1/2 cups zucchini and mix with the mashed bananas.
In a medium-sized bowl, beat egg and honey. Stir in the grated zucchini, then the oil. Sprinkle baking soda, baking powder, and salt over the top of this and mix in.
Add whole wheat flour and cinnamon to the zucchini/banana mixture and mix until just combined. Fold in chopped pecans and chocolate chips.
Spray muffin pan or individual muffin cups with non-stick spray, then divide batter evenly among cups to make 12 muffins. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Bran Appetit!  is where I found the recipe and let me tell you they turned out so good that Kodie wanted to make another batch.....and she even added the zucchini.

I loved the fact that it used Whole-wheat flour, and honey.  The only thing "bad" for you in them is the chocolate chips and it is only 1/4 cup so it just adds a little sweet chocolate bite.

Black Bean Salsa

Ok so Sandi posted a similar recipe, but it is that "similar"  not the same. 

This is a big hit at anything I take it to and has become my "go-to" recipe for any pot-luck.

1 can black beans (I like Bush's they are softer than generic)
1 1/2 cup frozen corn (or 1 can whole kernel corn)
1 lrg avocado or 2 smallish ones
1-2 fresh whole tomoates ( I wing it whatever I have in the fridge about 1 1/2 cups of fresh sliced        tomatoes, cherry, grape, 1 big, 3 small)
1 lime (I also use lime juice in a bottle or lemon or whatever I have on hand for citrus) about 1-2 tablespoons.

Rinse the canned/frozen ingredients, dice up the tomato and avocado.  I add my citrus over my avocado to help prevent browning (in case it lasts more than an hour)

Now the fun part...... seasoning

this is all to taste.
Season All (I use Lawry's)
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
a little Cumin (this makes it I swear)
salt and pepper to taste
sometimes I use cilantro sometimes not.  It is up to you.  I don't like raw onions, so I don't use them, but you can if you want.

Stir it all together let it rest about an hour, and stir again.  Serve with tortilla chips as a dip, or my daughter and my favorite is to add it to our taco.  This stuff is good enough to eat with a spoon out of the bowl.

I hope you enjoy!

Texas Caviar

This dip is so good!  I had this one night at a BBQ with some girlfriends and love making whenever I can.  Enjoy!

2 Cans Black Beans
1 Can Black Eyed Peas
1 1/2 C. Corn
16 ounce Salsa
1 tsp Garlic
1 Lime (juiced)
Fresh Cilantro-To Taste
1-2 Diced Avocado

Drain and rinse beans and peas.  Mix all ingredients together and serve with tortilla chips.

John Hoyt's Easy Chicken Fajitas

We have these quite regularly. They are yummy we think, and easy.

5-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 green peppers sliced
1 onion sliced
1 sq. butter
about 1/2 cup of brown sugar

You cut the chicken breasts in pieces and cook salt and pepper to taste.

In a seperate pan you melt the butter add the brown sugar and stir. Keep the heat on just enough to keep it simmering and then add the onion and green pepper. Let them simmer in the sauce til the chicken is done, then add the chicken and keep it simmering for another fifteen minutes.

Then you can add whatever fixings you like we like sourcream and salsa put it in a tortilla shell and eat up! It is delicious and easy!

Peanut Butter Cereal Treats

These are super easy yummy treats. I love making them because they are good and easy. You can use any kind of cereal, I generally use Cheerios or Cornflakes. Enjoy!


Peanut Butter Cereal Treats

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup corn syrup
2 tsp. Vanilla
1 cup Peanut Butter
4 cups Cereal (cheerios, cornflakes, etc.)


Mix sugar and corn syrup in a sauce pan. Heat to boiling. Remove from heat. Stir in Vanilla and Peanut Butter. Add your family's favorite cereal. Mix thoroughly. Press in 9x13 pan. Or with Cornflakes, I drop by the spoonful.

Cathie's Coleslaw Salad

Dressing make the night before:
1/4 C Sugar
1 tsp. Pepper
1 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Accent
2 T. Rice Vinegar
1/2 C Oil

Salad:
1 Pkg. Coleslaw Mix
4 Chopped Green Onions
1 Pkg. Sliced Almonds
8 tsp. Sesame Seeds
2 Pkg. Top Ramen Noodles-broken up
(discard seasoning packets)

Toast almonds and sesame seeds in microwave for 3-4 minutes.
Combine everything together in large bowl add dressing just before serving.

Honey Oat Wheat Bread

I love homemade bread, especially homemade wheat bread and this is my favorite recipe.

1 Tb. Active Dry Yeast

2 1/4 C. Warm Water

3 Tb. Canola Oil

3 T. Honey

1 Egg

5 Tb. Rolled Oats

3 C. Whole Wheat Flour

2 tsp. Salt

2 1/2-3 C. White Bread Flour

Grease two loaf pans, set aside.  Combine the yeast & warm water, cover and let stand for 10 minutes.  In a large bowl mix oil, honey egg, oats, whole wheat flour, salt; add yeast mixture.  Mix dough to a wet spongy consistency about 2 minutes.  Cover and let rise 20 minutes or until you see little bubbles and doubled. 

Gradually add the white bread flour.  Knead by hand about 5 minutes (kneading by hand gets the air out better).  Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic.  Let rise 30-40 minutes. 

After dough has doubled in size punch down and knead briefly then divide in half.  Shape two loaves, place in greased pans.  (Optional-you may lightly grease the tops of dough and sprinkle with oats.) Cover with a clean towel and let rise 45-60 minutes.  Preheat over to 350 and bake for 30-35 minutes.  Place on wire rack and let cool completely.

YUMMY!!