Best Chili EVER!!!

I am back!!!!  I know it's been a very long time since I have blogged, but life happens and I haven't found the time to dedicate to blogging.  I have been cooking and I have been saving recipes to post.  I was talking to my students and to a colleague about my blog one day and realized it's been a hot minute since I have posted anything on here.  Well, that all changes now.  Hopefully as we transition into the new year, I can get on here at least once every couple of weeks to share some of the awesome things I am cooking.  In Kansas, the current weather is 21 degrees, which means it is SOUP season.  Yesterday, I made an awesome chili and thought it would be a great post to share.  My kids enjoy the food that I cook and unlike their mother, they don;t like spicy food that much.  If I were to make this just for adults who like a little kick, I would add red pepper flakes and I would use a hot chili seasoning.  I think what makes this the BEST chili EVER are the zesty diced tomatoes, the mix of ground beef, crumbled Italian sausage, and BACON! I also used three types of beans: pinto, black beans, and dark kidney beans.  It’s flavorful, warming, easy, and delicious, which is my book makes for one awesome recipe!  If you decide to make it, let me know how it came out.  Enjoy :)

Best Chili EVER!!!

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2-2.5 Hours
Total Time: 2.5-3 Hours

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds ground beef (I used lean ground beef)
• 1 pound of ground Italian sausage
• ½ pound bacon (take one pack and cut it in half)
• 2 (15 oz) cans DARK kidney beans, drained
• 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained
• 2 (28 oz) cans Hunts ZESTY diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 (6 oz) can of Hunts tomato paste
• 1 large Vidalia Sweet yellow onion chopped
• 1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
• 2 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 tablespoons of season all
• 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Cooking Spray
• 1 packet of original chili seasoning (McCormick)

Directions:

1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Spray it with your cooking spray.  Add ground beef and Italian sausage to the pot.  Season your ground beef/sausage with Season all, garlic powder, black pepper, and paprika.  Crumble the ground beef and sausage into the hot pan, and cook until evenly browned. Drain excess grease.

                                                         

2. In a skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Crumble and add to stock pot. Cook the chopped onion, red pepper, and minced garlic in the bacon drippings for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add to the large pot that has beef/sausage.

3. To the large pot, add in the drained beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and beef stock. Season with the chili seasoning packet, garlic powder, season all, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, basil, and paprika. Stir to blend.  Cover and let it cook for one hour on a medium-medium low heat.  After one hour, uncover and stir.  Taste to see if you need to add more seasonings to the pot. Cover again and cook for another hour. 

**The longer the chili simmers, the better it will taste.  It will surely taste better the next day :).  

4. After 2 hours, remove from heat and serve, or let it cool completely and then refrigerate.  Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, or whatever chili toppings you prefer!  I like to eat mine with Oyster crackers! 

Chicken and Shrimp Alfredo Stuffed Shells

This was by far one of my favorite recipes.  It did not take me that long to prepare and the entire family (and even the neighbors) enjoyed them.  My stuffed shells fascination started when I went to my friend Diane's house.  We had a potluck dinner and her husband made some for our main course.  I had never had a stuffed shell before and was pleasantly surprised at how delicious they were.  Ever since then, I have been coming up with ideas that I think would be great in a stuffed shell.  Nick (my husband) has been trying to stay away from pasta dishes with red sauce, so it was great when I came across a recipe on "Like Mother, Like Daughter."  Now you all know that I like to add to recipes to make it my own and that's what I did with this one.  The original recipe is for Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells, however I made some modifications and made it Cajun chicken and shrimp Alfredo stuffed shells.  If you don't like seafood, you can easily still make a Cajun chicken Alfredo stuffed shell.  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we all did.  

Recipe: Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Alfredo Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:

1 pound of shrimp

1 small package of chicken tenderloins (uncooked) OR 2 cups of cooked chicken

15oz of ricotta cheese

1 large egg

1 tsp of basil 

1 tsp of oregano

1 cup of Parmesan cheese (divided)

15oz of Alfredo Sauce of your choosing

1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup of Italian 5 cheese shredded cheese

Seasonings: season all, garlic powder, black pepper, creole seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring a pot of water to boil and cook your large shell noodles according to package directions (about 10-12 minutes)
3. When cooking your chicken: 1st- Cut it into chunks (1/4 inch).  2nd- season it with the garlic, black pepper, season all, and the creole seasoning (season to taste).  Place about 1/4 cup of olive or canola oil in a skillet.  3rd- When the oil is heated, add in the chicken and cook until no longer pink. 4th- You can either shred your chicken with a fork or place in a food chopper.  Then set aside.  
4. When cooking your shrimp: 1st- Season with the same seasonings you used for your chicken.  2nd- Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet. 3rd- Add shrimp and cook for about 5 -7 minutes. 4th- Chop the shrimp into pieces (not huge pieces....bite size). Then set aside. 
5. In a large bowl mix together the ricotta cheese, egg, basil, oregano, and ½ cup Parmesan cheese.
6. Stir in your chicken and shrimp.
7. Spread about ¾ cup of Alfredo sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 pan (this is so your shells do not stick).  
8. Put a ice size helping of the chicken/shrimp/cheese mixture into the middle of each shell and place into your Alfredo sauce in your pan.
9. Spread remaining Alfredo sauce over the top of your noodles.
10. Top noodles with mozzarella cheese, Italian five cheese, and the remaining 2 cup of Parmesan cheese.
11. Cover pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
12. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until cheese on top is melted.
13. When you remove from the oven, let it stand for about 5 minutes.  Serve with salad and your favorite garlic bread.
14. ENJOY!!!!!

Smothered Pork Chops

Last week, I made smothered pork chops and many people wanted step by step directions, so here you go!  

Recipe: Smothered Pork Chops

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cup Flour
1 teaspoon Seasoned All
1 teaspoon Lemon Pepper Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

6-8 whole Bone-in Breakfast Pork Chops
1/4 cup Olive Oil or canola oil
1 stick of butter

1 whole Large Onion, Peeled And Sliced
1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
1 whole Yellow or Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
3 Tablespoons Flour
2 cups Chicken Broth
2 Tablespoons whipping cream

Directions: 

1. Mix together the flour, season all, lemon pepper, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper in dish/bowl. 

2. Rinse your pork chop off thoroughly.  Lightly season the pork chop with season all, garlic powder, and black pepper.  

3. Dredge the pork chops in the flour mixture.

4. Heat the olive oil/canola oil and 4 tablespoons of butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. 

5. Fry the pork chops in batches until well browned on both sides.  Remove the chops from the skillet place in something that can go on the stove or in the oven to keep them warm.  

6. Drain some of the excess oil in a bowl (do not pour oil down your drain).  Add the onions, peppers, and a tablespoon of minced garlic to the same skillet and cook them, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove them to a dish and set aside. 

7. Time to make your roux: To the same skillet, add 4 tablespoons of butter.  Let it melt and then slowly whisk in 3 tablespoons flour. It will become pasty. Keep stirring/whisking until it becomes a dark brown color (not burnt).   Whisk in the chicken broth a little at a time, getting out all the lumps.  When it is a nice consistency, add the cream. Add more broth if the gravy is too thick. 

8. Taste your gravy and if need be, add more season all, garlic powder, and black pepper.  Add the onions and peppers, stirring them into the sauce. 

9. Place the pork chops in a large baking pan.  Pour the gravy, onions all over the pork chops.  Place in a preheated (350 degrees) oven for 15-20 minutes covered (with aluminum foil).  

Serve pork chops over a bead of rice with something green (asparagus, salad, etc) and of course bread!  Enjoy!!!