Crock Pot or Not Chili

As the weather starts getting colder, there is nothing that I like better than a big bowl of chili. It's one of life's perfect comfort foods. It has meat, beans, tomatoes...seriously, what's not to love? I wanted to share my recipe for chili with you today. What I love about this recipe, passed down from my Mom, is that it is perfect for a crock pot, but if you are lacking on time, you can easily just cook it up in a big sauce pan on the stove for 20 minutes or so until it gets heated up. Here goes!

Amy's Crock Pot or Not Chili

2 cans of petite cut diced tomatoes

2 cans of chili beans (slightly drained)

2 cans of kidney beans (drained)

1lb of browned ground beef (with onion if you like)

1 cup (or so) of water

3 heaping tablespoons of chili powder

Garlic salt to taste

Add everything into the crock pot and heat on low for 6-8 hours. If you make it on the stove, the longer you cook it, the better it will taste. As always, soups like chili ALWAYS taste better the second day.

And here's a secret for you: I learned many years ago from a dear family friend, Chae Tartt, to serve chili over white rice. Although it sounds unusual, it really makes the chili stretch farther, and it gives it so much more substance. Chae is no longer with us, but I always think about her whenever I cook chili with rice. Anyone can serve chili with cornbread, Frito's or a grilled cheese sandwich, but you can totally surprise your family with rice. Give it a try. I promise you will love it!

Another secret: Just about everyone knows how delicious shredded cheddar cheese is in chili, but have you ever tried a dollop of low fat sour cream? It's amazing!

Another secret: I know this will sound so strange, but I also love chili with a spoonful of blue cheese dressing. I know that blue cheese is an acquired taste, and heaven knows that I don't understand why everyone doesn't enjoy it, but my oh my, it is delicious in chili!

Now that I'm all secreted out, you need to go make a big pot of chili with rice and cheese and sour cream and blue cheese dressing. You can thank me later! Have a great day!

Crock Pot Taco Soup

Okay so I know Amy has her own taco soup recipe and she might be willing to share it with you, but the night I wanted taco soup I did not have the time or energy to try to locate Amy (i.e., call her on the phone) and find out what it was.

So I had my sister google a recipe instead, and read me the ingredients list as I walked the aisles of the grocery store.

Once I got home with my purchase, I realized that the idea of refried beans in my taco soup just sounded...well, disgusting. So I tossed the idea of taco soup out for dinner that night, and went back to the store the next day to swap out for different ingredients. Here is the recipe I found (and loved!):

Crock pot Chicken Taco Soup
1 onion, chopped
16 oz can of chili beans, undrained
15 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
15 oz can of whole kernel corn, drained
8 oz can tomato sauce (mine was italian seasoned-what I had on hand!)
1 cup chicken broth
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
14.5 oz can Rotel (I used mild)
1 packet of taco seasoning
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used two 6 oz. packs of the already cooked Fajita seasoned Tyson strips!)

I also added in a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix.
And don't forget the shredded cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips!

The recipe said to put all ingredients in the crock pot and then place the chicken on top, cooking for 7-8 hours on low. Then you take the chicken out and dice it, adding it back to the soup. Since I had already cooked chicken strips, I just diced them up with my Pampered Chef chopper and added them at the very beginning.

I still think I cooked my soup for about 6-7 hours, and it was WONDERFUL! Plus the weather the night we had it was rather chilly, so it was just perfect for dinner!

Chicken Soup for your Soul (is it in your belly?)

Okay so this morning when I went out to my car to crank it before work (and crank up the heater!) my car's thermometer said it was FOURTY EIGHT DEGREES outside.
Then my car wanted to protest about starting under such harsh conditions. I don't know how people up north do it - in the teens and below zero. I'd never survive!

So in honor of the wonderfully chilly weekend temperatures, I'm going to share a recipe for homemade chicken soup given to me by a church member named Amy (no, not the one I blog with!)

I made this soup Thursday night when it was humid and rainy, and am enjoying the leftovers for lunch today.

Homemade Chicken Soup
Special note: this is not Amy's exact recipe, because I altered it a little.

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, stewed and either chopped or shredded
2 cans of chicken broth (I used bouillon granules to make my broth)
1 can of Veg All (undrained)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 Cup of cooked Minute rice (I measured out one cup and microwaved it)
Parsley
Salt & Pepper to taste

I did mine the night before. I boiled the chicken and while it was boiling I put everything else in the crock pot. Once the chicken was done I stirred it in and then put the crock pot in the refrigerator. Bryan put it in the crock pot before he left for work the next day, and by the time I got home it was DONE! I am not a big fan of eating condensed soup, although I like to cook with it. This has just the right amount of flavor and warmth to me, and also just the right amount of broth. It actually called for half and half or cream, but I forgot to add it and it was STILL awesome!

Oh and also on Friday night, Amy, Jackson, and Jeremy came over to test out a recipe for Hot Tomato Grits and a sponge cake Amy made! Come back Monday to see us share those recipes, AND our thoughts on how the meal turned out! - Miranda