Menu Monday

Fall ... football ... AND ... CHILI!  I don't know if there is anything better each fall than the return of chili.  Typically, I go with a simple chili, but I HATE beans - the texture, the taste ... everything = GROSS! But ... I believe I've found a substitute ... potatoes!

Here's the recipe ... it gets "judged" tomorrow, so we'll see if it receives raving reviews, but no matter what I enjoy it!

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (29 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups water
• 6 potatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Chili Seasoning Mix...

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
• 1 tablespoon dried, minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Brown meat, then add in onion and minced garlic. 
When onion is soft, add 2-3 Tbsp of the chili seasoning to the meat mixture
Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and water
Add potatoes and boil for 45 minutes
If necessary, add a couple dashes of hot sauce and/or additional chili powder
Serve with cheese, crackers or your favorite toppings!

Menu Monday

Everyone has "that" meal that takes you back "home" - a special recipe or meal that you remember from childhood.  I have a few of those things and to this day they're some of my favorite foods.

One is a simple spaghetti sauce recipe that I thought I'd share with you...

1 lb hamburger
1 small onion (chopped)

1-2 cans tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
Water (fill can of each sauce/paste used)
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
Garlic Powder/Garlic Salt to taste
Salt to taste

Brown hamburger and onion, mix in rest of ingredients and simmer long enough for ingredients to mix together (the longer the better!)

Food Allergy Awareness Week

This past week has been Food Allergy Awareness Week and I've been in Dallas with very limited internet, otherwise I would have posted before the week ended :-)

Funny thing is, I'm sitting in the Lobby of Prestonwood Baptist Church writing this while the final session of the Dynamic Church Conference is taking place ... because for the final snack of the conference popcorn was the choice, which means I need to stay far, far away.  But, its given me an opportunity to share a couple things I hope you will find helpful when around anyone with any type of food allergy.

1. Know them for WHO they are
Often, when meeting new people, I find that my food allergy becomes the subject, not who I am. Get to know the person and if they want to share about it, talk ... but if they don't that's ok too.  Get to know THEM, not the allergy.

2. Realize that they CAN eat
One of my biggest pet peeves ... "You can't eat ANYTHING!"  ACTUALLY, I can make almost anything and it probably is better than what you eat ... at least its healthier than processed foods.  You just have to know the brands.  Simply because one brand of spaghetti sauce contains the allergen, doesn't mean that all brands of spaghetti sauce contain it.

3. Be FLEXIBLE
It's hard enough to speak up and say "I can't eat there" or "I can't go in there", so when it does ... just say ok and move on.  Help select places to eat, but don't be frustrated when menus have to be checked, etc


4. "It's a SECRET"
Those three words are the MOST frustrating three words that can be heard when attempting to gather ingredient information.  What's really more important ... a secret recipe or someone's life?  Realize that the person asking who has a food allergy doesn't want to copy your recipe ... they want to enjoy your recipe!

5. Show you CARE
The best way to show someone you care who has a food allergy is to get to know them and not make a big deal about the allergy.  One of the best ways to do this is to learn how to read food labels and take the initiavtive and the time to do so.  Invite them over for dinner and let them know you'll be serving "safe" foods.  Offer ingredient listings the first few times to make sure you're getting it and let them know that they can trust you to serve allergy-friendly foods.

If you'd like to learn more about food allergies and support the millions of americans affected by them check out this website: www.foodallergy.org

Cookies!

I LOVE to cook! Baking isn't bad, but I'd rather cook a meal :-)

But, every now and then I like to bake ...especially if I have some helpers! I borrowed the kids of one of my friends last weekend and baked Christmas Cookies with them. We had a TON of fun baking the cookies and even more fun decorating them!

In the end I think we had more icing than cookie, but that made them yummy :-)

Menu Monday

Looking for a yummy, warm soup on a cold winter day? Check out this recipe for Loaded Baked Potato Soup.

Thanksgiving

The planning for Thanksgiving has begun! This will be the second time that I've cooked the meal for my family. I LOVE cooking ... and especially Thanksgiving Dinner! It also makes it easier for me to know what ingredients are in the food and makes the day much more enjoyable without having to avoid a potential allergic reaction!

So as I put together the Thanksgiving menu ... what's the dish you can't go without at Thanksgiving?

Menu Monday

I made this amazing dip for Life Group last night.  I got the recipe from a friend ... give it a try - I'm sure you'll enjoy it as well!

1 Pkg Cream Cheese

Top with...

1/4 Cup Pesto

1-2 Plum Tomatos

1/4 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Place in aluminum foil and grill for 8-10 minutes.  Serve with Wheat Crackers.

A New Favorite

Mexican Eggrolls!

I know, I know ... I too was skeptical at first, but not anymore! They're basically a taco inside an eggroll! They're quick and easy and don't make a mess when you eat them!

Here's how to make them...

1lb Hamburger Meat
1 Pkg Taco Seasoning
Chopped Onion (however much you want in the eggrolls)
Shredded Cheese (however much you want in the eggrolls)
Shredded Lettuce
Sour Cream
Salsa or Taco Sauce
2 pkgs of Egg Roll Wrappers (usually in the organic/health food section or at health food stores)
1 egg to seal the egg roll wrappers
Oil for frying

Brown the hamburger and mix with the Taco Seasoning (follow directions on package)
Mix in the cheese and onion (or any other taco toppings that you like - green chilis, peppers, etc)

Take an egg roll wrapper and place approx 1 tbsp of taco meat/mix in the wrapper
Follow egg roll wrapper directions to fold
Then take a second wrapper and wrap it around the first, seal with egg (this will ensure that it doesn't make a mess!)
Fry the egg roll in the oil until both sides are brown/somewhat crispy

To serve: Place on a bed of lettuce and top with sour cream and salsa/taco sauce - or dip in sour cream and salsa/taco sauce

Typically 1-1.5lb of meat will make 15-18 egg rolls depending on how much meat is placed in each egg roll.

Pumpkin Seeds

Here's a favorite pumpkin seed recipe...

Ingredients...

• 1 1/2 tablespoons margarine, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds

Simple Instructions...

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
2. Combine the margarine, salt, garlic salt, Worcestershire sauce and pumpkin seeds. Mix thoroughly and place in shallow baking dish.
3. Bake for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Fun With Food

I have always LOVED Onion Rings! Often, while at the grocery store I find myself reading the ingredient labels on every brand of onion rings, hoping that just this once I'll find that one of them has dropped corn from their recipe ... but it never seems to be the case! So, tonight I decided to make some of my own Onion Rings ... and they turned out pretty good! Here's the recipe and a few pictures ... not too hard to make and pretty tasty!

All Recipes (TONS of recipes for anything and everything - check it out!) - Onion Rings