Mom & Dad are coming!!! Crock Pot Recipe - Chili

This evening we make a trip to the airport to pick up my parents. They are coming for a three week visit!!! (They are VERY anxious to escape the cold Ohio weather for a bit. For all you yankees reading this post, Brad and I had lunch out on our back porch this afternoon...after I finished watering my flowers in the front beds...couldn't help but rub in the fact that we are having GREAT weather right now. I'm sure you'll have the last laugh when we are in the heat of August though ;-) We are really looking forward to spending some time with Mom & Dad. The best part is that we don't have any big "family event" like a wedding or graduation pending that is going to keep us busy trying to finish up some house project in order to be functional around here!! Trust me... I could tell LOTS of stories about that... like the time both sets of parents arrived to find two of our toilets sitting out in the back yard while we were trying to finish up laying tile downstairs. Anyone that does their own remodeling will understand... the rest of you... don't even ask! Anyways, we have alot of fun things planned and I will be making a pot of this chili for one of our meals next week. It's Rodeo time here in Texas.... so what could be more "Texan" than a big ole pot of Chili???

Chili Con Carne
(can cook all day on low in crock pot)

2 lbs ground beef
2 c. onion, chopped
1 1/2 c. green pepper, chopped
2 lbs canned tomatoes, broken up
2 lbs dark red Kidney beans, drained (or Mexican style chili beans)
2 (8oz) cans tomato sauce
2 t. salt
1 T. (heaping) chili powder (MOL)
2 bay leaves
Cheddar cheese, grated, for garnish
Cook beef, onion & green pepper till browned. Add remaining ingredients except cheese. Cover & simmer 1 hour. (Or place in crock pot on low all day) Remove bay leaf. Makes 8 servings. Great with cornbread **Optional: add 1 oz sq of semisweet baking chocolate during last 30 minutes of simmering. Try adding diced pepperoni. From: Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook

Crock Pot Recipe - Enchiladas

Crock Pot Beef Enchiladas
1 lb ground beef
1 c. onion, chopped
1/2 c. green pepper, chopped
1 can (16oz) pinto or kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 can (15oz) black beans, rinsed & drained
1 can Rotel tomatoes, undrained
1/3 c. water
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 c. (4oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
6 flour tortillas (7”)
In a skillet, cook beef, onion & green pepper until beef is browned and vegetables are tender; drain. Add the next 8 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Combine cheeses. In a 1 qt. crock pot, layer about 3/4 c. beef mix, one tortilla and about 1/3 c. cheese. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours or until heated through. Yield: 4 servings.

Crock Pot Recipe - Quick & Easy Chicken with Gravy

I got this recipe 35 years ago in my 8th grade Home Ec Class. (ouch...giving away my age big time!! :-) It's easy, fast and tastes great!!


Crock-Pot Quick & Easy Chicken & Gravy
Place chicken breasts into crock-pot.
Mix together:
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can Golden Mushroom soup
2/3 can milk & 1/3 can water
Pour over chicken and cook in crock pot all day. Serve with hot noodles or over mashed potatoes. (NOTE: instead of crock pot, place in baking dish, cover and bake @ 350 for 1 hour. Remove foil and re-arrange chicken. Recover and continue baking for another 45 minutes. Remove cover and bake 15 minutes more.) From my 8th grade Home Ec class, 1972

Crock Pot Recipe - Easy Red Beans & Rice

Crock-Pot Easy Red Beans & Rice

2 (16oz) cans red kidney beans
1 lb smoked sausage, cut in 1 “ pieces
3/4 c. onion, chopped
1/2 c. bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 t. pepper
1/4 t. crushed thyme
cooked rice
Tabasco or Chalula sauce to taste
Combine all ingredients (except rice and hot sauce) in a crock pot. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Serve over hot rice. Let extra cool, bag label and freeze.

Spiced Rum Pecans

Last week we received a "care package" in the mail from our youngest daughter, Ashley. Inside was a small bag of these pecans and the recipe. Ok...so do I need to admit that the entire bag was consumed within the same day of receipt? They were GREAT!! Thanks Ashley for sharing!!
Spiced Rum Pecans

Mix together and set aside:
2 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
½ t cloves
¼ t allspice
In a sauce pan, melt together:
2 T. rum (or you can substitute rum flavoring I suppose)
2 t. vanilla
1 t. brown sugar
1 t. butter Bring to slight boil, turn to medium heat and add 6-8 oz half pecans. Stir to coat and cook until there is no more liquid left in pan. Spread pecans onto baking sheet. Pour sugar mixture over pecans and toss. Set oven to broil and watch pecans closely. Broil until sugar is mostly melted and nuts are toasty. Cool & Serve. Enjoy!!

In Celebration of Valentines Day...

Tomorrow is Valentines Day so I thought I'd post a few of my favorite sweet recipes for this time of year.
Betty Crocker’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
1/3 c. each: Crisco, butter
½ c. each: sugar, brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1 ½ c. flour
½ t. each: soda, salt
Nuts, chopped
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream Crisco, butter, sugars, egg & vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients. Fold in nuts & chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2” apart on parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Or, spread dough into a pizza pan and bake until lighlty brown. Cool on rack for a few minutes then take knife and cut into the shape of large heart... or cut out with heart shaped cookie cutter. Decorate with icing as desired. This recipe came from a Betty Crocker Kids Cookbook I received from my mother when I was young.

Basic Buttercream Icing
1/2 c. Crisco
1/2 c. Butter or margarine ( substitute 1/2 c. Crisco + 1/2 t. Wilton Butter flavor for pure white icing and stiffer consistency)
1 t. Wilton Clear Vanilla Extract
4 c. sifted confectioners sugar
2 T. milk (add 3-4 T light corn syrup per recipe to thin for icing a cake)
Cream butter and shortening with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep icing covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in airtight container, this icing can be stored for 2 weeks. Rewipe before using. Yield: 3 cups
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The BEST Sugar Cookies
2 sticks butter
2 eggs, well beaten
2 t. vanilla**
Pinch of salt
2 c. sugar
4 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
Cream butter and sugar. Sift dry ingredients: Add to sugar and butter alternating with eggs. Roll out thin and cut with desired cookie cutter. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Decorate with sugar sprinkles or icing. ** Option: Replace 2 t. vanilla with 1 t. vanilla, 1 t. lemon extract, 1/2 t. almond extract, 2 T. grated lemon rind.

Sugar Cookies Icing
1 c. sifted confectioners sugar
4 t. milk
1/2 t. vanilla
Mix well. Tint with red or pink food coloring if desired. Dries to “hard” shine.
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Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Crust:
2 c. crushed pretzels
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
Filling:
1 (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. Cool Whip
6 oz strawberry Jello
1 large can crushed pineapple, drain, reserve juice
2 (10oz) boxes frozen strawberries, drained, reserve juice Mix pretzels, 1/4 c. sugar & butter. Press into 9x13” dish. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Mix cream cheese, sugar & fold in Cool Whip. Spread over cooled crumbs. Dissolve Jello in pineapple and strawberry juice. (Add enough water to make 2 c. of liquid.) Heat. Put in refrigerator to chill until syrupy. Add fruit and spread over top of cream cheese. Chill and serve.

Seeking God...

I have had way too much of an inward focus lately... a topic of great discussion between the Lord and I. I want to focus my thoughts on Him, grow in His grace, and have a servant's heart towards others. I have to admit that these desires desperately need to become actions! Part of the "problem" is physical in nature, (severe anemia & hormonal) but I'm sure most of it is just plain sin and feeling sorry for myself. I am seeking to learn spiritual disciplines that will pull me out of this rut. So.... I don't know if any one who may drop by my blog ever struggles with these issues... but aside from scripture, here are a few resources I have appreciated this week. I am reading two books: Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes and The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn. I also read two great articles: Dying To Self As A Mother and A Letter To My Sister On Becoming A Mother on a blog I recently visited: Noblewomanhood.com Thanks to another blog I enjoy visiting, Tammy's Kitchen, for the links.
I think I am still missing our little dogs. Last night I made spaghetti and realized that for the first time in 14 years that I did not have two little dogs sitting at my feet shaking with excitement to receive their allotment of cooked spaghetti noodles. However, my husband's rather comical imitation was a fairly close second! :-) Ok Diane, get a grip!!

"Motherhood is the journey out of my own self-centeredness." ~ Author Unknown

I'm Back...

I guess it's been over six weeks since I've written anything on my blog!! I'm afraid I just haven't felt very inspired lately. We had a wonderful Christmas celebration surrounded by family and friends. All three of our daughters and two son-in-laws were here...along with visits from Megan's boyfriend, Josh and many dear friends. I blinked and January was over and now next week is Valentines Day!!

I will mention that this has been a season of loss in some respects for our family. I am deeply mourning the loss of our two elderly doggies that have been a part of our family for over 14 years. We had to put them to rest on Monday... and I have been crying and missing them very deeply since. With our girls grown and gone (or almost gone) Muffin and Puffin have been my companions and such a big part of my routines here at home. It seems amazing how much those two furry friends have worked their way into every area of our lives. As our vet told me, it's especially difficult for those in my stage of life as it signifies the end of an "era" for us. We got our pets when the girls were young and so many of our family memories have included both our daughters and our fluffy white dogs! Now it is time to close that chapter and move on to the next. I am thankful for our many happy memories and look forward to what the Lord has in store for us in this next stage of life! I am very thankful for loving friends and family to help get through this sense of loss. I am certain that God is just as faithful in healing pain over the loss of faithful pets as He has been through every other challenge of life!

So.... In memory of our faithful puppies... Puffin & Muffin.