Zesty Chicken Chili

I always think that you can never have enough chili recipes, and I love eating chili year-round, not just when it's cold outside.

Lots of people prefer a beef chili, and though I love that too, this chicken chili is a nice change. It isn't real spicy, so if you'd like more heat, I suggest you sprinkle in some red peppers flakes when it's done.

This recipe makes six generous dinner size portions, and paired with hot buttered corn bread, it's an easy, and delicious meal.

Recipe for Zesty Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into cubes
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 can (10 3/4oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 can (15oz.) diced tomatoes, drained
2 cans (15oz. each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Heat oil in large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add chicken, chili powder, cumin, onion and pepper, and cook until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender, stir often.
Stir soup, water, corn, tomatoes, and beans into pot and heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low.
Cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve in bowls, sprinkled with shredded cheese.

Weekend Cooking With Veggie Pizzas

I started making homemade pizzas with my own dough a few years ago. I really love pizza, and making them from scratch lets me control exactly what is on top of them, and lets me be frugal in the sense that I can use whatever veggies are in the fridge, and still make a delicious pizza.

This weekend it was cold and rainy here in the Seattle area, more like winter than spring. Perfect weather to stay in and make some pizzas for my family to enjoy. This veggie pizza was my favorite.

It had spinach, mushrooms, browned onions, and black olives with a white pizza sauce. I made my super easy pizza dough, and in less than an hour my pizzas were done. And so good!!


Recipe for Veggie Pizza

Ingredients:

For pizza Dough:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 package all purpose yeast
1 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup white (store bought) pizza sauce
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
1 large onion, sliced and fried until lightly browned
6 mushrooms, sliced
1/2 black olives, sliced in half
1 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour, salt, and oil. Stir until smooth. Let dough rest 5 minutes.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Sprinkle with extra flour if the dough is sticky. Transfer crust onto a lightly greased pizza pan.
Spread evenly with pizza sauce, then add toppings and bake in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Let pizza set 5 minutes before slicing.

Makes one large pizza.


Enjoy!!

Glazed Strawberry Cookies

Seeing all the strawberries that are available is inspiring me to want to start baking with them. These cookies are one of my favorites, and are really delicious.

They are perfect with a cold glad of milk at home, but also great to pack up for a picnic. Moist and flavorful, they didn't last long at my house.

Recipe for Glazed Strawberry Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup diced strawberries
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of 1 lemon

For glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

 1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Place strawberries, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons flour, and 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar into a small mixing bowl and toss together until well coated. Place in refrigerator and set aside.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the remaining flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the butter until a fine/even, grainy texture forms.
4. Stir in the Greek yogurt and vanilla and mix until just combined. Fold in the strawberry mixture and lemon zest and mix until well combined.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment and spoon on 2 tablespoons of dough at a time, about 1 inch apart.
6. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until the cookies have barely started to brown on top. Remove from the oven and transfer cookies onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
7. While the cookies cool, make the glaze: Place the sugar, milk and vanilla into a small bowl and gently stir together with a fork until no lumps remain. Drizzle glaze over cookies and serve or allow to set, about 30 minutes, before serving.

Makes 20-24 cookies.


Inspired by Spoon Fork Bacon

Cowboy Quiche From The Pioneer Woman Cooks



I have to say that I haven't made very many quiches. I made a few attempts many years ago, but I don't remember being very impressed by them.

But that's before I discovered Ree Drummond's The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook, and her recipe for Cowboy Quiche.

Ree says she's made this for years, and will keep on making it till the day she dies, because it really is that good. I think she calls it a cowboy quiche so the men in her life won't think it's sissy food.

It really is delicious, and I love that you can put in whatever veggies you have on hand. I used broccoli, but you could use asparagus, mushrooms, or bell peppers, too. Or you can completely leave out the veggies altogether, but I thought the broccoli tasted great.

The recipe calls for two onions, but I only used one onion instead of two. One of my kids isn't a big onion lover, and she was going to be eating this, and I thought two onions might be a bit much for her.

I also used a super easy pie crust recipe instead of the one used in the book. It came out just great, and took just a few minutes to put together and bake.

Recipe for Cowboy Quiche

Ingredients:

For quiche crust:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons milk

For the quiche:
8 slices bacon, fried until chewy
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
8 eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

To make crust, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place all ingredients in pie plate. Stir together with a fork until blended. Pat mixture into bottom and up the sides of the pan. Poke holes in bottom and sides of crust. Bake for 15 minutes in oven, or until crust is golden brown.

To make the quiche, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Chop up the cooked bacon into bite-sized pieces. In a heavy skillet, over medium heat, fry the onions in the butter until deep, golden brown, about 12-15 minutes.
Mix the eggs, cream, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the bacon, onions and cheese. Add 1 cup of veggies (if you choose to use any). Stir to combine.
Pour the filling into the pie shell, cover lightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to set for 10 minutes.

Serves about 8.

Enjoy!!

Time To Fire Up The Grill With Hillshire Farm and Your Best Grilling Recipes



I have really been looking forward to some warm weather, so when it came, I was more than ready to get out the grill and start thinking about some good grilling recipes.

My family and I love to barbeque and eat out on the deck. But our Seattle area weather can be gorgeous one day, and rainy and cold the next.

We took advantage of a couple of sunny days to grill up some new Hillshire Farm American Craft Sausages that I picked up at Walmart.

Let me say right now, that I love these new sausages. I have bought Hillshire Farm meats forever, so I always trust that they will deliver a great tasting product, and they really came through with this one.

Delicious and flavorful, the new American Craft Sausages come in five flavors. I bought the Garlic & Onion, and the Smoky Bourbon flavors.

There are also Original Bratwurst, Jalapeno & Cheddar, and Craft Beer Brat to choose from as well.

These sausages are already fully cooked, so you can grill them, fry them, or microwave them in a short time.

We grilled them for about ten minutes, and they were smelling pretty delicious, and all ready to go into a bun with some toppings.

Sometimes we get fancier with what we put on our grilled sausages, but this time we just wanted the basics, good old-fashioned mustard and barbeque sauce.

I have to admit I have a bit of an onion obsession!!

I just love frying onions until they are soft and brown, and adding a tiny bit of sugar to help caramelize them.

I pile them high on all kinds of cooked or grilled meats. I have to say they were pretty fantastic on my sausages, and they totally brought out the flavor of the Garlic & Onion variety.

My son-law- was the grill master on the day we had this barbeque. Living in the Pacific Northwest, he has really enjoyed trying many of the local beers from some of the small breweries that we have here. So when I told him that Hillshire also made the sausages in the Craft Beer Brat flavor, he asked me why I didn't buy any.

That variety is next on my list to try for sure. If it's as good as the Smokey Bourbon, it's got to be delicious!!

I'm so looking forward to the summer months, where we can enjoy delicious foods, family and friends, outside on the deck.
#CollectiveBias

You can find all five of the new Hillshire Farm Craft American Sausages at Walmart.

From May1st - 4th, select Walmart stores will be featuring a special demo of American Craft Sausages.

Pick up a package today, and #StartYourGrill season off right, with these new delicious sausages from Hillshire Farm.

Recipe For Strawberry Cake

This is another cake recipe from the new Martha Stewart's Cakes book. With all the strawberries that are now available at grocery stores and farmer's markets, this recipe is a real winner for strawberry lovers.

It's easy to make, and moist and delicious inside. Keep a close eye on the baking time, as you don't want it to bake too long and end up too dry.

We put some whipped cream on each slice, and it was a delicious, mid-week dessert that pleased the whole family. The recipe was quite easy too.

I've talked about the Martha Stewart's Cakes book before when I made the Carrot Tea Cake recipe.

I have to say that this book really is a keeper, and one that I can see using for many, many years to come. It has virtually all the cake recipes that a baker would ever need, and many of the recipes are actually very easy.

I know Martha Stewart recipes can be intimidating, but the recipes in this book are not. I love the book for it's simplicity and the down-right delicious cakes that run from every day coffeecakes, to special occasion birthday cakes.


Recipe for Strawberry Cake

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter , room temperature, plus more for pie dish
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and halved

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch ceramic or tin pie plate. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low, mix in egg, milk, and vanilla.

Reduce speed to low, gradually add flour mixture. Transfer batter to prepared pie plate. Arrange strawberries on top of batter, cut sides down, and as close together as possible. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over berries.

Bake cake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees, and continue to bake until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 60 minutes more. Transfer pie plate to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 8 servings.

Enjoy!!

Homemade Tastes Like Cheez-Its Crackers Recipe

My grandchildren and I love to snack. When they are with me, they know Nana is always good for a tasty snack.

I don't like feeding them snacks with lots of preservatives and ingredients I can't even pronounce.  So this recipe for homemade crackers that really do taste like Cheez-Its is one of our favorites.

It's simple to make, and you can even get the kids to help you make them. And a double batch is recommended if you have lots of little snackers in your house. They don't last long.

Recipe for Cheese Crackers

Ingredients:

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup flour
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons ice water
sea salt for sprinkling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place all ingredients in a food processor, mix until well blended. Place dough in the refrigerator and chill for 15 minutes.
Roll out dough and slice into small squares. Put them on a non-stick cookie sheet and sprinkle with sea salt. Slightly flatten them with a fork.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let them cool before eating.

Enjoy!!



Recipe from Table For More blog

Finding The Best Coffee Maker To Help Me Enjoy My Morning Coffee Journey and A Giveaway!!

Like so many coffee lovers, my day starts out with that first cup of freshly brewed coffee. For me, brewing coffee is a special beginning to my day. So I am beyond excited to have just gotten this gorgeous new drip coffee maker from Mr. Coffee®, and it's ability to make my morning coffee taste delicious.

Since I live in the Seattle area, there really is coffee to be found everywhere, and I do my share of buying coffee when I am in the city.

But for me, waking up to a quiet, early morning cup, really is the best way to start my day.

I got my new Mr. Coffee® Optimal Brew™ coffee maker at Walmart, and while I was there, I decided to pick up a bag of coffee to celebrate. Yes, celebrate because I haven't had a new coffee maker in years, and I know this new beauty will be making me great coffee for years to come. For coffee lovers, a new coffee maker is a big deal for sure!!

When you have just bought a fantastic coffee maker, you have to buy some fantastic coffee to go with it.
Millstone® coffee is one of my favorites, and I always love opening a bag, and inhaling that delicious aroma. Especially if it's one of the flavored coffees they offer, like this Hazelnut Cream. It makes a rich and aromatic cup of coffee every time.

Millstone® coffee is available in light roast, medium, medium roast, and dark. Their flavored coffees are lightly roasted to allow the gourmet aromas and flavors to shine.

Love the flavored coffees!

Even though I spend a lot of time on the computer, my day starts with my datebook and that first cup of coffee.

It really is my special alone time, time to think about what I want, what I need to do that day, and catch up on mail, or read a new magazine.

I've been a mom for many, many years, and now I am a grandmother. I finally have time to drink my coffee at a leisurely pace, and it really is enjoyable. The special moments I enjoy with my coffee in the early mornings at my desk, are treasured.

Talking about how much I love coffee wouldn't be complete without talking about my father.

My dad was a Marine, and a gruff man who was busy earning a living for his family. He worked very long hours every day, but on the weekends, he made us pancakes. And every Saturday morning, he let me finish the last half cup of his coffee.

It was sweet with cream and sugar, and the aroma of that half cup is one that I can still recall to this day, some five decades later. That morning coffee was his love, shown to me in a way that he didn't have the words to express.

I also enjoy sharing coffee with my own grown-up kids. Plenty of heartfelt, happy and sad moments have been played out over cups of coffee for us.

The coffee maker aisle at Walmart was loaded with so many different kinds. Since I hadn't shopped for a coffee maker in years, I was surprised to see so many choices.

But I have trusted the Mr. Coffee® brand for decades, and it was actually the brand of my very first coffee maker. So when I saw this new Mr. Coffee® Optimal Brew™, I knew that was the one for me.

It brews 10 cups of coffee, and has a stainless steel vacuum-insulated carafe that keeps your coffee fresh and hot for hours. It also comes with a Brewing Pause 'n Serve feature, Water Filtration, Removable Water Reservoir, Auto Shut-Off, and a Removable Filter Basket.

Of course, it also lets you pre-set it so that you can wake up to freshly brewed coffee whenever you choose.

And see how great it looks!! I have a fondness for stainless steel appliances, so this is one I am proud to display on the counter.

Good looking and hard working are what I look for in kitchen products, and my new Mr. Coffee ®  has both features.

I picked up my bag of Millstone® coffee along with my coffee maker, and couldn't wait to get home to try them out.

Pairing Millstone® coffee with the Mr. Coffee® Optimal Brew™ coffee maker results in a great tasting, rich, aromatic cup of coffee, every single time.

Coffee is such an important part of my life, that I am quite picky about the coffee I use and it's brewing methods.

And I couldn't be more pleased with the results of using these two wonderful products together, for a great coffee experience.
#CollectiveBias

My daily #coffeejourneys are something that are very special to me. I love talking about coffee.

Guess what else I love? I love giveaways!!

So I am super excited to tell you that I am giving away one Mr. Coffee® Optimal Brew™ coffee maker and a bag of Millstone® coffee!!!


Enter in the Rafflecopter below, and one lucky winner will be able to enjoy their own delicious coffee drinking experience.

**Giveaway Has Ended the Winner is:
Entry #307 Cathy K. following on Pinterest


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway Disclosure: *Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts April 22, 2014 and ends on May 2, 2014 at 12:01 am EST. Winner will be emailed and has 72 hours to respond before another winner is selected. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. This giveaway will be fulfilled by Frugal Family Tree. This is a sponsored giveaway.

edible SEATTLE Magazine and A Recipe For Kale Soup

You don't have to live in Seattle to enjoy this beautiful and useful magazine, edible Seattle.

If you have a passion for eating and cooking delicious food, using what foods are in season, and sharing it with family and friends, I know you would love reading a copy.

Delicious and unusual recipes like Spiced Parsnip Cake with Bourbon Brown Butter Frosting are just a sampling of what can be found in edible Seattle.

The January/February issue has a fantastic article all about kale. I have really come to love and appreciate this healthy vegetable, and now use it in soups, salads, smoothies, and as a pizza topping.

Last month I made this hearty and delicious Italian Sausage, Noodle, and Kale soup that I shared here. The weather is still chilly in many places, including right here in Seattle, so I thought I would share it again.

If you are a foodie, do yourself a favorite and read edible Seattle magazine. You are sure to love it.

Recipe for Italian Sausage, Noodle, and Kale Soup

Ingredients:


 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground Italian Sausage
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
 1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups egg noodles
1 medium bunch of kale, roughly chopped
 1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes in juice
fresh or dried parsley for garnish

Directions:

 Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy pan. Break up and cook sausage through.
Remove from pan and set aside.
Add the other 1 tablespoon of olive oil, heat, and add onions and carrots. Cook until onions are soft, 4-5 minutes.
Add salt, pepper, Italian Seasoning and garlic, cook for 2 minutes more.
Add the broth and pasta and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the pasta is just tender,
8-10 minutes.
Stir in the cooked sausage, kale, and tomatoes, cooking until completely heated through. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat, and serve with sprinkled parsley on top.

Serves 4 dinner size portions.