Bitter Cold Winter Days

Brrrr....Who turned down the heat? Yep, there is no more denying it. Winter is here. With the extra warm autumn we had here in Indiana, the temperature drop is even more a shock to the system than normal. But I guess it is December, so we better get used to it.

Does anything taste better on a bitter cold day than a bowl of piping hot soup? I don't think so. Well, maybe one thing. A bowl of soup that has been cooking all day while you are busy. That's right, your slow cooker is going to take care of today's recipe while you're at work, or out and about in the wind, and snow, looking forward to coming home to something that will warm you up and fill you up at the same time. 

Now, we aren't just talking about your every day soup here. This. Is. Chili. The ultimate winter food. A meal that will thaw you out from the inside and warm your soul to the core. A classic, made even easier with the help of your Crock Pot.

If you've been following the blog for a while, you will recognize this somewhat. I have had a recipe published for a long time for our favorite Buffalo Chili. (If you've never tried buffalo, do it! So lean, so delicious!) Unfortunately, we don't have any buffalo left in our freezer, so I had to take that recipe and adapt it a little so I could use the ground beef we do have. It still tastes just as great, and is just as easy. 

I love to serve this with some cheese and crackers on the side. And of course all the traditional toppings: diced onion, shredded cheese, sour cream, or even some elbow macaroni for chili mac. In fact, if you're having a party this holiday season, a chili bar would be so fun! Or maybe some house guests you need to feed? A big pot of this will get the job done!

Most people have a favorite chili recipe they rely on all winter long. But if you don't, or maybe you're just looking for a new one, I hope this is it! 

Crock Pot Chili

1 lb. ground buffalo or beef

1 lb. bulk pork sausage

1 large can Brooks Mild Chili Beans

1-2 large cans tomato juice, depending on how thick you like it

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

1 TBS garlic powder

1 TBS chili powder, more if you like it spicy

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large skillet brown beef. Drain. In same skillet brown sausage and chopped onion. Drain. Add both meats to Crock Pot. Add beans, garlic powder, chili powder, salt and pepper. Pour in juice. Stir to combine. Cook on LOW for 6 hours. Serve with desired toppings. 

Bubbles For Supper

Yuck, right? Ha Ha. Well, I'm not talking about the soapy ones. Thank goodness! But have you seen the big trend for "bubble up" casseroles all over the blogosphere? The concept is quite simple. You use canned biscuits to top a dish of goodness, and the whole thing "bubbles up" while it cooks.

I've been wanting to try this concept for a while now, but I wanted just the right recipe to be our first. I had a few ideas on what I wanted to do, and then my little man became my inspiration. He informed me he was hungry for my Chili Dog Casserole, and that's when it hit me. I could take the same flavors, tweak them a bit, and have our first bubble up experience.

With it being our first week of school, I wanted to give Monkey a fun, yummy "last night of summer vacation" supper that he would gobble down...and this did not disappoint!

If your little ones (or big ones too) enjoy chili dogs, and even better, cheesy chili dogs, they are going to flip for this as much as we did! All the same flavors, in an easy to make, quick, weeknight meal! Add a salad or some fresh fruit on the side and dinner is done!

I'm starting to think about all the different bubble up creations there are yet to be made! I guess I'm on a mission now! 

Cheesy Chili Dog Bubble Up Bake

1 (8 ct.) can refrigerated jumbo biscuits

2 TBS butter, melted

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. dried parsley

8 hot dogs, cut into 1/4ths

2 (15 oz.) cans chili with beans

1 small white onion, finely chopped

2 c. finely shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Pour chili into bottom of dish. Place hot dogs in chili. Stir gently. Sprinkle with onion and top with cheese. In a medium bowl combine melted butter, onion powder and parsley. Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Dip each piece into butter mixture, coating thoroughly. Top casserole with biscuits, leaving a little space between each piece. Bake for 25 minutes until browned. *NOTE* The chopped onion is not going to be cooked all the way. It will still be crisp. We like this because we also have fresh diced onion on our chili dogs.

 

Shared at Weekend Potluck


Recipe inspired by Pillsbury

A Twist On Mexican Night

Do you love making Mexican food at home? Yeah, me too. Do you find yourself falling into a little bit of rut with what you make? Yeah, me too. Tacos, burritos, enchiladas....they seem to get into a rotation at our house, and I have to remind myself to switch things up now and again.

Back at the beginning of the month, the night of the Super Bowl in fact, we were getting dumped on with a foot of snow. Yep, over 12 inches in 24 hours. Needless to say, any plans we had to go to a big game day party were put on hold due to treacherous roads.

So, we were at home, just the three of us, watching the game, and I promised little man I would still make it fun for him since he was bummed we couldn't go anywhere. Well, one way I can usually put a smile on his face is something yummy to eat, especially with a Mexican flare! Add in the fact that it has crushed Doritos on top and I'm going to score extra Mommy points!

However, this night I didn't want to put too much effort into supper. After all, it was supposed to be a party night for me too, and while I was taking some snacks to share, I was going to be off full kitchen duty, so in a way I was kind of protesting cooking a big meal. What to do? Find a way to give him his Mexican meal, in a simple to make casserole! Done!

This is a great weeknight meal, potluck take-a-long, or party food. It's going to feed a crowd, taste great, and oh, be totally budget friendly too!

Don't fall into a rut when comes to Mexican night at home, Switch it up. Put a twist on it. Give them something new, but with so many familiar flavors they will gobble it down! 

Nacho Grande Casserole

2 lbs. ground beef

1 medium white onion, chopped

1 packet taco seasoning

2 (15 oz.) cans chili beans, mild or spicy, undrained

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

16 oz. frozen corn, thawed

3 c. shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, divided 

3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

1 1/2 c. Doritos, crushed

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 pan. In a large skillet brown beef and onion until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper. Drain if necessary. Add chili beans, corn, tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Stir well to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 ground beef mixture to bottom of dish. Top with half the cheese. Repeat layers. Top with crushed chips. Bake for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly. Top with tomatoes and green onions before serving.