Black Bean 'n' Pumpkin Chili with Turkey

This is the perfect autumn meal, especially after Thanksgiving when you have leftover turkey to use. It is quick, healthy, and delicious! There is very little if any pumpkin taste, but the pumpkin makes it rich and smooth. We found the recipe online at Taste of Home and decided to try it to use up some of our mounds of leftover turkey and we are so glad we did. It is definitely a keeper!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
3 cups chicken broth (reviews online said that the recipe turned out more soupy, so I just did a little more than 2 cups of broth and it was great)
2-1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons chili powder
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cubed avocado and thinly sliced green onions, optional

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepper; cook and stir until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.

Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; stir in the next 10 ingredients. Cook, covered, on low 4-5 hours. If desired, top with avocado and green onions. Yield: 10 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

Nutritional Facts

1 cup equals 192 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 28 mg cholesterol, 658 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, 7 g fiber, 16 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 1-1/2 starch, 1/2 fat.

Homemade Pineapple Ice Cream

I've been taking a hiatus from this blog since we got our mission call to Japan.  With only two months to prepare, I felt this was something I could let go for awhile.  BUT, then I came across this recipe and had to post it.  A week ago, a cute family (both of the parents served missions in Japan) had us over for family home evening.  It was so fun.  For treats, they served this delicious pineapple ice cream.  We may or may not have made it five times since then.  We are hooked, so I just had to share it with you.  It's easy and so yummy.  They served it (as shown) with extra pineapple juice poured over the top.

Homemade Pineapple Ice Cream
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 cups milk
3 cups pineapple juice
1 1/2 cups sugar (the original called for 3 cups, but this is plenty sweet enough)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all together and pour in your ice cream freezer.  Yummy!

White Chicken Tortilla Soup

So. I love Mexican style soups...taco soup, enchilada soup etc. I love that they are easy. I love that my kids love them. And I love that they are tasty.

I have new favorite Mexican-style soup. This one! Some good friends of ours, the Bowmans, have a fall celebration party every year and it is so fun to get together at this beautiful time of year and enjoy each others' company. This year we all brought a soup to share and it was fun to try lots of different soups. Brielle, my 9 year old, ate 3 bowls of this one and kept telling me how good it was so I asked our friend Emily for her recipe. She kindly shared and we made it tonight. It was done in less than 30 minutes (thank heavens, because my kids were "starving" when we got home from violin lessons) and we loved it. I hope you enjoy it too!

4-5 chicken breasts (Since I was in a hurry, I used the chicken we canned because it was already cooked. :) )
2 tbsp butter
5 green onions- just the white parts finely diced
3 tsp cumin
Salt and pepper
8 cups water.
8 tsp chicken base.
3-4 cans white beans ( I did great northern)
One bag of frozen corn
1/2 jar mild-medium salsa blended up
2 cans diced chilies (4 oz cans)
1 cup whipping cream
6 corn tortillas cut into 1 inch squares. The more tortillas you add the thicker the soup. So you can for sure add more if you'd like.

Emily does everything in the giant stock pot. It keeps the chicken more moist.
Brown the chicken in the butter and add the onions. Cook til soft. Add cumin, salt and pepper. Mix and cook a bit more to get seasonings to coat chicken. Add everything else while heating it through on med heat. Bring to a boil and let stand for a bit before serving.

Emily brought cheese, sour cream and chips to serve with it. I didn't need any of that. It was delicious without. My kids loved the cheese and chips with it...of course. :)

This makes a lot. At least 2 meals for my family of 6 and will be good for Brielle's lunch for 2 or 3 days as well. Yay! I love leftovers that double for school lunch as well!

What's For Dinner?- October

My husband and I are getting ready to leave to serve a mission for our church.  We have a lot of beef in the freezer from when we purchased a 1/2 beef, so this month's menu features a lot of beef recipes!
Tandori Chicken- bought all the stuff for this, but didn't get it made yet.  So we'll start the month with this delicious dish.

Skillet Beef Stew over noodles

 

Swedish Meatballs over Mashed Potatoes
Stuffed Hot Dogs Glazed Carrots  Caramel Brownies

Beef and Broccoli over rice

Nectar of the Gods/ Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Carne a Pizzaiola

Crockpot Beef and Gravy over Mashed Potatoes 

Chicken Roll ups

Wendy's Copycat Chili / Corn Muffins

Chuck Roast with Potatoes and Carrots/ Dill Pickles

Roast Beef Sandwich Spread Sandwiches

Halloween Soup/ Whole Wheat Bread-  Love this delicious whole wheat bread recipe!

New Recipes to Try:
One Pot Pasta
Desserts:
Blueberry Turnovers 

Banana Bread Bars

Wendy's Copycat Chili

First let's start with a disclaimer:  I don't think this tastes a lot like Wendy's chili.  I had Wendy's chili a few weeks ago and then I made this and don't think it's exactly the same.  BUT  I think this is better.  I really do.  It is just delicious.  And you need to know that chili is the one food I don't really like.  I had an unfortunate chili incident in the school lunch room in 2nd grade and have hated it since.  So for me to say it's really delicious, you have to know it's really delicious.

Wendy's Copycat Chili
2 pounds lean ground beef (I know that sounds like a lot, but don't cut it.  It's a big part of why this is so good.)
1 quart tomato juice
1 can crushed tomatoes or I think you could use diced (15 oz)
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can pinto or black beans, drained
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup diced celery
1/3 cup diced bell pepper
1/8-1/4 cup chili powder ( I used a little over 1/8 and it was perfect for us)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic crystals or powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon- 1/4 cup sugar  (I know, it's a big range. The recipe said 1 teaspoon, but I wanted more.  Maybe that's why it didn't taste like Wendy's and maybe that's why I liked it better!)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne or red pepper flakes (more if you want it spicy)

In a large pot (I used enameled cast iron), brown the ground beef with the onion.  Add all of the other ingredients and mix well.  Let simmer for at least an hour- longer if possible.  Stir frequently.  Serve with grated cheese on the top and corn muffins on the side.

Egg Bread for French Toast

I found this recipe on the Internet and made it so that I could make Cherry Stuffed French Toast.  It is wonderful for French Toast but it's also really good just to eat as bread or for sandwiches.   It makes wonderful garlic bread as well.  The original instructions were to make it by hand, but I altered it to make in my Bosch mixer.

Egg Bread
5-7 cups bread flour
2 pkg. active dry yeast
2 cups whole milk (use whole if you have it.  It really makes a difference)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 tsp. salt
3 large eggs

In the mixer with the dough hook, mix together about 3 cups of the flour and the yeast.  In a saucepan on the stove, stirring constantly,  heat the milk, sugar, butter and salt until butter is almost melted and it's baby bottle temperature.  Add the milk mixutre to the flour mixture and turn on the mixer.  Mix for a minute, then add one egg.  Mix for awhile and add another.  Mix for awhile and add the last.  Beat on high speed for about three minutes after the eggs are added.  Then add another cup of flour and beat.  Add just enough more flour to make a nice, elastic dough that clings together.  Knead for about 6 minutes.  Turn off the machine and put the lid on (if available.  If not, cover with a cloth)  Let rise until double.  Turn the machine on to punch down.  Take dough out of the machine and divide into two equal portions.  Shape into 2 loaves.  Place in two well-sprayed loaf pans.  Cover and let rise until almost double.  It will take about 30-40 minutes depending on the warmth of your kitchen.  Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes until golden.  Cool on a wire rack.  Slice in desired thickness.

Cherry or Blueberry Stuffed French Toast

While on our vacation to Door County, Wisconsin, we breakfasted at the White Gull Inn.  A couple of years ago, Good Morning America had a contest for "The Best Breakfast in America!"  They narrowed it to four finalists and traveled to those locations and tasted the food and filmed the preparation, etc.  The White Gull Inn was one of the finalists.  Then, after the four shows aired, America voted and the Cherry Stuffed French Toast at the White Gull Inn won as "The Best Breakfast in America."  Since we were staying just a couple of miles from the White Gull Inn, we had to try it.  And it was delicious!

After we got home, I found the recipe online and created my own version.  I first made egg bread.  You need Texas Toast or Egg Bread, unsliced.  That was not available here, so I made my own.  I will post that recipe soon.  The reason it needs to be unsliced is that you need pretty thick slices.- 1 1/4".   I chose to use fresh blueberries instead of the canned cherries.  So here you go - the recipe for the best breakfast in America!

Cherry or Blueberry Stuffed French Toast
1 loaf egg bread, unsliced
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 cup tart cherries, drained or 1 cup fresh blueberries
3-4 eggs
1/2-3/4 cup milk
Cinnamon, for sprinkling
Powdered sugar, for sprinkling
Maple Syrup

Narrowly trim the ends from the loaf of bread.  Then cut the bread into  6 -1 1/4 inch slices.  Then take each slice and cut almost to the bottom, but leave it attached.  This is how you make the pocket for the filling.  Mix together the softened cream cheese with 3/4 of the blueberries.  You may want to crush some of the blueberries and leave some whole( I left mine whole, but decided next time I would crush some.)  Spread the filling in each pocket.  Mix together the egg and milk.  Dip the stuffed slices into the egg mixture on each side.  Heat a griddle.  Sprinkle each side of the french toast with cinnamon.  Cook over medium heat until golden brown , then turn and cook the other side until golden brown.  Remove from the griddle and cut each toast in half diagonally.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Top with the remaining cherries or blueberries.   Serve with maple syrup.  Then enjoy the best breakfast in America!