One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese and One Heck of A Month

To say that I am so happy that February is over today, would be an understatement.  It has been one doozer of a month.

It all started off with having to say good-bye to my "dinosaur" phone of 3 years.  $$$ I am now an iPhone mom...I know what you're thinking...Apple is now up to,  I don't know,  iPhone 37 at this point, and I am just now getting one...I know!!

Then it was time to renew my four year old eyeglass prescription (now that I am 50 years old).$$$

A week later, my husband's computer decided it didn't want to cooperate...ever again. Now we have a new computer. $$$$

Friday last week my girls' vehicle decided it didn't want to start and got to take a nice little tow ride...I can't even think about where that is going to go this week.

...and speaking of later this week, my oldest daughter needs wisdom teeth $$$$$$$urgery.

In my wise old age though, I have learned that I need to value and appreciate these obstacles and not complain because....

• I am thankful that I can have a new phone to stay in touch with my family and friends.
• I am thankful that I still have the vision to see all the beauty that God creates every day
• I am thankful for a new computer for my husband to continue his work.
• I am thankful that we were even able to purchase a vehicle for my daughters and they were home when car didn't start, and not stranded somewhere.
• I am thankful for healthy children.

All that being said, I still need a little comfort for those trying days and have been searching out easy, affordable and comfort dishes.  This one hit the spot!  So, pull up a pot of this soup and continue to be thankful for those less than perfect days because remember, there are never any bad days...just some days are better than others.

One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
Adapted from damndelicious.net

1 Tbl olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
8 ounces ground beef
4 cups chicken broth
1 (14.5) ounce canned diced tomatoes
3/4 cup canned white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tsp. chili powder
1-1/2 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper to taste
10 ounces, uncooked elbow macaroni pasta
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Optional:
2 Tbl. chopped fresh parsley leaves
Sour Cream
Avocado, peeled and diced

Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add garlic, onion and ground beef, and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks;  drain excess fat.

Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, beans, chili powder and cumin;  season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Bring to a simmer and stir in pasta.  Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Remove from heat.  Top with cheese and cover until melted, about 2 minutes.

Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, sour cream and/or avocado, if desired.

One Year Ago:  Chicken and Dumplings
Two Years Ago: Original Peanut Coleslaw

Crockpot Pulled Pork Chili...Pull Out The Blankets

It finally happened...our days of 79 degree fall weather has left us.  Our days of sunshine warming our skin while taking in the beautiful fall colors is over.  We had three solid days of bone chilling cold rains last week and you know what that means...comfy blankets, slippers, soups and chili!

A few fall colors over our fireplace mantle.

Autumn florals over the dining table.

My handsome guy with his "Boo Bandana".

When my brother-in-law was here visiting a few weeks ago, we made 83 pounds of pulled pork for our slider dinner one night (okay, maybe the pounds are an exaggeration), but there was a lot of meat left over.  I froze it until I could figure out what to make with the masses of meat.  Bingo...chili!!  Our cold days and nights last week were the perfect prescription for such a dish.  I prepped in the morning before work, fired up the crock pot, and the dish and dinner was served when we all came home - yummy and comfy!!!

Crockpot Pulled Pork Chili

2 to 2-1/2 pounds, cooked, shredded/pulled pork
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. onion powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 (14 ounce) cans chili beans in hot sauce
1 small can tomato paste
4 Tbl. chili powder
2-1/2 Tbl ground cumin
1 Tbl smoked paprika
2 small zucchini, grated

for serving, optional:
sour cream or greek yogurt
grated cheese
sliced green onions or chives
chopped red onions
diced/sliced fresh avocados
tortilla chips/strips

Set crock pot to low heat setting.  Add all ingredients (except zucchini) in crock pot. Mix very well. Cover and let cook approximately 8 hours.  During the last hour, add the shredded zucchini and stir well again.  ** This chili is very thick, if you like your chili a little thinner/soupier you can add a small amount chicken stock/broth to your liking.

Pulled Pork Dinner (before the leftovers and Chili) - awesome slider sandwiches!!

One Year Ago: Chocolate Brownie Brittle Mousse

Two Years Ago:  Pumpkin Pancakes

Turkey Chili

When I was a little girl my favorite song was "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" by B.J. Thomas.  I even had a little square glass wind up music box with a watercolor sketch on it of a little girl in her raincoat and galoshes under an umbrella that I would wind up and play over and over again.

Today, I still love that song and watching and listening to the rain...but no one warned me of a typical Colorado rain.  When it rains, it rains...and when it pours, it REALLY pours here.  We have had 90 degree days, a 4:00 pm cloud cover and rain and then right when we are going into our REM sleep, a flash in your eyes, a crackle in the clouds and the skies open up with the loudest rumble you could imagine.

It is virtually impossible to figure out what to wear each day, truly remarkable weather and certainly no drought or water shortage here.

The only drawback is we have been limited as to when we can enjoy our backyard to eat outside and let the dogs bask in the sun as they love to do so often.  The good news is my husband's tomato plants have taken flight and are well on their way to becoming homemade salsa!!

For those rainy, dreary afternoons you just want a warm bowl of yummy, so I dug up JoAnne's (my sister-in-law) friend's Turkey Chili recipe that we have been making for years.  JoAnne (a.k.a. Aunt Jo Jo) has a remarkable group of girlfriends that she has shared some their recipes with us.

Sandy's Turkey Chili

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped sweet onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped yellow, red or orange bell peppers
1 pound ground turkey
1 (28-ounce) can crushed organic tomatoes, undrained
1 (16-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon hot sauce (my husband likes "Frank's" Red Hot)
11/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

In a large skillet, saute onions, garlic and bell peppers in olive oil over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add ground turkey and cook until browned.

Add remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Serve with sour cream and shredded sharp cheese.

Stay dry my friends....

Tamale Casserole

"A rite of passage" a ceremony or event marking an important stage in someone's life.  Yep, that is exactly what has happened this year to our girls.

After 14 years of tirelessly looking for the perfect costume, dressing up, trick-or-treating, it is finally over.    They are now in high school and it has all disappeared, just like that.  As the past few years have gone by, their costumes have become much more simple, yet home made and really putting their creative minds at work and the groups of teens have dwindled down for the race to each house in search of the best candy.

The first years.....

This year, we still carved the best ever pumpkins, decorated the inside and outside of the house, and purchased candy for the little children.  This year is different though...for the first time, there will not be any dressing up or racing to houses.  Instead my young adults have decided they want to be the ones to hand out candy to the cute up and coming trick-or-treaters.

....I really miss these days.

I don't know who is more sad and disappointed, me or them.  I used to have fun dressing up with them whenever I could.  I even had the same 50's poodle skirt ensemble as they did, complete with a bleach blonde beehive wig - it was the best!!

Last year's final costume appearance.

So there you have it, we are one step closer to seeing our kids, not be kids anymore and yet we have so much to look forward to as we watch them grow into the adults that they will soon become.

Another Halloween tradition that has followed us, since the day I met my husband is Tamale Casserole.  It comes from the family cookbook and we have either made it (or been served it) every year for the past 20 Halloweens. This is not the usual casserole that you would expect to see, it's like a homemade chili on steroids (as my husband so creatively describes it). It's a crock pot creation that is perfect to come home to on a cold fall night after trick-or-treating.

Tamale Casserole
Courtesy of JoAnne and Dick

(3) extra large or (6) regular size tamales (beef or pork), cut into large chunks
(2) cans Hormel chili (without beans)
(1) large can sliced black olives, drained
(1) 15 ounce can corn, drained
2/3 pound cheddar cheese, grated
(1) 15 ounce can tomato sauce

Mix together all ingredients.  Heat in a slow cooker on low heat setting for 8 hours. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.