My Kids' Favorite Chili

My boys (9 and 5) aren't big on anything spicier that super-mild salsa, so getting them to eat chili can be a challenge. After a lot of testing, this is the recipe we all like the best. It makes a LOT, but there's 6 of us in the house, so it works, and we have great leftovers too. Could definitely be easily cut in half though, for smaller batch.

Ingredients:
2 -2.5lbs ground beef, browned and drained
1/2 -1 onion (Vidalia or white), chopped
1 can white corn, drained and rinsed
2 cans kidney beans (we like 1 light, 1 dark for variety), drained and rinsed
2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
3 cans diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1C water
2 packets chili seasoning (generic Safeway brand is just perfect for my picky kids)

Directions:
Brown ground beef till cooked through, adding onions to cook. Drain, then add all other ingredients to large pot (I think ours is a 5qt?). Mix thoroughly, and simmer up to 1 hour. Serve hot, with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, tortilla and/or corn chips, etc.

It tastes even better the next day, too!

Not so spicy

My own rendition of homemade salsa. I don't actually measure anything, but it's always turned out well for me.

8-10 ripe tomatoes
1 medium onion (yellow or white, whatever you prefer. I want to try sweet onion in this sometime)
1 can white corn (drained and rinsed very well)
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed very well)
lime juice
salt & pepper


Chop or dice tomatoes and onions. Drain and rinse canned corn and beans and add to tomato mixture. Mix in approx 1T lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste (I usually do "once around the bowl" with both of them, a la Rachael Ray).

My sister told me the other day that she adds garlic as well, which I've never tried in my homemade salsa, but enjoy in storebought salsa, so I may have to give that a try sometime.

I like to keep it in Mason jars, I use the wide-mouth quarts, which work well. This recipe fills 3-4 of them. Store in fridge for a few hours to let the flavors mix, and then enjoy. :)

You can also add cilantro and any kind of peppers you like, but I don't care for those things, so I leave them out.

Easy eggplant mini-pizzas

Yesterday I was thinking, "what to do with the leftover chicken? I really want to make chicken pizzas, but...I don't feel like dealing with the dough." Then I remembered I had an eggplant! And so I decided to try this recipe. It worked out pretty well and is yummy.

1 large purple eggplant
pizza toppings and cheese of your choice
cheese(s) of your choice
pizza sauce
olive oil
salt, pepper, and garlic powder

Cut the eggplant into 1/2" thick round slices. Brush each side lightly with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder if you would like. Grill eggplant slices on the grill, turning once, until they are slightly soft (if you usually cook eggplant you know what I'm sayin'.) I'm thinking you could also saute the slices in a pan as well if you don't have a grill or don't wish to grill them. Take slices off grill, bring indoors. Heat oven to 350. Arrange eggplant slices on a plate, pyrex dish, or cookie sheet/pizza pan. Top each slice with sauce and desired toppings. Place dish in oven and bake until cheese melts.

I was going to do the oven part on the grill as well, but I was really afraid that the eggplant slices would burn on the bottoms, so that's why I put them in the oven.

Really quite good, and vegetarian if you aren't putting the chicken on top like I did :). I'm thinking kids might like these...the individual "pizzas" are cute sized, they reminded me of the English Muffin pizzas I would make as a kid.

Raspberry Wheat Germ Buttermilk Pancakes

Healthy! And yummy. I divide the batter in half and do raspberry in one bowl and blueberry in another because my kids are engaged in a Berry War.

2 beaten eggs
1/4 c oil
2 c buttermilk
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c wheat germ
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 c whole wheat flour
however many raspberries look like the right amount (sorry)

1. Mix eggs, oil, buttermilk.
2. Stir in baking soda, wheat germ, salt, and flour. Mix until smooth. Add berries.
3. On a lightly oiled griddle or skillet (we use the griddle, Rachel uses a skillet..pff) heated to med-high, pour about 1/4 cup of batter into ...circley type deals. Brown until bubble appear on top, flip and brown the other side. Like you do with pancakes.

Easy breakfast egg sandwich

1 egg
milk or water
bagel, english muffin, or 2 slices of bread, toasted
spices to taste
toppings, if desired: cheese, salsa, bacon, canadian bacon, sausage patty, etc.

Put bagel/English muffin/bread in toaster and toast. Crack egg into ceramic (microwave-safe) coffee mug. Add a splash of milk or water, and any spices (pepper, basil, oregano, etc), beat with fork. Microwave egg in mug on high for 35-38 seconds, Remove mug (egg will still be very soft), beat egg again. Return to microwave for another 35-38 seconds.* By this time your toast will be done. Simply tip the mug upside down onto your toasted item and add toppings if you wish. This is vegetarian if you don't put any bacon/sausage/etc on it.

*The cooking time takes a bit to perfect, based on the differences between microwaves. It might take a few tries to get it right so your egg is not too soft. Also, when you first make this recipe, be sure to keep an eye on the egg during the second cooking cycle. If you see it rising and bubbling near the top of the mug, it's done! Press stop and remove that egg before it explodes all over the inside of the micro!!!

Magic Bullet gazpacho

Here's another variation on gazpacho. I sort of invented this recipe yesterday for lunchtime, using stuff I had around the house. I used that handy Magic Bullet we have...it's the perfect size for making a single serving, but of course this could be made in a regular blender as well.

1 vine-ripened tomato
watermelon
approx. 1 tbsp lime or lemon juice
2 tsp diced onion
basil, approx 1.5 tsp dried, or fresh (you may adjust this to taste)
pepper, approx 3/4 tsp (adjust to taste).

Chop tomato into cubes and put in bullet/blender. Use melon baller to put balls of watermelon in bullet container until watermelon nearly reaches top. (If you are using a blender, obviously the container's a lot bigger, but I would say the ratio of watermelon to tomato is about 1.5:1.) Add lime or lemon juice, onion, and spices. Blend until mixture is smooth puree. Pour into bowl and enjoy. The watermelon gives it a little sweetness and I think kids would really go for this.

Insanely Easy Spinach Lasagne

This is a really simple meal to make. My kids love it and I can sneak extra veggies into Rayna the picky-eater. I even suffer through my dairy allergy to eat it once in a while.

lasagne noodles*
1 package frozen chopped spinach
1 large carrot, shredded
1 cup mushrooms, diced
2 zucchini, diced
2 eggs
16 oz ricotta cheese
1 package shredded mozzarella**
Grated parmesan cheese
1 large jar of your choice of pasta sauce.

* The ones you don't have to pre-cook are easiest.
** Fresh mozzarella is so much better, if you feel like spending the money.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

1. Mix ricotta, eggs, spinach, mushrooms, carrot, zucchini, and mushrooms in a bowl.
2. Spread a layer of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13" pan. Arrange lasagne noodles in a single layer over the sauce. Spoon ricotta mixture over the noodles.
3. Alternate layers of sauce, noodles, ricotta. End with a layer of sauce over noodles.
3. Sprinkle mozzarrella over top layer of sauce and top with grated parmesan.
4. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

Poori

Poori is a puffy Indian bread. It is incredibly easy to make - much quicker than naan or roti - and goes well with any Indian or Pakistani dish. It was a childhood favorite, introduced by an Indian neighbor, and my kids love it today.

1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c white flour*
salt to taste
ground cardamom to taste
warm water
cooking oil for deep frying

* You can also use only whole wheat flour.

1. Mix both kinds of flour, salt, and cardamom in bowl. Combine thoroughly.
2. Add warm water, not hot, in small amounts and stir with fork to combine into a medium-consistancy dough.
3. Knead lightly on oiled surface until dough becomes pliant. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes in towel-covered bowl.
4. Break off small pieces of the dough, about the size of small limes, and roll into balls. Use rolling pin to roll balls flat, rolling evenly in all directions to make thin rounds.
5. Heat oil in frying pan until very hot. Fry poori in oil until each side is golden brown, holding the first side under the oil so that it puffs up. Drain oil and serve hot.