You are here: Home / Archives for January 2010

Zesty Vegetable Side Dish

January 26, 2010 By Kate 2 Comments

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

The ingredients in this dish might sound like an odd combination, but trust when I tell you the result is absolutely delicious! Plus, it is so quick to throw together and it goes well with many different meals. This is one of those veggie dishes that has my kids asking for seconds and thirds. So you know it’s got to be a winner.

The horseradish in the recipe provides a great flavor but not too much spice. The final product is a perfectly flavorful yet mellow combination. And the cracker crumb topping just add to the crunch and flavor.

Zesty Vegetable Side Dish

  • 1/2 c. mayonnaise
  • 1 heaping T. fresh horseradish
  • 1/4 t. black pepper
  • 1 lb. bag California blend frozen vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots)
  • 1 c. crushed saltine crackers
  • 2 T. butter or margarine, melted

1. In a large bowl, stir together mayonnaise, horseradish and pepper. Add frozen veggies and stir to coat. Pour mixture into a small casserole dish.

2. Combine crushed saltines and melted butter or margarine in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the veggies.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25, until top is golden brown.

We prefer this with the California blend combination of veggies, but you can use broccoli, carrots or cauliflower on their own, instead of all three together. You also can use fresh veggies in place of the frozen if you’d like. Just steam for about 5-10 minutes first.

  • Share/Bookmark

Hot Fudge Peanut Butter Pudding Cake

January 25, 2010 By Kate 31 Comments

This is one of my husband’s all-time favorite desserts. I don’t make it a lot (probably because the clean-up of the crock pot is such a chore), but it’s always well received when I do. In fact, if it’s been too long since I’ve made it, the family starts requesting it.

If you’ve never made a dessert in the crock pot before, this may look a little off to you at first. But trust me, the taste more than makes up for the lack of visual appeal. It’s rich, chocolaty and creamy. Add a scoop of ice cream on top and it’s all good!

Hot Fudge Peanut Butter Pudding Cake

  • 1 c. flour
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1 1/2 t. baking powder
  • 2/3 c. milk
  • 2 T. vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 t. vanilla
  • 1/2 c. peanut butter
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 6 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 c. boiling water

1. Combine the flour, 1/2 c. sugar, and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Add milk, oil, vanilla and peanut butter. Stir until smooth. Pour into the bottom of a crock pot.

2. In the same mixing bowl, add the remaining 1 c. sugar and the cocoa powder. Slowly pour in the boiling water and stir to mix well. Pour over batter in the crock pot. DO NOT STIR! Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours.

This post is being linked to:

RecipeLion

Looking for more crock pot recipes? Get your free copy of this ebook with 33 slow cooker recipes. Just click on the button to snag your copy!

  • Share/Bookmark

Family Favorite Chili Recipe

January 24, 2010 By Kate 8 Comments

I’ve been hesitant to post our family’s favorite chili recipe for quite awhile. Just like spaghetti, chili is a truly personal meal. What one family enjoys may be vastly different from what another family enjoy. In fact, I’d go as far as to say it’s a matter of individual taste for each person.

When I was growing up, my mom made a chili that was very mild and without beans. It was always good and I loved it then.

However, once I started cooking for my own family, I knew I wanted a chili with beans. And I wanted the taste to be a bit spicier.

So it’s taken me a few years to really get the recipe down, but now I think it’s at a place where our whole family loves it. We like our chili with an intense, well-developed flavor but not a burn-your-tongue level of spice. And we like more beans and less meat. Top with cheese, sour cream and some corn chips and we all dig in!

Family Favorite Chili Recipe

  • 1/2 lb. ground beef
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1/2 green pepper, diced
  • 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 c. cooked kidney beans (or 1 can)
  • 1 1/2 c. cooked garbanzo beans (or 1 can)
  • 2 T. chili powder*
  • 1 T. cumin*
  • 2 t. cocoa powder*
  • 2 t. garlic powder*
  • 1 t. salt*
  • 1/2 t. cayenne pepper*
  • 1/2 t. black pepper*
  • 1/2 t. allspice*
  • 1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes*

1. Brown ground beef with onion and green pepper in a large sauce pan or stock pot. Drain.

2. Add all the remaining ingredients, bring to a slow boil, cover and reduce heat. Let simmer as long as desired, but at least 15 minutes. The longer it simmers the more the flavors will develop.

*NOTE – All spice measurements are an approximation as I just dump and stir. Adjust to taste as you go.

So, there you have, my favorite way to make chili. What’s yours? Do you like your chili with beans or without? Do you add any other veggies? Do you use cocoa powder? How do you top it?

  • Share/Bookmark
Blog Widget by LinkWithin