Spicy Chili Mac

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Ingredients:

1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 sweet red bell pepper, chopped
2 jalapenos, deseeded and minced
1 1/2 lb ground chuck
3 t garlic powder
1/2 t fresh cracked black pepper
2 1/2 T chili powder
2 t cumin
1/4 t cayenne powder
Pinch of good sea salt
1 (16 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 (10 oz) cans chopped tomatoes with hot chile or peppers – Rotel or Hatch work well.
2 cups elbow macaroni
Water – measure by filling the three empty tomato cans so you get all the tomato goodness within
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped, divided use

Optional: shredded cheddar, chopped onions, slices of jalapeno, Tabasco sauce, etc Read More


Brioche

BriocheSingleEasy single rise rolls. Kids love them because of the little “hats” you eat first. You will love them because they are delicious!

Ingredients:

5 3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 t salt
2 packages active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs Read More


2nd Place 2015 Contest Winner

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Congratulations to Elaine Gagne and her 2nd place winning story about a very memorable kitchen disaster!

Enjoy Elaine Gagne’s 2nd place winning kitchen disaster story! For her submission, she won a gorgeously embroidered handy dandy Spoon Mage™ Tote Bag!

Elaine’s Story

“I just HAD to tell you this one. It’s actually a story about my Mom. She was using a pressure cooker for potatoes. She got so busy talking to me, that the top exploded off the pressure cooker, and the ceiling was spattered with potato pieces. Even though it looked like she was about to pop a gasket herself, I burst out laughing! I laughed SO hard, she started laughing – then told me to get up on the counter and clean the mess!” Read More


1st Place 2015 Contest Winner

ApronCloseCongratulations to Mary Dustin and her 1st place winning story about a very memorable kitchen disaster!

Enjoy Mary Dustin’s 1st place winning kitchen disaster story!

For her submission, she won a gorgeously embroidered handy dandy Spoon Mage™ Chef Apron!

Mary’s Story:

Had to chuckle at the exploding grapes of wrath as it reminded me of the time I cooked my dirty dishes.

I was in college with a small child and husband and we were expecting company. As always I was in a dither as to what to clean first and decided to make my job easy and just put all the dirty dishes in the oven. Read More




Sloppy Portobellos

Ingredients:

1 T olive oil
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 thinly sliced yellow onion
1 lb portobello or cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced or chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 T Worcestershire sauce
2 t oregano
1/2 t dry mustard
1 T chili powder
1 T brown sugar
crushed red pepper flakes to taste
fresh cracked black pepper to taste
1 tomato, chopped – include all the juices
2 T tomato paste Read More



Home-Style Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

3-4 lbs bone-in chicken (use a whole chicken or just breasts and thighs)
Water (approximately 4 quarts)
1 onion, rinsed, roots and skin removed, onion chopped
The skin and top layer from an onion, rinsed, (remove the paper sticker from the grocers!!)
1 handful of parsley, rinsed, left whole
2 whole cloves (or use add 1/8 t of ground cloves with the thyme)
2 t whole pepper corns
2 bay leaves
6 large carrots, peeled and sliced
3 celery stalks, trimmed and sliced
1/4 cup celery leaves, minced
2 t dried thyme, crushed
Kosher salt to taste
Pinch saffron threads Read More


Split Pea Soup with Garlic Croutons

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Ingredients:

2 T olive oil
6 slender carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks with leaves, rinsed and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb ham, chopped
1 T garlic, minced
1 t dried basil
1 t dried thyme
1/2 t dried rosemary
1/4 t ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup beef stock
1 lb dried split peas, sorted and rinsed
6 cups water
2-3 cups white potatoes (not baking potatoes), sliced into large chunks
2 T flat leaf parsley, chopped
Optional seasoning: a few splash of Tabasco or soy sauce
One recipe Garlic Croutons Read More