Pumpkin Chili

Ingredients:

1 medium sweet onion, chopped

1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped

1 tablespoons olive oil3 garlic cloves, minced (I used 3 tablespoons raw minced garlic)

3 cups of chicken broth (make sure there it's 99% fat free & no MSG)

1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed & drained

1 can (15 oz) solid-pack pumpkin

1/2 lb extra lean ground beef

1/4-1/2 lb Italian turkey sausage

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 pkg "Darn Good Chili" mix - follow directions to prepare basic recipe (3 cups water to boil, whisk in 4 oz tomato paste & chili mix, simmer)

2-3 teaspoons McCormick Cocoa Chile Blend

1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1-2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (omit if you don't want it hot!)



Directions:

1. Prepare "Darn Good Chili" mix per instructions, place in crock pot when finished.

2.  In a large skillet, saute onion & yellow pepper in olive oil until tender.  Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.  Transfer to slow cooker/crock pot.

3.  Add tomatoes, beans & pumpkin to slow cooker/crock pot, mix well.

4.  Mix turkey sausage & beef together until well blended - salt lightly while cooking.  Cook in skillet, drain and transfer to slow cooker/crock pot.

5.  Add seasonings to chili ingredients in slow cooker/crock pot.

6.  Cook on "low" for 4-5 hours or until heated through.

 Basically, you can use whatever spices/seasonings you want depending on the flavor and how hot you want to make it.  The pumpkin really thickens the chili and adds a nice, smooth texture.

Quick Cajun Chicken Gumbo

Ingredients
    * 2 tablespoon olive oil
    * 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
    * 2/3 cup low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
    * 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
    * 1 green bell pepper, diced small
    * 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
    * 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
    * 1 tablespoon Creole or Cajun seasoning
    * 1 (10-ounce) package frozen cut okra, thawed (optional)
    * 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce


Directions
Cut raw chicken into strips or cubes. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Sauté garlic, onion, and bell pepper, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste and add to skillet. Give pan a good shake every now and then to sear chicken on all sides, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes with their liquid, and okra. Stir to break up the okra, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until everything is heated through and slightly thickened. Stir in hot sauce and season to taste.

Serves 4

Bronco Burger

Ingredients

• 5 fresh jalapeno peppers
• 4 pounds ground beef
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup steak sauce, (e.g. Heinz 57)
• 1/4 cup minced white onion
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™)
• 1 pinch dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 cup crushed Fritos® corn chips
• 8 large potato hamburger buns
• 8 slices pepperjack cheese

Directions

1. Preheat a grill for high heat. When the grill is hot, roast the jalapeno peppers until blackened on all sides. Place in a plastic bag to sweat and loosen the blackened skin. Rub the skin off, then seed if desired, and chop.
2. In a large bowl, use your hands to mix together the ground beef, salt, pepper, egg, steak sauce, onion, hot pepper sauce, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt and Fritos®. Divide into 8 balls, and flatten into patties.
3. Grill patties for 10 to 15 minutes, turning once, or until well done. I always drink one beer, then flip, drink another beer, then remove from the grill and place on buns. Top each one with a slice of pepperjack cheese and pig out! 

8 servings 

Pad Thai

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound bean sprouts
• 6 ounces pad thai rice noodles
• 4 eggs
• salt
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 2/3 cup chopped peanuts
• 1 cup green onions cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling water for approximately 30 seconds, remove, and drain well. When the water returns to a boil, add noodles. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until tender but firm; drain and rinse under cold water
2. Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Stir together the lime juice, ketchup, brown sugar, and fish sauce in a separate bowl; set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the garlic for a few seconds. Add the pepper flakes and carrot, and cook for one minute, then remove. Add the beaten egg, and gently scramble. When the eggs have set, pour in the carrots, sauce, bean sprouts, noodles, peanuts, and green onion; toss together. 

4 servings

Thai Coconut Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry jasmine rice
• 3 cups water
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 2 cups 1 inch pieces asparagus
• 1 cup snow peas
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup chopped green onions
• 1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk

Directions

1. In a 2 quart saucepan, combine water and rice. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. In a medium size bowl, combine the chicken and curry powder, and toss to coat.
3. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Cook the chicken, stirring frequently, over medium-high heat for 4 minutes. Mix in the asparagus, snow peas, carrots and green onions; cook for 3 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk , continue cooking until sauce is hot, and chicken is cooked through. Serve over the hot, cooked rice. 

4 servings

Chicken Cordon Bleu Rolls

Ingredients

• 8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 8 slices cooked ham
• 4 slices Swiss cheese, cut into 1 inch pieces
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup cornflakes cereal crumbs
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Place each chicken breast half between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet to about 1/8 inch thickness. Place a finger of cheese on each ham slice and sprinkle lightly with thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Roll up seasoned ham and cheese 'jellyroll-style', then roll each chicken breast with ham and cheese inside. Tuck in ends and fasten with toothpicks.
3. Place melted butter in a small bowl and place cereal crumbs in a shallow dish or bowl. Dip each chicken roll in butter or margarine, then roll in crumbs, turning to coat thoroughly. Place coated rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
4. Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for about 40 minutes or until chicken is golden brown and juices run clear. Serve with cordon bleu sauce, if desired.
5. To Make Cordon Bleu Sauce: In a small saucepan mix together the soup, sour cream and lemon juice. Heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, and serve hot over chicken rolls. Makes about 2 cups; 8 servings of 1/4 cup each. 

6-8 servings

barbecued ribs in the crockpot

3 lbs lean county style ribs
2 cups low sodium barbeque sauce
1 cup water

Place ribs on bottom of cooker
mix barbecue sauce and water together
cook 8-10 hours

"Wendy's" Chili

1 lb. dried pinto beans, cooked and rinsed
1 lb. ground beef, cooked and rinsed
2 15 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 29 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup catsup
2 cups water
2 tsp. cumin powder
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. garlic salt

Put beans and water in a crockpot and cook overnight on low; in the morning, drain and rinse the beans. Put in a pot and add tomato sauce, tomatoes, onion, pepper, catsup, water, cumin, chili powder, pepper, and garlic salt. Simmer for 30 minutes. Serves 8.

Homemade Mac-N-Cheese

6 cups water

6 tsp. chicken bouillon

4 cups uncooked macaroni

1 can evaporated milk

4 T butter, cut in pieces

2 T flour

3/4 tsp. pepper

4 cups grated cheddar cheese

In a large pot, combine water, bouillon, macaroni, evaporated milk, butter, and flour. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pepper and cheese. Allow to stand for 5 to 10 minutes; it thickens as it stands.