Best with Beer Chili

Heading to "THE LAKE" (aka Hackensack) this week, so decided to preview our meal before we serve to the 30 people up there!!  We were in charge of the "mild" chili - but man, this was still awesome!!  Ross even said "that is the best chili you've ever made..." - so we will be making this over and over again!  It was so good and so flavorful!!  YUM!!

8 servings

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef or sausage
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green pepper

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 cans of 15 ounce diced tomatoes, undrained

2 cans of 15 ounce tomato sauce

2 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon red cayenne pepper

1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

2 cans of 15 ounce chili beans

1 bottle of your favorite beer

Cook beef, onion, pepper and garlic until beef is brown, drain

Stir in remaining ingredients except the beans.  Heat to boiling, reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for at least an hour.

Stir in beans.  Heat to boiling, reduce heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

French Silk Tarts

Dessert cookbook -- what what!!  These bad boys were AMAZING!  Good thing we had a bunch of preggers who were too nervous to eat more than 1 (due to the raw pasteurized egg...), so we had leftovers for our man friends - but T-A-S-T-Y!!  Make it up...super easy too!!

Makes 16: Betty Crocker Party Food

Ingredients:
1 box (15 oz) refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
3 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, cut into pieces
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 pasteurized eggs (because the eggs are not cooked, must use pasteurized eggs)

Heat oven to 425.  Remove crusts from pouches; unroll on work surface.  Pat or roll each crust into 11 1/2-inch circle.  With 3 1/2-inch round cutter, cut 8 rounds from each crust; discard scraps.  Fit rounds into 16 ungreased regular-sized muffin cups, pressing in gently; prick sides and bottom with fork.

Bake 7-9 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Cool 1 minute; remove from muffin cups to wire rack.  Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, melt chocolate over low heat; cool.  In small bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.  Gradually beat in sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in cooled chocolate and vanilla until well blended.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating on high speed 2 minutes after each addition; beat until mixture is smooth and fluffy.

Fill tart shells with chocolate mixture.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.  Store in refrigerator.

Peach Cobbler

Cookbook theme tonight was dessert - so thought we would add some fruit to be a little healthier.  This was "eh"...nothing to make again, but if you are looking for a peach cobbler it's a quick fix and tasted good....just wasn't anything special!  The ice cream was the best part :)

Recipe per Day

Batter:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk, room temperature
1 egg, room temperature

Filling:
1 (28oz) can sliced peaches, drained
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350.  Melt butter in 9x13 baking dish.  Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Stir in milk and egg.  Pour evenly over melted butter.  Combine peaches, sugar, and spices.  Spread over batter.  Do not stir.

Bake 35-45 minutes until batter rises to the top and is golden brown.  Serve warm with ice cream if desired.

Grape Salad

This salad was AMAZING!!  It's not the healthiest thing you can eat, but after eating it- you don't even care!  It's super fast to make too....but man - it's SO good!  That brown sugar on top just does it for me!  Had Burkes over tonight - and she loved it too!  BIG hit!

Recipe per Day

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb green grapes

1 1/2 lb red grapes
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup broken pecans

Wash and dry grapes really well.  Mix together cream cheese, sour cream, white sugar, and vanilla.  Fold in grapes and put in 9x13 pan.

For the topping, mix together brown sugar and broken pecans.  Sprinkle over grape mixture and  refrigerate.

Volcano Burgers

Summer time...ahhh it's been SO HOT here in MN!!  It's 105 today....fun stuff.  Didn't feel like turning our oven on, so Ross headed out in the heat to grill (thanks mr. man!)  These were pretty tasty...weren't our favorite burgers - but a good twist on the normal burger!

Recipe per Day

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
1/3 cup red wine
1/3 cup white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
dash of chili powder
2 pepperoncini peppers
1/2 onion
pepper jack cheese slices

Preheat oven to 375 (or grill).

Combine beef, red wine, white wine, lemon juice, and chili powder.  Form patties and place on a nonstick / foil-lined pan (or again, grill).

Chop pepperoncinis / onions and sprinkle over top of patties.  Top with slices of pepper jack cheese.  Bake until patties are cooked - and check them out....they look like little volcano's :)

Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich with Garlic Mayo

Crib shopping tonight - so needed 1. something fast / tasty and 2. something that would give Ross enough energy to watch me debate cribs that all look alike :)  This was really good!!  Super tasty - really quick to make - and didn't make us go #2 right away (Ross thought it was something that tasted like it would run right through you - but don't worry...it didn't!)  :)

Recipe per Day

Ingredients:
1 cup mayo
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb beef round steak, cut into strips
2 green bell peppers, cut into 1/4 inch strips
1 onion, sliced into rings
4 hoagie rolls, split lengthwise and toasted
8oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 500 / broil.

In a small bowl, combine mayo and minced garlic.  Cover and  refrigerate.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Saute beef until lightly browned.  Stir in green pepper and onion.  Season with salt and pepper. Saute until veggies are tender and remove from heat.

Spread each bun generously with garlic mayo.  Divide beef mixture into the buns.  Top with shredded cheese and sprinkle with oregano.  Place sandwiches on a baking pan and broil sandwiches until cheese is melted and slightly browned.

White Sangria

Had P's wedding shower today, and I was in charge of drinks....I've never made sangria before, but I was told this was very tasty!  (I'll be honest - I had to have a sip because fruit / white wine was too good to pass up - so sorry Little One, but even that little sip was delicious!)

I was nervous when I was making it - because I didn't understand how people wouldn't have like chunks of fruit floating in their cups, but it worked pretty good....and actually, I was told that spooning some of the fruit in with your glass actually was better :)

Makes 8 cups

Ingredients:
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1/2 cup cognac
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
1 peach or nectarine, pitted and thinly sliced
1 red apple, cored and thinly sliced
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced
1 to 2 plums, pitted and thinly sliced
2 bottles (750 mL) dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, chilled
Ice cubes, for serving


In a large pitcher, stir sugar and cognac until well combined. Stir in fruit slices until fully coated; let stand, refrigerated, overnight.


Add wine to pitcher and stir until well combined. Serve sangria over ice.