Santa Fe Chili

    Prepared chili mix helps speed up the prep time when making this dish. It's fast, easy and any variation of favorite ingredients can be added to make this chili your own.

1 pound ground round
1 tbsp butter
1 onion, diced
1 small can diced green chili's
1 16 oz can stewed tomatoes (tear tomatoes into small pieces as you drop into pan)
1 16 oz can tomato sauce
1 prepared chili mix or your choice
1 16 oz can white kidney beans
1 16 oz red kidney beans
2 cups water
(green onion for garnish)

In large stockpot saute diced onion in butter. When onions are almost translucent add ground round until browned,  (ground round puts off little fat, no need to drain). Add remaining ingredients and allow to simmer until the chili has thickened and you are ready to serve.

If you have the time and can make this a day ahead the flavors will come together nicely and will have a deeper flavor if allowed to do so, then just reheat and serve. Top with sour cream and green onions.

Enjoy,
Sheila

Turkey and Dumplings

     Did you know that Benjamin Franklin was not pleased with the Congress when they chose the Bald Eagle  as our country's centerpiece for the United States? Did you also know that he suggested to his daughter that based on the original drawing submitted that the turkey would make for a more humble symbol? Look up the history sometime it is very interesting. Well, I don't know about you, but I have come to love the two birds and what they represent apart from each other. 

     Now that Thanksgiving has been served and we are left in some cases with more than our fair share of leftovers, I am putting to use the rest of the turkey in a turkey and dumplings soup. I don't want any part of this bird to go waste so here is what I did with them. This of course can be made the traditional way as well when made with chicken. It's just deliciousness anyway you serve it. This is my quick and easy version but if you chose to make your stock from scratch the results will be great too..

Turkey and Dumplings

Ingredients for the stock:

2 tbsp butter and oil

8 cups organic chicken stock ( 2 boxes work well)

1 whole onion, diced

4 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 bay leaf

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 bag frozen petite peas

Shredded turkey, amount can be based on leftovers or desired amount for soup

Salt and pepper to taste

Dumplings:

2 cups flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt 2 slightly beaten eggs

1 cup buttermilk

In a dutch oven or large stock pot, melt the butter and oil over medium heat, saute onions, garlic, celery, carrots just until onions are translucent. Add shredded turkey and peas. Simmer until carrots are tender on low heat. 10 to 15 minutes before you are ready to serve your turkey and dumpling soup, with two spoons gently drop in dumpling batter in spoonfuls. The dumplings should not touch and have plenty of room to float on top as they poach. Fill the top of the soup with the dumpling mixture. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until dumplings are light and fluffy. Discard the bay leaf before serving and sprinkle with parsley for garnish.

Enjoy, 

Sheila aka Meema

So Thankful

I had the most amazing day with family today though my daughter and son in law could not be a part of our festivities. The weather held back any threat of rain and gave us a day of sunshine and warmth. I hope all of you had a wonderful day and I look forward to sharing future Christmas goodies and recipes with you!

Sheila

Apple Crisp

     Isn't it great? This is an orchard that went on and on with rows of citrus trees. The air was crisp and walking through bundled in my jacket and scarf rejuvenated my inner being as I could smell the dampness of the soil and the remains of fruit that had been missed in the last harvest. Feeling inspired by the fortune of many available foods we have at our fingretips, I raced back to the kitchen to make my apple crisp. Fall is all about cinnamon and apple smells filling the house. I hope you find the time to slow down and enjoy this wonderful time of year before it slips by without your appreciation of simpler things.

Apple Crisp



5 granny smith apples
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 stick cold butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
2 tcsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375. Peel apples and cut into thin slices,in a bowl toss with lemon juice, cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar. Place in a 9 in square buttered pan.

In another large bowl mix the flour, brown sugar, salt, 2 tbsp granualted sugar and oats. Cut these ingredients together into small crumbs using a fork or pastry blender, your hands will melt the butter so resist the temptation. Sprinkle this topping onto the apples and bake for 55 to 60 minutes.



Cool for 10 minutes and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy,

Sheila

Orange Pecan Sticky Buns

2 cups Orange Juice

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts

2 tbsp butter, melted

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 box frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup corn syrup

In a saucepan over high heat, bring orange juice to a boil, reduce to medium high heat and cook for about 25 minutes until reduced to 1 cup.

Combine pecans with 1/2 cup reduced orange juice, set aside. Add cinnamon to melted butter. Remove 1 thawed puff pastry sheet, there are two per box. Brush with butter cinnamon mixture, loosely roll up and wrap with wax paper. Repeat with second puff pastry sheet. Chill for 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 375. Spray muffin pan with spray or butter. Drain any excess orange juice from pecans and divide pecans and place in bottom of muffin pan. Top pecans with evenly divided brown sugar, (you can eyeball this), drizzle 1 tbsp corn syrup over brown sugar in muffin pan.

Cut each dough log into 6 pieces and place in muffin tin, Press into pan lightly.

Place muffin tin on a cookie sheet to catch drippings. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove form oven and brush with orange juice reduction. Turn muffins onto buttered cookie sheet while still hot. Allow to cool slightly and before serving.

Enjoy!

Sheila

Chicken Broccoli Noodle Soup

    The weather seems to have quickly changed as it usually does this time of year. For most of us it is a welcome change from the summer heat. I don't know about you, but I love this time of year! I love the smells that fill my house as I crank up the oven and begin my seasonal baking. One other given is the big pot of soup that is slowly simmering on the back burner

     This recipe was given to me years ago by a friend, who got it from a friend, who got it from a friend, you know, that kind of recipe. It has been changed, modified, adapted to suit the needs and tastes of each cook as time has gone by, but one thing remains the same; it is simple, hearty and downright tasty.

This recipe is so quick and easy that on cold blustery days I would have this ready for the kids when they came home from school. They are now grown and out of the house but have shared with me that those are some of their best memories!

Chicken Broccoli Noodle Soup

Ingredients

4-6 Chicken Breasts

1 - 12 oz bag wide egg noodles

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp white pepper

1 tsp celery seeds

2 cloves fresh garlic

1 large onion, diced

4-6 carrots, sliced

4 broccoli crowns, cut to bite size

In a large stock pot boil chicken in salted water just until tender, (do not overcook) or it will get tough. Remove chicken from broth to cool saving the chicken stock. Skim off any foam from the broth. You want your broth to be clear. Add cut vegetables and spices to chicken broth, add more salt or spices to personal taste. Simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add wide egg noodles and simmer until done. Enjoy!