Nichole's Chili

1 lb ground beef, cooked and seasoned with salt and pepper and chopped onion
2 cans kidney beans with juice (I use one can light and one can dark kidney beans)
2 cans tomato paste (I only use one or the tomato taste is overpowering)
2 tomato paste cans full of water (I only use one)
2 cans diced tomatoes with juice (I like to use the petite diced)
1 Tablespoon chili powder (less if you want less heat but I usually add more than 1 Tbsp)
1 teaspoon salt
1 can corn (optional), drained

I usually add garlic and onion powder when I am browning the meat but it's according to taste.

Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer at least 20 minutes until beans are cooked.

* This recipe comes from my sister in law and the only chili I will ever eat. I love that it is filled with protein and vegetables. I use the entire Tablespoon chili powder plus some and it does not make it very spicy at all. We like to garnish it with cheese and sour cream and serve it with honey corn bread. This chili is a family favorite!

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 large limes)
2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 large cloves garlic, finely minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (I always use garlic powder)
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts), cooked and shredded
12 corn tortillas
2 cups Mexican cheese blend, shredded
14oz can green enchilada sauce (mild or medium, to your taste)
1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream (can substitute half and half which is what I do and can't tell the difference)
1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro, to garnish, optional (it is fine without it, too)

Preheat oven to 350*. Place the cooked and shredded chicken in a medium sized bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, place the honey, lime juice, chili powder and minced garlic or garlic powder. Whisk together thoroughly to combine. Pour this mixture over the chicken and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to marinate while you prepare the tortillas, 30 minutes or up to 1 hour, in the refrigerator.

Heat a large griddle till a drop of water skitters across (about 350 degrees F). Spray the surface with non-stick cooking spray or a oil it with a little bit of canola oil in between each round of tortillas. Heat tortillas about 20 seconds on each side till warm and flexible and some golden brown spots have appeared. Remove the tortillas from the griddle and keep them between a couple of paper towels until ready to use.
Spray the sides and bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish lightly with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl combine the enchilada sauce and the heavy cream. Spread about 1/2 cup of the mixture in the bottom of the oiled baking dish.
Add a large spoonful (about 2 tablespoons) of the chicken mixture to the center of each tortilla in a line. Cover the chicken with a large tablespoon (or big pinch) of cheese, then roll the tortilla up from one side to make a rolled enchilada - it will be more of an over lap on the seam side that rolled tightly. Place the enchilada seam side down in the baking dish starting at one end with the long edge parallel to the longest side of the pan so that you end up with two columns of six enchiladas each.
Repeat with the remaining chicken, cheese and tortillas. You will use about 1 1/2 cups of the cheese for the filling and set the remainder aside for topping the enchiladas in the pan. Add the remaining marinade mixture to the enchilada sauce and cream mixture, if desired. Pour this mixture over the top of all the enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake the enchiladas for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and starting to brown on top. Serve with sour cream, black beans, and rice or a green salad for a great meal.
Serves 4 to 6
* These are by far our most FAVORITE (and famous) meal! These have the most amazing flavor. My husband was a little concerned when he first heard I was going to make these but now he begs for them weekly and eats more than half the pan in one sitting. They are a little time consuming but easy and so worth it! I usually boil the chicken in the morning or even the night before and marinate it in 2 batches of the marinade for several hours or overnight and stir in the leftover marinade and any leftover chicken into the sauce mixture. I use the entire Tablespoon of chili powder and it really doesn't make it spicy, it just adds flavor! ENJOY!

Chicken Enchiladas With Corn Salsa

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 can mild enchilada sauce
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 package flour or wheat tortillas

Mix all ingredients reserving about 1/4 can of enchilada sauce.
Spoon mixture onto edge of tortilla and fold together, folding one end into middle.
Place side by side in baking dish.
Pour reserved sauce over enchiladas.
Sprinkle with more shredded cheese if desired.
Bake at 350* for about 25 minutes.

Corn Salsa
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can corn
1 can black beans
1 small bunch chopped, fresh cilantro as desired
1 cup Italian salad dressing

Stir ingredients together. This is also great with tortilla chips.

Fruit and Feta Green Salad

8 cups assorted greens
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries
1 small red onion, chopped
1/2 cup toasted pecans or almonds

Combine ingredients in large salad bowl and toss with Brianna's Vinaigrette just before serving.

(I like adding chicken and bread/rolls to make it a meal but it's also great as a side salad.)

Sticky Coconut Chicken

6-8 chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 lbs)
2/3 cup canned coconut milk
1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon hot chili flakes

3/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon hot chili flakes
4-5 green onions, finely chopped

Rinse chicken and pat dry. In a large bowl mix coconut milk, ginger, pepper, and hot chili flakes. Add chicken and mix; cover and chill at least 1 hour or up to a day.

Life chicken from bowl, reserving marinade; pull thighs open and lay flat on a lightly oiled grill on high heat. Cover and cook, turning thighs as needed to brown both sides, until meat is no longer pink in the center of the thickest part (about 10-12 minutes total). Base frequently with remaining marinade and use it all.

Transfer thighs to a warm platter and pour the chili glaze evenly over meat; garnish with green onions.

Chili glaze:
In a 2-3 quart pan, combine rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and hot chili flakes. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup, 8-10 minutes. Use hot.

Sweet Corn Bread

1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar (you can go less if you want)
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup canola oil
3 Tablespoons melted butter

Combine dry ingredients, then combine wet ingredients in separate bowl. Add wet mixture to flour mixture and stir just until blended. Pour into 8" square baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. FOR MUFFINS: pour into muffin cups and bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

Pepperoni Bread

1 loaf bread dough, thawed if frozen
After dough is thawed, spread on cookie sheet into a rectangle.

Combine:
1 egg
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon garlic salt
little bit of water

Brush half of egg mixture onto dough. Put sliced pepperoni down center of dough. Sprinkle with cheese (about 1 cup). Fold dough in thirds, turn over and brush with remaining egg mixture.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Slice and serve with marina sauce as a dip.

Chicken Ole!

10 ¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
10 ¾-oz. can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. grated onion
1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese
12 flour tortillas, each torn into 6-8 pieces
3-4 cups cubed, cooked chicken
7-oz. jar salsa
½ cup grated cheddar cheese (for garnish.)

In separate bowl, combine soups, sour cream, onion, and 1 ½ cups cheese. Place one-third of each of the following in layers in slow cooker: torn tortillas, soup mixture, chicken, and salsa. Repeat layers 2 more times. Cover. Cook on Low 4-5 hours. (This recipe does not respond well to cooking on High.)
Gently stir. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheese. Cover. Cook on Low another 15-30 minutes.
Serve with tortilla chips and lettuce.

(Recipe can be found in Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: Feasting with your Slow Cooker)

Pumpkin Fruit Dip

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
15 oz. can pumpkin
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ t. ginger (I do not include this)

Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar until creamy. Add pumpkin and spices, mixing well. Cover and chill for 8 hours. Serve with gingersnaps, apple slices and pear slices.

Toffee Apple Dip

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pkg. toffee bits (some stores have Skor bits and some have Heath)

Mix together and serve with apple slices.

Death By Chocolate Cake

1 Duncan Hines Devil's Food cake mix

1 3.9 oz. package instant chocolate pudding

1 cup melted butter

2 cups (1 16 oz. container) sour cream

5 eggs

1 tea vanilla

1 bag mini chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients except chips and mix for 1 min. on low, and 2 min. on medium. Then fold in mini chips (optional: save about 1/8 cup to sprinkle on the top). Bake in a well greased bundt pan at 350 for 60 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Frosting

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup whole milk

3/4 cup + 1 TB granulated sugar

3/4 cup + 1 TB semi sweet chocolate chips.

Combine butter, milk and sugar over medium heat and cook for 4 or 5 minutes, or until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in chocolate chips gradually until it is smooth. Immediately pour over cake. Garnish with reserved mini chips or shaved chocolate.

*A few notes: This is very thick batter, I don't suggest trying to mix by hand. Also, don't try to cut the fat out of this cake, it will ruin it. If you are looking for a lower calorie cake, pick another recipe.

Layered Mint Fudge

1 1/2 tsp butter, softened
2 c (12oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk, divided
2tsp vanilla extract
1c vanilla or white chocolate chips
3tsp peppermint extract
1 to 2 drops green or red food coloring

Line a 9" square pan (I used a 9" round pan) with foil; grease the foil with butter and set aside.
In a heavy sauce pan, melt chocolate chips and 1c milk over low heat.
Cook for 5-6 min. or until smooth.
Remove from heat.
Add vanilla; stir for 3-4 min. or until creamy.
Spread half of the mixture into prepared pan.
Refrigerate for 10min or until firm.
Set remaining chocolate mixture aside.

In heavy saucepan, melt vanilla chips and remaining milk over low heat; cook and stir for 5-6 min. or until smooth (mixture will be thick).
Remove from the heat.Add peppermint extract and food coloring.
Stir 3-4min or until creamy.Spread evenly over chocolate layers.Refrigerate for 10min or until firm.
Heat reserved chocolate mixture over low heat until mixture achieves spreading consistency; spread over mint layer.
Cover; refrigerate overnight or until firm.
Using foil, lift fudge out of pan.Gently peel off foil; cut into 1" squares.
Store in the fridge.
Makes about 1 3/4lbs.

Jessica Seinfeld's Tri-Color Farfalle Chicken Caesar Salad

8 oz tri-color farfalle pasta
1 cup Caesar salad dressing, divided
6 oz shaved parmesan cheese, divided
6 cups chopped romaine or Italian lettuce blend
4 cups Roma tomatoes cut into wedges
freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup Caesar croutons
2 medium chicken breasts, grilled and sliced

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and stir to separate pasta. Do not rinse.
Combine pasta and 1/2 cup Caesar salad dressing in a salad bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Add halve of the parmesan and all of the lettuce, tomatoes, ground black pepper and croutons to the chilled pasta. Mix well.
To serve, place sliced chicken on top of the salad, sprinkle with remaining parmesan and drizzle with the remaining salad dressing.
Makes 8 servings.

Hazelnut & Lemon French Green Beans

1 lb French green beans
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 Tablespoon and 1 teaspoon coarsely chopped hazelnuts, toasted
1 Tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 Tablespoon and 1 teaspoon lemon juice, preferably fresh-squeezed
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
ground black pepper

Fill a large pot one-third full of water. Cover and set over high heat. When the water comes to a full boil, add beans and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 2-5 minutes or until just tender. Drain in a colander.
Transfer the beans to a serving bowl. Add hazelnuts, lemon peel, lemon juice and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss gently to mix. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings.

Berry Spinach Salad

8 cups spinach leaves, rinsed and spun dry
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 1/2 cups halved fresh strawberries
1 cup fresh blackberries
1/4 cup broken pecans, lightly toasted

DRESSING:
1/2 cup halved strawberries
1/4 cup raspberry vinegar
grated peel of 1 lemon
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tablespoon light agave nectar or honey
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Combine spinach, blueberries, strawberries and blackberries in a large bowl and toss gently.

To prepare the dressing, in a small bowl mash strawberries into pulp. Add vinegar, lemon peel and juice, agave and olive oil. Stir well with a whisk.
Arrange the spinach and berry mixture on plates and drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with toasted pecans. (Or drizzle the dressing over the spinach/berry mixture in the bowl, add pecans and then toss.)
Makes 6 servings.