Favorite Chili

This is by far my favorite chili recipe!  I took some things I liked from a few of my past recipes and combined it to make the best chili ever!  It's thick and chunky and soothes the soul on a cold day!  

It has just a little kick if you put in a whole jalapeno, but I wouldn't say it's spicy.  If you'd rather not have that extra heat, you could just put in 1 tablespoon jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped. 

1 lb ground beef

2 onions or 1 extra large onion

1 cup green pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped  

1 (10 ounce) can Mexican-style tomatoes (Rotel - Mild Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilis)

1 (29 ounce) can tomato sauce (or four 8 ounce cans tomato sauce)

1 quart homemade canned tomatoes, or store bought crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoons cumin

2 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

2 (14 ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

Toppings - sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese

Cook ground beef with onions and peppers in a large cast iron pot or dutch oven.  Season with salt and pepper.  Drain excess grease and add the rest of the ingredients.  Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 30 - 60 minutes.

Honey Walnut Shrimp

This shrimp recipe is a favorite!  It's easily doubled for a larger group.

1 lb. medium or large shrimp, raw, deveined and shelled

1 egg white
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup cornstarch or tapioca starch
1 cup canola oil for frying

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Candied walnuts

Rinse and dry shrimp.  Marinate in egg white and salt in a large ziploc bag for 20 minutes.  

While shrimp is marinating make the sauce in a medium bowl.  Whisk together the mayonnaise, honey, sweetened condensed milk, and fresh lemon juice.  Set aside.

Also, make candied walnuts while shrimp is marinating:

     In a medium skillet heat 1 cup walnut pieces, 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon butter.  Heat over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn.  Transfer immediately to a sheet of parchment paper and separate the nuts quickly using a spatula.

    
After shrimp has marinated, add cornstarch and toss to coat.  Place shrimp in a medium skillet with hot oil to fry.  (It only takes a few minutes.)  Shrimp will be pink when cooked.  Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and place on cooling rack to let the excess oil drip off.  Make sure to not overcook the shrimp.

Put shrimp in the bowl with the sauce and toss with the sauce to combine.  Serve over hot rice and top with candied walnuts.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Chocolate Ganache

This moist cake is a chocolate lovers dream!  The zucchini creates a perfect texture, without revealing any zucchini flavor.  I'm not sure I'll make a chocolate cake any other way.  I love it best served with chocolate ganache.  You could also call it a brownie, and serve it as is.  

1/2 cup canola oil

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla 

2 cups gluten free flour (I like featherlight best!)

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 cup cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups finely shredded zucchini (do NOT drain!)

1 1/4 cups chocolate chips (semi sweet or milk, chips or chunks)

3/4 cup Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350º.  In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar and vanilla.  Mix until fully incorporated.  Add GF flour, xanthan gum, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.  Mix until combined.  Batter will be very dry.  Fold in zucchini.  Allow batter to rest for 5 minutes.  Add in chocolate chips and stir again.  Batter should appear more wet.  If not, let it rest for 5 more minutes and stir again.  Spread cake mixture into a 9 x 13 inch greased pan.  Bake for 25-35 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

While the cake is baking prepare the ganache.  Combine the Ghirrardelli milk chocolate chips and the heavy whipping cream in a small pan.  Stir over medium heat until chips melt and combine well with the cream.  Let it cool.

Cut individual pieces of cake, and spoon ganache over top.  Serve.  

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

These BBQ pork sandwiches will please any crowd!  We love to freshen it up with this quick and easy coleslaw with homemade dressing.  Make the coleslaw a few hours before serving.

6-7 lbs pork shoulder roast
1 cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons Kosher salt
2 tablespoons cumin
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 1/2 - 2 cups Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce

Put pork roast in crockpot.  Sprinkle brown sugar, salt, cumin and garlic on top of the roast.  Cook on high for 2-3 hours then on low for 6-8 hours, or until meat falls apart.  

Take roast out of juices and shred.  Mix BBQ sauce into hot pork.  Pour juices out of crockpot, and put pork back in, to keep warm.  Add more BBQ sauce if needed.  Serve on gluten free buns or bread, with coleslaw.

Coleslaw

2 (16 ounce) bags coleslaw mix

2 tablespoons finely diced onion

2/3 cup mayo

3 tablespoons canola oil

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine the colelaw mix and onion in a large bowl.  Whisk together the mayo, oil, sugar, vinegar and salt in a small bowl.  Pour over coleslaw and toss to coat.  Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Easy Alfredo

This might just be my favorite Alfredo recipe.  I got it from my friend Natasha.  We've had it at multiple youth activities and it's always a huge hit!  It's so delicious and simple to make!  It's easy to double to feed a crowd.  You can serve it in a warmed crockpot.

The noodles in this photo are my new favorite as well!  They are cauliflower noodles from Costco!  I'm not sure I'll use anything else!  You have to try them!

1/2 cup butter
8 ounces cream cheese
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 cups milk
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon pepper
corn starch slurry to thicken if desired

Melt butter and cream cheese together.  Add pepper and garlic powder.  Add milk a little at a time stirring until creamy.  Add cheese last and stir until melted and creamy.  Thicken with a few tablespoons of cornstarch and water if desired. 

Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad

I love this fresh crisp salad!  Salads are great because you can add what you'd like and how much you like.  I didn't measure ingredient amounts because I like to eye it.  I'll guess the amounts below, but add the amounts you like!  The dressing is light and perfect with the apple salad! 

6 - 7 cups Spring salad mix
1 - 2 cups Iceberg lettuce, chopped
2 Honey crisp apples, cubed
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Dressing
1/2 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Toast the pecans in 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.  Stir and watch carefully so they don't burn, about 5 - 6 minutes.  Cool on paper towels.  Core and chop apples into small chunks.  Toss lettuce, apples, pecans, Parmesan cheese and cranberries together in a large bowl.

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients.  Toss with the salad immediately before serving.  You won't need all of the dressing, just use enough to lightly coat the salad.... or however much you like :)

Peruvian-Style Chicken

My son is currently serving as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Peru.  We were so excited to try this new recipe, and taste something similar to what he normally eats!  It's so flavorful and aromatic!  My sister-in-law shared the recipe with me.  It's from Danielle Walker's book "Against All Grain."

Spice Rub:

1 teaspoon butter

1 ½ tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon oregano

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons vinegar

Chicken:

4 lbs chicken pieces*

3 sweet potatoes, diced

3 small sweet onions, quartered, then quartered again

2 yellow bell peppers, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons olive oil

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 lemon, sliced

handful of fresh cilantro

1.     Preheat oven to 425º

2.     Combine the ingredients of the spice rub in a small bowl.

3.     Rinse and dry the chicken pieces, then generously rub them all over with the spice rub.

4.     Place the sweet potatoes, onion, bell peppers, and garlic in a roasting pan or 9-by-13 inch baking dish.  Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables, season with the salt and pepper, then toss to coat.

5.     Arrange the chicken skin side down over the top of the vegetables. Place the lemon slices on top.

6.     Roast for 20 minutes, then turn the chicken pieces over and stir the vegetables.  Continue roasting for 20- 25 more minutes, until the chicken skin is crisp and the vegetables are cooked through.  Garnish with cilantro.

Note:  I used 8 chicken thighs - bone in, with skin on

Pressure Cooker Pot Roast

The pressure cooker is my new favorite way to make pot roast!  It's so tender and delicious!  The seasonings in this recipe are spot on and the flavor of the gravy comes out perfect!

3 - 3 1/2 lb beef roast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 - 2 small onions, quartered
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon GF Worcestershire sauce
2 cups water
2 GF beef bouillon cubes

Mix together salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion power and pepper on a plate.  Roll roast into seasoning mixture.  Turn pressure cooker on to the saute setting and heat 1 tablespoon olive oil until hot.  Sear roast on all sides for 30-60 seconds.  Remove roast and set aside.  Deglaze bottom of pan with butter and add onions.  Saute onions.  Add balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, water and beef bouillon cubes.  Turn off pressure cooker.  Place pressure cooker trivet on top of onions and put roast on trivet.  Cook on meat/stew setting for 70 minutes.  Let it natural release for at least 20 minutes.

My family likes carrots cooked with pot roast, so at this point I pull out the pot roast and cover it with tinfoil.  I add a large bag of baby carrots to the liquid and set the pressure cooker to cook on high for 4 minutes.  Release manually and remove carrots.

Use the juices to make gravy.  Remove the onion pieces.  Turn pressure cooker on to saute.  Make a cornstarch slurry with corn starch and water.  Add slurry to the boiling liquid until the gravy is the consistency you like.  Salt and pepper to taste.  (I make the gravy by taste and will add salt, pepper, beef bouillon, and water according to taste.  If it needs more flavoring I add beef bouillon.  If it's too strong I add water, then possibly more cornstarch slurry to get it back to the thickness I like.)

Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce

This is my family's new favorite enchilada recipe!  Thanks to my neighbor Emily Flynn!  The flavor of the meat, combined with the cheese's and sour cream is delicious!  The Pepper Jack cheese adds a little touch of heat, but isn't too spicy at all.  We're going to double the batch for our family next time because we have a house full of teenage boys, who love it!  Don't be afraid of the amount of ingredients.  It's really quick to put together.

1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil                                                

1 lb ground beef                                                                                          

1 medium onion, minced                                                                                           

3 cloves garlic, pressed                                                                             

1 green pepper, finely chopped                                                          

1 tablespoon chili powder                                                                     

2-3 teaspoons cumin                                                                                  

½ teaspoon coriander                                                                               

½ teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon pepper

¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream, plus more for garnish if desired

Juice of 1 lime – a small squirt

1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese (or any cheese)

2 tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro, plus more for garnish

1 8 ounce can tomato sauce

10-12 small gluten free tortillas or corn tortillas

1 – 2 (10 ounce) cans of your favorite red enchilada sauce  (I like Old El Paso)

2 cups shredded cheddar or Colby Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350º.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add ground beef, onion, garlic, green pepper, chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, black pepper, and salt and cook until onion is translucent and the meat is fully cooked.  Removed from heat.

Stir in sour cream, lime juice, Pepper Jack cheese, parsley or cilantro, and tomato sauce.  Place ¼ cup filling on each tortilla, roll up, and place in pan.  Top with enchilada sauce and then cheddar or Colby Jack cheese.  Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream and chopped parsley or cilantro, if desired. 

Almond Poppy Seed Muffins

Almond Poppy Seed muffins are one of my favorites!  I've missed being able to eat the Costco muffins, so I decided to create one myself!  Wahoo!  These muffins are fluffy and delicious!

1 1/2 cups all purpose GF flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 egg, slightly beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 375º.  Melt butter in a small cup or bowl.  In a medium bowl, combine flours, xanthan gum, sugar, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds.  Mix.  In a small bowl, beat egg until slightly beaten.  Add egg, milk, sour cream, butter, vanilla and almond extract to the dry ingredients.  Mix until combined.  Bake for 14-17 minutes until it begins to brown on top, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Makes 12 muffins.