Tasty Tuesday Chili!

I posted Donna's chili recipe a while back, but with the cold weather firmly entrenched around here, I figure it wouldn't hurt to post one more. I posted this last January, but I've modified it slightly since then.

Cheryl's Tummy Warming Chili

1 lb 14 oz can light red kidney beans
1 lb 12 oz can diced tomatoes; pureed
1 tsp salt
1 lb very lean hamburger
2 cloves garlic; diced
1 tsp sugar
1 bay leaf
3 tbsp Mexene chili powder
1 large onion; chopped
1 jalapeno; seeded and diced
2 tbsp butter
3 oz spaghetti broken into thirds or 1 cup of any other pasta or macaroni you choose

Melt butter in large soup pot and saute onions until transparent. Add hamburger and cook until browned. Add all other ingredients except pasta and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add pasta and cook another fifteen minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Serve topped with grated cheese and enjoy with a nice, hot hunk on the side!

Tasty Tuesday Potato Soup!

When I was growing up, it was a tradition in our house to have potato soup for dinner on Christmas Eve. My mother never explained why, but since she rarely made it any other time, I'm thinking it had some special significance. Unfortunately, I never thought to ask her before she died in 1977.

This isn't her recipe, but one I've developed on my own over the years, and it's pretty close to the original.

Potato Soup

1 large chopped onion
3 tbsp flour
3 cups water
3 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups hot (not boiling) milk

In a large soup pot, saute the onion in the butter over medium high heat until transparent. Whisk the flour into the water and add it and all ingredients except the milk to the pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally and cooking until potatoes are soft. Add the milk and adjust seasoning as desired, adding more butter if necessary. Top with grated cheese and enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday

Here's another great recipe from Donna. You can tell how much fun she had making these cookies, can't you?
Choco-Coco Pecan Crisps







1 cup packed brown sugar
1 stick of butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup coconut
Beat brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, cocoa,pecans. Stir into butter mixture to form stiff dough. Sprinkle coconut on hard working surface. Divide dough in 4 parts. Shape each into a log about 1 1/2 inches thick and about 5 to 7 inches long. Roll in coconut and Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or up to 2 days. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.







Cut rolls into 1/8 inch slices; place ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes (Mine our done at 10). remove to wire racks to cool.







Enjoy!!! Makes about 5- 6 dozen small cookies.

Tasty Tuesday Fudge Surprise!

This is the fudge recipe I mentioned in last Tuesday's comments. As you can see, the quantities are large enough for gift giving, so if you're only making it for yourself, you might want to cut it down a bit.

Fudge Surprise

4 lb powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa
3 cups chopped pecans
1 lb pasteurized process cheese cut into pieces (Velveeta)
2 cups butter cut up into pieces
1 tbsp vanilla

Sift sugar and cocoa into a large bowl, stir in pecans. Melt cheese in double boiler, stir frequently and add butter until melted. Add vanilla. Add cheese mixture to sugar and mix well. Press into 10 1/2 X 15 1/2 jelly roll pan. Cover and chill until firm. Cut into 1 inch squares. Store in air tight container in cool place. Makes 12 1/2 dozen pieces.

Tasty Tuesday Fudge!

This is a recipe for the fudge we had at the retreat earlier this month.

Nancy's Microwave Marshmallow Fudge

1 stick margarine or butter
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 bag butterscotch chocolate chips
1/2 bag of small marshmallows

Soften butter in microwave in a large bowl. Add chocolate chips, stir and place in microwave for 30 or 40 seconds* until softened but not completely melted. Add butterscotch chips and stir. Place in microwave until all butterscotch chips are softened. Stir. As you stir, the butterscotch and chocolate will melt together and become smooth. Add marshmallows. You can also add nuts or dried cherry pieces. Spoon into a 13 X 9 pan. Place in the refrigerator for 1/2 an hour to harden so you can cut it.

*The key to this recipe is softening and not "cooking" the chocolate so if you have a powerful microwave adjust the time accordingly.

Note: You can replace the butterscotch chips with peanut butter chips or chocolate mint chips.