Cornbread Enchilada Chili

Well, today certainly has been a day full of posting on the blog.  I must be procrastinating… AND we ate in all weekend, so more recipes to share.  But seriously, anyone have any advice on making Constitutional Law a bit more interesting.  After taking Crim Law and Torts last semester, I’m having a hard time focusing on Con Law.  Without a real “serious” ok.. maybe serious isn’t the right word… how about bodily injury, I’m really struggling to get into the cases.  There’s nothing to really pull me into the plaintiff or defendants’ issues and I have a hard time visualizing the case.  I think that’s part of the reason I did so well last year, both classes were very graphic and I’m a visual learning (engineer by trade, remember).  So, you’ll see me creating flow charts, tables, graphs, and pictures to remember cases and holdings.

Anywho, on to the food part here.  This was really just a mixing that turned out well.  We knew what we kind of wanted (Mexican in the slow cooker… with corn bread).  And a few years back I did an amazing cornbread, but forgot to save the recipe! And it wasn’t in my photographic memory bank either, JK.. about the photographic memory, not about remembering the recipe.  I could only wish for that kind of a memory.  So, we just bought ingredients in the Mexican aisle that we though sounded good and mixed it up for this tasty concoction.  Seriously, not too shabby what so ever!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Ground Turkey (or beef)
• 1 tsp Garlic, Minced
• 1/2 tsp Montreal Steak Seasoning (or any other seasoning for the meat, taco seasoning could work too… but I’m addicted to Montreal Steak Seasoning)
• 1/2 – 1 Can Black Beans, rinsed & drained
• 1/2 – 1 Can Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Green Chilies, Diced
• 1 Small Can Green Chilies
• 1/2 – 1 Can Sweet Yellow Corn
• 1/2 – Red Bell Pepper, Chopped
• 1/2 – Medium Sweet Onion, Chopped
• 1 Can Red Enchilada Sauce
• 1 Jiffy Cornbread Package
• 1 Egg
• 1/3 Cup Milk

• NOTE: The ingredients above are for a 4.5 qt crockpot, for a 7 qt – just use the full cans of all of the veggies and all of the pepper and onion.

Directions:

• Step 1: Over medium-high heat, cook the ground turkey with the garlic and seasoning until well done and fully ground up.
• Step 2: In a small (4.5 qt) crock pot, add in all of the canned items and the chopped pepper and onion.
• Step 3: Mix in the cooked turkey into the slow cooker
• Step 4: Add the enchilada sauce and mix everything in slow cooker thoroughly
• Step 5: Follow the cornbread package instructions using the egg and milk and create the bread mix.
• Step 6: Pour the cornbread on top of the crockpot mix and mix it in gently, so that it goes down about 1/3 – 1/2 way down into the meat mixture but still the majority of it is laying on top.
• Step 7: Cook on high for 2 hours until the chili has been boiling for a while then set to low for at least another 2 hours.   At this point it should be fully ready to serve.

Cauliflower & Cheese Soup

Another one of those Friday night, non slow cooker meals that isn’t overly filling.  And a batch lasts for a few days with only 2 people under one roof.  With kids, it could last a couple of days.  We’ve gotten about 8 servings out of it.  BUT we did make this part of a filling dinner with an English Pot Roast and veggies as the main course, this was just a starter.  But for the rest of the weekend, this has been my post workout lunch.  And if I added up my calories right, it’s only about 150 calories per serving.  Yes, now that I know I can achieve academic success, time to up the ante.  This term taking 10 credits instead of 7-8 (so that’s 3 good classes: Property, Constitutional Law, and International Commercial Arbitration).  AND still working.. AND this time around, putting gym time at least 3-4 days of the week back into my schedule.  Before law school, I went at least a couple times during the week.  Even when I used to travel for work, I’d spend all week at the hotel gym or at a local gym by the hotel.   So, I think to get back into a healthy lifestyle, we just can’t eat healthy foods, have to work out a bit too.

So a fun tidbit about cauliflower – I STILL hate eating it cold and I used to hate it 100% as a kid.  I’ve come to like it cooked, either mashed like mashed potatoes, steamed with cheese, and in soup!  So if you have kids that hate it as much I did (and still do somewhat), this recipe could be a winner.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 Small Sweet Onion, Diced
• 1 tsp Garlic, Minced
• 1 Cauliflower Head, Chopped
• 4 Cups Water
• 4 tsp Chicken Bouillon Powder
• 1 – 1.5 Cups Shredded Cheese (I used a mix of Sharp Cheddar and Swiss… most recipes usually call for yellow or white cheddar)
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Directions:

• Step 1 – Over medium heat, warm a large sauce pan or larger pot and heat the olive oil.
• Step 2 – Add in onion and garlic
• Step 3 – After a few minutes, add in the cauliflower.  Cook for about 10 minutes until cauliflower is nice and tender.
• Step 4 – Add in the water and chicken powder.  Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15-20 minutes total.
• Step 5 – Either using an immersion blender or pouring the soup into a regular blender, puree the soup.
• Step 6 – Add the soup back into the pot and bring to a boil then reduce heat again
• Step 7 – Add in the shredded cheese into the soup and thoroughly mix in and let the cheese melt and blend into the soup.

• Step 8 – Lastly, time for the spice!  Add in the cayenne pepper.  1/2 tsp is family friendly… we used more like 1 tsp maybe more for a better kick!  And you can add in other spices too.
• Step 9 – Ready to Serve!!

Slow Cooker Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

So, I’m posting this one about a month after I made it.  Classes started back up 2 weeks ago, work started 2.5 weeks ago, and Christmas break flew by much too quickly.   But this had great reviews at work AND my parents were all about it too.  So definitely thought this was worth posting.  But the awesome news I do have to share is that last semester I finally got my academic mojo back.   It felt great to finally score some darn good grades in a couple of classes and it proves that you can work and go to class AND do well!  And me married, have a few pets, be involved with the community, and do well at work still!  Just saying, I was starting to loose faith, but really I just had to focus a little better.  And taking a week off of work before finals to just focus on studying, that helped a lot too!

Ingredients:

• (1) 32 oz Bag Frozen Tater Tots
• 6 slices of Bacon
• 1 lb Ground Beef or Turkey (I used turkey)
• Cooking Spray
• 1/2 large Green Bell Pepper, Chopped
• 1/2 large Red Bell Pepper, Chopped
• 1 Medium Onion, Chopped
• 12 Large Eggs
• 1 Cup Whipping Cream
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper

Directions:

• Step 1 – Fry up the bacon in a cooking pan until nice & crunchy.  Drain the grease off & blot the grease off the bacon with paper towel.
• Step 2 – Cook the ground beef/turkey in a pan on the stove over medium-high heat.  Once it’s browned the whole way through, it’s ready as well.
• Step 3 – Once the bacon is cooled down, crumble it into smaller pieces.
• Step 4 – Spray the bottom of the crock pot, so that the  tater tots don’t stick.
• Step 5 – Layer the tater tots at the bottom of the crock pot.

• Step 6 – Layer the bacon crumbles and ground beef/turkey over the tater tots

• Step 7 – Over the meet, layer the vegetables (peppers and onions).  Then follow up with the shredded cheese.
• Step 8 – In a large bowl, mix the 12 eggs with 1 cup cream, salt, and pepper until thoroughly mixed and all the yolks are broken.

• Step 9 – Lastly, pour the eggs mixture over the layers. It will look like the eggs all sunk to the bottom.  I doubted that it would be enough… surprise!  They fluff right up to the top!
• Step 10 – Turn the slow cooker on low for 8 hours.  PERFECT for cooking overnight and having a warm breakfast ready to go in the morning.
• Sadly, I didn’t get a “finished” picture at the end of this… since we ate all this up at work.  So hopefully, next time I make this at home I will remember!

Vanilla Sponge Cake

Final exams are all over, work project is done, and we (hubs and I) flew down to Texas on Saturday, then drove down to Mexico yesterday to spend Christmas with my family.   About 11 days off of work in a row – this is going to be fantastic.  And, (shame on me), I didn’t even bring a single textbook down to prep for classes that start back up January 7th.  This is a much needed week of R&R and bonding with my husband again and enjoying my family that I only get to see a few times a year.  … And perhaps catching up a bit on the blog with the yummy recipes from the past few weeks.

So, this recipe, I can take absolutely no credit for.  Therefore, I’m really just posting a picture of the cake itself and a link to the original website.   But I do have a couple tips of advice…

Original Recipe:

•  http://www.hy-vee.com/seasons/recipe.aspx?r=8057

Tips of Advice

• For the egg whites – use 1 tsp or so of cream or tartar – it helps the eggs whites fluff/whip to the right consistency.  You can be a total nerd like be and look up the chemical reaction that takes place to make this happen 
• You don’t necessarily need to use springform pans – the new silicon round pans work pretty well too such they just peel and bend away from the cake without ruining it.

Ghirardelli Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Accents

Sadly, this is another recipe I can’t take credit for.  BUT it did turn out rich and delicious, so I wanted to share it and let you know where to find the recipe.   This is the first time I’ve used buttermilk in a cake recipe, it does add an extra richness and flavor to the cake.

Original Recipe:

http://www.hy-vee.com/seasons/recipe.aspx?r=8058

Advice & Some Funnies:

• So the recipe calls for baking soda.. USE BAKING SODA.  DO NOT accidentally use baking powder, I did.  My first batch turned into flat, thick brownies.  OOPS & blush.  For some reason, totally misread the directions.  Possibly because I was making a ham and another cake at the same time.
• Purpose of the baking soda – there is a wicked reaction between the buttermilk and the baking soda.  Joy of Cooking talks a little bit more about both baking soda & powder - http://www.joyofbaking.com/bakingsoda.html.  But seriously, the 1/2 cup of Buttermilk rises to about a full glass after mixing it with the soda.  Reminds you of the volcano science projects from 3rd grade.
• Instead of using just regular baking cocoa powder, I used all Ghirardelli.  OMG – you can’t beat the taste of that chocolate!

Cranberry, Walnut, & Orange Cookies with Orange Sugar Glaze

That saying, you know that saying… the way to one’s heart is through their stomach – SO TRUE!  Not that I ever doubted it.  We were working pretty hard at work this week and I had some really great support from some coworkers.  Our facility typically doesn’t work Fridays, but a small group of us had to come in to get some of the project done.  Needless to say, Thursday night I felt like baking up a storm to give a small thank you to a handful of folks that put in a LOT of hard work.  Brought in an entire brunch for them actually – a breakfast casserole (which I’ll post later), a fruit salad, lots of juice, and of course.. COOKIES!

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Butter, Softened
• 1 Cup White Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 1 tsp Orange Zest, grated
• 2 Tbsp Orange Juice
• 2 1/2 Cups Flour
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 Cups Cranberries, Chopped
• 1/2 Cup Walnuts, Chopped
• 1/2 tsp Orange Zest, Grated
• 3 Tbsp Orange Juice
• 1 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar

Instructions – Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. In medium-high speed, blend together the butter and both sugars until smooth & creamy.
3. In the same bowl, mix in the egg until well blended then add in 1 tsp Orange Zest and 2 Tbsp Orange Juice.. keep blending away.  Smells citrus-ly amazing at this point, right?
4. In a different bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. Add into cream mixture and use the cookie attachment and keep on mixing.
6. Once the flour is fully blended with the cream, add in the cranberries and walnuts and mix until thoroughly blended away.
7. This batch will make about 40-48 cookies… so you can do 4 baking sheets at once or in batches.
8. Place parchment paper on the baking sheet.
9. Dollop about 1 hefty Tablespoon (one cookie) onto the sheet about 2 inches apart.  These cookies spread!
10. Baking for 12-15 minutes (golden brown at the top).
11. Pull out of the oven and set aside.
12. Once they’ve cooled down a bit, place to cook on a cooling tray.

Instructions – Icing

1. Either in a bowl or a food processor, add in the orange zest, juice, and powdered sugar
2. Mix until creamy smooth (icing/glaze consistency)
3. Place the icing into a ziploc bag
4. Cut off just a small corner at the bottom and use the bag as the frosting bag.
5. Zig across the cookies after they’ve cooled off a bit to create the glaze pattern.

Slow Cooker Holiday Ham

Class is over, class is over, class is over!  …And final exams are here.   Lucky for me, I had about a week in between class being done and final exams starting to come at me – with a holiday party right in between.  Our department has a yearly holiday party, this was my first one since I just transferred over earlier this spring.  Now, before this law school thing, even with grad school – the holidays were a BIG deal for me.  But law school seems almost to suck the holiday spirit right out of you until the last final exam is complete.   So, since we weren’t going to be hosting our own Christmas party, I could at least make my crock pot ham for others to enjoy!  The reviews at the holiday part were all positive and my husband didn’t complain about the cloves this year ( I got smart & removed them before slicing & serving ).

I actually had 2 crock pots going with 2 different fruit chutney mixes, so I’ll actually post the ingredients for both.

Apricot & Brown Sugar Chutney Ingredients:

• 3-6 lbs of precooked Ham.  Spiral ham isn’t necessary.  Just the one in brown sugar works great.
• 1 Cup of Apricot Preserves
• 1 Cup of Brown Sugar
• 1/8 Cup of Raisins
• 1/8 Cup of Dried Cranberries
• 10 -15 Whole Cloves

Apricot & Brown Sugar Ham Instructions:

1. Slice diamond lines into the top of the ham… the cuts only go in about 1/4″ or so.
2. Where the lines intersect, place in a clove.  for a 3 lb ham – about 7-10 cloves.  (the 1st picture shows where the cloves are placed and how the lines are cut)
3. In a medium sized bowl – mix the rest of the ingredients (apricot preserves, brown sugar, raisins, & dried cranberries).
4. Place the ham in the slow cooker
5. Cover the ham with the fruit mix
6. Cook on high for about 6 hours.
7. Every hour, baste the ham with the fruit chutney so that it stays moist and glazes the ham beautifully.
8. Once the ham is ready, pop out the ham from the slow cooker and let rest for a bit before slicing.
9. As for the fruity goodness at the bottom – scoop that into a serving dish and have guests pour a bit over their ham slices (like gravy to a turkey)

Pineapple & Cherry Chutney Ingredients:

• 3-6  lbs of precooked Ham.
• (3/4) of a 20 oz Can of Crushed Pineapple
• 1/4 Cup of Apricot Preserves
• (3/4) of a 10 oz Jar of Maraschino Cherries (without the stems)
• 10 -15 Whole Cloves

Pineapple & Cherry Ham Instructions:

1. Slice diamond lines into the top of the ham… the cuts only go in about 1/4″ or so.
2. Where the lines intersect, place in a clove.  for a 3 lb ham – about 7-10 cloves.  (the 1st picture shows where the cloves are placed and how the lines are cut)
3. In a medium sized bowl – mix the rest of the ingredients (15 oz of Crushed Pinapple, Apricot preserves, Cherries).
4. Place the ham in the slow cooker
5. Cover the ham with the fruit mix
6. Cook on high for about 6 hours.
7. Every hour, baste the ham with the fruit chutney so that it stays moist and glazes the ham beautifully.
8. Once the ham is ready, pop out the ham from the slow cooker and let rest for a bit before slicing.
9. As for the fruity goodness at the bottom – scoop that into a serving dish and have guests pour a bit over their ham slices

Ham hanging out in the crockpot, about to be basted… again.

Ham all sliced up and ready to head to the party and fruit chutney in serving dishes.