25 Super Bowl Snacks, Treats, and Meal Ideas

Good morning, and happy Tuesday!

I meant to publish a post yesterday, but the morning ended up being way too hectic. The hubby and I had to leave the house at 7 am yesterday to drive my car about an hour away to the Nissan dealership. It was not the best day for travel (thank you, East Coast Blizzard!), not to mention the problems I was already having with the drivability of the car.

Turkey Pumpkin Chili

Oh, heyyyyy!

My, my, this week has gotten away from me. Isn't that how it always is during the holiday season? Between family time and the extra time required for running errands due to sheer mass of people out and about this time of year, I haven't found the time to blog. The hubby and I spent all weekend with family, while I spent no quality time with my camera. Or creativity, for that matter. Eh, it happens. I feel like I've been recovering from the weekend all week. This also happens occasionally :)

Let's talk chili. While my absolute favorite chili is my Dad's, this doesn't mean I shun all other chilies (chilis? chili's?). I like tomato-based chili, white chili, chicken chili, quinoa chili, turkey chili, etc. Well, go ahead and add Turkey Pumpkin Chili to the list. 

This is a really healthy chili, filled with vegetables and good-for-you fiber. The chili is thickened by 2 cups of pumpkin puree. I know a lot of Americans only think of pumpkin in terms of pie crust, condensed milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg... you know, dessert-y.  But pumpkin is really a vegetable, and in the squash family. It has a very mild flavor that doesn't take over the chili so you'd never know your eating a bowl full of pumpkin, veggies, and beans. The hubby gave me an awfully strange look when I first told him I was making this, as he too shares the American mentality of pumpkin as dessert. He came around at first bite, though.

By the way, here's a great article on why you should eat more pumpkin :)

I can't believe it's December already! Seriously, I feel like I was just making Christmas cookies and now I'm about to make another round. The hubby and I hit up the craft store yesterday to pick up some Christmas items. As relatively new homeowners, our strategy has to been to take small steps each year in the decoration department. So, we went a picked up a few more Christmas decorations to add to our collection this year. I also picked up my cookie tins and treat bags that family and friends will be receiving soon.

The hubby and I realized another "first" this year. It's our first year of putting up Christmas lights! We were oh-so excited about this one as we realized, in 8 years together, we've never put up Christmas lights. Well, done and done. Not only did we put up lights, we put red bows on the porch and even bought a wreath. We are 100% in the Christmas spirit this year!

Don't worry, I'll post some pictures soon!

Now, go forth and make this chili. It's perfect for the cold, miserable weather we've all been having lately. Especially if you have to go out in said cold :)

Happy Wednesday!

Ingredients (serves 6):

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lb ground turkey

1 onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained

2 cups pumpkin puree

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup darker beer (I used an IPA)

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 (15.5 oz) can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, minced red onion, chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. In a stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. When warm, add ground turkey. Sauté, stirring to crumble, for 2-3 minutes, or until turkey is no longer pink. Add onion and red pepper. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Add garlic to the pot, and sauté for 30 seconds. 

2. Add tomatoes through pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, stir in beans, and lower heat to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes. Season to taste with more salt and pepper. 

3. Ladle into bowls, and serve with desired toppings. 

Printable Recipe

Recipe adapted from All You. 

If you enjoyed this recipe, you may enjoy these:

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

My Dad's Famous Chili

Creamy Chicken, White Bean, and Green Chile Soup

Linked to: Treasure Box Tuesday, Weekend Potluck, Foodie Friday, Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

It's been awhile since I pulled out the slow cooker, so I figured it was time to give the old girl a whirl.

I take that back, I use my slow cooker a couple times a month. However, I've mainly been using it for making chicken broth these days, which is silly because the slow cooker is one of my favorite ways to prepare dinner. I love, love, LOVE preparing meals in the morning, and doing minimal prep at dinnertime. Especially when I can get all the dishes done before dinner. That ends up feeling like a night off. One of the nice things about this soup is you can prep everything in the morning and then just pull the prepared toppings out of the fridge at mealtime. Which means less time cooking, less time doing dishes, less time cleaning the kitchen post-meal, etc. Isn't that something we can all jump on board with?

Yes. Yes, it is.

This soup was man-approved. Several times.The hubby scarfed down a couple bowls of this, and continued to rave about it. I find it's really hard to go wrong with chili when it comes to that man. This is definitely one of those soups that's made by the toppings. I just love soups with lots of toppings. In fact, I'm making one today. We are a soup-eating household for sheezy.

Rapidly changing the subject- I'm in the middle of a fascinating read. It's called, "The Beautiful Land" by Alan Averill. I'm not sure what made me pick up this book at the library, but I did. I say this because I tend (predictably) to gravitate towards romance novels. I'd place this book squarely in science fiction, perhaps even horror. It's hard to tell with the tone. It's one of those novels I could imagine being a horror movie, but the book doesn't read like a horror novel. I don't find it scary, is what I'm trying to say. Whatever the matter, the book is good. It's about a young man who works for a corporation who has invented a "time-travel" machine. I use that term loosely, because in the book time-travel is described more as traveling along different timelines rather than traveling along one solid linear timeline. Instead, they travel multiple parallel timelines in which anything possible. There's an evil rocket scientist and even some sort of malicious mythical creature. I'm having a hard time putting the book down, I'm dying to see how it turns out. I could easily see this being a movie, and to be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if that was already in the works. I'd highly recommend this book, especially if it's not something you'd normally pick up. Oprah might not have picked it, but I've never trusted Oprah anyway.

I'm off! I've got a busy day today that includes a trip to the vet (sorry boys! Annual vaccinations today!), baking danishes, running outside (yay!), and making Chicken Taco Soup. To channel Al Roker, I hope you're having a great day in your neck of the woods :)

Ingredients:

(2) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 (14.5 oz) cans Great Northern Beans, undrained
2 (3 oz) can diced green chiles
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp Mexican oregano (or 2 tbsp regular oregano)
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving
1/2 cup sliced green onions, plus more for serving
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for serving
shredded cheddar cheese (for serving)

Directions:

1. Combine chicken through chicken broth in slow cooker. Cover, and cook on high for 4-6 hours (until chicken easily shreds with a fork). Remove chicken from slow cooker, shred with 2 forks, and return chicken to the slow cooker.
2. Add sour cream, green onion, and cilantro to the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Ladle chili into bowls and top with desired toppings. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Eat Cake For Dinner.

Linked to: Foodie Friday

My Dad's Famous Chili

One thing the hubby and I really missed during our house hiatus? My dad's chili. Honestly, we make a batch once every couple of months, freeze a couple of bags of it, and eat it once a month. We love this chili.

Being from the West Coast, tomato-based chili is not normal to me. Or maybe just growing up with a dad who grew up in the Midwest, means tomato-based chili is not normal. Whatever the reason, I hate it. Hate it. Strong words, but I speak honestly.

I'm picky about my chili.

Chili always reminds me of my childhood. My dad made a batch every Halloween. Halloween in Oregon is a freezing cold, rain-soaked day about, oh, 99% of the time. A bowl of chili before heading out into the frigid night air to commandeer candy tasted so good. He always served chili with a crusty french bread straight from the oven that I would slather with butter. Chili and french bread are synonymous to me now. Perfect chili for me also requires shredded Cheddar cheese and onions. Another childhood memory of mine is of throwing a temper tantrum because my dad served us chili with no cheese in the house. Proud memory there.

Hey, who said kids are rational 100% of the time?

Now that I'm adult, I still eat chili the exact same way. Served over elbow macaroni, topped with cheese and onions, with a side of warm French bread and butter. Except now, I enjoy my chili with a nice, cold beer :)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (plus more for serving)
1 lb ground beef
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups beef stock
2 cups beer (I usually use a lager)

2 cans pinto beans
3 tbsp coarse ground corn meal (polenta)
2 tbsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
2 tbsp regular chili powder, divided
1 tbsp ancho chili powder

Toppings:

Cooked elbow macaroni
Shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped onions

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pan with high sides. Once oil is heated, add onions to the pan and saute until tender. Add ground beef to pan, stir to crumble. Cook until beef is browned, then add the garlic and 1 tbsp of the regular chili powder to the pan.
2. Add the beef broth, beer, and beans to the pan. Bring mixture to a boil.

3. As mixture is coming up to a boil, mix corn meal with 2-3 tbsp's cold water in a separate small bowl. Just as the mixture is coming to a boil, add the corn meal mixture to the pan while stirring. Turn down the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.

4. Add the cumin, oregano, remaining chili powder, and ancho chili powder to the pan. Allow the mixture to simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

5. Serve immediately over the cooked macaroni, and top with cheese and onions. For maximum satisfaction, enjoy with warm french bread and a cold beer.

You can visit my dad's recipe here, where you will find an undeniably wittier post than mine :)

Lately-ish

Dirty dog!

Our backyard is a jungle!

The diverse ecosystem that is our property :)

Tequila Pork Chops with Grilled Zucchini.

Spices for a batch of chili.

IPA: A match in chili heaven.

Bought myself a new store-coupon organizer. Stylish!

Got a new purse too!

The plowin' occurring across the fence from us.

Turquoise pedicure. Love!

Finally, Progress!

We finally took a step forward in the home construction progress!

After returning our deed to the attorney and learning our loan officer was on vacation last week, we were told on Monday that our loan was ready to close! We were so excited, we scheduled our closing right away. Yesterday, we signed the papers.

We are beyond thrilled! Construction is scheduled to start on Monday, however with the 4th of July holiday, it is likely to start on July 9th. Ugh, I'm so impatient at this point, I just want to look out the window, and see dozers and people working on our property. At this point, if construction starts on the 9th, there is a good possibility we will be our house by the beginning of October. Yes, please!

On another subject, I did order my new running shoes. It was a hard choice between the Pumas and Aasics, but I went with the Aasics. They shipped yesterday, so I should have them by Monday. I also (surprise, surprise!) ordered a purse. I finally found one I liked at the right price (it's been a long search).

We've got a heat wave starting in our area today, it's supposed to be a 105! I will probably be inside most of the day, along with the dogs :) I'm making chili tonight, so hopefully I will remember to take some pictures so I can blog about cooking again. I've gotten into a routine of forgetting my camera, so I just need to buckle down and do it. We'll see, no guarantees here!

Happy Thursday!

25 Things You May Not Know About Me

1. I start every day with 2 cups of coffee.
2. I'm secretly a Miley Cyrus fan. I love to work out to her music.
3. I coached club volleyball when I was in college.
4. I don't like tomato based chili. I prefer mine Texas-style. With elbow macaroni.
5. My celebrity crush is Timothy Olyphant aka Raylan Givens.

6. I wear flip-flops 365 days a year.
7. I have 5 tattoos.
8. I used to have my belly button pierced, as well as my nose.
9. I worked at Baskin Robbins in college. And I ate ice cream every time I worked.

10. I hated avocados when I was a kid. Now, I would eat them every day.
11. I used to make fun of my mom for couponing when I was a kid. Oh boy, that one has come back to bite me in the butt!
12. I love salsa. I go through a 48-oz container in a week.
13. Mexican food is my favorite cuisine.

14. I have horrible vision. My eye doctor told me I'm nearing the point where there won't be a prescription for me anymore, and I will have to have Lasik.
15. The thought of Lasik makes my skin crawl.
16. My first car was a 1984 Nissan Pulsar. Baby Blue. It was hideous. I named it "Satan".

17. My second car was a black 1991 Toyota Celica that I called "The Batmobile".

18. I rang in my 21st birthday in the middle of an 8-day power outage due to an ice storm.
19. I'm super picky about purses. I haven't bought one in 2 years because I can't find one I like.
20. I'm not super picky about shoes. I gave away about 30 pairs when I left Oregon (not enough room in the moving truck to bring another 30 pairs of shoes).
21. I hate beets.

22. I've never owned a home. But I'm getting ready to! :)
23. I hate rain.
24. I love snow.
25. I'm a horrible skier. The first time I skied was when I was 24 years old. It took me 3 hours to do my first run. The hubby was maaaaaad!

West Virginia Chili Fest 2011

This Saturday, I had the opportunity to check out the West Virginia State Chili Festival in Huntington, West Virginia. The Duck's football game was not on television in our area so the husband and I figured why not check it out.
We started off the day inviting Jerame's aunt and uncle up to our house in the morning for homemade biscuits and gravy before we all went to the festival. Jerame is a much better baker than I and his homemade biscuits are yummy! He makes sausage gravy to go with the biscuits and I must say, they are probably the best biscuits and gravy I have had. Not that I am biased or anything :)

Homemade B's & G's

Later in the morning, we headed out to Huntington. I had never been to a chili fest before so I wasn't sure what to expect. When we arrived, there was an entire road closed and lined up and down with different chili vendors. The way they had the festival set up, you purchase tickets and then trade a ticket for a sample of chili. I have no idea how many chili's I tried, but I ate a lot of chili! Jerame's favorite ended up being the first one he tried which was a Spicy Garlic Chili while my favorite was a completely untraditional chili, a Slow Roasted Pork Green Chili. Delish! I also discovered Chili in a Bag (my second favorite!). They actually open up little bags of Fritos and mix chili in the Fritos. Definitely a guilty pleasure! There was live music as well as a hot pepper eating contest that we witnessed. The prize for that contest was a dinner for two which Jerame and I decided was not quite a good enough prize for the pain these people would probably later endure. It was a ton of fun and we came home stuffed! We decided it was a great way to spend a Saturday when the Ducks aren't on TV :)