Barbecue Chili

this is the hubby's favorite

Barbecue Chili

2 cans kidney beans rinsed and drained
2 cans pinto beans rinsed and drained
1 large onion chopped
1 large green pepper chopped
3T chili powder
1 T ground cumin
1 Can diced tomatoes with jalapenos drained (optional)
1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 can corn
1 lb hamburger cooked
3/4 c barbecue sauce


put everything except bbq sauce in crockpot on low 6-8 hours

stir occasionally

add bbq sauce 1/2 hour before serving

serve with cornbread :)


@;-- I use bullion cubes instead of chicken broth. leave the liquid in the corn and add another can full of water for the liquid.

@;-- the original recipe has soy crumbles for the protein (1-12oz bag)

@;--you can use 4 cans of the same kind of bean if that's all you have

@;-- I like to sauté the onion and green pepper till they get just a little brown.

Easy pumpkin seeds!

I kid you not!  This is the easiest way to make pumpkin seeds :)
Separate from pumpkin
Brine (if desired)
Dry (over night)
Mix 1 TB oil and 1 tsp kosher salt  for every 2 cups of seeds
Put in dehydrator! (Why)  they are Impossible to burn
Dehydrate 12 to 24 hours.

Dump cake

For a long time I thought this was the only way to make a cobbler. Now I realize it's just the fastest!

Pie filling (about 4 cups)
1 cake mix
1 cube of butter

Preheat oven 350°

Dump pie filling in a 9x13 pan and spread out evenly.
Dump dry cake mix over the top and spread out evenly.
Dot with butter.
Bake in oven for 30 min until slightly golden and bubbling around the edges.
Enjoy with ice cream or alone.

Wipes!!!

The wonderful world of Wipes :)

1. You can Make them yourself! (Holy Cow)
2. They are cheaper than the ones you buy in the store.
3. I personally thing they work better.

For each of these Recipes you need paper towels or rags and a container big enough to put the solution (about 2 Cups) and the paper towels or rags in.

I recommend cutting the paper towels in half width wise. the easiest way to do that is a bread knife. Then remove the cardboard roll.

Baby Wipes

2 Cups Water
1-2 T Baby wash
1-2 T baby oil
1/2 roll of paper towels

I put first 3 ingredients in an old ice cream bucket (the gallon size) mix.
add paper towel roll.  After a few seconds turn it over so the liquid can better soak both sides. leave 10+min. and they are ready to use.

If using rags mix the same mix add the rags....you will have to ring them out before you use them and after each use wash, dry, and return to the bucket for the next round.  you should have less rags than solution so you should not need to make wipe solution any more often than the paper towel user :)

Non-Clorox Wipes

1 Cup Water
1 Cup Vinegar
1/2 -1 tsp Dawn dish soap
10-20 drops of a citrus essential oil (optional)
1/2 roll of paper towels

mix top 4 ingredients in a container. (I used an old Clorox wipes container) add paper towels (if the container is big enough flip once (like the baby wipes) if not turn the container upside down for a while to even out the distribution of the liquid.

@;-- for both of these recipes I recommend the regular size paper towels not the select a size because when cut in half the select a size get really small!

Homemade/handmade beauty supplies

http://wellnessmama.com/

I love this blog! It's definitely worth looking at! Everything from lotion to toothpaste and deoderant.  If you want to make it yourself so you know what's in it, here you go.

Easy Carmel popcorn

1 stick butter or margarine
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 bag marshmallows
Aprox 5 cups popped popcorn

Heat butter and sugar in a pot until boiling. add marshmallows. If they look like they might overflow add a few at a time until incorporated.

While your waiting on the Carmel pop the popcorn and get it ready in a BIG bowl.

Add the Carmel to the popcorn and stir

@;-- as long as it's on a lower temp if the Carmel has to wait while you pop the popcorn it'll ne fine.

@;--you can cover anything with this stuff!

@;--use honey gram cereal instead of popcorn and white sugar instead of brown...when finished drizzle with melted chocolate or add chocolate chips (or m&Ms). It tastes like smores.!

Easter eggs

We made eggs 2 different ways at our house this year...
I cooked some in the oven to "hard boil" them. Then after my daughter had dyed her eggs, I cracked the shells but left them on and put them in the dye over night. The next day when I took the shells off... they looked really cool!

My daughters eggs were raw because in the past we have used them for scrambling. This year we put glitter on them. That makes it very hard to crack and scramble them without getting glitter in the scrambled egg. So I decided to blow them out.

 First you need an egg!

Drill a hole in one end. 

 

Make it kinda big for 2 reasons 

 

1.  Because you need to stick something in there to break the yoke. ( I used the smallest saw from my pumpkin carving kit)

and

2. Because this is the end you will eventually be squishing the egg out of.

 

Stick your finger over that hole and drill a hole in the other end,

 

 
 
 

I used a dremel and it was super easy!

 

 

 

Here is the squished out eggs. I won't make you watch that!

 

 

Here is the finished egg. You can see the other eggs (pink) threw the hole. 

Strawberry/pomagranate jam

4 lbs strawberries (divided)
---2 c juice
---~3 c strawberries
1 c sugar
1 1/2 c pomagranate juice
3 T or 6 T no sugar added pectin

Mix juices and pectin --- heat to boiling --- boil 1 minute --- remove from heat --- add strawberries --- stir 1 minute --- put in jars --- refrigerate up to 3 weeks --- freeze for 1 year

@;--slice or mash strawberries and add the sugar. This extracts the most juice.

Cranberry Noel

Cranberry Noel Cookies

• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 2 hours 37 mins
• Yield: 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon rum extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 3/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Directions

1. Beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
2. Add milk, vanilla, and salt.
3. Beat until just combined.
4. Gradually add flour, cranberries, and pecans.
5. Mix on low speed until fully combined.
6. Divide dough in half.
7. Shape each half into 8-inch logs, about 2 inches in diameter.
8. Roll logs in coconut, pressing lightly to coat the outside of logs.
9. Wrap logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
10. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
11. Using a sharp knife, cut logs into 1/4-inch thick slices.
12. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets, about 1 1/2-inches apart.
13. Bake until edges are golden, about 12 minutes.
14. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
15. Store for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
16. Hide from kids!

 @;-- I use large crystal sugar instead of the coconut and LOVE IT!

 @;-- I have also used chocolate chips instead of cranberries and that was good to :)