Red Chili

• 1 pound ground chuck
• 1 med onion (chopped)
• 2 ribs celery (chopped)
• 1 pepper ribs and seeds removed (optional)
• 1 _8 ounce package mushrooms (sliced)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced) or 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Chili Powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Ancho chili powder (optional)
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
•  1 - 2 cans diced tomatoes in their juice
• 2 cans beans of choice (drained and rinsed well)
• 1_22.8 ounce can Tomato Soup
• 1/2 to 3/4 can water.

Brown meat, drain. Add onion, celery, pepper, mushrooms and saute about 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and saute a minute more. In the mean time drain and rinse beans until foam is gone. Add spices to meat mixture and stir in. Add diced tomatoes, rinsed beans, soup and water. Stir and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer for at least 30 minutes, but up to a couple hours, stirring occasionally, before serving.  Top your bowl with your choice of crackers, shredded cheddar, sour cream, green onions, etc. You choose.

Blueberry Baked French Toast w/ Blueberry Sauce

• 1 stick butter melted
• 1 cup brown sugar (loose, not packed)
• 2 Tablespoons real maple syrup
• 1 loaf rustic french bread cut into 1" cubes
• 8-10 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup cream (or milk)
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Spray 9"x 13" pan. Pour melted butter into bottom of pan. Sprinkle brown sugar into butter. Drizzle in maple syrup. Mix in pan then spread it around bottom evenly. Place cubed bread over brown sugar mixture. Sprinkle with blueberries.  Whisk together eggs, milk and cinnamon until frothy. Pour over bread. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from refrigerator let sit for 20 minutes. Press bread down into egg mixture. Remove plastic wrap. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Cover pan loosely with foil to prevent top from burning. Bake for approximately 30 minutes. Remove foil cover. Bake another 15 - 20 minutes uncovered.

In the mean time mix up blueberry sauce.


Blueberry Sauce

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Corn starch
• 1 - 2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)

 In small bowl mix sugar with corn starch. Add with water to small saucepan. At medium heat ring to boil stirring constantly. Boil for approximately 2 minutes continue stirring constantly until thickened. Add blueberries. Return to boil. Lower heat to simmer. Stirring occasionally cook until most of the blueberries have popped and the sauce is a rich blue color. Approximately 10 minutes for unfrozen berries. A bit longer if berries are frozen.  Remove from heat.

The casserole is done when the center is firm. Remove from oven. Serve hot topped with sauce and/or syrup or powdered sugar. I've seen similar recipes that include 8oz of cream cheese. This is cubed and tossed in with the bread. I have not tried it, just not a fan of stuffed french toast so I didn't think I'd like it, but feel free to give it a shot and let me know how it is.

Crock Pot Shredded Chicken with home made BBQ sauce.

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil (vegetable oil or extra virgin olive oil works too)
• 1 small onion sliced thin,  saute'd to caramelize
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chilli sauce
• 1/4 cup bourbon or water
• 2 Tablespoons Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons ketchup
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or more to taste).

Slice onions thin. Toss them into a skillet with a pat of butter and a scant tablespoon of coconut oil. Saute, tossing occasionally, until golden (about 5 minutes) Add minced garlic and saute another 1-2 minutes. In the mean time, in a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, chilli sauce, bourbon, soy sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire, mustard and pepper. Set aside.

Add chicken to a 2 quart sprayed crock pot. Top with onion garlic mixture then top with the sauce. Cook on Low for 3 - 4 hours (my crock runs hot so 2-3 is enough). Check it around 3 hours to see if the chicken shreds easily. Using two forks gently shred the chicken. Mix shredded pieces with all the sauce until well coated. We serve it on buttered, toasted buns with a slice of cheddar cheese (this is Wisconsin after all).

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

8 - 10 medium sized potatoes (baked)
1 lb bacon  (cooked & divided) reserve the grease
1 medium onion (chopped)
1 carrots (chopped)
2 celery stalks (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1-2 cups heavy cream (at room temperature)
salt & pepper to taste
2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded and divided)
1 small container sour cream (or onion & chive dip)
 2 green onions or a handful of chives chopped (optional)

Wash, prick and bake potatoes at 400º F for 45 - 60 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool until you can handle them. Peel them and mash in a bowl keeping them a bit chunky. Set aside.

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil creating an edge. Place bacon strips on foil and 'inch worm' them slightly. Do not let bacon overlap or touch on pan. Bake at 400ºF for 15 - 20 minutes. Remove from bacon  from pan and place them on paper towel lined plate to drain. Once cooled slightly chop into small pieces. Gather grease from foil and pour it into a 4 quart dutch oven. (You can do this step at the same time as baking potatoes)

While potatoes and bacon are cooking, chop your onion, carrots, celery and garlic.

After all prep is complete. Heat grease in dutch oven. Add onions, celery, carrots. Saute until onion is translucent & vegetables are soft (about 10 minutes) add garlic and saute another couple minutes.

Add 2 cups broth to the vegetables. Bring to boil.

Turn down heat to low and mix in potatoes, salt & pepper.  Once potatoes are hot. Stir in heavy cream until the soup reaches your desired thickness. Heat a little more. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese and 3/4 of the bacon.    Serve topped with remaining ingredients of bacon, cheese, sour cream, green onions or chives. 

Calico Bean Stew

• 1 pound ground meat (I use turkey)
• 1 pound bacon
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 32 ounces of pork and beans
• 16 ounce can butter beans
• 16 ounce can kidney beans
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Molasses

Cut bacon into bite sized pieces, in a pan fry bacon until soft done tossing occasionally. In the mean time chop your onion. Rinse butter beans and kidney beans in a strainer running water over the top of them until the foam is gone. Leave to drain and dry. Dump baked beans into slow cooker. Remove bacon to paper towel lined plate to drain. Set aside. Add chopped onion to hot bacon grease and simmer until translucent. Add ground meat. Brown meat with onion until done. Drain. Add meat and remaining beans to slow cooker. Add brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and molasses. Mix well. Cover slow cooker and set to low. Cook 4-6 hours.

*You can also make this in a dutch oven baking at 350 degrees for 2 hours.

Cinnamon Maple Chunky Applesauce

• 4 cups peeled, chopped apples (fresh or frozen is fine)
• ½ cup very loosely packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup good bourbon or brandy (optional)
• ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Maple Flavoring or 1 Tablespoon Fresh Maple Syrup

Place all ingredients into the crock pot. Stir until apples are coated. Cook on high heat for about 3 hours. Stir ingredients and mash with potato masher leaving some chunks. Let cool slightly. Serve warm or cold.

Jade's Ultimate Pea Soup

• 1 pound bag of dry green peas
• 1 good sized ham bone
• 6 - 8 cups chicken stock
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 3 large garlic cloves (minced)
• 3 stalks celery (chopped)
• 4 medium carrots (chopped)
• 4 small red potatoes (chopped)
• 2 fresh bay leafs
• several stems fresh rosemary leaves (chopped)
• 1 ring smoked kielbasa or other sausage

Rinse peas, scrub other vegetables (peal only the paper from onion and garlic). Place peas, ham bone, bay leafs and about 6 or 8 cups stock (enough to just cover ham bone) in a 4 quart dutch oven. Heat until boiling. Cover and turn down to low simmer for about one hour, mixing every 20 minutes. Meanwhile chop rosemary and all the vegetables except potatoes. During the last 20 minutes of the first hour, preheat a medium sized sauté pan with approximately 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Start by sautéing the onions with a bit of salt and a few turns of pepper, until translucent. Add garlic and celery with a bit more salt and pepper. Sauté approximately five minutes before adding carrots and rosemary. Sauté another 5-10 minutes. Remove ham bone to plate and set aside. Add vegetables to pea soup mixture. Continue to stir every 15 - 20 minutes. Cover and continue to simmer. Chop potatoes and kielbasa, when ham bone is cooled remove any bits of ham add to pot with potato and kielbasa (I used turkey kielbasa). Uncover and simmer for another hour or two. Add salt and pepper to taste. If soup gets too thick add a bit more stock. Serve with home made garlic cr0utons.

Sweet & Sour Sauce

• ¹⁄3 cup rice vinegar (white vinegar can also be used but the results are not as good)
•  4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 4 teaspoons water.

Mix vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup and soy sauce together and bring to a boil in a small sauce pan. Mix together the cornstarch and water. Add to sauce pan and stir to thicken.  Makes about 2/3 cup.

Crock - Pot Beef Stew

• 1-2 lbs beef stew meat cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1/4 cup flour + 2 Tablespoons
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 lb potato peeled and chopped
• 2 or 3 large carrots chopped
• 1 (14.5oz) can beef broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons Gravy Master (or Kitchen Bouquet) 
• 1 bay leaf

1) Peel and chop potatoes and carrots. Place in bottom of crock pot.
2) In plastic bag or medium sized bowl combine flour, salt and pepper.
3) Add meat pieces to the flour mixture, toss to coat completely. Set bowl of flour aside.
4) In the bottom of a fry pan add oil and heat on med high until just before smoking.
5) While oil is heating and meat is cooking mince garlic and chop onion.
6) Add 1/3 meat pieces to the pan and cook until all sides of meat are browned. Remove with slotted spoon to crock pot. Repeat this process until all meat is browned.
7) Lower heat to medium, add garlic and onion to the fry pan after meat has been removed. Sprinkle lightly with a bit of salt cooking until just translucent.
8) Add 1/4 to 1/2 can of beef broth to fry pan and scrape off the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add a small amount of broth to the bowl with the remaining flour. whisk in the 2 additional tablespoons of flour.
9) Add all broth to the crock pot along with Worcestershire sauce, paprika and Gravy master.  Drop in bay leaf.
10) Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours stirring once or twice during the process. (My crock pot seems to run high so I cook mine 4 hours stirring twice.

Chicken Noodle Soup

• 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin Olive Oil
  
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 large stalks celery, chopped
• 3-4 med. carrots, chopped
•  1 large can chopped tomatoes (I use the frozen ones I processed this autumn)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1  3 inch fresh cut sprig rosemary
• several sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon smoky paprika (eyeball it)
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• 10 cups broth (either your own, store bought or 10 cups water with 10 bullion cubes)
• 4 boneless chicken breasts
• 1 bag frozen egg noodles

Take the time to cut up the fresh ingredients (onion, celery, carrots, garlic) into small pieces.  Separate them on the cutting board but having them all cut up in advance makes life easier.
Heat EVOO on med. high heat in bottom of soup pot just until you hear a sizzle when dropping in the onion.  Toss onion into pan and Season with salt and pepper. Let onion get translucent before adding the rest of the chopped ingredients.  Top the vegetables with the sprigs of fresh herbs. Add a bit more salt and pepper.  Cook to marry flavors for about 5 – 1o minutes stirring occasionally.  Add smoky paprika and red pepper flakes at this point.
Pour in broth. Bring to a boil.  Add Chicken breasts, turn heat down to a low simmer. Cover and let cook for about an hour and a half, stirring occasionally.  Remove chicken and the  fresh herbs stems (the leaves should have mostly fallen into the soup at this point) and bay leaves.  Once the chicken can be worked with, skin it and chop it into bite sized pieces.  Add back to the still simmering soup.  Add frozen noodles.  Cover and simmer another 30-45  minutes.  Add chopped fresh parsley at the end before serving. Top with toasted garlic bread cubes.  Serve.

Fresh Tomato Pizza Sauce

• 8-10 large tomatoes (or a mixture of a couple pounds) cored, blanched, skinned and chopped or blended.
• 1 medium head garlic (8-10 cloves) rough chopped.
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chilli powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoon dry Italian seasoning or 1/4 cup of fresh Italian herbs (parsley, basil, sage, oregano)

Boil a large pot of water.
Prepare a large bowl of ice water. Set Aside.
Meanwhile; core your tomatoes and cut an X in the top of each. 
Blanch tomatoes in small batches in boiling water for 1 - 2 minutes until skins begin to wrinkle slightly.
Remove from boiling water with slotted spoon and immediately immerse them into the bowl of ice water.
Drain ice water from cooled tomatoes.  If you need to use a small paring knife to catch the skins but they should peel off easily.  Discard skins reserving the meat and juice of the tomatoes.
Chop or blend tomato meats.
Take a head of garlic and press hard with the palm of your hand until the cloves separate. Hit each clove with the side of a knife just enough to break the skins.  Peel the garlic cloves and rough chop.
Put 1 tablespoon of butter in the bottom of a medium sauce pan. Add garlic and salt.
Saute' on medium until garlic is translucent but not brown (about 2 - 3 minutes).
Add tomatoes, sugar, pepper, chilli powder and spices.
Cook on medium until boiling. Reduce heat to med. low and simmer until the desire thickness is reached stirring occasionally.  This could take an hour or more.  (If you'd like to speed up the process, you can take 1/4 cup of sauce from the pan whisking in 1 tablespoon corn starch before adding it back to the pan of sauce. It should thicken within a few minutes this way).
Save in air tight container in the refrigerator/freezer, or use immediately.

Roasted Tomato Sauce

• 4 lbs. tomatoes, cored and cut in half
• 10 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 medium yellow onion, quartered
• 3 carrot, unpeeled and chopped into large pieces or 3 beets quartered
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. sugar

Preheat oven to 375ºF degrees.
Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.
Lay out the tomato halves (skin-side up), onion, garlic and carrot (or beets). Try to make this only one layer to allow for maximum roasting.
Drizzle olive oil all over.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper and sugar.
Bake for 1 1/2 hour to 2 hours.
Remove from oven (be careful there will still be a lot of juice in the pan).
Using a tongs pluck the skins from the tops of the tomatoes. These should come of quite easily. Discard skins.
Carefully transfer the roasted contents to a food processor, blender, or a large mixing bowl, if using a stick blender, pulse until smooth.
Add salt and pepper, if needed, to taste.
Let cool slightly.
Fill desired sized freezer bags. Freeze flat.
When ready to cook, put into sauce pan, add appropriate spices for whatever is being cooked. Simmer for about 30 minutes. 
Will make approximately 2 1/2 quarts.

Chicken White Bean Chilli

• 4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts (seasoned with salt and pepper then chopped into bite sized pieces)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 large yellow onion diced
• 3 stalks celery diced
• 1 green pepper diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoon chilli powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 (15oz) cans white beans drained & rinsed
• 1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
• 2 (16oz) cans diced tomatoes (or 1 qt bag fresh frozen diced garden tomatoes)
• 1 (32oz) carton organic vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 pinches red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in bottom of dutch oven just until smoking.
Add chicken pieces.
Toss while allowing them to brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.
Add onion, celery and garlic to chicken sauteing until vegetables are translucent about 10 minutes.
Toss seasonings with chicken and vegetable mixture.
Add the drained and rinsed white beans and corn.
Toss to mix with seasonings, chicken and vegetables.
Add diced tomatoes (thawed if frozen).
Toss in pan with everything else.
Add broth and bring to slight boil before covering and turning heat to simmer.
Simmer for 30 minutes to 60 minutes stirring occasionally.