The Mama and Papa's Chili.

So easy...really. The worst part is chopping the onions. :)

Ingredients:

3 lbs ground beef, the leanest you can find.
1 Large can tomato juice
1 Small can tomato sauce
3 Tablespoons chili powder
1 Large onion (chopped)
½ cup vinegar (white)
2 cans Bush's chili beans
2 cans light kidney beans
2 cans tomatoes (diced)
1 pack taco seasoning mix
1 can diced green chilies if you're feeling extra spicy.

Brown ground beef and onion drain fat.
Combine all of the remaining ingredients.
Let simmer for at least an hour, stirring occasionally.

Thats it. We love this with sour cream and crushed tortilla chips. Delish and also great to freeze for later.

Sausage Spinach stew

This is so easy, so filling, and so delicious! Can you tell we are always on a spinach kick in our house? :)

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
12 oz, fully cooked italian sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 32oz container chicken broth
4 oz ditalini pasta
1 can cannellini beans rinsed
black pepper to taste
1 10oz pkg fresh spinach, stems removed
1/4 cup grated parm cheese

1. Heat oil in a large sauce pan over med heat. Add sausage and cook until browned. Stir occasionally, about 4-5 minutes. Place sausage on a plate.
2. Add garlic to the pan and cook for about 1 minute. Add broth and pasta, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
3. Add beans, sausage, and 1/4 tsp pepper.Cook until heated thoroughly, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add spinach, gently stirring. Once spinach is wilted, add Parmesan and dig in!

Becky's Taco Soup

My uncle's girlfriend is one.cool.chick. We love her and we are blessed that she is a part of our life. This is Becky's recipes. Thanks for sharing. We love you!!

Ingredients:
2 lbs ground beef
1 can light kidney beans
1 can chili beans
1 can green chiles
1 ranch dressing season packet (hidden valley)
1 taco seasoning packet
1 can corn
1 1/2 cups water
1 can pinto beans
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes

Cook the ground beef, drain. Add all other ingredients, heat and serve. Easy and super delicious!!

Stacy's White Chicken Chili

A dear friend that I used to babysit for gave this recipe to my mom years and years ago. This is a family favorite and is more than perfect for this time of year. You can also make it thicker and serve over rice. W=Very hearty and delicious! :)

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
1 can white shoepeg corn (Kroger brand is cheap and great!)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1 bay leaf (broken in half)
2 cups cannenelli beans (1/4 smooshed)
1 1/2 cup monterey jack cheese


1. Saute onions in olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat, about 5-8 min.
2. Add garlic, ginger, cumin, oregano, and pepper. Stir for 1 minute.
3. Add chicken broth and bay leaf. Cook uncovered on medium high for 5-8 minutes.
4. Remove bay leaf. Add chicken, beans, and corn. Mash at least 1/4 of the beans to thicken the chili.
5. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes-stir occasionally.
6. Over low heat add Monterey jack cheese a little at a time. Stir.


*This is great as a freezer meal as well. Easiest to freeze in gallon ziplocs and freeze flat. :)

Crock Pot Veggie Chili

Simple, healthy and delish. this is one of those throw it together and hope it turns out kind of thing. We love it and it is so easy.

Ingredients:

1 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup celery, diced
1 onion diced (sweet is best)
16oz sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 cups chopped zucchini
1 cup yellow squash, chopped
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp basil
1 tsp pepper
8z can tomato sauce
3 cups V-8 juice
2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
1 can cannelini beans
1 can kidney beans
1 cup frozen corn

1. Saute the 1st 3 ingredients in a large skillet for 10 minutes over medium heat. Add mushrooms, zucchini, and squash. Saute for 3 more minutes.
2. Add chili powder and the next 2 ingredients and saute for 5 more minutes.
3. Stir together tomato sauce and tomato juice in a crock pot. Stir in diced tomatoes and the next 2 ingredients as well as the carrot mixture.
4. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

The slick part about this is that you can freeze it after it has cooled. We do this and store it in gallon size ziplocs.

Corn Chowda

This recipe is from the Best of Southern Living Cookbook, I can't remember which year. This is so hearty and fabulous. O cannot wait until Fall so that it will be appropriate to cook chowders and stews.

Ingredients:
6 strips of bacon, diced
2 medium onions
6-8 small potatoes, pared and diced
2 cups water
1 tsp chicken bouillon
3 cups milk
2 cans cream style corn
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cracked pepper

Brown bacon, remove from pan and drain. Pour off half of the bacon grease and cook onion until soft in the remaining grease. Add potatoes, 1 cup water and bacon. Cook over medium heat until potatoes are fully cooked. Add bouillon, milk, remaining water and corn. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add spices and serve.

Yum Yum Chili

This is a generic chili recipe that I had that I mixed and matched a few other ingredients to my taste. I have to be honest, my husband is not a fan but Julia digs it. I think that the fresh peppers give it a nice tangy kick. :) Plus, it is a crockpotter. Boo-yah!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef or turkey
2 onions, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans kidney beans
1 can of plain diced tomatoes
1 can of tomato sauce
1 cup chicken broth
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt

1. Combine beef, onions, peppers, garlic, beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp oregano in the crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.

2. When cooked, stir and add remaining tbsp chili powder, and 1/2 tsp cumin and oregano.