Grammie's Chili

Whenever it is cold, my little Cader boy always asks for Grammie's chili. Today is about as cold & yucky as it gets in AZ so we made it together. It is super easy to make, so delicious & obviously even kiddos like it. Here's the recipe:

Grammie's Chili

1 lb. hamburger

2 cans pinto beans

2 large cans tomato sauce

1 can diced green chilis

1 1/2 tsp. Johnny's Dock seasoning salt (or whatever kind you like)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tsp. extra spicy Mrs. Dash

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. chili powder

2 Tbsp. sugar

Brown the ground beef with the onion & seasoning salt in large saucepan. Add rest of ingredients & let simmer for at least 30 minutes.

We like to serve it with cheese, saltines, flour tortillas, sour cream, and corn bread!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls!

I've been looking for a pumpkin cinnamon roll recipe because it just came to me one day that it sounded delicious! I found one online & tried it, and they turned out so delicious! Like candy that melts in your mouth. One word of advice, I felt that the carmel icing was so yummy, but took away from the pumpkin & cinnamon flavors so I added a cream cheese icing drizzle as well which balanced it all perfectly! These are very sweet and mouth watering G-O-O-D. Enjoy!

1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup canned pumpkin or mashed cooked pumpkin
2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 (1/4 ounce) package dry yeast
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed (or more if you like)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (or more if you like)
2 tablespoons melted butter

CARAMEL FROSTING
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 dash salt
3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

Directions
1. In small saucepan, heat milk and 2 tablespoons butter just until warm and butter is almost melted, stirring constantly. In large mixer bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar and salt. Add milk mixture and beat with electric mixer until well mixed. Beat in egg and yeast.
2. In separate mixing bowl, combine flours. Add half of flour mixture to pumpkin mixture. Beat mixture on low speed 5 minutes, scraping sides of bowl frequently. Add remaining flour and mix thoroughly (dough will be very soft). Turn into lightly greased bowl, then grease surface of dough lightly.
3. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Turn onto floured surface. Knead a few turns to form a smooth dough, sprinkling with enough additional flour to make dough easy to handle. On lightly floured surface, roll dough into 12x10 inch rectangle.
4. In small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Brush surface of dough with melted butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Beginning with long side of dough, roll up jellyroll style. Pinch seam to seal. With sharp knife, cut roll into 12 1- inch slices. Place rolls, cut side up, in greased 9 inch square baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.
5. Bake rolls at 350 degrees about 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan to waxed paper-lined wire rack. Cool 10 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with Caramel frosting. Makes 12 rolls.

Frosting:
In small saucepan, heat butter until melted. Stir in brown sugar and milk.
Stir in brown sugar and milk. Cook over medium low heat 1 minute.
Transfer to small mixer bowl and cool mixture. Stir in vanilla, salt, and confectioners' sugar. Beat with electric mixer until well blended. If necessary, add more confectioners' sugar for desired consistency.

Gooey Chewy Carmel Popcorn

I've been on the hunt for a carmel popcorn recipe that doesn't get hard when it cools, just stays chewy. I tried this one out last night and it's awesome!! The best I've ever had. The original recipe called for a whole can of sweet milk but I felt like it was too much. So I remade it with less and it was perfect - I adjusted this for the recipe below. It is still chewy for days after you make it! Enjoy!

GOOEY CARMEL POPCORN

3 bags popped popcorn (I use "smartpop" since we are adding tons of calories anyways)

1 cube butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 - 2/3 can sweet milk

1 cup karo syrup

1 tsp vanilla

Bring butter, sugar, milk & karo to a boil, continue to boil for 3-3.5 minutes stirring constantly. Take off heat & add the vanilla. Then pour over the popcorn & stir well to coat it all. That's it! Store in a ziplock bag or sealed container.

Puddim de Leite

I have had a lot of requests for some Brasilian recipes, so here you go! any problems, since recipes aren't always exact, let me know :)

mix:
1 can condensed milk
1 can (use the empty can of condensed milk) milk or (1/2 milk, 1/2 coconut milk..I prefer with the coconut milk)
3 eggs

blend

in a medium tin pudding mold (picture coming soon..kinda like a bundt cake pan mold) add about 2-3 Tbsp sugar and let melt on med heat on stove and rotate mold until well coated on the bottom and sides.

pour in mix from blender

Bake at 350 degrees (put mold into another pan will with a little water; about 1-2 in) for about 30 min-1 hr..check in between with toothpick and should be a nice firm pudding.

take out of oven and cool. once it is fully chilled. release pudding along the inside and outside with a knife and carefully dump mold onto platter upside down. gently tap the top of the mold and sides and release mold from pudding.

next, enjoy this wonderfully rich dessert

Feijao

Feijoada: black been stew

For about 1 bag of black beans: first sort through the beans and take out any rocks. soak beans in water for about 2-3 hours. drain.

pour beans into a pressure cooker with water about 1-2 inches above height of beans. add polska kielbasa sausage and 1 cube feijao bouillon (most will not have this, you can try chicken bouillon otherwise) . cook on high for about 15 min.

meanwhile, in a pan: sauté onions, garlic and salt. take out about 1-2 Tbsp of sauce from beans and add to pan with onions, etc. (if you have difficulty opening the lid on pressure cooker, pour cold water over it until seal releases)

add onion mix to beans and continue to simmer until done (about 30 min or so)
Once beans are done (they should be easy to bite, not too mushy) smash beans at bottom with a masher mallet (picture coming soon) another item most may not have..otherwise just mix with a spoon.

Brigadeiro's

warning: These are very rich and yummy chocolately desserts!

Ingredients:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 Tbsp butter
1-2 Tbsp cocoa powder (or however chocolately you prefer)

Heat the milk and butter on low-med heat and as it gets hotter, gradually add the chocolate powder. stirring constantly.
Continue stirring occasionally until the milk thickens. You want it to reduce to a good thickness that it doesn't run off the spoon.

Once it is thick, take off the heat and let it cool in the pan: now you are ready to form into balls.

grease your hands with butter and start forming into balls (about 1/2 in) and dip into chocolate sprinkles.
serve shortly after and enjoy!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1lb. shredded chicken, cooked
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (10 Oz) can of enchilada sauce
1 med. onion, chopped
1 (4oz) can of chopped green chili peppers... See More
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 c. water
1 (14 oz) can of chicken broth
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10oz.) package of frozen corn
1 tbs. chopped cilantro

Dump in crockpot... cook for 6-8 hours on Low. or high for 3-4 hours.
Top with tortilla strips or chips, cheese, sourcream. whatever you like really.
ENJOY!

Arepas

super simple!

• I just bought Harina PAN white corn flour (pre cooked) I got this at Lee Lee supermart (Dobson & Warner)
• mix the flour with water (about 1:1) until you get a good dough consistency. add the water first, then salt (about 1tsp) and flour last. need until dough forms
• make about 2-3 in sized balls, well compacted (or whatever size arepa you prefer)
• with the palm of your hand rotate the ball into a flatten disc shape (with enough thickness to slice down the middle for your fillings)
• heat a greased griddle to med heat and grill on each side for about 5 or so minutes..when it browns a little (should sound kinda hollow if you tap it) another option would be to pan fry it and that also is delicious!

Next add your ingredients:

I used shredded beef, guacamole, cheese, lettuce, black beans, sour cream and fresh salsa with this tradition Venezuelan dish!

Enjoy!!

Heres another version you can also try (courtesy Bobby Flay):
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups white arepa flour (precooked cornmeal)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon honey
Vegetable or canola oil, for cooking

Bring milk to a simmer in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and stir in butter.

Combine arepa flour, salt, pepper and cotija in a large bowl. Add the hot milk and honey and stir until combined. Let mixture stand until milk is absorbed enough for a soft dough to form, 1 to 2 minutes (dough will continue to stiffen).

Form the dough into 12 balls (about 2 inches in diameter) and flatten between palms into 3 1/2 to 4-inch patties (about 1/3-inch thick).

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil begins to shimmer, fry 4 arepas at a time, until lightly golden brown on both sides and just cooked through about 2 to 3 minutes per side; transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels.

Slice the arepas in half crosswise, mound some of the ingredients on the bottom, and top with the other half.

Sweet Potato Fries

Cut up sweet potatoes about 1/4" thick.
rinse them and pat them dry

lay them out on paper towel and sprinkle with salt (let sit to release moisture)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

dredge in seasoning:

• 1 spoonfull of paprika
• " salt
• " garlic powder
• " pepper
• " onion powder
• " oregano
• " thyme
• a cup or so of flour

place on greased baking sheet (do not let the fries touch eachother)

bake for about 5-10 minutes

Heat oil to about 360-375 degrees (med-high to high) watch so the oil doesn't burn!

take fries out of oven and place a few at a time in oil until golden and crispy. place on cookie cooling rack (upside down) over newspaper

This works well with Yams as well (you can also use this method without the seasonings and just add salt after frying)

serve with ranch/ketchup :) enjoy!!