Chili

Brown:
1.5 lb ground beef
Drain and add to large pan or crock pot

While meat is browning, Mix together and set aside:
2 Tbsp flour
2 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp Cayenne or red pepper
4 tsp chili powder
2 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Basil
1 tsp black pepper

Chop up and saute in little coconut oil:
1 vidalia onion
1 green bell pepper
3-4 cloves garlic
add to pot

Drain and add:
1 can green beens
1 can corn
2 cans light red kidney beans
add seasoning and a few healthy pinches of brown sugar
add a shot of beer if you have it

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer several hours
Serve with sour cream, crackers, corn chips etc.

Taco Meat for a crowd

3 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups boiling water
3 beef bouillon cubes
1 teaspoon oregano
2 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/4 cups tomato sauce
Directions:

1
Scramble fry beef and onion together.
2
Mix together boiling water and bouillon cubes. Set aside.
3
Mix spices together; add to meat mixture. Add bouillon.
4
Add tomato sauce; stir all together.
5
Simmer 20 minutes or until thick.

Skinny Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (I used Jif Creamy)
• 6 oz. low fat vanilla yogurt (could use fat free)
• 1/4 cup skim milk (or almond milk)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup sugar (or Splenda)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 8×8 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Place all of the ingredients except for the peanut butter into a blender or food processor. (Yes, a blender!) For easier blending, place the liquid ingredients into the blender first. Blend until mix is smooth and oats are ground up. You will have to stop the blender and scrape down the sides a few times.

Pour batter into prepared baking dish.  Batter will be thin.  Microwave peanut butter for about 30 seconds. Drop melted peanut butter by spoonfuls onto the batter, swirling gently with a knife to create a marbled effect. (Try not to overmix!)

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.  Brownies will be extra fudgy, so be sure to wait until COMPLETELY cooled – I stuck mine in the refrigerator for 2 hours, which allowed them to be cut very easily.

Cut into 12 squares and enjoy!

Best Chocolate Cake Ever

1 box Devils Food Cake mix

1 pkg Chocolate instant pudding

12 oz Chocolate Chips

1 C Sour Cream

Preheat oven to 350

Prepare cake mix according to box directions.

stir in:

Chocolate pudding

Sour Cream

Chocolate Chips

Pour mix into greased 9x13 or 2- 9" round pans

Bake in oven 45-60 minutes

Check with toothpick to assure cake is done

Frost with frosting of choice, but doesn't need frosting!

Enjoy!!!

Ethel's Sugar Cookies

Cream together:
3/4 C Butter
1 C Sugar
2 Eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla
lemon/orange zest

Sift together and add:

2 1/2 C flour

1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt

Chill at least 1 hour
Bake at 400 6-8 minutes

Crock pot Refried Beans

Using a 5 Qt or larger Crock pot,
Put about 3 C of washed and rinsed dry Pinto beans into crock pot
Fill Crock pot nearly to top with water

Add:
5 chicken bullion cubes
1 Tbsp Garlic salt
1/2  medium sweet onion (don't chop up onion, just put 1/2 of onion on beans
-Cook on high until beans are soft -Approx 5 hours (you may have to add more water as beans absorb water) Stir occasionally
-strain beans or pour off juice, saving the juice in a separate bowl.
-add 1/2 C butter and a small amount of juice that the beans cooked in.
-use a hand mixer to mash beans, Add juice and blend to obtain desired consistency

Enjoy

Fajitas

Put beef, pork roast or chicken in crock pot (ok if frozen)
cover with:
1/4 C oil
2 TBSP lemon juice
2 TBSP (heaping) frozen orange juice concentrate
2 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP dry onion
1 clove garlic minced
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp jalapeno juice (can substitute tabasco or hot sauce)

cook over low 4-8 hours (cooking time depends on if frozen or thawed) until falling apart.

Cut up bell pepper and onion and saute to a crisp tender in a little oil. Add to meat and shred.
serve on small tortilla's topped with sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped tomato, and shredded lettuce