Spicy Bacon Chili

I am starting to really love chili. It's a lot of fun to experiment with different things, and since my cake class is at 6:30 on Tuesdays, it is much easier to make a slow-cooker chili in the morning than to worry about dinner in the evening.

Spicy Bacon Chili



This recipe is spicy, but not overly so, and I LOVE the subtle bacon flavor. It's definitely VERY subtle, but I think it adds depth to the chili that is fantastic.

Ingredients
-1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
-1 small onion, chopped
-2 Tablespoons crumbled cooked bacon (Hormel makes crumbled bacon pieces that work great)
-2 Tablespoons minced garlic
-1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
-1 15.5-ounce can chili beans in sauce
-1 7.76-ounce can medium homestyle Mexican salsa
-1 4-ounce can chopped green chilis
-3 Tablespoons Cumin
-1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-6 Tablespoons chili powder
-1 Tablespoon bacon salt
-1 Tablespoon Dean Jacobs Garlic and Tex-Mex Spices (garlic, paprika, cumin, white pepper, onion, oregano, and thyme)
-1 Tablespoon Mrs. Dash Southwestern Chipotle Seasoning

Directions
1. Brown ground beef with chopped onions.
2. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours, stirring occasionally. Top with shredded cheese and sour cream if desired.

Stepford Chili I

Now that I'm on a low carb diet, I am struggling to find foods that are delicious, filling, and low-carb (or only full of good carbs). Walter's favorite food is chili, but I am not a huge fan. But I am learning to like it.

Stepford Chili I



This is not the greatest picture, but let's be honest--we all know what chili looks like.

My last chili recipe, Volcano Chili, was far too spicy for me to consume. It was far too spicy for most normal people to consume. Walter is not a normal person when it comes to spice (or much else). He devoured it, sweat beading on his forehead, but he loved it. This one had to be a lot more mild so I wouldn't die eating it, and I think the green chilis made that possible without the chili being bland.

Ingredients
-1 pound lean ground beef
-1 medium onion, chopped
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 4-ounce can chopped green chilis
-1 10.5-ounce can chili beans, undrained
-1 10.5-ounce can tomato sauce
-3 Tablespoons chili powder
-2 Tablespoons cumin
-1 Tablespoon Mrs. Dash Southwestern Chipotle Seasoning
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
-1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
-1 teaspoon bacon salt
-2 Tablespoons Dean Jacobs Garlic and Tex-Mex Spices (garlic, paprika, cumin, white pepper, onion, oregano, and thyme)
-1 teaspoon paprika

Directions
1. Brown ground beef with onions and garlic.
2. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook for 6 to 8 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high, stirring occasionally and before serving.

Mexican Pasta Bake

More casseroles!

Mexican Pasta Bake



This casserole, that I found here at cooksrecipes.com, was fantastic. I made a few changes. For example, the pasta I used was a gem I found at Hy-Vee:



I also used ground beef instead of chicken and added crumbled Doritos, among other things. It was FANTASTIC. Walter loved it, and it will definitely be made again. Still not beautiful, but prettier than the last and still delicious. I will post the recipe as I made it, not as it was originally done.



Ingredients
-1 3/4 cups chili pepper linguine
-1 26-ounce jar medium chunky salsa
-1 10.5-ounce can of refried beans
-1/3 cup sliced green onions
-2 1.25-ounce packages Taco Seasoning Mix
-1 cup sour cream
-1.5 pounds ground beef
-1 cup nacho cheese Doritos, broken into crumbs
-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease 2-quart baking dish.
2. Brown ground beef and cook pasta.
3. Combine taco seasoning, salsa, refried beans, and green onions in medium bowl.
4. Spread 1 cup salsa mixture on bottom of prepared baking dish. Top with pasta.
5. Spread sour cream over pasta. Top with Doritos.
6. Combine remaining tomato mixture and ground beef and spoon over Doritos. Top with cheese.
7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Five Pepper and Garlic Chicken

Hy-Vee is a beautiful place. It has so many amazing oils and seasonings that I cannot leave the store without purchasing. I also purchased some pasta this week that I plan on using in future recipes.

Five Pepper and Garlic Chicken



This recipe has two major ingredients. This, Loriva's 5-Pepper Oil:


And this, Loriva's Garlic Oil:



I found both of them at Hy-Vee, and they are fantastic. This chicken was very good. I also roasted some potatoes that were tossed in the garlic oil.

Ingredients
-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
-1 cup oil
-1 teaspoon oregan
-1/2 teaspoon sage
-1 Tablespoon paprika
-1 Tablespoon bacon salt
-2 teaspoons soul food seasoning
-1/2 Tablespoon garlic salt
-1 teaspoon 5-Pepper Oil
-1/2 teaspoon garlic oil

Directions
1. Combine first 9 ingredients and keep refrigerated for 1-24 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Place chicken in 9 by 13 inch baking pan lined with foil. Drizzle with garlic oil and bake for 15-20 minutes or until centers read 165 degrees on a meat thermometer.

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers and Bacon Barbecue Burgers

I LOVE warm weather. Love love love. It is the most fantastic weather for grilling. Spring is great because it's warm enough to grill but not so humid that I can't go outside. Fantastic.



Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

I got the inspiration for this recipe here at allrecipes. However, I changed it so heavily that it is hardly the same recipe. I really enjoyed them, but could only eat one because of my lactose intolerance and because they were SPICY. Of course. Because they were jalapenos. But grilled bacon is fantastic.

Ingredients
-1 cup sour cream
-2 teaspoons ranch dressing
-1 teaspoon bacon salt
-1 teaspoon garlic salt
-1 1/2 cup shredded cheese
-10 jalapenos
-10 slices bacon

Directions
1. Combine first five ingredients.
2. Cut jalapenos in half, but keep sides attached. Remove seeds.
3. Fill jalapenos with sour cream mixture and close jalapenos. Wrap each with one slice of bacon and slide onto skewers.
4. Grill until bacon is crispy, about 30 minutes. Remove from skewers and serve warm.

Bacon Barbecue Burgers

These are the best barbecued burgers I have made thus far. The bacon salt is nice but not overpowering.

Ingredients
-1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
-1 1/2 teaspoons bacon salt
-1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
-2 teaspoons McCormick grilling mates hamburger seasoning
-Hickory barbecue sauce for coating

Directions
1. Mix bacon and garlic salts and hamburger seasoning into ground beef. Separate and form into patties.
2. Grill patties, flipping halfway through, brushing with barbecue sauce after each flip, until they are 160 degrees in their centers. Brush with additional barbecue sauce and serve.

Chicken Salad

Chicken salad is my fall-back lunch. If we have no leftovers, I make a batch and eat on it for a couple of days. I like to experiment with it, and this is my best recipe so far, hands down.

Chicken Salad



I have a secret ingredient that makes this the best chicken salad ever. That ingredient is bacon. Not real bacon, but this:



It makes it fantastic, especially with the tomato. And the jalapeno adds just a little kick to it. Oh, I could eat this for every meal.

Ingredients
-1 9-ounce can white meat chicken
-1 medium onion
-8 dill pickle hamburger-cut slices
-5 slices of jarred jalapeno
-1 small vine tomato
-1 small red bell pepper
-3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
-1/8 teaspoon bacon salt
-Dash of cinnamon
-Curry powder, salt, and pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Chop all vegetables.
2. Combine all ingredients. Stir until thoroughly moistened. Keep refrigerated. Makes about 3 sandwiches.

Chili Barbecue Burgers

It is eighty degrees outside, with low humidity (something that does not happen often in Missouri). Grilling season has begun! I do not have a fantastic grill, but I have a grill. My parents gave it two Walter and me as a housewarming gift when we moved to this duplex last summer. It came late, so we did not use it nearly as often as we would have liked. However, I am definitely going to try to get much more use out of it this year.

Chili Barbecue Burgers



Walter loves burgers more than any food in the entire world. He eats them at every restaurant we go to, no matter the menu (except the Mongolian place). If it was all I cooked for the rest of his life, I think he would be okay with that. Of course, I also like to play around with the seasonings more than he does. He just wants a burger--I want a super awesome recipe. ;)

Ingredients
This is for one burger
-1/3 pound lean ground beef
-1 teaspoon chili powder
-1 teaspoon Southwestern Chipotle Mrs. Dash seasoning
-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
-1/2 teaspoon seasoned meat tenderizer
-2 Tablespoons Hickory BBQ Sauce

Directions
1. Combine all seasonings with meat. Mix well.
2. On a heated grill (mine is charcoal-burning), cook burgers until done to your liking (about 30-45 minutes), flipping halfway through. After flipping, brush with
barbecue sauce. Flip again about 5 minutes before done, and brush with barbecue sauce again.

In-a-Bind Taco Seasoning

Tonight, I wanted to make tacos. I was sure we had taco seasoning in the house, because we always have taco seasoning in the house. We did not, in fact, have taco seasoning in the house. So, I improvised.

In-a-Bind Taco Seasoning



Due to one particular ingredient, this is not particuarly a recipe for ANYONE in a bind. And it is not, in our opinions, as good as the taco seasoning we usually use. However, the meat tastes like taco meat, and that is what I was going for.



The particular ingredient is pictured above: A Tastefully Simple Rockin' Chipotle Dip Mix sample pack that my aunt gave me (among other things, of course) for Christmas. I knew I would never use it for dip, anyway, and it worked quite well here. Its ingredients included chopped onions, red bell peppers, chipotle peppers, garlic, and salt. So, it worked fairly well for tacos.



Ingredients
-1 1/2 Tablespoons chili powder
-1/8 teaspoon paprika
-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-1 sample package Tastefully Simple Rockin' Chipotle Dip Mix
-1/4 teaspoon cumin
-5 Tablespoons taco sauce
-1/4 cup pizza sauce
-1/2 cup water

Directions
1. Combine dry ingredients. Set aside.
2. Brown ground beef or cook chicken. Drain if necessary.
3. Combine all ingredients and cook over medium heat until liquid is evaporated and meat is fully coated.

Honey Mustard Chicken

I love honey mustard on chicken. It is one of my favorite condiment-food combinations. And while this is the first time I cooked with Panko, I found that I love it, too.

Honey Mustard Chicken



I LOVE this recipe. It came from Joelen's blog. All of her food is just so fantastic. I cannot wait to try more of her recipes!

Ingredients
-2 chicken breasts
-2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
-2 tablespoons honey
-garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper to taste (I, of course, used lots)
-1 cup panko breadcrumbs

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine honey and mustard. In a separate dish, place panko.
3. Season chicken to your liking. Dip and coat in honey mustard mixture. Coat chicken in panko.
4. Place chicken on greased baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165 when placed in center of each breast.

Hot Sauce Burgers

I had no idea what I wanted for dinner today. I looked in the freezer and saw french fries, so burgers and fries won out. However, I wanted to do something a little different.

Hot Sauce Burgers



These are my own creation, one of those "what do I have in the fridge that would taste good?" kind of dishes. As I have said before, if I can make something spicy, I do it.

Ingredients
-1 pound ground beef
-1/4 cup cayenne pepper sauce
-2 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce
-2 Tablespoons seasoned meat tenderizer
-1 Tablespoon garlic and pepper
-1 Tablespoon onion powder
-1/2 Tablespoon paprika

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients and knead beef until thoroughly mixed. Make into patties of desired size.
2. Cook burgers to your liking (I cook them medium well to well done on a griddle). If desired, place cheese slice on each burger about one minute before removing from griddle. Top with desired condiments and vegetables (I recommend sour cream for this recipe).

WC Recipe Exchange: Stuffed Pepper Soup

This is the recipe I got for the winter WC Nesties exchange. The theme was slow cooker recipes.


Stuffed Pepper Soup



I loved this recipe. My mother made a dish similar to this when I was growing up. Walter is not a fan of tomatoes or green peppers, but my mother is visiting and enjoyed it as well.

My WCer found the recipe at cre8tivequilter's blog.

Ingredients
-2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey; brown and drain (I use 1 pound)
-1-28 ounce can diced tomatoes; undrained
-2 cups white rice (uncooked Minute Rice)
-2 quarts water
-2-8 ounce cans tomato sauce, plain
-2 cups chopped green pepper
-1 teaspoon black pepper

Optional:
-Brown sugar to cut the bite of the pepper (I did not use)
-2 beef bouillon cubes (Mine were flavored with onion and garlic)

Directions
In a slowcooker, combine ingredients & simmer 4 or 5 hours. ENJOY.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Today is not my day to cook. While cooking the chicken, I set off the fire alarm. Then, while cutting onion for my sandwich, I sliced my thumb. However, the food, somehow, turned out delicious. Amazing and maybe a little lucky. We also had no buns, only bread, which caused the sandwiches to be pretty messy, but it worked out.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches



I got this recipe from Rachael Ray. I can't stand to watch her show, but I love her food.

Ingredients
-Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
-Salt
-Pepper (I used garlic pepper)
-1 teaspoon sweet paprika
-1 teaspoon chili powder
-Olive Oil
-2 Tablespoons butter
-1/2 cup cayenne pepper sauce
-2 cups sour cream
-4 scallions, thinly sliced
-1/2 pound blue cheese, crumbled
I ommitted the last three ingredients, although Walter did use sour cream on his sandwich. I also added 1 teaspoon of barbecue sauce.

Directions
1. Combine salt, pepper, paprika, and chili powder in a bowl, and coat chicken in mixture. Toss seasoned chicken in olive oil and cook in a skillet over medium heat for five minutes on each side until done.
2. Melt butter. Mix butter, cayenne pepper sauce, and barbecue sauce (if using). Toss cooked chicken, coating each breast evenly.
3. If using, combine sour cream, scallions, and blue cheese. Spread on bun or bread. Top sandwich with preferred vegetables.

Spicy Sloppy Joes

I adore slow cooker recipes. They are done when Walter gets home from work, and I don't have to worry about wearing myself down by the end of the day and still having to cook.

Spicy Sloppy Joes



These are very spicy and very sloppy. I cannot say if they are very Joey, but now things are borderline inappropriate. ;) They were a bit too liquidy, so I added a couple of handfuls of flour. I also used tomato sauce instead of juice because I misread the recipe whilst shopping...

I got this recipe here at Recipezaar.

Ingredients
-1 1/2 lbs ground beef
-1 large onion, chopped
-1 clove garlic, minced (I used 5 cloves. Yes, 5. We really like garlic)
-1 6-ounce can hot-style tomato juice (I used 1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce)
-1/2 cup catsup
-1/2 cup water
-2 tablespoons brown sugar
-2 tablespoons chopped canned jalapeno peppers
-1 tablespoon prepared mustard
-2 teaspoons chili powder
-1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
-Shredded cheese (optional)
I also added 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped.

Directions
1. Brown ground beef with onions and garlic. Drain fat if necessary.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a slow cooker. Stir in meat, onions, and garlic when prepared.
3. Cook, covered, for 6 to 8 hours on low heat or 3 to 4 hours on high heat.
4. Spoon mixture onto buns or bread. Top with shredded cheese if desired.

Lemon Cilantro Chicken

Tonight, I was going to make garlic chicken with a bottle of marinade, but I was cleaning up the kitchen and found this recipe on the back of my jar of cilantro.

Lemon Cilantro Chicken



I found this recipe on the back of my jar of McCormick cilantro leaves. It was originally cilantro-lime chicken, but I had no lime juice, only lemon juice, so I modified it a bit. Walter got ahold of the better-looking breast before I could snap a picture, so ignore his gigantic baked potato.

Ingredients
-1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
-1/3 cup oil (I used Olive Oil)
-1/4 cup lemon or lime juice
-1 teaspoon garlic powder
-1 teaspoon cilantro leaves
-1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
-1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
-1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt (I used poultry seasoning here)

Directions
1. Combine ingredients and toss chicken in mixture. Refrigerate for thirty minutes.
2. Grill or bake (400 degrees) chicken for ten minutes or until the center of each breast is 165 to 170 degrees.

Volcano Chili

I do not like chili. Walter loves chili. I do, however, like this chili (my own recipe). However, I have a sensitivity to tomatoes that poses a problem: If I eat anything spicy that is in a tomato sauce, my throat swells, and I cannot breathe. So, grilled cheese for me tonight. But Walter is quite pleased.

Volcano Chili



Walter likes to load his with shredded cheese and saltines. If I could eat it, I think it would be great with the grilled cheese I am having.

Ingredients
-1 1/2 pounds extra lean ground beef
-1/2 medium onion, diced
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 chipotle pepper in adobo, minced
-5 jalapeno pepper slices (roughly one whole jalapeno), minced
-1 can chili beans, undrained
-1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
-3 Tablespoons chili powder
-1 Tablespoon Cumin
-2 Tablespoons crushed red pepper
-1 Tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
-1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning
-1 Tablespoon onion powder
-3 Tablespoons Garlic and pepper seasoning
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
-1 1/2 teaspoon barbecue sauce

Directions
1. Brown grown beef. Drain off fat if necessary.
2. Combine all ingredients in a slow-cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, stirring halfway through and before serving.

Spicy Penne with Sausage

There is entertaining tonight, so I thought I'd make something spicy and fun!

Spicy Penne with Sausage



This recipe...I got it from Guy's Big Bite on the Food Network. I changed it quite a bit, or at least enough that it has a different title in our home than on his website. Regardless, it is adapted from his. His idea of "spicy" is much different from ours...But I am going to write the recipe how I have it written on my recipe card (ie, the way I make it), not so much the way he does it. The link above will show you what it was originally.

Ingredients
-1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce
-3/4 cup canola oil
-1/3 cup lemon juice
-1 1/2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
-2 to 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (I generally use 3)
-1 1/2 Tablespoons red pepper flakes
-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-1/2 teaspoon Garlic and Pepper
-1 teaspoon Cajun Spices
-2 Tablespoons Thai Garlic Chili sauce
-1 Tablespoon dried cilantro leaves
-Olive Oil
-Smoked sausage, sliced thinly
-2 cups cream
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon pepper
-1 pound cooked penne
-Shredded cheese (Walter likes cheddar jack)

Directions
1. Combine first eleven ingredients and blend until smooth. Set aside.
2. Cook sausage in olive oil on high heat until brown on both sides. Lower heat to medium and add cream, 3/4 of the Chipotle sauce, salt, and pepper.
3. Add cooked penne and toss together. Top with remaining sauce and shredded cheese if desired.

Sweet-Hot Asian Noodle Bowl

Before I begin, I must apologize. I don't know where I got this recipe. When I first started cooking, I checked a lot of cookbooks out at the local library and wrote down the recipes I wanted to try. So, if anyone knows where this recipe comes from, or has seen a similar one elsewhere, let me know.

Sweet-Hot Asian Noodle Bowl



This is a fantastic, colorful, flavorful dish. It reheats well (or is great cold!) and is very versatile. It works well as a vegetarian dish (just remove the chicken) and goes well at parties. It is a little spicy (if you do it right, according to Walter), but as you have probably noticed, most foods I make are.

Ingredients
-3/4 cup vinegar
-1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup honey
-2 Tablespoons minced ginger
-2 Tablespoons dark sesame oil
-1 Tablespoon Asian chili-garlic sauce
-1/4 cup dried chopped cilantro
-16-ounce package of Spaghetti or any long noodle (Asian noodles work great!)
-1 large red bell pepper, sliced or chopped
-1 large red onion, sliced
-1 Tbsp. sesame seeds (I omitted)
-2 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
I also used an additional 4 Tablespoons of chili-garlic sauce, 1 Tablespoon garlic Hoisin sauce, and 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice.

Directions
1. Whisk together the first seven ingredients (And, if using, the hoisin and lemon juice). Set aside.
2. Cook chicken, onion, and bell pepper together until chicken is cooked thoroughly and onion and pepper are soft (but still retain their color). I cooked the chicken, onion, and pepper in the additional 4 Tablespoons of chili-garlic sauce for more flavor. Boil pasta until soft.
3. Combine sauce, pasta, chicken, and vegetables. Toss to coat.

Mini Meat Turnovers

These are cute, easy, and fun. I did find that there were A LOT of them, but as they were small and reheated well, it was not much of an issue. They also make great appetizers.

Mini Meat Turnovers



This recipe is adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens Hometown Potluck Favorites cookbook.

Ingredients
-12 oz. lean ground beef
-1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
-1 tsp. chili powder
-1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
-1 1/2 tsp. snipped fresh cilantro
-1 10- to 12-oz. pkg. refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (10)
-Milk
-Salsa (optional)
I also added shredded cheese, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, and 1 teaspoon of onion powder.

Directions
1. Brown ground beef; drain off fat. Stir in tomato sauce, chili powder, oregano, and garlic powder. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro.
2. Grease a large baking sheet; set aside. Separate biscuits; cut each biscuit in half horizontally. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece of biscuit dough into a 4-inch circle. Place about 1 tablespoon of filling (and, if using, cheese) onto half of each circle. Fold opposite side of circle up and over filling. Brush edges with a little milk; seal edges with a fork.
3. Place filled turnovers 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet; brush with milk. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from baking sheet. Cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve warm. If desired, serve with salsa for dipping.

Halloween Festivities

Our party turned out great! I cooked for eight hours that day, and almost everything turned out. The pumpkin fudge failed because I forgot to put in the marshmallow creme, and the cheese fountain became a cheese bowl because the fountain idea just didn't fly. Alas...

Halloweenie Mummies
These were the hit of the party! I got them from Pillsbury's Halloween magazine.



Ingredients
-1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated flaky dough sheet
-44 cocktail-size smoked link sausages (from a 1-lb package)

Directions
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line two 15x10x1-inch pans with cooking parchment paper.
2. On work surface, roll dough sheet out to 14x11-inch rectangle. Cut vertically to make two 11x7-inch rectangles. Cut crosswise for a total of 44 (7x1.5-inch) strips. Pat sausages dry with paper towels.
3. Wrap 1 strip of dough around each sausage to look like a little mummy; press firmly at each end to secure. Place on cookie sheet 2 inches apart for even browning.
4. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Eyeball Cupcakes

These cupcakes were sort of overlooked. I think everyone thought they were decorations! I sent them home with people, but we still have way too many.



There's not much of a recipe for these. I used white cake mix and white premade icing because they were both non-dairy. For the eyeball look, I frosted the cupcakes with white icing and used gummi Lifesavers for the irises and chocolate chips for the pupils (you could also use M&Ms or jellybeans). I used red decorating icing to make them look bloodshot. Easy and fun!

Slime Punch


Again, pretty simple. One container of lime sherbet and a 2-liter bottle of Sprite. Combine and serve.

Jalapeno Hummus with Flatbread Chips
I had never had hummus before, and neither had Walter. I knew he'd like it better with some spice, so I made the jalapeno recipe. It was good, but my kitchen smelled like garlic and tahini for the rest of the day and made me feel really ill.




The flatbread chips were simple. I bought some Italian seasoned flatbread and cut it into ghost, cat, and bat shapes with small cookie cutters. Then I brushed each piece with olive oil and ground black pepper and baked them for about 5 minutes until they were crunchy.

I found the recipe for the hummus here at allrecipes.com

Ingredients
-1 cup garbanzo beans
-1/3 cup canned jalapeno pepper slices, juice reserved
-3 tablespoons tahini
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-2 tablespoons lemon juice
-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
-1/2 teaspoon curry powder
-crushed red pepper to taste

Directions
1. In a blender or food processor, mix the garbanzo beans, jalapeno peppers and reserved juice, tahini, garlic, and lemon juice. Season with cumin, curry powder, and crushed red pepper. Blend until smooth.

Candy Corn Sugar Cookies

I love these. I eventually ran out of orange sugar, so some of them aren't candy corn-esque... Oh well. The recipe comes from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. It is probably my favorite cookbook ever.



Ingredients
-2/3 cup butter, softened
-3/4 cup granulated sugar
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1 egg
-1 Tablespoon milk
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-2 cups all-purpose flour
-1 recipe Powdered Sugar Icing (optional) I did not use this. I used Wilton's white microwaveable cookie icing and yellow and orange decorating sugars

Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. If necessary, cover and chill dough 30 minutes or until easy to handle.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough at a time until 1/8 inch thick. Using a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter, cut dough into desired shapes. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are very lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. If desired, frost with Powdered Sugar Icing.

Spicy Swiss Steak

As I believe I have mentioned before, I cannot for the life of me follow a cooking recipe exactly (baking is usually a different story since things need to be more exact). I add garlic and onion powder to pretty much everything, and if there's a way to make it spicy, I do that, too. Walter loves flavorful, spicy food, as do I (although, his spice threshold is much higher than mine).

So, this is the recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens plaid cookbook. It's a classic recipe, but I thought it was a little boring, so I kicked it up a bit.

There are both skillet instructions and oven instructions. I love my skillet, so I have never made it in the oven, but I am sure it is just as good.

Spicy Swiss Steak

Ingredients
-1 pound boneless beef round steak, cut 3/4 inch thick
-2 tablespoons flour
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1/4 teaspoon black pepper
-1 tablespoon cooking oil (I used EVOO)
-1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with basil, oregano, and garlic, undrained
-1 small onion, sliced and separated into rings (I diced mine)
-1/2 cup sliced celery Omitted
-1/2 cup sliced carrot Omitted
-2 cups hot cooked noodles or mashed potatoes
I added 1 tablespoon garlic powder, one tablespoon onion powder, 1/2 tablespoon seasoned meat tenderizer, a handful of jalapeno slices (about 6), and 1/4 cup jalapeno juice.

Directions
1. Trim fat from meat. Cut into 4 serving-size pieces. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper (I added the garlic and onion powders and seasoned meat tenderizer to this mixture). With the notched side of a meat mallet, pound flour mixture into meat.
2. In a large skillet brown meat on both sides in hot oil. Drain off fat. Add undrained tomatoes, onion, celery, and carrot (and jalapenos and juice, if using). Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 1 1/4 hours or until meat is tender. Skim off fat. Serve with noodles or mashed potatoes.

Oven Directions: Prepare and brown meat in skillet as above. Transfer meat to a 2-quart square baking dish. In the same skillet combine undrained tomatoes, onion, celery, and carrot (and jalapenos/juice). Bring to boiling, scraping up any browned bits. Pour over meat. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven about 1 hour or until tender. Serve as above.