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.

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.

Meatball Soup (and gamer cookies)

I am a bit of a worrier. I am only 20, and Walter is only 23, but I worry constantly about heart attacks, diabetes, and high cholesterol. But I don't worry enough to eat food I don't like.

Meatball Soup



This recipe came from Jessica Seinfeld's book, Deceptively Delicious. I know there is a lot of controversy surrounding this book right now (something about a lawsuit from the author of The Sneaky Chef, things I don't keep up with), but my sister got it for me for Christmas last year, and I have never read the book she supposedly plagiarized. And so, here we are. I was very tentative about this recipe, due to the vegetable purees, but it turned out pretty good. However, even with my additions, it was a bit bland. I will probably add a few more spices next time.

In addition to my spice changes, I didn't use the homemade purees that Mrs. Seinfeld suggests. Instead, I bought some baby food. I am lazy and cheap, and it worked just as well. :) I also used more meat and more pasta to make it less of a soup and more of a stew, as Walter is not a fan of incredibly thin soups.

Ingredients
-3 ounces whole-wheat pasta shapes (I used 12 ounces veggie pasta--semolina pasta shapes with carrot, spinach, and beet powders)
-1 Tablespoon olive oil (We were out of olive oil, so I used vegetable oil)
-1 small onion, chopped
-2 cloves garlic, chopped
-1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juice (I used 1 29-ounce can of tomato puree, since the tomatoes were pureed in the recipe anyway)
-1/4 cup carrot puree (I used 1 4-ounce jar of carrot baby food. It was a bit more than 1/4 cup but did not affect the recipe)
-3 cups beef or chicken broth (I used 3 cups beef broth made from beef bouillon cubes flavored with garlic and onions)
-3 slices bread, cubed
-1 large egg, lightly beaten
-1/4 cup sweet potato puree (I used 1 4-ounce jar of sweet potato baby food. It was a bit more than 1/4 cup but did not affect the recipe)
-1/4 cup milk
-2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus more for serving (I ommitted)
-1/4 teaspoon pepper
-1/4 teaspoon paprika
-1 teaspoon salt
-1/2 pound lean ground turkey (I used 1 pound extra lean ground beef)
I also added 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, a dash cayenne pepper, and 2 Tablespoons garlic salt.

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Coat a large pot with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. Add oil, garlic, and onions and cook, stirring often, until onion is softened.
3. Puree the tomatoes (if using whole) and add carrot puree. Add to the onions and garlic along with the beef broth and 1 Tablespoon garlic salt (if using). Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Combine cubed bread, egg, sweet potato puree, milk, 1 teaspoon salt, remaining garlic salt, and Parmesan (if using) in large bowl. Let soak until bread is very soft, and then stir to break bread into crumbs.
5. Add ground beef to bread mixture and mix until smooth. Roll into meatballs, 1/2-inch in diameter, and add meatballs to the simmering pot.
6. Simmer meatballs and sauce, covered, until meatballs are no longer pink in the center, 12 to 15 minutes. Add pasta and serve.

Gamer Cookies



We had a LAN party this weekend, and I made sugar cookies. I didn't use a new recipe, as Walter requested the cookie and icing recipes from thisentry, but I thought I'd show the final results. I used a gingerbread man cookie cutter for the headshot cookies, and an octopus cookie cutter for the Cthulhu cookies. They were a big hit with the guys. :)

Italian Seasoned Chicken

Time for another "let's throw random spices together" marinade!

Italian Seasoned Chicken



This doesn't taste Italian. In fact, it tastes kind of like KFC, but not fried. Pretty decent, overall. I roasted some potatoes with it (just some garlic salt and pepper, some butter, and some chopped potatoes...baked at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes), and it was a great meal.

Ingredients
-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
-1 cup oil
-1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
-1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
-1 teaspoon paprika
-1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
-1/2 teaspoon oregano
-1/2 teaspoon sage
-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/4 teaspoon pepper
-1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients. Let set in refrigerator for 1-24 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Place chicken breasts in 9 by 13 baking pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until center of each breast registers 165 degrees on a meat thermometer.

Orzo with Spinach and Red Peppers

I love spinach. This is a fairly recent discovery, so I am still experimenting with recipes that use it. But I do love it, especially with pasta.

Orzo with Spinach and Red Peppers



I got this recipe from All*You magazine's February 2009 issue. It was good, but not the greatest thing ever. I do love the texture, and with my additions it was okay, but it was still a bit bland. Regardless, I will probably make it again. It was a great side dish (we had it with lemon cilantro chicken), and perfect for when I have vegetarian friends over.

Ingredients
-1 pound orzo
-2 Tablespoons olive oil
-1 onion, chopped
-1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
-1 clove garlic, chopped (I used 3 cloves)
-1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
-1/4 cup grated Parmesan (I omitted)
I also added 1 Tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon garlic and pepper seasoning.

Directions
1. Bring pot of water to a boil. Add orzo and cook, stirring often, until done.
2. While cooking orzo, cook onion and bell pepper in 1 Tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until tender, about eight minutes. Stir in garlic and spinach and cook until spinach is wilted.
3. Drain orzo and return to pot. Add remaining olive oil, vegetable mixture, butter, and garlic and pepper seasoning. Stir to combine.

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.

Spaghetti Pie

Spaghetti and pie. Best combination ever.

Spaghetti Pie



This recipe is adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens Hometown Potluck Favorites cookbook. It was originally a pizza pie thing (It is titled "Pizza in a Bowl"), but I do not like pepperoni mixed with pasta very well. So, I adapted it to what you see below.




Ingredients
-2 cups thin spaghetti
-1 pound ground beef
-1 small onion, chopped
-1 14-ounce jar pizza sauce
-1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
-1 6-ounce can tomato paste
-1/2 teaspoon garlic pepper
-1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
-1/4 teaspoon onion powder
-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook spaghetti and drain. Brown ground beef with onions until onions are tender. Drain fat if necessary. Stir in next six ingredients and warm. Stir in cooked spaghetti.
3. Spoon one third of the mixture into a casserole dish. Sprinkle with one third of the mozarella cheese. Repeat with remaining thirds, alternating spaghetti mixture and cheese.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and noodles on top are slightly crunchy.

Peppery Cheesy Garlic Bread

Tonight, I am making pasta for dinner. Penne with sausage and Prego. Not exactly a culinary masterpiece, but it tastes good. I found this recipe on my bedside table (I don't even remember writing it down) and thought it would be a good touch. So, here we go.

Peppery Cheesy Garlic Bread



I got this recipe from the Southern Living Christmas Cookbook. I added garlic powder and took out the green onions (as I had none), and I used sour cream instead of yogurt, but I don't think it would be bad at all without my modifications, either.



Ingredients
-2 1/2 cups flour
-1 Tablespoon sugar
-2 teaspoons pepper
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-2/3 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-2 eggs, lightly beaten
-1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
-1 8-oz container of plain yogurt (I used sour cream instead)
-1/2 cup vegetable oil
-1/4 cup milk
-1 Tablespoon spicy brown mustard
-1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced (I ommitted).
I also added 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder and an additional dash of garlic powder to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the first six ingredients (and, if using, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder). Make a well in the center of the mixture.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together eggs and the next six ingredients. Add this mixture to the dry mixture and stir just until moistened.
4. Pour batter into greased loaf pan (If desired, sprinkle the top of the batter with additional garlic powder once it has been formed into the loaf pan)and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until a pick stuck into the middle of the bread comes out clean.

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.

Gnocchi with Sausage and Spinach

This was somewhat of a failure, but I will post it anyway. I did not mess up the recipe. In fact, I think that most people would enjoy it. However, Walter and I have discovered that we just do not like gnocchi. We are both texture eaters, and the texture is just not something we like. The sausage and the spinach were nice, and they mixed well with the garlic and onion, so I may try those with some other pasta, like penne or rigatone. So, somewhat of a failure, but not entirely. It just wasn't our cup of tea.

By the way, I found it on Real Simple's website.

Gnocchi with Sausage and Spinich

Ingredients
-2 9-ounce packages refrigerated gnocchi or one 17.5-ounce package shelf-stable gnocchi
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
-1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed (I do not like ground sausage, so I did sliced smoked sausage instead)
-1 clove garlic, finely chopped (I used two cloves)
-1 5-ounce bag baby spinach
-1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
-1/4 teaspoon black pepper
-3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Parmesan, plus more for garnishing (I ommitted this, as I am lactose intolerant)
I also added a dash of garlic powder and a dash of onion powder.

Directions
1. Bring water to a rolling boil and drop gnocchi in. Cook until they float to the top (about three minutes), and drain, reserving 1/4 of the cooking liquid.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened.
3. Add sausage and cook until brown, crumbling with a spoon. If using smoked sausage slices, just cook thoroughly.
4. Add garlic, spinach, salt, and pepper, and cook until spinach wilts. I added the onion and garlic powders at this point.
5. Add drained gnocchi, the reserved cooking liquid, and, if including, the Parmesan cheese. Toss ingredients.
6. Sprinkle additional Parmesan on each dish if desired, and serve.