Two Favorite Recipes

Sorry I haven't been keeping up lately.  It's been a busy couple of weeks.  I thought I'd share a couple of our favorite recipes.  If you're like us, we get tired of the same 'ol, same 'ol.  Because of that, I'm always looking for new recipes and I love getting a new cookbook to try new things.  :-)  I have the boys rank recipes from one to ten(ten being great).  I write it on the top so I can remember how much we like a new one.  I have gotten some of my best recipes from sharing with friends and family and them with me.  I've never understood people who want to keep ingredients secret.  If we find one that we think is awesome, I love to share.  Anyway, with that being said, here are two of our favorites.

This first one is a new favorite for us that we tried the other day.  It is another one that I found in the recipes from my grandmother's recipe box.  I have no idea if she ever fixed this, but it was in her stuff.  LOL!  If she was like I am, I have a lot of recipes that I haven't tried yet.  Hopefully, she did make this one because it is a definite keeper for our family! I had thought when reading the ingredients that it would be similar to a homemade hamburger helper.  WRONG!!!!   It makes hamburger helper look like dog food.  Micah hates hamburger helper and he loved this! Hope you do too!

Chili Mac

2 lbs. ground beef(or half beef and half pork sausage)(I did half of each)
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, undrained
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cumin
Dash of cayenne pepper
2 cups of elbow macaroni, cooked acc. to package directions(wait about twenty minutes after starting the chili part before cooking the noodles)
shredded cheddar or jack cheese

In a large kettle or Dutch oven, brown the meat, green pepper, onion and garlic.  Drain excess fat.  Add tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato paste, water, chili powder, salt, cumin and cayenne.  Cover and simmer on low heat 30 minutes; stirring occasionally.  Prepare elbow macaroni according to package directions.  Drain.  Stir macaroni into chili.  Serve in bowls; garnish with shredded cheese.  Yields: 10-12 servings.



The second recipe that I want to share is one I got out of an old Taste of Home magazine.  Years ago I used to have a subscription and have several favorites from that time.  :-)  This is one of the quickest, simplest and tastiest recipes I've ever gotten from a magazine.  Just a note about this one...it is not pretty looking.  The only thing of color in it is the green onions.  But do not let that fool you!  This has an incredible flavor to it that I think you will love.

Hurry Up Ham and Noodles

5-6 cups egg noodles, cooked acc. to package directions and drain
1/4 cup butter
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cup cooked ham, diced
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.  Stir in the whipping cream and bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Add the ham, Parmesan cheese, green onions, salt and pepper; heat through.   Add the noodles and the sauce/ ham mixture together and heat through.  

I hope you enjoy these two recipes as much as we have.  I have a couple recipes from other days if you're interested, check them out too. 

I hope to post some info tomorrow on how you can get free books.  It's rare to find something that is really free anymore.  We came across a program that gives you free books and all you have to do is write a review about it after you've read it.  You get to pick which books you want to review too.  But  enough about that for now.  Tune in tomorrow and I'll give you all the details.  :-) 

Blessings to you all,

Carrie