What's Cooking at the Smiths: Let's Eat!

We got a wee glimpse of winter here in Alabama at the beginning of the week. And so naturally, chili was on the menu! I made a huge pot and it was tasty and warming {and we have leftovers in the freezer for several meals to come}.

Jessica's Chili

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 yellow onion

1/2 bell pepper

1 large can diced tomatoes

2 cans chili beans

1 can red beans

1 can kidney beans

1 32oz. bottle tomato juice

1 packet chili mix

Chili Powder

Cayenne Pepper

Paprika

Dice the onions and bell peppers.

Add to the ground beef in a skillet. Cook over medium heat until beef is no longer pink.

Meanwhile, add all beans and the diced tomatoes to a large stock pot.

Add chili mix and other spices.

Once the ground beef is finished cooking, add it to the pot with the beans, tomatoes, and spices.

Add tomato juice {I added about a cup of water so the soup was not quite so tomato-y tasting}.

Stir chili and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 hours on low heat stirring occasionally.

I had planned on making grilled cheese to go with our chili, but Britt requested cornbread. Cornbread sounded good to me, and we had some jalapenos that needed to be used. So I whipped up a skillet of jalapeno cornbread. I use the recipe on the back of the corn meal bag {nothing fancy}. Since there were just two of us I cut the recipe in half.

Jalapeno Cornbread

2 cups White Lily Cornmeal

1-2 tbsp. sugar {optional}

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 3/4 cups buttermilk

1 egg

2 jalapenos {seeds and ribs removed}

1/2 cup shredded cheese {I used four cheese mexican blend}

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place skillet in the oven and let the skillet get hot. Dice jalapenos. In a medium mixing bowl add cornmeal, sugar, buttermilk, egg, and oil. Mix well with a spoon. Add the diced jalapenos and cheese and mix. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and coat it with oil. Pour the cornbread mix into the skillet and cook for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the cornbread. {Since I cut the recipe in half I used a smaller skillet and baked the cornbread for 15-20 minutes.}

Macaroni and Cheese is one of my FAVORITE things to cook. There are so many variations and possibilities when making a new mac and cheese recipe. I found a recipe for Chicken Bacon Ranch Macaroni and Cheese on Pinterest a while back and finally got around to making it for dinner this week. It got Britt's approval and we've been eating the leftovers the rest of the week.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac and Cheese

8oz. elbow macaroni {I used shells because it was what I had in the pantry}

4 slices bacon

8 oz. boneless chicken breast {cut into 2 inch pieces}

1 tbsp butter

1 1/2 cups milk

1/3 cup cream of mushroom soup {I used half a can}

3/4 cup shredded six-cheese Italian blend cheese {I used a more generous amount}

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp ranch dressing mix

1/2 cup shredded colby-Jack cheese {I used a more generous amount}

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.

Cook bacon in a nonstick skillet until crisp. Remove from pan.

While the pasta is boiling and the bacon is frying, cut the chicken into 2 inch pieces.

Add chicken to the skillet and saute in the bacon drippings until cooked. Crumble bacon.

Melt butter in a large saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle flour evenly into the pan; cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly with a whisk.

Combine milk and soup in a separate bowl, then add it to the saucepan- stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil and cook for about 2 minutes until thick. Remove from heat and let cool for 4-5 minutes.

Add Italian blend cheese, 3/4 of the bacon crumbles, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and ranch stirring until the cheese melts.

Add pasta and chicken and stir to coat.

Turn broiler on Hi. Spray baking dish with cooking spay. Add mac and cheese mixture to the baking dish.

Top with colby-Jack cheese and remaining bacon crumbles.

Broil on Hi for about 5 minutes or until mac and cheese begins to bubble and the cheese melts.

It seems lately I cannot get Britt to eat squash for dinner. I love sautéed or roasted squash, but when I make it for dinner Britt leaves it on his plate. I think I found a way to make him eat squash, though! I decided to make a {semi}healthy version of squash casserole. Generally I think of squash casserole as a Thanksgiving and Christmas dish, but I decided to try it out on a weeknight.

Squash Casserole {Healthy Version-kind of}

3 medium-large yellow squash

1/2 yellow onion

1/2 can cream of mushroom soup

5 tbsp light sour cream

4 tbsp butter {reserve 2 tbsp for the topping and I use light butter}

1/4-1/2 cup of shredded colby-Jack, four cheese mexican blend, or cheddar {your choice!}

Salt

Pepper

1/2 cup bread crumbs {reserve half for the topping}

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Dice the squash and onions. Boil for 15-20 minutes then drain.

In a medium bowl add squash, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, butter, salt, pepper, and bread crumbs and stir.

Melt remaining butter in a small bowl. Add remaining bread crumbs and stir.

Spay a small baking dish with cooking spray and add the mixture. Top the casserole with the breadcrumbs.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.

I love cooking breakfast for us on the weekends! I cook egg whites and turkey bacon every morning for breakfast, but weekend breakfasts are SO much better! One weekend this summer we wandered into a little local market in Avondale and found McEwen & Sons grits. We had had the grits before at several restaurants around Birmingham so we knew they were good. We bought a bag and have been making them for breakfast on the weekends ever

lsince! Britt also loves it when I fry real bacon. I'll share my secret to a scrumptious breakfast!

Cook the McEwen & Sons grits according to the package directions {we cut the recipe in half for the two of us}.

Use a cast iron skillet to fry your bacon! When it is crispy, let it "drain"on a paper towel.

After you fry your bacon in the cast iron skillet cook your eggs in it too {in the bacon grease}! There's just something about the flavor that is added to the eggs by using bacon drippings and a cast iron skillet. Also, add a little cheese to your eggs to make them even more delicious.