Family Favorite Recipe

Tonight I made chili for dinner...perfect for the cold weather we have been having!

This recipe has been in my family for many years, 

originating from my great aunt on my Michigan dad's side.

There are two KEY ingredients to this chili...

the first being BACON....I love bacon,

and the second being the beans...they must be BROOKS CHILI HOT BEANS.

Forgot to include the ground beef in the picture.

Now, this is definitely a "Midwestern" chili because they only sell Brooks Chili Hot beans in the Midwest.

So every summer when I am in Michigan, 

I buy about a case of the chili beans and import them to Virginia,

or my Michigan mom brings me a case when she comes to visit.

I might have been stopped by TSA once or twice

for trying to bring a suitcase full of beans on the plane...

apparently giant cans of beans look like possible explosives on x-ray machines.

Embarrassing.
I digress...

If you are desperate to try this recipe,

you can buy the beans on Amazon.com here.

Clearly many Mid-westerners who no longer live in the Midwest

 must LOVE these beans if they are selling beans on Amazon.com.

I don't usually grocery shop on Amazon.com. 

I now have to wear my cheaters when cooking or I fear I will chop off a finger.

This picture reminds me that every spring people complement me for losing 10 lbs...

I don't actually lose weight, I am just not wearing four layers of clothing (as shown in the picture) anymore.

I am wearing a "vintage" Vineyard Vines fleece with long underwear, a long sleeve t-shirt, and a turtleneck.

I digress again...

"Ahhh no, I didn't eat the bacon..."

Here is the recipe....it's very simple

Aunt Trudee's Chili

6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 large onion, chopped

2 lbs. ground beef

2 cans tomato soup

2 medium or 1 large can of Brooks Chili Hot beans

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

pepper to taste

Brown ground beef with onion and drain any fat.

Add soup, beans, seasonings, and bacon.

Simmer on low for at least 30 minutes.

Freezes well.

(I have been known to use more than 6 slices of bacon)

Was not able to figure out how to photoshop out all of the bacon grease on the cook top.

This is a thick chili...very hearty.

We like to eat it with fritos and cheddar cheese.

As we say in our family,

YUM OUT or NOM NOM!

Hope everyone is staying warm!

A Favorite Holiday Recipe

Every Christmas Eve we have a buffet dinner at my Virginia parents' home,

and every year we have the same basic main menu...

Baked Ham, Cheesy Potato Casserole, and Calico Beans...a favorite of mine.

There are many different recipes for Calico Beans, but I love my Virginia mom's recipe!

Here it is...

photo source

Calico Beans
1/2 lb. Bacon
1 Medium Onion, chopped
1/2 lb. Ground Beef
1/2 Cup Catsup
1 tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1 tsp Dry Mustard
2 tsp vinegar
1/2 Cup White Sugar
1 Can Butter Beans
1 Can Kidney Beans
1 Can Pork & Beans
1 Can Lima Beans

Cut Bacon into small pieces and brown in skillet until crisp.
Move Bacon to side of skillet and add chopped onion and saute until soft.
Move onions to side of skillet and brown ground beef.
Drain remaining fat after ground beef is browned and add to skillet:
catsup, salt, brown sugar, dry mustard, vinegar, and white sugar.
Heat until warm and place in large casserole.
Add all of the cans of beans into casserole and mix.
Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.
Can be kept warm in a crock pot after cooking.

What's your favorite holiday recipe?

Family Favorite Recipe

Tonight I made another family favorite recipe...Sausage Chowder.

This is my sister-in-law's recipe and it quickly became a family favorite!

It has been rainy and chilly all week,

and I'm enjoying pulling out my fall and winter recipes.

 

The best part about this recipe is that it is quick and easy to prepare...

Very few ingredients...disregard bowl of lemons...LOL.

Enlisted my #4 to peel potatoes...notice he is skyping while peeling...LOL.

Chopped onion...I love this kitchen gadget!

Brown onion and sausage together...

#4 cubing the potatoes...and still skyping with his buddy.

Simmer for 45 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.

Cooking with my kids...love it!

 

Here is the recipe...

 

Sausage Chowder

1 tube of Jimmy Dean spicy hot sausage

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 large or 2 small cans of Great Northern Beans

1 large can diced tomatoes

1 medium onion

 

Chop onion and brown with sausage in large stock pot until cooked through,

separating sausage into small chunks while cooking.

After sausage is cooked, add tomatoes, beans, potatoes,

as well as one can of water (use tomato can).

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes,

or until potatoes are cooked through.

Enjoy!



Family Favorite Recipe

Many of our family's favorite recipes

are recipes that have been in my family for generations.

Today I am going to share a recipe for

King Ranch Chicken,

which is from my paternal grandmother.

Here is a pretty picture of this casserole

source

 

She and my grandfather are originally from Ohio,

but lived in Houston, Texas for most of the time I can remember.

She loved to cook, but was famous for several dishes.

King Ranch Chicken was one of them...

It is a very popular Tex-Mex casserole,

that supposedly originated on King Ranch in South Texas

(although that has not been proven).

There are MANY variations on this recipe,

but most have the same four core ingredients:

chicken, Ro-Tel tomatoes, cream of chicken soup, and cream of mushroom soup.

 

Here is my Grandmother's recipe

King Ranch Chicken
2 cups cubed or shredded chicken, cooked
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp chili powder
dash of Tobasco
dash of Lea & Perrins
2 cups cheddar cheese
12 six inch flour tortillas, torn in small pieces

1. Saute peppers and onions in butter until tender in large skillet.

2. Add chicken, soups, tomatoes, chili powder, Tobasco, and Lea & Perrins,
and cook until hot.

3. Butter bottom of 9x13 pan and cover bottom of pan with tortillas.

4. Add half of chicken mixture.

5. Sprinkle with cheese, and repeat layers.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until bubbly.

I sometimes use crushed Doritos instead of the tortillas.
You can also buy a rotisserie chicken and shred that to save time.
I also garnish with sour cream and black olives.

I debated whether to take some pictures of me making this in my
fabulous 1980's kitchen, but decided it would be too distracting
as everyone would be drooling over my kitchen and not my casserole.
(you can see I went the Doritos route and forgot to buy the green pepper tonight)

 

 

My kids LOVE this casserole.  

 

 

Twins...can they EVER both smile?

 

Sweet D keeping me company while I was cooking...

notice the two computers, ipad, and smart phone...LOL.

Guess who the ham is in this family?

 

  As I mentioned, there are many variations on this recipe...

sometimes I play around with it myself,
but my grandmother's is always the best! 

 

My grandmother passed away many years ago,

but I have her recipe file,

and I love having her recipes written in her own handwriting.
I'll share some more of my family recipes this fall and winter.