This is a recipe I stumbled across and it completely intrigued me. I wanted to try it instantly, and boy, it was delicious! It can be done various ways. You don’t have to make this “version” of chili, you can actually just make the topping and use you’re own left over chili. It’s easy to make and takes only 20 minutes!

Ingredients:

• 1lb Italian sausage (sweet or hot)
• 2 TSP chili powder
• 1 15ounce can of Kidney Beans, drained
• 1 14.5ounce can of diced tomatoes, drained
• 3/4 cup of jarred salsa (your choice!)
• 1 box of corn bread mix
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup of milk
• 1 cup shredded cheddar

The How To Part:

1. Remove the casings from the sausage and discard.
2. Pre-heat oven to 400degrees.
3. In a large skillet, crumble sausage and cook until there is no more pink showing.
4. Drain off the fat.
5. Add the chili powder and continue to stir for about 1 minute.
6. Add the beans, tomatoes, and salsa and let simmer for about 3 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, in a bowl combine the corn bread mix, egg and milk. Whisk together until the corn bread badder forms.
8. Add the cheese. (now, if you know anything about me or read this blog often, you’ll know I don’t measure cheese…so put however much you like in there, or follow the recipe.)
9. Stir badder until cheese is mixed thoroughly.
10. Transfer the chili into a 9X9inch or 11X7inch baking dish.*
11. Top the chili in the baking dish with the corn bread mixture. You’ll need a spatula or spoon to spread it around across the chili.
12. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown on top. 
13. Enjoy!

*I added a layer of cheese in-between the chili. I spread 1/2 of the chili mixture in the dish then topped with cheese then added the rest of the chili before topping with corn bread. It was delicious!

See, told you it was super simple! This is an easy quick meal night when you don’t have a lot of time. When the pie had finished baking, I also topped it with some more cheese and put it back in the oven for 5 minutes. (I told you, I love cheese! I don’t follow suggestions when it comes to cheese!)

Hope you enjoy this recipe!

eat well, live well.

Today’s pre-eats simply because, well I’m so excited I feel the need to share all of it now! None of it’s even made, or really even bought for that matter, everything’s happening tomorrow. And that would be, our Halloween Open House.

We had thought about a Halloween Party, but come on, a house party on the same night as Springfield’s Halloween Pub Crawl? It’d hardly be successful. Mostly due to the fact that the even which will take place tomorrow down town in Springfield, MO is the largest Halloween Costume Party in Missouri and the largest Pub Crawl in Missouri. So needless to say, people go to it. But in attempts to not battle the crowds, the roommates and I have decided to have a little party ourselves. Or rather, and Open House.

We’re using the term “Open House” for the sure fact that we’re telling our closest friend and family around that our doors are open for the evening. Starting at around dinner time, our lights will be on, our doors will be open and we’ll have food on the table. We wanted to encourage our friends to come and go at their leisure and stop by on the way to dinner, or on the way to Pub Crawl or after either! We were hoping this would ensure more visits from our friends, and more chances for good conversation and a Happy Halloween!

So, we made the plans, made the lists and set the menu. Now all we need is tomorrow to get here, people to dress up, and the evening to begin.

I’m pretty pumped about this menu, granite, it’s not healthy really at all. But, it’s delicious and I love dips! I could write a whole section just on dips is kind of ridiculous. You bet I’ll be sharing them. But…for the time being…

We’re starting with this dip. A Classic.
Rotel. Simple easy, we’re just adding a bit of meat!

Next we’re going to enjoy some Calico Dip.

If your tastebuds have never experience Calico Dip. Get to your local grocery store now. Better yet, find someone who has the recipe. I’ll share it after tomorrow. But, it’s simple, easy and taste and made with fresh ingredients.

Finally, another great classic, French Onion Dip. (we’re not talking store bought tubs here - home-made style French Onion Dip.)

Two ingredients and you’ve got a classic dip whipped up in minutes.

Finally, for the sweet treat side of Halloween, we’ll be devouring some pre-made Pillsbury Pumpkin/Ghosts/Bat cookies. Ok, laugh all you want, but anyone who tries to claim they do not like Pillsbury simple break-n-bake sugar cookies with the solid color designs on them that change every season, is a liar. They’re delicious and necessary every holiday season. But, outside of those…

We’re having Pumpkin Cookies - With the Icing this time!

Ohhhh happy day. I am super excited about all of this. I just hope my food turns out the same way!!! Regardless I’m excited for a full day of baking and sharing afterwards.

Have a Happy Halloween Pre-Weekend. I’m sure you’ve got plans if you’re celebrating this year, Enjoy It!

adventuring-

Probably the most purest form of comfort foods. Something we all know and love, especially in American. Whether it comes from the blue box or a white box, uses powdered cheese or cheese from a bag, no one can resist the cheesy goodness of a childhood staple, Mac N Cheese. (a home made rendition)

Ingredients:

• 4 cups dried macaroni (basically a pound)
• 1/4 cups (1/2 stick or 4 TBSP) butter
• 1 whole egg beaten in a separate bowl
• 1/4 cups All-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups milk (recipe suggest whole milk for a creamier sauce, but its not necessary)
• 2 TSP dry mustard, or more if you like the taste
• 1 pound grated cheese (I prefer sharp cheddar!)
• Salt
• Pepper

The How To Part:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350degrees
2. Cook macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain.
3. In a small bowl, beat the egg.
4. In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in the flour whisking together over medium-low heat. Cook this mixture for about 5 minutes, whisking consistently, do not let it burn!
5. Pour in the milk and add the mustard, wisk until very smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick and reduce heat to low.
6. (this is a suggestion of how to add the egg) Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour into the beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid scrambling or cooking the egg. Mix together until smooth. Then pour the egg mixture back into the sauce pan. (I have found if you do not want to do this separate step, simply pouring the egg in the sauce pan very slow and whisking the mixture together at the same time also prevents the egg from cooking, the choice is yours.)
7. Add in cheese and stir to melt.
8. Add salt and pepper, to taste. (you can also explore with other spices here if you like)
9. Pour in the drained cooked macaroni noodles and mix to coat evenly.
10. Dump the mixed macaroni and cheese into a buttered/greased baking dish. Top with some extra cheese and bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown or bubbly.

eat well, live well.

Ok. So I make most of my dishes by taste, rather than complete recipe. Especially when I am creating something out of my mind, rather than anything I’ve seen before. Not to say it hasn’t been done before or it’s not an idea out of my distant memories, but when I create, it’s all by taste. Thus I bring you, Garlic Chicken Spaghetti!

Ingreidents:

• 2 raw chicken breasts, no bones, diced in cubes
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced (larger or smaller depending on your liking)
• Oregano
• Italian Seasonings
• Garlic Salt
• Pepper
• Butter
• Mozzarella cheese
• Spaghetti Noodles (I always use Whole Grain)
• Spaghetti Sauce (your choice, I prefer Kroger’s 6 Cheese)
• Basil Leaves

The How To Part:

1. Mince the garlic into whatever size you like. I prefer big enough pieces to see/taste when you bit into. You can also use more than 4 cloves of garlic, if you like.
2. Cut the 2 chicken breasts into cubes
3. In a large skillet melt the butter over medium high heat
4. Add the garlic and let caramelize/brown just a bit. (You don’t want the garlic to caramelize and brown all the way)
5. Add the chicken, some pepper and some oregano and cook fully until all of the liquid is absorbed. (This includes the excess butter, no one said this dish was super healthy, and the liquid that comes from when you cook chicken)
6. Meanwhile, heat water to boil the pasta.
7. When the chicken garlic butter mix is done, dump it into the sauce and let the sauce heat on low while the noodles boil.
8. Here is where you can play around with your spices. I choose Italian Seasonings, Basil Leaves, Oregano and Garlic Salt. I added them until I felt like there was enough, in cooking to me, there really is no right or wrong amount. It’s typically all trial and error. Feel free to experiment with your own seasonings.
9. When the water has reached a boiling point, add the noodles and cook to the package directions.
10. Drain the noodles when they are finished cooking, removed the heated sauce from the stove and pour the noodles in. Mix the two together well.
11. Add a bit of mozzarella to the spaghetti and stir well to coat.
12. Serve!

Personally, I thought it was a delicious creation! So did my friend who stopped by for dinner. It was tasted, flavorful and definitely could go in other directions. Like more garlic, or bigger cloves, etc. I love experimenting in the Kitchen.

Till Then.

eat well, live well.