Easy Chili!

       Lately, it has been quite cold in Colorado, and whenever I think of cold weather I think of yummy, warm chili. So that is what I have decided to make for my blog this week. I hope you enjoy!

What you will need:

2 pounds of hamburger meat

1 clove garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup of flour

1-3 Tablespoons of chili powder (depends how spicy you like your chili)

1/4 of Mexene Chili Powder Seasoning

5 cups or more water

2-3 beef bouillon cubes or beef broth

1 can of Pinto beans

              Start off by putting two pounds of beef, garlic, salt and pepper into a pan. Cook on medium high until all of the meat is browned.

                 Drain all of the grease out of the meat, with a dry paper towel dab the grease out of the pan you used to cook the meat in.

                  Pour the meat back in the pan. On low, brown the meat and flour.

                   Pour the floured meat into a crock pot.

                  Add the Mexene into the meat.

                        Stir in the other chili powder.

                    Pour the water into the meat until it covers the meat, add salt and beef cubes. Cook in the crock pot for 2-4 hours. Add the pinto beans. Cook for about 30 minutes. (Cornbread and cheese go well with this meal.) Serve and Bon'Appetit!

Italian Salad!

      Ok, so normally I would show pictures of the steps I take when I make stuff but today since I am making a salad I thought it would just be easier to give you all the information instead of adding pictures. Normally I would make something a little more complicated, but I know its hard to find a really yummy salad so that is why I am giving you this! I hope you enjoy! By the way this is for the salad and the dressing.

What you will need:

FOR SALAD:
Romaine lettuce, bite sized
Ice burg lettuce, bite sized
1 small red onion peeled and thinly sliced (optional)
4 ounces of blue cheese crumbled (if you're not a fan of blue cheese like me, just use feta cheese)
Corn Oil, for frying
4 ounces of thinly sliced Prosciutto cut into about two inch squares (you may also use bacon)

FOR DRESSING:
1 Tablespoon of Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons of granulated sugar 
3/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons of fresh minced garlic
1/3 cup of red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon salt
2 cups Vegetable oil
Black pepper to taste
1 pinch of dried oregano

DIRECTIONS:
            1. In a large skillet, heat 1/2 of your corn oil. Cook Prosciutto until it turns dark brown and curls at the ends. Drain on a paper towel and crumble in to small bits. Set aside. (If you are using bacon you DON'T need the corn oil.)
            2. Place your lettuce, onion, cheese and prosciutto in a large bowl; toss it up real nice.
            3. For dressing, in a medium bowl, combine mustard, sugar, water, garlic, vinegar, and salt.  Whisk together until combined. Now whisk in your oil slowly in a stream formation. Add pepper and oregano, whisk to combine.
            4. Plate your salad and drizzle a little bit of dressing over it because you don't want too much...

This recipe makes a lot of salad so I would wrap the salad in a paper towel and then put it in a bowl with a lid. Put your dressing in a separate bowl in the refrigerator. Now you have a yummy salad whenever you want it! Bon'Appetit!

German Chocolate Caramel Brownies!

            Hey there everybody... so today I have decided to make German Chocolate Caramel Brownies! Yummy!!! Ok this recipe has a lot of steps but, if you pay attention... it is not that complicated... I hope you enjoy!

What you will need:

60 caramels

1 pkg. of German Chocolate cake mix

1 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup evaporated milk

3/4 cup melted butter

1/3 cup evaporated milk

1 small bag of chocolate chips

                First, unwrap all of the caramels and place them in a medium pan.. have patience.

                Then add 1/2 cup of evaporated milk into the caramels. Cook over low flame, stir constantly until the caramels are completely melted. MMMMM! Set aside.

                     In a large mixing bowl pour in your cake mix.

                  Add melted butter into the mix and beat on low speed.

                 Now pour 1/3 cup of evaporated milk into your little mixture and stir.

                 Stir in nuts.

                           Take half of the batter and press it down into a 9 x 13 inch greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees and  bake for 8 minutes.

                     Take out of the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the hot crust.

                  Pour the caramel sauce over the chocolate chips... Yummy!

                      Crumble the rest of the dough over the caramel layer.

                    Place in the oven at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Let cool. The Picture doesn't flatter them but once you place them into your mouth... you will love them. Bon'Appetit!

Zucchini Bread!!!

               Hey there everybody... OK so this weekend it was freezing in Colorado so cold weather for me equals baking... Common sense. So I thought I would make some delightful Zucchini bread... Yummy. I hope you enjoy!

What you need:

2 cups of granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 tablespoon of vanilla

1 cup of vegetable oil

2 cups of grated zucchini

3/4 cup of chopped walnuts (optional)

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of allspice

1 teaspoon of cloves

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

3 cups of flour

              First, start with with pouring your sugar into a large bowl... If this is too complicated you really should find another hobby... Hehe

                  Now, crack three eggs into your sugar and beat them together until they are smooth and well blended.

                   Add your yummy vanilla extract and your oil to the mixture... Blend really well! 

               Now add in your salt, baking soda and baking powder... Don't forget this step... If you do your bread will be a failure...

                 Add the allspice, cloves, and cinnamon into your lovely mixture... I love the smell of all of these spices... Yummy

               Pour the flour into the mixture.. NOT all at once... That will turn  into a huge mess... Pour in about half a cup every time!

           Add your shredded zucchini and stir... Or blend on a very low speed... Now if your batter is a little thick for any reason add a little bit more oil... Just like a tablespoon or so... You don't want it like cookie dough, but you don't want it to be like water.

               Stir in your nuts...

                Now prepare three medium bread pans and flour them...If you don't know how to flour pans.. It is OK . What you do is you spread about a tablespoon or less of butter in your pans making sure you cover your sides and bottom very well... Now sprinkle about a tablespoon of flour on the bottom of the pan and hit it around so the flour hits all the buttered parts... If you are confused...  I am sure there are videos on YouTube. 

                 Pour mixture into the pans about 2/3 full. Bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes, then check with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, take the bread out of the oven and let cool.

                  Then slice up your masterpiece and eat it however way you like it! I hope you enjoy! Bon'Appetit!

CUPCAKES!!!!

        Ok! So I have been making a lot of meals lately, so I decided to change it up a little bit. Since it is my Birthday tomorrow, I decided to make some delicious home made chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting. I hope you love them!

Ingredients for the cake:

1 1/3 cups of flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons of baking powder

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/8 tablespoon salt

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup milk

            First, start off with mixing flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix it real nice, hehe!

         Then slowly add the cocoa powder and slowly stir... make sure you don't go crazy, because I got a little excited and made a huge mess all over my face... a little fun I must admit... but not worth it...

          Once your through stirring, set your beautiful creation aside. By the way if you live in a high altitude place like mwa.... I recommend putting a little extra flower into your dry mixture, because there is a possibility it will overflow when you cook them... Not fun... 

             Now, in another bowl combine 3 tablespoons of softened butter and your sugar, and beat them up until they become creamy... Yummy! 

           Then add your eggs and slowly beat them into your sugar mixture... Try not to have too much fun doing this... its pretty overwhelming. Next add your vanilla.

            Now, add some of the milk in with the wet ingredients (eggs, sugar, vanilla and butter.)

           Make sure that you are fair. Alternate the dry ingredients and milk when your beating the mixture... I hope that makes sense to Y'all.

             It should look like your wanna put your face into it by the time your down... It looks just that good.. Haha... Anyways... When your down mixing everything. Put the mixture into a muffin pan with the paper liners... Try and make them about halfway filled, because trust me these babies will rise... Now put the pans into an oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-17 minutes. Poke a toothpick into them when they seem ready. If it comes out clean your cupcakes are done. Now let them cool...While that's happening make your frosting!!! 

Ingredients for Vanilla frosting:

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
4 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
3 Tablespoons of milk

              First, cream your butter by beating it on medium for about a minute. Then, slowly beat in powdered sugar... Make sure it is slow because, if your don't beat it slowly, it will become crumbly. Now, add vanilla and milk... If its not the right consistency for what you prefer, add milk or sugar, until it turns perfect.

               Then, put frosting into a bag and cut a little corner off the bag, now swirl over the cupcakes... Make them look pretty. You can add a few tablespoons of cocoa powder to half of the frosting if your want chocolate frosting.

             I hope you had a marvelous time making these delicious masterpieces... but for now... If you have any questions leave a comment please, or if you just want to share some ideas with me that would be wonderful! Bon'Appetit!

Pasta Alla Carbonara!

Ok! Sooo.... as you follow my blog later on you will learn that I make A LOT of Italian Food. So this week I have prepared a pasta dish called Pasta Alla Carbonara. The first time I made this I thought it was really weird but once I tried it... my family and I fell in love with it. So! Shall we begin.

What you will need:

1 pound of linguine noodles

1 pound of bacon (if it has bacon, of course it'll be good)

1 small onion

3 eggs

8 ounces of freshly grated Romano cheese

3-4 Tablespoons of bacon grease.


Shall we begin?

     First, start by filling a big pasta pan with water and putting a sprinkle of salt into the water. Then turn the water on high and wait for it to boil, while your waiting start to do other things for the recipe.

          Take your pound of raw bacon and chop it up into about one centimeter wide strips and when your done chopping throw them into a medium pan.

 Take your small onion and chop it into slivers about a centimeter wide. If you like onions you can chop the onion small, but I don't... so I just chop it in big pieces so I can take it out when its done giving my meal flavor.

         Combine your onions with your bacon and put it on a medium high burner. Cook until the bacon is cooked to your preference. When the bacon is done, drain the bacon grease and put the grease aside for later. Put bacon in  a bowl and put, it aside as well.

                When your water starts to boil, pour in your linguine pasta and let it cook for 10-12 minutes or until the pasta is soft.

         While your pasta is cooking, prepare your eggs... what your going to want to do is... beat your three eggs in a small bowl. When your done beating, put the eggs aside along with the bacon and its grease.

                 Then measure out 8 ounces of freshly grated Romano cheese and put it to the side with the eggs, bacon, and grease. Trust me you probably are very confused but its very simple don't get scared, it will all make sense soon.

            Ok, to complete this entree you must be very quick. The second you get done with draining your pasta, pour the eggs in the the noodles (of course make sure that the noodles are in a bowl not a colander when you do this.) Mix it up real nice... I know this might sound very gross but the heat from the noodles cooks the eggs in the noodle... and don't worry you don't taste egg at all, it just makes a nice little sauce. Then add the Romano cheese, bacon, and 3 tablespoons of bacon  grease into the noodles. Stir it up real nice.... and now your little master piece is finished! I hope you enjoy! Bon'Appetit!

Margherita Pizza!

       Ok... Soooo this week I was thinking to start my blog off with a very simple recipe and then give you more complex recipes later on! So what I have decided to make for y'all is... Margherita Pizza, which by the way has nothing to do with the alcoholic beverage. It is simply just a delightful pizza with a unique name. So let's get started...

What you will need for this meal: 

Pizza Dough (preferably fresh)

Mozzarella Cheese (Grated)

3-4 Medium Sized Red Tomatoes

Fresh Basil

Olive Oil

Minced Garlic

Shall we begin?

          Ok... Sooooo I got my dough from an Italian Deli and they have their fresh pizza dough rolled out and everything all ready for you, so it's really just easier and tastier to get it from some sort of deli. And I got a large pizza size. Anyways... if you don't buy it rolled out and everything then you'll need to do that, and make sure you roll it pretty thin because your dough will rise a little bit as it cooks. What I have discovered is that, when you cook fresh pizza dough in a normal oven the bottom of the pizza dough never cooks quite right, so what I recommend is to put the dough in the oven before putting anything on it for about 5 minutes. (Keep in mind the dough isn't going to be cooked it just helps it a little bit in the long run.)

        What your going to want to do is mix about 2 tablespoons (I eyeballed it) of olive oil and 1 clove of minced garlic and just mix that up real nice. (Did I mention this would be easy?)

          After 5 minutes, take the dough out of the oven and spread the olive oil and garlic mixture evenly over the warm dough with either a butter knife or a little brush.

           Now your going to add a thin layer of mozzarella cheese all over the pizza. I would say about 1 cup to  2 cups of cheese... it really just depends on how much cheese you prefer... but on this pizza you don't need that much cheese because there isn't a marinara sauce.

  

           Now slice all of your tomatoes very thinly and and place them on your pizza. It's really not too difficult... I found that its easier if your tomatoes are a little firmer, so that way, they are easier to slice. And all you do is place them randomly everywhere. (Easy enough.)

             Cut all your basil into long slivers. I didn't get to put as much as I wanted to on this pizza because I didn't  have enough... but I would say  about a good handful of chopped basil is perfect. Then just sprinkle the basil all over the pizza. Now... pop that pizza in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes... keep an eye on it when it gets close to five minutes. If your cheese is melted and your crust is golden brown, then your pizza  is going to be most likely finished... take it out when its done and slice it up!

Normally there isn't that awkward little bubble, but O well! Bon'Appetit!