Kick-It-Right Chili ala ~DKBB~

Kick-It-Right Chili ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe by Vickie Grover of Corvallis, OR)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. ground beef

1 can (15.5 oz.) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15.5 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (14.5 oz.) stewed tomatoes

1 small can green chilies

1 cup water

¼ cup tomato paste

¼ cup honey

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. salt

¼ to ½ tsp. hot sauce

Shredded cheese, sliced scallions, corn chips (all optional)

• Sauté the onion, green pepper, and garlic until tender in the olive oil in a small pan.
• Brown the hamburger in a larger pan.
• Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
• Place the hamburger and sautéed veggies in the bottom of a slow cooker; pour the mixed remaining ingredients on top. Cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Serve with shredded cheese, scallions, and/or corn chips as garnishes (if desired).

This is a sweet version of chili; adding more hot sauce will give it more of an edge; less hot sauce will keep in very mild.

Hawaiian Chicken with Fruit & Veggie Kabobs ala ~DKBB~

Hawaiian Chicken with Fruit &Veggie Kabobs ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from Cooking Light January 2011)

Marinade

¾ cup pineapple juice

1 small can crushed pineapple

5 Tbsp. ketchup

5 Tbsp. lower-sodium soy sauce

3 to 4 tsp. minced (peeled) ginger

5 garlic cloves, minced or chopped

½ to 1 tsp. crushed red pepper (or to taste)

Chicken

4 (6 oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Cooking spray (for grill pan)

Salt

Pepper

Kabobs

Pineapple (and any other fruit you’d like) cut in chunks to fit on skewers

Veggies (green peppers, onions, and any other veggies you’d like) cut in chunks to fit on skewers

• Combine first 7 ingredients to create marinade.
• Place ¼ cup marinade in a zip-loc bag with the chicken breasts and seal the bag. Chill 4 or more hours.
• One hour before you are ready to grill the chicken, toss ¼ cup of remaining marinade with veggies/fruits in zip-loc bag and chill. After 1 hour, remove veggies/fruit from bag and place on prepared skewers.
• When you are ready to grill the chicken and the skewers (using either a grill pan [sprayed with cooking spray] on the stove or a charcoal or gas grill), remove chicken from the bag, discarding marinade that remains in the bag. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place it (and the skewers) on grill (or grill pan) and baste it with 2 Tbsp. of reserved marinade. Cook 6 minutes. Turn chicken over; salt, pepper, and baste, cook 6 minutes. 
• Cook fruit/veggie kabobs to desired texture/doneness.

Serve with cooked rice.

Spinach-Mushroom Scrambled Eggs ala ~DKBB~

Spinach-Mushroom Scrambled Eggs ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe by Rachelle McCalla in December 2014 Taste of Home)

4 eggs

4 egg whites

¼ cup half & half (or cream)

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

1 cup thinly sliced fresh mushrooms

1 cup fresh baby spinach, chopped

2 to 4 Tbsp. shredded cheese (your choice…I used Italian blend)

• In a bowl, whisk eggs, egg whites, half & half (or cream), salt, and pepper until well blended.
• In a nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat; add mushrooms; cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes until tender; add spinach; cook and stir until spinach is wilted; reduce heat to medium.
• Add egg mixture; cook and stir just until eggs are thickened and no liquid egg remains.
• Sprinkle cheese over eggs, cover for 1 minute to melt.

Serves 4.

Italian Burritos ala ~DKBB~

Italian Burritos ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe by Donna Holter in December 2014 Taste of Home)

1 lb. lean ground beef

¼ cup diced green pepper

½ onion, diced

½ to 1 clove garlic, minced

1 small can mushroom stems & pieces,

   chopped and divided

2 cups marinara sauce, divided

¼ tsp. garlic salt

¼ tsp. white pepper

¼ tsp. Italian seasoning

½ to ¾ cup shredded Italian cheese

8 whole wheat tortillas 

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• In large skillet, cook beef, onion, and green pepper over medium heat, breaking into small crumbles; drain.
• Stir in 1 cup marinara sauce, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, ½ of the mushrooms, and cheese.
• Spoon filling (⅓ to ½ cup) onto center of each tortilla; fold bottom and sides of tortilla over filling and roll up; place in baking dish or on baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
• Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until bottoms are light brown.
• While the burritos are baking, combine the remaining 1 cup of marinara sauce with the remaining mushrooms and heat thoroughly. Spoon over burritos to serve.

Weeknight Cabbage Kielbasa Skillet ala ~DKBB~

For a quick and easy weeknight dinner, give this a try...I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!

Weeknight Cabbage Kielbasa Skillet ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe by Beverly Batty in Dec 2014/Jan 2015 Simple & Delicious)

1½ tsp. cornstarch

¼ cup cider vinegar (or for more of a kick, use BLACK HEAT hot spice balsamic vinegar by Wildly Delicious Fine Foods)

1 tbsp. honey

1 tsp. Dijon mustard (or for more of a kick, use horseradish mustard)

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. white pepper

1 tbsp. canola oil

1 pkg. (14 oz.) smoked kielbasa, sliced

2 medium potatoes, diced (you can use red potato unpeeled or russet potatoes peeled)

½ large sweet onion, sliced

½ cup red pepper, chopped

4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled (or 4 tbsp. real bacon bits)

1 tbsp. canola oil

½ cup water

1 cube beef bouillon

1 pkg. (14 oz.) coleslaw mix

• In a bowl, whisk the first 6 ingredients together until smooth. Set aside.
• In a skillet, heat 1 tbsp. canola oil over medium-high heat; add in kielbasa, potatoes, onion, red pepper, and bacon; cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until kielbasa is lightly browned.
• Dissolve beef bouillon in water, then add to skillet, bringing all to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 6 to 8 minutes, or until potatoes are almost tender.
• Add coleslaw, cook covered 4 to 6 minutes more, or until coleslaw is tender, stirring occasionally.
• Stir cornstarch mixture and add to skillet; bring to a boil; cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Bacon-Pepper Stuffed Squash ala ~DKBB~

Bacon-Pepper Stuffed Squash ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from www.tasteofhome.com)

2 quarts water

1 tsp. salt, divided

2 medium summer squash (yellow or zucchini)

2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion

3 Tbsp. chopped pepper (any kind, but hot ones are better)

2 Tbsp. butter, divided

1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

¼ cup milk

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

4 Tbsp. crumbled cooked bacon, divided

1/8 tsp. pepper

¼ cup dry bread crumbs

• In a Dutch oven, bring water and ½ tsp. salt to a boil; add squash; cover and cook for 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain.
• When cool enough to handle, cut squash in half lengthwise; scoop out and reserve pulp, leaving a 3/8-in. shell; invert shells on paper towel.
• In a saucepan, sauté onion and peppers in 1 Tbsp. butter.
• Stir in flour until blended; gradually add milk; bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
• Add ¼ cup cheese, 2 Tbsp. bacon, pepper, and remaining salt.
• Drain reserved squash pulp and stir into bacon mixture; spoon into shells.
• Place in lightly greased baking dish or dishes.
• Melt remaining butter; toss with bread crumbs; sprinkle over squash.
• Bake uncovered at 375° for 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bacon, and bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. 

Slow Cooker Gems for Busy Summer Days

Here are a couple of slow cooker recipes for those too-busy days of summer:

Asian Pork Wraps ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe by Andrew Devito in the April/May 2014 Taste of Home)

1 boneless pork shoulder roast, 3 to 4 lbs.

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup water

1 cup sweet-and-sour sauce

¼ cup cooking sherry

¼ cup soy sauce (I use “lite” or “reduced sodium”)

1 envelope onion soup mix

1 Tbsp. minced fresh gingerroot

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pkg. Asian chopped salad or 1 small cabbage, shredded

Flour tortillas, 6-inch, warmed

1 small onion, chopped, for garnish if desired

• Place roast and medium chopped onion in slow cooker.
• In a small bowl, whisk water, sweet-and-sour sauce, sherry, soy sauce, soup mix, gingerroot, and garlic until blended; pour over pork roast.
• Cook, covered, on low 6 to 8 hours or until meat is very tender.
• When cool enough to handle, shred pork with two forks.
• Place the leftover sauce the pork cooked in into a serving bowl or decanter.
• To serve, spoon about 1/3 cup shredded pork into the center of a tortilla, top with about ¼ cup of the Asian chopped salad (or shredded cabbage); use the sauce and the chopped small onion as garnishments as desired.
• Fold the bottom of the tortilla over the filling; fold in both sides to close.

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Slow Cooker Mushroom Chicken & Peas ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe by Jenn Tidwell in the April/May 2014 Taste of Home)

4 boneless chicken breast halves

1 envelope onion mushroom soup mix

1 cup water

½ lb. sliced baby portabello mushrooms

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ to 1 tsp. white pepper

2 cups fresh or frozen peas

• Place chicken breasts in slow cooker. Sprinkle with soup mix, pressing into chicken to help seasonings adhere.
• Add water, mushrooms, onion, garlic, and white pepper.
• Cook, covered, on low 3 to 4 hours or until chicken is tender.
• Stir in peas and cook, covered, until peas are tender (about 10 minutes for frozen peas, longer for fresh).