Chili and Cornbread

I woke up from a late nap today and realized I had nothing planned for dinner. After a quick perusal of the pantry and freezer, I came to the computer and Googled "ground beef" and "Jiffy cornbread" and instantly found several recipes. I grabbed this one for Chili & Cornbread.

I tweaked the recipe a little and it turned out so delicious... definitely a keeper. It could be made spicy, but I like it mild so my four-year-old can enjoy it too.

CHILI & CORN BREAD

1 lb. ground beef

1 onions, chopped (I used about a cup of frozen onion/green peppers)

2 cloves garlic, crushed (I used 1 tsp. garlic powder)

2 tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. vinegar

1 (1 lb.) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (1 lb.) can kidney beans, undrained

1 pkg. Jiffy cornbread mix (small)

Brown ground beef with onions and garlic; drain. Add chili powder, salt, pepper, oregano, vinegar, stewed tomatoes and kidney beans. Simmer, stirring occasionally until liquid is reduced and thickened.

Put in an 8x8 dish. Mix cornbread according to package and cover chili mixture with it. Cook according to package directions or until cornbread is golden brown and done in the center. Serves up to 4.

The recipe can easily be doubled. I will make this again and I think I will at least triple the meat mixture and freeze in meal size pans. Then when I'm ready to cook, I will defrost and mix the cornbread for the topping for a super quick meal.

Chilly Weather = Soup

It is much cooler than usual in the deep south this morning. Temps are about 20 degrees below normal. Of course, I am enjoying it because I'm a cool-weather kind of girl.

Last night I started thinking about soup, so I looked through my recipes to see what looked good. I found this recipe and I'm planning to cook it tonight. I don't think I have tried it before, but it looks really good.

Please feel free to share your favorite soup recipe in a comment.

CREAMY CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

4 cans (10 oz ea) Rotel (or 2 cans diced tomatoes & 2 cans Rotel)

4 cans (14.5 oz ea.) chicken broth

1 can (30 oz) refried beans

1 cup frozen corn

4 cups shredded cooked chicken

Tortilla chips

Shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Put tomatoes and broth in large pan. Stir in beans and corn. Bring to a boil; Simmer on low 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add chicken; heat through. Top with tortilla strips or chips and cheese.

Facebook

I resisted getting a Facebook account. I really did. My thought was that I didn't really need another website to have to "babysit" everyday. But when I finally caved in and opened an account...well...now I'm addicted and I love it.

I like connecting with old friends and family members. I like being able to share photos and anecdotes of my life, as well as reading those of my Facebook "friends" (that term is used loosely, because I've never met some of the people on my Facebook list).

How people interact with each other has always been interesting to me. Being involved on this social networking website has been an eye-opener. I can't help but wonder how many relationships have been effected by Facebook...for better or worse.

If they post often, then I am able to get to know the people on my friends list...what is important to them...and what ticks them off. This can be a good thing...or a not-so-good thing. Sometimes people look so much better from afar, you know? Of course, I suppose it's entirely possible that it goes both ways, as others get to know me better as well.

In this age of technology, which makes it easier than ever to stay in touch, it seems that people are becoming more disconnected from each other. Facebook helps me feel connected to my people. And that is a good thing.

Benji

Bonnie Kate watched her first Benji movie last night. Apparently the little guy has not lost his appeal all these years later, because she loved the movie.

Of course, part of that is that she just loves dogs...and all things dogs.

I decided to go on eBay to see if I might be able to find her some Benji movies for Christmas. There is a set of four DVDs that I'm bidding on. The bid is under $4.00 right now and the auction ends tonight.

Wish me luck.

By the way...who could say "no" to these eyes?

Rotisserie Chicken Meal X Two

I love rotisserie chicken. It makes a quick, easy and yummy meal. And when you can pick one up at Kroger for $4.99, that makes it pretty inexpensive as well (I've priced whole chickens and by the time you add all the spices and cook for several hours, I don't think you would come out much cheaper by doing it yourself).

But what makes this purchase even more frugal is the leftovers. Let me tell you what I did this week.

1. After we had a meal from the chicken one night, I picked off all the meat and stuck it in the fridge.

2. I dumped the rest of the chicken in a pot, covered it with water, and cooked on low heat for about an hour and a half.

3. Using tongs, I took out the bones and strained the liquid (this makes great homemade broth for soup or to cook with). At this point, I froze one container of broth and refrigerated a little over two cups.

4. Before discarding the bones, I examined them to see if there was more meat that I could remove.

5. The next day, I cooked a cup of rice in 2 1/4 cups of broth, along with the chopped up leftover chicken, for 25 minutes (thankfully, I realized that I had not salted the broth, so I added some salt).

6. After I turned off the heat, I let the pot sit, still covered for about 5 minutes. Then I stirred in about 1/2 can cream of mushroom soup.

Voila...meal number two!

You can also add cheese on top and stick it in the oven until melted. This is a comfort-food dish for me and an old stand-by for anytime I have leftover chicken and want a quick meal.

So there you have it...the tale of the two meal chicken. If any of you have more ideas on using leftover chicken, I would love for you to leave a comment.