Beef and Bean Chile

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
2 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can beans (I used black)

Saute beef, onion, and garlic in oil, combine remaining ingredients and simmer for at least ten minutes. Season with salt and pepper. You might want to add a can of tomato paste to thicken it. So good and easy! I like easy.
-by Heidi

Green Leaf, Pear, and Goat Cheese Salad

I figured after my two yummy dessert recipes, it was time to set a better example for my family. Here are some more health-conscious recipes:

Don't judge this one before you try it! I was VERY pleasantly surprised. I don't know how you can fail with walnuts and Feta, though.

1/3 cup walnuts, toasted
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 head of lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces
1 bosc pear, cored and thinly sliced
3 ounces goat cheese (I used Feta because, well, yum)
Salt and Pepper

Combine oil, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper and shake well. Put everything together and enjoy!! This is a South Beach Diet recipe, phase 2 for anyone who cares, but once again, don't judge it because of that.
-by Heidi

The Recipe You've All Been Waiting For..... BBQ Chicken Pizza

OK, probably not ALL of you have been waiting for but I know Mark has. So here you go Mark.

The Sauce
1 small can tomato paste
1 can tomato sauce
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 TBSP garlic powder
1 tsp of each: Oregano
Parsley
Basil
Italian Seasoning
Onion powder
1/2 tsp of both salt and pepper
1/4 cup of Parmesan
1 TBSP sugar
(you can add ground beef and use this same sauce for spaghetti and it's very good as well)


The Crust (feel free to use any crust recipe, this is just the one I use)
2 3/4 - 3 1/4 cups- Flour
1 pkg- Dry active yeast
2 tsp- Sugar
1 tsp- Salt
1 cup- Warm water
2 TBSP- Cooking or olive oil

**In a large mixing bowl combine 1 1/4 cup of the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, warm water, and oil. Beat on low for 30 seconds scraping bowl. Beat on high for 3 minutes with spoon stir in as much of remaining flour possible, knead until flour is just barely not sticky, and elastic. Divide dough in half, cover and let rise for 10 min.

The Pizza
Chop: 1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 yellow or orange bell peppers

*I really like the bell peppers so I usually do half of all four. They're just good.

**Cover baking stone with cornmeal. Spread a light layer of pizza sauce on crust. Add some mozzarella. Add shredded BBQ chicken. Cover with peppers and add more cheese.
(Optional: you can also add some crushed red pepper flakes if you want it to be a little spicy)

Bake @ 400 for 15-20 min or until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden brown.

It's tasty and you'll love it!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

You love the ice cream, now sink your teeth into gooey cookie dough brownies! Mixes for brownies and cookies make it extra easy.

Prep Time: 15 min

Total Time: 1 hour 55 min

Makes: 48 brownies

207 Ratings
47 Reviews

1	box Betty Crocker® Original Supreme brownie mix (with chocolate syrup pouch)
1/3	cup vegetable oil
1/4	cup water
2	eggs
1	pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® chocolate chip cookie mix
1/2	cup butter or margarine, softened
1	egg
1	container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting

1.	Heat oven to 350ºF. Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray, or grease with shortening. Make brownie mix as directed on box, using oil, water and 2 eggs. Spread in pan.
2.	Make cookie mix as directed on pouch, using butter and 1 egg. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls evenly onto brownie batter; press down lightly.
3.	Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool on cooling rack 30 minutes. Frost with frosting. For brownies, cut into 8 rows by 6 rows. --another by Heidi

S'Mores Squares

Makes 32 bars

Crust:

14 finely crushed graham crackers

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

Heat oven to 350. Mix well and press into bottom of bar pan. Bake 10 minutes.

Filling:

3 pkg. cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

3 cups mini marshmallows

1 cup chocolate chips

4 coarsley broken graham crackers

Combine cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla; mix until smooth. Carefully spread over crust. Bake 12-18 minutes or until center is almost set. Immeditely top with remaining ingredients and cool to room temperature.

-by Heidi

These things are soooooo good! Too bad all my recipes are for desserts.

Chicken Casserole

2 cups canned or cooked, shredded or cubed chicken

1 egg beaten

1 can cream of mushroom soup (I used Cream of Celery 'cause I can't stand the taste of

canned cream of mushroom)

1 can chicken noodle soup

3 slices day old bread - cubed or crumbs

1/2 stick melted butter

1 cup crushed Corn Flakes

Beat egg and blend in undiluted soups. Add bread and chicken and stir together DO NOT ADD SALT! Pour into buttered casserole dish and top with corn flakes which have been stirred into melted butter. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

I know you're saying that this recipe can't be coming from me because there's no added salt. Go figure! Now, I must admit I added a handful of cheddar cheese 'cause, well...it's cheese! It also occurred to me that a smidgeon of sour cream might be yummy too - but I didn't have any and felt too lazy to go get some [doesn't help that I don't have the money for it either - ha ha]. And one final note, to get the FULL caloric effect, the corn flake crumb topping is a MUST. If you don't have anything to make the topping -- the idea for this casserole for supper tonight must be immediately discarded.

Happy Homemaking [or something like that].

Lori