National Chocolate Souffle Day: Easy Chocolate Souffles!

February 28th is National Chocolate Souffle Day.  It's only appropriate that we say good-bye to the Sweet month of February with a decadent, chocolate send off.  If you thought making a souffle was difficult, think again.  This recipe is no more difficult than making a batch of cookies.  Easier I think.  Less ingredients and less dishes to wash!  The end result is much more sophisticated than a mere cookie.  If you want a chocolate dessert that is to die for, and something that will absolutely WOW your friends and family, give this a try!

The Chocolate Souffle Party!

Chocolate mixture should be melted
and smooth.  Set aside.

Whip egg whites until foamy.

Add sugar

Beat until stiff peaks form.  Look how glossy it is!

Combine egg yolks with chocolate mixture.

Stir in flour, cocoa and vanilla until well combined.

Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into
the chocolate mixture. 
Remember:  Folding is a delicate technique
used to mix or incorporate ingredients
thoroughly into a batter without deflating either
the batter or mixture folded into it.
It is always done by hand,
with a rubber spatula, rather than with a mixer.
Cut down into the center of the batter and
sweep the spatula up the side of the bowl,
scooping up batter from the bottom of the bowl
and bringing it to the top. Repeat the folding stroke,
giving the bowl a partial turn after each, until the batter is uniform. 

Continue folding in remaining egg whites
until batter is combined.

Spoon batter into individual oven-safe
ramekins and place on a jelly roll pan.

Bake about 18 minutes.  Don't peek
and don't slam any doors!

Serve immediately with whipped cream.

Look at that luscious molten center. 
Death by chocolate.  Happy National Chocolate Souffle Day!

Easy Chocolate Soufflés

¼ cup butter or margarine
5 ounces semisweet chocolate (5 squares), chopped
3 large eggs at room temperature, separated
½ cup sugar
¼ cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons cocoa
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup heavy or whipping cream, whipped

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.  Microwave butter and chocolate in a large bowl 1-1 ½ minutes.  Stir until smooth; set aside.  Beat egg whites in a small mixer bowl on medium speed until foamy.  Gradually beat in sugar.  Continue beating until stiff peaks form.  Stir egg yolks, flour, cocoa, and vanilla into chocolate mixture.  With rubber spatula, gently fold in one third of whites to lighten, and then fold in remaining whites.  Spoon batter into four 6-ounce individual baking dishes; place on jellyroll pan.  Bake 18 to 20 minutes until tops are puffed and barely set in center.  Serve immediately with whipped cream.
Prep Time:  Approximately 20 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 18 minutes

National Chili Day: Award Winning Chili!

It's National Chili Day, and that means a special day set aside to recognize Chili as one of our great American past times, and enjoy a big bowl of that red spicy stuff!  There are chili cook-offs on all levels, from office challenges to world championships.  My husband, never being one to ignore any kind of competition, is actually letting me share is AWARD WINNING recipe with you!  He won't share some of his trade secrets, but he was sweet enough to share the basics.  If you follow the guidelines of a true chili cook-off, they expect something meaty and red, with lots of flavor and spice.  That is exactly what you will get in this pot of chili.  Whether you enter a contest or not, it is definitely a winner.  Whenever I make it, I usually double or triple the recipe.  It freezes well and makes outstanding Frito Chili Pies and it's great on a hot dog.  Happy National Chili Day!

The Award Winning Chili Line-Up...
It looks like a lot, but wait til you see
how easy it is to make!

Saute ground beef with onion,
green pepper and garlic.



Add all of the remaining ingredients.



Make sure you blend everything together well.

Bring to a boil. 
Then reduce heat and simmer,
covered for 2 hours.

Look how thick, rich and red it is!



Give yourself a blue ribbon and a pat on the back!



Award Winning Chili 

2 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon sage
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 (1 ounce) package chili seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup chili sauce
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (15 ounce) can whole or diced tomatoes

In a large Dutch oven, saute ground beef with onion, green pepper and garlic.  Add remaining ingredients, blending well.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered for 2 hours. 

Prep Time:  Approximately 20 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 2 hours

Simple From Scratch Brownies: You Don't Need A Mix!

Hold up your right hand and solemnly swear, "I will never use a box of brownie mix again."  And you won't after you taste these brownies.  They are a super simple, from scratch recipe.  The basic brownie.  You can add chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, pecans, you name it.  Customize them to your liking.  These brownies require minimal effort, not much more than using a mix, and the results are so worth it!

Simple From Scratch Brownie Line-Up

Melt chocolate and butter together in a double boiler. 
I use a stainless steel bowl over a saucepan of water. 
Then I simply mix my brownies right in this same bowl!

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.

Let chocolate mixture cool slightly.

Add brown sugar and vanilla to chocolate mixture.

Add eggs to chocolate mixture.

Fold sifted flour mixture into chocolate mixture.

Pour batter into greased pan.

Bake 25-30 minutes

Cool and cut into squares. 
I dusted these with powdered sugar,
but I highly recommend dusting them
with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge!

Simple From Scratch Brownies

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate squares, roughly chopped
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease an 8-inch baking pan and set aside.  In a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter together, stirring until smooth.  Set aside to cool slightly.  Meanwhile, sift together flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir brown sugar and vanilla into the chocolate mixture.  Add eggs and mix well.  Fold sifted flour mixture into chocolate mixture until well blended.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Cool in pan for at least 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

Prep Time:  Approximately 20 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 30 minutes

Lunch Box Burritos

Snack food and pre-made lunches are so expensive and bad for you.  So is the drive-thru.  And for adults and kids alike, that have to tote a lunch to school or work, sandwiches get boring.  What if we had a treat for that lunch box that WASN'T full of preservatives, WASN'T over-priced and ACTUALLY tasted good?  Here's your answer:  Lunch Box Burritos.  Make up a batch, keep them in your freezer and you'll have an anytime snack, lunch or quick supper.  They are good cold, or easily warmed up if you have a microwave handy.  I wrap them in a plain white paper towel, and then a square of foil.  Simply remove the foil and pop in the microwave for about a minute.  You can skip the paper towel and wrap them in foil only if you'd prefer to heat them in the oven.  Serve them topped with salsa, chili or cheese sauce for supper, or leave it wrapped in foil and eat it on the go.  No matter how you prefer to do it, these Lunch Box Burritos are the perfect answer to the Lunch Box Blues.

The Lunch Box Burrito Line-Up

Brown ground beef and drain. 
Add refried beans, enchilada sauce and water.

Add spices and seasonings.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat
and simmer covered for 20 minutes.

Warm tortillas in the microwave. 
Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of filling down
the center of each tortilla.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Roll up burrito, then wrap in paper towel.

Wrap in foil.

Repeat 11 more times!

Here they are, ready for the freezer!

Remove foil and heat frozen burrito
in the microwave for about 1 minute.

This recipe was shared on Basilmomma's Budget & Freezer Meal Link-Up
(For every recipe shared in this post, Basilmomma graciously donated 1 pound of food to her local food bank.  ConAgra was gracious enough to match her donations.  Great job Heather!!!

Lunch Box Burritos
1 pound lean ground beef
1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons dried minced onion
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
12 medium-sized flour tortillas
1 package shredded Mexican cheese

In a large skillet, brown ground beef; drain.  Add next 8 ingredients; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Heat tortillas in microwave until warm and flexible.  Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of filling down center of tortilla.  Sprinkle with shredded cheese.  Roll up.  Wrap each burrito in a white paper towel, then foil.  Refrigerate or freeze.  Eat burritos cold, or remove foil and microwave for about 1 minute.

Prep Time:  Approximately 25 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 20 minutes

It's Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day: Spot's Doggie Biscotti

It's National Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day!  So why not whip up something your four-legged friends will love?  These biscuits are super simple to make, only four ingredients.  And you'll have a treat for your pet with no chemicals or preservatives.  We like to call it "Spot's Doggie Biscotti" after all, that sounds so much fancier than a dog biscuit!

Only 4 ingredients!

Mix all ingredients together.

Roll dough into 1/4-inch thickness.

Place on a greased baking sheet.

A treat for your four-legged friends!

These dog biscuits are Baby Ruth approved!

Spot's Doggie Biscotti

1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1/4 cup vegetable oil or bacon grease
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup beef broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Combine all ingredients together in a bowl.  (If dough appears too moist, add a little more flour and/or oats until mixture forms a ball without being too sticky.)  Pat onto a floured surface.  Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness and cut with cookie cutter.  Place on greased baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.  Cool completely.

Prep Time:  Approximately 15 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 30 minutes

Spice Things Up: Tortilla Soup

Nothing can warm you up on a cool day like a bowl of spicy Tortilla Soup!  But many recipes you find are nothing but glorified versions of chicken noodle soup with tortillas added.  Not this one.  This soup has a full-bodied tomato base, complemented by crispy tortilla matchsticks.  It is both chunky and hearty, with lots of chicken and avocado added.  The texture from the tortillas gives the soup a great body and flavor.  Ole!

Here We Go, Ole Ole Ole!

Cut tortillas into matchstick-sized strips

Cook in hot oil until pale golden and crispy

Drain on paper towels

To pot add onion...

add garlic...

add spices...

Saute together about 5 minutes

Add chicken stock and de-glaze the pan.

Add crushed tomatoes

Add cilantro, bay leaves, 1/3 of the tortilla strips
and season with salt.

Simmer about 30 minutes.

Puree soup in blender and return to pot.

Add chicken and cook until heated through. 
Just before serving, add avocado.

Garnish with any or all of the following: 
tortilla strips, shredded cheese, lime wedge,
avocado, cilantro and sour cream!

Spicy Tortilla Soup

6 tablespoons canola oil
8 corn tortillas, julienned into matchstick sized pieces
1 onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon chili powder (I actually used 1/2 teaspoon Hatch Medium Red Chile Powder and 1/2 teaspoon Hatch Green Chile Powder)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (use more or less depending on how hot you want it)
1 1/2 quarts chicken stock (I used Better Than Bouillon)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
2 bay leaves
salt to taste
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed
2 avocado, diced
shredded Mexican cheese for garnish
lime wedges for garnish (optional)

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add one-third of the tortilla strips at a time and cook, stirring so they don't stick.  They should be a pale golden color and crispy.  This should take about 2 minutes.  Remove and drain on paper towels.  Repeat with remaining tortilla strips and set aside.  Reduce heat to medium-low and add onion, garlic and spices.  Cook stirring occasionally about 5 minutes.  De-glaze the pot with chicken stock, and then add:  tomatoes, bay leaves, cilantro and one-third of the crispy tortilla strips.  Taste and season with salt.  Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.  REMOVE THE BAY LEAVES.  Puree the soup in a blender in batches and return to pot.  Add chicken and cook until heated through.  Just before serving, stir in the avocado.  Top bowls of soup with tortilla strips and shredded cheese.  Garnish with a lime slice if desired.  You can also garnish with additional avocado, cilantro or sour cream if you'd like.

Prep Time:  Approximately 25 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 40 minutes