The Food Brie Cooked and Baked

Recipe source: a coworker, back in the day

I realize it’s the middle of summer, but a good, hot bowl of cornbread covered with chili sounded delicious, and it was.

This is BP and my favorite chili recipe. Generally, I make it exactly as listed below. However, this time, I used half as much chili pepper and replaced the water, jalapenos and tomato soup with a jar of homemade spicy tomato juice that a friend gave to us. And, instead of a red onion, I used a fresh-from-our-garden yellow onion.

my favorite chili

Chili

Brown 1 lb. hamburger and 1 cup chopped red onion. Drain.

Add the following and heat through:

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

basil and oregano to taste

3 small cans Campbell’s tomato soup

1/2 soup can of water

15-20 shakes Worcestershire sauce

1 lg. can drained Joan of Arc spicy chili beans

2 spoonfuls jalapenos plus jalapeno juice to taste

2 sticks Hormel pepperoni, sliced

We like ours served over cornbread with cheese sprinkled on top.

Recipe source: BP’s mom, who got it from her mom

When I first saw a dish of these apples at a family gathering a few years ago, I thought they were tomatoes, and I didn’t try them until BP had a pile on his plate. He informed me, as he wolfed down a few slices, that they were not, in fact, tomatoes, but they were his grandmother’s cinnamon apples.

Curious, I tried one, and it was, in fact, delicious. However, I was still confused why they were bright red (they are much more red in person – the photo doesn’t do them justice). It turns out, the secret “cinnamon” ingredient was red-hot candies, or cinnamon imperials if you buy the bag by Brach’s. I was hooked and immediately requested the recipe from BP’s mom.

cinnamon apples

Cinnamon apples

9 oz. red hot candies

4-6 gala or yellow delicious apples

Peel and quarter apples. Place in 9×13 dish.

Boil 2 cups water. Add red hot candies until dissolved.

Pour red hot sauce over apples. Bake 25-35 minutes or until tender at 400.

Serve warm or put in the refrigerator and serve cold later.

Recipe source: Simple & Delicious, June/July 2010, but I found it here for you online

If you do not have a garden, you take yourself right now to the nearest farmer’s market and buy yourself some zucchini and cilantro so that you can make this meal.

This was my first taste of zucchini this season, and I was reminded of how much I love it. Now, all I can think about is fried zucchini, zucchini bread and eating the rest of these zucchini boats tomorrow!

southwest zucchini boats

Recipe source: Simple & Delicious, June/July 2010

Ah, Italian. I love it.

This was very good. BP and I both enjoyed this one. It’s easy to throw together, and you can use fresh vegetables from your garden.

sausage & penne marinara

Recipe

2-1/2 c. uncooked penne pasta (I used a whole regular size box.)

1 lb. Italian sausage links, cut into 1-in. pieces (I used bulk sausage instead of links.)

1 lg. onion, halved and sliced

1 medium green pepper, sliced

1 tbsp. canola oil (I used olive oil.)

1 can (14.5 oz.) stewed tomatoes, cut up

1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the sausage, onion and green pepper in oil over medium heat until the sausage is no longer pink and vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and seasonings; heat through.

Drain pasta; toss with tomato mixture. Sprinkle with cheese.

Recipe source: Simple & Delicious, June/July 2010

Okay, so I know the photo makes this meal look very unappealing.

But in reality, it was pretty good. It wasn’t so good that I’ll probably make it again, but it was good enough to look forward to leftovers for lunch.

It was quick and easy to throw in the slow cooker. I made the rice on the stovetop when I got home.

pineapple chicken and rice

Recipe source: Simple & Delicious, June/July 2010

Grilled pineapple may just be my very favorite grilled food item. It is seriously delicious, and I think it’s what made these kabobs rock it out.

BP and I did not eat this with ranch dressing, as the recipe suggests. They were delicious by themselves, straight off the grill.

sausage & chicken kabobs

1/4 c. soy sauce

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. seasoned salt

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-1/2-in. cubes

1 lb. fully cooked kielbasa or Polish sausage, cut into 3/4-in. slices

4 medium red potatoes, cut into 1-1/2-in. cubes

2 c. cubed fresh pineapple

Combine the first five ingredients; add chicken and sausage. Stir to coat. Refrigerate one hour.

Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on high for 6-8 minutes or until almost tender, stirring twice.

Drain and discard marinade. On metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread the chicken, potatoes, sausage and pineapple. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until chicken juices run clear, turning frequently. Serve with ranch dressing.

Recipe source: Rachael Ray’s “Express Lane Meals” or print it from her website

When I decided I needed to learn how to cook a couple of years after BP and I had been married (spaghetti and frozen pizza get really old), I picked up Rachael Ray’s “Express Lane Meals” and started on page one.

Luckily, it gave me the incentive I needed to continue experimenting in the kitchen, and the recipe has remained one of my favorite quick meals (though, when I started teaching myself to cook, even this one was not quick for me!).

This also is the recipe that BP can blame on my love and devotion to the classic Italian combination of tomatoes, garlic, basil and mozzarella. YUM. If it were up to me, we would eat some version of this combination much, much more than we do now. But, BP is a good guy, and so I do try to throw in variety for him.

the insides of the quesadilla, just prior to completion