Squash and Black Bean Chili

Here's a great, easy dish to make you happy that fall is here! Once the weather starts getting cooler, I always end up making a lot of chili at my house, especially fun variations on the classic. I really like cooking with butternut squash and this is a perfect use for it.

This chili is super easy to make. If your grocery store sells pre-chopped butternut squash, it will save you the time and the muscle power that goes into chopping and peeling one yourself. I had this on the table in about 30 minutes, and served it with a simple cornbread mix as a side dish. My sister-in-law gave me a great cornbread tip - spread honey on the bottom of the pan before you pour in the cornbread batter. Bake it up as directed on the package, and you have a fabulous tasting cornbread. It's super simple and delicious (thanks Kristin!).


Squash and Black Bean Chili

1 Tbsp. olive oil or canola oil
1 medium bell pepper (I used a small green and a small red pepper)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium stalk celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cans (15 to 19 oz. each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 and 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
14.5 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
14 oz. can vegetable broth

1. In 5-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pepper, onion, and celery, and cook 5 to 8 minutes or just until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and chili powder and cook 30 seconds or until fragrant, stirring.

2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, coarsely mash 1/2 cup beans. Stir all beans, squash, tomatoes, salt and broth into mixture in Dutch oven; cover and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until squash is tender. Serve chili with shredded cheese, sour cream and lime wedges if desired.

Makes about 4 servings.

And here's my other favorite chili, which I've already made this fall because I love it so much. White Bean and Turkey Chili

Paula's Corn Chive Pudding

The group My Girl, Paula baked Corn Chive Pudding this week. It's not exactly photogenic.


But at least it tasted good! I learned something valuable this week: read the recipe before you start. Baking this was one big snafu that consisted of "oh no, the bag of frozen corn needs to be thawed!" "Oh no, the butter needs to be melted and cooled!" "Oh no, I thought I had chives!" I was so close to throwing in the towel and calling it quits, but I sure hadn't gone through all that trouble to have nothing to show for it.

The corn pudding was really tasty, even though the term "corn pudding" really doesn't sound all that appetizing. I decided to try it because it sounded more like a corn casserole, which I love. I have another corn casserole recipe that I make a lot and can eat in large quantities. It's really quite scary. Unfortunately, though this corn pudding was good, I prefer my tried and true recipe to this one. But I'm glad I gave it a go!


Corn Chive Pudding
(by Paula Deen)

Two 10-ounce packages frozen corn, thawed
1/4 cup sugar
1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled (1/2 stick)
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch of grated nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter a 1 and 1/2-quart baking dish.

2. In a food processor, pulse 1 of the packages of corn until coarsely chopped, then transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the remaining package of corn and sprinkle with the sugar and salt; stir to combine.

3. Whisk together the eggs, milk, butter, chives, flour, and vanilla and combine with the corn. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake in the center of the oven until the center of the pudding is just set, about 45 minutes.

Seven-Layer Chinese Chicken Salad

Usually I'm not a big fan of making salads. In fact, I have very rarely ever made anything besides the typical tossed salad. I think it's because I know my hubby and my son won't eat just salad for dinner. But this one just called to me and I knew it would make a fantastic main dish. The chicken, the fresh ingredients like lettuce, tomato, green onions, and, of course, the crunch. The crunch! Crushed ramen noodles and peanuts. This is a really awesome salad and so flavorful. I believe I've been convinced to make more main dish salad meals.

Even my son ate the corn, the peanuts, and the lettuce. He usually turns his nose up at everything I make, so I was impressed. We'll have to work on the tomatoes, the chicken, and everything else in it, but it's progress. And the dressing was fantastic. I was a little skeptical, as it's an odd black pepper-specked color. But I was more than pleasantly surprised. It's sweet and flavorful and a perfect complement to the salad ingredients.

So give this a try, it's very family friendly and would be great for company. It makes a huge salad and we were eating it for days. We never got tired of it though - delicious!



Seven-Layer Chinese Chicken Salad
(adapted from Betty Crocker)

Salad
5 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 package (3 oz) Oriental-flavor ramen noodle soup mix
2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken
1 can (11 oz) yellow corn, drained
1 large tomato, finely chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped (about 2 Tbsp.)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
Dressing
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3/4 teaspoon grated gingerroot or 1/4 tsp. dried ginger
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons white vinegar

1. In the bottom of large clear glass serving bowl, arrange lettuce. Discard seasoning packet from soup mix; coarsely crush noodles. Layer noodles and remaining salad ingredients, in order listed, over lettuce.

2. In small jar with tight-fitting lid, shake dressing ingredients until well blended. Pour over salad. Serve immediately.

Grilled Sausage and Vegetable Packets

My husband is usually in charge of the grill at our house, but I'm proud to say I made this without his help. It's really easy - even for those who are a little grill challenged like myself. I guess challenged might not be the right word... I think inexperienced might be more fitting. My hubby just takes the reigns on the grill, so I never end up having to use it much.

Thankfully these Grilled Sausage and Vegetable Packets are quick and easy and perfect for summer. They're full of fresh vegetables that are super moist and tasty. And it's as simple as chopping everything up, tossing it in a delicious sauce, throwing it on some aluminum foil, and wrapping the foil up tight. It cooks on the grill for about 25 minutes and you've got dinner - it's so easy! Serve it with rice or couscous, or whatever you'd like. You can also leave out the sausage and serve the veggies as a side dish. Or, substitute the sausage for chicken or another meat. Lots of possibilities!



Grilled Sausage and Vegetable Packets
(adapted from Taste of Home)

1/2 pound sausage, any flavor (I used a chicken sausage)
3 medium zucchini, sliced
3 medium tomatoes, sliced
1 medium bell pepper, julienned
1/4 cup melted butter
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Divide between two pieces of double-layered aluminum foil (you'll need about 12 to 14 inches). Fold foil around sausage mixture and seal tightly to prevent leaking.

2. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 25-30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Makes 4 servings.

Paula's Cheddar Broccoli Casserole

So... everyone knows I'm pregnant, right? Well, I happened to notice a new cooking group that was just assembled. This one is going to be cooking exclusively from Paula Deen's cookbook, The Lady and Sons, Too. I just so happen to own that cookbook and just so happen to be a Paula Deen fan. She has a reputation for making food that isn't exactly healthy. And since I'm not currently watching my calories due to the whole pregnancy thing, and I really do want to try out more recipes from that cookbook of hers... I decided, what the heck? I might as well join! If anyone's interested in feasting once a week with us, the link is here: My Girl, Paula!

The first week's selection is Paula's Swiss Broccoli Casserole. I'm really not a big fan of swiss, so I went the safe route with cheddar. In hindsight, there really wasn't a lot of cheese, so I may have been okay with using the swiss. The only thing I was a little unsure of as I was assembling the casserole was the layer of sliced hard-boiled eggs that went inside. Seemed a little out of the ordinary, but I went with it.


The casserole was really quite tasty and made a nice side dish to the steak my husband grilled. My husband did comment that the taste was a little "eggy", but I personally didn't find the egg taste overpowering at all. I thought the crunchy onions gave a great flavor, and it kind of reminded me of a green bean casserole, but with broccoli. We barely made it through half of the casserole, so we have a ton of leftovers.

And have I ever mentioned how it's impossible to take a decent picture of a casserole?



Swiss Broccoli Casserole

Two 10-oz packages frozen broccoli spears, cooked and drained
3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
2 cups french-fried onion rings
1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese
10 and 3/4 oz. can cream of celery soup
2/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350° F. Arrange the broccoli in a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Layer the eggs, 1 cup of the onion rings, and then the cheese over the broccoli. Combine the soup and milk, mixing well. Pour this over the cheese and bake for 25 minutes. Top with the remaining onion rings and bake for 5 minutes longer.

Up next week: Strawberry Cream Shortcake

Inside-Out BLT's

I'm still here! Nearing the end of my first trimester and starting to get my energy and appetite back. Life is busy, though, and I know I just don't have the time to post to my cooking blog like I used to. But I promise to share anytime I find a great new recipe! I love to cook too much to stop!

I've made these Inside-Out BLT's a few times now and really enjoy them. I'd kind of gotten tired of the usual dips and meatballs that I usually turn to for appetizers, so I went searching for something new and found these. They're a unique appetizer that will go with just about any type of dinner you're serving. They're also quite easy to put together. Everyone who tries them always likes them. So whip these up for your next get-together!



Inside-Out BLT's
(from My Tasty Treasures)

3 slices of bacon
⅓ cup chopped Romaine lettuce
⅓ cup coarse soft bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 medium Roma tomatoes
Freshly ground black pepper
Mayonnaise

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels and chop into chunks.

2. In a medium bowl, combine bacon, lettuce, crumbs, cheese and olive oil. Mix well and set aside. Halve roma tomatoes lengthwise. Scoop out insides leaving a ¼ inch shell. Sprinkle black pepper on each tomato half. Brush with some of the mayonnaise. Mound the bacon mixture into tomatoes; transfer to baking pan.

3. Roast tomatoes, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes or until tomatoes start to wilt.

Makes 2 servings, but can be multiplied easily.

Zucchini Boats

Something occurred to me recently. I don't make a whole lot of side dishes. I mean, I make side dishes, but they're usually of the boring, low-effort sort. On any given night, you can usually find us eating rice or zapping a Green Giant mixed veggie in the microwave. That's all well and good, but I decided I needed to give a little more love to my side dishes.

Which led me to this. Zucchini boats. I looove zucchini, and I thought these sounded delicious. And they are. And extremely easy. Sounds like a fabulous combination to me!

All you need is a few zucchini, ends trimmed, and boiled in water for about 8 minutes. Then split them in half horizontally, scoop out the insides, mix them with onion, cottage cheese, rice, egg, parsley, basil and salt. Put the mixture back into the zucchini and top it with a few strips of American cheese. Pop them in the oven and there you have it!


This recipe got all sorts of good attention from my hubby and a few friends who I mentioned it to. One suggested serving it with a little marina sauce. Genius... that sounds great! I even think adding a little chopped cooked bacon would add a nice flavor. It really pays off to give a little attention to your side dish! Note to self: do this more often.



Zucchini Boats
(adapted from For Goodness Taste cookbook)

2 medium zucchini
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
3/4 cup cream-style cottage cheese
2/3 cup cooked white rice
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1/8 tsp. crushed dried basil
Pinch of salt
2 ozs. sharp American cheese, cut into 16 strips

1. Trim ends of zucchini. Cook zucchini in small amount of boiling salted water for 8 minutes or until just tender.

2. Halve zucchini lengthwise. Scoop out pulp to form boats. Coarsely chop remaining pulp.

3. Cook onion in butter until tender.

4. In a large bowl, combine chopped zucchini with onion, cottage cheese, rice, egg, parsley, basil, and a pinch of salt. Divide mixture among zucchini boats.

5. Place zucchini in lightly greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Loosely cover and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Top each boat with 4 cheese strips. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes more to melt cheese.

Makes 4 side dish servings.

Broccoli-Cheddar Puff and an Award!

Does anyone else have recipes in their recipe box/binder that they know they want to make someday but just never get around to actually doing it? Well, that sums up this recipe for me. I have a big binder that I keep all of the recipes I've found that I know I want to try someday. This recipe has been in my binder for years and years (it's so old, I have no idea where I got it). It just looks and sounds like something I'd love. But... I'd never gotten around to making it.

So I finally decided that I needed to make it already! I usually stick to easy side dishes that I can whip together in a hurry. I think that's why I kept passing over this one. It is rather time consuming and something you need to plan ahead for. But it's perfect for company and will certainly end up being the star of your meal. And I absolutely love the bright colors - the greens and yellows look so delicious.

So... bookmark this recipe and try it one of these days! Even if it takes you a year or two, it'll be worth it!



Broccoli-Cheddar Puff

5 Tbsp. butter or margarine
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)
2 and 1/4 cups whole milk
8 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
2 boxes (10 oz. each) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and squeezed dry
7 large eggs, separated
1 and 1/2 cups coarse soft fresh bread crumbs (from 3 slices firm white bread)

1. In 4-quart saucepan, melt 4 Tbsp. butter over medium-low heat. Stir in flour, salt, and ground red pepper until blended; cook 1 minute, stirring. Gradually stir in milk; cook until mixture boils and thickens, stirring frequently. Stir in Cheddar; cook just until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in broccoli.

2. In small bowl, with fork, lightly beat egg yolks. Stir in about 1/2 cup cheese sauce. Gradually pour egg-yolk mixture into cheese sauce, stirring rapidly to prevent curdling. Cool slightly.

3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease shallow 3 and 1/2 quart ceramic casserole dish or 13x9-inch glass baking dish. In microwave-safe small bowl, heat remaining 1 Tbsp. butter in microwave oven on High 15 to 20 seconds or until melted, swirling bowl once. Add bread crumbs; stir until well combined.

4. In large bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted. With rubber spatula, gently fold one third of whites into cheese mixture. Fold cheese mixture gently back into remaining whites.

5. Pour mixture into prepared casserole. Sprinkle crumb mixture on top. Bake 40 minutes or until top is browned and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve immediately.


Now for the award! Allie over at Finding Inspiration in Food was kind enough to pass this award onto me. I'm honored, as I think her site is fantastic. I need to take some tips from her on her great food photography.


There are so many amazing blogs out there, but of course I have a few of my very favorites who I'd like to pass this award along to.

First, Cathy from The Tortefeasor. Her food always looks amazing and her commentary is top notch. I'd love to be able to tell a story even half as well as she does. Thanks for always keeping me laughing, Cathy!

Jaime from Good Eats 'N Sweet Treats deserves this so much! Her food creations are absolutely gorgeous - they look better than most I see in cookbooks and magazines. And she has great taste. I want to try everything she posts!

My dear friend Michelle from Sweet Sensations. She is a very old friend of mine and is one of the kindest, sweetest people I know. Her food creations are also very sweet. You'll be drooling all over your keyboard when you see some of the things she makes.

Thanks again Allie for this award!

Red and Yellow Bell Pepper Relish

We had company over recently and made a fabulous beef tenderloin. I had this recipe for a beef relish and decided I'd make it. It is absolutely delicious! I made this a day ahead of time to let the flavors meld, and it also made my dinner preparations on the night we had company so much easier.

This relish uses simple ingredients. I actually omitted the olives because I'm not a big fan, and it tasted great regardless. You can heat this up or serve it at room temperature. The little bit of mustard flavor is fantastic! I highly recommend trying this.



Red and Yellow Bell Pepper Relish
(from Bon Appétit magazine)

2 Tbsp. (1/4 stick) butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, chopped

1. Melt butter with oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add all peppers and sauté until just tender, about 3 minutes. Add olives, mustard, and garlic; stir 1 minute. Remove from heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Transfer relish to bowl. Cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight. (Relish can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.) Bring to room temperature before serving.