Jeannie's vegetarian chili

* 1 (19 ounce) can black beans
* 2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 (16 ounce) can vegetarian baked beans
* 2 (14.5 ounce) can chopped tomatoes in puree
* 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 green bell pepper, chopped
* 2 stalks celery, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, chopped (or just a little garlic powder)
* 1 package of chili seasoning
* a little hot sauce if you want

Put in slow cooker on high for two hours and then reduce to low for two or more. If it's not thick enough take a cup out and put it in the blender until smooth, then add back in slow cooker. Serve with Fritos.

Slow cooker country style ribs

4-5 pounds country style pork ribs (bone in or out)
1 large bottle of BBQ sauce
one lemon
one onion

Place half of sauce in slow cooker, add ribs. Add rest of bbq sauce and then layer onion and lemon on top. Cook on low 6-8 hours.

When serving, eat with lemon and onion. (The bitterness gets cooked away)

(Look for country style ribs on sale...have seen them as low as $1.29 a pound, great low cost dinner!)

Chunky Apple Cake

Found this recipe in one of those grocery store recipe books...you know, the ones you pick up, glance at, then usually put back... Sadly, this one had about 6 recipes that caught my eye, and the tantalizing title "Fall Baking." Who doesn't love Fall recipes? The smell of cinnamon, nutmeg, apples bubbling in butter and brown sugar....yum! Anyway, made it for Misty and Sean tonight, and we all loved it, so here it is:

Cake:

3/4 c. butter or margarine, softened

1 1/2 c. sugar

3 eggs

1/4 c. applesauce

1/2 t. vanilla

2 1/2 c. flour

2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

2 t. ground cinnamon

3 c. coarsely chopped peeled baking apples

1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350. Spray and flour tube/bundt cake pan. In large bowl beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in applesauce and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and mix completely. Stir in apples and walnuts. Spoon into pan. Bake 50-65 minutes or until top springs back. Cool completely before frosting (remove from pan before frosting).

Frosting:

1/2 c. butter

3 1/4 c. powdered sugar

1 t. vanilla

1 to 3 T. milk

Heat butter over medium heat, stirring constantly until golden brown. Remove from heat and gradually beat in powdered sugar. Add vanilla and milk until desired spreading consistency is reached. Generously spread over top and down sides of cake.

Blue Cheese Chicken Salad Wraps

Cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
Blue cheese dressing
diced celery
diced apples
quartered red grapes
salt & pepper
romaine lettuce leaves

Combine dressing and chicken, then add other ingredients. Wrap up in romaine lettuce leaf and enjoy!

Tomato Basil w/Orzo Soup

I know what you are thinking... doesn't a certain popular, Utah based restaurant have a soup like this? And the answer is yes, but not quite. This one might actually be better... AND you can get a whole tureen for the price of a small bowl at said restaurant. Can't beat that!

You will need:

1 tsp olive oil

1/4 cup apple juice (or cranberry, just something sweet)

1/2 medium onion finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 can petite diced tomatoes (1 lb can, no chilis or flavors like garlic)

1 cup vegetable or chicken broth (can use bullion)

1/4 cup fresh basil or 2 Tbl dried basil

1 pint heavy cream

1/4 cup butter

Tobasco sauce to taste

Orzo pasta

Heat oil and apple juice in soup pot over medium heat. Saute onion, garlic and pepper 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently until onion is soft, but not brown. Remove from heat. Add tomatoes and broth, stir. Puree in blender and then return to pot. Add pasta, cook 10 minutes (I like to cook the pasta separately and add it in as I serve it, if so, then just cook 10 minutes without the pasta) Add butter and cream. Stir. (if using dried basil, add now) Simmer 15 minutes. DO NOT BOIL. Add basil (if using fresh).

Serve. This is good topped with sour cream, orzo, feta cheese or anything else you want to experiment with:) Also, I haven't tried it with the tobasco yet, but I am pretty sure it is just the kick it is lacking. Have fun and enjoy!

Black and Whites

Well, that just sounds weird (kinda like a well-known Michael Jackson song...maybe this is what he was talking about). Anyway, when I came back from Boston I was OBSESSED with black and white cookies, and even found a recipe to try and began to post it back in July, but never having tried it, I wanted to test it first before the final post. So, I finally tweaked it, but it still seems to have saved to July for some reason, so if anyone is interested, look them up on the sidebar under Cookies and Snacks. They are delicious!

Seven Layer Magic Bars

1/2 c. margarine

1-1/2c graham cracker crumbs

1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1c. butterscotch chips

1c. choc chips (I like milk but semi sweet are good too)

1-1/2c. flake coconut

1c. sliced shaved almonds

In 9x13 pan melt butter @350 sprinkle crumbs over butter, pour milk evenly over crumbs, top with remaining ing. in order listed. Press down firmly. Bake 25 min or untill lightly browned. Cool, cut into bars. Store at room temp.