Crispy Kale Chips

A delicious super-food snack that even the toddlers love!

Ingredients

• 3 stalks fresh kale
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp Morton Nature's Seasons
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

Directions

• Heat oven to 350 degrees; spray a foiled baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Cut kale into bite-sized pieces (the curly ends are the best part!) and put into a large mixing bowl.
• Drizzle with olive oil and seasonings; stir to coat well.
• Spread seasoned kale onto baking sheet.
• Bake for 10 minutes, stirring half way through.

Bill's Most Secure, Award-Winning Chipotle Black Bean Chili

Winner of two 2013 chili cook-off awards: Most Secure (shout-out to the nerdy engineers) and Best Overall

Bill's Most Secure, Award-Winning Chipotle Black Bean Chili

(Not for the faint of tongue)

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 1 pound ground bison
• 1 pound ground Italian sausage
• 2 (15.5 ounce) cans black beans, drained
• 2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes (use diced if you prefer chunky)
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 large onion
• 3 stalks celery
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded
• 3 tablespoons crumbled bacon
• 4 tsp beef base (I used Better Than Bouillon; or use 4 bouillon cubes)
• 1 cup beer (I used Sam Adams OctoberFest)
• 3 tbsp Chipotle chili powder
• 1 tbsp regular chili powder
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons salsa picante or hot sauce (I used Tapatío salsa picante)
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt (I used Morton's Nature's Seasons blend)
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• optional: 1 diced jalapeño 

Directions

1. In a large skillet, brown the ground meats together. Drain.
2. Pour meat into large slow cooker.
3. Cut veggies (green pepper, red pepper, celery, and onion) into chunks and puree in a food processor (in batches, if necessary). Add to slow cooker.
4. Add all other ingredients.
5. Mix well and cook in slow cooker on high for 3 hours (or low for 6 hours), stirring occasionally.
6. Serve with your favorite toppings!

Feta Bruschetta Spread

This is a recipe that I adapted from a small restaurant called Cafe on Market in Camp Hill, PA (later renamed New Market Bistro and since closed). Bill and I went there for my birthday back in 2004. We ordered this appetizer and had to ask the waitress for the recipe, it was so good! And it's so incredibly simple. Here is my adaptation.



Ingredients:

• 6 oz crumbled tomato-basil flavored feta cheese
  
• 3 oz organic cream cheese
• 3 oz organic butter, unsalted
  
• Optional: 1 diced tomato for garnish

Directions:

1. Cream together the feta, butter, and cream cheese.
   
   
2. Scoop into small serving dish and garnish with diced tomatoes (I left the tomatoes out this time).
   
   
3. Serve with garlic bagel chips, mini garlic toast, or crackers.

Cinnamon-Sugar Pecans

I made these the night before Thanksgiving and they're super easy!  They're a great blend of salty + sweet.  They also keep well, so they can be made ahead of time or given as gifts. Recipe from AllRecipes.com.



Ingredients

• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 pound pecan halves
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. 
2. In a mixing bowl, whip together the egg white and water until frothy.
   
   
3. In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
4. Add pecans to egg whites, stir to coat evenly.
   
5. Remove pecans and toss them in the sugar mixture until coated.
   
   
6. Spread the nuts out on the greased baking sheet.
   
   
7. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
   
   

Baked Taco Dip

I wanted to try something new to munch on while watching the PSU-Illinois game today.  My original plan was to make a baked chili dip...alas, I ran out of chili powder.  So I decided to make a baked taco dip, instead.  And because I use natural or organic ingredients whenever possible, it's not TOO unhealthy :-)

I didn't have a recipe to follow, so I just kind of made it up as I went.  I hope it's good!
**This can be served cold without baking, too.**



Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey (all-natural; you could use ground beef instead, of course)
• 6 tbsp taco seasoning (recipe here; or 1 packet store-bought)
• 3/4 cup water
  
• 8 oz cream cheese (I used Nature's Promise organic), softened
• 4 oz sour cream (also organic)
  
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried cilantro
• 2 green onions, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
  
• 2 cups shredded Mexican Blend cheese (used Kraft all-natural)
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F
   
2. Brown ground meat in a skillet; drain when done.
3. Add taco seasoning and water to pan; mix and simmer 3-5 minutes.
   
   
4. Mix cream cheese, sour cream, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, cilantro,  and green onions until blended (I use an electric hand-mixer to get all of the lumps out).
   
   
5. Spread cream cheese mixture into bottom of an 8x8" glass casserole dish.
   
   
6. Layer seasoned meat on top of cream cheese mixture. Spread evenly.
   
   
7. Layer shredded cheese on top.
8. Sprinkle with extra green onion as garnish.
   
   
9. Bake 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
   
   
10. Serve hot with crackers, Tostitos Scoops, or cornchips.

*Optional add-ins (add as layers): Salsa, fresh tomatoes, black beans, refried beans, corn, olives....whatever you like!

Party Pretzels

I really had no idea what to call these because I've only ever heard them called "those pretzel-chocolate-M&M thingies". So I'm calling them Party Pretzels. I've made them for Halloween using orange and brown M&Ms and I've seen them at baby showers (baby blue and light pink M&Ms), bridal showers (in the wedding colors), and football parties (in team colors). Such a versatile little snack!

On top of that, they're incredibly simple....and the perfect blend of sweet and salty.

Party Pretzels



Ingredients

• Mini pretzels (rounds, windowpanes, buttersnaps, etc)
• Chocolate disks (I used Wilton Candy Melts, which you can get in various colors/flavors - I stocked up on milk chocolate, dark chocolate, peanut butter, strawberry, and vanilla)
• M&Ms - colors of your choice (I used the Valentine's mix for this batch, but pulled out the red since I was going with a pink and white theme).

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F
2. Separate the M&Ms by color (if you're going with a color theme); do this beforehand so that you're not rushing to pull out the color you need later (the chocolate might harden quickly).
   
   
3. Line baking sheet with wax paper
4. Spread out pretzels on sheet, removing any broken pieces
5. Center a chocolate disk on each pretzel
   
   
6. Heat in oven for 4-7 minutes (until the chocolate is soft enough to push an M&M into it, but not so soft that it melts all over the place)
7. Remove baking sheet from oven and press an M&M into each piece (I put the "m" side down; if you have specially printed M&Ms, put the words facing up)
   
   
   
8. Put in refrigerator for a few hours, until chocolate is solid. Store in airtight container or Ziplock in a cool place (I keep mine in the fridge).

Pittsburgh Pierogies!

I got a pasta maker attachment for my Kitchen Aid stand mixer for Christmas and, of course, I couldn't wait to make homemade pierogies! Pierogies have been one of my favorite foods since I was a kid - I'd literally eat them by the dozen when I was a teenager. We'd eat them on Fridays during Lent, serve them for Steelers parties, and sautee some whenever we got the craving. I first convinced Bill to try them when we were at Fathead's in Pittsburgh with my parents, after a Pens game. He was hooked, too. Shamefully, I have only made frozen, storebought pierogies until now; so it's time to challenge myself to make the real thing.

Here is a recipe I found on Pittsburgh.about.com:

Homemade Potato & Cheddar Pierogies
Note: I doubled the recipe below so that I would have some to freeze for later. For a double recipe, I used a total of 8 large russet potatoes. I definitely have a lot of potato mixture left over, too.

Yield will depend on how thin you roll the dough out and what size you make. I was able to make 3 dozen with a double recipe.

Potato, Cheese & Onion Filling
Ingredients

• 5-6 large potatoes
• 1/2 large onion
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
• butter for sauteeing onion
  

Directions

1. Peel and boil potatoes until soft.
   
   
2. While the potatoes are boiling, finely chop onion and saute in butter until soft and translucent. [I prefer to skip the onions in the mixture, just using potatoes and cheese]
3. Mash the potatoes with the sauted onions and cheese, adding salt and pepper to taste.
   
   
   
4. You can also add some fresh parsley, bacon bits, or other enhancements if you desire.
5. Let the potato mixture cool and then form into 1" balls.

_______________

Pierogi Dough
Ingredients

• 2 cups flour, plus extra for kneading and rolling dough
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup sour cream, plus extra to serve with the pierogi
• 1/4 cup butter, softened and cut into small pieces
  
  
• butter and onions for sauteing
• filling of your choice (potato & cheese filling recipe below)

Directions

1. Mix together the flour and salt.
2. Beat the egg, then add all at once to the flour mixture.
3. Add the 1/2 cup sour cream and the softened butter pieces and work until the dough loses most of its stickiness (about 5-7 minutes). You can use a food processor with a dough hook for this, but be careful not to overbeat.
   
   
4. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes or overnight; the dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
   
   

_______________

Pierogi Preparation

1. Roll the pierogi dough on a floured board or countertop until 1/8" thick.**I used my Kitchenaid Pasta Roller tool, starting at setting 1 and working up to setting 4:
   
   
   
   
2. Cut circles of dough (2" for small pierogies and 3-3 1/2" for large pierogies) with a cookie cutter or drinking glass. **I used a large plastic tumbler**
   
   
3. Place a small ball of filling on each dough round and fold the dough over, forming a semi-circle.
   
   
4. Press the edges together with the tines of a fork.**I tried this but ended up pressing the edges together with my fingers, like you do to decorate a pie crust.**
   
   
5. Boil the perogies a few at a time in a large pot of water. They are done when they float to the top (about 8-10 minutes).
   
6. Rinse in cool water and let dry.
7. Saute chopped onions in butter in a large pan until onions are soft.
   
   
8. Add pierogies and pan fry until lightly crispy.
   
   

Serve with a side of sour cream for a true Pittsburgh pierogi meal.

_______________

Homemade Pierogi Tips

1. If you are having a hard time getting the edges to stick together, you may have too much flour in the dough. Add a little water to help get a good seal.
2. If you don't want to cook all of the pierogies right away, you can refrigerate them (uncooked) for several days or freeze them for up to several months.
3. You can fill pierogies with pretty much anything you want, though potato and cheese is the most common.
   

Buffalo Chicken Dip: All-Natural Version

So, in following with my attempt to cut processed foods out of my diet, I've played around with my Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe to make it more natural. Using all-natural or organic ingredients can be more expensive and slightly more work, but I personally think the taste and the health benefits are worth it.

Note: Frank's Red Hot website claims that their Buffalo sauce can be substituted with a mixture of hot sauce (Red Hot) + butter. Their Buffalo sauce contains preservatives while their hot sauce does not, so this is what I do.

All-Natural Buffalo Chicken Dip


Ingredients*

• 4 cups boiled, shredded all-natural chicken breasts (boneless/skinless)
• 1 cup Frank's Red Hot
  
• 1/2 cup melted organic butter
• 16 oz  organic cream cheese, softened
  
• 3/4 cup organic sour cream
  
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup all-natural cheddar cheese, shredded (Kraft makes all-natural cheeses)
  

*Obviously, you can use non-natural/organic ingredients instead!

Directions

1. In a large bowl, blend hot sauce, melted butter, sour cream, buttermilk, and seasonings.
   
   
2. Add shredded chicken and 1/2 cup of cheese; mix well.
3. Pour into 8x8" casserole dish, top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese, and bake for 25-35 minutes at 400 degrees F (until cheese is bubbly),
   ...OR...
   Pour mixture into a small slow cooker and cook on high about 1 to 1-1/2 hours, or until bubbly and browning. Keep in slow cooker on low heat to keep dip hot while serving.
   
   

Serve with Tostitos Scoops!

Ranch Dressing (or Dip)

As much as I love ranch dressing from a restaurant, I haven't come across any that I like in the grocery store. I've tried all the name brands, the generics, the store brands, and even the lesser known (and more expensive) all-natural and organic varieties. But nothing quite tastes right to me. I thought about trying to make my own, and because I try to avoid preservatives and unnatural ingredients, I didn't want to make it from a packet.
So I found a well-rated recipe on allrecipes.com ("Ranch Dressing II") and found it to be both incredibly easy and very yummy! I've adapted it to my taste (I now use sour cream in place of mayo).


Ranch Dressing

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sour cream
  
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt (I used seasoning salt instead)
  
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a large bowl, add all ingredients.
   
2. Whisk till well mixed and smooth.
   
   
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
   
   

Thai Chicken Pizza

I think Bill would be the happiest man alive if I made my Thai Chicken and Rice every day of the week. So I figured I'd try to find a few more Thai chicken meals to add to the mix.

We tried California Pizza Kitchen's Thai Chicken Pizza a couple years ago and really liked it, so I searched for a copycat recipe. This is the closest I could find...

Ingredients:

• 12-inch pre-baked pizza crust **I used an 8-inch**
• Sprinkle of garlic powder (this was my addition)
  
• 7-ounce jar Thai peanut sauce **I used "A Taste of Thai" peanut satay sauce - only about 4-5 ounces since I used a smaller crust**
  
• 1/4 cup peanut butter **I used reduced-fat Jif**
• 8 ounces cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into strips **I used rotisserie chicken, shredded**
  
• 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped **I chopped up about 3 stalks, just the greens**
  
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup fresh bean sprouts **I omitted these b/c I didn't have any**
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped roasted peanuts **I omitted these**
• A few splashes of "A Taste of Thai" Garlic Chili Pepper sauce (this was my addition)
• Dried cilantro, to taste (this was my addition)
  

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Place crust on baking sheet. Sprinkle with garlic powder.
   
3. In a small bowl, stir together the peanut sauce and peanut butter. Spread over the pizza crust. Sprinkle with Garlic Chili Pepper sauce.
4. Arrange strips (or shreds) of chicken on top.
5. Sprinkle on the green onions and cheese. I added some more Garlic Chili Pepper sauce here, too. [original recipe calls for carrots/peanuts/sprouts to be added after cooking, but I added my carrots before putting in the oven. I also sprinkled the top with cilantro].
6. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Slice into wedges and serve.