Sweet Chili & Cornbread

Just two days ago it was warm enough to wear shorts

Today it is snowing!

I've got my hot chocolate and electric heated blanket while I blog

It might be a good day to have my favorite sweet chili and warm cornbread for dinner

and I think I'll share these recipes with you

Sweet Chili

1-1.5 lbs ground turkey or ground beef
3/4 of an onion, chopped
2 cans pinto beans
2 cans black beans
1 can tomato paste
2 cans tomato soup (tomato sauce works if you add extra seasonings)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder

Cook the meat and chopped onion in a skillet until the meat is cooked all the way through.  While that cooks, you can put the rest of the ingredients in a large pot.  If you like your beans drained and rinsed, then you will need to add 1-2 cups of water to the chili.  When the meat is finished, you can add it to the pot.  Bring to a boil and then turn the heat to low.  Let it simmer for at least 30 minutes before serving.  You are welcome  to add more chili powder for a little more spice with your sweet.

Homemade Cornbread

1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup shortening or butter, melted
1 egg

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease an 8X8 inch baking dish.  Combine all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  Add the milk and egg and shortening.  (butter works as well, but the shortening makes the cornbread a little more moist)  Mix well, but no need to over do it.  Pour the batter in the pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Serve warm with butter!

Pesto, Ham & Avacado Panini

Did you know today is National Grilled Cheese Day? Well it is and in honor of this day, I put made sure to put some cheese on my grilled Panini. ;)

Pesto makes anything taste good.  Wouldn't you agree?  I'm really not a sandwich girl.  If I'm at home, the last thing I want to make myself is a sandwich for lunch.  But if I can grill it, it makes it much more appealing to me.  I also just happened to have some pesto and an avocado in the fridge.  So I whipped this up and put it in my George Foreman and it was so warm and tasty that I thought I should share.

PESTO, HAM & AVACADO PANINI

2 slices bread, any kind of your choosing
6 thin slices deli ham
1/4 avocado
1 slice provolone cheese
2 Tbsp pesto

Butter or oil the bread and then layer your sandwich.  If you don't have a Panini maker, just put it in a skillet on the stovetop at med heat. Enjoy! 

Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas

Since the affair I have had the hardest time doing ANYTHING that I used to love to do.  I think it's a little depression.  But one of those things is cooking.  When you are feeling blah, it's really hard to motivate yourself to do anything more than the basic tasks to survive! 

But, birthdays are motivating.  So that's what it took for me to whip out these delicious babies. My husband loves everything to do with buffalo chicken.  Happy Birthday my sweet!

Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and finely shredded
14 oz can red enchilada sauce (I used mild)
1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce
1/2 cup chopped green onions
3 cups cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or more if you love cheesiness)
8 tortillas
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9X13 glass dish with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, mix together enchilada sauce and buffalo wing sauce.  Add more buffalo wing sauce if you need it spicier (I used the mild red sauce and the buffalo wing sauce made it spicy enough for me).

In a large bowl, mix the shredded chicken, half the green onions, 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup blue cheese.  Pour in half the enchilada sauce and mix well.  Fill each tortilla with desired amount, roll and place in baking dish.  Once all tortillas are in the dish, pour the remaining sauce over the top and then add extra cheeses.

Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.  When you take it out of the oven you can top them with remaining green onions. YUM!

(Adapted from The Novice Chef)