A Quick and Easy, Cozy Winter Meal for You!

Tonight we had a really yummy chili recipe and cornbread for dinner, so at the last minute, I whipped out my camera as I thought to myself, “this would be a most appropriate thing to post on my little blog!”  We’ve had both of these recipes many times (according to my notes, I’ve been making the chili since 2006!) and they really are VERY good.  What’s more, they are super quick and easy to make, and easy on the wallet!

First, a photo of the chili (mostly eaten…I told you the photo was last-minute).

Here’s the recipe, taken from the cookbook, The Big Book of Easy Suppers, by Maryana Vollstedt, which I find myself going to time and time again for quick, weeknight recipes.  I turned my mom onto the cookbook as well, and we both will tell you it is chock full of quick and easy recipes as the title suggests.  You can get it used for really cheap.

Three-Bean Chili

1 lb. ground beef (I omitted to make it cheaper and didn’t miss it at all!  I added a cup or two of frozen corn instead.)

1 c. chopped yellow onion

1 garlic clove, minced

vegetable oil, as needed

1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes, with juices, cut up

1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce

1 can (14 1/2 oz) beef broth

1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cans (15 oz each) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 T. chili powder, or more to taste

1/4 t. ground cumin

3/4 t. salt

freshly ground pepper to taste

Toppings: grated monterey jack or cheddar cheese, chopped red or green onions, sour cream

In a large soup pot over medium heat, combine beef and onion and sauté, breaking up meat with a spoon, until meat is browned and onion is tender, about 5 minute, adding a little oil if needed.  Add remaining ingredients except toppings.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until flavors are blended, 20 to 30 minutes.  Serve in bowls and pass the toppings!

And now for the Cornbread recipe (I have no idea why I cannot get the bold to stop?! for the love, I hate computers!).  Let me preface this by saying that I dare you to compete with this cornbread recipe.  I realize that may sound a bit presumptuous, but I am telling you, this cornbread will rock your world.  It’s my mom’s recipe, and I’ve been loving it for a loooong time.   It’s moist (almost impossible to dry it out, and how many cornbread recipes can you say that about?), and has just the perfect amount of sweetness.  I promise, you will never go back once you try it. (It really doesn’t need the butter either; it’s so moist!)

8 oz. sour cream

8 oz. can creamed corn

1 1/2 boxes Jiffy corn muffin mix (found in the baking aisle, and I will freely admit that I don’t love the ingredient list on the Jiffy box, but the finished product is just so darn good, I’m dealing with it)

2 eggs

1/3 c. oil

Mix ingredients thoroughly.  Bake in a greased 8x8x2 inch baking dish at 350 for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Serves 6-8 (or less if you cannot stop yourself from taking more than your share!)

*I’m glad to see that somehow the bold type went away!

Philip had a football game on tonight, and I remarked that this was the perfect meal to accompany such an event.  Not that I have any interest at all in football, but that’s beside the point :)

I’ll sign off tonight with a photo of me and my girl.  I tried, a little late, to get Philip to snap some photos of her giving me the sweetest smiles.  Forgive the fact that I could use a shower in this photo!  (I’ve been taking care of a sick toddler all day!)