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Author: Mary | Just Take A Bite

Corn Chowder

I’m making corn chowder for dinner tonight. My version is chicken corn chowder. I got the recipe from A Year of Crockpotting. I’ve made it before. It’s so good.

Crockpot Chicken Corn Chowder

8 cups chicken broth
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 (16 oz.) bags frozen corn, 1 cup reserved
1 medium potato, chopped (optional)
1 – 2 cups precooked chicken

Put all of the ingredients (except chicken and 1 cup corn) in crockpot. Cook on low 8-9 hours or high 4-5 hours. Blend (I use a hand blender right in the pot) until chowder consistency. Add 1 cup corn and chicken. Let cook another half hour.

Pumpkin Cheese Pie

I tried a new recipe last night. I don’t like pumpkin, but it’s pumpkin season 🙂 And Justin loves it. Plus his parents are coming tonight. So I thought I’d give it a try. Surprisingly I even like this! Although I just had a little taste. I don’t know if I could eat a whole piece…too much pumpkin for me (I do LOVE cheesecake, so that helps). Justin had a piece topped with whipped topping and really liked it. The middle was still a bit soft when I cut into it. Not sure if it should have baked longer or if it just needed some time in the fridge to firm up more. We’ll see what it’s like tonight after a day in the fridge. It was very easy to make. Definitely a keeper. I got it from All Recipes. It does make a lot of batter. Be sure your pie shell is big enough. Mine spilled over the egde on one side. Glad I set the pie on a baking sheet before putting it in the oven or I would have had a big mess.

Pumpkin Cheese Pie

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 less fat…could add to softness, not sure)
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 (9″) unbaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 350. Mix cream cheese and condensed milk until smooth. Stir in the pumpkin, spice and eggs. Mix until well combined. Pour into pie shell. Bake for 45 min. or until knife inserted 1″ from the edge comes out clean. Let set to firm up.

Double Chocolate Brownie Bars

I made a batch of brownies this morning. I got this recipe a long time ago off the back of a chocolate chip bag. They are so easy and so good. And you can add all different things to change them up.

 
Double Chocolate Brownie Bars

 

1/2 cup butter
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

 

Heat oven to 350. Grease 9×13 pan. In large, microwave safe bowl place butter and 1 cup chocolate chips. Microwave on high 1 – 1 1/2 minutes, until chips are melted when stirred. Add sugar, flour, vanilla, baking powder, salt and eggs. Stir with spoon until smooth. Stir in remaing 1 cup chocolate chips. Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle walnuts over top (if desired). Bake 30 minutes or until center is set (use toothpick test). Cool and cut.

*You can stir any kind of chips in to these. I’ve done peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips and white chocolate chips. Small candies like m&m’s, reese’s pieces or heath bits would be good too. And you can do any kind of nut you like. Or you can leave the add-ins out all together and just have plain brownies.

*I’m going to frost this batch. Something new to try.
 
I ended up making two batches…to send to work with Justin. I used up all my leftover frosting. And I got to be a little creative 🙂 They are really good with frosting! Especially the chocolate frosting.

Buster Bars

I made buster bars yesterday morning. I got the recipe from Justin’s mom. It may be getting chilly, but I think an ice cream dessert is good year round 🙂 And this is a good one!

Buster Bars

Sauce:
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
2/3 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Bars:
1 lb. oreo cookies, crushed
1/2 cup butter, melted (I used less than this)
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
1 cup peanuts (or any nut you like)

Mix sauce ingredients in saucepan and boil 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Add vanilla at the end. Let cool.

Mix oreos and 1/2 cup melted butter. Pat into 9×13 pan. Spread ice cream on top. Sprinkle with peanuts. Let freeze 1/2 hour – 1 hour. Pour cooled sauce over top. Freeze.

*Be sure to let the sauce cool sufficiently. Otherwise it will melt the ice cream and sink to the bottom.
*I use a 9×13 tupperware. It has a lid and works well for storing in the freezer.
*I put chocolate chips on half of it this time instead of peanuts (I’m avoiding peanuts b/c they seem to bother Rebecca). Any topping of your choice will do…although peanuts are very good. I’ve used honey roasted peanuts before. That was really good.

Southwest Chicken Chili

I got a new recipe from Elaine, the mom mentor in my MOPS small group. I tried it last night. Very good!! It makes a huge pot…filled my 6qt. crockpot. So there is plenty for lunches, another dinner and some in the freezer. I pretty much followed the recipe exactly. Except I didn’t add the cheese at the end. We just put cheese in our individual bowls. I figured it would freeze better without the cheese. It was a little spicier than what we normally eat. I couldn’t find any mild corn and black bean salsa, so I had to get a spicy one. I think next time I’ll just add some corn, black beans and regular mild salsa. And I might skip the green chilis. I served it with some black bean and salsa bread that I had in the freezer. That’s pretty spicy too. Definitely needed a mint after that meal 🙂 I had it in the crockpot for about 12 hours. I say the longer it cooks the better. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Some diced avocado would be really good sprinkled on top.

 

 

Southwest Chicken Chili

 

1 cup chopped onion
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. pepper
48 oz. jar Randle deluxe mixed beans (include juice)
1 jar (24 oz.) corn and black bean salsa
2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chilis
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
2 cups shredded mexican blend cheese

 

In 6 qt. slowcooker: Place all ingredients except cheese. Stir to combine. Cook on low 7-10 hours or high 3 1/2 – 4 hours. 15 minutes before serving stir in cheese until melted.

 

 
Garnish: sour cream and tortilla chips

Apple Pie

I posted my apple pie recipe when I first started my blog. I finally made one yesterday, so I now have a picture to go with it 🙂 I decided to attempt the lattice top. I’ve never done that before. I was in a rush because Rebecca was getting hungry, but it still turned out ok. There are some dark spots on top. It’s just because I sprinkled a little sugar on top…it didn’t burn. Maybe I’ll make a dutch apple pie soon so I can get a picture of that too.

Apple Pie

7 Layer Dinner

I made a casserole in the crockpot last night. It’s a recipe from my mom. Very easy. And the crockpot makes it even easier. 

7 Layer Dinner

4 cups sliced potatoes (I used 2 medium red potatoes)
1 large onion, chopped (adjust to your taste…we don’t use this much)
3 cups carrots, sliced
1/3 cup rice (I skipped the rice this time…rice and potatoes is too much starch for me)
1 can peas and juice (I just put in some frozen peas)
1 lb. hamburger (could use 1 1/2 lbs.)
1 can tomato soup (I use homemade)
1 can water

Place all ingredients in greased casserole in order listed. Season with salt and pepper as you layer. Cover. Bake at 350 for about 1 1/2 hours.

*You may need to remove the cover 1/2 way through to get rid of some of the liquid. You can also cut down on the water…I find it’s a little liquidy with that much. And you should reduce the water if you skip the rice.

*I put it all in the crockpot. I added some peppers and frozen corn after the carrots. I cooked it on low for about 9 hours. It could have been done after 6 hours. Or it could have gone longer. I think I’ll skip the water all together the next time I make it in the crockpot. I only did a half can, but it still had plenty of liquid from the veggies and meat as they cooked.

Apple Butter

I made my first batch of apple butter this morning. I LOVE apple butter. I had never had it before I met Justin. His mom makes it. I’ve been hooked ever since. This recipe is from Justin’s mom. Very good. I used the apples they gave us and cider they made from their apples too. I wasn’t sure exactly how much it would make. I ended up doing 2 pints and 7 half pints. Plus a little extra to go in the fridge (maybe 1/4 pint).

Apple Butter

4 1/2 qts. apples, peeled, corred and sliced (I used 16 or 17 LARGE apples)
1 qt. water
1 qt. apple cider
3 cups sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. cloves

Cook apples with water until soft (5-10 min.). Press through sieve (I used my food mill on the finest setting). Add cider and sugar. Bring to boil. Cook on low until thick (a/b 3 hours). Add spices. Process 10 min. in boiling water. Makes 4 1/2 – 5 1/2 pints.

Canned Applesauce

I canned my first batch of applesauce of the season last night. I finally got to try out my apple peeler. All I can say is WOW! What a time saver. If you want to do any significant amount of canning and/or baking with apples I highly recommend getting one. It only takes a few minutes to peel, core and slice enough apples for a whole batch of sauce (15-17 LARGE apples) instead of like a half hour doing it by hand. I wish I had gotten one years ago.

Since I didn’t have a ton of time last night I did a batch of chunky applesauce. I added sugar to this batch…it will be for Justin and me (or Rebecca when she’s older). I cooked another batch this morning before breakfast (that’s how fast it goes with the peeler:). I’ll run that through the food mill and can it later today. I didn’t add sugar to this batch. Hopefully it’s sweet enough. Some of the apples are kind of tart this year.

I’ve still got lots of apples, so I’m hoping to do several more batches of sauce…especially since it’s so fast now. I want to freeze some sliced apples. And I’m hoping to try apple butter tomorrow. I got Justin’s mom’s recipe. Looks like it takes a while, but it’s soooo good (I’ve had hers). So we’ll see how it goes. I’ll post that recipe after I make it. Here is the basic applesauce recipe…also from Justin’s mom

.

Canned Applesauce
4 1/2 qts. apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped into big chunks
1 qt. water
1 cups sugar (optional)
 
Boil water with sugar.
Add apples. Bring to a boil.
Boil 5 min.
Can in boiling water for 20 min. Makes 7 pts. (Can in boiling water for 25 min. if using quarts).
 
*This is the original recipe. From experience here is what I’ve come up with that works for me:
30 med – large apples
3 cups water
 
*After cooking the apples for a few minutes I mash them with a potato masher to break them up a bit more.

** I puree the apples in my Vitamix for smooth applesauce. When using this method you don’t have to peel the apples. The peels blend right in.

Apple Crisp

Last night I made our first apple dessert of the season 🙂 I LOVE apple crisp. This recipe came from my mom. I think she got it from one of my grandmothers. It’s simple and so so good. I added a few sliced pears since I had a few to use up. We had it warm with ice cream last night. YUM!!!!!! I’m excited for more tonight 🙂

Apple Crisp

 
 
6 – 7 medium sized apples
1/2 cup organic cane sugar, sucanat or coconut sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
 
 

 

1/2 cup butter
1 cup organic brown cane sugar, sucanat or coconut sugar
1 cup flour (whole wheat, all purpose or 1/2 tapioca, 1/2 white rice) (you can also use oats in place of half the flour)
 
 
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 7×11 pan.

Pare, core and slice apples. Put the apples in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Mix to coat.

Combine butter, sugar and flour (with hands or pastry blender) until well mixed and crumbly. Spread over the apples. Bake 30 min., or until brown on top.