WINTER...well snow...is here.

Today we woke up to the brilliant white blanket of snow across the front yard. Of course with snow fall this meant something very serious, we had to unpack the garage so that way we could at least put the van in there, and get the car off the road. Now this isn't something that its like OOOH NOOO., yeah no, we knew this day was coming since the day we moved into this house in August. Well of course the call went out to friends for help and several showed up. What enticed? WEll honestly food!! Yeah that is how I get a lot of help around here. I offer food in reply. What was on the menu tonight? What does better in the crockpot during a really cold day? CHILI! Our protein of the night was Turkey (ground turkey to be exact!) And boy did it work out! I didn't even know you could layer chili, but this had them!

But lets back track! this isn't the first time we had ground turkey in the past week. No three nights ago we had ground turkey enchilada's. I went to the commissary to pick up some odds and ends, and found Kraft meals in this little box. So on a whim I bought two. One was Enchilada's Verde, and the other sweet and sour chicken. You know the try box! For two dollars each couldn't go wrong really!

OMG Enchilada's verde was a HUGE hit. WE have a little left, but out of apan of 12 what do you expect? My son couldn't even wait for it to fully be done, He had to have a sneak peak of the meat after it was browned and mixed with the filling sauce!

I hope the sweet and sour tastes as good! I will tell you when I know!

But still the Turkey Chili is something that goes in the crockpot all day. I started it around 11am. Browning up my ground Turkey and preping the rest. The recipe follows!

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp black pepper
1 TBSP chili powder
1 tsp Oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp Paprika
1/4 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 (14.8oz) cans Tomatoes
1 (14.8oz) can Corn
1 (14.8oz) can Chick Peas
1 lb Ground Turkey
3 TBS Vegetable Oil

Directions:
1) Mix black pepper, chili powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, paprika, salt, garlic, tomatoes, chickpeas, and corn in a crockpot, set on low.
2) Brown turkey in the 3 TBS vegetable oil until cooked.
3) Put turkey in crockpot and cook on low for 4-8 hours. All the meat should be cooked already cooked, you are just allowing the flavors to blend together.

Enjoy!!

November!

November brings a lot of fun things. First off its celebrated by Halloween JUST before it begins. And this year I had a lot of fun with my son! It was his first year trick or treating!

It also brings cold in the North of the US. And so I am going to start my baking and start my crockpoting. It also means I will attempt to make somethings in the oven a bit more so that way I can warm up the house while cooking at the same time!

So what does that mean: ROASTS! Roast chicken, roast turkey, roast beef. Of course what is also a great thing to do after roasts? Soup!!! This week I am going to work with follow up recipes. What are follow up recipes? Honestly, its a recipe that uses the meat from one day or two days before so that way you can have two meals with the same proteins.

So what is on the agenda for Monday? Roast Beef for us! Sadly this cut lacks a bone in it. So I won't be able to make beef soup with the bone after, although it won't be a total loss because I will be making soup with out it.

Why soup with a bone? Well honestly, the marrow that is in the bone is something that a lot of people don't ever cook with, but they do need. It helps with arthritis as well as re-enforces your own cartliage and marrow. Go figure right? Roast is very easy to do! You put your roast in a rock pot, Cover it with water, add some onion soup, and veggies and cook all the day.

It can be served with warm rolls or bread. I highly suggest this part if you are not gluten-free or  on a lower carb diet. Why? well it just is a good way to complement the meal.

So here it is! Crock Pot Roast:

2lbs Roast Beef
1lb Baby Carrots
2 Large onions
1 Package Onion soup mix
4 cups water.
1lb potatoes
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1) Mix up the onion soup mix per the instructions on the package. Pour into crock pot.
2) Place Meat in crock, cover and cook on high until meat is done.
3) Cut up your potatoes and onions.
4) Put onions, carrots, and potatoes in the crockpot cook for 1/2 hour or until potatoes are tender.

Serve. :-)

It will feed a family of 4 easily with left overs. I am not entirely sure how many people it will feed with out left overs. I usually make this for the left overs.