Mexican Chili Casserole

So, I came up with this recipe the other night purely by accident and it worked out so well that I have made it twice in the past week. It was Sunday and the cupboards and refrigerator were pretty bare (I was putting off grocery shopping all week). I found a pound of lean ground beef, a can of pinto beans, a can of black beans, a can of diced tomatoes, a can of tomato paste, basmati rice, and sharp cheddar cheese...here is what I did.

I browned the ground beef, in a skillet and added 3 tablespoons of chili powder, I then added the beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and a dash of salt and pepper. I let this simmer over medium/low heat for about 5 minutes

While the beef was browning, I prepared the basmati rice (1 cup rice uncooked) (according to the directions).

In a 9"x9" pan I spread the basmati rice on the bottom, then added the beef/bean mixture by spreading it over the rice in an even layer. I then grated the cheddar cheese (about 2 cups) and sprinkled it in an even layer over the beef/been mixture.

I put the whole thing in a 425 degree over for 10 minutes to melt the cheese and make it bubble a little bit.

That is it! I Mexican Chili Casserole that you can love and is easy to make. YUMMY!

A New "Sister" Blog

Check out Mommy Runs! A new blog that isn't quite so serious, but all about running and being a mom.
I love to run and I love being a mom, but the two don't always gel together. Exhaustion and time can make running a bit difficult, but I plan to try to stick to it as best I can so I can improve my running and lose 20lbs to fit back into my pre-pregnancy jeans....

Check it out...

Mommy Runs

Time to join Cookies Annonymous (CA)

I have a problem with cookies…I can’t help it.

I am forever in search of the perfect cookie recipe. A cookie that can be appreciated by all. From the carb counters to the diabetics to the careful parents and the sweet toothers. I have made endless batches of cookies in my kitchen. When I was pregnant, most of the cookies were high in fat, chocolate and sugar, however now that I have children, my focus has shifted and I am now baking low sugar/healthier cookies. I have a cookie on my website www.simplyfoodonline.com for Oatmeal Raisin Butter Cookies, which I am pretty happy with, but I was looking for something better, maybe a recipe where I did not have to add any sweetener (I only use Organic Agave Nectar) at all. What I found I have placed below. Holy Cow! These moist cookies can be eaten without much guilt at all. Without any added fat or sugar (besides that which is found naturally in the added fruit, this one is a true winner. I have tweaked it a bit and noted that you can add 2 tablespoons of organic agave nectar if you want to sweeten it even more. Another addition, if you like, in place of cocoa or carob powder, add a teaspoon of vanilla…YUM!!!

No-Sugar Date Chewies

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Mash bananas in a bowl, leaving some little chunks.
In a medium bowl add the egg whites and mix with bananas (at this time add agave nectar, if you are using it)
Then add the dates and the raisins and mix well or until the fruit is coated with the egg mixture
Add the oatmeal and the cocoa/carob powder
Use parchment paper or non-stick cookie sheets to bake cookies
Bake for 22-25 minutes
Remove promptly from oven and transfer cookies to a cooling rack



Ingredients:
2 bananas (ripe)
2 egg whites (cage free eggs)
1 cup dates, chopped or ground
2/3 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups rolled oats (old fashioned work best)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder, or 1 tablespoon carob powder or 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
2 table spoons agave nectar (for added sweetness if you desire, but truthfully, not needed)

Simply Food Online Store

Looking for some natural and organic products for your home and kitchen, look no further than the Simply Food Online Store.

I am hoping this service will further enhance the blog and accompanying website by offering people a place to purchase some of the items that are talked about on this site. I am still in the midst of adding and subtracting items, so please be patient if the store is not exactly where it should be yet.

Enjoy and check back often for new products and reviews.

Egg Free-Peanut Free Yummy Cookies

A recipe revision that worked out well.

Last weekend I spent some time with a friend whose children have some food allergies, so I set out to make a cookie that everyone could eat.
I had to make sure that it was free of peanuts and eggs. I used the Oatmeal Raisin Butter Cookie recipe as my guide and replaced the eggs with 3/4 cup of natural applesauce. I then made them as bar cookies, used a 9"x11" greased pan. They turned out very well. The only problem, I ate most of them and there were little left for the kids.


So, if you must steer clear of peanuts and/or eggs, this cookie recipe is for you!

You can find the original Oatmeal Raisin Butter Cookie recipe at www.simplyfoodonline.com/desserts.htm

Have a great cookie day!
Oatmeal Raisin Butter Bar Cookies (peanut and egg free)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Using mixer beat together butter and applesauce
3. Add agave nectar
4. Add vanilla
5. Beat for two minutes on high
6. Add baking powder and baking soda
7. Add cinnamon and nutmeg
8. Beat on medium for one minute
9. Slowly add flour
10. Add oatmeal
11. Beat on low for one minute
12. Fold in raisins
13. Pour cookie dough into a greased 9"x 11" baking pan
14. Bake for 18-20 minutes
Ingredients:
· 1 cup organic butter-softened
· ¾ cup organic agave nectar
· 3/4 cup natural applesauce
· 1 teaspoon baking powder
· ¼ teaspoon baking soda
· 1 tablespoon organic vanilla
· ½ teaspoon cinnamon
· ½ teaspoon nutmeg
· 1 ¾ cups unbleached all purpose flour
· 2 cups oatmeal
· 1 cup organic raisins (for plumper, juicier raisins, cook on medium heat in sauce pan with 1 cup water for 5 minutes, remove and drain)

Beef Brisket is Good...Trust Me.

Before today I have never made a beef brisket, actually, I had never even thought about it, but recently my husband and I bought at 3 lb grass fed beef brisket. There is a restaurant that we frequent called, Slows BBQ in Detroit, Michigan, they have the best brisket in the world, it is smoked and seasoned perfectly. I thought that there was no way I could make a brisket that would tantalize my mouth quite like this one, but I DID!

I was afraid to taste the meat when it came out of the oven for fear of disappointment. What if it was dry? What if there was no flavor? But, the moment of truth arrived and as I sliced into the meat, but knife seemed to slide right through effortlessly and the aroma made my mouth water. I tasted it and it was soooooooooooooooo good. Yum! I did it! I really did it!

I used a recipe found in Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book (75th Anniversary Edition) as a guide, but changed it a lot. What I came up with worked and I wouldn't change a thing.
Oven BBQ Brisket

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 325 degrees
1. Trim excess fat from brisket
2. Rub outside of brisket with salt and pepper until evenly coated
3. Place in a 9"x13" baking/roasting pan
4. Stir all liquid ingredients and spices together well
5. Pour Spice and liquid mixture over meat
6. Chop green onion and add to pan
7. Cover with aluminum foil
8. Cook for 2 1/2 hours
9. Remove from over and let cool for 10 minutes
10.Cut in slices against the grain of the meat
11. Pour juices over the cuts of meat
Ingredients:
3-3.5lb beef brisket
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (all natural)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons catsup (organic)
1 1/2 tablespoons agave nectar (or 1 tablespoon sugar)
4 green onions

(I used and all natural grass fed beef brisket, which was pretty lean so I cooked it a 1/2 an hour less than you would cook a fattier piece of brisket. If the piece you are cooking is a little on the fatty side, I would cook for 3 hours)

The Power of Food

Food is a powerful thing.
It is used for celebrating, it is used for consoling, it is used to heal and it is used to keep us alive. Wow. So powerful. Recently, I have used it to heal. I am sure everyone has their own healing foods. Some people look to ice cream, some to chocolate, others to salty potato chips. What I crave is a simple pasta with meat sauce and more Parmesan cheese than you can fit in Sicily.

OK, and just to set the record straight, not just ANY pasta, Angel Hair Pasta...must be Angel Hair pasta, with a sweet meat sauce. Yes, this is the age of whole wheat and whole grain pasta, but when it comes to the right taste and texture of this dish, it must be made traditionally with Semolina flour for the silky smooth pasta texture that I crave.

I'm not going to lie to you, when it comes to tomato sauce, I don't usually make my own. I am a fan of Newman's Own Marinara sauce. Organic or not, this sauce is great. I love it and it is cheap.

Here is my easy recipe for Angel Hair Pasta with Meat Sauce-Mama Allison Style!

Sauce:
1 jar Newman's Own Marinara sauce (or your own favorite sauce)
1 pound lean ground beef (natural or organic, please)
1 pound Angel Hair Pasta (semolina preferred, but you can use your favorite)

That is it!
-Brown ground beef in a large skillet
-When meat is brown, add jar of sauce and stir. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes
-While sauce is simmering, boil 6 quarts of water in a large pot
-Cook pasta according to directions
-Drain and return to pot.
-Pour in meat sauce, stir until well blended
-Serve on a large platter with a generous portion of Parmesan cheese!

ONE thing to NOTE...when you need comfort, it should not be complicated. It should be easy, that is why this recipe works for me. It may not be great for you and it may not be complicated and gourmet, but it works.