• Cook Off Chili

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    This chili is solid.  I found the recipe and the always tasty fashionably foodie.  You can cook on the stove-top or in the crock.  It was also really good the next day on a taco salad with creamy jalapeno dressing.

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    Ingredients:

    • 4 cans kidney beans, undrained (I used 2 cans)
      or 1 pound dried kidney beans, soaked overnight and cooked until tender, with cooking liquid
    • 1 lb. ground beef (I used turkey)
    • 1/2 large onion, chopped
    • 1 green bell pepper or jalapeno, chopped
    • 2 TBSP chili powder
    • 2 TBSP brown sugar
    • 2 quarts tomatoes with juice (or two big 28 oz cans)
    • 1 big (15 oz) can tomato sauce
    • 3/4 tsp. salt
    • 1/2 tsp. pepper
    • 1 tsp. basil
    • 1/8 tsp. allspice (the secret ingredient!)
    • 1 bay leaf (I used more because mine weren’t that fresh)
    • Grated cheese

    Directions:

    1. In a large stockpot, cook ground beef/turkey, onion, and green pepper and/or jalapeno till meat is brown. Drain fat. Stir in undrained tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato sauce, chili powder, basil, salt, sugar, pepper, allspice and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Cover, simmer at least 45 minutes, until reduced and thickened, or cook in Crock Pot on LOW for 3-5 hours (for the crock pot, omit juice from one jar of tomatoes.) taste before serving, add a sprinkle of salt or sugar as needed.
    2. Top with cheese.

    Cook Off Chili:

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  • Creamy Jalapeno

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    Chuy’s is one of the most fantabulous tex-mex restaurants on the planet.  Their sauces define d’lish.  One of their tasty sauces is a creamy jalapeno sauce.  Oh, it’s so good. Here’s a copycat recipe that’s pretty close.  It’s tastes awesome on taco salads, fish tacos…really anything.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 c. mayo
    • 1/4 c. buttermilk
    • 1/4 c. chopped jalapeno
    • 1/4 c. tomatillo salsa
    • 1/4 c. cilantro
    • 1 1/2 packets (total 1 1/4 oz.) dry ranch dressing mix

    Directions:

    1. Combine mayo through cilantro in a blender until smooth.
    2. Pour in a bowl, and whisk in rand dressing mix.
    3. Chill and serve.

    Creamy Jalapeno Sauce:

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  • Beef BBQ Sandwiches with Slaw

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    Here’s another excellent BBQ beef sandwich cooked in the crockpot.  The recipe is from Taste of Home.
    Ingredients:

    • 1 3 lb. boneless chuck roast
    • 1 c. BBQ sauce
    • 1/2 c. apricot preserves
    • 1/3 c. chopped green or red pepper
    • 1 small onion, chopped
    • 1 TBSP dijon mustard
    • 2 tsp. brown sugar
    • Cole slaw
    • Buns

    Directions:

    1. Spray your crockpot with cooking spray.  Cut the roast into quarters, and add the meat to the crock.
    2. In a bowl, combine the bbq sauce, preserves, green pepper, onion, mustard, and brown sugar; then pour mixture over roast.
    3. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours, or until meat is tender.
    4. Remove meat from crock and thinly slice. Serve on buns with slaw.

    Beef BBQ Sandwiches with Slaw:

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