Quick Chili

I have always liked chili with cornbread or crackers, but this is probably my favorite recipe so far. It is very hearty and filling, which is always good for a poor college student. Here is the link for where I found this wonderful recipe. This is what the finished product looks like, but let me walk you through the steps to get here.

 

You will need:

 

2 lbs. ground beef (I opted for ground turkey and couldn't tell the difference.)

1 onion, finely diced

3 cloves minced garlic (I chopped mine, rather than mincing it.)

14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes

2 14.5 oz. cans of Italian style diced tomatoes

8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 cup water

15 oz. can kidney beans

15 oz. can pinto beans

2 Tbs. chili powder

1 Tbs. cumin

2 Tbs. white sugar

1 Tbs. salt

 

I know, it seems like a lot of stuff. It's so worth it though, and most of the ingredients are fairly cheap.



 

 

The very first thing you want to do is brown the ground beef (or ground turkey) in a large pot and drain it if needed.

While the meat is cooking, chop up your onion and mince your garlic.

When you have cooked and drained your meat, add the onion and garlic to the pot. Cook until the onion is translucent.

 

 

Next, you are going to add the remaining ingredients and let it simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often. Doesn't that just look heavenly? 

I decided to pair it with corn bread and a salad, but it would be just as delicious with crackers or on its own.

Some other things you might consider doing with this chili is serving it in a warm baked potato with cheese or in a bread bowl of some sort. If you have left overs, serving it one of these alternative ways might make it feel less "left-over".

Let me know what you guys think or any other serving suggestions you have. I would love to hear from you!

Linguine with Garlicky Breadcrumbs

Lately, I have been getting really into cooking and baking. Being out on my own definitely has a lot to do with this, I think. Anyway, I decided to try a new recipe last night for dinner and I thoroughly enjoyed it, so I'm going to share it with you.
It is called linguine with garlicky breadcrumbs and I found the original recipe here. However, being the creative girl that I am, I made some slight changes to this recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

You Will Need:
1/2 cup Italian style breadcrumbs
2 Tbs. olive oil
6 cloves of garlic
8 oz. uncooked linguine (I used whole wheat.)
2 tsp. lemon juice


First, I chopped up the garlic cloves into small pieces. The original recipe calls for it to be minced, so that works too, but I am a big fan of garlic so I chose to do it this way.

 

Next, heat the olive oil in a small skillet over a medium heat. When it is heated, add the garlic (either minced or chopped), and cook it for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. The garlic will begin to brown very quickly. Remove from heat.

 

At this point, you are going to want to start cooking the linguine, according to the directions on the package.

  

After you've started cooking your pasta, return your oil and garlic mixture to heat and stir in the breadcrumbs. Let it cook for about six minutes, or until the breadcrumbs start to brown. Stir frequently.

When the pasta is done cooking, remove it from heat and drain it and return it to the pan. 



 

 

 When the breadcrumbs are lightly brown, stir in the entire mixture with the cooked linguine. Add the lemon juice at this point and combine it.

 

 That's all there is to it! It was a very simple dinner for me to pull off. I had it with a side of mixed veggies and it was fantastic.

 

 

Let me know what you think and what changes or improvements you made!

Something Magnificent

What a great way to start February; with my very first blog! I'm so excited to start getting really into this and posting as often as possible. I have thoguhts, passions, and hobbies that I'm excited about sharing and this feels like the perfect place to do so! I also have every intention of sharing all of my successful Pinterest endevors here as well. This definitely feels like the start of a wonderful journey in the world of blogging. I sure hope this turns into something magnificent.

Claira