Monterey Chicken Soup

Slap Ya Mama chili

Ingredients:
• 1 lb ground beef (ground round)
• 1 lb beef sirloin steak, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 1 can Rotel diced tomatoes & green chilies (10oz)
• 2 cans tomato sauce (8oz)
• 1 can tomato paste (6oz)
• ½ cup beef broth
• ½ cup water
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground oregano
• 1 can kidney beans, drained & rinsed (15oz)
• 1 can pinto beans, drained & rinsed (15oz)
• 2 Tbsp Slap Ya Mama Pepper Sauce
• 2 tsp Slap Ya Mama Original Blend Seasoning
• 1 tsp Slap Ya Mama Hot Blend, for seasoning meat
• olive oil
• shredded cheddar cheese - topping
• green onions, chopped - topping

Directions:
Season meat with Slap Ya Mama Hot Blend Seasoning. In a large pot on medium-high heat, coat bottom of pot with olive oil and add seasoned meat. Cook meat, stirring frequently until all meat is browned. Add onions, bell peppers, garlic and jalapenos. Sautee until onions and bell peppers are soft. Reduce heat to medium, stir in rotel, tomato sauce, tomato paste, beef broth, water, chili powder, cumin, oregano, beans, Slap Ya Mama Pepper Sauce, Slap Ya Mama Original Blend Seasoning and mix well. Bring to a slight boil, reduce heat, cover and let simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Serve in a bowl, top with cheddar and green onions. Eat with tortilla chips or crackers and enjoy!

Crockpot Tortellini

Ingredients:

 1 bag of frozen tortellini
1 small bag of fresh spinach
2 cans of italian style diced tomatoes
1 box or 4 cups or vegetable broth
1 block of cream cheese
put all ingredients in crockpot, chunking up the cream cheese. Cook on low for 5-6 hrs

EDIT:  This dish was only just ok.  Wouldn't bother with again, considering how hard it was to get the tortellini.

Cowboy Caviar

Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce) can seasoned black-eyed peas, drained
1 (15 ounce) can seasoned or plain black beans, drained
3/4 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 or 3 tomatoes, diced
10 jarred jalapeno pepper slices, diced (mild or hot depending on preference)
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
1 ripe avocado, chopped
Tortilla chips

Dressing:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine black eyed peas, beans, corn, green onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, jalapenos, and cilantro in a medium bowl. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper. Pour over bean mixture. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Just before serving, add avocado and gently stir to combine. Serve with tortilla chips.

Stroganoff

• 2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup
• Milk
• Sour Cream
• Dehydrated Onion
• 1 lb Ground Beef
• Salt/Pepper
• Baby Portobello Mushrooms (optional)
• Rice or Noodles

Begin cooking rice or noodles.
Brown and drain the ground beef.
         (If including mushrooms, cook those now, till softened to preference.)
Combine Cream of Mushroom soup, sour cream to taste, and enough milk to thin mixture out.
Season with 1-2 Tbls of dehydrated onion, salt/pepper.
Serve over rice or noodles.

Chicken Pesto

• 1 lb. Chicken (we prefer thighs)
• Angel Hair Pasta
• 1 Jar Classico Pesto
• Crumbled Feta Cheese
• 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup (optional)

1. Cut the chicken into bit size pieces, removing as much fat as possible.  Brown, and season with Slap Ya Mama.
2.  While the chicken is browning, bring water to boil and cook noodles.  Drain.
3. Combine ingredients and enjoy.

For "creamy" pesto, mix Cream of chicken soup with the pesto sauce, adding a little bit of milk to thin it out some.

"Western Nebraska Chili"

Dad's "original" recipe that he totally didn't steal from a cookbook and just rename.  :)

Prep Time:  1 hour

6 Quart Slow-Cooker Time:  9-10 hours on low and 6-7 hours on high

Garnishes:  Siced Avocado, Sliced Scallions, Chopped Red Onion, Sour Cream, Grated Cheddar Cheese

Ingredients:

8    Bacon slices, chopped medium

      Vegetable oil

3    Pounds ground turkey

      Salt Pepper

1    Onion, chopped medium

3    Jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced (use rubber gloves and don't rub your eyes or skin)

3    Tablespoons chili powder

2    Tablespoons cumin   

5    Garlic cloves 

1    Can crushed tomatoes (28-ounce)

6    Corn tortillas (6-inch), torn into 2-inch pieces

4    Cups low-sodium chicken broth

2    Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped medium (use rubber gloves and don't rub your eyes or skin)

2    Teaspoons sugar

2    Cans red kidney beans (15.5 ounce), rinsed

1    Can black beans (15.5 ounce), rinsed

1    Can shoe peg corn (11 ounce)

1/4  Cup minced fresh cilantro

2    Tablespoons fresh lime juice

Preparation Steps:

1)    Cook the bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes.  Add the bacon to the slow cooker, reserving the bacon fat separately (you should have at least 2 tablespoons but if not, substitute vegetable oil for the missing bacon fat).

2)    Add 2 teaspoons of the bacon fat to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Brown half of the ground turkey and add to the slow cooker.  Return the skillet to medium-high heat and repeat with two more teaspoons bacon fat and the remaining turkey.

3)    Add the remaining 2 teaspoons bacon fat to the empty skillet and return to medium heat until shimmering.  Add the onion, jalapenos, chili powder, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Cook until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook for 15 seconds.  Stir in the tomatoes, scraping up any browned bits.  Bring to a simmer, then pour into the slow cooker.

4)    Combine the tortillas and 1 cup of the chicken broth in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high until mushy, about 2 minutes.  Puree the mixture in a food processor or blender until smooth, about 1 minute.  Stir into the slow cooker.  Add the remaining 3 cups chicken broth, chipotles, and sugar to the slow cooker.

5)    Cover and cook on either low or high.  Stir in the beans and corn during the last hour of cooking.  Before serving, stir in the cilantro and lime juice.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  (I usually don't find a need to salt or pepper).

To Make Ahead ( I never do this):

The night before or a day in advance, prepare the recipe through step 4.  Instead of adding the ingredients to the slow cooker, refrigerate them, but be sure to store the browned bacon and meat in one container and the liquids and pureed tortillas in another container.  In the morning, add the chilled ingredients to the slow cooker and stir to combine.  Proceed with step 5.  The cooking time will run to the high end of the range given in the recipe.