Make Something Monday ... Crock Pot Chili (French's Style)

I can't tell you how much fun I've had with this gift basket! You know how I love making fun stuff that is quick and easy. Now you throw in a crock pot and you've made my day! As promised to Cole I'm making Chili and yes he took the left overs to school for lunch the next two days! He loved it!!! Not sure you wanted to be around him after he ate chili (I'm not claiming this talent it's all Rick) ... LOL :) The musical fruit ... oh boy I'm done going loopy!

Me and my gift basket!

Here is what you need!

Very Simple and super yummy!!

Yes it's called Easy Slow-Cooked Chili for a reason!!!

This recipe is super simple and the added French's onions in the slow cooker and then topped with it when dished up gives it a new dimension. See I told you I've been watching the Food Network too much! Enjoy, remember it's easy to make up a new recipe with what you have in your cabinet. Believe it or not I had all the stuff for this! My moto is no running to the store use what you got!!!

Ingredients:

2 lbs. lean ground beef

2 tbsp. chili powder

1 tbsp. ground cumin

1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes in purée

1 can (15 oz.) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup water

1/4 cup FRANK'S® REDHOT® Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce

2 cups FRENCH'S® French Fried Onions, divided

Directions:

COOK beef, chili powder and cumin in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring frequently; drain. Transfer to slow cooker.

ADD tomatoes, beans, water, Frank's RedHot Sauce and 1/2 cup French Fried Onions. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 6 hours (or on HIGH for 3 hours).

TOP chili with remaining onions. If desired, serve with sour cream and shredded cheese.

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday ~ A Cowboys Pot Pie Recipe

OK So I know I promised Chili but I couldn't resist making this recipe first. Chili tomorrow, I'll post next week! I know Cole was totally bummed, until he saw this come out with his initials and I was back on top as Mom of the year (oh stop laughing). So here I go recipe #2 using French's Foods and a can of Manischewtiz Beef broth. Now I've made a version of this before but I switched it up, hope you enjoy!

My Gift Basket, Thank you again Michaelene for the amazing opportunity!

Here's what I started with!

What the recipe called for Red Wine!

Good way to use up wine that you don't drink, not a big drinker or a red fan.

Perfect for recipes!

Throw it all together and then put a together like a pie!

I love putting the boys initials as the vents.

Cole & Caden loved it!

Ingredients

1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp pepper
1- 1/2# Ground Beef
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup celery, chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper
3 Carrots
3 Potatoes
1 cup Manischewtiz beef broth
1/2 cup beer or red wine (can use 1/2 cup beef broth as substitute)
1/2 tsp French's hot sauce
1 tsp French's Worcestershire sauce

Directions

Mix together the flour, salt, paprika, and pepper until well combined
Add meat with the flour mixture
Lightly brown meat
Add onions and celery, cook until tender
Add beer (wine), broth, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce
Stir until it comes to a boil
Stir in veggies cover, and set aside
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Roll out dough to fit bottom and sides of baking dish leaving about a 1/2 inch overhang
Place in baking dish
Pour meat mixture into pastry-lined pan
Roll the reaming dough to fit top of baking dish
Place dough on top of meat mixture
Pinching together to seal
Cut several steam vents in top crust (this is where you can do initials or a short word)
Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes
Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until crust is brown and filling is hot

And a REMINDER for you amazing cooks that can rock at making your own items I want to share with you some fun things that are going on right now.

• French’s Foods announces the launch of its first-ever LIVE National Cook-Off -celebrating home chefs who bring smiles to their families with time-saving, great tasting recipes. Revive the ritual of the family meal this autumn and submit your favorite family recipe featuring at least one-French’s product. 5 finalists will receive a trip to NYC to compete in the live cook-off for the chance to win $25,000!

• Just in time for the holiday season, The Manischewitz Company announces the launch of the 4^th Annual Man-O-Manischewitz Cook-Off, a cooking contest designed to encourage home cooks to challenge themselves in preparing a meal that is kosher, simple and delicious. The contest encourages people to experiment with ethnic cooking similarly to the way people enjoy preparing Chinese, Mexican and Italian cuisine. Entrants will compete for a chance to win the $25,000 grand prize package including GE Profile kitchen appliances. Featured celebrity guest judge and MC-legendary acclaimed chef, Jacques Pépin.

Make Something Monday ... French's Quick and Crispy Mac & Cheese

As most of you know I love to cook, now to people that know me or have followed me from the beginning are laughing. Yup I use to be the BOX QUEEN! Everything was a made or actually prepared from a box and that is the way life was for us! So last September we had an exchange student come live with us for a school year. Something just happened and I started to make meals that were yummy! And get this they are actually really easy and quick!

Now I'm by far one of those amazing home chef's that make a recipe from scratch. I do love to tweak and make each dish my own. I was contacted by Michaelene offering to send me some wonderful French's Food, which is one of my favorite brands. I actually looked in my fridge and cupboards and was surprised how many items I have! So today and tomorrow I have two dishes to share with you.

And for you amazing cooks that can rock at making your own items I want to share with you some fun things that are going on right now.

• French’s Foods announces the launch of its first-ever LIVE National Cook-Off -celebrating home chefs who bring smiles to their families with time-saving, great tasting recipes. Revive the ritual of the family meal this autumn and submit your favorite family recipe featuring at least one-French’s product. 5 finalists will receive a trip to NYC to compete in the live cook-off for the chance to win $25,000!

• Just in time for the holiday season, The Manischewitz Company announces the launch of the 4^th Annual Man-O-Manischewitz Cook-Off, a cooking contest designed to encourage home cooks to challenge themselves in preparing a meal that is kosher, simple and delicious. The contest encourages people to experiment with ethnic cooking similarly to the way people enjoy preparing Chinese, Mexican and Italian cuisine. Entrants will compete for a chance to win the $25,000 grand prize package including GE Profile kitchen appliances. Featured celebrity guest judge and MC- legendary acclaimed chef, Jacques Pépin.

Now for my first recipe I made a version of French's Quick and Crispy Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups (2.8 oz.) FRENCH'S® Cheddar or Original French Fried Onions

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can CAMPBELL'S® Condensed Cream of Celery Soup (I substituted Cream of Chicken Soup)

1 1/4 cups milk

3 cups cooked elbow pasta (1 1/2 cups uncooked)

2 cups shredded Cheddar or cubed American cheese

1 cup diced cooked ham

1/2 cup frozen peas

Now I left out the ham and peas. As many of you know I was on a ham kick for a few months and I'm still banned from making it. No matter what anyone says I will be using ham these holidays! And not a fan of peas so I skipped those also. I did however add in some of the spicy mustard to give the dish a kick! I feel like it gives the dish a different dimension (I know I've been watching the Food Network too long)

Directions:

HEAT oven to 350°F. Crush French Fried Onions in plastic bag using hands or rolling pin.

MIX soup and milk in 2-qt. baking dish. Stir in pasta, cheese, ham and peas. Top with crushed onions.

BAKE 30 min. or until heated through.

Stay tune tomorrow I'm going to be making a chili (yes the one I promised Cole a few weeks back) and you never know I may throw in something else!

Ever want to send me a gift.

Yup a food basket is the way to my heart!

Oh yeah I love those yummy fried onions!

Here is my super yummy

Quick and Crispy Mac and Cheese!