Happy Halloween

We have a tradition every Halloween, we make chili, it seems like a perfect time, with the cool weather it just taste so good. This year I made a rather large batch and intend on sharing with the parents of the little trick or treaters  and anyone brave enough to trudge through the rain to bring their little ones over. Hope to see ya'll. Have a Happy Halloween!!

Mom’s Old Fashion Chili

1 1/2 lb Pinto beans

32oz Can V8 – (store brand works fine)

1 qt. Stewed Tomatoes

1 pt salsa

1 1/2 lb hamburger

½ lb sausage

2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

1 onion

1 bell pepper
Wash the pinto beans look for small rocks and dried pieces of mud. Put beans into a bowl and cover with water 1 –2 inches above the beans and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of baking soda – this will help with the “gas” problem. Soak the pinto beans all day and night. Pour off any excess water and rinse the beans. Put the beans in a pot cover with water – about an inch above the beans and place on medium/low heat when the water is looking like you need to add more – instead of adding water pour in the V8 and stewed tomatoes.   Chop the onion and green pepper and place in a separate pan with the burger and sausage cook till meat is browned and veggies are tender.  Drain any excess grease – Add to the beans and tomatoes – Add bottle of salsa (hot, medium, or mild whatever you like)– let simmer for a few hours -  season with Salt, Pepper and Chili powder

Tip: The chili powder you buy in the bag is much better and has better flavor that the kind you buy in the bottle.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Pumpkin Cupcakes

1 Spice cake mix
1 C canned pumpkin

Follow directions on the cake mix and add a cup of pumpkin. Mix and fill cupcake papers 3/4's full and bake according to the cake mix. (if you are doing the mini cupcakes bake for 10 minutes) Cool and top with cream cheese frosting.

Becka made these for our Super Saturday yesterday and they were a hit.

Day Old Bath Water

In the spirit of Halloween this is an awesome drink for your Halloween party.

Day Old Bath Water

12 ounce can frozen lemonade
2 liters 7-Up, Sprite, Sierra Mist
1/2 gallon Rainbow sherbet

Thaw sherbet for approximately 15 minutes and place in a plastic tub. Add lemonade (prepared according to directions) and 7-up. Sherbet will melt and turn mixture day old bathwater grayish-brown. Float a handful of green, yellow and white tiny after dinner mints (tiny bars of soap) on top of the scummy punch.

Weekend Rituals

So is it unusual to spend half the day Saturday and all day Sunday watching nothing but Baseball and football on TV? And when there's not a game on, watching the highlight reels? Oh and lets not mention the "Fantasy Football"?

Ok now don't get me wrong - I don't mind watching the occasional game now and then but really enough is enough! Yes I could go in the other room and watch something else but were is the Family in that? So here I sit hating my TV.

I would just love to have a quiet night with no TV. Is that weird? Maybe my thoughts are more entertaining?

Well I think I will go start on the fleece blankets for the NICU at the U of U hospital. Anything but FOOTBALL!!!!!!!

Christmas Pepper Jelly

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped jalapeno pepper

5 cups white sugar

1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

1 (6 fluid ounce) container liquid pectin

Remove stems, veins and most of the seeds of the bell and jalapeno peppers. Mince peppers in a food processor. In a 5-quart pot over high heat, combine bell peppers, jalapenos, sugar and vinegar. Bring to a rolling boil; boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.

Stirring constantly, add the pectin and let mixture cool for 2 minutes more. Now stir for 1 minute. Pour into hot, sterilized jars and top with sterilized lids. Secure lids with bands and turn jars upside down , and allow jars to cool slowly, creating a vacuum seal.

This recipe is great over cream cheese served with crackers, it is also great on chicken.

Christmas Pepper Jelly

First Time Blogger

Ok everyone - here it is - My Blog... I've decided that because I have so many people ask me for recipes and ideas and such I thought hmmmm..... if I put together a Blog then I'd have a place to organize it for everyone. So let me know if you see something you like or if you'd like to see something, just know this will be a work in progress for a while.
Cyndi