Don't Forget the Cornbread

There’s nothing better than a big pot of chili with cornbread.  Try this recipe—make up a large batch and freeze it for another day.

Texas Chili

• 2 lbs coarse ground beef or lean chuck roast (cut into ¼ inch cubes)
• 3 cups cooked pinto beans
• Large can of pureed tomatoes
• 1 bottle of beer (your favorite)
• 2 cups water
• 1 large finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
• 3 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 ½ tsp. red pepper sauce
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the meat until tender; in another pot cook the beans until they are tender.  Add the water, tomatoes and onions to the meat, bring to a boil and then let simmer for an hour.  Add the remaining ingredients except for the beans.  Let simmer 1 hour.  Add the beans last.

Don’t forget the cornbread!

Cake Pops

This is my pick for September: Bakerella.com

This fun website feels very retro to me and well worth a visit.  Bakerella.com is “a place to explore recipes, desserts, decorating and even photography with a few giveaways sprinkled in along the way. You’ll find ideas for cupcake pops (a Bakerella creation), cakes, pies, cupcakes, cookies, brownies and more.”  You have to check out these cupcake pops—love them! This website inspires me to take a cake decorating class–I just might!

I encourage you to explore this fun and exciting website!

Surprise Them With a Kiss

If you love chocolate, this is the cookie for you.

Surprise Chocolate Snowball

• 2 cups flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 package Hershey’s Chocolate Kisses
• ¾ cup chopped walnuts
• Powdered sugar

Cream the butter with the sugar and vanilla.  Stir in the flour and walnuts.  Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.  Shape the dough into approximately 2 inch balls around one of the Hershey Kisses.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for approximately 10 minutes.  After the cookies come out of the oven, roll them in powdered sugar and let cool.

Swap Your Newspapers

We all are hanging onto our money a little more tightly these days–every penny counts.  Consider sharing the cost of your newspapers and magazines with family, friends and neighbors.  Usually by subscribing for a full year it is much more cost effective and then split that cost with someone.   The person who receives the paper can pass it on after reading it.

Magazines can be fun to swap with a group of family and friends.  Get together and discuss who will subscribe to what, so that there are no duplicates.  Then once a week get together and swap.  After the magazines have made the rounds, recycle them.

We Moms have a hard time letting go of our “babies”.  Now that it is time to say goodbye to those off to college, I hope you will find comfort in this.

Spice Up Your Shrimp

Louisiana Grilled Shrimp is the perfect recipe for lazy summer nights when you want a quick meal with little bother. This recipe will bite back, but well worth it.  You can adjust the peppers to your taste. Try it on the grill this summer.

Multi-Use Salt

You will find salt in every home.  But it is not just for seasoning your food.  Here is a small sampling of what you can use salt for:

• Mix ¼ cup salt and 1 Tbsp. water to form a paste; apply to stains such as blood and wine. Let set for half hour then rinse off.

• Clean copper and brass by cleaning with a paste of salt and vinegar.  The chemical reaction removes tarnish.

• Make a paste with ½ cup salt and 2 Tbsp. oil to apply to the wood.  Let it set for one hour and do not scrub.  The salt removes the stain while the oil restores the wood’s color.