Ghost Chili with Spiders

It was a football watching afternoon yesterday with the Aggies on TV, at the same time as the Utes and the BYU to follow. So I decided to turn on the TV and make some White Bean Chili. (Ps. The Aggies won!! the Utes barely won is OT, and BYU lost so overall it was a great Football day).

This White Chili recipe is one I altered slightly from on in the new World wide Ward Christmas cookbook (which I LOVE).

Ghostly Fall White Chili

4-5 chicken breasts cooked et diced. (I just boiled mine up to cook them).

4 (15oz) cans white beans. (I left mine whole but some people recommend puree-ing one can for thickness)

1 & 1/2 cups Chicken broth

1 (4oz) can green chilies chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

4 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 Tbsp minced garlic mixed in some olive oil

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp oregano

1 tsp ground red pepper (only 1/2 if you want less spicy)

Combine all ingredients in a large pot and simmer for up to 1 hour. Add some Monterey Jack cheese before serving if desired.

I served the Chili with rolls I had shaped as spiders for fun.

Huge Halloween Resource

The Scrapbook Lady has compiled together a huge list of Halloween "recipe" tips saving me the time because great minds think alike and she listed everything I've been checking out the past few days. So if you need any baking, decorating, scrapping, photo-taking, activity ideas head on over to the Scrapbook Lady.

recycled packaging

I'd heard of recycling the packaging that your scrapbooking supplies came in for crafts, gifts, and on your layouts before, but I didn't really "get" how'd you recycle the packaging until I saw this new little trend at a local store Paper Creations in SLC. I love gifty things and thought this was way fun.

front back

At home I looked at what I had still in the package that would work for a similar Halloween treat. I took my big clear block for my clear stamps out and viola! I had the perfect container. All product used is Pebbles Inc. Halloween line and ribbon.

front

back

Easy stuffed Pork Chops

My roommate Camille and I had found a stellar deal on pork chops last week at Smith's and decided to try something new. We didn't want BBQ'd pork (although that is delicious) and Camille doesn't liked cooked apples so the pork and apple thing was out, but we found a really good recipe at Allrecipes.com that was easy and delicious.

This is the our own simple version of the recipe that uses StoveTop stuffing. If you want to make your own stuffing head over to allrecipes and check out all the great recipes there for stuffed pork chops.

PS. This recipe would work for chicken with chicken stuffing, or leftover turkey as well.

1 box pork StoveTop stuffing mix.
Pork Chops (we had 6 or 7 pork chops)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1-2 cans of sliced mushrooms
1/2 a chopped onion

Mix together the stuffing as directed amount of water. I just used warm water, did not add the butter, and fluffed with a fork until it was all mixed. Set aside.

Chop onion and saute in a pan on the stove in butter or shortening. Brown each pork chop on each side with the onion.

Place browned pork chops (with onion) in a 9x13 pan. Spoon stuffing mix on top of pork chops.

Mix together soup with 1 can water and add mushrooms. Pour over stuffing and pork chops.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes (Pork should reach temperature of 160-180 degrees).

Serve with a veggie and rolls.

Ghost in the Graveyard Cupcakes

I call these Ghost in the Graveyard cupcakes because they have a yummy surprise cream cheese filling. They have also been called Black Bottom Cupcakes.

1 (80z) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup white sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup minature chocolate chips

Beat cream cheese, egg, sugar, and salt until there are no more lumps. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup water
1/3 cup veg. oil
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center and add water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Stir together until blended.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line or grease muffin tin. Pour chocoalte into muffin tin until 1/3 full. Add a spoonful of cream cheese mixture to the center.

Bake for 25 minutes. Frost with chocolate frosting if desired.

Ways to celebrate October.

On my regular blog I always post a list of ways to celebrate October.

You can check out this years list by clicking here.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Roll

It's FALL!!!!

Pumpkin Roll

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup pumpkin

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup powdered sugar

3/4 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp. Butter, softened

1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 15x10x1 baking pan and line with waxed paper. Grease and flour paper.

Beat eggs, add sugar and pumpkin. Add flour cinnamon, baking soda. Spread in pan and bake for 15 mins. Immediatly turn onto a powdered sugar dusted towel (flour sack towels work best). Peel off waxed paper and roll up cake. Cool completely.

Mix filling of powdered sugar, vanilla, butter, cream cheese until smooth.

Carefully unroll cake and spread filling over and re-roll. Cover and chill until serving. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Can keep in freezer.