Chili Nachos

Have you ever shared a plate of nachos with someone? Inevitably, as you get near the bottom of the nachos, you spot the one nacho that is overloaded with cheese and just as you are reaching for it, the other person grabs it first. This happens all the time with Neil and I whenever we share food. I usually shoot him a dirty look and then try and scrape some cheese off the side to enjoy with my last chip. If you look at the photo below, you'll realize that nacho platers could save us married folks some dirty looks by just using a simple layering method!

All they have to do is put a layer of chips, a layer of cheese (or this delicious chili mixture), and then repeat. Then you won't be stuck with all of the leftover chips at the bottom and no cheese to enjoy them with. Does this happen to anyone else?

Anyways, these were delicious. Not an every day meal kind of thing but fun if you are watching the football game or just want a dinner that doesn't feel like dinner.

Chili Nachos

Source: The Piggly-Wiggly

1 lb ground sirloin

salt and pepper

1 small onion, diced

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1 (8-0unce) can tomato sauce

1 sack of yellow corn tortilla chips

10 oz shredded yellow cheddar cheese

sour cream, optional garnish

salsa, optional garnish

2 scallions, chopped, optional garnish

Heat a medium skillet over high heat. Brown the beef and then crumble with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper, then add onions, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, and cumin. Cook another 3-5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and simmer 5 more minutes.

Preheat broiler. Arrange corn chips in a single layer in a casserole dish. Top the chips with a layer of chili topping and then a layer of cheese. Repeat layering until you've used all the chili mixture. Melt the top layer of cheese under the broiler until melted and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Garnish with sour cream, salsa, and scallions. Enjoy!

A-1 Potatoes

When I blogged about the Peppery London Broil awhile back, I mentioned my love for A-1 sauce and the embarrassment my hubs suffers when I order it at restaurants. The above picture may not look very appetizing but there is some pure A-1 goodness on those potatoes. Normally, I do Worcestershire sauce but I decided to switch it up this time.

My parents came out a few weeks ago for a wonderful visit. We had green chile cheeseburgers one night and I made these potatoes to go along with it. I'm not the only A-1-aholic in my family-my older sister loves it as well. My parents aren't quite at the stage I'm at but they can definitely appreciate some A-1 sauce, especially on potatoes.

A-1 Potatoes

Source: Tyler's Taste Test Original

3 unpeeled potatoes, scrubbed and sliced thinly

3.5 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1/3 cup A-1 sauce

1 cup shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 450º. Toss potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a ziplock bag. On a baking sheet lined with foil, arrange the potatoes in a single layer with as little overlapping as possible. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Brush the potatoes with A-1 sauce and then top with shredded cheese. Bake for another 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Enjoy!

Pioneer Woman's Chicken Tortilla Soup

It's almost that time of year again. My most favorite time. Fall. I love everything about Fall: going to the pumpkin patch, the crunchy leaves, cooler weather, boots, and most of all the food. Fall food is always a little heavier and heartier but there are so many wonderful flavors. Soup is always a food I associate with Fall. It's warm and hearty and is the perfect thing to eat after a day at the pumpkin farm.

I saw this recipe while browsing through PW's blog and put it on our to make list right away. It's very filling and all the garnishes make it even better. If you are having a chilly day or just want to feel like Fall, you should definitely make this soup!

PW's Chicken Tortilla Soup

Source: The Pioneer Woman

2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tbsp olive oil

1.5 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup diced onion

1/4 cup diced green bell pepper

1/4 cup diced red bell pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

1o oz can Rotel with green chiles

32 oz low sodium chicken stock

3 tbsp tomato paste

4 cups hot water

2 cans black beans, drained (I substituted Northern white beans)

3 tbsp cornmeal

5 whole corn tortillas, cut into 2-3 inch strips

For garnishes:

sour cream

diced avocado

diced red onion

salsa or pico de gallo

grated cheese

cilantro

Preheat oven to 375º. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle both sides of chicken with a small amount of spice mix. Set aside the remaining spice mix.

Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Shred the chicken and set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red and green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.

Pour in rotel, stock, tomato paste, water and beans. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.

Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water and pour into soup. Simmer for an additional 30 minutes, adding more seasoning if needed. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving. Stir in tortilla strips before serving. Serve and top with garnishes. Enjoy!

Recipe Swap: Mrs. Field's Apple Oatmeal Cookies

Have you ever had a recipe that just goes completely wrong? This recipe for the recipe swap was that one for me. But don't stop reading and write this one off; it's definitely worth making. The theme this time was pumpkin or apple recipes. I submitted my Pumpkin Butterscotch and Chocolate Chip Cookies.

It started out when my to-do list this week exploded. I knew I had to make the cookies but then I kept adding x,y,z to my list to get ready for school and my parents visit. Every time I got ready to make the cookies, something else would pop into my head. Finally, 10:00pm rolls around and I start to make them. But then I realize that the things I thought I had weren't in the pantry. I was missing cloves, lemon zest, and honey. With some quick thinking substitutions (maple syrup kind of has the same consistency as honey and it seemed like it could fit with a Fall-ish recipe), I was able to make these cookies.

These definitely tasted like Fall. Cinnamon and apples have to be one of the best combinations out there and adding oatmeal into the mix and putting it in cookie form just made the pair even better. Their texture isn't like your regular cookie; it's more cake-like but it's also extremely moist. I recommend going by the actual recipe but if you are in a pinch, don't hesitate to substitute.

Mrs. Field's Apple Oatmeal Cookies

Source: Delish

2.5 cups AP flour

1 cup quick oats

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

2 tsp grated lemon zest

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup butter

1 large egg

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup honey

1 cup fresh apple, peeled and finely chopped

Extra quick oats for topping, optional

Preheat oven to 300º. In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, salt, soda, cinnamon, cloves and lemon zest. Mix well and set aside.

Cream the sugar and butter together using an electric mixer. Add the egg, applesauce, and honey and beat at medium speed until smooth. Add the flour mixture in slowly until just combined. Using a spatula, fold in the apples.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets, 1.5 inches apart. You can sprinkle the unbaked cookies with extra oats if you'd like.

Bake the cookies for 23-25 minutes or until bottoms are golden. Enjoy!

Spiced Chicken with Potatoes

I love to cook but I usually stick to the recipe or make a few variations. I kind of put this dish together out of some of the stuff we had and when Neil told me it was blog worthy I got excited. I think I've blogged maybe one or two things that were original recipes and I'd like to create some more dishes. I'll just add it to the to-do list that is currently a mile long.

Spiced Chicken with Potatoes

Source: Tyler's Taste Test Original

3/4 tsp salt, divided

1 tbsp chile powder

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup chicken stock

In a bowl, combine chile powder, 1/2 tsp salt, thyme, pepper, and 1 tbsp olive oil. Add chicken and toss to coat. Allow to sit while you prep the veggies.

In a large bowl, combine 1/4 tsp salt, potatoes, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and 1 tbsp olive oil. Toss to combine.

Add chicken mixture to large skillet and brown for 2 minutes on each side. Add potato mixture to pan and 1/2 cup chicken stock. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 25 minutes until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through. Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich

This may look like your average grilled cheese sandwich but inside there's a little sumthin sumthin. A nice little kick that takes your average grilled cheese sandwich up a few notches.

Buffalo chicken and mozzarella cheese. This was inspired by a picture I pinned from Foodgawker. Foodgawker is where I go when I'm hungry and I want to torture myself with pictures of delicious looking food that I have no intention of making because my closet doesn't contain the ingredients and I'm too lazy to go out and get them.

But, I had the ingredients for this one folks! I had planned on making buffalo chicken sandwiches and when I saw this I couldn't resist turning it into a grilled cheese. And it was good.

By the way, I'd just like to point out that this is the second thing from my Pinterest "Yum" board and therefore I have already crossed off two things from my 23 x 23 list which is about the progress I had made a month ago on my News Years Resolutions. I've got a good feeling about this list :)

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Source: Foodgawker inspired

Your favorite recipe for buffalo chicken (I used this one prepared in the crock pot)

Mozzarella cheese

Blue cheese crumbles, optional (I didn't use any but I think it would definitely add to the sandwich)

sandwich bread

butter

Prepare your buffalo chicken. Spread butter on one side of a piece of bread. Place bread butter side down in a heated pan and top with mozzarella and blue cheese. Next, add a good amount of buffalo chicken on top of the cheese. Finally, top with another buttered slice of bread, butter side up. Grill until golden brown on both sides and cheese has melted (about 2 minutes per side). Enjoy!