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Spicy Chilli with Cornbread Muffins and Veggie Mess Salad

My mother used to start a chili and then begin other kitchen cleaning. Sometimes left over corn and some meat and gravies from previous meals mysteriously ended up in the pot. Simmer this all with some chili powder and wow! It�s a whole new world of chilli out there.

2 lbs. ground lean beef or turkey
cooking spray
1 large white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
2 10 oz cans zesty tomato sauce
2 15 oz cans large, dark red kidney beans
1 15 oz can of black beans (Mexican varieties are best)
4 Tbsp. chili powder (or more if you dare)
1 tsp. oregano
2 Tbsp. parsley
salt and black pepper to taste

Optionally � add some chopped jalepeno peppers to taste!!!

Heavily spray a large, heavy pot and brown the meat along with the onion and garlic. Drain away any fat and turn heat up high. Add all other ingredients and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to very low and let simmer for an hour. Stir often so it doesn�t get stuck to the bottom of the pot. If it does, pour the unburned chilli into another pot without disturbing the burned mess at the bottom of the burned pot. Hide it in the oven until all children or otherwise teasing non-cookers are in bed asleep.

Cornbread Secret Muffins: (with secret soy ingredients)

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 scoop unsweetened protein shake powder, soy based, see your local health food store
3/4 cup cornmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt 4 Tbsp sugar or 6 packets of sweetener
1 tsp. chili powder
1 1/2 cups soymilk
2 T. vegetable oil

Preheat your oven to 400�F and use fat free cooking spray on an 8"x8" square pan. Combine flour, protein powder, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, sugar, and chili powder in a bowl, and set aside. Combine soymilk and oil in another bowl. Add the flour mixture into soymilk mixture, stirring until just moistened and lumpy. Don�t stir until smooth. Pour into baking pan and bake for 25 minutes. You can also bake these in cup cake baking cups, or in mini muffin pans to serve with chili.

Veggie Mess Salad: (A no-brainer)
Here�s how I make ours, you just use whatever vegetables your family prefers and leave out the ones they don�t, to avoid overuse of your garbage disposal.

2 cucumbers sliced thin
2 handfuls of grape tomatoes (these are yummy little cherry tomatoes, and if you haven�t discovered them yet, you will love these babies)
1 large purple onion, sliced into rings
3 stalks of celery cut up into � inch pieces
1 bottle of fat-free Italian Creamy Dressing

Mix all vegetables together, clean off your knife and cutting board, then toss the whole thing with fat free salad dressing. Refrigerate until ready to serve. I like this really cold.

Veggie Chilli with Mini Garlic Bread and Peach Cobbler
My sister is a vegetarian and when I found this out, I balked �But, but, but what about steak, what about chili?� and she told me she could have chili, just as good, if not better than the meaty stuff. Here�s her recipe. (Nope, she has no reasonable substitute for steak, sorry folks.) This has many ingredients, but it�s so easy, it�s just mix and heat really. I add salsa when I make this, to keep my kids eyes open at dinner time.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onions
3/4 cup chopped carrots
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 can whole peeled tomatoes with liquid, chopped (I like Mexican Rotel Brand, hot variety)
� chopped fresh mushrooms
1 can kidney beans with liquid
1 can whole kernel corn, undrained
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil

Saute onions, carrots, and garlic in a large, heavy pot that you sprayed with fat-free cooking spray. Stir in green pepper, red pepper, celery, and chili powder. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in all else including seasonings. Bring to a boil, then lower to medium-low setting. Cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. It comes out very colorful. You can pretty much add whatever you like and it�ll be good.

Mini Garlic Bread: (fools them at least once)
The first ingredient is left-over hot dog buns. Every mother has some, so get yours out. Check the freezer, you probably threw the bag in there. Separate them into separate pieces and place on a baking sheet. Now then. Mix some I Can�t Believe it�s not Butter Light with some garlic powder and stir until smooth. Spread on the buns, and wait until you are about to serve dinner. Then bake in a 400 degree oven just long enough to toast the edges. Watch carefully so you don�t burn them.

Peach Cobbler: (yep, reduced calories and you can�t tell) (no really, it is)

1/2 cup reduced-calorie margarine, not the tub kind, Use the STICK kind (melted)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with 2 teaspoons baking powder Or just use self rising flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar (no substitutes, this has to be sugar)
1/2 cup skim milk
4 cans sliced peaches packed in juice, not syrup, drained and keep 1 cup of the juice also.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Pour the melted margarine into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and white sugar. Stir in 1 cup of the reserved liquid from the peaches and the milk until smooth. Pour the batter evenly into the bottom of the dish over the margarine. Do not stir. Spoon peaches over the batter Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden brown. I like to lightly sprinkle the top of this dessert with white sugar and cinnamon mixed, for a little crumbly topping that�s pretty after it�s baked in.

Enjoy your kids and stay healthy, so you�ll get to enjoy your grandkids too.