These Nachos are made with my 123 CHILI and GAME DAY GUACAMOLE (see previous posts). Pile high any of your favorite NACHO toppings for a SUPER dish.

You will need:

• Nacho Chips
• 123 Chili
• Game Day Guacamole
• Sour Cream
• Fresh Grated Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and/or Pepper Jack Cheese
• Chopped Green Onions
• Black Olives
• Salsa

Printable Recipe

Super Bowl Nachos

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This past May our home school group took a cruise to Cozumel and Cancun. If you are ever near Cancun – spend a day at Nachi Cocum beach. The food there was incredible and our kiddos discovered fresh guacamole while visiting.

I know there are many variations when making guacamole, but often the taste of the avocado is masked by the heat from the jalapeño. If you prefer HOT, you can always add some chopped jalapeño with seeds. But the lime juice gives this dip plenty of zing.

• 2 avocados
• 4 Tablespoons lime juice
• 2-3 fresh garlic cloves – pressed or finely chopped
• ¼ cup mild salsa

Halve the avocados by cutting lengthwise towards center. If the avocado seeds weren’t HUGE and HARD, you could cut all the way through the center. Once the halves are separated, remove the avocado seed. Then remove the avocado flesh from the peel with a spoon. Place in a medium mixing bowl.

Add the lime juice, pressed or chopped fresh garlic, and the salsa. Mix on low speed until well blended. Best when served fresh with corn chips, or over nachos. For a picture of the guacamole, you’ll have to see the next post – Super Bowl Nachos (coming soon).

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Our family certainly isn’t married to any one particular chili recipe. However, the kids really like this one because it isn’t “chunky.” I like it because it is so quick and easy to make. This recipe can be whipped up in 3 steps and simmered for 30 minutes on the stovetop, or slow cooked in the crock pot.

STEP 1 Brown 1 pound ground beef in large pot.

STEP 2 Add Spices:

• 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 2 dried bay leaves (optional)
• 2 teaspoons onion powder (optional)

STEP 3 Open 3 Cans and add to beef and spices:

• 1 can Rotel (we like the mild)
• 1 can Tomato Sauce
• 1 can Beans (kidney, or pinto, navy, or black – cook’s choice!)

 Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or place in slow cooker and simmer longer (up to 4 hours) or until ready to serve.

This is great with Sour Cream Cornbread and over SUPER BOWL NACHOs! 

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Double Fudge Coca Cola Cake

In large bowl mix:

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups plain flour
• ½ teaspoon salt

In medium sauce pan bring to boil:

• 1 cup Coca Cola
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup real butter
• ½ cup cocoa

Then add the flour/sugar mixture to the boiling mixture and beat well.

Remove pan from heat and add:

• 2 beaten eggs
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Pour into greased and floured sheet cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Frosting

In a saucepan combine and heat until butter melts:

• 1 stick real butter
• ½ cup cocoa
• 6 Tablespoons real cream or milk

Then add and mix well:

• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• 1 pound powdered sugar

Cover cake with frosting while cake is still hot..

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I don’t always make healthy cooking or eating choices. But when I think back about how I USED to cook and eat, I know I’ve made some giant strides in a positive direction. I do cook a lot. But the continual cooking and baking that takes place around here is not only rooted in my enjoyment of cooking, and the family’s enjoyment of eating. I cook a lot from scratch because I have to.

I’ve had more health issues in my lifetime than I would certainly ever choose. I continue to search for answers and healing. I have learned what types of foods aggravate my conditions, and what foods make me feel better. I wish to use this web-site to share helpful cooking tips for better living.

Today I want to share what I have learned about MSG. I avoid MSG at all costs. Many people ask me, “What’s MSG?” MSG stands for Mono Sodium Glutamate. The FDA considers MSG a food additive, but it is really a toxin. Most fast food is full of MSG. McDonalds should be called Mc MSG. Many of the processed foods we buy at the grocery also contain this toxin. The FDA allows food manufacturers to sneak this substance into the food and disguise MSG as “spice” on the food label.

One way I avoid MSG is by making my own chicken or beef broth to substitute for canned broth in my recipes. Our local Kroger has a small but adequate health food section. I discovered NOT CHICK’N and NOT BEEF bouillon cubes when looking for MSG free chicken bullion. These cubes are free of wheat, MSG, trans fat, and they contain NO meat products!

To make 16oz of beef or chicken broth I simply boil 2 cups of hot water in a small pot, then add 1 NOT BEEF or NOT CHICK’N cube. If I am making a soup or stew, I will add the cubes to the soup mix along with the water. The taste is amazing, and nobody will ever know these products are vegetarian.

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Organic Wheat Free Banana Bread

This is my simple banana bread recipe which I have modified to make organic and wheat free. The original recipe called for 2 cups plain flour. I often substitute spelt and oat flours in place of the white flour. Sometimes I add a small amount of flax meal as well. So far, my family doesn’t miss that refined, processed white flour. Hurray!
In large mixing bowl cream:

• 1 cup organic sugar
• 1 stick organic butter – softened

Add and mix well:

• 3 ripe to over ripe bananas, peeled and mashed

Add and mix well:

• 2 eggs

In small bowl or cup blend:

• 4 Tablespoons buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Add buttermilk and soda to sugar, butter, eggs, and banana mixture. Mix well then add:

• 1 cup spelt flour
• ¾ cup oat flour
• ¼ cup ground flax meal
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Pour into 1 large or 2 small greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 until top is golden brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean. I’ve also used those mini baking pans, wrapped the tiny loaves in bags, and given as gifts.

Left over bread is excellent sliced, buttered, and toasted, then topped with cream cheese or peanut butter!

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Stromboli

It’s almost time to ring in a new year. I don’t know about you, but we’ve all had our fill of the traditional dishes like turkey and dressing, ham, rolls, heavy casseroles, and numerous desserts that now hang on our hips and thighs. We will be hosting a New Year’s Eve party at our home for our oldest son and his friends this year. This week, I will be sharing some recipes for our New Year’s Eve menu. Today, I give you the Stromboli.

This is so quick and easy and yet it’s one of those dishes your guests will think you spent a lot of time preparing. The first time I had this dish was at our church life group meeting. I still refer to it as Gina’s Stromboli, since this was her treat for our group to enjoy.

What you will need:

• 1 tube Pillsbury French Loaf dough
• 2 cups of shredded Italian or Mozzarella cheese
• ¼ pound thin sliced deli pepperoni or salami
• ½ pound thin sliced deli smoked turkey
• ½ pound thin sliced deli ham
• 1-2 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning
• Fresh grated Parmesan Cheese for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Lightly grease a cookie sheet or baking pan.

Open tube and remove dough, handling carefully. Find seam in dough and gently unroll the loaf of French dough on the greased pan. The dough should cover about a 12×8 area once it is unrolled.

Take slices of turkey and cover the entire surface of the dough. Repeat with the ham slices. Place pepperoni mainly in the middle area of the rectangle. If you really love pepperoni cover the entire rectangle.

Cover meats with the shredded Italian cheese.

Sprinkle 1-2 Tablespoons of Italian Seasoning (Oregano/Basil blend)

Starting on the long edge of dough, carefully begin rolling the dough toward opposite long edge. Pinch ends of dough together. Cut 3-4 slits on top of the Stromboli roll with a sharp knife.  (In the photo below, I formed a circle with the rolled up Stromboli to resemble a wreath for Christmas).

Place Stromboli in preheated oven. Cook until crust is golden brown, but not over done. This takes about 20 minutes in my oven, but ovens do vary a bit.

When Stromboli is brown, remove from oven and garnish top with fresh grated parmesan cheese. Let cool slightly. Transfer to your favorite serving platter. Cut into 1” slices to serve.

Variations:

Use other combinations of meats and cheese. My sons like double ham with cheddar cheese. We’ve also used Boar’s Head Salsalita Chicken with Montery Jack cheese and a dash of chili powder. This could easily become a vegetarian dish made with cheeses and veggies like spinach, mushrooms, onions, red and green peppers, black olives, or even zucchini

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Hashbrown Casserole

Place in a 9×13 greased baking dish:

• 1 bag Ore Ida frozen shredded hash brown potatoes 

In large bowl mix:

• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• ½ stick melted butter
• 2 Tablespoons minced dried onion flakes
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

Pour liquid/cheese mixture over hash browns.  Stir slightly.  Place in preheated 400 degree oven.  Bake about 45 minutes, or until top of casserole is golden brown.

This make a lot and can be easily divided and placed into 2 9×9 dishes.  One can be frozen and thawed later for cooking.

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