Chili Dip

This is one of my daughter, Grace's, favorite dips.  She has been after me to make her some recently, so over the Christmas holidays, I whipped up a batch. This is one of those dips that keep calling your name to come back for more!


1 (15 0z.) can chili with NO beans

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup salsa of your choice

1 ( 2 1/4. oz) can of sliced ripe olives, drained

Combine chili and cream cheese in medium saucepan.

Heat until cheese melts completely, stirring occasionally.

Stir in salsa and olives.

Stir until well combined and heated through.

Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Yield:  About 3 cups

Cherry Malted Cookies

This is a recipe for a cookie that my mother used to make every Holiday season when I was growing up.  It was always one of my favorites so when I recently ran across this recipe again, I decided to make some for my family. 

They were JUST as good as I remembered!!

1  1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup chocolate malted milk powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup shortening

1 egg

2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 Tablespoons maraschino cherry juice

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

1/4 cup maraschino cherries, finely chopped

Sift together flour, malted milk powder, soda, salt and cinnamon.

Place brown sugar and shortening in mixing bowl.

Cream sugar and shortening together well.

Add 1 egg, cherry juice and vanilla and beat well.

Blend in dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Finely chop cherries.

Add chopped cherries to mixture and mix thoroughly.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.

Remove cookies from oven and allow to cool a couple of minutes on cookie sheet.

Remove cookies from cookie sheet and cool on wire racks for approximately 5 - 10 minutes.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

This is a great week-night dinner that can be put together in a short amount of time.  My family really likes it served over rice.  This and a tossed salad is a complete meal! 

1 chicken, cooked and deboned (or approx. 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts)

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 cups chicken broth

1 (16 oz.) can mixed vegetables, drained

salt and pepper to taste

1 stick margarine, melted

1 cup Self- Rising Flour

1 cup buttermilk

Place cooked, shredded chicken in greased 13" X 9" X 2" dish. 

 Combine soup and broth; bring to a boil and pour over chicken.  

Pour can of mixed vegetables over this. Salt and pepper to taste.

Combine margarine, flour and buttermilk. 

Mix well.

Spoon over chicken mixture.

Bake at 425 degrees approximately 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

Cheatin' Bread

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Place stick of butter in bottom of Bundt pan and place in preheated oven to melt butter.

After butter is melted, remove pan from oven. 

Open both packages of crescent rolls, but DO NOT unroll the dough! Put the 2 lengths of dough together to form a circle. Pinch the ends together to seal tightly. Place circle of dough in Bundt pan and place in oven.

Bake for 30 minutes or until light golden brown.

Remove from oven. Invert bread onto serving platter and serve while hot.

Veggie Chili

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 large red pepper, chopped   (I used combination of yellow and red pepper)

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans chili beans

1 can black beans

1 large can diced tomatoes

2 Tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 - 2 cups water

1 cup TVP

Chop all peppers.

*Note : I keep sliced peppers in the freezer and chop them frozen, so you may notice ice crystals on the red and yellow peppers in this picture.

Chop yellow onion.

Chop carrots and celery.

Mince garlic.

Add all chopped vegetables to large stockpot.

Add diced tomatoes to chopped vegetables.

Add chili beans and black beans.

Add chili powder, cumin and cayenne pepper.

Add desired amount of water and stir until well-combined.  Bring to boil and then simmer until all vegetables are tender.

Add Textured Vegetable Protein. (TVP)

Stir until well-combined and heated thoroughly.

** This chili is even better the next day after all of the flavors have had more time to mix together. TVP takes on the flavor of whatever it is mixed with and is a great source of protein.