Five-Can Chili

Taste of Home

Another one of my all time favorite quick meals when your pressed for time!  I'm not a big fan of canned foods...don't know why but I just don't do it.  Something about my veggies/beans sealed in a can just doesn't sit right with me.   I do use can tomatoes though.  LOL!  I'm silly like that at times.  I grew up on canned veggies so don't know why I shy away from it now.  I usually buy dried beans, fresh or frozen veggies.  Anyway, we rarely have meatless meals in my house.  I'm a BIG meat eater and I get that from my mom!  One night I didn't have anything in the freezer and I was too lazy to go food shopping.  I don't buy meat from Get Go (a gas station that near by with a mini mart and is affiliated with Giant Eagle) anymore because when I first moved to Pittsburgh I brought a pack of chicken wings from them one time.  When I got home and was preparing to clean them...I open the pack and BAM!!!!  Whew...they were spoiled and I can't believe I couldn't smell that through the package!  That mess stinked up the damn house!!!  SMH!  I was so pissed!  Anyway, I saw this recipe in my Taste of Home magazine and said, "Bingo"!  I always keep cans of tomatoes on hand so all I need to go get was the rest of the items.  I marched down to Get Go to get the rest of the canned goods I needed to complete my meal.  How bad could their canned goods be right?  I pondered over this for about an hour before I said, freak it!  SMH!  We had to eat right?  LOL!  Well this meal was quick, easy and delish!  Nothing was wrong with the canned goods either.  Haha!  I'm a mess...I know!  ;)

Ingredients:
1 can (15 ounces) chili with beans
1 can (15 ounces) mixed vegetables, drained
1 can (11 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed tomato soup, undiluted
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies
*Of cause I added a little salt, pepper and cayenne to this dish! 

In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients; heat through.

Yup...it's that simple!  You can't go wrong when your freezer is on E (empty)!  LOL!  I just served the chili over some long-grain rice. 

Enjoy!

Jill's Comfort Zone

Roasted Parmesan Potato Wedges

Taste of Home

I truly enjoy making my own potato wedges.  I've made different kinds...hot and spicy, herb, etc. and we always enjoy it.  Something quick and easy to make when your pressed for time as well.  I found this recipe in one of my Taste of Home's Magazine a while back.  I've made this before but I used that canned Parmesan cheese instead of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and didn't like it at all!  That canned stuff sucks!  I've tried it on severely dishes like lasagna, baked ziti, etc. and it still gross me out!  So I don't buy that stuff anymore!  Fresh all the way!  That's just my opinion.  I have a lot of friends who enjoys it.  These potato wedges also are good with some chili on top!  Yummy!  I guess my reason for posting this recipe today because I'm actually thinking about making some tonight. 

Ingredients:
4 potatoes
2 tsps canola oil (I always use EVOO)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp seasoned salt (I just use salt and smoked paprika)
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
*To kick it up a notch add some cayenne pepper!  I almost always do!  I love spicy food!  ;)

Cut each potato lengthwise in half.  Cut each half into three wedges.  In a large bowl, sprinkle potatoes with oil; toss to coat.  Combine the remaining ingredients.  Add to potatoes; toss to coat.

Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a baking pan coated with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with any remaining coating.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown and tender.

Enjoy!

Jill's Comfort Zone

Spicy Chipotle Grilled Chicken

Epicurious.com

So I made this recipe a few weeks ago.  I found this recipe on Epicurious website.  You can click the link to get the recipe.  I won't post the recipe since I didn't really change much in the recipe.  I used dried cilantro instead of fresh, I used boneless/skinless chicken breasts instead of chicken pieces and I grilled on top of my stove instead of using my gas grill.  I do have some pics for ya though!  ;) 

It was raining when I was making this recipe so I had to use my stove top grill and boy did I smoke the whole building up!  LOL!  And because of the spices me and the girls eyes were burning, noses were running and we were choking half to death!  SMH!  Not sure if I need a new stove top grill or what but it was crazy in here last week!  Thank God that my new place I'm moving to at the end of this month have a back porch that's shelter!!!!  I can grill at anytime and don't have to worry about the weather!  WOO HOO!  Thank you Lord!!!! 

I served the chicken with sweet peas, potato salad and Zateran's Red beans and rice.  With the leftover chicken I used it for our salad the next day!  Yummy!

Enjoy!

Jill's Comfort Zone

Chicken and Biscuit Casserole

Sorry readers for not blogging in a few days! I've have a lot going on for the past couple of days! Between working, packing, and doctors appointments I hardly have time to do much of anything else. Well this recipe that I made this pass Sunday was truly delish! I'm not a casserole girl so I rarely make casseroles but this one I tried one evening at my friend, Ciara, house and was truly good. Since she was out of town last weekend, I couldn't get the recipe book from her so I just winged it with help from my cousin, Sylle! She read of some recipes from some of her cook books to me over the phone and I just took a little bit of ingredients from each of them plus what I did remember that was in the one I ate and put them all together! LOL!  The only thing I would change is cutting the chicken into smaller cubes.

Ingredients:
-3 boneless/skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size cubes
-2 cans biscuits
-Can cream of chicken + milk
-Can cream of celery + milk
-Onion, sliced
-Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
-Frozen mixed vegetables
-Bacon, cooked and crumbled
-Salt and pepper, to taste
-Oregano, dried
-Cilantro, dried
-Chicken broth

Preheat oven 375 degrees.  After you've clean the chicken breasts, cut them into bites size cubes.  Place them in a pot of chicken broth seasoned with salt, pepper, oregano and cilantro and boil for about 10 to 15 minutes.  Saute the onions using butter in a saucepan, remove and set aside.  Spray a baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.  Place the chicken cubes and the remaining ingredients except for the biscuits (saving some cheese and bacon to put on top of biscuits) in the baking dish.  Stir everything together real good.  The veggies and bacon was still crispy!  Yummy!  Just the way I like it!

Now place biscuits on top of the veggie mixture. 

Top biscuits with the rest of the bacon and cheese.

Place the baking dish in the oven and cook for about 25 to 30 minutes.  Don't burn the biscuits!  So keep checking on it. 

Enjoy!


Jill's Comfort Zone

Strawberry Chocolate Cake

You know...when I first saw this recipe I frowned! LOL! I mean...microwave cooking isn't my thing and the thought of baking in it frightened me a little! I have to tell you guys this method truly surprised me! I thought the cake would come out rubbery, etc. but it didn't! It was actually moist and stayed moist the next day. I was doing a Tupperware party one weekend and the Host chose this recipe for me to demonstrate! I thought I'd better make one at home first before trying this at the party. I was not trying to get embarrassed! LOL! Looks are deceiving guys because when I took it out of the microwave I was like what the hell!!! To my surprise it was indeed delish and sweets aren't my thing. I've made this at several parties and it's my biggest hit! Tupperware has stepped up their game and made microwave cooking safe and spectacular people! You can check out my Tupperware website for new products or any products seen here that your interested in.  Thanks!

Ingredients:
1 box chocolate cake mix
3 egg whites
1 can strawberry pie filling (you can use cherry pie filling instead)
1/4 cup water
1 tub chocolate frosting
Fresh Strawberries (for topping)
Whipped topping (I made my own)

This is the Heat 'N Serve 8 1/2 cup Oval Container and the Prep Essentials Mix-N-Stor Plus Pitcher.  The other products I used which is posted above are the Saucy Silicone Spatula, Chef Chopper and Micro Pitcher Set.

Lightly spray Heat 'N Serve Container with cooking spray and set aside.  In Mix-N-Stor Pitcher blend cake mix, egg whites, pie filling, and water until well combined.  Pour batter into Heat 'N Serve Container, spreading evenly with Spatula.  Place uncovered in microwave oven and bake for 11-13 minutes at high power.  After 10 minutes check ever minute and remove from microwave when a small area appears uncooked at the center of cake.  Place on a rack and cool 10 minutes before turning out onto a serving plate.  Allow to cool slightly and glaze with frosting.  Serve warm with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.

Enjoy!


Jill's Comfort Zone

T-Bone Steak Toss Up

I love me some steak! I'm drooling now just blogging about them! SMH!  I served Bacon Wrapped Asparagus with them.  Yummy!

Ingredients:
T-Bone Steaks
Red Peppers
Green peppers
Sliced mushrooms of your choice
Onions
Minced garlic
Steak seasoning
Salt and pepper
Butter
Olive Oil cooking spray
Dry Sherry

Seasoning steaks with steak seasoning.  Spray the stove top grill with olive oil cooking spray and grill steaks for 4 to 5 minutes each side.  Remove and set aside. 

While steaks are grilling, melt butter in a large sauce pan and then add the rest of the ingredients except for the minced garlic and dry sherry.  Saute veggies until slightly soften.  Add minced onions and saute some more for about 1 minute and then add some dry sherry and cook until reduced 1/2 way.  Once steak is done, add to the sauce pan and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes.  Serve!

Enjoy!

Jill's Comfort Zone

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

I made these a few times and there truly delicious! Another simple dish and another excuse to firer up the grill! I'm making some tonight but a little different and I'm roasting them in the oven because it's raining outside. I will post it later on... All you need is a bundle of asparagus, a few slices of bacon, salt, pepper and a little EVOO. Coat asparagus with a little EVOO and Lightly season with salt and pepper. Wrap about 3 asparagus with some bacon and throw these babies on the grill for a few minutes turning to make sure you could all sides of the bacon. Remove and enjoy! I serve them with corn on the cob, roasted small potatoes and grilled T-Bone steak that I sauteed with some mushrooms and veggies!  Yummy!

Enjoy!

Jill's Comfort Zone

Baked Whole Coated Chicken

I made this two years ago!  Oh my, talk about delish!!!!  I get tired of making the same old boring dishes and was looking for something different to do with my whole chicken.  My foodie friend, Carol (Little c), told me about this method.  Thanks hun! It's really simple...

Preheat oven 350 degrees.  Clean your chicken How to Bake Chicken.  I posted this link because some people have never baked a whole chicken before and there's nothing wrong with that!  We all have things that we haven't done yet.  Anyway, after you've clean the chicken, pat dry and season as you like.  For me I use different herbs and seasonings from time to time.  Since I was going to coat the chicken with Idahoan's Butter and Herb Instant Mashed Potatoes, I didn't use any herbs. 

I just seasoned the chicken with smoked paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.  Then I cut up some onions, red peppers, and green peppers and stuffed some inside the chicken.  Left some to add to inside the baking dish. 

Then I coated the chicken with the package of Idahoan Butter and Herb Instant Mashed Potatoes. 

Covered the dish and bake for about 1 hour to 1 hour 1/2.  Uncover for the last 30 minutes cooking time and cook until lightly brown and crisp! 

Enjoy!


Jill's Comfort Zone

Baked Hot Curry Chicken Wings

In my world measuring rarely exist! I just can't seem to do it! SMH! But by all means if you really need assistance with any of my recipes that I post without the measurements, please leave me a comment and I will try to give you some guidance. Most of the time when I'm in my kitchen I just pretty work free handed. Never know if I'm going to use this or that...I just eye ball it and keep taste testing until it satisfy my taste buds. Anyway, curry chicken is one of Sabrina's! I think she likes curry anything as long as it's hot and spicy! LOL! This is a dish I make often! This particular night I served the wings with steamed cabbage, white rice topped with some of the curry gravy and corn bread.

Ingredients:

Hot Curry Powder
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Red crush pepper flakes
Chicken broth
Red pepper, sliced
Green pepper, sliced
Onion, sliced
Can of diced tomatoes, drained (optional)
12 Chicken Wings

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. After cleaning the wings, place in a bowl and season with curry powder, garlic powder, S & P, and red crush pepper flakes and toss to coat the wings. Stir in tomatoes.

In a glass baking dish, place sliced veggies in the bottom of the dish, top with wings and pour chicken broth over chicken. Cover dish and cook for about 1 and 1/2 hours to 2 hours. Remove cover, and bake for 10 minutes or until skin is lightly brown and crisp and juices are running clear.

Enjoy!


Jill's Comfort Zone

Sweet and Sour Wings

I haven't made this one in a while and didn't take a picture.  I believe I found this recipe on About.com but not sure.  These were truly good!  As you will see following my blog, I'm a big fan of chicken wings!  The tips are my favorite part! 

Sauce ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water
3 to 4 Tbsps ketchup
2 tsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp salt


Marinate 3lbs chicken wings with garlic powder and onion salt.  Coat chicken in cornstarch.  Dip into 3 beaten eggs, then fry in oil, about 1 to 2 minutes until golden.  Place wings in baking pan.  Pour sauce over chicken and bake at 300 degrees for 40 minutes.

Enjoy!


Jill's Comfort Zone

Seasoned Cornish Hens

All week I've been craving Cornish hens for some reason! We had Cornish hens twice this week. Yesterday I tried something different! I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and it was truly delish!

1/2 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsps oyster sauce
3 cloves garlic, crushed
ground black pepper
2 hens
2 Tbsps butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, mix soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic and pepper. Place hens in the mixture and marinade for 10 minutes. Transfer hens to a med. baking dish, and cover with marinade mixture. Cover dish and bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven.

Remove cover from dish and place 1/2 the butter on each hen. (I melted the butter and brushed it on each hen) Increase oven temp to 350 degrees. Basting frequently with the marinade mixture, continue baking 30 minutes or until exterior of the hens is lightly browned and crisp.


Jill's Comfort Zone