Wordless Wednesday

 

*(one of my favorite Halloween pics of my kiddos - the ninja & the cupcake) 💕 

Chili, Sloppy Joe's and Cornbread

 

Hello dear Friends and happy Thursday! 🍂 

I thought I would share several recipes today. When I mentioned my brown sugar chili a while back, I realized from some of you that I've never shared that recipe. So I thought I would do that today. I made sloppy joes last night and have a favorite easy recipe for that - so thought I'd throw that in too. And since I do cornbread with both, (I sometimes like to serve sloppy joes over cornbread instead of on buns), ... that will round out the recipes for today.  They are all great cozy Fall foods! 😋 

BROWN SUGAR CHILI

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 an onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 can chili beans (I use mild)

1 can kidney beans

1 can Busch's baked beans 

chili powder

cumin

garlic powder

paprika

red pepper flakes or cayenne (optional)

brown sugar (1-2 tbsp)

1 can tomato sauce

Brown & season ground beef, drain and set aside. In same pan, saute onion and pepper until softened a bit (can add oil to the pan if too dry). Add back the browned hamburger meat and add all of the canned beans. I use the liquid from all but the kidney beans -those I drain first and I only use 1/2 a can usually as I don't like them as much. Lol Then I season and I have never measured these so I'm not sure how much I use. I would guess I use several tbsp to even a 1/4 c. of chili powder, then maybe about 1 tsp of the other seasonings. Other than brown sugar, which I use at least a tbsp or more. And the cayenne I use about 1/4 tsp. I then taste as I go. I just like it to be a nice sweet heat. I then add the tomato sauce and check again to see if any more seasoning needs to be added. I let it simmer on the stove awhile...or I put it into a slow cooker and leave it on low or warm until we're ready to eat. I have also doubled this recipe and it's turned out great. I have been requested to bring this for potlucks through the years and it's been a favorite that I make for many family members. I usually serve it with shredded cheese, raw onion, sour cream and fritos for toppings. And often a side of cornbread muffins. 

FYI: it's perfect football food! 😋 

how it looks at the seasonings stage before tomato sauce is added

And the final product: nothing like a big pot of chili in the Fall - yum!

For the cornbread I keep it easy and use a boxed one (I love Famous Dave's). And I make it like it says on the box. But then I doctor it up by adding chopped up pickled jalapeno and about 1/2 a cup or so of shredded cheddar cheese. And when serving with chili I usually make 6 jumbo muffins.

When they come out of the oven I glaze them with honey butter while they're still hot. I make that by mixing 1/4 c. (half a stick) of softened butter with 2 tbsp of honey. More sweet heat to the muffins then too. Just brush honey mixture over the tops. I cannot tell you how insanely good they are this way - not spicy at all. Just so delish!

For sloppy joes I make the cornbread the exact same way...only I make it in an 8x8 pan and then brush the top of the bread with the honey butter glaze when it comes out of the oven. 

I use this recipe for "neat sloppy joes" from the Allrecipes website. You can find it here.

EASY SLOPPY JOES

Ingredients:

 2 pounds lean ground beef 

½ cup chopped onion 

1 cup chopped celery

 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup

 ¼ cup ketchup

 1 tablespoon white vinegar

 ¼ cup packed brown sugar 

1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 

½ teaspoon salt 

¼ teaspoon garlic powder 

  Directions:

 Step 1 Place ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until evenly browned, stirring to crumble. Add onion and celery, cover the pan, and cook until tender and transparent, about 5 minutes. Drain off any grease. Step 2 Stir the tomato soup (undiluted), ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce into the beef mixture. Season with salt and garlic powder. Heat to a simmer over low heat, and cook until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently to prevent it from burning on the bottom. Step 3 Spoon the hot beef mixture onto buns, which may be toasted first, and serve. (or as I do, over a piece of honeyed jalapeno cornbread. 

These have all been regular hits in my world. If you try them I hope you enjoy! xo

Wordless Wednesday

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY: SENIOR NIGHT 🏐

*(my main contribution was decorations - and gift bags a bit too. But my favorite was I found these adorable pumpkins in our team colors 😍 )

Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello dear Friends! 

I apologize I've been such a busy bee and haven't been on here as much recently. I feel very blessed to kind of have a birthday month! Lol It feels that way sometimes. I shared a day out with someone wanting to do a birthday get together for me EVERY DAY last week! Geesh, makes me feel so blessed and loved! And this past weekend was the icing on the cake (pun intended 😉 ). I am proud to say I turned 52 yesterday. I am so grateful to the Lord for the gift of aging and for all the blessings He has placed in my life. 🙏 💕 

Saturday Matt and I tag teamed cleaning jobs and projects around the house - but then shared in Saturday mass together, went and spent time with my Mom and step Dad (did my birthday celebration with my Dad last weekend), and then went out with the Conley's for a wonderful dinner at a supper club out in the country (so midwest WI Lol). I had steak and lobster - yum! Then they came to our house and we played games and cards til the wee hours and I was in stitches half the night laughing!! Adding to those laugh lines around my eyes and I'm here for it!! 😁 Annie came in late from being out with friends and wanted to give me my gifts - so then Matt said he did too and we had a whole bday party at 12:30 AM! They both said it was officially my bday anyway. 😂  I received such thoughtful gifts (including a Jordan Love jersey - yay!) and they both gave me cards this year that made me bawl! 😭 My son was out-of-town this weekend but we also celebrated with my kiddos last weekend. See, all month like I said - geesh! 😆  But he called me yesterday and he said he has goodies for me too. I am spoiled!

Then yesterday we slept in and had coffee just lounging. Then Matt went and picked us up a really yummy lunch and we watched some football. Then the weather got absolutely gorgeous and we went out for a hike in the woods at a park he hadn't been to yet. They have waterfalls there and it was so pretty and just my favorite thing to do! Then last night I helped my daughter apply to colleges and work on a poster board for her senior night at volleyball tonight. A full and wonderful birthday weekend I will treasure always. 🍂 🧡

        

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

part of a birthday donut (😋), yogurt, coffee

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

Annie's volleyball games and senior night (I'm helping with several things at it), her hockey practices, conferences, another bday lunch date this week,  hair appt, MD check up appt,  home projects, hospice work

THINKING ABOUT:  

how abundantly blessed I am thanks to God's goodness and graciousness

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE

I can hear the dishwasher hum, it's clean and bright, music softly playing. It feels peaceful. Out my window it's glorious with color now - very golden and I love it!! 🧡

CURRENTLY READING

ordered some new books that haven't arrived yet

ON THE TV TODAY:

 When Calls the Heart, Big Brother, Dancing with the Stars, Survivor, Shark Tank, Jeopardy, Better Call Saul, The Morning Show, Great British Baking Show, Love is Blind (new season), some Fall Gilmore Girls episodes

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

    MONDAY -  at senior night and they're ordering pizza for us workers Lol

TUESDAY -  slow cooker BBQ meatballs, brown rice side dish (I boil it in chicken broth) with toasted pecans and dried cranberry, and sheet pan roasted brussel sprouts w/onion & balsamic roaster seasoning and tossed with dried cranberry and bacon pieces (never made this last week and meatballs and brussel sprouts are frozen so will work this week)

WEDNESDAY -  sloppy joes over jalapeno cheddar cornbread, salad

THURSDAY - out with a friend for my bday 😆  (yes again)

FRIDAY -  not sure yet...maybe out?

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

go for walks, watch Annie's game, do crafts or bake

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

I can attest that this has worked for me :) 

FROM THE CAMERA:

I see lots of this each day - napping critters. Lol Also, it's getting so golden and beautiful out my windows. I love curling up and reading with that view out beyond me 😍  (oh and that's the bday jersey- go Pack go!)

Our beautiful birthday hike 🍁🧡

I love the sound of crunching leaves under our feet:

PRAYER LIST:

 For an end to the conflict in the Ukraine and Israel and of all parts of the world living in war & fear. For peace and unity in this country, especially from hate and shootings or violence.  For anyone sick, suffering, in pain or fear... that God bring them comfort and peace. For His Light and Love to cast out the dark everywhere. 🙏 

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

Have a blessed week Friends! I'm sharing this with Sandra of Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.

Happy Homemaker Monday

Happy Monday from the northwoods lovely Friends! 🍁 ☀️ 

It's a nice bright sunny one today. It got COLD last night. Had to turn the heat on for the first time. We had frost warnings all around the area. Looks like steady temps in the 50's for highs for the foreseeable future...and I'm here for it. 😊 I'm ready for it to fully feel like Autumn now. :) I missed doing extra posting last week because I was busy and looks like a busy week ahead too. I have birthday lunch dates with friends or family every day this week! I feel like such a lovely spoiled girlie. (my bday is this coming weekend) So I'm not sure how much posting I'll get done this week too. But next week should be more normal. 

Did you have a lovely weekend? It was such a wonderful one here!! Friday afternoon Matt and I were productive and did yard work, I decorated outside, and Matt cleaned out my garage - boy did it need that! And he leaf blowed the driveway and all around the house.  Then Friday night Matt & I went out for a lovely dinner. Saturday we went up the north shore and had an amazing brunch! Went to our favorite rocky beach to look for rocks. Matt learned about rocks from his Grandpa and has a thing for them. I got him a rock polisher last year so he can shine them up. His Grandpa used to make things from the rocks he polished...not sure if Matt will get into all of that? Lol We visited some gift shops, a candy shop 😋, and a smokehouse shop (Matt loves smoked fish). My Dad and Bro loved enjoying some of that too over the weekend. 🐠 

We also ran our usual errands. Late in the day we grabbed a big pretty mum and some pumpkins to decorate the front of the house. Then that night we went out to dinner with the Conley's and then they came over to hang out. We had a fire out on the deck complete with big fuzzy blankets to stay extra warm and just gabbed away. Then we played cards til the wee hours. It was such a perfect day!! Last night we did birthdays with my Dad & step Mom and Brother and SIL (my bro is Sept., I'm this month and my step Mom is November) My Dad and step Mom are heading to AZ for the winter in another week - so we were packing it all in now. We had a fun pizza dinner and I made extra nibbles, had dessert, watched football, visited and played games. Just one of those perfectly wonderful Fall weekends.

Tonight my Packers play so Matt and I are going to make a yummy dinner and cheer away! 

        

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

yogurt, coffee with vanilla almond milk creamer

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

Annie's volleyball games, her hockey captain's practices, schedule conferences, work for volleyball senior night plans, my many lunch dates  this week Lol 😆, time with my Mom, home projects, hospice work, and a special dinner for one of my main hospice supervisors as she is retiring now. 

THINKING ABOUT:  

how very blessed I am - my grateful heart is filled to the brim 💗 

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE

It's all clean and tidy from the party here last night - I finished up dishes leftover this AM. Sun is shining through the windows and shining on Bubba laying on the top of the couch. Ruby is snoring as she's laying across the same couch. Lol 

CURRENTLY READING

Fall magazines

ON THE TV TODAY:

 When Calls the Heart, Big Brother, Survivor, Shark Tank, Jeopardy, Better Call Saul, Halloween Baking Championship, The Morning Show, Great British Baking Show, Love is Blind (new season)

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

    MONDAY -  taco salads

TUESDAY -  pork chops, apple compote (going to make with apple butter my daughter got for me at a recent festival), and sheet pan fall veggie medley cooked with manchego & garlic roaster seasonings 

WEDNESDAY -  french onion soup topped with french bread crouton covered in provolone, and this Autumn salad with my homemade honey dijon dressing

THURSDAY -  leftovers

FRIDAY -  slow cooker BBQ meatballs, brown rice side dish (I boil it in chicken broth) with toasted pecans and dried cranberry, and sheet pan roasted brussel sprouts w/onion & balsamic roaster seasoning and tossed with dried cranberry and bacon pieces 

* Fall is here and I'm getting back into the cozy kitchen mode even more - yay! 😋 

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

go for walks, watch Annie's game, do crafts or bake

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

FROM THE CAMERA:

Our furry babies. The pic of Bubba is down in our lower level where I was down doing a workout on the treadmill, he was my coach. 😂 

Why I need to workout - the amazing brunch we had up the north shore began with sharing these cinnamon mini donuts drizzled with caramel sauce and bacon. Holy yum! 

I had pesto egg benedict (pesto hollandaise) and breakfast potatoes - absolute treat!! 😋 

A stop at a candy shop - we shared with the wealth with friends and family as we didn't need treats after that brunch! Lol

💗 💗 💗 

Our wheelbarrow of goodies to bring back home 🎃 

Our cozy fire on the deck included the furry babies sitting in the window watching. Lol (Ruby did come out later). If you look in the corner of the fire pic my girlfriend's hands are visible - they are in big white fuzzy mittens! Lol I brought a big pile of warm fuzzy blankets up and we bundled up and the fire felt wonderful. We sipped hot pumpkin chai tea too. 

Our stone address sign matches the house- I have a white geranium hanging in there so I put the white pumpkin next to it.

PRAYER LIST:

 For an end to the conflict in the Ukraine and Israel and of all parts of the world living in war & fear. For peace and unity in this country, especially from hate and shootings or violence.  For anyone sick, suffering, in pain or fear... that God bring them comfort and peace. For His Light and Love to cast out the dark everywhere. For safe travels for my Dad and step Mom soon. 

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

Have a wonderful week ahead! I'm sharing this with Sandra of Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.