Chili and Cornbread

I found some beans, onions and tomatoes in the pantry, and I had some hamburger in the freezer! Good time for a giant pot of chili! 

For the Beans:

1 lb dried Red Kidney Beans

4 cups water, or stock

1/2 tsp dried, minced onion

1 tsp minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Rinse and drain the beans several times. Add the water, onion, garlic, salt and pepper to a large pot and cook for a few hours or until beans are tender.

To finish the Chili:

1-2 pounds ground lean beef

1 onion, chopped

2 cans diced tomatoes, drained

4 tablespoons of chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons paprika

2 tablespoons ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Cook hamburger and onion until meat is done. Drain off fat. Add tomato and stir. Add to the beans. Add the seasonings and stir until dissolved and mixed well. Simmer until chili is the thickness you like. I usually let mine simmer for about 45 minutes. Serve with cheddar cheese, sour cream and cornbread!

For the Cornbread: I cheated and just used a mix with 1/3 cup milk and 1 egg. I used my mini muffin ceramic pan. 

If you'd like some homemade cornbread recipes click on this link: Cornbread Recipes

Cheesy Hashbrown and Chicken Casserole

20 oz bag of southern style hash browns
1 cup of cooked, cubed chicken breast
1 can of cream of chicken soup
½ cup cream cheese
½ cup sour cream
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp minced garlic


Preheat oven to 400-degrees and grease a 9" x 13" casserole dish or a twelve inch skillet.

Add the soup, cream cheese and sour cream to a large bowl.

Next, add 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese to the bowl.

Add the hashbrowns, chicken, parmesan, salt, pepper and garlic to the bowl and mix well.

Pour the potato and chicken mixture into a casserole dish.

Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese on top and cover with foil.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, remove the foil, and bake 15-20 more minutes until bubbly and golden brown.