Cheesy Chili Pasta Bake

I had no plans to share this with you. I almost feel like I'm cheating a little bit. Well not really, but this is just crazy easy. It all started last week. My friend Tonya over at 4 Little Fergusons, shared my chili sauce and it got me to thinking I should make it. We hadn't had it since last winter and my kids love it. I made a batch and planned on going to the store to get some hot dogs and buns, well life got in the way and I never made it. I have used this sauce for many things; Frito pies, baked potato topper, chili cheese fries and Chili Cheese Dog Pot Pies. I didn't have all of the ingredients or time to make these either, but I needed a quick dinner. I decided to just cook some pasta, add some cheese and a new dish was born!  ALL of my children, husband included, ate 2 servings and loved it. You would have thought I made the best meal they have ever eaten, and it was one of the easiest meals I've ever made! This would be a perfect dinner on Halloween before the kids head out trick-or-treating. 

Cheesy Chili Pasta Bake

For the Chili Sauce:

2  pounds lean ground beef

1  medium onion chopped, 1 cup

3  cloves garlic minced, 1 1/2  teaspoons

1  tablespoon (heaping) Chili Powder

1  teaspoon salt

1/2  teaspoon pepper

2 1/4  cup water

1  cup ketchup

4  teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

1   teaspoon white vinegar

1   teaspoon Frank's Hot Sauce

1/2   teaspoon dry mustard

Additional ingredients:

1 pound pasta, I used medium shells

3 cups (12 ounces) Colby/Jack Cheese

Sour Cream, for garnish

Chopped Green Onions, for garnish

For the Chili Sauce:

In a large skillet over medium heat brown the ground beef, onion and garlic to the skillet and cook until the beef is browned and cooked through.

Add the Chili Powder, salt and pepper.  Cook for 3-5 minutes. Don't skip this step, it allows the spices to bloom and maximize their flavor.  It will make a difference in the flavor of your finished dish.

Stir in the water, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, Frank's and the dry mustard.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, for 45 minutes or until most of the liquid is evaporated. 

Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and mix into the beef chili sauce. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese. Pour into a lightly greased 9 x 13" casserole dish. Top with the remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. 

Enjoy!

Kim

Shared at these great link parties:
Our very own Weekend Potluck
Six Sisters' Stuff Strut Your Stuff Saturday Link Party
Everyday Mom's Meals Church Supper

Weekend Potluck

~ Last week at $3.99 ~ Purchase your PDF version of Weekend 



Potluck Fall Favorites TODAY!
 
Now Available for KINDLE ~ Buy It NOW for $3.99.

How to get the cookbook on your Kindle:

Purchase Weekend Potluck Fall Favorites.

The link to download the cookbook will be emailed to you.

Click to download and make a note of where you save the file.

Email the file to you KINDLE using the email address provided in your Amazon account.

Welcome back to our favorite day of the week, and our favorite party! We can't wait to see what you all bring to the table this week. If you're new to the party...welcome! If you have a food blog we would love for you to share what you have been cooking. If you don't have a food blog this party is for you as well. Simply click on the picture of a dish that interests you, and you will be taken to the recipe source. We love to poke around every week and see what everyone brings, and trust us...we are never disappointed! Have a terrific weekend!

One thing...when Pinning these awesome recipes, be sure to click on the picture and go to the original link. That way when you go to try the recipe it will be pinned from the original source and you won't be directed back here and then have to click again.

Now, let's take a quick peek back at last week...

The recipe with the most clicks was ~

Oven Fried Bacon by The Better Baker

Recipes that caught our attention ~

Crock Pot Chicken and Stuffing by Table for Seven

Chocolate Chip Butterfinger Cookies by Lemons for Lulu

And, a personal favorite ~

Apple and Brie Smothered Pork Chops by Loaves and Dishes

Your hostesses ~

• Meet Penny ~ Tabitha
• The Better Baker ~ Marsha
• Sunflower Supper Club ~ Kim & Julie
• Life As a Lofthouse ~ Holly
• 4 Little Fergusons~ Tonya
• The Country Cook~ Brandie

Remember that when you link up, it shows on all SIX blogs. Plus…

We TWEET. We PIN. We LIKE.

Linky Guidelines: If you wish to be a featured recipe or for us to promote your recipe either on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, you MUST follow these instructions.

1. Please link up to your exact post and not the main page to your blog.
2. LINK BACK HERE from your post so that others can find the fun. (Need help linking back? Read this or watch this great instructional video.) You can use the button below or a direct link within your post.

When you are kind enough to follow our guidelines, we work hard to get you as much exposure as possible so that your time here is well invested. We want this to be a fun and rewarding experience for everyone!
<a href="http://sunflowersupperclub.blogspot.com" ><img border="0" src="http://www.meetpenny.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/weekend-potluck-buttong.jpg" width="125"/></a>

Cheesy Fondue Bread

The other day I shared our recipe for Cream of Tomato Soup. This is the wonderful cheesy bread that I served with it. Anytime you need a great garlic bread, this one would be perfect. Try it with a different cheese if you prefer. I've found that even people who don't care for swiss cheese like this bread.

Cheesy Fondue Bread
1 loaf french bread, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1  teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Swiss Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, combine the softened butter, garlic powder and shredded cheese. Mix well and spread on the cut sides of the french bread.

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned and cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

Kim

Linked to the following parties:
Our very own Weekend Potluck
Mandy's Recipe Box Totally Tasty Tuesdays
Recipes For My Boys Thursdays Treasures
Walking on Sunshine Foodie Friends Friday

Cream of Tomato Soup

If there is one soup that takes me back to my childhood, it is cream of tomato. I'm sure a lot of you feel the same way. One of my favorite dinners when I was a child was grilled cheese and tomato soup. Every Friday at my sorority house in college that is what we had for lunch. I hated tomatoes when I was a kid, but I loved tomato soup. As a child, we always had good old Campbell's. This is so much better and you can control the amount of sodium.  Here, I didn't serve it with the usual grilled cheese. We had my cheesy fondue bread. I'll share the recipe with you later in the week. It is my go to garlic bread and it is positively addictive!

Cream of Tomato Soup
makes about 5  1/2 cups

2  tablespoons butter
1/2  cup onion, chopped
1  clove garlic, minced (1/2 teaspoon)
2  tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cans (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
2  teaspoons sugar
1  teaspoon baking soda
1/2  teaspoon kosher salt
2  cups milk

In a medium soup pot or saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for a few minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and continue cooking until fragrant, about another minute. Whisk in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes until bubbly. Slowly add the chicken broth, continue whisking so there aren't any lumps. Add the tomatoes, sugar, baking soda and salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, whisking occasionally. Pour in the milk and heat through, be careful not to boil. 

Cooks Note: There will be a few chunks of tomato. If you prefer a smooth soup and have an immersion hand blender, use the blender before you add the milk and process until desired consistency. 

Our recipe for Cheesy Fondue Bread can be found here.

Enjoy!

Kim

Shared at the following parties:
Our very own Weekend Potluck
Recipes for My Boys Thursdays Treasures
Walking on Sunshine Foodie Friends Friday

Weekend Potluck #40

Don't forget ~ Get your copy of Weekend Potluck Fall Favorites before the price sneaks back up!

Now, let's take a quick peek back at last week...

The recipe with the most clicks was ~

White Castle Casserole by Love Bakes Good Cakes

Recipes that caught our attention ~

Butterfinger Fudge by Crazy for Crust

Pumpkin Spice Snack Mix by Everyday Mom's Meals

And, a personal favorite ~

Marge’s Chicken Wild Rice Soup by Hot Eats and Cool Reads

Your hostesses ~

• The Country Cook~ Brandie
• Meet Penny ~ Tabitha
• The Better Baker ~ Marsha
• Sunflower Supper Club ~ Kim & Julie
• Life As a Lofthouse ~ Holly
• 4 Little Fergusons~ Tonya

Remember that when you link up, it shows on all SIX blogs. Plus…

We TWEET. We PIN. We LIKE.

Linky Guidelines: If you wish to be a featured recipe or for us to promote your recipe either on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, you MUST follow these instructions.

1. Please link up to your exact post and not the main page to your blog.
2. LINK BACK HERE from your post so that others can find the fun. (Need help linking back? Read this or watch this great instructional video.) You can use the button below or a direct link within your post.

When you are kind enough to follow our guidelines, we work hard to get you as much exposure as possible so that your time here is well invested. We want this to be a fun and rewarding experience for everyone!
<a href="http://sunflowersupperclub.blogspot.com" ><img border="0" src="http://www.meetpenny.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/weekend-potluck-buttong.jpg" width="125"/></a>

Nanny's Beef Stew

Nanny's Beef Stew
1 (3 pound) chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2" cubes
Salt and Pepper to season beef
3  tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1  large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
2  tablespoons tomato paste
4  cloves (2 teaspoons) minced garlic, minced
1/3  cup flour
2  cups red wine
2  cups chicken broth
2  tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2  tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1  teaspoon dried thyme
2  bay leaves
2  teaspoons black pepper
1  bag (16 ounce) baby carrots
1  pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2" pieces
1  cup frozen peas, thawed

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch Oven, or soup pot, over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, add ½ of the beef and cook until well browned, about 5-8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Heat 1 more tablespoon oil and brown the remaining beef. When browned, remove with a slotted spoon and place to the side with the first batch of beef. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot. Add the red onion and cook for a few minutes until onion is beginning to soften.  Add the tomato paste and garlic, continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Add the flour and continue cooking for another minute. Slowly add the red wine and bring to a simmer, scraping any browned bits that are on the bottom of the pot. Add the chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce and balsamic vinegar. Return the beef and any accumulated juices back into the pot along with the thyme, bay leaves and pepper. Bring to a simmer on the stovetop. 

Cover and place in the oven and cook for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, add the carrots and potatoes, return to the oven and continue cooking for another hour or until the beef is tender.

Remove from the oven and stir in the peas. Let sit covered for 5 minutes. Season as needed with additional salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Kim

Linked to these great parties:
Katherine Martinelli Beef Blog Hop
Miz Helen's Country Cottage Full Plate Thursday
Addicted to Recipes Scrumptious Sunday Link Party
Everyday Mom's Meals Church Supper
Mandy's Recipe Box Totally Tasty Tuesday

Weekend Potluck #39

Julie and I read cookbooks like they are novels. We have talked about publishing our very own Sunflower Supper Club cookbook and hope that someday that will be a reality. In the meantime, we are super excited to announce that Kim is a part of a brand new Weekend Potluck Fall Favorites eCookbook! It is chock full of fall favorites that your family will love. Kim's recipe for Pumpkin Wonton Ravioli with Creamy Sage Sauce, along with a few other NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED dishes from our co-hostesses, are also included. It can be ordered at a discount through October 31st. Just click on the "add to cart" button below or click on the button on the sidebar to order. 

The day you have been waiting for... We hinted about our new cookbook at the linky party last week, but today is the BIG DAY.

Now Available: Weekend Potluck Fall Favorites

A collaborative effort of all six Weekend Potluck hostesses, the Weekend Potluck Fall Favorites eCookbook contains over 60 recipes found on our blogs (as well as a few unpublished dishes) that will make your tummy smile. From breakfast through dessert, these recipes are simple but full of Fall flavor. And, for a limited time, you can save $1.00 on your copy of Weekend Potluck Fall Favorites! Just use coupon code AUTUMN and download the ecookbook for just $3.99. Weekend Potluck Fall Favorites includes:

• A picture for every recipe
• Cook's notes to help where needed
• Complete instructions
• Recipes from basic ingredients

We are home cooks, feeding our families just like you. So, Weekend Potluck Fall Favorites contains real recipes from simple ingredients that you can put in front of your family quickly. Ejunkie is a secure checkout system and accepts Paypal and credit card. The shopping cart will open in another window so you can still browse all the delicious recipes linked up below.

The recipe with the most clicks was ~

Semi-Homemade Caramel Rolls by Our Table for Seven

Recipes that caught our attention ~

Chipotle Black Bean Quesadillas with Avocado Cream by Sumptuous Spoonfuls

Apple Praline Bread by Manila Spoon

And, a personal favorite ~

Chai Loaf by Silver Boxes

Your hostesses ~

• 4 Little Fergusons~ Tonya
• The Country Cook~ Brandie
• Meet Penny ~ Tabitha
• The Better Baker ~ Marsha
• Sunflower Supper Club ~ Kim & Julie
• Life As a Lofthouse ~ Holly

Remember that when you link up, it shows on all SIX blogs. Plus…

We TWEET. We PIN. We LIKE.

Linky Guidelines: If you wish to be a featured recipe or for us to promote your recipe either on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, you MUST follow these instructions.

1. Please link up to your exact post and not the main page to your blog.
2. LINK BACK HERE from your post so that others can find the fun. (Need help linking back? Read this or watch this great instructional video.) You can use the button below or a direct link within your post.

When you are kind enough to follow our guidelines, we work hard to get you as much exposure as possible so that your time here is well invested. We want this to be a fun and rewarding experience for everyone!
<a href="http://sunflowersupperclub.blogspot.com" ><img border="0" src="http://www.meetpenny.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/weekend-potluck-buttong.jpg" width="125"/></a>

Cheesy Smoked Gruyere Chicken

Bacon and mushrooms are a perfect combination, at least in my book. I'm afraid my family would not agree. They aren't quite as fond of them as I am, but even my family didn't mind them in this dish. That's what a little bacon and Gruyere cheese can do. This dish is company worthy, but easy enough to whip on a weekday as well. 

Cheesy Smoked Gruyere Chicken
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, trimmed and pounded to uniforn thickness and seasoned with salt and pepper
4  thick cut pieces bacon, cut crosswise in 1/2" pieces
2  tablespoons butter, divided
1  small red onion, cut in half and sliced into half moons
1  package (8 ounce) baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1/2  teaspoon black pepper
2  tablespoons flour
1/4  cup white wine
1  cup beef broth
1/4 cup sherry
1/2  teaspoon dried thyme
1/2  teaspoon dried marjoram
1  bay leaf
4-6 ounces sliced smoked Gruyere Cheese
1/4 cup fresh Italian Parsley, minced

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon pieces until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Move the heat to medium high, leave the bacon grease in the pan and add 1 tablespoon of the butter. When the butter has melted add the chicken and sear on each side for about 2 minutes until lightly browned, you will cook it all the way through later. When chicken is browned, remove and set aside on a plate. If your chicken breasts are large, you can cut them into serving size pieces before putting the chicken back into the skillet.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the other tablespoon of butter. Add the onion, baby bella mushrooms and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes until soft. Add the flour and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Slowly add the wine and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 2 minutes and then add the beef broth, sherry, thyme, marjoram and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 2 more minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet and continue simmering for 5-10 more minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. As the chicken is cooking, baste with the sauce.

When the chicken is cooked through, top with the slices of cheese, tearing the pieces to fit if needed. Continue basting with the sauce until the cheese is melted. Taste sauce and add additional salt and pepper if needed.

Remove to plates or a serving dish and garnish with the cooked chopped bacon and fresh Italian parsley.

Cooks Note: You'll notice that I don't add extra salt. I have found the the beef broth is salty enough for our tastes. If you use a low-sodium broth you might need to add extra salt.

Enjoy!

Kim

Linked to these great parties:
Our very own Weekend Potluck
Walking on Sunshine Foodie Friends Friday Link Party
Addicted to Recipes Scrumptious Sunday Link Party
Everyday Mom's Meals Church Supper

Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon Syrup & Toasted Pecans

By now, my obsession with Pumpkin in the fall is well documented. I am in love with these pancakes. They are not overly sweet and the pumpkin flavor really comes through. The syrup with the cinnamon flavor and a hint of nutmeg is delicious with these pancakes. These would be perfect on a chilly fall or winter morning. 

Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon Syrup & Toasted Pecans
For the Pancakes:
2  cups flour
4  teaspoons baking powder
1/2  cup sugar
1/2  teaspoon salt
1  teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2  eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 can (15 ounce) pumpkin
1  teaspoon vanilla

For the Syrup:
1/2  cup white sugar
1/2  cup packed brown sugar
2  tablespoons flour
3/4  teaspoon cinnamon
1/8  teaspoon nutmeg
1  teaspoon vanilla
1  cup water

For Serving:
1  cup chopped pecan pieces, toasted

For the Pancakes:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and pumpkin pie spice. In another bowl; combine the eggs, milk, pumpkin and vanilla and mix well. Add the wet ingredients to the large bowl with the dry ingredients, and mix well.

Heat a griddle or your electric skillet and drop about 1/4 cup batter onto the hot griddle that has been buttered or sprayed with cooking spray. I use my ice cream scoop. Cook about 2-3 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Serve with syrup and toasted pecans. Makes about 15 4" pancakes.

For the syrup:
In a small saucepan, combine all the syrup ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue simmering about 5 minutes until thickened. Set aside for 5 minutes before serving.

Cooks Note: To toast the pecans, place chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast in a 350 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Kim

Linked to the following parties:
Our very own Weekend Potluck
Gooseberry Patch Your Pick of the Pumpkins
Lemon Sugar Fall Roundup
Walking on Sunshine Foodie Friends Friday
Addicted to Recipes Scrumptious Sunday
Everyday Mom's Meals Church Supper
Six Sisters' Stuff Strut Your Stuff Saturday

Weekend Potluck #38

Welcome back to our favorite day of the week, and our favorite party! We can't wait to see what you all bring to the table this week. If you're new to the party...welcome! If you have a food blog we would love for you to share what you have been cooking. If you don't have a food blog this party is for you as well. Simply click on the picture of a dish that interests you, and you will be taken to the recipe source. We love to poke around every week and see what everyone brings, and trust us...we are never disappointed! Have a terrific weekend!

One thing...when Pinning these awesome recipes, be sure to click on the picture and go to the original link. That way when you go to try the recipe it will be pinned from the original source and you won't be directed back here and then have to click again.

Before we get started...we have some very exciting news. The gals at Weekend Potluck have put together an e-book cookbook. It will be available soon! Here is a little preview...

We're hoping for a October 12 release so we'll keep you posted!

Now, let's take a quick peek back at last week...

The recipe with the most clicks was ~

Creamy Hamburger Casserole by The 4 Little Fergusons

Recipes that caught our attention ~

Candy Corn Gooey Cake Bars by Inside BruCrew Life

                                                 Taco Ranch Chili by Full Hands, Full Hearts

Your hostesses ~

• Life As a Lofthouse ~ Holly
• 4 Little Fergusons~ Tonya
• The Country Cook~ Brandie
• Meet Penny ~ Tabitha
• The Better Baker ~ Marsha
• Sunflower Supper Club ~ Kim & Julie

Remember that when you link up, it shows on all SIX blogs. Plus…

We TWEET. We PIN. We LIKE.

Linky Guidelines: If you wish to be a featured recipe or for us to promote your recipe either on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, you MUST follow these instructions.

1. Please link up to your exact post and not the main page to your blog.
2. LINK BACK HERE from your post so that others can find the fun. (Need help linking back? Read this or watch this great instructional video.) You can use the button below or a direct link within your post.

When you are kind enough to follow our guidelines, we work hard to get you as much exposure as possible so that your time here is well invested. We want this to be a fun and rewarding experience for everyone!
<a href="http://sunflowersupperclub.blogspot.com" ><img border="0" src="http://www.meetpenny.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/weekend-potluck-buttong.jpg" width="125"/></a>

Italian Pork Stew over Parmesan Polenta

My family doesn't eat a lot of pork. Don't get me wrong, we love bacon and sausage. I'm talking about pork chops, pork loin and pork tenderloin. I live in a family of beef lovers. This is one pork dish that we love. With the cooler nip in the air, this hearty stew will hit the spot. The flavors in this dish are taken from the traditional Italian dish Osso Buco. Traditional Osso Buco is labor intensive and is usually made with veal shanks and served over risotto. Open a bottle of wine and enjoy this comforting homey dish on a cool fall evening.  

Italian Pork over Parmesan Polenta
For the Pork:
3 tablespoons butter, divided
2  pounds pork tenderloin, cut into bite size pieces, and seasoned with salt and pepper
1  small red onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1/2  cup diced carrot
1/2  cup diced celery
2  cloves garlic, minced (1 teaspoon)
2  teaspoons dried sage
1  teaspoon dried thyme
1  cup dry white wine
1  can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1  cup beef broth
1  teaspoon orange zest
1  teaspoon lemon zest
3  tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley

For the Parmesan Polenta:
4  cups chicken broth
1  cup instant Polenta
1/2  cup grated Parmesan cheese
3  tablespoons butter, softened


For the Pork:
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add 1/2 the pork and brown on all sides, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Repeat with the remaining pork.  

Add the additional tablespoon butter, if needed, and add the red onion, carrot, celery, garlic, sage and thyme. Saute a few minutes until beginning to soften. Return the pork to the Dutch Oven. Pour in the cup of dry white wine and bring to a simmer. Simmer a few minutes until the wine is reduced by half. Be sure to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. 

Add the can of diced tomatoes and the beef broth. Simmer, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes until pork is tender.

Remove from heat and stir in the orange and lemon zest and fresh Italian parsley.

Serve over Parmesan Polenta.

For the Parmesan Polenta:
In a medium sauce pan, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Slowly whisk in the polenta and stir until smooth. Reduce heat and cook for about 3-5 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and the butter. 

Serves 6.

Enjoy!

Kim

Shared with these great parties:
Our very own Weekend Potluck
Everyday Mom's Meals Church Supper
Addicted to Recipes Scrumptious Sunday Link Party
Walking on Sunshine Foodie Friends Friday
Katherine Martinelli Food Bloggers Support for Sandy