Almost Homemade White Bean and Rice Chicken Chili

Obviously, per my instructions....I do not totally follow the instructions on the package.  But, this recipe makes a very tasty soup with just the right amount of spice!

Ingredients:

1  10.4 ounce package Canterbury Naturals White lightening Chicken Chili  (Link below)  http://www.canterburynaturals.com/product/White_Lightning_Chicken_Chili_Mix_/13129.aspx
1 whole chicken, cooked and meat shredded
Leftover stock from cooked chicken
1 quart low sodium organic chicken broth
1 quart low sodium organic vegetable broth
1 quart low sodium organic beef broth
1 cup Jasmine rice

Method:  Bring chicken stock to a boil.  Add chicken broth and vegetable broth.  Return to boil.  Add beans from the White Lightening Chicken Chili package.  Cook beans for one hour.  Add rice, beef broth, vegetable and seasoning packets and simmer for 30 minutes or until beans and rice are tender.  That's it!  How easy is that!  Enjoy!

Savory Meatloaf with Roasted Vegetables

For some reason I'm on a meat and potatoes kick lately and we recently enjoyed this meatloaf with roasted vegetables.  ‎I've been tweaking meatloaf recipes for a while, trying to find the one that is a keeper for generations to come.  Well, this one has come very close.  I like meatloaf because it is a tasty meal that the kids love, and it's good for the budget!  


2 lbs. ground beef
1 egg
1/4 c. chili sauce 
1/4 c. finely shredded green pepper
1/4 c. finely grated carrot
1/2 c. Italian bread crumbs
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. ground Thyme
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
~~ Mix all ingredient well until blended through the meat
Topping:
Remaining bottle of chili sauce
1/4 c. brown sugar
 Shape meat mixture into a loaf and put in a large casserole dish. Peel potatoes and slice in half, quarter two onions (I use Vidalia), wash carrots (I don't peel) and cut them in half and then cut up a green pepper into large chunks.  Place all veggies in a bowl and pour a couple tablespoons or so of olive oil over, add a little freshly ground black pepper and salt and then toss to coat. Arrange vegetables around the edges of the meatloaf. Top the meatloaf with chili sauce/brown sugar mixture and then grind a little pepper over all.  

Cover and bake at 375° for approximately one hour or until meat is done and veggies are fork tender.  Remove lid during the last 15 minutes to allow the vegetables to get a little brown and to thicken up the sauce on top.  

We add a little ketchup to our individual slices for an added punch of flavor! 

 I hope you enjoy this easy one pot meal!

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

5 pounds Russet Potatoes, cooked until soft and mashed
1 stick real butter
1 Tub (10 oz.) plain cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
Milk or cream
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Sea salt and pepper to taste

~ Mix all ingredients with a hand blender until smooth, adding milk or cream if potatoes are too thick.

Autumn Pot Roast

Here is a favorite in our home.  With the weather being on the cool side for June in the Midwest, it seemed appropriate to make something comforting recently.

Ingredients:

Two 3 pound English cut roasts
1 large can diced or crushed tomatoes, with juice
2 cups spaghetti or pizza sauce
1/2 to 1 cup of water
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground Coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Place roasts into the crock pot or baking dish.  Dump tomatoes, along with juices, over the roast.  Sprinkle spices over top.  

Bake, covered, in a 350° oven for 3 to 4 hours or until meat is tender and easily shredded with a fork.  Serve over Garlic Mashed Potatoes (http://thetraditionalwife.blogspot.com/2012/06/garlic-mashed-potatoes.html) along with a salad or your favorite veggies and a slice of homemade buttered bread!

Enjoy!

The Blessedness of Forgiveness

The Holy Bible: King James Version. 2000.

The Psalms

32

The Blessedness of Forgiveness
A Psalm of David, Maschil.
1	Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,          whose sin is covered.
2	Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, Rom. 4.7, 8           and in whose spirit there is no guile.
3	When I kept silence, my bones waxed old          through my roaring all the day long.
4	For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me:          my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
5	I acknowledged my sin unto thee,          and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. 2 Sam. 12.13 Selah.
6	For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee          in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.
7	Thou art my hiding place;          thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
8	I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go:          I will guide thee with mine eye.
9	Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule,          which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
10	Many sorrows shall be to the wicked:          but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
11	Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous:          and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Published by The American Bible Society  http://www.bartleby.com/108/19/32.html#S32

Top 8 Uses of Tea Tree Oil

http://www.revitaliseyourhealth.com/tea-tree-oil-uses/

How to Rid Your Home of Black Ants

I was very skeptical about this remedy for getting rid of the huge black ants that decided to invade my home.  No matter how clean I made things, the ants still seemed to find something enjoyable about my kitchen and other areas of my home.  Not knowing where they were coming from was overwhelming to me and the task of ridding my home of these disgusting little critters seemed daunting.

So, I started to scan the internet for answers to my problem.  This site was the first one I encountered and the first one I tried.  I ended up making about a cup of the Borax, sugar and peanut butter mixture.  I guess I felt like I was declaring all-out war on these invaders.  But, I only used a fraction of what I made so you may want to take this into account.   The instructions say to put mix the ingredients in a clear glass and I did that but instead of leaving it in the glass container (I really didn't want ants crawling around in my container and dying in there) so I just made a little puddle (about one tablespoon) of the mixture in my sink.  That's all it took.  I had black ants coming from far and wide to sample the deadly combination.  The peanut butter is evidently what they come running after.

Here is the recipe and instructions for a direct hit to the ant world.  MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!  How to Kill Ants With Borax