Chili

     I have never been much of a chili buff so here is my easy way of doing it so that I don't really have to think too much about it and focus on the important things in life such as television.

Skill Level: Below easy
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

• 2 Lbs Ground beef, chicken or turkey.
  Really whatever you like. If you want to get really fancy maybe I'll divulge the Saloon's recipe one day. Please hold your breath.
• 2 Packets of chili seasonings (I usually use McCormick)
• 4 Cans of tomato sauce
• 1 Can kidney beans (I don't like beans but feel free to use another can) Undrained
• 1/2 Finely chopped red onion
• As much cheddar cheese as you can put on it
• Sour cream if you like (I do not)

Directions:

1. Brown meat in giant pan.
2. Drain fat
3. Add all cans, onions and seasoning packet to pan*
4. Let simmer for 10-20 minutes to blend all ingredients
5. Serve very hot and add CHEESE!!!!

* After I brown meat I actually just throw it all in the crock pot for an hour or so seems to bring out the flavor more


Hope you all enjoy, I know this was like the easiest thing on the face of the planet, well next to some girl I used to know!
Eat up and I'll see you next week!---<3 R

To the Start of a Ronco-relationship: Rotisserie Chicken and Gravy

     As many of you know I have receive a Ronco Rotisserie for Christmas from my mother in law Joy. It was probably one of the best gifts EVER! So here is the first recipe I made with the new love of my life. You can do this with out a Ronco, even though I recommend everyone buys one!

Skill Level: Easy

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 10-15 Minutes per pound

Ingredients:

• 5-6 Lb Chicken
• Gravy (I use Heinz Chicken Gravy, then add the drippings from the meat into it)
• Olive oil
• Thyme (fresh)
• Onion powder
• Garlic Powder
• Garlic Salt
• Rosemary
• Cumin
• Paprika
• Frankenmuth chicken seasoning (It looks like this and you can find it online)

Recipe:  

1. Clean and rinse out chicken's insides. They are gross and hopefully come in a bag. I cook up the chicken livers for Daisy she loves them!
2. Pat Chicken dry
3. Drizzle olive oil over bird (no more then 1Tbs per side).Sprinkle all the above seasonings on both sides of the chicken generously. You can add more or less as to you're liking. Mine looked like this:

4. If you have a Ronco spear the meat! Set it and forget it!!! Well, for an hour and a half. If not preheat your oven to 350 and cook for the same amount of time or until the internal temperature reaches about 160-165.
   
   
 
5. When there is about 10 minutes left put the gravy in a saucepan and start to heat.
6. Remove bird from cooker (whatever it may be) and set out on a serving plate.
7. Render drippings from pan and scoop out all the crud (cause who really knows what the heck it is) and add the filtered drippings to the gravy and get it super hot.
8. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving!

This is what mine looked like when it was done:


Notice the wine!



     It was actually amazing to get this because I have only wanted this machine since I was 5. Some people dream of weddings and kids, I dreamt of Ronco and Chef Tony knives. Chris and I literally watched that thing for an hour and a half. It was glorious!

     Please send me any suggestions, I am open to cooking and trying anything you guys may want!! -- <3 R









Rub Me Down Ribs

     This may be one of my all time favorite things to cook / eat. These are not BBQ ribs, they are dry rubbed. I have never found a BBQ sauce that I like, let alone to smother a piece of meat in. I have never made any other kinds of ribs other then these and I don't think that I ever will. I jumped in with both feet on this one time and now I make it on a regular basis. These do tend to have a slight kick to them so I usually serve them with my homemade potato salad to balance out the flavor. Hope you all enjoy!

Skill Level: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: About an hour, see below.

1 Lg Rack of pork spareribs, with a lot of meat on them
6 Tbs Olive oil
Spices: Salt, pepper, garlic powder, garlic salt, pepper flakes, chili powder, cumin, paprika, meat tenderizer.

     To start the ribs must be at room temperature!

     Start out with draining the juice from the rib package and lay the rack on a large cutting board and this is what you start with:

I know, I need new cutting boards...hint hint Christmas gift anyone?

     Now it is time to start to season the ribs. First rub the meat down on both sides with olive oil. This will give the spices something to stick to:



     Now it is time to season. I do not measure the seasonings because I like more of somethings that others. All you want to do is use all the above mentioned spices in the proportions you like. I add extra garlic powder and chili power. Again this is going to be applied to both sides of the meat. This is how I apply the seasoning and you need to do it this way with all of them to get a good crust on the meat:

     By the end of the seasoning process your ribs should look a little like this:



Ahhh just like fall color change, how moving



     Now you want this to sit for a while and soak in the flavors, if you don't have time, do not worry about it, throw them on the grill and you're good to go.

     Here's the tricky part. There is no one set cooking time for these. I have a 3 burner gas grill and I keep the knobs at medium, which keeps the grill right around 400 degrees. For the first 10 minutes you can kick it higher and turn it down if you want to, but I do not recommend it with the oil on the ribs. We wouldn't want to start a grill fire now would we? Either way they are going to get a good char on them. Cook them until they are about 150-160 degrees in the middle of the meatiest part and let stand for 10 minutes before you tear into the flesh!

Hope you all love this recipe!

<3 ---R

Salsa Salsa

     I love this salsa! I found a recipe online for this a while ago but I have changed it drastically, so here it is! This recipe would be considered at "medium-hot" salsa. It also makes a quart and a half! You can cut this in half (which was the original recipe) but at the rate that my husband eats this, these are the measurements that I use. Hope you all enjoy!!

Skill Level: Easy
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Minute

• (1) 28oz Can of Hunt's Tomatoes (This is the best brand to use)
• (2) 10oz Cans of Ro*Tel diced tomatoes and green chilies in original
• 1/2 Lg red onion
• 1 Habanero pepper or 3-5 Serrano peppers
• 2 Tbs Canned pickled jalapenos in mild (This helps preserve the salsa)
• 1 Tsp Cumin
• 1 1/2 Tsp Garlic Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Sugar (To take down the acidity)

     Put all the above ingredients in a 5+ cup blender and blend until desired consistency. This is a very simple recipe but it is also one of those last minute things that you can make before a party if you are in a jam!

If you have any suggestions on what you would like me to make, please let me know!