Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

Another reason that I love fall is that the cooler weather brings all kinds of comfort food, chili and homemade soups included.  While I love these dishes because they are delicious, I also love them because they are "one pot" dinners.  Less dishes and a delicious, hearty meal?  I can get on board with that!

My mom made chili at least once a month through the winter, and I always looked forward to it.  I have been experimenting with my own signature chili dish (one day I am going to enter it in a chili cook-off!).  I think I have finally perfected it.  I made it last night for dinner and, as usual, it was met with delight from both my daughter and my husband.  This recipe makes about six servings.

Ingredients:

• 

• 1/3 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans
• 8 oz salsa (I use mild, but you can use whatever level of spice you like)
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cumin
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup water
• red wine (optional)

Instructions:

Cube your sweet potato, chop your onion, mince your garlic (I buy already minced garlic to save time).

Spray a medium saucepan with cooking spray and saute the garlic and onions until the onions are translucent.

Drain and rinse the beans.

 

Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for approximately 45 minutes. My little helper loves throwing all of the sweet potatoes in the pot.. and making towers with my spices. It was at this step that I decided to add in a couple tablespoons of red wine.  I think it added a depth to the flavor, but I have made it without and it is awesome either way.

Serve with any toppings you like - we like cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips in my house.

I am not the only chili lover in my house; look how happy these two are!

Upcycled Corks

I have been bit by the crafting bug and these cute key-chains are the result!  I have a friend that manages a local wine bar and he was kind enough to save corks for me.  I will be making coasters and trivets this week, so look for more pictures.  I will also have some different cork key-chains once I get a few more charms and beads. They will make great gifts for the holidays, and are great because they are custom made and are made from recycled materials.

Please leave a comment if you are interested in purchasing. I will make the monogrammed ones to order.

Thanks for reading!

First Post! - All things fall

I know it sounds clichéd, and I know everyone just loves fall, but I really do.  I think it started because my birthday is in the fall and the rest of my family has a birthday in May.  I was excluded in May, but fall was my time, and only my time. 

My love of fall extended when I realized just how awesome Thanksgiving is.  I mean, a holiday completely devoted to cooking a gourmet meal and then gorging yourself, who doesn't love that?? 

I also have great fall memories of carving pumpkins with my parents and younger sisters and jumping in huge piles of leaves.  My mom always made our Halloween costumes by hand, which is a tradition I am carrying on with my daughter. Last year she went as a lamb (see below) and this year she is going as a butterfly (her choice).

 

I've been busier than I like this year, so I haven't done too much decorating, but we carved pumpkins last night and roasted the seeds.  I thankfully broke with tradition on the roasting of the seeds and did not burn them this year!  I made some pumpkin pie flavored pumpkins seeds, and they are delicious! Regretfully I did not take any pictures, but I will share the recipe:

Pumpkin Pie Pumpkin Seeds:

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Olive oil
• Sugar
• Pumpkin pie seasoning

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Harvest the seeds from your pumpkin and wash them to get the goo from the inside of the pumpkin off.
3. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray and put the seeds on it in a single layer.  Do not dry them, you will then roast them for 30 minutes to dry them out.
4. Toss with about a tablespoon of olive oil and add sugar and pumpkin pie seasoning to taste (more for sweeter seeds, less for less sweet seeds) at a two (sugar) to one ratio - honestly I eyeballed it and they came out great.
5. Roast for another 10-20 minutes.  I have a finicky oven so ten was enough for me, but everything seems to cook faster in my oven, so just leave them in longer if they do not look toasted enough.  However, make sure to watch them because if they are going to burn, this is where they get you!

Thanks for reading my first blog!  I will be doing another posting this week on how I made my daughter's butterfly costume.  In the meantime, here are some pumpkin carving pictures.