Grandma's Chili Recipe

Ever since I can remember my Grandma would make this Chili recipe for Halloween dinner. I grew up eating it every year, and have made it every Halloween since! I thought I would share it with you guys, it is a fun family tradition to have warm chili waiting in the kitchen after trick-or-treating! (especially when its freezing outside) -Have a great Halloween, I miss you all!

About 1 lb of hamburger
4 cans of red kidney beans ( you can use other beans as well, I just usually use kidney beans.
I c. onion
I c. celery
I c. red or green bell pepper.
I can of crushed tomatoes.
I small can of tomato paste
I c. ketchup
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. lemon juice.
spices:
2 teaspoons. ground mustard
2 teaspoons cumin
1 tsp chili powder,or a bit more to taste.

-Brown hamburger in a skillet.
-Chop veggies into small pieces, depending on how chunky you want the chili to be.
-I usually strain two of the cans of kidney beans, and dump the entire other two because the juice adds substance.
-Add all the rest of the ingredients, stir, and cook in crock pot on slow for about 7-8 hours, or high for 4-5 hours.

Pumpkin Alfredo

Don't be afraid of the word pumpkin.  It's not overpowering at all.

Tannon said this tastes like "a fancy restaurant meal".  I agree, it tasted like it should have been served at Macaroni Grill, or something.  I dare say this may be my favorite meal I've ever made.

P.S. I'm just now noticing it calls for 1/2 batch of Alfredo sauce, instead of 1 full batch.  No wonder it tasted so good.

Recipe from Our Best Bites.

Pasta with Pumpkin Alfredo

1 Package Cheese Ravioli
1/2 batch Guiltless Alfredo Sauce
1/2 T real butter
1/4 C Finely minced onion
1/2 C canned pumpkin
2 T Chicken broth
1T chopped fresh sage (1t dried leaves)
1/2 T fresh thyme (1/2 t dried leaves)

Follow instructions on pasta to cook. In a separate sauce pan melt butter on medium heat. When melted, add onion. Make sure your onion is really finely diced. Since you have a nice smooth sauce, you don’t want big chunks of onion, you just want little bits.

Saute until soft. Since they’re small it should only take a couple of minutes. Add chicken broth and herbs. 

Use a spatula to deglaze the pan a bit and get any cooked bits of onion off the bottom. Add pumpkin and whisk to combine. Add alfredo sauce, stir to combine, and cook until heated through. 

Donuts

Growing up my aunt made homemade donuts and homemade root beer every Halloween.  It's one of my favorite traditions I can remember from my childhood.  I don't make donuts very often myself, but I decided to make some this year and they did not disappoint.  I got the recipe from Buns in My Oven.  The original recipe says not to poke a hole in the middle, and to fill with Nutella.  The donuts I made with no hole were doughy in the middle, so I only made one like that.  The rest, I just punched holes, like regular donuts.

You can either toss them while warm in sugar, or dip them in some vanilla glaze.

Ingredients

• 1 package (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 2/3 cups milk, at room temperature
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 eggs
• 7 tablespoons butter, at room temperature, cut into 7 pieces
• Canola oil, for frying

Instructions

1. In the stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the yeast and milk. Allow the yeast to dissolve, about 1 minute. Add the flour, 1/3 cup of the sugar, salt, and eggs and mix on low for about 4 minutes to develop the dough. Begin adding the butter, one piece at a time, and continue mixing for 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Remove the dough from the bowl and tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 6 - 15 hours.
3. Lightly flour a baking sheet. Flour your work surface and roll out the dough into a 12 inch square about a 1/2 inch thick. Using a 3 1/2 to 4 inch round biscuit cutter, cut out the donuts. (I ended up with 11 total.) Arrange the donuts on the prepared baking sheet and cover in plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm spot for 2 - 3 hours or until doubled in height and feel poufy and pillowy.
4. When ready to fry, heat 3 inches of oil in a heavy pot to 350 degrees. Line a try with paper towels and add the remaining 1 cup of sugar in a small bowl. Add the donuts to the hot oil, being careful not to crowd the pan, and fry on each side until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on the lined tray. When cool enough to handle, toss in the sugar to coat. Return each donut to the tray to cool completely, about 3o minutes.