Hungry Man Chili

Here is another Ruby original! I made this and didn't tell hubby I tried a different recipe than the usual chili recipe I use. I wanted to see if he would notice. Boy did he! He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but this is his new favorite chili. My children don't seem to think it's too spicy. If you want more spice then add more red pepper flakes or chili powder. The corn bread recipe is coming soon!

In a large pot cook up the following until beef is brown:

1 lb ground beef (or left over pot roast, cut up)
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped

Drain the grease. Now add:

1 quart bottled tomatoes (or large can)
small can tomato sauce
1 cup pinto beans
1 cup black beans
1 cup frozen corn
3 T chili powder
1 tsp basil
1 T Red Wine Vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 T brown sugar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

simmer on stove top for an hour...or more if you aren't ready for dinner. ;)

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Scones

These scones marry the best of chocolate chip cookies and hot biscuits. These are really yummy! I found the recipe at thepioneerwoman. I used my mixer for this recipe. My mixer has a lid. I wouldn't recommend it if yours doesn't have a lid. You could also use your hands and a pastry cutter.

In mixer dump:

1, 3/4 cup flour
1, 3/4 cut wheat flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBL flax seed, milled
4 T oats

Add and using cookie paddles mix on high for one minute:

6 TBL cold butter, cut into 6 pieces


Now add to the mixer and mix on high for only 5 to 10 seconds:

1 egg
*1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Now dump the dough onto floured counter and mix a couple times by hand until all incorporated. Make a ball and cut in half like so



Now make a circle out of each half. Cut each circle into 6 pie shapes. Like so

Place pieces onto greased cookie sheat. Bake at 375 for 20-22 minutes. Next time I make these I think 1 tsp cinnamon would be a nice touch!

*I didn't have buttermilk. I poured 1 TBL lemon juice in my cup and then filled it to the 1 cup line with milk from the fridge.

Multi-Grain Cran Muffins

In a large bowl mix the following:

1 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
1 egg

Now dump this into the bowl as well and whisk until combined:

1 cup white flour
1/2 cup wheat
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Now fold the following into the batter:

1, 1/2 cup chopped cranberries, frozen. (I buy several bags at Christmas time and throw them into the freezer. From the grocery bag straight to my freezer. You can just throw the frozen berries into your food processor when you are ready to bake.)

bake at 400 for 15-18 minutes

German Pancake

In a cast iron skillet melt 1/4 cup butter

Now mix in a bowl:

6 eggs
1 cup milk
1, 1/4 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup flour

Pour the pancake mixture into the hot skillet

Bake the skillet pancake at 375 for 20 minutes

Serve with powdered sugar and fruit

Red Beans and Rice

Red Beans and Rice

I love this pantry staple! It is super cheap and healthy and delicious! You can make it two different ways - with a pressure cooker or on the stove top. I will include both!

Stove top Red Beans and Rice
step one- dump 1 cup of red beans in 8 cups of cold in a large pot before you go to bed.

step two- drain the water (I do this at about 3 in the afternoon) and fill with 7 cups chicken broth. Bring to a simmer for one and a half hours (90 minutes). Check every now and then to be sure there is enough water. You don't want to burn the beans on the bottom of a dry pan.

step three- Add:

1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1, 1/2 cups celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp salt
step four- simmer another 30 minutes.

step five- serve over hot rice. Top with grated cheddar cheese.


Electric Pressure Cooker Red Beans and Rice
step one- dump:

1 cup red beans, (no need to soak the beans overnight)

4 cups chicken broth,

2 garlic cloves chopped,

1 onion chopped into the pressure cooker.

step two- Set pressure cooker to high pressure for 35 minutes.

step three- when pressure cooker is done, take lid off and add:
1 green pepper chopped
1, 1/2 cups celery chopped

step four- Put lid back onto pressure cooker. Set pressure to low for 5 minutes

step five- serve over hot rice. Top with cheddar cheese!

Mulit-Grain School Cookie

This cookie has more nutritional value than a piece of white bread. Oat flour is still waiting to be discovered. It is super easy to make! Just fill your food processor half full of oats. Then blend until powdery. It won't get as light and fluffy as white flour. It will be a gritty consistency. But whatever recipe you throw it into turns super chewy!

Oaty Doodles

cream the following for 2 minutes:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup shortening

1, 1/2 cup sugar

add the following one at a time:

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

add the following and blend on high for a few seconds:

2 cups oat flour

1, 1/2 cup white flour

1/2 cup whole wheat

4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

shape in balls. Bake at 375 for 8 minutes. Feed your hungry 1st grader!

Chocolate Chip Cookie

This is the cookie of my childhood. Mother made these cookies whenever we had a hankerin' for something sweet! This was also the recipe I grew up practicing. I never could quite get it right. Dad would taste test and report, "It's better when your mother makes it."...hmm...could this be my hidden motivation behind finding and testing the best recipes?

Cream for 1 minute:

1 cup *shortening
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar

now add and mix:

2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract

now add and mix:

1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2, 1/4 cup flour

now add:

chocolate chips. We add a LOT

Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes

*I have substituted 1 cup pureed white beans for shortening and have been super pleased with the results. No one could tell!

Apple Crisp

Apple crisp can be made with *fresh apples or dried apple slices. This is a good way to rotate through your food storage as well!

I came up with this recipe this afternoon as a challenge from my Dad. This one's for you!

In a large bowl combine and let sit for 5 minutes:

7 cups dried apple slices
3 cups boiling water

Combine the following and mix for 2 minutes:

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white flour
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

Now add 1/2 cup at a time:

1, 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

Now dump the apple slices in your 9 x 13 baking dish. No need to grease the dish. Drain off any excess liquid. Now top with granola topping.

Bake uncovered at 375 for 30 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream...note to self: Buy vanilla ice cream!

*for fresh apples just use 8 green smooth-bottomed apples. cut them up. I like to "cube" them rather than slice them. No need to peel the skins. Leave 'em on!

Penne Pasta Sauce

Little Miss went out to the garden and brought in a bowl full of ripe tomatoes. What's for dinner? Another Ruby original

Ruby's Pasta Sauce

Dump the following into a blender and chop until slightly chunky:

5 tomatoes
a bunch (about 6 leaves) basil

In a pan saute

2 garlic cloves in
3 T olive oil

After you have sauteed the garlic for about 2 minutes add to the pan:

the tomato puree
1 T brown sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp salt
6 oz tomato paste

now let this simmer for 20 minutes on low. Serve over 1 1lb Penne pasta. Garnish with basil and fresh Parmesan or mozzarella.

Fresh Blueberry Syrup

I have been looking for a good blueberry syrup recipe and finally decided I would come up with my own. All the recipes I could find had tons of sugar. Here is Ruby's Blueberry Syrup!

In a blender dump and blend:

1 pint blueberries (1, 1/2 cups)

dump the blended berry puree into a saucepan. Then dump the following:

1 T lemon juice
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 T butter

Heat slowly to a light simmer. Then turn the heat down to low until butter melts. Don't drip onto your shirt ;)

Creamy Chicken and Potato Soup

We have had upset stomachs this weekend. I whipped up this recipe for dinner using what I had in the pantry and freezer. It really hit the spot and settled the tummy ;)

In a large pot bring to a boil:

5 cups chicken broth (or water with chicken bouillon)

Once the water is boiling throw in:

2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut up (I keep cooked shredded chicken in the freezer in zip lock baggies)

While the chicken is simmering (mine were frozen) cut up the following:

3 potatoes (I used russet. I never peel my potatoes. Just clean 'em and cut 'em)

Throw the potatoes into the chicken and water. Simmer for 10 minutes

While the potatoes are cooking saute the following:

1/2 cup onion
2 T butter

After potatoes have cooked for 10 minutes throw in the cooked onions along with:

1 cup frozen mixed veggie
1/2 cup cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Let simmer on low for 2 minutes. Serve!

Lazy Sunday Truffle Pie

Dump the following into a pot on the stove:

2, 1/2 cups chocolate chips, semi-sweet
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

heat this on the lowest possible setting. Stir constantly even while the chips haven't started melting.

Remove from the stove. The pot shouldn't be too hot. The chocolate should just be a bit warm. Now add the following into the pot:

4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour

whisk this until smooth. Poor into greased pie plate. Bake at 325 for 40 minutes. Cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with lots and lots of milk!

Poor Man's Stew

This dish was inspired by Mother's Goulash. I added a few things and played up the ground beef a bit. It is a favorite at our house!

In a large pot get 2 quarts of water boiling, then add:

1 tsp salt
2 cups macaroni noodles

Cook the macaroni about 8 minutes

Drain the macaroni and return to pot along with:

1 quart bottles tomatoes (or 2 large cans tomatoes if you don't bottle tomatoes)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp Basil
1/2 tsp Oregano
1 Tbl brown sugar
1-2 lbs of meatballs (I use leftover meatballs. Click here for my recipe!)

Now put the pot back on the stove top on low low heat. Put the lid half on. Stir occasionally. You can serve as soon as the meatballs get heated. But I like to let the stew sit for a half hour. Don't let it get too dry. You can add water if you think it is too dry.

Serve with bread and grated cheddar!

Peanut Butter Cookie

This recipe is a Ruby original! I LOVE peanut butter cookies but could never get them chewy. They were always crispy or crumbly. After experimenting I found that the salt added in most recipes dries up the cookie. Think of what salt does to a snail. The salt draws out all the moisture. Peanut butter is SALTY! There is no need to add salt to the cookie. Also, in most cookie recipes I use half butter and half shortening. Why? because that's what Mother always did. The science behind it? Butter has good flavor and shortening holds its molecular shape better when under heat, thus making a puffier cookie! When I use all butter the cookie tends to be more transparent and flatter and crispier.

Cream the following for 2 minutes:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1, 1/4 cup brown sugar
1, 1/4 cup white sugar

Now add the following one at a time:

2 eggs (one at a time)
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup peanut butter (I just use Walmart brand)

Now add the following and mix on high for just a few seconds. Don't over mix:

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda

bake at 375 for 9 minutes. Now don't get caught up in how long the cookie needs to cook. What really matters is how the cookie looks. This picture was taken right as the cookies were being taken out of the oven. They are soft, doughy, puffy, with miniature "ant holes" punctured all over. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer to the cold counter top.

Enjoy!