My Crockpot Chili

I make my own so this is a gideline.  I go off of taste.

1-2lbs hamburger meat
2-4 cans of beans (kidney or whatever I have in the pantry)
1 can of corn (optional)
1 big can of tomato sauce, 2-3 smaller cans, or a few whole tomatoes simmered down into sauce
cumin
chili powder

Brown the meat.  Add all the ingrediants and mix together.  Add a little cumin and chili powder.  I usually do a light coat top cover the top of the mixture of the chili powder.  Then add a little cumin.  Set it on medium heat and let sit for about 2 hours.  Taste and see if needs more spices.  If you want more of a bite add more cumin.

I freeze whatever we do not eat.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry cake (uses box)

1 box strawberry cake mix
1 can vanilla icing
fresh strawberries (frozen would work after being thawed)
milk chocolate chips


I started with a boxed cake my mother sent me for Valentines day since I did not want it to go to waste.  I added in chopped strawberries and half a big bag of milk chocolate chips.

I baked them in 2 9" round pans.  Iced with one can of vanilla icing my mother sent with the cake mix.
I added in chopped strawberries and more chips between the layers.
Keep in the fridge as there are strawberries in it.

This was amazing and so fresh.

I burnt the top of my mouth on hot pizza and this was the only thing I could handle as it healed.

Easy Chocolate Icing

Ingredients:
3tbsp butter
1oz semi-sweet chocolate (can use unsweet too)
1c powder sugar
2tbsp milk
pinch of salt
2-3tbsp cocoa powder


In a saucepan melt 1oz semi-sweet chocolate and butter on low heat.  I just waited till the chocolate was "squishy" and did not spread it around as I wanted most of the chocolate to go into my recipe.

Stir butter and chocolate into powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt until smooth. (I used my Kitchenaid to mix)
Add milk as needed to make a creamier consistency.


NOTE: any left over icing can be eaten as fudge.  I put it in the fridge not knowing what was going to happen and looked at it after 24 hours and it was hard like fudge and tasted so good!

I left the cake out with this icing and it did not melt.

Easy Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
1c all-purpose flour
1c sugar
1/2c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2tsp baking soda
1/4tsp baking powder
1/4tsp salt
3/4c milk (I used whole since that is what we have)
1/3c cooking oil
1tsp vanilla
1 egg

Preheat to 350. Use 8*8*2 baking pan or 9*1.5" round.  I used a 9*9*2 and the cake came out very thin.
Grease and flour pans.

Stir in flour, sugar, cocoa powder, soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add in milk, oil, and vanilla.  Combine on low until all combined.  Beat about 2 minutes on medium speed.  Add the egg and beat for another 2 minutes.  Pour into pans.

Bake 30-35 minutes.  I had to bake for 32 minutes in the 9*9*2 pan.
*done when toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean

See: Easy chocolate Icing for the icing I use on this cake


I did not even get to take a photo before they dug in...

Welcome!

I made this blog upon request of my friends and others asking me for recipes.  I do not use them most of the time and go off of taste.  I will post here what I do (my own recipes) and photos of the final product.  I may add in some "in process" photos too if I remember to snap them.

I LOVE to bake.  Especially with the help of my Kitchenaid mixer.  I got it for $65 at Home Depot last Memorial Day and am slowly adding on accessories when I can.  I have the 5Q Artisan tilt-head mixer for reference for the recipes.