Chili #2

I don't know the real name of this chili - I just know that during the chili cook-off at a family reunion, this one was labeled #2 (for voting purposes). It happened to be the chili that Paul's mother, Juanita, made.

I called her for the recipe. She gave me a good idea of the basics ingredients, but it sounds like she just throws it together and it is a little different each time she makes it according to her creativity that day.

ground pork
2-3 garlic gloves, minced
1 chopped onion
28 oz can stew tomatoes and 14 oz can of stewed tomatoes, blend them in blender (I'm guessing the ounces - it is a big one and a smaller one)
1 fresh jalepeno finely chopped, seeds removed
1 jar salsa verde
2 big cans green chilies
salt and pepper
square box of chicken broth (size?)

She browns the pork and onions then adds 1/8 cup flour to the pan. Then stir in the broth and little bit of water to wash out your tomato cans. Add remaining ingredients.

Tiff: That's all I know. I haven't tried this myself yet - just know it was really good. It was a little spicy but that could be controlled with how much of a jalepeno you add to the chili.

Make Your Own Cake Mix

I found this online here at Gift's from Your Kitchen. I used the plain cake mix in the place of a white cake mix when I made key lime cupcakes - they turned out great!

6 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups Crisco
4 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt

In large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. With pastry blender, cut in shortening until mixture resembles cornmeal. Store in airtight container in cool, dry place. Use within a month if possible. It does keep well if stored for a longer period of time. This is a great alternative to packaged mixes which often contain preservatives.


Plain Cake

2 cups Make Your Own Cake Mix
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup milk

Stir ingredients for plain cake until well blended. Pour into 8-inch square pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes. For a 9 x 13-inch pan or layer cakes, double ingredients.

Pecan-Glazed Cake

2 cups Make Your Own Cake Mix
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Stir together cake mix, egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 cup milk. Bake in an 8-inch square pan at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile in small bowl, mix well butter, sugar, flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk. Fold in pecans. Remove cake from oven and spread butter mixture over cake. Return to oven and bake until bubbly.

Chocolate Cake

2 cups Make Your Own Cake Mix
1 egg, slightly beaten
3/4 cup ice water
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
confectioners' sugar (optional)

Stir cake mix and cocoa together. Add egg, water and vanilla extract. Pour into an 8-inch square pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes. Dust top with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Chocolate Chip and Nut Cake

2 cups Make Your Own Cake Mix
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup chopped nuts
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir together all ingredients, except chips and nuts. Spread in an 8-inch square pan. Sprinkle with chips and nuts. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes.

Key Lime Cupcakes

I made these key lime cupcakes a couple days ago from the cookbook, 101 Gourmet Cupcakes (my post here). I saw that this recipe from Wendy's cookbook was featured on KSL, where I found her nice photo and recipe. I found out that these cupcakes are better after being refrigerated for a full day! Read my additional tips below!


Cupcake

• 1 box white cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1 c. half and half
• 6 T. key lime juice
• 1 c. sweetened condensed milk
• 1 recipe whipped cream (recipe below)
• 4 T. grated lime peel ( 3 limes)

Mix together cake mix, eggs, half and half, and 3 tablespoons key lime juice. Pour 1 -2 tablespoons batter into each paper liner. In a separate bowl, mix sweetened condensed milk and the rest of the lime juice. Evenly divide lime milk into batter-filled cups. Top with remaining batter and fill ¾ full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 -18 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

Cool Whip

• 2 c. heavy whipping cream
• ¼ - ½ c. powdered sugar
• Pour cream into large mixing bowl and start mixing at low speed. Gradually increase speed until cream thickens and soft peaks form.

  Turn off mixer and add sugar. Start slowly again - no messes today? Beat until stiff peaks form. The stiffer the cream, the easier it is to frost the cupcakes. Keep refrigerated. Frost with whipped cream and garnish with grated lime peel.

Tiff's Tips: I wanted mine for lime flavored so I added True Lime (crystallized lime powder- check it out here) to the cool whip until I had a nice lime taste. I bought my True Lime at Fred Meyer for $3.99; they also carry True Lemon - both products are fantastic and I use then all the time. (They are in the spice section) Oh, it was fabulous!

Paul said these were the best cupcakes he has ever had - but I remind you that there are 100% better after refrigerating for a day! I didn't know if I liked the cupcakes yesterday, but today the flavor was so much better.

When I made mine, I didn't have a white cake mix! I messed up the first time I made them because I didn't read the directions carefully. On the second time around, I made a master cake mix - check it out - it is so easy!

P.S. You can also garnish each cupcake with a small lime wedge on top of the cool whip - I think that would be easier than grating the lime peel.