Kelsey and Jamie's Mystery Chili

It's a deviation from a basic recipe, laden with guessing and incidents, like the top coming off our bottle of cumin! Always at random and always delicious!

Ingredients:
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 (46 fluid ounce) can of tomato juice
1 (29 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1.2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup chili powder

additional ingredients to consider for zing: cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice

Instructions: 

1. Place ground beef in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high until evenly brown. Drain and crumble. 
2. In a large pot, over high heat, combine the ground beef, tomato juice, tomato sauce, kidney beans, pinto beans, onions, bell pepper, cayenne pepper, sugar, oregano, ground black pepper, salt, cumin and chili powder, plus any other spices for flavor. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. 
3. Keep upping the spice content as needed for optimal tastiness. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours. 

Alex's Hard Apple Cider

It's a cold-weather party favorite! Appropriate for friendsgivings, christmas in julys and general drunkeness

Ingredients:
Gallon of apple cider
Packet of mulling spices
Brandy or Rum in whatever bottle size you choose

Instructions:
Mix gallon of apple cider and entire bottle of booze into big stock pot and bring to a boil
Reduce mixture to a simmer and add mulling spices
Keep on heat to induce feelings of happiness.

Jean's (TC's mom) Cowboy Cookies

So TC's mom is an awesome, hardworking lady and she can bake too! Thanks Jean for sending this to me!

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar 1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups of dry oatmeal
1 package chocolate chips
1 cup of nuts (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cream together the sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla 
3. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. Mix together the liquid and dry ingredients.
5. Add oatmeal, entire package of chocolate chips (Jean uses less but consider what kind of people we are), and nuts (like said, optional). 
6. Place dollops of batter on ungreased cookie sheet.  

Jean never actually measured how long it took. From my experience 6-10 minutes (more towards 10 at altitude).

DO NOT OVERBAKE, KEEP SOFT

Apple Pie from the Streets

As Kelsey knows, I cut apples up like I used to cut up people on the streets. Here's what I use those poor apples for.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
7 cups thinly sliced apples (I like Granny Smiths)
2 cups lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter
2 frozen pie crusts (thawed)
4 tablespoons milk (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
2. Mix together the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon peel
3. In one of the pie crusts, layer 1/3 of the apples into the pie crust. Sprinkle with sugar mixture. Repeat steps until all the apples are used up. Sprinkle with lemon juice and bits of butter. 
4. Place the second pie crust on top of filling and crimp the edges of the two pie crusts together.  Cut slits on top of the crust and brush with milk for a glazed appearance if desired. 
5. Bake at 425 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes. 

Geneva's Fancy Chicken Tenders

Ingredients:
Chicken Tenders
Baggy pants with pockets

Instructions:

1. Go to your campus dining hall
2. Stealthily slip chicken tenders into pants' pockets
3. Run really fast to your dorm room (because they're hot!)
4. Lay chicken tenders on bed to air dry
5. Enjoy at a later date!

Brian's Baked Ziti

Brian used to cook this in our very first apartment together! Simple, manly and delicious.
...that's what she said!

Ingredients
1/2- 3/4 a box of ziti or any other pasta of your choice as long as it's an acceptably fun noodle shape.
1 jar of red pasta sauce
Bag of Italian cheese blend
Any other veggies or meat you'd like to add

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Boil water in a sauce pan
Add noodles to boiling water
Once noodles are tender, drain noodles and place in an oven-capable container
Mix noodles and pasta sauce in said container until sauce is evenly distributed
Throw shit-tons of cheese on top (especially if you're Kelsey) of noodles and sauce mix
Throw in oven for about 20 minutes, or until you see some goldening on the cheese

Enjoy your manliness!

Alex's Green Chicken Recipe

Omigod! is Alex trying to put rat poison in your food again? Nope! This time she's just offering you a zesty green chicken dish.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
3 lbs. chicken, cut into quarters (or 4 boneless breasts)
Salt and black pepper (for chicken)
1 cup parsley leaves, tightly packed
1/3 cup basil leaves, tightly packed
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. salt (for puree)
1 tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup of Greek yogurt

Instructions:

1.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken
2. Puree the herbs, garlic, salt, honey, cayenne and olive oil until smooth. Using half of the mixture, marinate chicken pieces in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. 
3. Grill chicken over low heat, turning just until firm to the touch, about 7 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes. Mix remaining herb puree with yogurt. Drizzle over chicken. 

Enjoy!