Potluck Sunday 02-21-10 Chili and Pistachio "Cloud Dessert"

Recipes

Feb 21

The weather is a little warmer and we are now going through a melt down. I will be so glad to see the snow and cold weather gone. I feel so deprived from the sun. Seems lately my only outlet for the depressing weather is cooking really good food. So I am heating things up in the kitchen today cooking up chili. Bring the heat on! Ginny made Trader Joe's Yellow Cornbread.

Chili

3 Pounds Ground Chuck
1 Yellow Onion
1 Can Dark Red Kidney Beans
1 Can Light Red Kidney Beans
1 Can Spicy Chili Beans
2 Quart Jars Home Canned Tomatoes
2 16 oz. Can V8 Juice
Salt
Pepper
3 Tablespoons Spicy Chili Powder
Red Hot Sauce
Water
Optional Ingredients
Black Beans
Jalapeno Peppers
Green Peppers
Fresh Garlic
Toppings:
Shredded Cheese
Chopped Onions
Broken Tortilla Chips
Crumbled Corn Bread
Crackers
Love

Use a large stock pot or dutch oven. Brown ground chuck with onions, garlic, and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Drain grease. Add tomatoes, beans, V8 Juice, chili powder, Red Hot Sauce. Add water to desired thickness. Really I use whatever happens to be in my kitchen. I change this recipe frequently so feel free to experiment. Bring to a boil and simmer for at least 2 hours. I find I enjoy the flavor after the chili has rested overnight. Top off chili with desired toppings and love.

Pistachio Cloud Dessert

This recipe was created because of an error I made while making my favorite pecan cookies for Christmas. I used cake flour when I should have used all-purpose flour. Anyway, I found a very good use for the cookies that no longer looked like cookies resulting in what I call my "Cloud Dessert". I will start with the recipe for my new pecan cookie topping. You can make this ahead of time and keep in the freezer. Anytime you need a quick dessert make a "Cloud".

Pecan Cookie Topping

2 Cups Cake Flour
1 Cup Softened Butter -- Only Real Butter Folks
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Chopped Pecans
Powdered Sugar

I find the best way to mix this recipe is with my hands however sometimes I will use my Kitchen Aid mixer if the butter is not soft enough. I use the paddle and mix on a low setting. Mix butter, sugar and vanilla. Add cake flour and salt and mix together. Last add the chopped pecans.

I use a small ice cream scooper or mellon ball scooper and form a ball. Place approximately 12 cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Watch the cookies. They are done when they totally spread out flat and are lightly browned. Let cool. Crumble the cookies and place in a Ziplock bag. Toss in some powdered sugar and lightly coat the crumbles. Now you can freeze this mixture and use any time you need a quick topping for ice cream, pudding, or cake.

Pistachio " Cloud Dessert"

The base of this recipe is pudding. The name of this dessert will change depending on the type of pudding you choose. You can use any flavor. I especially like the pumpkin spice. However, it is only available seasonally. Stock up when you find it.

2 Small Boxes of Instant Pudding
3 Cups of Milk
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 8 oz. Block of Cream Cheese - Softened
1 Tub Cool Whip
Crumb Topping
Love

Place instant pudding and milk in a bowl. Mix with a wire wisk for approximately 2 minutes. Set aside. Mix powdered sugar, cream cheese and half of the cool whip. Set aside. Take a 13 x 9 glass dish or any large pretty glass dish and cover the bottom with crumb topping. Next layer pudding, then cream cheese mixture and next is crumb topping. Repeat one more time and the final layer with remaining cool whip. Top off with crumb topping and love.