Taste of Chicago and Grateful Dead Show countdown

Well...just got tickets to take my son to see The Grateful Dead July 5!  Fortunately, The Taste of Chicago is also that weekend!  Looking forward to it...

Justin's 18th bday tattoo

Me and my friend Nicole at Soldier Field back in the early 90s

Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili

This recipe came from The Comfort of Cooking 02/20/12...I made few changes because of what I had on hand.

1 (16 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (16 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, minced (I hate mincing garlic and usually prefer to use the press)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, mined (WASH YOUR HANDS)
1 green pepper, chopped
10 oz frozen corn (I had a 14 oz bag and used it all)
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce (I didn't have any, so I used a can of petite chopped tomatoes, drained)
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained (I had a 28 oz can of crushed tomato and used that, undrained)
1 T cumin
1 T chili powder
1 t dry oregano
1 t kosher salt
2 boneless, skinless raw chicken breasts

Combine all of the above ingredients in your crock pot.  Cook on low 6 hours, or high 4 hours.  At the end, shred the chicken and stir it up.

You can garnish with sour cream, cheese, green onions, cilantro, etc.  I bought multigrain tortilla chips to eat with the chili.  Turned out super yummy!

Cookie, Brownie, Peanut Butter Cup Treats

This is hardly a recipe because it uses convenience items.  But I don't care what you say...they are good!!

This is yet another Pinterest find that I am glad I tried.  My son and his friends inhaled them!  I've made them a few more times for friends who liked them just as much as the kids.  And can you blame them??  Chocolate chip cookies...good.  Peanut butter cups...goood.  Brownies...goooood.

What you need is refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough.  I suppose you could use any kind of cookie you want, but why wouldn't you want chocolate chip??  So anyhow...press the cookie dough into muffin tins.  I recommend using paper cups to make it easier to get them out of the pan.

Now, get 12 peanut butter cups and place on top of the cookie dough.

Then, get a box of brownie mix and mix it according to the directions.  I used some that had chunks it it too.  Pour it over top of the peanut butter cups.

Place the pan into the oven.  I put a pan on the shelf underneath it because I didn't want them to overflow onto the bottom of the oven.  Bake 18 minutes at 350 degrees.

Let them sit for a bit so they can set.  Oh my heavens...I want these now!

Grilled Pork Tenderloin adapted from Food Network Magazine 2012

 

First time I made this, I only made one tenderloin.  Big mistake because my son and I gobbled it up so fast!

First, you want to combine all of the rub ingredients...1 t salt, 1/2 t black pepper, 1 t brown sugar, 1 t cumin, 1 t ground mustard, 1/2 t onion powder, 1/2 t garlic powder.

Now, take 2 pork tenderloins (do not be foolish like I was and only make one!), 1.5 # total, and place in a ziplock bag.  Rub 2 t olive oil all over it, then the rub.  Put it in the fridge and let sit at least 1-4 hours.

Combine 3/4 c apple cider vinegar, 3 T brown sugar, 2 T ketchup and 1/2 T red pepper flakes. Pour into the bag with the pork and refrigerate another 2 hours.

When you are ready to grill, pull out of the fridge for like 30 minutes.  Grill on low for 20 minutes until it reaches 140-145 degrees.  Let it rest 20 minutes more.

While the pork is on the grill, heat the marinade for a little bit to reduce.  Drizzle over the sliced pork.

Oh so good!

French Kiss Martini

Pretty sure I originally found this on Pinterest.  Made it with friends and yummy!

2 oz pineapple juice
2 oz vodka
1 oz chamboard

Shake, don't stir, because it makes it nice and foamy and kind of tastes a little different.  Serve in a martini glass.

Good Old School Chex Mix

I like to cook this in the oven but it seems at all of the recipes now are made in the microwave.  Yuck.
The original recipe calls for 3c each corn, rice and wheat Chex, 1 c nuts, 1 c pretzels, 1 c bagel chips.  I mix it up and sometimes use goldfish, Cheerios, Cheese-its and don't normally use the pretzels because they are what usually ends up in the bowl at the end because no one want to eat them.  Anyhow...plot all of the ingredients into a large baking pan.  Then melt 6 T butter and add 2 T Wocerstershire sauce.  Drizzle over the cereal mix and toss to coat.  Now combine 1 1/2 t seasoned salt, 3/4 t garlic powder and 1/2 t onion powder.  Sprinkle over cereal mix and toss to coat.  Place the pan into the oven at 250 degrees and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Ahhh...brings back memories of Thanksgiving day as a kid.  My mom used to make Chex Mix for us to eat while watching parades and waiting for dinner.

Broccoli Salad from my friend KBB

I love this stuff!

2 bunches raw broccoli, cut into flowerettes
14 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
raisins to taste (or dried cranberries)
1 1/2 c mayo (I use lite, but always Dukes)
1/4 c sugar
2 T white vinegar
1/2 red onion, chopped fine

Combine everything and let it sit at least 3-4 hours.