Cheesy Chili Hash Brown Bake

This week has brought us the beginning of Fall, and our weather here in Kentucky is total proof of it! I love this time of year.  It's cozy and comforting, plus Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner!  What is better than that?  Cool days and cooler nights always put me in the mood for some real comfort food.  What better comfort food for a Fall day than a pot of chili (with noodles of course!) When I saw this recipe in Southern Living, I instantly wanted to try it.  It combined a classic- chili, with hash browns and cheese.  This is comfort food to the max!  Plus, anything with cheese must be good.  I made a few adjustments to the Southern Living version and it was still an amazing outcome!  I substituted home made chili for the ground beef and chili with beans, then simply added the hash browns and cheese.  I think you will enjoy this!  It's even tastier topped with fresh jalapenos!

Ingredients

• 
  1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef or turkey 
• 1 (15.5-oz.) can original sloppy joe sauce
• 1 (15-oz.) can chili with beans
• 1/2 (30-oz.) package frozen country-style shredded hash browns (about 4 cups)
• 2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese 

1. Preparation
2. 1. Preheat oven to 425°. Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, 7 to 10 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Stir in sloppy joe sauce and chili.
3. 2. Spoon chili mixture into 8 lightly greased 10-oz. ramekins. Top with frozen hash browns.
4. 3. Bake, covered, at 425° for 30 minutes; uncover and bake 10 more minutes or until browned and crisp. Sprinkle with cheese, and bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.
5. Note: We tested with Manwich Original Sloppy Joe Sauce and Hormel Chili with Beans. Chili mixture can be baked in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish as directed.

Southern Living 
FEBRUARY 2011

***My version:

Replace the lean ground beef/turkey and chili with beans with your own chili.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Delight

If you are craving chocolate chip cookies, you will definitely want to try this recipe!  It is a lot like the chocolate delight that you've probably had at some point.  It's the addictive dessert that has a shortbread crust, and a creamy chocolate pudding mixture.  It's amazing. This recipe is even more amazing!  It has a chocolate chip cookie crust, a cheesecake layer, a chocolate pudding layer, and a whipped topping.  It's the perfect ending to any day!  When I made this it was completely gone (pan licked) in two days!  This gets 2 thumbs up :o)

From Taste of Home:

Ingredients

• 1 tube (16-1/2 ounces) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
• 3 cups cold 2% milk
• 1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
• Chopped nuts and chocolate curls, optional

Directions

• Let cookie dough stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften. Press into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in 1-3/4 cups whipped topping. Spread over crust.
• In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Spread over cream cheese layer. Top with remaining whipped topping. Sprinkle with nuts and chocolate curls if desired.
• Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight until firm.

Red Velvet Poke Cake

One of my favorite flavors is chocolate.  Any kind of chocolate will usually make any and everything better!  I like it in cake, cookie, cupcake, drink, candy, and basically any form.  So when I came across this recipe online, I knew I had to try it!  It's a combination of red velvet cake, cool whip, oreos, and cheesecake!  Could it get any better? This really is an easy cake to make, and it's simply wonderful!

Ingredients:

1 box Red Velvet cake mix

ingredients needed to make cake (eggs, oil & water)

1 (3.4 oz.) box instant Cheesecake-flavored pudding

2 cups milk

1 (8 oz.) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed

10 Oreo cookies, crushed (optional)

1.) Make red velvet cake according to box directions.  Let the cake cool, then poke holes across the entire cake.  (You can use a straw, or a chop stick.)

2.)  Make cheesecake pudding according to box directions, spread evenly across cake, making sure pudding fills the holes.

3.) Top with whipped cream and oreos.

Enjoy :o)

Chocolate Pecan Graham Cracker Snacks

Over the weekend I was craving something chocolate.  Unfortunately, I hadn't been to the store to buy anything, so my options were very limited!  I looked through the pantry to see what I could come up with.  I had cinnamon graham cracker sticks, chocolate chips, and pecans.  I melted some chocolate chips and drizzled it over the cinnamon graham cracker sticks.  Then topped it off with some chopped pecans and chocolate chips.  This actually turned out to be one of my most eaten inventions, and it fully satisfied my craving!  I hope you enjoy!  These make a perfect football snack or a nice treat while watching one of your favorite shows coming up! These are seriously so easy to make, and even easier to eat! And as always, they are best when enjoyed with a nice, hot, cup of coffee!

1 box cinnamon graham cracker sticks
1 cup mini chocolate chips, melt 1/2 cup and reserve the rest.
1/2 cup chopped pecans

-Melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips.  Drizzle over graham cracker sticks. Top with the remaining chocolate chips and chopped pecans.

*If you can't seem to find the graham cracker sticks, you can always sub regular graham crackers!  The toppings are also limitless :o)