Charity's Homemade 3 Bean Chili

1 (15 oz) Can Kidney Beans
1/2 Can Black Beans
1/2 Can Pinto Beans
2 Cans Diced Tomatoes (15 oz each)
1/2 Onion - chopped
1/2 Green Pepper- chopped
3 Garlic Cloves -minced
16 oz Tomato Sauce
1/4 Cup Ketchup
2 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper

Drain juice from all cans of beans and rinse. Do not drain the diced tomatoes. Add all ingredients to a large pot and bring to boil. Boil for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add 1/8 cup crushed Ritz Crackers

Serve and enjoy

***You can also cook in a crock pot on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours***

CHARITY'S ZUCCHINI BREAD

3 Whole eggs
1 cup Oil
1 3/4 cups Sugar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
2 teaspoons ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
2 cups Grated Zucchini
3 cups Flour

Preheat oven to 350
Mix ingredients together in the order shown, mixing well between each ingredient.
Grease and flour 2 loaf pans
Pour equal amounts of the mixture into each pan
Bake for 45 minutes

MILD CANNED SALSA

Makes about 6 Quart

24 Whole medium tomatoes
2 Bell Peppers
1 Red Pepper
5 Jalapeno Peppers
1 1/2 White Onion
1 Red Onion
12 oz Tomato Paste
1 Cup White Vinegar
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Salt
4 Tablespoons Cilantro
3 Cloves of Garlic (Minced)

• The tomatoes need to be skinned. You do this by boiling water in a large pot and then putting the tomatoes in the boiling water for 20-30 seconds. Place them in ice water afterwards. Then you can peel them.
• Cut all of the peppers and remove the seeds. If you don't remove the jalapeno seeds your salsa will not be mild.
• In a food processor or chopper, chop the bell peppers, onions, jalapenos, garlic and the tomatoes. They can be chopped by hand, but the food processor is easier. Also I don't like my salsa really chunky, so the food processor works better for me. If you want chunkier salsa you can chop half of the vegetables by hand.
• Put all ingredients into a large pot. Bring to boil and simmer for 25 minutes. This process boils off some of the liquid from the tomatoes.
• Place the lids and rings into a small pot with water and bring the water to a boil. This will get the lids soft so they will seal better. Leave them in the hot water until you place them on the jars.
• Also, start your water bath (canner) water on the burner at this time. It takes a while to get the water boiling.
• Pour the salsa into jars, leaving an inch of air at the top of the jar.
• Wipe the rim of the jars with a wet cloth to get any drips off and then seal them with the lids, making sure you screw them on tight.
• Place the jars into a water bath and bring the water to a boil again. The water in the bath needs to be at least an inch above the jars. Boil the salsa for 20 minuets for quart sized jars or 15 minutes for pint sized jars.
• Take the bottles out of the canner and place them on a towel. they will seal as the jars cool. You know they are sealed by pressing down on the lid of the jar. If it doesn't pop when you push on it then they are sealed.

GRILLED PORK CHOPS

This is a great recipe for pork chops. I use the thicker boneless ones that are about as big as your fist.

4 Pork Chops
1/3 Cup Water
1/3 Cup Soy Sauce
1/8 Cup Oil
1 tsp Minced Garlic
2 Tbsp Lemon Pepper Seasoning

Mix all ingredients (except Pork Chops) together in a bowl. Add the Pork, cover and marinate for 1-2 hours. Grill and enjoy! Do not over cook the meat.

Easy Cheesy Manicotti

EASY CHEESY MANICOTTI

• 8 ounces, fluid Chive And Onion Cream Cheese
• 4 ounces, fluid Regular Cream Cheese
• 3 cups Mozzarella Cheese, Shredded
• ¼ cups Shredded Parmesan Cheese (or 1/8 Cup Of The Grated Sprinkle Kind)
• 1 package Manicotti Shells (8 Oz Package)
• 1 bottle Marinara Sauce 24 Oz (or Spaghetti Sauce )
• 1 Tablespoon Parsley

* Preheat oven to 400 degrees

* Cook Manicotti shells according to the package. Drain the water. I put mine on wax paper after draining so they don’t stick together.

* Soften (in the microwave) both kinds of cream cheese. You want it softened, not cooked, so be very careful.

* In a medium bowl combine 2 cups of Mozzarella Cheese, Chive and Onion Cream Cheese, Regular Cream Cheese, Parmesan Cheese, and parsley. Mix well.

* Pour a small amount of the marinara sauce into a glass casserole dish. Spread it around.

* Fill the pasta shells with the cheese mixture. I find the easiest way to do this is to put a glop into your hand and roll it out into the form of a snake then slide it inside of the shell.

* Place stuffed shells into the casserole dish

* Pour the remaining Marinara Sauce over the top.

* Sprinkle with 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese

* Cover with aluminum foil and Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Recipe makes about 10-12 stuffed shells.

Mint Surprise Cookies
1 C Butter
1 C Sugar
1 C Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
3 C Flour
1 package Andies Mint Squares

* Preheat oven to 375
* Unwrap Andies mints and cut mint rectangles in half, making squares.
* Soften butter, add sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking soda and salt.
*Mix with electric mixer until smooth.
*Add flour and stir until mixed.
* Chill for an hour in fridge ( you don't have to do this but it makes it easier to form balls.)

*Spoon dough and roll around a mint square by using the palm of your hand. Cookie balls should be about 1 inch to 1.5 inch balls. The mint should not be showing.

* Bake 375 for 10-12 minutes.















English Toffee
1 C Butter
1/4 C Water
2 Tablespoons Karo Syrup (Corn Syrup)
1 1/4 C Sugar
1 Bag Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
Smashed Walnuts
Candy Thermometer

*Melt butter in a medium size saucepan. You must use real butter for this.
* Add water, corn syrup, and sugar.
* Stir until boiling.
* Turn heat down a bit so that the sauce is still boiling but not extremely hard. (usually medium low)
* Put candy thermometer into the liquid. Make sure it is not touching the bottom of the pan.
* Cook to 285 degrees. This will take about 20 min or more.
* Pour onto lightly greased cookie sheet (must have four sides)
* The toffee will look bubbly for a minute or two but then will become smooth.
* Pour bag of chocolate chips on the top, wait for them to melt and then smooth them all over the toffee.
* Add crushed walnuts
* Allow the toffee to set, either by leaving it out for several hours or by placing it into the fridge. Once cooked and set you can cut it with a metal spatula or butter knife.

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
Serves 6

4-5 Chicken Breasts (cut up into bite sized pieces)
16 oz Frozen Broccoli
12 oz Can Evaporative Milk
8 oz Cream Cheese
1/8 Cup Chopped Onions
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
Pepper (as much or as little as you like)
1 Cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
1 tube Ritz Crackers

You will need 4 dishes for cooking this meal. 2 sauce pans (one for broccoli, one for the milk mixture) 1 skillet for the chicken and an 8x11 glass casserole dish

Empty crackers into a ziplock back and smash them. Set aside
Chop onion and set aside
In a medium sauce pan, over medium/low heat, heat evaporated milk and cream cheese until smooth
Add garlic powder to milk mixture.
While milk is heating, place raw chicken pieces in a skillet, add onion, pepper and salt to the chicken and cook until done.
While chicken is cooking, boil broccoli and then drain the water.
In an 8x11 glass casserole dish, layer chicken then broccoli. Pour milk mixture over the top. You may have to stir it to get milk on everything.
Top with cheese and crackers.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 min