My Mom's Chili

This is a basic chili recipe that is so easy to make and very adaptable if you ever want to change it up and make it differently. It's great on cold, rainy days like today. I think this is the first thing my mom taught me to make, other than fun little recipes out of my betty crocker kid's cookbook.

My Mom's Chili
1 pound beef or turkey
1 onion
chili powder (to taste)
1 can of stewed tomatoes
1 can of rotel
2 6oz cans of tomato paste
1 can red or white kidney beans
1 small can of mushrooms (optional)
Dice onion, brown beef with onion. Strain fat then add desird amount of chili powder. Add all of the other ingredients and add water until reaching desired thickness. I usually fill all of the empty cans with water except the beans can and maushrooms can but you can add more or less water. Stir while heating through. Serve when heated through or it can sit on low heat for a while if needed.

Crock Pot chicken with black beans and cream cheese

This was an easy Southwest chicken recipe and has a good flavor! I only used 2 large chicken breasts. It's so easy cause you can put them in the crock pot frozen!

Crock-Pot Chicken w/Black Beans & Cream Cheese

4-5 boneless chicken breasts
1 (15 1/2 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can corn
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa, any kind
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (you can use Fat Free)
White or brown rice

Take 4-5 frozen, yes, frozen, boneless chicken breasts put into crock-pot. Add 1 can of black beans, drained, 1 jar of salsa, 1 can of corn drained. Keep in crock-pot on high for about 4-5 hours or until chicken is cooked. You can shred the chicken or leave it whole if you like. Add 1 package of cream cheese (just throw it on top!) and let sit for about 30 minutes to an hour. Mix and serve over white rice or brown rice.