Mini Pumpkin Pies

This recipe has a very "semi-homemade" feel to it:

1 30 oz. can Libby's Easy Pumpkin Pie Mix (this is the only size available)
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 eggs, beaten
frozen mini fillo shells

Mix well. Use mixture to fill mini fillo shells. Bake 15-20 minutes at 425 degrees. One batch will easily fill 60+ mini shells.

Serving suggestions -- top with whipped cream and cinnamon.

Chili Overnight

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef, browned and drained
• 1 Tablespoon EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 4 Tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 3 Tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 3 cups canned light red kidney beans, drained
• 2 cups canned diced tomatoes, drained
• 3 cups tomato sauce

Directions
Cook ground beef and drain fat. Sauté onion, green pepper, garlic, salt and pepper in olive oil until onions start to caramelize and peppers are tender. In a large pot, add ground beef, onion/pepper mix, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce. Cook on low until heated through. Add beans, tomatoes, and tomato sauce and gently bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes then turn off heat and allow to cool. Refrigerate overnight. Reheat when ready to serve.

Eat your Veggies!!

Our new favorite thing is roasted vegetables. They are so flavorful and healthy.
Here is how I do it.

Preheat oven to 400 - 450 (depending on how hot it gets at your house)

Clean vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, or zucchini
Place in a bowl and toss with the following:
Olive oil (enough to coat)
Salt and pepper
Lemon (a few squeezes)
Garlic (I use the diced garlic in a jar, but the powdered stuff will work fine too)

Coat evenly
Place on a cookie sheet or other oven safe pan
Let roast for 10 - 15 minutes (turn halfway through)

*NOTE: I let the broccoli roast for too long on one side and it cooks really fast so keep an eye one it.

Chicken Divan Pie

I had to improvise this last night, but it came out rather tasty.

2-3 cups cooked white rice (I used left overs from Chinese take-out)
1 egg, beaten
1 bag frozen broccoli
2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I should have used more chicken, but I only had 2)
5 oz. (half a can) of condensed cream of chicken and herb soup
5 oz. (half a can) of condensed cream of broccoli soup
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used sharp rather than mild)
1 cup crushed croutons (I used Caesar flavored)

Mix rice with egg. Add to a deep baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Press firmly into bottom of dish with a fork or spoon. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Blanch frozen broccoli in boiling water to thaw (If you want your broccoli to come out crisp in the finished dish, boil only until thawed. I like mine on the soft side, so I cooked it a little longer). For the chicken, you can leave them as whole breasts or cut into slices. I sliced mine to speed up cooking time. Cook until no longer pink in the middle. Mix the two types of soup together. Remove rice "crust" from oven. Add a layer of broccoli, a layer of chicken, a layer of soup, a layer of cheese, and sprinkle the croutons on top. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes to an hour. If you notice the cheese and croutons starting to burn, cover with aluminum foil to finish baking.