3 Bean Chili

I am posting this before Rachael eggs my house.

1-15oz can black beans
1-15.5oz can garbanzo beans
1-15.5oz can kidney beans
1 cup (8oz) dried lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 large, veg or chicken bullion cube, crumbled
1-1.25oz envelope chili seasoning mix
3 cups water
1-10oz can diced tomatoes and mild green chilies, undrained
1-15oz can tomato sauce

Rinse and drain beans, mix all ingredients except tomatoes and tomato sauce in 3-4 quart slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low heat 8-10 hours

Stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce. Increase heat to high. Cover and cook 5 more minutes.

Makes 8-1cup servings

(Courtesy of Betty Crocker)

My two cents-Yumm, yumm, yumm. This animal free recipe is actually really good-and healthy (shhh, don't tell my kids). Seriously, my kids love it, and everyone I have served it to has asked for the recipe. This recipe feeds my family of 5 and then some. For a crowd I usually double it in my 8 quart crock pot, and it makes a lot. I fed 15ish people on Halloween and had leftovers. It also re-heats really well. An added bonus to this recipe; it's cheap to make. I think the ingredients cost me around $5 at the commissary, besides the bullion cubes.

Enjoy!

Is the time saved worth it?

I feel sick to my stomach reading this. Not that I would ever order that sandwhich, but I am now glad that we do not have Carl's Jr. here. 2600 calories??? BK kids meals are out for us too. So sad (not really).

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/30464/the-worst-drive-thru-foods-in-america-and-what-to-eat-instead/

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

This recipe was shared with me while we were in AK and it has become one of my favorites. I tend to keep this recipe for the fall. I don't know, pumpkin in summer just doesn't work for me. For those of you salivating at the name, yes they are as good as they sound. For those currently going through withdrawls because I am not making anymore right now, here you go. Oh, and don't say I didn't warn any of you, once you know what's in them you'll start counting how many you ate. There is a reason I make them mini.

Lanna's chocolate chip pumpkin muffins

Blend dry in a small bowl and set aside:

• 2C flour
• 3C sugar
• 3T pumpkin pie spice or 5 1/4t cinnamon + 1 3/4t ginger + 3/4t ground cloves
• 3t baking soda
• 3/4t salt

Blend wet in large bowl ( I use a whisk):

• 6 eggs
• 3 cups solid pumpkin (not pie filling, about 1/2 less than the large can. I just dump the can without scraping the sides)
• 3 sticks butter, melted

Fold dry into wet until just blended.

Fold in 3 cups chocolate chips.

Spoon into muffin cups (these will not rise a lot, fill to almost full)

Bake at 350

regular muffins 20-25 min or until they spring back to touch

mini muffins 18 min

Allow to cool for a few minutes before removing.

Cool completely on wire rack

Notes:

Use muffin cups, not non stick sprays. The chocolate chips pull out if not in cups. Exception to the rule - if you use the Pampered Chef mini muffin pan you can bake them without cups. Let them cool a bit then use a large spoon to loosen the edges then scoop them out carefully. I always make these mini for 2 reasons. 1, they are super rich and 2, they are super moist. The large muffins stay moist and crumble easily, leaving a huge mess when the kids get a hold of them. This recipe makes approximately 120 mini muffins (5 PC min muffin pans) and I have no idea how many regular, I don't make them. Last note, I never put these in anything with a lid, they stay too moist, even the mini's. And frankly, they never stick around long enough to go bad, so leave them out uncovered once they are cool. Enjoy!