Apple White Bean Chili

Adapted from Rachel Ray's Apple Chicken Chili. Per usual I didn't have everything the recipe asked for and figured I could make due without ;) It came out fabulous. I will definitely have to make this again for when the husband is home. The marvelously picky daughter ate it right up too!

Apple White Bean Chili
2 15oz cans of chili ready tomatoes
1 15oz can of white beans (next time I'll probably use two; well rinsed)
2 large apples diced (I didn't bother peeling them)
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp hot chili powder
1 teas roasted cumin 
2 tbsp olive oil
2 fist fulls of mozzarella
3 slices pepperjack cheese
good amount of fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 swanson chicken broth little pouches
1 cup water

Directions:
I made a roux from the flour and oil then added the tomatoes, beans, garlic, onion, cumin, chili powder, pepper.
Then I cut up the apples added them w/the water and chicken broth concentrate
I let it all simmer until the apples where tender then mixed in the cheese and served it with lime tortillas.
It was very yummy, and really hit the spot on this very rainy cold October day :)

Pumpkin Pie Bar

It's October, so I am craving pumpkin....anything pumpkin. I had some puree so thought I could make some pumpkin cookies. Found a bunch of recipes that just didn't seem to do it for me. Mainly because I didn't want to use a cup of crisco and I didn't have chocolate chips. So instead I came up with what I am going to call pumpkin pie bars. They have the flavor and the center has the texture of a pumpkin pie, but doesn't have the crust and can be cut into neat little squares.


Pumpkin Pie Bar
1 can pumpkin puree
1 cup sugar
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch cloves/nutmeg
1/8 cup molasses

Combine all ingredients well. Bake in 5x9 pyrex dish in 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.

***note: I'm guessing on the size of the dish because it's my vintage pyrex dish that I got from my grandmother....

Mom's Frosting

2 egg whites till peaks
1/2 cups crisco
2 cups confectionery sugar
teaspoon vanilla
dash of salt

Shipyard Beef Stew

2lbs stew beef
medium bag frozen sliced carrots
medium bag frozen peas
2 small onions
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
good amount of freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoon of olive oil
1 bottle of Shipyard's Pumpkinhead beer
6 cups water
2 tablespoons of better than boulin beef base

Preheat cast iron dutch oven with oil
Combine flour and spices into a bowl or plastic bag and dredge beef.
Add beef to dutch oven when en hot and brown the beef approximately 10-15 minutes
Roughly chop onion and add to the pot and cook until translucent
Deglaze bottom of pot with full bottle of Pumpkinhead for a minute or two
Add the rest of the ingredients including the remaining flour mixture
Cover and simmer for an hour or so, then uncover and continue to cook for another hour until the liquid reduces and makes more of a gravy.

Serve with biscuits