Crockpot Chicken Chili

I thought chili would be a perfect meal for this cool, rainy, fall day.  I posted this recipe once before but didn't have pictures so I thought I would repost it today.  I originally got this recipe from Skinnytaste.  This recipe is nice because it goes in the crockpot and is pretty simple.  If you prefer a beef/sausage chili try this recipe I posted in January. 

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced

1 15 oz can black beans

1 15 oz can kidney beans

2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes with green chilis

1 15 oz can corn

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

1 packet taco seasoning

1 T cumin

1 T chili powder

2 large chicken breasts

Mix all ingredients, except chicken, together in crockpot. 

Place chicken breasts atop other ingredients.

Cook on high for 5.5 hours.

Shred chicken with 2 forks.

Mix shredded chicken into other ingredients.

Cook additional 30 minutes.

Optional: Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream, and/or cilantro for serving.

Oven Roasted Butternut Squash - A Simple Seasonal Side!

We have had a butternut squash sitting on our counter for quite some time.  It was from our CSA at least a month ago.  In efforts to use the groceries we have at home I decided to make it today as a side for the pork tenderloin that was in the freezer too.  This is a very, very easy recipe with only 5 ingredients and would be an easy addition to any meal.  This could also easily make an appearance at your Thanksgiving dinner.   Ingredients: butternut squash 1/2 stick butter Salt  Pepper Chili Powder   Cut butternut squash into a small dice and place in a glass bowl.  If you have never cut a butternut squash, cut off the top, the bottom and then all the outside then slice in half.  Scoop out all the seeds, cut into long sticks and then into a smaller dice.  

    Melt butter and pour over squash.  Mix together to be sure butter is evenly coating all squash.

Add fresh ground salt, pepper & several shakes of chili powder.  Stir and re-season.  Make sure all ingredients are evenly mixed.  

Spread on baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes at 375 degrees.

One squash is soft, increase oven temperature to 425 and cook another 5-7 minutes to crisp/brown it up a little.  

 

Pumpkin Dip

My Gramma was in town for one day yesterday so my mom had the family over for a big potluck style meal.  I had to work so I made a few things up for my mom to pick up the day before and have on hand.   I've seen all kinds of recipes for different pumpkin dips floating around Pinterest & various blogs and thought I'd give it a try.  I used this recipe from Christina at Carolina Charm.  But my friend Sarah at Sweet Happenings also happened to post a variation here.    

Ingredients
1 15 oz can pumpkin
1 large (4.5 oz) pkg vanilla pudding mix
16 oz Cool Whip
1/2 T pumpkin pie spice
1/2 T cinnamon.

Thaw Cool Whip.  Stir all ingredients together.  Sprinkle with cinnamon on top.  Serve with graham crackers, gingersnaps, animal cookies or apple slices.   **If I was being super Pinteresty I would have carved a small pumpkin and used it as a serving dish for the dip but I worried about letting it sit in the pumpkin for 24 hours and I didn't want my mom to have to deal with assembling it since I wouldn't be there, so a bowl it is**