Green Chilli and Beans "a.k.a. Chilli Verde"

This is by far my favorite meal in the entire world! The cool thing about this meal is that you can make this meal and freeze it. That way if you want to have a big fiesta you can make this days or weeks in advance and pull it out when you are ready (and the flavors are so intense that no one will ever know it's been in the freezer!!)

For the Green Chilli:
8-12 Anaheim peppers (these are the long green ones-this gives it the green chilli flavor)
6-8 Jalpenos (these are the small green ones-these give the chilli the heat).

Place the peppers and jalepenos in the oven under broil. When the peppers start getting a burnt looked, then flip them to the other side and let the other side char. When they are charred on all sides, remove them from the oven and place them in ziplock bags, and let them "sweat" this takes about 30 minutes-so they cool down.

Remove from ziplock bags and remove the stems and peel off the skin of each pepper and jalepeno. **Note: you may want to use gloves because when removing the skin-the heat is so intense with these peppers your skin can physically feel like it's burning.

Take the jalapenos and peppers and place them in a blender and blend with a tiny bit of water. I blend so the peppers are no longer chunky-but not overly runny. You can pick the consistency. Add enough water to make the consitency you prefer.

For the chilli:
Cut up about 4 pounds of a boneless beef or pork roast into bite sized pieces. Or you can buy the stew meat that's already cut up (but it's more expensive). Brown in large pan and add 1 chopped onion, 4 cloves of minced garlic and 1 tsp. salt. Cook uncovered until the liquid from the meat is gone and meat is browned (this takes about 20-30 minutes for the liquid to absorb). Add enough flour to coat all the meat and sir it around. At this point pour 4 cups of the green chilli blended sauce in with the meat. Slowly add another cup at a time (tasting each time) until you reach the desired "hotness" of your chilli. Whatever chilli blend that is left over you can freeze for your next chilli batch. If you need to add a little water to the chilli so it's not so thick, do so.

Pour in a crock pot and cook on low all day and let all those flavors soak up. Or on High for a few hours.

Serve with refried beans and homemade tortillas....I promise you will love this recipe!!!!

Refried Beans:
Buy a bag of Pinto Beans
Soak in a bowl of water overnight.
Rinse and drain next morning
Pour into crock pot with amount of water it says on the bag
Add 1-2 Tbsp. salt depending on size of pinto bag.
Cook on low all day.
-Serve whole or to make the refried beans
Remove beans from crock pot-put in pan on stove-mash with a masher and add some bean juice and shredded cheese and mix until you get the perfect refried bean texture.


***Place leftover chilli and beans in old cool whip bowls and stick in freezer. Pull out and reheat when you want easy leftovers!!

Flour Tortillas

One of the many benefits of being married to my husband, is that his mom has taught me to make some killer homemade Mexican food-that she learned from her mother in law that is from Mexico. It's so fun to be able to make "real" Mexican food. One of my favorite things she makes is homemade tortillas. They are AMAZING. I still haven't mastered the skill of making a perfectly round tortilla because the flour ones aren't made with a tortilla press, all you need is a roller. But, even if you end up with a rectangle tortilla-the flavor is still amazing!!!

Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 cup shortening

Combine flour with baking powder and salt. Add shortening and mix with fingers until evenly mixed. Gradually stir in enough water to make a soft dough. Knead for 5 minutes. Cover and let rest 30 minutes. Preheat an ungreased griddle or heavy skillet over med heat. Form balls and and shape each one into a really flat patty-using your hands and a roller (this will take practice!!) Once you have started rolling it out-don't form it back into a ball and try to start over it makes the dough go hard and it's ruined. Roll very thin. Place tortilla on skillet . Cook until bubbles form on top and underside is flecked with brown. Turn and cook until the other side is lightly brown. Stack tortillas and cover with a dry cloth until ready to serve. Serve immediately or store in plastic bag and reheat briefly before serving.

Makes about 12-14 tortillas

Serving Suggestions: Fill with refried beans and cheese for easy burritos. Fajitas. Or chilli. For easy Mexican desserts spread with cream cheese and a little salt. Or Butter and cinnamon and sugar. Also great for breakfast with scrambled eggs, hashbrowns and sausage and salsa for breakfast burritos.

Raspberry Cream Pie

Every summer, when my in-laws go out of town, my mother in law lets me come over and pick her raspberries. We get to keep everything we pick. I have a huge bucket full, and this is what I am going to make with them. Easy and YUMMY...and not to fattening, BONUS!

1 8oz. pkg cream cheese (you can use 1/3 less fat or fat free)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup raspberries
1/4 cup sugar (you can use Splenda)
19" graham crust (just buy a store bought, it's easier!!)
1 8 oz. carton of cool whip (I use the light or fat free)

Combine softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, mixing until well blended. Fold Cool Whip into cream cheese mixture. Mash raspberries- not alot, just so they aren't whole raspberries. Stir into cream cheese mixture. . Spoon into crust. Chill several hours or overnight. Garnish with additional raspberries if desired.