Better than anything you can get in a can

The other day I made a big Dutch Oven full of chili beans and a batch of cornbread muffins. I was afraid I had made too much since there are only three of us at home now. I figured whatever we didn’t eat for dinner and take for lunch I could always freeze. But, it was such a hit that we ended up eating it until it was gone. I have to say, I did end up putting in an extra can of pinto beans because I love having the two kinds.

When I picked up my son Jack from football practice I had a small mason jar of chili, a cornbread muffin, and a spoon. All he had to do was unscrew the lid for a hot meal that he could just enjoy after a long day.

I know when my teenager tells me that the meal was really good, I hit on a winner and this recipe really hit the spot. For our next Football night I am already planning to make another batch of this hearty classic.

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Quick Tip: Want to swap out ground chicken or turkey for beef? Go right ahead!

Image and recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker

The post Super Easy and Incredible Tasting appeared first on Urban Retro Recipes.

Bring On The Chili Weather!  Pun Intended

What is a busy mom to do when dinner time rolls around and EVERYONE is hungry? Well, try this dish and watch your family eat it up. I love a hearty meal that you can create in a hurry and with simple, yet hardy ingredients. Really, it comes down to just taking a few moments to sauté the onions and fresh garlic before adding in the carrots, browning the beef and adding the pinto beans. Really, this is the perfect comfort dish that reminds me of my husband’s favorite food. Chili beans and cornbread. Seriously, he could eat it every week if I made it for him. The fact that this cornbread is baked right on top means no more dry cornbread for my family!  I love the fact that this is cooked in one dish, which means the clean-up is fairly minimal.  So, whether you are looking to take something to a cabin or just want a hearty Game Day Dinner, this Cornbread Chili Pie is a perfect dish.

And for more of a Southwest flavor go ahead and add in some diced fire roasted hatch chilis and a can of corn.  That really helps to stretch this dish out and if you are lucky, you might even have some for left overs.

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Quick Tip: Want to make this for a crowd? Go ahead and divide into individual ramekins with a dollop of sour cream and sprig of cilantro on top.

Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart

Image courtesy of Jonathan Lovekin

The post The Dish That Made Martha Famous appeared first on Urban Retro Recipes.

The Taste Of a Classic, Only In A Soup

I love making and eating soups. I think that on a brisk day nothing beats a big bowl with some fresh breadstick to just warm you up from the inside out. We lived in MN for nine years and believe me, there were lots and lots of soup days.

When we moved back to Northern California we lived in the Sierra Mountains. It was a wonderful feeling to have a big pot of soup or stew on the stove when snowflakes started to fall.  The perfect meal after a day of sledding or shoveling the walkway!

Then we made the move to San Diego area. I have to admit I miss the seasons. Not only is it hard to think of fall or winter when you are still wearing flip flops and short sleeves, we don’t eat soup very often. At least not as often as I would like, but thankfully I hear temperatures are going to be dropping soon. We might even have a few mornings where you will be able to see your breath when you walk outside. If there is a dusting of frost, well down in SoCal they refer to that as a weather event.

This is what Jen of Yummy Healthy Easy has to say about her recipe.

“If you’re like me and struggling to find new meals to make during the week, you MUST try this lasagna soup! My boys absolutely loved it and it’s now a new soup on the menu rotation.”

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Quick Tip: You can substitute chicken sausage for ground beef if you prefer. I LOVE a chicken sausage I just tried with basil. Yummo. It would be great in this and good for those watching their calories as well.

Recipe and Image courtesy of Jen and Yummy Healthy Easy

The post Take The Chill Off With A Bowl Of This Hearty Dish appeared first on Urban Retro Recipes.

You Don’t Have To Be Amish To Eat This Country Casserole

My mom used to make us Hamburger Helper once in a while. It was usually when we had driven up to where my parents were building a cabin. My mom didn’t have her stove or over yet, so being able to brown up hamburger and onion, then dump ingredients out of a box, add water, and cook it in an electric skillet was an great option.

After a while all the meals tasted the same. To be honest as a kid I would have rather had a grilled cheese sandwich. We had a big light where the dining room was going to be. It attracted moths. Remember we were building a cabin so this was in the beginning stages and it was kind of like camping at that point.  The last night we were getting ready to eat the “fresh from the box” dinner and I looked at my fork. My noodle moved. Then I noticed it wasn’t a noodle but a cream covered moth that had flown into the pan unnoticed and must have tried to do a few butterfly strokes to swim out of the sauce.

From that night on I skipped the main course. I think the moth just pushed me over the edge. When I tasted this dish I realized this was the taste Hamburger Helper had tried to copy. This dish is so amazingly good that you won’t mind eating it several nights in a row!

This is what Linda says about her recipe.

“It’s quite a large dish, but so tasty, all of us had second helpings.”

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Quick Tip: you can use sausage instead of ground beef or a blend.

Recipe and image courtesy of Linda at With a Blast

The post One Taste And You Won’t Be Able To Get It Out Of Your Mind appeared first on Urban Retro Recipes.