Easy Peasy Hash Browns and Easy Peasy Low Carb Hash Browns

It's a 2'fer!

I like 2 for 1's.  =)

This is a great side dish for many main courses like burgers, ham, and even breakfast! It's also an easy way to use up any leftover baked potatoes.

The low carb version uses butternut squash chunks.  This is not an original idea as many low carb diets make versions of this and season them with McCormick seasoning packets.  I control the sodium, seasoning them myself.

Thanks to the world of crash diets and grocery chains wanting to capitalize on that... you can now buy butternut squash already chunked in the fresh produce and also the frozen food section!  I LOVE that!  I'm not strong enough and I don't have good enough knives to cut a butternut myself.  PLUS, they are not easy to find!

Easy Peasy Hash Browns
Ingredients: For 1 serving
Leftover or cooled baked potato chunked
1/2 sweet onion coarsely chopped
Extra virgin olive oil 
Seasoning Salt or just salt & pepper

Easy Peasy Low Carb Hash Browns
Ingredients: For 1 serving
1 serving (maybe 1 cup) Butternut squash chunked
1/2 sweet onion coarsely chopped
Extra virgin olive oil 
Sriracha 1 -2 light squirt(s)
Seasoning Salt or just salt & pepper

Easy to prepare:
Heat up frying pan with about 1 tbsp EVOO.  Not too high of heat as EVOO should not be heated too hot for health reasons...

Add potato chunks and onions and coat with oil in pan

season lightly with the seasoning salt or salt & pepper.  add 1-2 squirts of Sriracha if you would like your hash browns to have a good bite to them.

Continue to cook on medium heat until browned.

Yummy Easy Peasy Hash Browns

Yummy Easy Peasy Low Carb Hash Browns

Enjoy!

Tracy's Tipsy Chili Recipe

Tipsy Chili!

I must admit, that until my mom passed away, I had never made my own chili.  Her chili was so yummy, why should I make my own?  Anyway, a while after she passed away, the search was on for her recipe.  I found it, and here it is.  

It's yummy!  

So from that recipe, I evolved slightly.  Basically, I season it as I like it, or rather as honey and Kelly like it.  They are my taste testers as to when it's done.  

I prefer to simmer my chili as long as possible, so I normally make chili on the weekends.  Today is an exception.  It's an after work chili that's been simmering an hour or so now, but it will be amazing re-heated tomorrow after everything marinates.

I did post a picture of the spices on Insta and FB to see if anyone could guess my secret ingredient.  So far, the guesses have been cocoa powder, coffee, bacon, and beer.  All great guesses and ideas!  Thanks Chrissy, Dawn, Cheryl, and Dawn!  My mom's secret ingredient was taco bell sauce packets!  Medium!  Try it.  She would be okay with me sharing!

Enjoy my super easy recipe and of course, "own it" and make it your own!

Ingredients:

1 1b. of ground meat of choice (I used organic ground chicken)

1 28 oz can of tomato sauce or puree (I accidentally got puree this time, but it just made for a thicker chili)

1 8 oz can of diced tomatoes ( I prefer low sodium if I can find it)

1 8 oz can of chili beans

1 8 oz can of black beans

Various spices:  (I am horrible at measuring) I always forget the bay leaf, so this recipe was with out it.  Wait, does anyone know what the bay leaf flavor is like? (squirrel)

chili powder - 2 shakes to start

garlic minced and/or garlic powder - lots of it

cumin - 3-4 shakes

onion flakes - 3 shakes

cayenne - 2 shakes to start

seasoning salt - 1 shake or none at all

sriracha (because I was out of of Frank's hot sauce) - a good squirt of sriracha or about 5 shakes of Franks to start

1 green pepper - chopped

1 sweet onion - chopped

1 tbsp of olive oil

I think that's everything!

• brown your ground meat in a non-stick pan (I can't find my orgreenic since the move, so I'm using the old T Fals for now).  I don't add spray oil or any oil.  Drain when finished if any liquid or grease ( sometimes, I season the meat with the dried onions and some garlic while it browns)
• while the meat browns, add 1tbsp of olive oil to your big cooking pot and cook the chopped green peppers and onions on medium heat.  (sometimes I go ahead and add a little garlic while the veggies cook)
  
• when the meat is done, add it to the pot with the peppers and onions
• add your canned puree or sauce, the tomatoes, and rinsed beans.  
• start shaking your seasonings
  

• add your secret ingredient... mine is... ta da!... 1/2 a cup or so of Cabernet Sauvignon!  I bet you were curious about the tipsy part of the chili (no, the cook isn't tipsy).  
• simmer for a few hours
  
• If you like, top with cheese, onions, and greek yogurt or sour cream.  Serve with cornbread, on top of rice, baked regular or sweet potato, with tortilla chips, or just in the bowl!  Sometimes left overs top a salad.  
• I'm hungry
• I'll take a glass of wine now... oh, beer is good with this too.

Enjoy!

Plum Salsa Recipe

Plum Salsa!

You know when you buy a bunch of fruit, with good intentions, only to find it got too ripe before you could eat it?

Yes, that was the inspiration for this recipe.  I had 2 very soft plums.

Plum Salsa 

2 very ripe plums chopped

1/4 red onion chopped

2 tsps apple cider vinegar 

dash of pink salt

sprinkle of dried cilantro (or fresh of course if you have it)

squirt of Sriracha sauce

Gently mix up your salsa and chill.

While you chill, let the salsa chill a bit so the flavors can marinate.   

My daughter taste tested and approved this on Keebler Club crackers.  Honey approved it on baked tilapia.  

I suppose this would be yummy on baked chicken or with tortilla chips or even a sandwich topping.

Enjoy!

Hey!... this is my 100th post!  (I guess only exciting news to me.  ha ha!)