1 Dish Turned into 3 Meals & 1 Rich & Decadent Dessert

The grocery stores have been bleak recently. It doesn't fail that they are out of at least 1 thing you went in for.

Makes for making some hard decisions for meals and for people like me who use to meal plan it puts a heck of a kink in plans sometimes.

However the most important thing is that by people stocking up and staying home we are able to flatten the curve and help contain what has already changed the lives of so many.

I've always had a knack for making things last or making 1 or 2 meals out of one protein. I tried to start a food blog around it but truth is with two kids I just don't always think about taking pictures while I'm cooking and the blog took a back burner. Now I write my recipes and ideas here and on facebook and I love it.

To share a recipe from my kitchen to yours I thought I'd share how to make 1 pot of Chili from scratch into 3 seperate dinners throughout the week. There are a couple ingredients you will need to also make those other dinners but they are affordable and from what I've seen are mostly avaible in many areas and or have a lot of substitutes availible which I will include with the recipes.

The dessert that I'm sharing is actually a pretty popular dessert however I'm sharing my great great grandmothers recipe and it has a variation that most recipes don't. This cake is rich, its decadent and you will most definitely need a tall glass of milk for it. While it may not be ideal to make during a pandemic if you can find the ingredients it's worth it and if you can't well then save it for your recipe box and enjoy it when those better days hit for us.

I also included some bonus content at the end.

So to start

We are making good scratch made chili and cornbread.

I have protected this recipe for years. It is completely of my own however I think it's time to share it. If you need to get even more flexible with avaible meats or if you don't eat meat replace any meat products with beyond or lightlife alternative meat products.

A quick note about the recipe the first day this chili needs to simmer for hours around 6 to be ideal. It best to make it on a slow lazy day at home or your day off. It's not spicy and is kid friendly Its a sweet and mild chili that is very balanced. It pairs amazing with cornbread and toppings such as sour cream and cheese or saltine crackers. You can also add more toppings like fresh tomatos and green chilis or jalapeno peppers if youre wanting to add more spice to your bowl.

Misha's Chili

Here's what you need:

2 cans black beans- drained

2 cans chili beans in sauce

1 can red kidney beans -drained

1/2 of a large yellow onion -chopped

1 lb ground beef ( you can also use ground turkey or sausage )

1 lb sausage

you can also do 1 lb of ground chicken and 1 lb ground turkey or 2 lbs of either of the meats.

1 Kiebaska Sausage Rope or 1 package sausage dogs *This can also be substituted for bratwurst or other sausage dogs.

2 Cloves of garlic

2 Tbsp Butter or margarine

1 Large Bottle Tomato Juice

2 Tsp Salt

4 Tsp Garlic Powder

2 Tsp pepper

6 Tbsp chili powder

1 1/2 Cups brown sugar

(2) Chili seasoning packets

1/4 Cup cornstarch + 1/4 cup Cold water

4 Tbsp Worcestersire sauce.

Sour Cream

1 lb Cheddar Cheese to be used between the 3 meals.

How To Make It

I start with what I call my meat base

That mean you're going to brown the hamburger and ground sausage or your chosen meat. Add the salt pepper garlic powder to the pan with the meats.

Brown your ground beef and sausage or chosen meats and Crumble well.

Drain the grease and set aside.

Finely Dice your onion and garlic and add it to the skillet with 2 Tbsp butter.

Put 2 tbsp butter in skillet with onion and garlic .

Once onions are transparent and it has sweat down add your meat back to the skillet. Add Worcestercire Sauce , and Chili powder.

Simmer until you have a thick aromatic mixture.

Add to your pot that the chili will be cooked in.

*If youd like to use a crockpot you can but it will need a minimum of 8 hours on low and I dont recommend doing this recipe on high.

Add Beans and Tomato Juice to your pot.

Bring to a boil stirring frequently then simmer with lid for 5 hours checking and stirring periodically.

Slice Kiebaska or Sausage Dogs and Add to Chili

Stir in 1 1/2 Cups Brown Sugar

Continue simmering for another hour.

After about 6 hours your chili should of thickened significantly.

You can speed up the cooking time by cooking over med high heat but you need to stire frequently making sure to scrape the bottom of your pan.

If it is not thick enough for your liking you can take 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water and mix it then add it to your chili and stir simmer for another 10 mins and it will thicken up repeat if needed but it honestly shouldnt need it.

Bake your cornbread in the last hour of cooking.

I normally make mine from scratch using Albers cornmeal however like yeast stores have been out of it lately so I just grabbed Jiffys trusty cornbread mix.

Lastly

Enjoy. Top with shredded cheese - and your choice of other toppings I like sour cream on mine and like to break up my cornbread in it.

Drinks- This honestly goes good with a glass of Cold Milk -Sweet Tea or Fresh lemonade.

For the other two meals you'll need :

Hotdog buns

Hotdogs or sausage dogs or bratwurst

Potatos or frozen french frys tomatos yellow onion or green onions chives *Peppers such as jalapenos if you want them

To clarify you dont have to or need to eat all three meals in a row but this will make enough for a family of 4 to make 3 meals.

Salad and Fixings or Salad kit for side dishes * If desired.

First Meal

Chili Bowls - Fill up your bowls and enjoy!

Second Meal

Hotdog Bake -

Preheat your oven to 350

Take A Generous Spoonful of Left-over chili and spread in the bottom of a 13x9 pan.

Add hotdog buns on top of chili

Add Warmed /Boiled hotdogs to bun.

Top with left over chili.

Top with cheese

Cover pan with foil and bake for 15 mins

Remove top with any additional toppings and enjoy !

Third Meal

Loaded Chili Baked Potatos or Chili Cheese Frys Both with toppings.

If youre doing either of these start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees

If you have chosen to do loaded chili baked potatos. Clean your potatos throughly puncture and wrap in foil. Bake for 35 -45 mins or until tender/ soft to a fork .

Unwrap carefully cut slit down middle and loosen the insides of the potato. Stuff with a knob of butter. a generous spoonful of chili top with cheese and other desired toppings.

For French Frys make as per directions on package.

Plate frys

Smother with heated leftover chili

Add cheese and any other toppings

Enjoy !

If possible I suggest pairing a light salad with the meals as a fresh side.

Red Velvet Like No Other

My Great Grandmothers Recipe

This is my great grandmas recipe. Its my moms favorite and she asks for it every year for her birthday.

I have to say that my family has never really bothered making this cake look pretty so please feel free to just slather on the frosting at the end. I had a christmas gift from my mom I hadnt gotten to try so I used that to frost it.

Its southern roots shine through with the amount of butter that goes into the cake and the frosting which by the way isnt your traditional cream cheese frosting nope this is a rich fluffy decandent cooked buttercream frosting and my word it is the most heavenly cake when all the elements come together.

You can substitute colors in the cake as well from purple to blue they all come out gorgeous.

So Here's How We Make It

What You Need For the Cake

1/4 Cup Red Food Coloring -Two 1-oz bottles

2 Tbsp Cocoa

1 Cup Butter

1 Cup Buttermilk (If you cant find buttermilk its easy to make )

1 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp vinegar

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cup cake flour

2 Eggs

Cream together butter , sugar and eggs

Make a paste of cocoa powder and food coloring.

Mix into creamed mixture

Mix Vanilla and buttermilk soda and vinegar ( I mix my paste of cocoa and food coloring in my 2 cup glass measureing cup . That way the buttermilk mixture pulls any leftover food coloring out of the cup without having to scrape it out.

Alternate adding liquid ingredients and flour. Into the creamed mixture.

The best way to do this is 1/4 cup of liquid then 1/4 cup of flour 1/4 of liquid 1/4 cup of flour until all is mixed.

* Remember clean as you go less mess less stress .

Butter and flour your cake pan .

Bake at 350 for 25-30 mins until toothpick in center comes out clean

Cool in front of window for same day assembly or chill in freezer over night

The Frosting - Cooked Buttercream

What you will need.

1 Cup milk

6 Tbsp Flour

Cook over low heat until thick. Cool completely set aside

Beat into fluffy mixture

1 Cup Powdered Sugar

1 Cup Softened Butter

1 Tsp Vanilla

Beat cooked portion into fluffy mixture.

It should look like this . Then get to work frosting your masterpiece.

We moved and I lost a box somewhere along the way. But like I said my family never really stressed about making this pefert. I place a layer on the upside cake pan I baked in in . This is easier to grab. Though the transfer to my cake stand wasnt as easy. You can do what most of my family does and just set it on a plate and frost with a butter knife. It comes out just as yummy. I had time today though . So I made it a little different with some sloppy sides just because. Then I set it on the dinner table to tease the kids into eating their dinner.

Add 1/4 of your frosting onto the cake for the center filling.

Smooth out the frosting into a even layer

Next Set your top cake layer on top

Now create a crumb coat of thin frosting over the entire cake. Then add enough to the sides to fill in any gap between layers and hide "Most " of the cake .

The next step isnt necesscary but I had that christmas gift I mentioned earlier. And I wanted to see if I could do it with this frosting. Made it cute but very easily!

Easy rosette ^

Bonus Content

Alot of stores have limits right now so when I bought my ground beef for my chili I bought a 3lb roll of ground beef. I only used a lb as specified by my recipe however that left me with 2 other lbs of ground beef to get creative with.

I chose to turn that into spaghetti and meatballs.(1 lb of beef) If you can't find spaghetti just substitute any pasta!

Then the second soft tacos . When you grab those Chili seasonings grab a taco seasoning mix - grab some tortias , you already have sour cream , grab a couple extra tomatos , shred a little cheese and grab a head of lettuce and chop or shred then boom soft tacos.

Adult Beverage Option

Rather you're working or staying home it's ok if you need to unwind a bit or maybe you just want a drink with dinner. I personally don't drink often and when I do I prefer a low alcohol wine like moscato. I recently found that my favorite brand barefoot came out with flavors like green apple, watermelon and strawberry. Um - Yum.

Well it just so happens that redbull also came out with new energy drinks. Who doesnt need a little pick me up after cooking and baking all day?

So I thought why not mix them?! This is the green apple moscato with green apple kiwi redbull 1/2 and 1/2 mixture.

It's light, refreshing and crisp .

Fun Kids Activity's- Reading and Cooking.

These are my children and they were taken before we moved . However if you search pinterest you will find a abundance of crafts and recies that go with books. I have to say it is so much fun for you and the kids. It also helps teach paitience, hardwork and even math =)