Low Sodium Slow Cooker Steak and Black Bean Chili

I'm sorry for not having a picture of this delicious low sodium version of steak and black bean chili. It was consumed before I had a chance to take a pic. I will update this post with a picture when I make this again.

Ingredients: 

• 2 lb beef top round steak (I used a New York Strip Steak) 
• 1 tbsp dried minced onion
• 1 cup low sodium beef broth
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp paprika
• 3 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 lb dried black beans, reconstituted (prepared to package directions) 
• 1 can (28 oz) no salt added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cans (8 oz) no salt added tomato sauce
• 1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles, undrained
• 16 oz frozen corn
• 1 sweet onion, diced

Directions:

1. Prepare dried black beans to package directions.
2. Cut steak into 1 inch cubes, trimming off excess fat.
3. Mix all ingredients in crock pot.
4. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hrs.
5. Top with cheese and/our cream as desired.

Inspired from: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/slow-cooker-steak-and-black-bean-chili/

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Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

Makes ~28 servings

Ingredients:

• 7 cups instant non-fat dry milk
• 1 lb confectioners sugar, sifted
• 2 cups cocoa powder, sifted twice
• 2 cups dry non-dairy creamer (french vanilla or your personal favorite will work!)
• 2 cups mini marshmallows
• 1 cup (or use the whole bag!) mini chocolate chips
• 1 cup (or use the whole bag!) mini white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Sift cocoa powder into a large seal-able storage container.
2. Add the rest of the dry powder ingredients and chocolate chips.
3. Place lid securely on the container and SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE!, SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE! (Make sure you do a little dance while shaking)
4. Store in air tight container if you are keeping it for yourself or this makes a perfect inexpensive Christmas gift to be given in those cute little mason jars! 
5. If using as Christmas gift Mason jar: Place mix in the bottom of the jar (I would recommend measuring out in 1/3 cup intervals since this is a serving) - leave enough room for the marshmallows. Place marshmallows on top of the mix, then place the lid on the jar. Make sure you make it cute with  ribbon/fabric/tag etc!

Expiration: 1 year if kept in an air tight container

Directions for Reconstitution:

1. Place 1/3 cup mix into 8-10 ounces of hot milk. Stir until dissolved. Add marshmallows or whipped cream to the top. Then enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of my wonderful aunt! (not sure where she got it from)

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Super Easy Banana Pudding

I love finding old recipes I had forgotten about! I came across this recipe I found back in college that I used to fix for potluck dinners for my fraternity (For those of you who are wondering: yes, it is a fraternity, and yes I'm a girl, and yes it is a co-ed professional fraternity). Any-who, I only had to collect my dish at the end of the night and not worry about leftovers (well, it would have been nice if there were a little left over). This was super easy and delicious! I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces sour cream
• 1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 (5 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 (16 oz) package vanilla wafer cookies
• 4 bananas, peeled and sliced

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine sour cream, whipped topping, pudding mix and milk. Mix well.
2. In the bottom of a glass serving dish, place a layer of cookies, then a layer of pudding mixture, then a layer of bananas. 
3. Repeat until all ingredients are used.
4. Refrigerate before serving.

Courtesy of: Uncooked Banana Pudding at Allrecipes

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Taco Seasoning Mix - MSG-Free

Yet another great way to control how you cook!

Yields 1 1.25oz taco seasoning mix pack (7 tsp total if you use the salt)

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (optional)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container.

Courtesy of: Accidental Mommies

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Homemade Chicken Stock

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So easy, and so much more healthy than store bought! The only thing it takes is time!
 
Ingredients:

• 2 bone-in, skins on, "fryer" chicken breasts
• stock pot full of Water (I use a 7 QT pot)
• 1/2 large onion
• 3 stalks celery
• 3 carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 3 garlic cloves, halved
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns 
• salt to taste (the less you use, the lower the sodium!)

Stock strained through a coffee filter Pin It 

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients into large stock pot.
2. Bring to a boil, cover and let simmer for at least 2 hours or longer if you have the time. 
3. Remove from heat.
4. Retrieve the meat with large fork/spoon and reserve to use for soups, chicken salad, etc.
5. Obtain another large stock pot/container and fine strainer/colander. Place strainer/colander into the 2nd stock pot/container. Slowly pour stock through colander( you may want to use a large measuring cup to scoop stock out of original pot) to strain the vegetables/spices out. Careful! It will be hot!
6. To separate the fat:
1. Either store the stock in refrigerator and let the fat separate out naturally. Skim the fat off the top once cooled OR
2. Place coffee filter in strainer and slowly pour stock through, leaving the majority of fat in the coffee filter. I had to change the filter for every 2 cups that I poured through.  
7. Keep refrigerated to use within the next day or two or freeze what you don't need immediately. I placed mine in 1 cup intervals into containers for the freezer. The next day, I removed from the stock from the containers and placed in vacuum bags for future use. Saves space in the freezer by placing into bags.
8. My batch yielded 14 cups of stock.

Recipe adapted from Chicken Stock by Margaret Price at Allrecipes
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Cream of "Something" Soup - MSG-Free

10 reasons why this is one of the best substitutions ever:

1. ore ECONOMICAL - lower cost per serving than store bought
2. LESS WASTE - only need 1/2 a can of condensed soup for a recipe? Reconstitute what you need!
3. YOU are controlling what goes into your soup - fewer preservatives/stuff you don't know what it is on the label.
4. It's GLUTEN-FREE.
5. It can be MSG-FREE depending on what bouillon you choose.
6. It can be LOW SODIUM if you replace the bouillon AND water with low-sodium chicken/beef/vegetable broth - your choice. 
7. It's LOW-FAT.
8. FLAVOR how you like it: 
1. Cream of Chicken equivalent: use Chicken Bouillon
2. Cream of Celery equivalent: 1 stalk finely chopped (or throw it in the food processor) sauteed celery or 1/8 tsp celery salt per 2 cups dry milk
3. Cream of Mushroom: Add ~1/4 cup finely chopped (or food processed) sauteed mushrooms 
4. Cream of Potato: Add 1/2 cups mashed potato flakes per 2 cups dry milk
• ** The celery, mushroom and potato equivalent's I have not personally experimented with yet. I have found these suggestions on other websites (Taste of Cooking - Homeade Cream Style Soup Mix).
9. If you are a CANNER: I've read on other websites where people prep this ahead of time, then can it to save on prep per meal time.
10. If you like to FREEZE ahead of time: To save space, use 1/2 the amount of liquid, cook until thickens to the consistency of a typical condensed soup, then freeze. (I would freeze, then vacuum-pack and return to freezer for longer term/fresher storage.) Add the remaining liquid when you are ready to use. 

Ingredients:

To Make 1 Can Equivalent of Condensed Soup:

• 2/3 cup non-fat dried milk
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 4 tsp bouillon - you choose the flavor
• 4 tsp freeze dried minced onions
• 1/4 + 1/8 tsp dried basil (to equal 1/3 tsp)
• 1/4 + 1/8 tsp dried thyme or parsley (to equal 1/3 tsp)
• 1/4 + 1/8 tsp pepper (to equal 1/3 tsp)

• Mix with 1 1/4 cup hot water (almost boiling) when ready to reconstitute 

 To Make the Original Recipe - makes 3 Cans of Condensed Soup:

• 2 cup non-fat dried milk
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup bouillon
• 4 Tablespoons freeze dried minced onions
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon pepper

•  Mix with 3 3/4 cups hot water (almost boiling) when ready to reconstitute

Directions to Mix:

1. Combine Dry Ingredients into an airtight container. Either store in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.

Directions for Use:

1. Mix in a small sauce pan dry mix with appropriate amount of water, depending on which serving size you choose above.
2. Cook on low/medium heat until sauce thickens. When you first reconstitute the mixture, the herbs float to the top of the liquid. As the soup thickens, the herbs will start to distribute more evenly in the soup.  Keep in mind to constantly stir, especially if you have the heat closer to medium. The cornstarch will thicken faster and will form "globs" in the bottom if you aren't careful. 
3. Use in whatever recipe calls for condensed soup!
4. Enjoy! 

Nutritional Info

Inspired from One Orange Giraffe

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Pineapple Upside Down Cake Shot / Drink

     One of my favorite drinks of all time is the Pineapple Upside Down Cake. I've had it both as a shot and a drink. I primarily like it as a drink because it is so DELICIOUS that I want to savor it for as long as possible! It really tastes more like dessert with a subtle kick than drinking alcohol. I may also be partial to it because of the great memories with friends that come to mind. In leui of the new year, I thought I would share the recipe. 

For the Shot:

 Ingredients:

• 1/2 oz pineapple juice (chilled)
• 1/2 oz vanilla vodka
• splash of grenadine

Directions:

1. Mix pineapple juice and vanilla vodka in a shaker with ice until chilled. Strain into shot glass.
2. Add a splash of grenadine and let settle to the bottom. 
3. Serve and enjoy!

(Courtesy of BarMeister)

For the Drink: 

Ingredients:

• 3 oz (1 double shot) of vanilla vodka
• 5 to 13oz pineapple juice (chilled), depending on the size of the glass/your taste
• splash of grenadine

Directions:

1. Fill a tall glass with ice.
2. Mix vodka and pineapple juice in a shaker. I would suggest tasting before straining into glass to see if the drink is strong enough/too strong for your taste. Add more pineapple juice if too strong or more vodka if not strong enough. That's the beauty of mixing at home - you can mix until it tastes perfect! 
3. Strain into glass.
4. Add a splash of grenadine. Let it settle to the bottom.
5. Enjoy!

(Adaption from BarMeister's Recipe) 

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