Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

We love Halloween!

We carved our pumpkins tonight. We always save a lot of the seeds so we can roast them. We also saved a pumpkin for tomorrow's pumpkin soup. There are pumpkins all over the place!


Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 45-55 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds (some pulp is ok)
• 2 t butter, melted
• salt
• onion powder (optional)
• garlic powder (optional)
• cajun seasonings (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 300.

2. Put seeds in bowl and drizzle with butter. Add desired spices. Mix well.

3. Spread seeds on baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.

4. Stir well and bake another 15 minutes, repeat 2-3 more times until crispy.

Spicy black-eyed pea soup (remake)

I remade a recipe I made a few weeks ago, with a change.

I made spicy black-eyed pea soup, but instead of kielbasa I put in diced ham.

I think I'll make it this way in the future. The ham adds more flavor, it seems.

Kielbasa Soup

Mmmmm, this is soooo good. And simple. I've been in simple food mode for a while now. I've designed a menu for this weekend that'll get me out of that mode.

Until then, we'll have things like this kielbasa soup.

Makes: 6 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
  
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 cups water
• 1 lb kielbasa, sliced thin
• 1 can bean with bacon soup

1. Place veggies and water in a Dutch oven and bring to a boil.

2. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes until veggies are almost tender.

3. Add kielbasa and bean soup.

4. Heat until hot.

5. Serve with bread.

Note: You can make this in a crockpot also. If you want a little more texture to your kielbasa, brown them in a pan before adding.

Aliens in the shed

I went out to the shed yesterday to get the rake so I could start on the yard. As soon as I opened the shed door something scurried across the floor and underneath the mower.

I grabbed an empty cat litter bucket and a stick. I poked underneath the mower deck and out came this creature that I caught in the bucket.

Later, I put him in a jar. I think it's an alien baby.


Happy Halloween!

Chocolate Bowls

Our teenage niece and her friend spent the night with us last night. For something different, and fun, I decided to give these chocolate bowls a shot.

You start with a balloon that you fill halfway with water. You can see in this pic that we overfilled ours, and that caused them to lean over a lot. Not that that was a bad thing, but the bowls ended up slanted. We used 8" balloons. I think they were a little large and that 4" would've been better, but 8" was all the local store had.

Oh, and you don't have to worry about the balloon smell getting onto the bowls.

In a microwave, melt two batches of dipping chocolate per the manufacturers instructions. Pour the chocolate into a deep small bowl just slightly larger then the balloons.

Put a balloon into the bowl, and rotate it back and forth to get the chocolate over the bottom of the balloon. Take a piece of wax paper and put it on a large sheet pan. Place a dollop of the chocolate mix on the paper (to help hold the balloon in place) and then place the balloon on top of it.

Hold the balloon in place until it sets enough to put the pan into the fridge. Let set for at least 30 minutes until the chocolate is hardened.

Working near the sink. pop a hole in the balloon and let the water drain out. Remove the balloon. It might stick a bit. Just be careful when tugging at it and it'll come loose. Drain all of the water. Our bowls ended up with a little chocolate lip at the bottom. You might want to trim that off. I kept it on. Just be careful if you do trim it as the bowls are delicate.

Place the chocolate bowl into a bowl or onto a plate and add ice cream, chocolate syrup, M & Ms, or whatever you want!


Enjoy!

Bagel Breakfast Sandwich

I wanted to do something simple for dinner tonight. Breakfast for dinner always hits the spot.

So, I fried up a little hickory-smoked bacon and some eggs and put them on toasted bagels with some extra-sharp cheddar and Canadian bacon.

Yum!

Tomato Sauce

I discovered this recipe on a Chow podcast. I'm not sure what I was thinking when I plated the basil leaf. Perhaps it was the wine I'd had while cooking. That would also explain the Band-Aid looking Parmesan presentation. Regardless, it was very tasty and I'd make this again in a heartbeat. This makes a big batch, so I froze a few cups for lunches.


In about another week I'll be able to make this with fresh herbs from the Aerogarden.

Makes: 6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes (does not include pasta cook time)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3-5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2-3 shallots, chopped
• 3 T fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 T dried)
• 3 T fresh marjoram, chopped (or 1 T dried)
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 large can diced tomatoes
• 1 large can chopped tomatoes
• S & P
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1 t hot pepper flakes
• 2 T fresh basil, chopped (plus more for garnish)
• Parmigiano-Reggiano for garnish
• 1 T sugar

1. Heat oil over high heat. Add garlic, shallots, thyme and marjoram and saute for 3 minutes.

2. Add wine and reduce by 1/2, about 3 minutes.

3. Add 2 can tomatoes and pepper. Simmer, stirring often, for 7 minutes.

4. Add 1/2 -3/4 can of tomato paste, sugar, and hot pepper flakes. Simmer an additional 7 minutes, stirring often.

5. Salt to taste and add fresh chopped basil, cook another 1 minute.

6. Serve over pasta, garnish wish basil and cheese.

Sweet Pepper, Tomato and Salami Frittata

It's rare that I make a frittata. I found this recipe and just had to try it out. It was delicious hot out of the oven, and even better the next day.


Makes: 6 servings
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 20-30 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 9 large eggs, beaten
• 4 medium-sized potatoes, scrubbed
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 medium-sized red peppers, chopped
• 1 large handful of cherry tomatoes, cut in half or quartered depending on size
• 6 oz salami, cubed
• 4 oz cheddar cheese, grated
• 4 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 T fresh basil, chopped coarsely
• 1 t salt
• 2 t olive oil

1. Boil or steam potatoes until tender. Drain, cool, then dice.

2. Preheat oven to 350.

3. In a large cast iron skillet (I used a 12"), heat the oil over medium heat. Saute onions for 5 minutes then add peppers and cook another 3-5 minutes, until softened.

4. In a large bowl, gently mix the eggs, cheese (keep a little cheddar in reserve for topping), salami, basil, tomatoes, and salt and pepper.

5. Add potatoes to skillet of onions and peppers and mix, spread evenly.

6. Pour egg mixture into skillet and spread evenly. Top with reserved cheddar.

7. Cook in oven for 15-20 minutes or until eggs have set. Transfer skillet to under the broiler and brown for 2-4 minutes until browned.

8. Allow to cool slightly and serve in wedges.

Wii Bowling

I wanted everyone to know that I'm back on track and beating Mike in bowling. Here is one of our scores. This was a good butt-whoopin'!

Easy Pork Chops in Mushroom Sauce

Time was short Friday, so I didn't get to cook anything elaborate. This is a favorite I go to when I'm too busy to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I did not make the veggies from scratch.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Printable Recipe


Ingredients:

• 4 pork chops
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 large (26 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• S & P
• 1 t onion flakes
• 1/2 t garlic powder

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet (that can also be placed into the oven) over high heat. Add pork chops and sear.

3. In a bowl mix the other ingredients and pour over the pork chops. Do NOT add water to the soup.

4. Bake uncovered for 1 hour.

Hawk on a sunflower

My dad sent me this pic today of an awesome hawk sitting on top the last sunflower in his garden. I still can't get over how huge his sunflowers were this year.

Easy Chicken Alfredo with Sauteed Wild Mushrooms

I have to admit I really like this recipe. You can use homemade Alfredo sauce or buy it in the jar. You can also substitute chicken tenders for full breasts and use them as hors d'oeuvres.

Note that the cooking time is for frozen chicken. You'll want to cut the time in half for thawed or fresh.

I think that next time I'll butterfly the chicken breasts so they aren't quite so thick. They were very, very tender and tasty, I just think that butterflying makes for a better presentation.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 7 hours
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 16 oz Alfredo sauce
• 1 cup milk
• 2 T pesto sauce
• 1 T butter
• 1 bulb garlic, shelled and peeled
• 2 pounds frozen chicken breasts
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Italian cheese blend, shredded

1. Pour jar of Alfredo sauce into Dutch oven or crockpot.

2. Add milk to the jar and shake well before adding to the pot.

3. Add garlic, butter and pesto, but do not stir.

4. Place chicken on top of sauce.

5. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

6. Spread cheese over chicken, cover, and cook another hour.

7. Serve over pasta.

Sauteed Wild Mushrooms

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds mixed wild mushrooms
• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• 1 cup chopped shallots
• 4 T unsalted butter
• 2 t salt
• 1/2 t pepper
• 2 T garlic, chopped
• 1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

1. Remove and discard mushroom stems (I save them for making broth).

2. Slice mushrooms thickly.

3. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or sauce pan. Add the shallots and cook over low for 5 minutes.

4. Add butter, mushrooms, salt, and pepper and cook over medium for 8 minutes, or until the mushrooms are just tender.

5. Stir in garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.

6. Stir in the parsley, sprinkle with salt, and serve.

Friday is vet day

Tomorrow we'll load up the 3 cats (Harley, Belle, and Macey) and do the annual trip to the vet's for shots and checkups.

This normally results in the use of several bandaids, along with lots of hissing and bizarre guttural sounds ala The Exorcist.

Here's Belle checking out the situation. She is fine until she gets to the vet's. Then, all bets are off. She freaks out and is all over the place.

Harley is a big baby. He cries all the way to the vet's. Then once the vet assistant (female) shows up, he'll roll over on his back and expect tummy rubbing. He's a ladies man, no doubt. Coincidentally, I tried the same approach last time I went to the doctor's and did not get the same results. Harley has it down.

Macey is only 3. She hasn't learned to be afraid or freak out. She does just fine. Maybe it's not a good idea taking her with Harley and Belle as she'll learn bad habits.

Spicy black-eyed pea soup

The change in the weather has made me turn to making comfort foods. Once I get used to the cooler temps I'll get back to grilling and smoking.

I made this soup the other day. It's really a favorite of ours. It has a nice kick to it. I was raised on black-eyed peas, so I don't need much of an excuse to eat them, either.


Makes: 6 servings
Prep time: 24 hours (soaking the peas)
Cook time: 8-10 hours
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 16oz package of dried black-eyed peas
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 5 gloves garlic, chopped
• 1-2 bay leaf
• 1 lb smoked sausage or andouille sausage, cut into chunks
• 1 t salt
• 1/4 t pepper
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 1 T cajun spices
• 6 cups chicken broth (approx 1 large can)
• Hot sauce (I recommend Dirty Dick's Oral Abuse)

1. Sort peas and soak in water overnight. Rinse and drain.

2. Place all ingredients in Dutch oven and cook on low 8-10 hours or until peas are tender.

3. Remove bay leaves and serve.

Wii Bowling

I finally beat Anita at Wii bowling.


The picture is blurry because I was shaking with excitement. I can't believe I fell apart in the last frame! Ugh!

Aerogardens

I replanted both Aerogardens about 2 weeks ago. They are coming along nicely. I think this is the first time when everything sprouted.

The Aerogarden classic is planted with parsely, green basil, purple basil, and thyme (back row, left to right) and dill, chives, and mint (from row, left to right).

I planted cherry tomatoes in the Aerogarden 3.

This is the first time I've tried to grow tomatoes. I took them from an Aerogarden 6 seed pack. I think I probably should've planted only 1 at a time. We'll see how they come out. Maybe someday I can get a big Aerogarden with a trellis system so I can grow full-sized tomatoes or peppers.

Muffaletta Sandwich

This is the first time we've had a muffaletta even though we've both been to NOLA. We have no excuse for missing out while we were there, that's for sure.

Not cheap to make, but well worth it.


Makes: 4-6 servings
Prep time: 1 day
Cook time 20-25 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 (15") loaf of Italian bread cut in half horizontally
• 3 cups olive salad, below
• 4 oz mozzarella, sliced thin
• 6 oz cappocoli or culatello, sliced thin
• 4 oz salami, sliced thin
• 4 oz martadella, sliced thin
• 2 oz pepperoni or peppered salami, sliced thin
• 4 oz provolone, sliced thin

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Spread the olive salad on each half of the bread, about 1 1/2 cups per side.

3. Next, place sliced mozzarella over the salad on the bottom piece of bread. Top with the meats.

4. Place provolone on top piece of bread and place on top of bottom, to make a sandwich.

5. Wrap tightly in foil and heat 20 minutes.

Olive Salad

Makes: 4-6 servings
Prep time: 1 day

Ingredients:

• 1 quart large pimiento-stuffed olives, drained and slightly crushed
• 1 1/2 cups large black olives, drained and pitted
• 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup pickled cauliflower, drained
• 1/4 bunch celery, sliced on the diagonal
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced thin on the diagonal
• 1/2 cup pepperoncini, drained and chopped coarsely
• 1/3 cup cocktail onions, drain
• 1/4 cup small capers, drained
• 8 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 t Italian seasoning
• 3/4 t crushed red pepper flake
• 1/4 t black pepper
• 1/4 t celery seeds

1. Combine all ingredients in a large plastic bowl and mix well. Place in fridge for at least 24 hours before using.

Sweet, Sour, and Spicy Meatloaf with Cream Cheese Stuffed Potatoes

Oh, I love when it's meatloaf weather! I found this recipe a few years ago in Chile Pepper magazine and it remains a favorite. We had the meatloaf with some cream cheese-stuffed potatoes that really hit the spot, along with some roasted asparagus.


Sweet, Sour and Spicy Meatloaf

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1. 1 T canola oil
2. 1 onion, minced
3. 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, seeded and grated
4. S & P
5. 2 pounds ground beef
6. 1 egg
7. 1/2 cup bread crumbs
8. 2 jalapeños or more, seeded and minced
9. 2 T soy sauce
10. 1 t white vinegar
11. 2 T brown sugar

For the glaze:

1 chip chili sauce (Heinz)
1/2 cup cola (I used Diet Coke)
juice of 1 lemon

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the apple and season with salt and pepper and cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. In a large bowl combine the beef, egg, bread crumbs, jalapeños, soy sauce, vinegar and sugar. Stir in the onion and apple mixture. Use your hands to mix well.

4. Form the meat mixture into 5" x 12" loaf and place into a greased baking dish.

5. Combine all of the glaze ingredients in a bowl and spread over the loaf. Bake for 45 minutes.

Cream Cheese Stuffed Potatoes

Makes: 10 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes (or more depending on the size of the potatoes)

Ingredients:

• 10 small new potatoes, scrubbed
• 1 (5 oz) package soft garlic herb cheese (use Boursin)
• 4 T stick butter, softened
• 1/3 cup whipping cream
• S & P
• Parsley leaves for garnish

1. Bowl potatoes until fork-tender in large pot of heavily salted water.

2. Drain potatoes and let cool until you can handle them.

3. Using a melon baller, remove a scoop from each potato.

4. Combine the cheese, butter, and cream and add salt and pepper to taste. Put into a pastry bag (or a sandwich bag with a tip cut off) and pipe into potatoes.

5. Garnish and serve.

Roasted asparagus

Just follow the recipe for roasted green beans, using asparagus instead.

Oreo Milkshake

We needed a little treat this afternoon, so I whipped up a quick and easy Oreo Milkshake.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 1 minute
Cook time: 1 minute
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 12 Oreo cookies, broken into chunks
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
• 2 T chocolate syrup

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve

Pepperoni Pizza Dip

Anita needed something to take to work for a pitch-in. I dug up this recipe over at The Cutting Edge of Ordinary.

Although the dip is pretty good, it is pretty salty to us, so serve with low-salt crackers or bread instead of tortilla chips. I also think it could use some heat, so I might add some chopped jalapeños the next time I make it.

Where I thought this dip really worked was as a stuffing for baked potatoes. It was super good! Just cook a couple of bakers, load them up with the warm dip and top with sour cream and cheese. Yummy!


Makes: 10-16 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25-30 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

8 oz shredded mozzarella
8 oz shredded cheddar
1 cup mayo
1 1/2 cups pepperoni, chopped* (see note)
1 (10 oz) package fresh mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1 (6 oz) can black olives, chopped
1 (6 oz) jar green olives with pimento, chopped

* Place the pepperoni on paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds to reduce the amount of grease.

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Cook the mushrooms until just tender.

3. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.

4. Spread ingredients into a 9x13 greased baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Serve with crackers, chips, or bread, or on top of baked potatoes.

Jäger Schnitzel

We love jäger schnitzel. Our favorite is from the Hofbräuhaus in Newport, KY.

We made this the other night and had it with some potato pancakes and roasted Brussels sprouts.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 T all-purpose flour
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 4 pork steaks or cutlets, pounded thin
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 (8 oz) can sliced mushrooms
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cube beef bouillon
• 1 T cornstarch
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• S & P to taste

1. Mix flour and bread crumbs, salt and pepper, and put into a bowl. Place egg into another bowl.

2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.

3. Dip pork in egg then in flour/bread crumb mix. Fry in oil until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

4. Remove pork to platter and keep warm. Add onions and mushrooms to skillet and cook until lightly browned.

5. Add water and bouillon and simmer for about 20 minutes.

6. Mix cornstarch and sour cream and stir into skillet. Cook over low heat until thick but do not boil.

7. Spoon sauce over pork and serve.

Coconut Shrimp, Broccolini, and Cheese Grits

Well, nothing on this plate turned out bad, that's for sure!

Deep-fried coconut shrimp with a piña colada dipping sauce, cheesy baked grits, and sauteed broccolini.


I was going to make Oreo milkshakes for desert, but I just couldn't.

Garlicky Broccolini

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 12 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds broccolini
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt

1. Trim broccoloni and place into a skillet. Cover with water and bring to a boil.

2. Add salt and reduce heat to medium. Simmer 6-7 minutes until tender and bright green.

3. Drain broccolini and return skillet to stove top over medium heat.

4.Add garlic and oil. Cook 2-3 minutes. Add broccolini back to pan, coat, and serve.


Coconut Shrimp

Makes: 4-6 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes more/less depending on shrimp size

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Salt
• Pepper

1. Heat oil to 350.

2. In a large bowl, combine the coconut and bread crumbs and season with salt and pepper.

3. In another bowl, place the flour.

3. In a third bowl, place the egg.

4. Dredge shrimp in flour and shake off excess.

5. Dip shrimp in egg and remove excess.

6. Coat shrimp in coconut/bread crumbs and fry in batches, 3-4 minutes. Drain. Serve with dipping sauce.


Pina Colada Dipping Sauce

Makes: 4-6 servings
Prep time: 0 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup pina colada non-alcoholic drink mix
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple (canned)
• 4 T granulated sugar (or Splenda)

1. Mix all ingredients and chill at least 30 minutes before using.

Baked Grits

Makes: 6-8 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked grits
• 2 T melted butter
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
• 1 3/4 cups grated Cheddar
• 1/4 t paprika
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Add melted butter, eggs and evaporated milk to grits.

3. Add 1 1/2 cups cheese (reserving 1/4 cup), paprika and cayenne. Combine thoroughly.

4. Pour mixture into a buttered casserole. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until brown. Sprinkle with more paprika and remaining cheese and turn to oven until cheese has melted.

French Dip sandwiches with sauteed squash

This is a super simple recipe, but the end result is oh so good. I picked up some fresh squash and sauteed them on the side.

French Dip Sandwiches

Makes: 4-6 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 7 hours
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 pound rump roast
• 1 (10.5 oz) can beef broth
• 1 (10.5 oz) can condensed French Onion soup
• 1 (12 oz) bottle beer
• 6 French rolls or a large Italian bread loaf
• 2 T butter
• Sliced cheese (I prefer provolone)

1. Trim excess fat from the roast and place into a slow cooker or Dutch oven.

2. Add broth, soup, and beer. Cook on low for 7 hours.

3. Toast buns. Slice beef thin, against the grain and stack on bread. Cover with provolone and melt under broiler.

4. Strain sauce and serve with sandwiches for dipping.

Sauteed Squash:

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 medium squash, sliced
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 medium onion sliced thin
• S & P

1. Melt butter in large skillet.

2. Add onion and cook until tender.

3. Add yellow squah and continue cooking over medium heat until squash begins to soften.

4. Cover and cook over low for 20-25 minutes, until squash is tender.

5. Season with S & P and serve.

Sweet and Hot Chili

We love this chili. It's a mix of sweet and heat. I top it with a little melted cheddar and a dollop of sour cream. Anita prefers hers over pasta. Add onions, hot sauce, or whatever you want to make it yours. We had the chili with crackers and cornbread. Yum!

Makes: 6 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 8 hours
Printable Recipe


Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 6 gloves garlic, minced
• 2 T chili powder
• 1 T paprika
• 1 1/2 t dried basil
• 1 1/2 t dried oregano
• 1 1/2 t dried thyme
• 1 t ground cinnamon
• 1/2 t cayenne pepper
• 1/2 t ground cumin
• 1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 t ground allspice
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t black pepper
• 2 (14 1/2 oz) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water

1. Brown ground beef, onions, and celery in a large skillet.

2. Place all ingredients in a Dutch oven or crockpot. Cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours. Stir occasionally.

3. Add desired toppings and enjoy!