Busy Mom's Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Tonight is parent-teacher conferences at school and thank God for incredible relatives that are able willing to come sit with our littles so that we both are able to go up to the school. Tonight, my dear mother-in-law is headed over and will also be joining us for supper.

My secret-rub-recipe pork loin has been slow-cooking at 200 since 11:00am and I've got a spinach salad with raspberry vinaigrette ready-to-go. I just needed something else... something starchy.

My husband LOVES loaded mashed potatoes and I have never made any. For my first attempt, these came out incredible! Now, I've just got to figure out how to stay out of them until supper time!

     Ingredients:
     10 medium sized Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and quartered. (I leave the peel on).
     1C bacon bits
     3/4 C butter
     1/2 C onion & chive cream cheese
     2T plain cream cheese
     2T minced garlic
     1/4C milk
     salt
     pepper

1. Boil potatoes in a large stock pot of moderately salted water for about 10 minutes or until tender. Drain.
2. Using a mixer, mix potatoes on a medium setting for about 2 minutes or until about 1/2 way smooth.

Check out the steam coming up from the potatoes!

3. Add butter, cream cheeses, garlic and milk.  Mix on medium speed for another 2 minutes or until smooth.

4. Add bacon bits and pepper. Mix on low setting to combine.

This made a LOT and holy moly, is it good!. I plan on using the leftovers for a shepherd's pie for another night's supper.

    

"Secret Recipe" Chili

I've always found it fun to see the many ways people make chili. So here's my "secret recipe chili". My oldest daughter has always referred to it as "Mom's' Secret Recipe Chili" but it's really no secret.

2 or 3lbs of ground beef (depending on how meaty you like it)
2 cans of light red kidney beans
2 cans of dark red kidney beans
1 can of black beans
3 cans of stewed tomatoes
1 medium can of "Brooks Chili Mix"
1/2 C of Penzey's Chili 9000 seasoning
1T of garlic salt
1/4 C dried minced onion (or 1/2 C fresh minced onion)
yesterdays left over corn (Optional)

1. Brown ground beef with 1/2 C of Penzey's Chili 9000 seasoning, garlic salt and onions. (Or chili seasoning mix of your choice - but I warn you... it won't be as good!)
2. Drain & rinse the light red kidney beans, dark red kidney beans and black beans. Add to crock pot.
3. Add 3 cans of stewed tomatoes to crock pot.
   
4. Add 1 medium can of Brooks Chili Mix to crock pot.
5. Add cooked ground beef mixture to crock pot. Mix ingredients.
6. (Optional) Add yesterday's left over corn. Mix and set crock pot to low for 6-8 hours.
   

Tomorrow, I'll make a chili 5-way with the leftovers. Adding spaghetti, fresh chopped onion, shredded cheese and ketchup!