Category: New Menu Monday

It’s one of those weeks where I know I have many busy days ahead and dinner is not something I want to think about. This is one of those quick and easy meals that is also very satisfying.

Yummy photo from JeffreyW

This menu is from my Kids Night series. I loved chili mac as a kid, and it’s still one of those quick comfort foods I make when it needs to be easy and tasty.  

Chili Mac photo from JeffreyW’s collection

Chili Mac

• 12 oz elbow macaroni (or try something fun like radiatori or farfalle shapes)
• 2 tsp olive oil
• ½ onion, diced
• ½ green pepper diced
• 1 lb ground beef
• 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 15 oz can kidney beans
• 1 tsp to 2 tbsp chili powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• pepper to taste
• 2 qt. saucepan, skillet

Since I discovered using a cast-iron skillet method for making apple crisp, that’s been my go-to. Cooking the apple mixture on the stove changes everything.  The apple mixture has time to become soft and syrupy before adding the topping and baking at a higher temperature.

And this week I had a few apples I needed to use before they went bad. I think I made one of my best apple crisps.

Here’s what I added to the recipe below: caramel sauce spread liberally over the cooked apples before I added the crisp.  I also grabbed the jar of pumpkin spice and added about two teaspoons worth while cooking the apple mixture.

I was looking for a Zucchini Chocolate Cake recipe and one of the food bloggers I follow posted one a few days later. Kismet or zucchini overload?

I followed the recipe, but I might make a few changes next time.