Boilermaker Tailgate Chili

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Boilermaker-Tailgate-Chili/Detail.aspx

This was very good. I did not used canned chili beans, but rather used dried kidney beans that I soaked ahead of time. I used 1 jalapeno pepper instead of the 2 chili peppers and left out the sugar.

Southwest Pork and Hominy Stew

This is from the Pressure Perfect cookbook. It takes 1 hour to make, assuming a 15 minute time allowed for pressure drop.

1-2 cans white or golden hominy (I prefer two cans)

1 T olive oil

1.5 cups chopped onions

1 t whole cumin seeds

2 T tomato paste, catsup, or chili sauce (I used chili sauce)

1 cup chicken broth

1 T chili powder, plus more to taste (more was not necessary due to the chili sauce)

1/2 t salt, plus more to taste

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

2 lb boneless pork shoulder cut in 1-inch chunks

1 med zucchini, cut in 1/2 inch dice

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 t dried oregano

1/2 t dried sage

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Tortilla chips and lime wedges, for serving

Drain can of hominy and rinse kernels. heat oil in 4-quart or larger pressure cooker. Add the onions and cumin seeds and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to soften, about 1 minute. Blend in chili sauce. Stir in broth, chili powder, salt, bell pepper, and pork. Scatter hominy on top.

Lock lid in place. Over high heat bring to high pressure. Reduce the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 8 minutes. Turn off the heat. Allow the pressure to come down naturally. Remove lid, stir in the zucchini, garlic, oregano, sage, cilantro, and any extra salt or chili powder if needed. Simmer uncovered until zucchini becomes tender and the stew thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.

Serve with chips and lime wedges.

Chicken Posole

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/easy-chicken-posole/Detail.aspx

This was so good. I love chicken posole! I altered the recipe by leaving out the water and only adding 2 quarts of chicken broth. I added a chopped green bell pepper which was a fantastic addition. Also, I put in 6 raw, skinless chicken legs at the beginning instead of shredded chicken breast. I used two cans of hominy.

Removing the skin beforehand is important so it doesn't get too greasy. This would work well with chicken thighs as well.

For next time:

I think for 2 quarts of broth, using 10 chicken legs would be better. Putting in extra garlic, two onions, two bell peppers, and a third can of hominy would be great.

Full Recipe:

2 quarts broth
10 chicken legs (skin removed)
2 onions
2 cans hominy (drained)
two bell peppers
4 T chili powder
2 t salt
1 t oregano
3 cloves garlic

saute chopped onions/garlic. Add everything except hominy and bell pepper. Simmer for 60-90 minutes. Add hominy and chopped bell pepper and cook another 15-30 minutes.

Variation:

I made half a recipe tonight. I used 1 qt broth, 1 can hominy, and halved the rest of the recipe. I put in 4 chicken legs with the skin removed. No green pepper. I had shredded green cabbage that we put into the soup as we ate it. It added a nice crunch and added some nutrition. I really liked the raw cabbage.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cookies-iii/Detail.aspx

These cookies were good, but I didn't like so much chocolate in them. I doubled the nuts, which we both liked. Next time I make these I'll only put in half the chocolate it calls for. I think I put in some nutmeg as well, but it would probably be just as good without it.

Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies

This is the recipe on the back of the Safeway Quick Oats container. Super good!

Oatmeal cookies are my favorite EVER. Which is why I make only half a recipe since I want to eat them all. (really I should make even less, but then there is the Egg Issue to worry about).

1/2 lb (2 sticks) butter, softened

1.5 cups packed brown sugar

2 t vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups quick oats

1.5 cups flour

1 t baking powder

1 t ground cinnamon

1/2 t ground nutmeg

1/2 t salt

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350. Mix everything together. Drop batter onto cookie sheet (greased or lined) by heaping tablespoons 1.5 inches apart. Bake 10-13 minutes or until golden brown. Cookies will feel soft but will furm up as they cool. Let stand on baking sheets 2 minutes before transferring to racks to cool. Makes about 45 cookies.