Healthy Open Face Chili Dogs

Healthy and Chili in the same title? Oh, yeah! After I had my daughter, I went on a healthy eating kick that lasted until about dessert time. Healthy desserts just aren't for me. I did, however, come upon this tasty recipe that is now one of my favs for BBQ season! The chili is chuck-full of tasty{and healthy} vegetables and these particular veggies have so much flavor, there's not all the unhealthy stuff to bugger it up. Plus, you can double the veggies when you're doing your chopping then freeze half of them so next time it's a simple pull it out and dump it in!

2 tsp canola oil

1 onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tbsp chili powder

1 (15 oz) can of black beans, with liquid

2 tomatoes diced {I used a can of diced tomatoes}

Turkey hot dogs

hot dog buns{we were out so we used a piece of bread to two dogs and it was super good}

cheese

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and bell peppers and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chili powder. Cook until well blended, about 30 seconds. Add the black beans. Cook until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat. Cook until the chili thickens: 10-15 minutes.

Either grill the turkey dogs or cover in water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 4 minutes or until heated through.

Place the dogs onto a bun and top with 1/4 of the chili each and top with cheese. Broil for about 1 minute, until the cheese begins to melt. Serve hot.

Spicy Honey Chicken

Oh, my. This was SOO good. SSOOOOOOOO good! Jayme Welly found this here at OurBestBites.com. Matt came back for seconds and couldn't get over how much they reminded him of his favorite wings from The Outback. He has already requested I make this again. Soon. Jayme isn't a big fan of spicy food, so she cut the spicy ingredients in half and broiled in her oven.

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs(can be done with breasts, but best with thighs.)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Rub:
2 tsp granulated garlic
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp coriander
1 tsp kosher salt {Jayme used sea salt}
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder

Glaze:
1/2 C honey
1 tbsp Cider Vinegar

Combine the rub spices in a bowl and mix well.
Use kitchen shears to trim off any excess fat from the chicken. Pat dry. Drizzle oil over the chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands to get in there! Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it's not too thick {not too long, as honey can get scalding hot}. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2 tbsp of the honey glaze for later. Brush the rest onto both sides of the chicken in the final moments of grilling. Drizzle remaining glaze over top when cooking is done.

*** This WILL drip, so don't be surprised if you have burning drippings. Totally worth it!

Summer Salsa

I got this from a friend of mine when we lived in Utah, but she didn't have a name for it. We started calling it Summer Salsa, then found a similar recipe called Cowboy Caviar. Potato, potaaaato... This is the most excellent chip dip salsa goodness. Matt will literally crave it. It takes a bit of chopping, but it is sooo worth it! In fact, this 2 1/2 qt bowl was pretty much gone by the end of the night- mostly thanks to Hubby and me snuggling up with a movie and a big bag of chips! At least we far surpassed our recommended vegetable servings for the day.... It makes a lot, so it's great to take to barbecues.

2-3 avocados

3 Roma tomatoes

1 red onion {If you aren't as crazy about onions as me, you might want to just do 3/4 an onion}

1 can black eyed peas, drained, but not rinsed

1 can white shoepeg corn{we didn't have this, so I just used a can of regular corn}, with juice

1 packet Italian dressing, prepared

Chop avocados, tomatoes, and onion. Stir together with remaining ingredients. Chill several hours{I think it's actually best the next day, so we'll make it the night before}. Serve with tortilla chips.

Pasta Salad, v. 2.0

Ok, so I've posted my pasta salad recipe before, but I made this for dinner for my family the night before the exchange, so I shared the leftovers... is that weird? Oh, well. Also, I have another pasta salad recipe that is at least equally good, if not even a degree or two better... So, here's what I'm doing. The various ingredients used to make the salad are interchangeable- tasty with either dressing, so I'll list all my favorites. Then if you want the dressing I actually made that night, go here. If you want the one I would have made if I had a bottle of cole slaw dressing, then keep reading! Another great one for hot summer nights, picnics, dinner by the pool, barbecues, etc... Plus I love that I can throw it together while my kids are napping earlier in the day and have it ready whenever we want to eat- and it contains every food group in one bowl. Ease.

Possible salad ingredients{Just add what you know your family likes!}:

12 oz bow tie, elbow macaroni, or other pasta

2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut (about 2 cups)

1 C celery, chopped

1 can pineapple tidbits, drained

1 can mandarin oranges, drained

1 C red grapes, halved

1 C Craisins

3-4 green onions, chopped

1/2 C slivered almonds

1 C chopped or grated carrots

4 hard boiled eggs

5-8 pieces of bacon, cooked and chopped

1 C frozen green peas

1 C grated cheddar cheese

I can sliced olives

2 sticks string cheese, chopped

cucumbers, diced

The list is ongoing! Gently toss together your favorites from the list in a LARGE bowl.

Dressing:

1 C Miracle whip or mayonnaise {grew up on Miracle Whip, so that's my lard of choice}

12 oz cole slaw dressing

Mix the Miracle Whip and dressing, toss with salad ingredients. Chill several hours.

Sloppy Joes/ BBQ sandwiches

Obviously, this does not look like a sandwich. I had some leftover rolls that night and Hubby though it would be good to try the meat on those instead of a hamburger bun. He was right. This is another one of my summer favorites. Nice and barbecue-y, without having to stand over the grill out in 115 degrees! Plus, it's super easy to throw together, and would even be easy to throw in the crock pot if you are really dreading the stove on a hot summer night. The sweet barbecue flavor of the sauce is my favorite- though possibly because this is the one I grew up on. That tends to make a person partial... Well, try for yourself!

1 lb ground beef

1/2 C onions, chopped, or 4 shakes dried onion

1 10 oz can tomato soup

1/4 C chopped green bell peppers (optional)

1/4 C brown sugar

1/4 C catsup

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Brown ground beef, onion, and green bell pepper. Drain. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer 15 minutes. Serve with sliced cheese in hamburger buns.

If you don't have buns, or are looking for something a little different you can turn this into Barbecue cups{I sometimes double the recipe and have Sloppy Joes one night then these barbecue cups a few nights later- like a whole new meal!}:

Stir together 2 cups Bisquick and 1/2 C water until soft dough forms. Beat vigorously for 20 strokes. Drop by spoonfuls into ungreased muffin cups. Press onto bottom and sides of cups with floured hands. Spoon barbecue mixture into cups; sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown.