Mama's Chili

This chili says "home" to me. I am not a picky eater in the least. And I love "chili" because it means something different to everyone. Some people make theirs extra thick or spicy or with chicken. The options are endless and I enjoy trying every variety. But this recipe in particular comes from my mom's recipes. And though I don't normally follow recipes to the T, I did this time because I had a hankering for Mom's chili. It's just the perfect thickness and you can add as much chili powder or Tabasco sauce that you want if you love heat. And don't forget about the endless topping options. :) Tonight, I'm serving this with a loaf of fresh white bread. What's better than that?!

Actually the reason I'm making this tonight is because I just found out an hour ago that my parents my arriving at our home tonight. Oops. Totally missed that memo. I guess I thought we were meeting them at Kevin's parents' house tomorrow for Thanksgiving dinner. I was cracking up as I overhead the conversation Kevin was having with my mom as she said they should have left the house a while ago. What?! Tonight?! I wanted to have something for them to eat when they arrived and I wanted it to be home cooked but not overly strenuous. This chili goes together in 30 minutes or less. Then just let it simmer away to goodness. :)

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2-28 oz cans crushed tomatoes

2-8 oz cans tomato sauce

2-15 oz cans kidney beans

1 tsp salt

3-4 tsp chili powder

2 bay leaves

Brown the ground beef in a 6 quart sauce pan. Add onion, green pepper and garlic. Saute until softened. Add spices. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and kidney beans. Season additionally as desired. Cover and simmer for at least one hour.

Serve with extra hot sauce, grated cheese, sour cream, crackers, cilantro or anything you feel like adding. :)

Mel's Own Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ok. You may have to forget everything I've ever said about chocolate chip cookies. I may have just created a new perfect cookie. Though Kevin and I are still huge fans of the flavor of the cookies with all butter, the texture and thickness of this cookie is phenomenal (not as flat as the all-butter cookie. Butter melts at a lower temperature, thus butter cookies spread more.) We both agree that this recipe replaces "The perfect" chocolate chip cookie recipe, but I'll let you decide for yourself. These are a bit softer and flatter than "the perfect" ones. They have more vanilla (a flavor we love) and the ratio of the fats to the flour changes everything. Please don't forget the refrigeration stage. SO important for this recipe.

Ingredients

1/2 cup margarine, softened

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1-1/2 to 2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Soften the margarine. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl using a whisk and set aside.

Beat margarine, shortening, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until completely combined and creamy. Add vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add milk and beat until combined. Gradually (in three additions) mix in flour mixture, beating just until combined (do NOT overmix!). Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded spoonful onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are just brown and middle is not quite set yet. Cool on pan for 2 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Before adding more dough to warm cookie sheets, place sheet in freezer for 5-7 minutes to cool.

Store in an airtight container.

Soft & Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies

I know I've said I don't try other chocolate chip cookie recipes simply because Kevin absolutely loves "the perfect" recipe I use and will hardly tolerate me trying a new one. :) But alas, I caved. I wanted a different recipe--preferably one with all butter (since it's on sale at our Aldi for $1.49 a pound!) and one which had been road tested and approved by a fellow foodie whom I respect and admire. I hit up Michelle at the BrownEyedBaker and found what I was looking for. Though I'm still trying to figure out the cooking capabilities of my new oven and new baking sheets (and may have over baked a few batches), they still turned out scrumptious. (I don't even want to know how many I ate! eek!) Don't let the thin look deceive you into thinking this is a crunchy cookie. Though the edges may be, these turned out exactly as Michelle predicted--"thin, not cakey, soft, chewy and gooey." Yum!

*note: these cookies are even better the next day. Soft and Gooey is right!

Chelle’s Soft & Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon milk

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Microwave butter for 30 seconds, stir and set aside. Do not worry if it is not completely melted.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla on medium-high speed until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add milk and beat until combined. Gradually beat in flour mixture, beating just until combined (do NOT overmix!). Stir in chocolate chips.

Refrigerate dough for 15-30 minutes.

Drop by rounded spoonful onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 12 minutes or until edges are just brown and middle is not quite set yet. Cool on pan for 2 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Before adding more dough to warm cookie sheets, place sheet in freezer for 5-7 minutes to cool.

Store in an airtight container.

Recipe yielded 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Once again, Joy the Baker has brought something wonderful into my world. Anything with "chocolate" in the title twice is worth baking, am I right?! This bread is almost chocolate cake-like...the perfect thing for the day after my birthday! It was deliciously amazing. I loved finding those melted bits of chocolate. It was like gold! Eating a slice with a glass of cold milk was perfection. Kevin really liked it as well though he says it's equal to "normal" banana bread. I almost wouldn't qualify it as banana bread. I think of it in a chocolate category all it's own.

It's like cake you can eat for breakfast!

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 stick (8 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 ripe bananas, mashed

3/4 cup buttermilk

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9×5 inch loaf pan (or two mini loaf pans--2x6") and place it on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets one on top of the other. This extra insulation will keep the bottom of the bread from overbaking.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda.

Working with a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed for about a minute until soft. Add the sugars and beat for 2 minutes more. Add the egs one at a time, beating for a minute after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the mashed bananas. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Still on low sweep, add the buttermilk, mixing until it is incorporated. Stir in the chopped chocolate. Scrape batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 3o minutes. Cover the bread loosely with a foil tend to keep the top from getting too dark, and continue to bake for another 40-45 minutes (total baking time is between 70 and 75 minutes), or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for at least 20 minutes before running a knife around the edges of the bread and unmolding it. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats

Most everyone (or at least most kids) love a good Rice Krispie Treat. I know I do. I've made a couple pans before but struggled to get the right consistency. It probably had something to do with the age of my marshmallows, honestly. :) This batch turned out just right! And if you love peanut butter as much as I do, definitely go with "option 2"--1 Tbsp butter and 1/3 cup peanut butter. I forgot I wanted to add the peanut butter, so I have a bit more "fat" added to mine than is necessary, but I'm ok with that. They're still delicious little buggers. (After serving these peanut butter krispies tonight to teens and twenty-somethings the verdict is: these things rock!)

This particular recipe is a combination of the Kellogg's Rice Krispie Treat recipe and a recipe from Cooking Light Cookbook.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

- OR- 1 Tbsp butter and 1/3 cup peanut butter

1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows

- OR - 4 cups miniature marshmallows

6 cups Rice Krispies® 9r other puffed rice

In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

Add Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated.

Using buttered spatula or wax paper or greased hands evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.

MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:

In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

I know, I'm on some sort of a pancake kick. I'm ok with that. Aren't you? Who doesn't love pancakes? Seriously.

I found this recipe in my trusty Betty Crocker Cookbook. I figured the recipe "as is" wouldn't be nearly as good as Joy's Whole Wheat Banana Walnut Pancakes, so I changed a few things here and there. This recipe is my edited version.

Makes 5- 5" pancakes (thick!)

Ingredients

1 egg

1 cup ap or whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

3/4 cup buttermilk*

*buttermilk can be made by adding just under 1Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice to the milk.

In medium bowl, beat the egg until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients just until combined. Batter may be lumpy. Don't over mix. Heat griddle over medium heat. It is ready when you drip water on it and the droplets jump around and sizzle. Pour batter onto a hot griddle using 1/4 cup or a small ladle. Flip when bubbles form and pop. Enjoy with syrup or a topping of your choice!

Sausage and Peppers Over Pasta

This one pot dinner (well, two I guess because of cooking the pasta) is absolutely delicious. That is, assuming you love Italian staples like sausage, green peppers, garlic, onions, and of course spaghetti. I came up with the idea this morning, knowing Kevin had mentioned sausage as a desired main dish for the week.

Ingredients (for 2)

2 sausage links, sliced

1 green pepper, sliced

1/4 large onion, sliced

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

pasta sauce, homemade or store-bought (I like Prego. Or Meijer brand.)

Spaghetti (desired amount)

Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp oil. Saute onions, peppers, and garlic until soft and fragrant. Push the vegetables to the side of the pan. Add sausage slices and let them brown on each side. Stir skillet contents together, being sure to scrape up the browned bits of sausage to add flavor. Pour in 1-2 cups pasta sauce. Heat through.

Meanwhile, cook pasta. Drain and stir into sauce. Serve and enjoy!

Buttermilk-Oatmeal Bread

I plan on making most of our bread (at least for the time being) simply because it is extremely inexpensive and also it happens to be totally delicious. It's so nice to have a bread machine because I can just toss the ingredients in, hit "dough" cycle, wait 1 hr. 50 minutes and then bake the loaf in my own pan--creating a more moist and aesthetically pleasing bread. :)

This recipe is from my Bread Making Bounty library sale find. This particular bread is hearty just like I was hoping. And it's low in calories and fat! You can't beat it!

For a 1 pound loaf

3/4 cup buttermilk*

1 Tbsp honey

1-1/2 tsp margarine or butter

1-3/4 cups flour

1/3 cup rolled oats (toasted or not)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp active dry or bread machine yeast.

*To make your own buttermilk, simply add 1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar to milk totaling one cup. Let sit 5 minutes and stir. (Milk will look curdled.)

Add ingredients to machine according to manufacturer's directions. (always add liquid ingredients first, then dry ingredients (should be floating on top of liquids), then make a small well in the dry ingredients and add yeast LAST--being sure the yeast never comes in contact with the liquids or it will be activated too soon.) Select the desired cycle. If you choose the dough cycle continue with these instructions: After the dough is complete turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Roll dough into a 9x15" rectangle. Roll towards you along the length of the dough, pinching each roll tightly with your fingers. Place in a greased loaf pan, brush with oil, cover loosely with a towel, and let rise 30 minutes or until doubled. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until loaf is golden and sounds hollow when tapped.

Whole Wheat Oat Pancakes

I combined two recipes from my Taste of Home recipe card catalog to come up with these filling, nutritious, and de-double-licious pancakes. Fast and easy. These are a must.

Ingredients

1 cup oats

1 cup flour (ap or whole wheat)

2 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1-1/2 cups milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in the mixing bowl. Make a well in the center. Combine egg, milk, oil, and vanilla. Pour into the well and stir until just moistened. Pour batter by the 1/4 cupfuls (I use a small ladle) onto a lightly greased hot griddle; turn when bubbles form on top of pancakes. Cook until second side is golden brown.

6 servings (2 pancakes each)

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am extremely proud to announce that this cookie recipe is a product of my own imagination. This morning while I was showering I had this light bulb moment--"What if I put cocoa powder into my chocolate chip cookies?" I love chocolate chip cookies and I LOVE chocolate so doubling up seemed like the perfect idea.

This was a great success! I might prefer this recipe to my traditional chocolate chip cookie. They are chocolately and moist and soft with just a bit of crunch.

Ingredients

2/3 C Crisco shortening

2/3 C softened margarine

1 C sugar

1 C brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 and 1/2 C flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups chocolate chips

Cream together shortening, margarine and both sugars until fluffy. Add in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In three additions stir dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes

Do NOT overbake. They will not look done in the oven. The cocoa in these cookies makes it much more difficult to check done-ness. so keep on eye of them. Possibly take them out at 8 minutes and check the underside of a cookie. My first batch was severely undercooked...the center of the cookies were dropping out through the slots of the cooling rack.

Yields: 4 dozen

Pumpkin Spice Granola

I love granola.

I love all of Annie's recipes.

I have been loving pumpkin.

Hence, when I was looking for ways to use up the remainder of my can of pumpkin puree, I knew this was a must. The hardest part (for me) about any granola is making sure it's cooked thoroughly so it'll be crunchy without over baking...which happens much easier with granola than with most of recipes (again, for me at least.) So keep on eye on things.

And if you do, you're going to love the results. This granola is exactly what you're imagining it will it. Perfectly pumpkin and spice.

Pumpkin Spice Granola

Ingredients

3 ½ cups rolled oats

2 ½ cups puffed rice cereal

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

¾ tsp. salt

¾ cup brown sugar

½ cup pumpkin puree

¼ cup applesauce

¼ cup maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

up to 1 ½ cups chopped nuts

up to 1 cup dried fruit

Preheat the oven to 325°. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine oats and puffed rice cereal.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin pie spice, salt, sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Whisk until very smooth.

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until the oat mixture is evenly coated. Spread on the prepared baking sheet in an even layer.

Bake for 30 minutes. Then turn over the granola using a large, wide spatula. Sprinkle the nuts onto the granola and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until crisp and golden. Depending on the size of your baking sheet, the center may not be fully dried if your granola layer is thick, so if necessary remove the edges of the cooked granola and let the rest cook until done, 10-15 more minutes. Cool on pan or on a fine wire rack.

Break up granola as desired and toss with dried fruit. Store in an airtight container.

Vegan Pumpkin Walnut Bread

I wasn't necessarily looking for a vegan recipe. But when I saw Joy the Baker's pumpkin bread, I knew it was the perfect way to use the remaining pumpkin puree after I had made her Pumpkin Spice Pancakes.

Recipe makes 2 loaves (I cut it in half)

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour ( or whole wheat flour… or just use only all-purpose flour)

2 cups light brown sugar, packed

1/3 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree, or just under two cups

1 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup water

1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Grease and flour two loaf pans (mine are 8×4x2) and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.

In a medium bowl, carefully whisk together pumpkin puree, oil, maple syrup and water.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a spatula to fold all of the ingredients together. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl well, finding any stray flour bits to mix in.

Fold in most of the chopped walnuts, reserving some to sprinkle on top of the batter once in the pan. Divide the dough between the two greased pans and sprinkle with a few walnut pieces.

Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Let rest in the pans for 20 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack. Serve warm. Maybe even wrap one loaf up in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for future munching.

Roasted Chicken, Potatoes, Onions, and Peppers

This dinner idea came to me as a plan B when I realized we were out of sausage and the original plan was roasted sausage and potatoes. The meal was perfectly complimented and juicy and delicious. It's simple to throw together in a pinch and is reminiscent of camp cooking (which we absolutely adore!)

(I would have pictures to post except I stunk at photography tonight and they were all blurry. Boo! Online photography classes sound like a good idea right about now.)

Serves: 3
5 boneless skinless chicken tenders
4 small potatoes, cubed
1/2 green pepper, sliced
1/2 medium onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
Thyme
Olive Oil

Spray an 8x8 baking dish with non-stick spray. Place vegetables together. Sprinkle with desired amount of spice. Drizzle with oil. Toss together.

Cover loosely with foil and bake at 375 for 45-50 minutes (without foil would take 35 or so minutes.)

Whole Wheat Banana Walnut Pancakes

Oh. My. Gosh. These are seriously the best and most fluffy pancakes I have ever had the privilege of eating. It's everything you want out of a pancake you might order in a restaurant only better and healthier and homemade! Kevin's not a huge fan of nuts in his food, and though I loved the addition of walnuts, they could easily be omitted.

Fluffy.

Hearty.

Healthy.

Banana-y.

Deee-licious.

And did I mention FLUFFY?!

Thank you, Joy the Baker, for sharing your love of pancakes with me! I followed the recipe almost exactly--aside from adding the entire egg instead of separating and beating the white (imagine how much fluffier that would make these guys!) and adding in a sprinkle of cinnamon and using skim milk and halving the recipe.

The entire recipe yields approximately 12-4inch pancakes.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup cornmeal

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, separated

1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus additional for brushing the skillet

1 1/2 cup whole milk, plus additional if needed

1 ripe banana, diced or mashed

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl Whisk together yolks, oil and 1 1/2 cups milk in another bowl and add to the flour mixture, whisking until smooth. Let batter stand for 5 minutes to allow flour to absorb liquid (batter will thicken).

If batter is too thick to fall easily from a spoon, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons additional milk.

Fold in banana and walnuts.

Beat egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer at moderately high speed until they just hold stiff peaks. With a whisk, gently but thoroughly fold into batter.

Brush a griddle or 12-inch nonstick skillet with oil and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Reduce heat to moderate. Working in batches of 4, spoon 2 tablespoons batter per pancake into a hot skillet, spreading it if necessary to form 3- 3 1/2 inch rounds. Cook pancakes until bubbles appear on surface, edges are set and undersides are golden, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Flip pancakes with a metal spatula and cook until undersides are golden and pancakes are cooked through. Lower heat if pancakes brown too quickly and insides aren’t set. Transfer pancakes to plate and serve with Vanilla- Brown Sugar Syrup (recipe below--delicious!) or regular maple syrup. Brush griddle with more oil between batches.

Vanilla-Brown Sugar Syrup

1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar

1 1/2 cups water

3 Tablespoon unsalted butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine brown sugar, water, butter, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a oil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil until syrupy and reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, about 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and vanilla, then let cool to warm or room temperature.

Pumpkin Pancakes

When I saw Annie post this recipe yesterday (and realized they were originally posted by Joy the Baker, another favorite of mine) I really wanted to try them. I love pancakes and with a recent change in my diet (that is, I'm not going to be gluten free for the time being. It doesn't seem to be the problem so we're experimenting with other possibilities.), I couldn't wait! Kevin didn't seem too thrilled with the idea of pumpkin pancakes, but I showed him Annie's picture and we decided to have them for breakfast this morning.

They were not only easy to make (with ingredients most people keep on hand), but they are absolutely delicious. Not too heavy (as I thought they might be) and not too "pumpkin-y." It's just the right amount of spice and all the ingredients minus a teeny tiny bit of oil is perfectly healthy!

I cut the recipe in half and used whole wheat flour in place of the ap flour to boost nutrition.

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

Ingredients:

1¼ cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour

2 tbsp. brown sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

¾ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

Dash of ground ginger

Dash of ground cloves

1 cup milk

½ cup pumpkin puree

1 large egg

2 tbsp. vegetable oil or melted butter

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and spices and stir with a fork to combine. Mix together the milk, pumpkin puree, egg and oil or butter in a liquid measuring cup. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk together just until combine. (The batter may still have a few lumps - that is okay.)

Preheat the oven to 200° F. Have an oven safe plate or serving dish ready. Heat a greased skillet or griddle over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add a 1/3 cup scoop of batter to the pan. Let cool until bubbles begin to form on the top surface. Carefully flip with a spatula and cook the second side until golden brown, a couple minutes more. Transfer the cooked pancake to the oven safe dish, and place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the rest of the batter until it has all been cooked, regreasing the pan as needed. Serve with cinnamon sugar, maple syrup, and/or whipped cream.

Crockpot Barbeque Chicken

I have made a recipe similar to this using pork shoulder but I am a personal fan of chicken breast. I decided I would make up this recipe this morning after thinking of it in the shower. What a great place for ideas. :) Kevin and I both loooooved this meal. It's fast and easy and AMAZING.

*note: all measurements are approximate. I didn't measure anything specifically. Use your instincts. :)

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

OR 4-6 chicken tenderloins

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, minced

3 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

sprinkle crushed red pepper

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 Tbsp vinegar

1 Tbsp oil

2 tsp ketchup

Mix all ingredients (minus chicken) thoroughly. Use non-stick spray inside a small crockpot (4qt or less). Place chicken in the bottom of the crockpot and pour bbq over top. Cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 3-4.

Shred chicken or keep whole and serve over an open baked potato.

Top with remaining sauce.