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Curry Chicken Sandwich

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I love curry and have since my Vancouver days.  So far I am the only one in the family that loves curry.  Even so it’s not unusual to find a jar of curry paste in the fridge kept solely for my pleasure.

Wanting to use up some leftover roasted chicken one day I scoured the fridge for ideas.  Curry paste, mayo, yogurt, green onions…a recipe was being born.  My kid loves green apple so we always have those on hand.  I was tossed whether to use shallots or green onions but went with the green onions this time.  I was also going to add in some mango chutney to the sandwich until I noticed the jar of mango chutney in the fridge had grown legs.  So no mango chutney this time.

The curry dressing for the chicken is almost better when made at least an hour in the refrigerator earlier if possible to let the flavours sit and get happy.  If you do not have time to let the dressing sit, the flavour will still be delicious.

This is a great way to use up leftover roast chicken for a quick meal on a busy night.  Or even if you do not feel like cooking much.  If you don’t have any leftover chicken start with a raw chicken breast and poach it in some water/broth simmering until cooked through.  Let cool, chop and you have your chicken for this recipe.

Adjust the curry as you go adding more or less.  Omit cilantro if you do not like and replace with parsley.  I made this sammy with bread since that is all I had on hand.  Next time  a yummy baguette or ciabatta will be my bread of choice.  A wrap or in a lettuce leaf would be equally divine.

 

Cilantro & Black Pepper Hummus

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I admit I’ve had  hummus on the mind.   I like my hummus spicy and I’m always trying new flavours.  This morning I went rummaging through my fridge to see what I could find.  Olives…feta cheese…sun dried tomatoes..could roast some garlic…everything was appealing…and then I spotted the “needing to be used” cilantro.  Perfect, my cilantro & black pepper hummus adventure was about to begin.

I really want to get the kids liking hummus so this is definitely going to be the “Year of Hummus” in our house as I experiment with flavours they might like and dippers all the while knowing I have a secret agenda.  “Look kids I tried a new recipe today“, “I think it might be great on our greek pitas” or “I made hummus with cucumbers, how yummy” are some of the lines of persuasion one might over hear.   Even sneaking a little on a burger is worth considering.  In the end they will be the ones who decide if they like it or not.

For this recipe add more pepper if you want more of a kick.  The amount in this recipe keeps it pretty mild.

 

Alberta Burger

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With the summer heat finally here, all we want to do is grill burgers. Change up your burger game with our Alberta Burgers served with pita instead of a bun!

 

3 out of 4 of us really enjoy a good burger and I am proud my kids are not uber fussy about all the things we put in the burgers. They save the fussiness for the burger preparation “ketchup, cheese and some mayo please” is all they like on their burgers although they boy is becoming more experimental in his lettuce adventures.  Baby steps.

This burger is flavoured with spices of the Middle East and served up in a pita allowing everyone to choose their toppings. We served it with a minted yogurt sauce that my little girl mixed up (and liked!).

In considering what to name this burger I decided to firstly pay homage to my birth Province and place where my babies were born. Secondly celebrate the diversity in cultures that makes Alberta such an incredible place to live.  It’s not just plain beef & buffalo here anymore!

As always if you are on the Wild Rose D-Tox you can not have the yogurt sauce or pita. Use a lettuce leaf instead and add some fresh salsa.

You could easily substitute ground pork or lamb in this recipe. Yummy goodness all wrapped up in a pita.

 

Sugar Cookies

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A day late and a dollar short I am with this recipe.  It was to be Recipe 12 of my 12 Day of Holiday Baking but for some reason my 2 yr old hard drive decided to die on me 3 days before Christmas.  Since we were expecting the In-Laws to arrive any minute I really had no time to commit to getting it fixed.  Then colds & sick came along as well as other distractions.

Happy as pudding to report hard drive data recovered, new hard drive in place programs reinstalled and everything good in the land of nod.  I am happy to bring the final entry.

I never had sugar cookies growing up…it’s one thing my mother never made.  I feel like somehow I must have been missing out since they are so yummy and such a great cookie for kids to be involved in making.  My kids have so much fun with these cookies and I love creating these memories.

I’ve experimented with a few sugar cookie recipes over the years and haven’t had the best luck until I found this one.  It’s yummy, easy to make and fun for all.  Even hubs gets involved when it comes to our cookie making & decoration sessions.  It’s awesome!

 

New Features Coming

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Since I created this food blog I’ve been wanting to expand it into something bigger…I’ve just been trying to figure out what that path is and what bigger means.

I’ve been sharing stories and adventures in a private family blog since 2006.  Many of those stories would fit perfectly in this setting as well.  When I dig deeper I find there are several other areas in my life to talk about including but not limited to restaurant reviews that I do, foodie events I participate in, wine escapades, holidays we take, travel and day tripping around Alberta, camping, local adventures…all great foundations for my Musings.

So please be patient as I test out some new features and find ones that work!

 

Chocolate Fondue

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A Chocolate Fondue that is simple to make, easy to eat and will leave your guests so impressed they want to buy their own fondue pot!

Chocolate Fondue

Chocolate Fondue

Our chocolate fondue recipe is one I have made so many times it’s forever lodged in my brain. As long as I have a proper fondue pot, and access to ingredients, I can make it anywhere.

Sometimes we make it with booze, sometimes we don’t. The alcohol does add a slight hint of flavour depending on which kind you use. Same with sprinkles, sometimes we use them, sometimes we don’t. That is the great thing about this fondue, you can change it up ever so slightly each time and the sprinkles are really for the kids.

The Fondue Pot

It’s important to use the correct pot when making a chocolate or dessert fondue. These pots are designed specifically for desserts and typically come in earthenware, ceramic, porcelain or even tempered glass but we stay away from glass. They will be smaller and their heat sources are candle or gel fuel burner to keep the chocolate warm without over heating.

Chocolate Fondue

Chocolate Fondue Dippers

Dippers for a chocolate fondue are the funnest ingredients to prepare and sample while preparing! Here’s a few dippers we have tried over the years all sliced in to bite size pieces where applicable.

Pineapple, canteloupe, honey dew melon, strawberries, grapes, apple wedges, banana slices, orange sections, pear wedges, pound cake cubs, angel food cake cubes, brownies, marshmallows, sour candies, gummy bears, coconut pieces, kiwi chunks, pretzels, graham wafers, lady fingers, coconut macaroons, chocolate chip cookies, banana bread, shortbread cookies, biscotti, Italian cookies, figs, rice krispy treats, puffed wheat squares, mini cream puffs.

We recommend you choose 5 or 6 and start with those. You can change it up every time if you like but sometimes to many can be overwhelming!

Interested in trying new Fondue recipes?! Check out these:

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

 

Pecan & Cranberry Biscotti

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I’m bringing Biscotti Back…..

My mom introduced me to Biscotti over 20 years ago. And I liked it. I admittedly have not made Biscotti for a couple years now… but figured this year was the time to bring it back into our Christmas Baking Rotation as part of my 12 Days of Holiday Baking.

I had all the ingredients to make the original recipe which called for almonds, but did not have any almonds on hand. So I went ahead and used toasted pecans instead also adding in cranberries and cinnamon.

It’s a lovely crunchy cookie to have either as is or dipped in coffee, tea or hot chocolate.

 

Nanaimo Bars

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I grew up in British Columbia (Canada) and one of the most enjoyable treats we had at Christmas time was my mom’s home made Nanaimo Bars.  She always made the icing green and so to me a Nanaimo Bar is not a Nanaimo Bar unless it’s green!

I do not know where my mom got the recipe from and what if any modifications may have been made (she is not around to ask) so I post this recipe as it was written down over 30 years ago.

I make these bars every year at Christmas for my family as they are my husbands favourite holiday treat.

 

Candy Cane Cookies

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These fun, cheery Candy Cane Cookies are one of our favourite treats to make during the holiday season. Coloured dough is flavoured with peppermint and twisted into a cane shape brightening up any festive platter!

Candy Cane Cookies

Candy Cane Cookies

As a child I have fond memories of my mom’s Whipped Shortbread Cookies. You can never go wrong with a melt in your mouth, flavourful cookie with a pop of colour during the month of December.

This cookie was created for our annual Mom’s Holiday Cookie Exchange. If you follow my blog and cookie rambles you will see it’s a much anticipated event every year!

 

 

Candy Cane Cookies
Candy Cane Cookies

For our cookie exchange this year I wanted to make something new and adventurous and I think I found the right recipe – Candy Cane Cookies. This cookie does take a little work since you have to refrigerate the dough, take out small amounts at a time and work fast. But look at them! The extra work is worth it – aren’t they stunning?!

Candy Cane Cookies
Candy Cane Cookies

PRO TIPS

Turn on some festive music or your favourite spotify list, pour yourself a mocktail or cocktail and start rolling!

  • Hook them over the edge of a hot chocolate mug to serve.
  • Chill dough before rolling and re-chill as necessary. It will help with rolling.
  • If you don’t like mint flavour use coconut or almond.
  • Practise makes perfect.

 

More Holiday Treat Recipes to try!

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans and please comment below!

This sugar like cookie with a peppermint twist is my cookie contribution for this year’s cookie exchange.

What is your favourite cookie to make or eat during the holidays?!

Acorn Squash, Roasted Garlic & Kale Pasta

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I love all things squash, I really do. That’s why this Acorn Squash, Roasted Garlic & Kale Pasta is a keeper in our house…even Hubs admittedly really, really liked it.

One of our Vegetarian nieces stopped in for dinner last evening and so I was able to taste test a new recipe.   I love it when the Vegetarians come over since Hubs is a true carnivore who enjoys his daily dose of meat. I on the other hand enjoy all kinds of foods, love experimenting and putting meatless meals on the table. So he gets steak and I get a vegetarian meal…it’s a Win Win. The kids will pretty much try anything although they love a good “juicy steak” just like their dad (mini me carnivores).

You can add more chili flakes it you like it spicy or less if you don’t. My kids found this amount a little on the spicy side.

 

Simple Braised Pork

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A dish that lies deep in my roots as pressure cooked roasts were our Sunday suppers growing up. In this recipe we show you how to make Simple Braised Pork using a roasting pan, some spices, your favourite barbecue sauce and your oven.

braised pork

What Spices to use

Your favourite ones of course! Sometimes we like to buy a spice blend from our favourite spice store: The Silk Road Spice Merchant.

Other times we create our own spice rub using whatever spices we can find in our pantry. This is also a good way to use up older spices and make room for fresh, new ones.

Braised Pork

Braising Pork

Any larger cut of meat with a good fat content is best cooked low and slow as this allows the tissues and fats to soften and develop the flavour. Browning or searing the meat first in a heavy bottom pan over high heat will caramelize the outside of the meat providing added flavour but it is not necessary. For this recipe we do not sear the outside of the roast.

In the cold winter months, nothing beats the smell of simmering food in the oven. Think Osso bucco, beef bourguignon, ribs, stew, even chili.

What to serve with Braised Pork

We like a nice summer side salad like a coleslaw which some people like to put right on the pork. I admittedly do that sometimes too.

I love pickles on my bun but not every one does. Here I’ve quick pickled radishes and jalapenos. I’ve even tried charred shishito peppers as shown in the photos but the jury is still out on that one!

Simple Briased Pork

PRO TIPS

  • If you can spice your roast the night before and let marinate over night.
  • Use your favourite store bought barbecue sauce to save time.
  • This recipe can also be made in a slow cooker.
  • Always let the meat rest before shredding or devouring.
  • Use fresh buns.

Recipes you may be interested in

If you love this recipe, or have some suggestions, please leave a comment!

Braising pork low and slow imparts flavour ensuring every piece is moist and delicious.

 

Holiday Bake Sale to benefit Meals On Wheels, Calgary

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The holiday season is a time of giving.  And a time of eating baked goodness in all its forms……

You can do both on Saturday, December 8th at the Calgary Food Blogger Bake Sale – Holiday Edition.   The Bake Sale will be at Casel Marché (Calgary, Alberta) with proceeds from this bake sale benefiting Calgary’s Meals on Wheels.

Come and check it out….you will not be disappointed!

Participating Calgary Food Bloggers to date are:

A Pretty Life in the Suburbs (www.aprettylifeinthesuburbs.com)
Anna’s Appetite (http://annasappetite.wordpress.com/)
Bakersbeans (www.bakersbeans.ca)
Ceci n’est pas un food blog (www.cecinestpasunfoodblog.com)
Calgary is Awesome (www.calgaryisawesome.com)
Chocolate & Ginger (www.chocolateandginger.com)
Clockwork Lemon (www.clockworklemon.com)
Club Club (http://club-club.tumblr.com/)
Dan’s Good Side (www.dansgoodside.com)
Dining Room Empire (http://naptimequilter.blogspot.com/)
Eat Chu (http://eatchufoods.tumblr.com/)
Food Mamma (www.foodmamma.com)
For the Love of… (http://dc-fortheloveof.blogspot.com/)
foodthreeways (www.foodthreeways.com)
Global Dish (www.globaldish.ca)
Heather’s EATS (http://heatherseats.wordpress.com/)
Leah Van Loon (www.leahvanloon.com)
Miss Foodie’s Gourmet Adventures (http://missfoodiesgourmetadventures.wordpress.com/)
Prairie Summers (http://prairiesummers.wordpress.com/)
Scrumptiously Fit Food (http://scrumptiouslyfitfood.blogspot.com/)
The Vegan Cookbook Aficionado
(http://cookbookaficionado.wordpress.com/)
yumyumyummers (http://yumyumyummers.wordpress.com/)

 

 

 

Swedish Dainties

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These Swedish Dainties are another recipe I tasted for the first time during my Vancouver days working in a head office with a whack of fabulous people.  There was so much good food shared between us (amongst other things) it’s no wonder I love food so much.

I’ve made these cookies a few times over the years changing them up a bit.  The initial recipe comes from Corinne (one of the fabulous people).  I even had the pleasure of attending my first ever 12 Course Peking Duck Dinner with Corinne…good times & good memories.

These cookies go by a variety of names…Bird’s Nest, Thimble Cookies, Thumbprint Cookies and of course Swedish Dainties.  I still have the recipe Corinne gave me all those years ago.  She called them Swedish Dainties and I will to.

 

 

 

White Chocolate Cranberry Kiss Cookies

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These White Chocolate Cranberry Kiss Cookies are enjoyed throughout the year but make an exceptional holiday cookie! They are similar in flavour to a popular coffee shops cranberry bliss bars and soon to become a family favourite!

white chocolate cranberry kiss cookies

White Chocolate Cranberry Kiss Cookies

Christmas is everywhere. Starbucks cranberry bliss bars are back. My kids won’t stop singing Christmas Carols. Neighbours have their Christmas lights up. We are 10 days away from Advent Calendars and bliss is in the air.

While they are fantastic during the holidays, they are also quite enjoyable any time of the year. My daughter will whip up a batch when she has a craving and who are we to judge?!

White Chocolate Cranberry Kiss Cookies

A Favourite Holiday Treat

If you have never tried a cranberry bliss bar from a popular coffee company, consider yourself lucky. They are addicting. So addicting in fact you might find yourself returning regularly for this treat as you can’t stop thinking about them.

This is why I decided to make a cookie using the flavours. Many people will try to copy the bar recipe but I’m doing cookies instead.

Once I created the cookie I needed a unique name, not the typical cranberry bliss bar cookies, but something different. So I put it out there as a challenge to my followers and White Chocolate Cranberry Kiss Cookies was the winner.

White Chocolate Cookies

Why Canola Oil

For those that didn’t catch my Pumpkin Cookie post, I was trying to win a trip to a food blogging conference next spring hosted by the Food Bloggers of Canada. It was easy to make the pumpkin cookies with canola oil inspiring me to try these cookies with canola oil.

If you love holiday cookies as much as we do, check out some of the other popular ones in this blog.

chopped cranberry on these white chocolate cranberry cookies

Holiday Cookie Recipes:

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

Kathy’s Crostini

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The first time I tried Crostini was ions ago…early 90’s at a work function.   I loved my job back then…working in a head office with a whole whack of fabulous people I spent a lot of time with.  Luckily I’ve reconnected with many of them over the years thanks to social media.

Kathy was the boss’s wife and she was just lovely.  We had some sort of potluck function one night and she made these tasty little bites she called “Crostini’s”.  After devouring my fair share I went on to ask her for the recipe.  I wrote it out then later typed it out.  Crazy but I still have that little typed note.

Her recipe starts with toasted crostini’s from Caper’s Deli (Caper’s Community Market in Vancouver).  I loved Caper’s Market but always made my own little toasts for the crostini.  I further tweaked the recipe to suit my tastes.

Sadly I found out not too long ago Kathy’s husband (my old boss Ken) passed away at the young age of 60 (cancer).  And so I’d like to post this recipe in honour of the family since Ken, when he wasn’t under the influence of bad assistants, was a fabulous boss.  And this recipe was inspired by the crostini Kathy used to make.

Recently I made it for a baby shower I attended and everyone adored it.

Ions ago I named this recipe Kathy’s Crostini.  Today it remains Kathy’s Crostini.

 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

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We’ve added orange zest to the cookie dough and topped our Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with a cinnamon glaze creating an incredibly moist and tasty Autumn bite!

pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

When making cookies and wounding ones self, it’s good to come up with an alternative name like blood, sweat and tears cookies. This is essentially the first name I came up with since while making them my baby finger ended up slamming into the top of the opened pumpkin can = deep cut. There was blood (not in the cookie dough), sweat & tears!

pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

Canned Pumpkin versus fresh pumpkin

What you choose to use when cooking with pumpkin really comes down to availability, time and taste.

Fresh pumpkins are called sugar pie pumpkins. They are the ones I would watch Martha use when she was making her pumpkin pies and recipes with pumpkin. She made it look so easy when cooking with them. They are smaller, sweeter and 100% pure pumpkin.

Canned pumpkin is not always 100% pure pumpkin. You will need to check with whatever brand of canned pumpkin you like to buy to see if it is indeed pure or a squash blend. Yes I said squash. You might actually be making squash pies and I’m sorry to be the one to break it to you.

We like to buy the E.D. Smith canned pumpkin and they have told me in a communication the pumpkin in the cans is 100% Dickinson pumpkin which belongs to the squash family but is classified pumpkin.

pumpkin chocolate chip cookie

To glaze or not to glaze

While these cookies are scrumptious without the glaze, they are amped up a notch with the glaze making us team glaze!

If you love pumpkin, give these recipes a go:

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans

 

Spooky Halloween Cookies

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Halloween is such a fun time for the year. Fun for kids and fun for grown ups! I fondly remember dressing up, filling up our pillow cases with all kinds of candies, coming home so mom could check our candy bags and enjoying sugar highs for days on end. We never baked a lot of Halloween treats while I was younger…but I loved to when I got older and moved away. Office potlucks, dinner parties…always a reason to create in the kitchen.

And then came a husband and kids. Funny how that happens. The kids started going to school and I wanted to send treats for Halloween. They have a Halloween evening dance every year since they don’t celebrate during the day and we are asked to provide treats for sale during the dance. Enter Spooky Halloween Cookies. We use coloured Royal Icing for these cookies and the kids do the decorating. Too much fun.

This recipe makes 3-4 dozen cookies, depending on the size of your cookie cutters. I need a minimum of 25 cookies for class or to bring to the dance, so I kept the recipe as is knowing some would go to work….some to school…some to friends….well you get it!

 

Double Bacon Burger

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When you hear double bacon burger, what comes to mind?! Double patties, double the bacon? For me it’s usually double the bacon. That’s exactly what we did with this burger. We’ve doubled the bacon by adding cooked bacon on the burger and mincing some bacon while still raw and adding it to the burger before forming.

Don’t fret. We’ve been doing this for over 10 years and never once gotten sick or has the burger/bacon been under cooked. The key is either to grind the bacon or mince it very small. By doing this it melts right into the raw burger adding extra flavour keeping it juicy. Now having said that if you like your burger still mooing, you may not want to try or slightly fry your bacon a little first before adding to the raw meat.

I topped my burger with a little mayonnaise – sometimes flavoured, spinach/arugula mix, slow cooked & caramelized onions, crisped bacon and Gouda or Manchego cheese.

double-bacon-burger-v3

 

 

 

 

Creepy Crispy Rice Treats

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These colourful treats are sure to be a hit at your next Halloween gathering. Creepy Crispy Rice Treats are easy to make using Halloween sprinkles and melted marshmallows!

rice crispy treats

Creepy Crispy Rice Treats

These rice crispy treats are a play on a favourite dessert known as rice crispy treats.

Pull them together at the last minute to hand out to your favourite ghouls. All you need is rice krispies, chocolate, marshmallows and a few sprinkles. This recipe can be used during all holidays as long as you have the holiday sprinkles on hand!

rice crispy treats

Halloween Party Treats

Typically everyone leans towards cupcakes when it comes to a Halloween gathering or at least that’s what we’ve seen at Halloween parties. I however like to pull the “be different” card and try something different. Let me tell you I’ve had my share of crazy ideas!

I made these treats on a last minute whim for my kids school Halloween dance bake sale. They sold out within the hour. This means I hit all the wants: colourful, intriguing, chocolate and delicious! Plus. they were easy! Shhhhhh.

rice crispy treats

We certainly love Halloween and the mom’s and I always have a Halloween gathering every year where there have been many crazy concoction! There have been some fun, spooky bites let me tell you!

Tips and Tricks

  • For a 9×13 inch pan use approximately 11 cups of mini marshmallows to 8-9 cups cereal.
  • Butter or spray the pan to avoid any sticking.
  • Never pack the mixture in to tight. Packing the tight will make them harder.
  • When using a 9×13 pan this recipe makes 15 large squares. You could easily double the amount of squares by cutting them smaller.

Here’s a few more spooky Halloween recipes you may want to try!

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

 

Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Stew

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Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Stew is flavourful, comforting and hearty, reminding me of a stew from my earlier years. Served with a crusty baguette or piece of bread, it’s a a family tradition during the cold winter months!

beef stew

Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Stew

Stew typically consist of beef or a protein, potatoes, carrots, perhaps some other vegetables, cooked low and slow in broth or liquid and a few seasonings, resulting in a comforting rib sticking bowl of deliciousness.

Spinning off a recipe my mom would make in the 1970’s, I’ve created a beef stew with barley offering a healthy variation rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre. Serve with bread, pita chips and a sprinkle of green parsley to liven it up.

beef stew

The Broth

Store bought or home made beef broth is what we use. Although sometimes we use leftover beef broth from our Teriyaki Beef Fondue providing a massively huge kick of flavour to this stew.

If you want to amp up the flavour of your broth you can infuse the broth with fresh ginger and garlic, plus any fresh herbs you have. Total game changer.

beef stew

Slow cookers offer a prepare and dump it meal that slow cooks all day making it ready when you come home from work and want to chow down.

Here’s a few more comfort food recipes to try!

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

 

Shrimp Boil

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Another name for a Shrimp Boil is a Frogmore Stew OR Low Country Boil.  It’s a simple and easy to make one dish meal that is finger licking good.  I made a similar version to this many years ago only it was simply sausage, carrots & potatoes.

I’ve seen the recipe made several times in various forms and by different chefs.  Recently I saw someone talking about it and since it had always intrigued me I decided it was time to try it out to use up some shrimp I had in the freezer.

We were not disappointed.  Each one of us enjoyed something different in this 4 ingredient meal and so everyone was happy which means it goes on the keepers list!

 

Witches Hats

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One of our favourite Halloween treats to make every October is these simple, yet tasty Witches Hats! They fly off the plate when shared!

Witches Hats
Witches Hats

Party Treats

We have hosted or attended our share of Halloween parties for both kids and adults alike. These Witches Hats have always been a hit at spooky gatherings.

If you have taco seasoning and cream cheese you are good to go, just add tortilla chips! Pipe onto blue tortilla chips for a super fun treat that’s ghastly to eat!

Witches Hats
Witches Hats make a great party appetizer

For colour and contrast, we’ve sprinkled on diced carrots, sliced olives and chopped fresh cilantro to finish off our hats.

PRO TIPS:

  • Instead of carrots you could use bell peppers and if you do not like the taste of cilantro, substitute in flat leaf parsley for the cilantro.
  • Try fresh herbs like basil, dill, mint or parsley mixed with cream cheese, omitting the taco seasoning for a slimy green look.
  • Other spices you could try would be chili powder and cumin blended, Za’atar, garam masala, or any spice blend you love.
  • Make cream cheese the day before, store in refrigerator, remove a couple hours before serving to soften up before piping your hats.

For an adult gathering you could add cayenne pepper to the taco seasoned cream cheese to add some fiery spice to the mix!

Witches Hat missing a bite
Witches Hat missing a bite

Halloween Party Food Ideas

Looking for more great Halloween Party food ideas, check out these fun recipes!

We love coming up with new creepy Halloween party ideas! What are some recipes you love to make during All Hallows’ Eve?!

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans.

 

Slow Cooker Beef Chili

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Many cooler weather or game day meals are ones prepared in the crockpot. Slow Cooker Beef Chili simmers all day, is full of flavour and ready to go when it’s time to eat!

beef chili

Slow Cooker Beef Chili

I’ve always loved different variations of chili. When I was single (and back in the 90’s), my favourites were Vegetarian Chili, and Four Bean Chili. Meatless and tasty.

When I got married, my carnivore husband preferred my beef chili or any chili with meat. I’ve tweaked it over the years but this recipe is a family favourite. You can make it on the stove in a pot or follow this recipe and make it in the slow cooker.

beef chili

What’s with the Toppings

I’m not sure when I started putting toppings on my chili but I can’t eat it without them now. My chili has always been flavourful but I wanted and needed more. So I started putting bowls with toppings on the table and never looked back.

Beef Chili Toppings

  • Shredded Cheese
  • Sliced or pickled peppers like jalapenos
  • Diced or sliced red onion or scallions
  • Diced bell peppers
  • Cubed avocado
  • Hot sauce
  • Salsa
  • Guacamole
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Diced tomatoes

beef chili toppers

Ways to serve chili

  • The obvious way is in a bowl, or a mug. When the kids were little I would scoop out the insides of buns and serve chili in the bun.
  • In Tostitos scoops was popular when the kids were little.  These little chip bowls were perfect for little hands.
  • Use tortilla chips to scoop.
  • Naan bread. Because Naan bread.
  • In baked potatoes.
  • Walking taco bags except walking chili bags. These are super fun when camping.
  • Taco salad bowls. Learn how to make these bowls here: Taco Salad Bowls
  • Over rice, spaghetti or nachos.
  • On top of cornbread or polenta. Because why not.
  • On top of french fries, perogies or macaroni and cheese.
  • On hot dogs and burgers.

We’ve tried all these methods, do you have any we’ve missed?!

beef chili

The Ultimate Chili Bar

Here’s another super fun idea that I just love, make a Chili Bar. Since I already do the toppings it’s pretty simple. Have at least three variations of chili available. A whole assortment of toppings. Some different types of breads or buns and at least 3- 5 cheeses to put on top. Chips, corn chips, spicy chips.

PRO TIPS

Forty plus years of making chili and I’ve got it down to an art.

  • Prepare the entire lot the night before, get it all into your slow cooker. The next morning pull out slow cooker and plug in.
  • Browning the burger adds flavour.
  • All spice or cloves are a key ingredient.
  • Sugar or vinegar (my mom used vinegar) helps tone down tomatoes that might taste tinny.

Other Chili Recipes we love:

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans and please comment below!

A classic beef chili built with layers of flavour, including spices, tomatoes, and kidney beans. The slow cooker brings it all together for a hearty, satisfying dish.

 

Chips & Bits Cookies

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Well I must say I earned my namesake in September since I did a ton of baking and averaged a big batch of home made cookies (such as these Chips & Bits Cookies) weekly.   It’s fun to try and create new cookies and make existing cookie recipes.

It was a beautiful September here in Calgary, averaging almost 24 daily with only 1 Rain Day.  Kind of made it hard to put the oven on since none of us want to let go of Summer but Fall is definitely in the air as it cools off nicely in the evenings.

This week they are forecasting snow and I cringe knowing this will take out the last of the late summer flowers and be the final sign Summer is officially over.

These cookies come out of the oven puffy and then they drop to a flatter state.  You could substitute an actual skor bar (broken up) for the plain toffee bits.  The addition of the butterscotch chips adds an extra sweetness to the cookie.  And the chocolate chips, well doesn’t everyone need a little chocolate sometimes?