The Best Black Bean Chicken Chili Recipie

I am going to share one of my favorite fall recipies for black bean chicken chili.  It is sooooo delicious and very good for you too.  It is chock full of veggies and very, very easy to prepare.

Ingredients:
1 small rotissery chicken - remove meat from bones
1 can of tomato paste
1 32oz. box of fat free low sodium chicken stock
1 can of whole kernel corn
2 cans of black beans
2 cans of rotelle (diced tomatoes w/green chilis)
1 tbsp of cumin
1 tbsp of chili powder
1 large onion - diced
4 cloves of minced garlic
olive oil

Directions:
Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil.  Pull chicken meat from the bones and remove skin as well. 
Add all other ingredients, stir and simmer for about 20 minutes until heated through. 

Enjoy!

Happy Halloween!

I hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween!  

The kids and I had a really fun day and night of trick-or-treating.  The kids were out in record numbers in our neighborhood.  Some of our neighbors go "all out" on Halloween with their decorations and parties.  

My kids love it, of course, but I'm just along for the ride.  I did put on my witch hat and fake eyelashes and walk around the neighborhood with them but that's as far as I go with the costumes.  

Anyway... Happy Halloween!!!

Top 2 Tuesday

Happy November!

Today, being the day after Halloween, I have candy on the brain.  What are you two favorite "treats" from your kids trick-or-treat bags?

Here are mine:

1.  Almond Joy

2.  Wonka Nerds

This is how I usually feel around dinner time too.

Brownie Investiture Ceremony

Sidney Grace was involved in her first "Investiture Ceremony" last week.  This ceremony welcomed the new members into the Girl Scout family and they receive their Brownie pin at this time. 

There was a color guard who walked out and the pledge of allegiance was recited.  Then each girl was given a candle and each had to read a line from the Girl Scout promise.  It was very sweet.  Sidney Grace did a great job and is very proud to wear her official Girl Scout pin on her vest now.  She is having a great time making new friends and earning lots and lots of badges.

Make new friends, but keep the old.

One is silver and the other gold.

Top 2 Tuesday

It has been a while since I have done a "Top 2 Tuesday" so I thought it was time to get it going again.

This week I am gonna go with my Top 2 favorite items of fall/winter clothing.

1.  Scarf -  I love scarves.  They are so versatile.  There are so many ways to wear a scarf that you could go just about all season and never wear it the same way twice.

2.  Boots - There is nothing like a great pair of boots to make you feel good.  Love, love, love them!!

What are your Top 2 favorite items of fall/winter clothing? 

Copy and paste my Top 2 Tuesday button at the top of this post and add it to your own blog post.  And don't forget to leave a comment below and let me know where you posted your top 2.

Pumpkin Dip

I love fall!  The cooler weather, the turning leaves, football and of course all of the yummy fall flavors.  I want to share a favorite recipie of mine with you all.  It is D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S.!!!  I crave this stuff and so do all my friends when they get a taste of it.

Pumpkin Dip
1 - 16oz. package of powdered sugar
2 - 8oz. packages of cream cheese
1 - 15oz. can of pumpkin
2 - tsp. of cinnamon
1/2 - tsp. of nutmeg

Directions:  Mix the cream cheese with an electric mixer and gradually add the powdered sugar.  Then add the pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg and continue to mix until well blended and fairly smooth.

That's it!  So easy! 

Now enjoy it with ginger snaps and/or apple slices and refrigerate the leftovers (if you have any).

The First Band Concert

The first 6th grade band concert of the year was this week.  They played 3 songs: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, Row, Row, Row Your Boat and Hard Rock Blues.  Yes, I know, I agree the first two songs for sixth graders?  Really?  Well, they only know 5 notes so far so their repertoire is VERY limited (obviously).  Despite a few (lots) of "sour" notes, they did a great job.  I love my little baritone player.  Way to go Alex!  Great job!!