Easy Birthday Get Together

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Today we gathered to celebrate the fall birthdays in our family. With a little planning, we were able to go to church and get back in time for everyone to have chili and of course, cake and ice cream for dessert.  It was our first family celebration together in our new house.  We all headed out to the backyard to eat.  I had saved a rug so we could lay it down for the children (and grandma).  The weather was beautiful and Maisie explored geckos and flowers with Aunt Rhiannon, Uncle Evan taught Caden how to use the bubble gun, and laughter and gentle conversation were lovely background noise – all moments I cherish.  Let me talk about the fun an inexpensive bubble gun can create with small children and keep the adults hands bubble liquid free.  Here is one similar to what we have.   The food was simple – the people were precious and the time together was priceless.

Here is how it all came about.  The weekend before I combined the the ingredients for Pumpkin Turkey Chili.  I made 2 batches and froze each batch in a ziplock bag which was placed in a bowl and frozen.  I did this so it can be placed in my Instant Pot.  However, it could be cooked on top of the stove after it was thawed.  This saved me a lot of time.  On Saturday, I set out on the counter for a few hours to thaw and then placed in refrigerator.  In the morning I placed both ziplock bags in the Instant Pot and placed on Saute for 5 minutes.  This will heat up any of the contents that may be still be frozen.  I then locked the lid down and placed on Manual for 11 minutes.  Then I headed off to church.  When I got home I opened the lid and it was perfect.  I put the lid back on and kept on warm until we were ready to eat at 11:30 a.m.  On our kitchen island were all kind of toppings:  cheddar cheese, diced green onions, diced cilantro, sour cream, guacamole, salsa and chips.

While I was putting the chili together for the freezer the week before, I also made up a Banana Cake.  It was cooled on the counter, covered with foil and placed in the freezer.  Last night I took it out and placed on the counter to thaw.  This morning before church I made up the vanilla buttercream frosting, made up the birthday banner from Lemonade Moments 

By the time I got home from church, I diced the onions and cilantro and got all the fixings ready to go.  The plastic bowls and spoons were put out and we were ready to enjoy each other’s company rather than being in the kitchen.

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Pumpkin Turkey Chili

This is our new favorite meal.  It’s easy and delicious and the pumpkin gives the chili a smooth, slightly nutty flavor.   Decorate a bowl with green onions, avocado, tomatoes, cheese and a few crushed tortilla chips. 

pumpkin turkey chili

Pumpkin Turkey Chili
Pumpkin is a good source of Vitamin A and adds a nutty flavor to the chili
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Ingredients
  1. 2 Tbsp of coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
  2. 1 small onion, chopped
  3. 2 ounces of canned chopped green chilis
  4. 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  5. 1 pound ground turkey
  6. 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
  7. 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
  8. 1 cup water
  9. 1/2 tsp of chili powder - I use chipotle chili powder
  10. 1 tsp of ground cumin
  11. 1/2 tsp salt
  12. Ground black pepper to taste
  13. 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  14. Topping ideas
  15. Chopped Avocado
  16. Plain Greek Yogurt
  17. Tortilla Strips
  18. Small Heirloom Tomatoes
  19. Shredded Cheese
  20. Diced Green Onion
Instructions
  1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and brown for about 5 minutes.
  2. Add in turkey and break into small pieces until fully cooked.
  3. Add in garlic and green chilis.
  4. Add tomatoes, pumpkin, water, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
  5. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Ladle into bowls, top as desired and enjoy.
Notes
  1. The amount of green chilis, chili powder and cumin can be adjusted to your taste.
  2. When browning up ground turkey, I do several pounds at once and then package in freezer bags - this makes the putting together of this dish in the future a breeze.
  3. You can do the same with onions.
  4. Leftovers breeze beautifully.
Adapted from Whole Foods Market
Adapted from Whole Foods Market
Deliciously Inspired http://www.deliciouslyinspired.com/
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Cilantro

Cooking with fresh herbs adds so much to a dish but often we don’t use an entire bunch for any given recipe. To get the maximum life from your fresh herbs store in fresh water in refrigerator after washing.  

I enjoy using cilantro in all kinds of dishes –  beans, burritos, on salads, main dishes and even into a smoothie.  Did you know that cilantro and coriander come from the same plant?  Read more about Cilantro

Cilantro

It’s like having a bouquet in your refrigerator.

Looking for some ideas on using fresh cilantro. Here you go:

Cilantro Almond Chicken

Hearty Vegetable Chili

Caribbean Salad

Do you have a special dish you like to use cilantro in?

 

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