Taco Soup with Whole Tomatoes

1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onions
17 oz can corn with juice
1 pkg dry taco seasoning (1/4 cup)
28 oz can whole tomatoes with juice
14 oz can kidney beans with juice
8 oz tomato sauce
1-2 cups water
Corn chips, grated cheddar cheese, sour cream for garnish

1. Brown beef and onions in skillet. Drain.
2. Combine all ingredients except cheese and chips in crock pot.
3. Cover. Cook on low 4-6 hours.
4. Ladel into bowls. Top with cheese, sour cream and chips.

Carmel Popcorn or Popcorn Balls

We use this when we need a quick snack for Young Womens. It is really chewy, just the way that I like it.

2 sticks of butter
2 cups of brown sugar
1 3/4 cups of corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk
8-10 quarts of popped popcorn

Bring butter, brown sugar, corn syrup to a boil, stirring constantly. Add the sweetened condensed milk slowly, stirring constantly. Continue stirring and boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Pour over popcorn and stir. Can be shaped into balls.

Green Beans with a Twist

My sister makes these for Thanksgiving dinner. They are fabulous!

4 Cans of Green Beans - Drained
4 slices of bacon - precooked and chopped
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Fry bacon and let sit on paper towls. Cook and dissolve vinegar and sugar and add bacon and beans. Cook 20-30 minutes on thes stove.

Paradise Punch

From TLC's Take Home Chef.
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 small pineapples

4 passion fruits

1 guava

Crushed ice

2 cups/460 ml sparkling apple cider

Method:Cut the tops off of the pineapples. Using a pineapple slicer, remove the flesh from the two pineapples, keeping the pineapple rinds intact. Transfer the pineapple slices and juices to a blender and set the pineapple casings aside. Scoop the flesh and seeds from the passion fruit and guava and add them to the pineapple mixture in the blender.Blend until a smooth, thick puree forms. Strain the puree through a fine meshed strainer and into a pitcher. Discard the solids from the strainer.Fill the pineapple casings halfway with crushed ice. Divide half of the strained juices between the pineapple casings. Add ½ cup/115 ml of sparkling cider to each pineapple casing and stir to blend.Serve with umbrella straws. Replenish the pineapple casings as desired with more ice, strained juices and apple cider.

Vanilla, Pear and Cinnamon Crumble

I got this off the show on TLC named Take Home Chef.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
For the fruit filling:
1/3 cup/70 g granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
4 ripe Bosc pears, peeled, each cut into 8 wedges, and cores removed
1 cinnamon stick

For the crumb topping:
3/4 cup/120 g all purpose flour
1/2 cup/105 g granulated sugar
1/2 cup/50 g old-fashioned oats
Pinch of salt
1 stick/113 g chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup/70 g sliced almonds, coarsely chopped
Vanilla ice cream

Method:
To make the fruit filling:
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Place the sugar and salt in an 8-inch-/20-cm-square baking dish. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the sugar. Stir to blend the vanilla seeds into the sugar. Add the pears and toss to coat.Arrange the mixture evenly over the dish, tucking the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean halves beneath the pears. Set aside while you prepare the crumb topping.

To make the crumb topping:
In a medium-size bowl, mix the flour, sugar, oats and salt to blend. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour mixture until moist clumps form. Mix in the almonds.Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the pear mixture. Bake for one hour, or until the fruit is tender and the topping is golden brown.Allow the crumble to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes to cool slightly. Spoon the crumble into bowls and serve with vanilla ice cream.