Group Dinners

This school year we started attending a church small group held at another family's home. We sometimes have dinner together and everyone brings something to eat. Because of my diet, I offered to make the main dish to make it easier on everyone. The group has all raved over Terrific Turkey Chili from our March/April web magazine and it's very easy to throw together if you have some navy beans already frozen and ready to go (soaked overnight, water dumped out and replaced, cooked, and frozen. I like to freeze them in 2 cup portions for this and other recipes). I make a double or triple batch, and sometimes switch up the meat for either ground chicken or ground beef. It helps to make it ahead of time and freeze it so I can just warm it up the afternoon of the group and then bring it hot, wrapped in towels in our cooler. Others in the group add to it with sides like corn bread, fruit, and dessert. The chili is one of our favorite meals, with great flavor, and I love that it just uses Campbell's Tomato Juice for the base, requiring little preparation other than the navy beans. (I have found legal canned Ortega diced green mild chilies that I use instead of roasting my own as the recipes directs.)

I've also made Taco Meat from our Now & Later Booklet, bring it in the crock pot to keep it warm, and bring tortillas along too. Others add sides like grated cheese, chopped lettuce, diced tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, and dessert. The meat has lots of flavor and everyone likes it!

Last weekend we had our friends and their kids over for dinner. We had such a nice time, and we were all so relieved to find a time where all 5 of our kids were well at the same time - in February! :) Knowing that we would be having a yard sale earlier that same day (yes, we had yard sale weather in February!!), I made a double batch of Slow Cooked Taco Soup the weekend before from our September/October web magazine, froze it, and then warmed it up on the stove while I made grilled cheese sandwiches (with the kids in mind!), and cooked peas. This time, when I made it the weekend before, I skipped using the crock pot and made it pretty quickly in my Dutch oven. Taco Soup is one of our all-time favorites and it tastes so good with grated cheese, cilantro, and chopped lettuce on top! My friend very thoughtfully made some Ginger Snap Cookies for me along with the brownies she brought - such a treat!

Hope you're having a good Valentine's week!

~ Erin