Category: Comfort Food

The Best Chili

.Reading time 2 minutes.

I am beyond excited to share this recipe with you. I have searched and searched for new ways to make my chili. For me, the sauce is the key ingredient. I can’t just add water to the drippings of the meat.

What I usually do is add red wine or beer to my meat after it is browned on all sides. I then let it simmer, and 30 minutes later, I add my vegetables. However, this time, I switched it up.

I was walking through Krogers, doing my weekly grocery shopping, and I was looking at all the different chili beans. I just so happen to hear this teenage girl talking to her mom about how she wonders if this particular chili pack would be good or not. So, of course, I turned around so I could take a good look at what she was referring too. I could not believe that I had never seen this adorable package.

I grabbed it off the shelf and ran home to try it out.

So today, I share with you the most fantastic chili that I have ever had!

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs boneless beef chuck roast
  • 1 pack of Stubb’s cooking sauce
  • 1 can of diced tomatoes
  • 1can diced tomatoes with green chiles
  • 2 cans Red Kidney Beans
  • 2 cans Black Beans
  • 1 large red onion
  • 1 Green pepper
  • 1 Red pepper
  • 3 tsp Black Pepper
  • 32 ounces of Beef Broth
  • 3 Cups rice (make according to package)
  1. Season and brown beef on all sides.
  2. Add the sauce packet from
  3. let simmer for 15 minutes
  4. Add all chopped vegetables and cover for 10 minutes.
  5. Add broth, beans, tomatoes, and season until taste.
  6. Use as little or as much of the hot packet. Be mindful of just how hot it can make your chili
  7. Let simmer until you are ready to serve.

The ultimate way to prepare this chili is with a crockpot. It will allow all the flavors to get happy together for hours.

You could have chosen any blog to read but you chose mine and I’m honored.

~Belladonna~

 

Creamy Chicken Alfredo Pasta

.Reading time 2 minutes.

 

We all have a different idea of what a great birthday gift. Mine is to make you your favorite dish or dessert. I like to see people happy and what better way to put a smile on the birthday boy or girls face than with food. Read More

Makenzie’s Deadliest Chocolate Frosting

.Reading time 2 minutes.

When I bake I have an idea of what I want my creation to taste like. I usually know what ingredients I am in the mood for. Then I go on Pinterest and type in specific details and watch the recipes roll in. I always use a combination of recipes and create my own little mix.

Before I go any further let me remind all of you that I am a huge fan of chocolate. The darker the better! I work out like a horse and eat healthy all the time so when it comes to my treats…DON’T PLAY WITH ME!

So without further ado let’s get to this recipe. Only three ingredients are needed to make this delicious, mind-blowing frosting.

Ingredients

  • 2 12 ounce packs of dark chocolate morsels
  • 1 half stick of butter
  • 2 cups whipping cream

Put your heat on low add the butter, after it’s fully melted add chocolate chips. Continue to stir slowly and make sure everything is melted.

In a mixing bowl add 2 cups of Heavy whipping cream. Whip until peaks are formed and then add to your chocolate mixture. Gently fold for two minutes. The purpose of this is to make sure that everything is melted and smooth.

Add the mixture back into your electric mixer.

Now at this point you have a couple of options. Option one, placing your chocolate into the refrigerator for two hours. This will make the chocolate thicken and spread easily onto your 3 layer cake.

Second option serve it warm onto your three layer cakes.

Please watch the short video and enjoy making Makenzie’s Deadliest Chocolate Frosting.

Please refer to my previous post for the 3 layer chocolate cake recipe.

You could have chosen any blog to read but you chose mine and I’m honored.

~BellaDonna~

Twice Baked Sweet Potato 🍠

.Reading time 1 minute.

I am trying to eat clean and limit my cookie intake, but occasionally I get weak. Then I bake a dozen cookies and eat half of them in one sitting. So to prevent that from happening I made twice baked sweet potatoes.
Your desire for a 300 calorie cookie will be gone once you have eaten at least two of these yummy treats.
I have a large family, so I must use anywhere from 6-8 potatoes.

Please watch the videos below and enjoy this quick, easy and delicious recipe.

Ingredients

    • 7 Potatoes
    • 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
    • 2 tbls of Melted Butter
    • 1 tbls ground cinnamon
    • 2 tsp NOT TABLESPOONS

    • Bake on 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until soft. Let them cool for 10 minutes. They are too hot to handle…trust me!

    Add all of your ingredients and mix.

    Time to put that delicious mixture bake into the potatoes and bake on 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

    You could have chosen any blog to read but you chose mine and I am honored.

    ~BellaDonna ~

    Feel Good Friday with Parmesan Crusted Salmon

    .Reading time 2 minutes.

    What are you eating this weekend and what are your workout plans? Now you know you need those workouts to be strong and lean. The weekend does not give you an excuse to quit. I can’t tell you how many times I woke up on a Monday and wanted to slap myself.

    It is so hard to not go all in and just celebrate the weekend by eating everything in site and please don’t get me started on my love for margaritas and red 🍷   I mean just let me live and eat and be happy until Monday gets here and I have to deal with reality.

    BUT……..

    Tell yourself NO! You have to make a choice. You can’t go all in for two or three days straight. Yes, you can have a cheat meal but not a cheat weekend and then wonder why your energy is low. Not to mention those work clothes fitting a little to snug.

    Now I’m not going to lie to any of you and tell you that I  will be a 100% clean eater. But I know one thing for sure, I will work out after I tear into this delicious pizza that I’m making tonight for dinner. So make sure you come back on Saturday for an amazing pizza recipe.

    Until then let’s jump into my Saturday go-to meal, Parmesan Crusted Salmon.

    It is easy to make, delicious and will allow you to have a little wine or your favorite cocktail and zero guilt.

    Here are the items you will need.

    • 2 lbs Wild Caught Salmon
    • Creole Seasoning
    • Pepper
    • parmesan Grated Cheese
    • Italian Bread Crumbs
    • Olive Oil
    • Foil

    preheat oven to 350 degrees

    Bake for 20-25 minutes

    Watch the video below and get started on this feel-good meal.

    You could have chosen any blog to read but you chose mine and I’m honored! 💗

    ~BellaDonna ~

    Not Your Average Stuffed Peppers

    .Reading time 2 minutes.

    Okay so I might be late to the movement but I love Quinoa. It is absolutely delicious with everything. The first time that I made it I used water and then I saw a recipe that changed my life. I quickly switched from water to chicken broth and it changed my whole mindset of Quinoa.

    But let me be completely honest and tell you that I don’t read directions well and because of that, I make foolish mistakes. For example, I didn’t know that I was supposed to rinse the Quinoa a few times before cooking. I simply ran water over it and threw it in the pot. The water was grimy and disgusting so I had to throw it out and start over again. Don’t even get me started on how I wasn’t prepared for how messy it can be while rinsing.

    The bottom line here is, rinse the Quinoa in this!

    Let’s get started
    Ingredients

    5 Red Peppers
    1 cup of Quinoa
    1 can of Black Beans
    1 Large Tomato
    1 tbsp of Oregano
    1 tsp of Black Pepper
    1 tsp of Salt
    6 ounces of Fresh Mozzarella (already sliced if you like)
    6 tsp of olive oil

    Here is full video from beginning to end.

    Cook the quinoa with chicken broth and let that thicken. Add tomato, black beans, and seassonings. Let simmer

    Slice off the tops of each red pepper and rinse inside and out. Stuff the quinoa mixture inside, place mozzarella on top, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
    Set oven to 375 degrees and cook for 10-15 minutes. Turn oven on broil and cook for additional 3-4 minutes.

    serve while nice and warm,

    You could have chosen any blog to read but you chose mine and I’m honored.

    Bella Donna

    Protein Cakes 🥞

    .Reading time 1 minute.

    What if I told you that I have a recipe that will make your pancakes taste like a yellow cake. But with great benefits and no need to use syrup, your cakes will be sweet enough.

    If many of you are like me then you want to give your family as well as yourself a great protein based breakfast. Lets face it pancakes do not have a significant amount of protein. I know that you can buy pancakes that will contain 14 grams of protein or higher. But you will be paying WAY to much for it. I don’t know about you but I like to save money 💰.

    So I  did something so simple and affordable and changed my pancakes forever. The best part of this recipe is that you can change it every time you make it. I have added fresh blueberries, walnuts, pecans, bananas, dark chocolate chips. The list can go on and on, but I think you get the point.

    Watch the video below, get out your ingredients and lets go!

    Ingredients 1

    • 1 box of pancake mix
    • 2 cups of milk
    • 1 cup of coconut milk
    • bag of dark chocolate chips, or anything of your choice
    • 8-10 scoops of vanilla protein

    Please let me know what you think of this recipe.

    You could have chosen any blog to read but you chose me and I am honored!

    ~Bella Donna~

    Red mashed 🥔

    .Reading time 1 minute.

    There are so many yummy recipes that involve potatoes and I can’t wait to share some of my favorites. So what better way to start then with red mashed potatoes.  The one thing that you have to keep in mind with a potato recipe is that they are all different sizes. You can buy 3 bags of potatoes and they will all relatively be different sizes. Also please make sure you wash and scrub the potatoes before you slice your potatoes.

    Ingredients

    • 2lb bag of red potatoes
    • 1/2 cup of warm milk
    • 1/4 cup of melted butter
    • 1/2 cup of sour cream
    • salt and pepper and garlic powder to taste

    Cut the potatoes into wedges and place in boiling water until tender, drain water and add butter, sour cream, seasonings to the mashed potatoes and then slowly pour in the milk. Note that if add to much milk your potatoes won’t be thick and smooth.

    You could have chosen any blog to read but you chose mine and I am honored!

    Sunday Roast

    .Reading time 2 minutes.

    Eating a tender roast is the best way to end your Sunday.  If you are looking for comfort food that is delicious and easy to cook then look no further. The Sunday Roast is the ultimate meal.

    When you are reading my recipes, you will see that I am not focusing on telling what seasonings to use. Everyone is different and depending on your dietary needs your seasonings may be different than mine. Your seasoning is what you use to make this recipe your own.

    Please take note that I recommend you add warm milk to your flour and if you need your gravy to be thicker than add a little more flour and mix in your cup with a splash of milk and then pour in your pan. If your gravy is too thick, then add warm milk slowly into your pot and stir.

    Ingredients

    • 2.5 – 3 pound roast
    • 1 Large green pepper
    • 1 Large onion
    • 1 Large red pepper
    • 4 carrots diced into cubes or a half of a bag of baby carrots
    • olive oil enough to coat the bottom of the pan
    • 1 cup of warm milk add a little more milk slowly if needed
    • 2 tbsp. of flour
    • your choice of seasonings. Typically salt, pepper, Lawry’s, Cumin, be creative with your seasonings

    Place seasoned Roast into greased hot pan and sear on all sides, then turn heat down and add sliced vegetables, more seasonings. Turn heat on medium and cover for 20 minutes and then flip and cover again for 20 minutes. Add warm milk and flour in a cup and stir together and pour into the pan with the roast. Do not pour over the roast. Cover and place on low for 30 minutes.

    Slice and Serve