Baked potatoes with Chili

 

 So, I love carbs. I mean, I love carbs. They're pretty much the best things ever since sliced bread. Wait a minute...

Never mind.

Anyway, I love a good baked potato. Then top it with chili, cheese and sour cream? I'm in heaven. 

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Now, I know there's some people out there who will say that the chili I made isn't really chili. Those that say chili can't have meat in it, those that say chili can't have beans in it, those that say it must have beer in it. Whatever. It's delicious and spicy and delicious and that's all that there is to it. 

Fair warning: This chili is spicy. I've put the recipe for a toned-down version, but I actually add an extra tablespoon of chili powder, a quarter teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and used medium salsa to give it an extra kick of spice for myself. If you like it spicier, by all means, do the same.

I love spice almost as much as carbs.

This will make 2 servings. Also, the chili that you have leftover you can save and use for things like chili cheese dogs, a chili cheese dip, on tortilla chips, as a filling in enchiladas or tacos, or whatever you have in mind!

Ingredients:

4 medium-sized russet potatoes

enough butter to rub potatoes

pinch of salt

1 lb. ground beef

1 15 oz. can of black beans, drained

1 1/2 T. chili powder

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. onion powder

2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup of mild salsa

1/2 cup of water

Directions:

 

Rub potatoes with butter and sprinkle with salt. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake in an oven for an hour and 15 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Brown ground beef in a large pan. I didn't drain mine, and I wouldn't drain it, unless it's really fatty beef. Add black beans, spices, salsa, and water to the ground beef and set on medium-low to allow it to thicken. Let this simmer for approximately 15 minutes, or until it is the consistency that you prefer.

Take potatoes out of the oven, and cut in half. Top with chili mixture, shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream. Save rest of chili for future use.

Garlic Cheese Bread

So, this is my garlic cheese bread. I love cheese. I love bread. I love garlic. Pretty much all of this speaks to my soul.

I love the fact that the outside crust is nice and crunchy, but the inside is still soft. It's perfect for a quick dinner idea when you just don't know what else to make.

I love this bread with pretty much everything. You can use it as a side to a pasta dish, or just do what I usually do, which is make a whole meal out of just this.

Please don't judge me.

Now, I usually use mild cheddar cheese and mozzarella, because I like the way that that these two cheeses melt, plus I can usually get them for pretty affordable prices, but you could use whatever soft, melty cheeses you want with these and it'll still taste amazing.

If you choose to make it the whole meal, you can serve it with a variety of sauces to dip it in, such as marinara, garlic butter, or, my favorite, ranch dressing.

Ingredients:

1 loaf of french bread (14 oz)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 teaspoons of minced garlic (approximately 3 cloves)

2/3 cup of mild cheddar cheese

2/3 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

chopped oregano

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Cut your loaf of french bread length-wise and split apart and place on your baking pan. On each side, spread 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter. Next, sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons of minced garlic on each side. Then, take your cheddar and mozzarella cheese and sprinkle 1/3 cup of each on each side of your bread, with the cheddar cheese going down first. (Note: it really doesn't matter which order you do it in. I just like the way that it looks with the cheddar peeking out from under the mozzarella.)

Sprinkle with oregano, and then bake for approximately 12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.