Cooking from my Home Store-Friday

   I'm sorry it has taken so long for me to get my final day of cooking from my Home Store posted. I had 3 dozen cupcakes and an 8" triple-layer cake to do for a party yesterday. With that over, I have time to focus on other things. Namely, the final meal for last week.
  This Chili recipe was conceived really from necessity one day. I was supposed to make a huge pot of soup for an event one day. Before I knew it, the day was over and I had 1 hour before someone would be coming by to pick up the soup. With so little time, I ran to my THRIVE products and started brain-storming. With instant beans staring me in the face, I realized I could have chili ready in 30 minutes or less.  It turned out to be less, 25 minutes from start to finish.
  Friday's dinner was all about making something quick and delicious, and trust me, it was delicious!

THRIVE Chili (my own original recipe)

5 c. THRIVE Instant Red Beans
1 c. THRIVE Sloppy Joe TVP
1 c. THRIVE Freeze Dried Ground Beef
1/2 c. THRIVE Freeze Dried Onions
1 1/4 c. THRIVE Tomato Powder
1/3 c. THRIVE Red & Green Bell Peppers
2 c. THRIVE Tomato Dices
4 quarts water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. red chili flakes
1 tsp. Mexican oregano (or regular Italian oregano)
salt, to taste


  Place everything in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes or until beans are tender.

  I used the Sloppy Joe TVP because it has cumin and some other spices in it that I wanted in my chili. Below is the recipe for making this same chili without THRIVE ingredients. Let me note, this recipe will take considerably longer to make because of the additional prep time and cooking involved.

Not THRIVE Chili

2 lb. ground beef1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
2 15-oz. cans red beans, drained 
28 oz. tomato paste
28 oz. diced tomatoes
3 quarts water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. red chili flakes
1 tsp. Mexican oregano (or regular Italian oregano)
1 tsp. cumin
salt, to taste

  Brown ground beef in a large pot. Once meat is cooked through, add onion and bell pepper and cook until tender (about 3-5 minutes). Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30-40 minutes or until beans are tender.


  The past week was a test of my ability to make something from scratch using only the things I already had in my home. Should an emergency arise that knocks out our power, I would be forced to do things a little differently. I would have to use everything in our fridge first, then begin using the things in our freezer. 
  I would encourage you to take the opportunity at least every 3 months to spend a week cooking meals with what you have on hand. Each time I take on this challenge, I am forced to expand my thinking when it comes to cooking, which gives me a greater understanding of what I would be dealing with, should I be forced to cook like this for weeks or even months at a time.
                                                                                                                     Autumn Christiansen

                                                                                                        Independent Consultant-Shelf Reliance

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