November 3, 2010

Chili isn't very photogenic, but at least you can see the yummy tomatoes, corn and different color beans.

A couple of weeks ago I made a Cowboy Beans recipe from “Rick Bayless' Mexican Everyday” Cookbook for a big potluck birthday party. It was my first time making the recipe and even though it was pretty simple, the beans were a big hit! I'll have to make them again soon and share the recipe.

A couple of ingredients in the bean recipe gave me an idea to try something different with my chili recipe for our annual chili cook-off, which was held this past weekend. The past two years my recipe has come in 3rd place but this year I wanted to kick it up a notch to see if I could beat out my rival 2nd place winner. And I'm happy to announce that out of 15 entries and 51 ballots, this chili recipe did bring home the 2nd place prize. 🙂

Smoky, Fire-Roasted Chili with Bacon

12 oz. pkg apple-smoked thick cut bacon, chopped into pieces
2 shallots, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
(2) 14.5 oz cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
4 lbs. lean ground beef
14.5 oz can regular diced tomatoes
2 roasted and chopped Serrano peppers (with seeds)
1 roasted jalapeno pepper, chopped (with seeds)
16 oz. bottle dark beer
14.5 oz can tomato sauce
14.5 oz can dark kidney beans
14.5 oz can white kidney beans (or cannellini beans)
1 c. sweet corn (frozen or canned)
6 t. Penzeys Chili Con Carne Seasoning
2 t. Penzeys Smoky 4S Special Seasoned Sea Salt
2 t. Penzeys salt-free Arizona Seasoning
1 t. cayenne
1 t. cumin

In a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat, cook bacon, stirring until it begins to brown, about 4-5 minutes. Drain off fat, add the chopped shallots, reduce heat to medium and cook for another 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, reduce heat to medium low and stir for another 2-3 minutes. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes with their juices and simmer another 10 minutes or so to blend the flavors.

(Note: Even though I use a lean beef, I brown the beef in a separate pot so I can drain the fat, instead of just adding the beef right into bacon and tomato mixture.)

In a separate large heavy-bottomed soup pan over a medium high heat, begin to brown the beef. Once the beef is almost browned, add the chopped onion and continue to cook until onions soften and beef is completely browned. Drain the fat. Add diced tomatoes and cook for 5-10 minutes over medium-high heat then add tomato sauce, beer and Serrano peppers. Simmer for about an hour and then add the bacon and fire-roasted tomato mixture, beans, corn and spices. Adjust seasonings to taste.

I made mine the day before and chilled in the crockpot overnight. When I reheated it, it was a little thick for my taste so instead of water, I added another bottle of beer. Voila!

(The extra bottle of beer is not listed in the recipe because you could use water to thin the chili, if desired.)

This chili definitely has a bit more heat to it than my normal Chili Con Carne recipe, but it wasn't overwhelming. You could use less peppers or none at all if you like a milder taste. Serve with warm cornbread for a complete meal or put out a selection of toppings such as grated cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, and Fritos.

(Note: Even though most of my spices are Penzeys brand, it's not absolutely necessary. The 4S spice contains Smoky Paprika and Seasoned Salt so those could easily be substituted for the 4S; and the Chili con Carne spice is a mixture of chili powder, cumin, garlic, and oregano.)

Half the fun of making your own chili is adjusting the spices to your own taste, right?

We had a great time with great friends at our annual chili cook-off!

Just for the fun of it, I'd thought I'd share a photo of me having a toast with my teeny, tiny, trophy! 🙂

~LilSis

January 26, 2010

When there's a little chill in the air at night, there's nothing quite like a hot bowl of chili.  It's one of my favorite meals to cook, whether for just the three of us or for a house full of friends or family.

Normally, I would make my own chili recipe and serve it with a bunch of grated cheddar, Fritos, and sour cream, but since we're trying to eat healthier this year, I decided to make a white turkey chili and eliminate the Fritos and cheddar cheese.

I've only made turkey chili a few times and the guys never liked it but I was still determined to keep looking until I found a good recipe. Last week, I decided to try this White Turkey Chili recipe from Ellie Krieger that I found online at Food Network. It's a healthy, quick and easy recipe and everyone loved it! What more can you ask for?

I did make a few changes for various reasons. I didn't have hominy on hand, so I used corn instead, I substituted crushed red pepper flakes for the poblano peppers, tripled the garlic and eliminated the celery. I also tweaked the seasoning a little bit to suit our taste, but that's it.

White Turkey Chili
(adapted from Ellie Krieger online at Food Network)

1 T. canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. ground coriander
1/2 t. cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
1 pound ground white meat turkey
(2) 15.5 ounce cans low sodium cannelini beans, drained & rinsed
4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 t. dried oregano
1 15 ounce can sweet white corn, drained
1 – 2 t. low sodium Spike
1 t. Penzeys Shallot Pepper
1/2  t. salt
reduced-fat sour cream

Heat the oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and crushed red pepper flakes, stirring occasionally for about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, and 1/4 t. of the cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the meat is no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Add the white beans, broth, and oregano. Cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally for about 25 minutes.

Add the corn, and seasonings to taste and continue cooking, partially covered for 10 minutes or longer. Ladle into individual bowls and top with 1 tablespoon of sour cream and a sprinkle of oregano.

As Ellie says, “It's a breeze to make, satisfying to eat, and the variations are only limited by your imagination.”

~LilSis

October 29, 2009

Wow! I can't believe Halloween is only two days away! Where has this month gone? It's been so warm here in Southern California this month that it doesn't even feel like it should be Halloween. How can it be Halloween when HayHay has a surf meet on Saturday? It's just weird!

Luckily, it has cooled off a little bit at night this past week, because for Halloween, I love to make a huge pot of chili to share with friends and neighbors. I'm not sure when I started this tradition, but I know it's been at least ten or twelve years because I did it when we lived in Texas when HayHay was only 3 years old. I've got some great memories of all us parents taking turns either walking the kiddos around the neighborhood trick or treating or staying back at the house passing out candy.

It's not quite the same now since we don't have little ones to walk around the neighborhood, but we still love to get our friends together for a bowl of chili on Halloween!

I originally posted my chili recipe back in January for a Super Bowl party, but I'm going to put it up again today because this is such a great recipe to make for a Halloween get-together.

LilSis’ Chili Con Carne

3 pounds lean ground beef
One sweet onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 dark beer
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can tomato sauce
1 can dark kidney beans (drained)
1 sm. can corn (I use Green Giant Sweet vacuum packed)
4 – 5 tsp. Penzeys Chili Con Carne spice*
2 chopped roasted poblano peppers (optional)
1/4 t. cayenne
1/2 t. onion powder
salt to taste
1 T. olive oil

Toppings:
chopped onion
chopped jalapeno
fritos
oyster crackers
sour cream
grated cheddar cheese

*The Penzeys Chili Con Carne spice, formerly known as my secret ingredient, is so different from just a regular chili powder. It’s the reason why you don’t see cumin or a bunch of other spices listed in the recipe. Here are the ingredients in this one amazing spice: ancho chili pepper, tomato powder, ground cumin, Mexican oregano, garlic, coriander, onions, red and green bell peppers, Tellichery black pepper, allspice, cilantro, and cloves. If you don’t have a Penzeys store nearby, you can order online from the Penzeys Spices website.

Saute the chopped onion in the oil in a large saucepan until onion is soft. Add the ground beef, salt and minced garlic to the pan and brown until beef is cooked throughout. Drain the beef and return to the pan. Add the beer to the beef and simmer for 15-20 minutes on medium heat. Add the diced tomatoes and simmer for another 15-20 minutes. Simmer for longer if you want the tomatoes to cook down more. Add the tomato sauce, roasted peppers, and Penzeys Chili Con Carne spice. Simmer for another 30 minutes or so. Add the cayenne pepper, onion powder and additional salt if necessary. (This is the stage where you can adjust the seasonings to your own taste. This isn’t like baking, so add whatever you want here.)

Once you have your chili seasoned just right, add the can of beans and the corn and just heat throughout. This can be served right away or put in a crockpot to stay warm for hours. And, it's even better heated and served the next day.

I usually set up a buffet style bar and put out all the toppings so everyone can add whatever they like! Enjoy and have a Happy Halloween!

~LilSis

January 26, 2009

I've decided to enter my chili recipe in the Ultimate Super Bowl Party Recipe Smackdown that The Recipe Girl is hosting in conjunction with Sam's Club.

I almost always host a Super Bowl Party, even if our favorite team isn't participating! It's just another good reason to have a get together with friends! And I love to cook for a big group of hungry guys! They appreciate almost anything! If you don't fancy cooking, you could always order out by looking for ‘subs delivery near me‘ and cater to your guest's individual food needs.

This year I'm going to make my “prize winning” chili for the Super Bowl. (Okay, it wasn't a famous contest or anything, but I did win second prize and a cute little red ribbon at our recent Chili Cook-off on our dock at the Harbor!)

I've doubled and even quadrupled this recipe, so it's perfect for a large crowd! Here's my version of Chili Con Carne.

 

LilSis' Chili Con Carne

LilSis' Chili Con Carne

3 pounds lean ground beef
One sweet onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 dark beer
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can tomato sauce
1 can dark kidney beans (drained)
1 sm. can corn (I use Green Giant Sweet vacuum packed)
4 – 5 tsp. Penzeys Chili Con Carne spice*
2 chopped roasted poblano peppers (optional)
1/4 t. cayenne
1/2 t. onion powder
salt to taste
1 T. olive oil

*The Penzeys Chili Con Carne spice, formerly known as my secret ingredient, is so different from just a regular chili powder. It's the reason why you don't see cumin or a bunch of other spices listed in the recipe. Here are the ingredients in this one amazing spice: ancho chili pepper, tomato powder, ground cumin, Mexican oregano, garlic, coriander, onions, red and green bell peppers, Tellichery black pepper, allspice, cilantro, and cloves. If you don't have a Penzeys store nearby, you can order online from the Penzeys Spices website.

Saute the chopped onion in the oil in a large saucepan until onion is soft. Add the ground beef, salt and minced garlic to the pan and brown until beef is cooked throughout. Drain the beef and return to the pan. Add the beer to the beef and simmer for 15-20 minutes on medium heat. Add the diced tomatoes and simmer for another 15-20 minutes. Simmer for longer if you want the tomatoes to cook down more. Add the tomato sauce, roasted peppers, and Penzeys Chili Con Carne spice. Simmer for another 30 minutes or so. Add the cayenne pepper, onion powder and additional salt if necessary. (This is the stage where you can adjust the seasonings to your own taste. This isn't like baking, so add whatever you want here.)

Once you have your chili seasoned just right, add the can of beans and the corn and just heat throughout. This can be served right away or put in a crockpot to stay warm for hours. It's even better heated and served the next day.

I usually set up a buffet style toppings bar with bowls of these toppings so everyone can add the toppings of their choice.

Toppings:
chopped onion
chopped jalapeno
fritos
oyster crackers
sour cream
grated cheese (I use Tillamook medium cheddar)

And if you really want a great frito pie, layer the bottom of the bowl with the fritos first, then chili, cheese, more fritos, and sour cream. Yummy! It doesn't get much better than that!

Okay, so this recipe probably doesn't qualify as one of our healthy, low fat recipes if we are topping with the cheese, fritos, and sour cream. But we can make an exception for the Super Bowl, right?

~LilSis