It's Chili Season! - White & Red

White Chicken Chili, Red Beef Chili, and Savory Corn Green Chili Muffins

     Amanda, the daughter of good friends of ours, recently got married.  It was a hectic summer so she opted for a shower after all the other festivities calmed down.  It seemed to be a great idea to include the guys by having a  couples shower with an autumn theme.  Amanda and her new husband Darren love chili, so I spent today digging out two of our family favorites - regular tomato ground beef chili and white chicken chili. They have a track record of satisfying a man-sized appetite.  Both of them call for the very same spices, but due to the difference in the major ingredients, they are strikingly at opposite ends on the chili spectrum! We like black beans in the red chili, but kidney beans are great as well.  I like to keep a large jar of the spices used in this recipe already mixed up.  I use this spice combination in almost any Tex Mex dish I make and my family never seems to get tired of it.  The basic proportions are: 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.  To go with the chili, I baked up some savory corn muffins.  They feature mild green chilies, monterey jack cheese, and cumin.  The aroma of these flavors baking together is amazing! 

Red Beef Chili



Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 onion diced

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes

2 teapoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

 

Directions:

Brown the ground beef along with the diced onions over medium heat.  When the meat is evenly browned, drain off any grease.  Add everything else to the pot and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.  Top with diced onions, shredded cheddar cheese, oyster crackers, fritos, sour cream, fresh jalapeno slices, etc.

 

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 (15 oz.) cans chicken broth

1 (15 oz.) can butter beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 oz.) can cannellini or great northern beans, rinsed and drained

3 to 4 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

2 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/3 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

1/3 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

Directions:

Saute the onions and celery in the olive oil until they are nice and soft.  Add the chicken broth, chicken, beans, spices and simmer for at least 15 minutes.  Take the chili off the heat and either serve it this way with the sour cream and cheeses as garnisher OR (what I do),  stir in the sour cream and cheeses and garnish the bowls with sliced green onions.

Savory Corn Green Chili Muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup yellow corn meal

1 cup whole wheat flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup milk

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

1 cup corn, frozen or canned (drained)

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

1/4 cup canned diced green chilies (4 oz. can)

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 eggs, beaten

Directions:

Mix the dry ingredients together, then add the wet ones in and stir until everything is blended together.  Use cupcake liners or a nonstick muffin pan. (I still "grease" my nonstick muffin pan with a little butter).  Spoon 1/4 cup of batter into each well in the pan.  Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes.  They should spring back when you tap them and be browning on the top and sides.

 

 



Old School - Traditional Eggplant Parmesan

     The end of summer always seems to bring in a bumper crop of egg plant and I love to cook up a batch or two of yummy Eggplant Parmesan.  Jenn and Roy have been asking for it and I was happy to make this family favorite.  It is rich and delicious and once a guest thought I was pulling his leg when I said it was eggplant  and not veal. Honestly, it's that good!

Eggplant Parmesan - serves 4

1.  One of the reasons this dish is yummy is that the sauce is nice and rich! So the first thing you want to do is make this quick, easy sauce and let it simmer on low heat while you are messing around with the eggplant. In a saucepan mix together 2 (15 0z.) cans of tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon powdered garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano.  Let it simmer on low heat while you deal with the eggplant.

2.  Cut the ends off and peel 1 good sized eggplant.  Cut it into 1/4 inch slices.  Mix 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper together in a bowl.  In a second bowl whisk 1 egg and 1 tablespoon milk together.  In a third bowl mix together 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano.

3.  Do yourself a favor and use tongs if you have them!  Take a slice of eggplant and dredge it in the flour.

4.  Then dip the flour coated slice into the egg mixture.

5.  Last, cover the slice in the bread crumb mixture.

6.  In a frying pan, heat up about 6 tablespoons of olive oil.  In batches, brown the coated egg plant slices on both sides.  Watch carefully that the pan doesn't get too hot, because you want the egglplant to be golden brown, but not burnt.  Place the browned eggplant slices on paper towels to absorb any excess oil.  Spoon a little of the red sauce in the bottom of the baking pan that you are going to use and place the first layer of egg plant in the pan.

7.  You will need 8 oz. of deli style mozzarella cheese (about 12 slices).  Then start layering:  spoon a bit of sauce over the eggplant, place slices of mozzarella over that, then a bit of sauce on the cheese, add another layer of eggplant and continue...

8.  Finish by putting the last of the mozzarella cheese on top, poke into the sides any extra eggplant & cheese that you might have ended up with, and pour the last of the sauce over it all.

9.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 50 minutes to an hour. If the top seems to be getting done too fast, put a foil "tent" over it to keep it from looking burnt.  When there is about 5 minutes left, sprinkle the top with some grated Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!



Cool Refreshing Gazpacho

Surrounded by saucerfuls of garnishes, gazpacho is just right on a hot day

     When Allison was a senior in high school, she developed a sweet friendship with a foreign exchange student from Spain.  Carolina is intelligent, beautiful, and has a great sense of humor.  However, she was a bit homesick and we were more than happy to have her over as much as she wanted to come!  At graduation time, her entire family - mom, dad, brothers, sisters, and significant others - came to visit!  We had a big midwest style cookout with them and had a great time getting aquainted.  Carolina invited Allison to visit her in Spain and of course she went!  One thing dish Allison talked about was the Gazpacho that Carolina's mom made each day for the main, middle of the day meal.  Carolina's family lives in Badajoz which is about four hours southwest of Madrid and is right near the Portugal border. Allison says authentic Gazpacho is thicker than mine, but tastes about the same.  Traditional Gazpacho has bread in it, but because I count carbs, I chose to leave it out and sometimes opt for some yummy croutons instead.  I love to pile in the garnishes - especially chopped hardboiled eggs.  This makes it a great brunch option as well as the main dish in a light lunch or first course in hot weather. It tastes even better if you make it the night before!

Gazpacho - this makes 2 large servings or 4 small ones

 

1.  Dice 3 tomatoes, 1/2 of a seeded cucumber, 4 slices bread (I leave bread out), 1/4 green pepper, 1/2 onion.  Process the ingredients in a food processor.  Pour the mixture in a glass bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/8 teaspoon cumin, and 1 clove of garlic that has been finely minced or put through a press.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours, but the longer the better for the flavors to blend.

 

 

2. To make the garnishes, cut up another tomato, and what is remaining of the seeded cucumber, green pepper and onion.  Dice up a couple of hardboiled eggs.  Make croutons by taking cubed bread and browning them in a skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

 

 

3.  Pour the soup into bowls and pick your individual garnishes!

 

 

Here we are with Carolina's family - the only place we could all fit as one group was the basement!

 

 



Truffle Oil & Parmesan - a Powerful Pair!

Lemon Truffle Parmesan Salad,

 Truffled Portobello Pizza,

 and Baked Truffled Cheese Fries





     Truffle oil, actually a plain oil infursed with truffle extract, is very potent stuff!  It usually elicts a strong reaction;  either you love it or can't stand it.  Our family is enamored with the earthy flavor and strong aroma in truffle oil - especially in dishes that also call for the buttery nutty taste of Parmesan cheese. The combination of these two ingredients takes a recipe over the top and beyond the ordinary!  In this post I have included three of our favorites. 
     The Lemon Truffle Parmesan Salad is adapted from one of my most used cookbooks, The Family Chef by Jewels & Jill Elmore.  When our Uncle Bruce had it, he raved about it so much that Aunt Betsy gave  him a bottle of truffle oil in his Christmas stocking!                                 

     The Truflled Portobello Pizza is Jenn's invention and a Sunday supper favorite.  She came up with the idea of using arugula, mushrooms, a couple different cheeses, and a drizzle of truffle oil. By using a premade homemade crust, it is so easy and simple to make. All I can say is that it is truly fabulous! 

    Last is a recipe for Baked Truffled Cheese Fries.  I patterned them after the truffle fries we get at our favorite "after church" restaurant.

    Enjoy these yummy truffle oil and Parmesan pairings!

 Lemon Truffle Parmesan Salad                                                                                       

    Salad:                                                                   

    2 bunches of romaine lettuce

    2 handfuls of arugula (optional)

    1 (15oz.) artichoke hearts, drained

    1/2 chopped hazelnuts

    1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
    Toss all ingredients together.

    Dressing

    1 cup olive oil

    1 tablespoon truffle oil

    1/4 cup lemon juice                                                                                   

    2 tablespoons shallot, finely chopped

    1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

    1/2 teaspoon salt

    1/4 teaspoon pepper                                                

    Whisk all ingredients together.

Steps for Truffled Portobello Pizza

1.  Gather the Ingredients

You will need 3 baby portobello mushrooms, 2 cloves pressed or minced garlic, 1 handful washed arugula, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons truffle oil, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and one premade whole wheat pizza crust.



2.  Prepare the Crust



Brush the crust with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.  Spread the garlic over the crust.  Wash, dry, and slice the mushrooms.  Arrange the mushrooms on top ot the crust.

3.  Continue to Build





     Sprinkle the on the two cheeses and then arrange the arugula on top.  Drizzle the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

4.  The Finishing Touches

     Bake in a 450 degree preheated oven for about 13 minutes.  Before slicing, drizzle the 1 1/2 teaspoon truffle oil over the top of the pizza.

Step for Baked Truffled Cheese Fries

1.  Gather the Ingredients



You will need 4 peeled russet potatoes that have been cut into 1/4 inch wide long strips, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, 2 cloves garlic that have been put through a press, 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, and 2 teaspoons truffle oil.

2. Rinse and Soak



1/4 wide inch strips can be made by cutting the potato lengthwise every 1/4 inch and then cutting those slices into 1/4 inch strips.  Rinse the strips and drain them.  Then put them in a bowl and cover them with hot water.  Let the potatoes sit in the hot water at least 10 minutes.

3. Prep and Bake

                                











Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.  Cover a cookie sheet with foil.  Drain the potatoes, give them a final rinse and drain again.  Dry the strips off by using paper towels to blot off the moisture.  Put the potatoes in a dry bowl and toss them with the olive oil.  Place them on the cookie sheet in a single layer.  Bake them for about 30 minutes, making sure you turn them over every 10 minutes.  At the end of the cooking time, they should be nicely browned.

4.  Mix the Seasonings





Mix together the parsley, grated Parmesan, garlic, and truffle oil.  When the potatoes have finished baking gently toss this combination on them while they are still very hot.  Then sprinkle on a little salt.

5.  Serve with a Dipping Sauce



Mix together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 clove garlic which has been put through a press, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.  Yum!

Chiles Rellenos Con Picadillo Dulce - Stuffed Peppers!

Got a lot of peppers?  Try chiles rellenos



Yummy filling in a healthy  "wrapper"!



 

          Wikipedia says that serendipity is a "happy accident" or "pleasant surprise".  Yesterday, I was lucky enough to have one of those occurrences.  Roy's office manager, Tamela, had sent him home with a bag full of peppers the night before.  Kindly, they were labeled as either hot or mild and most of them looked like the sweet yellow variety.  I was organizing the cabinets above the kitchen desk and found a 2008 publication put out by Kraft foods called Comida y Familia.  Since Allison is a Spanish major and subscripes to People en Espanol, we sometimes get advertisements and other promotional mail written in Spanish.  Right on the cover was a gorgeous picture of stuffed sweet peppers!  Also fun was the fact that every recipe in the magazine was written in Spanish.  Jenn and I have signed up for a continuing education Spanish class and this was a great opportunity for me learn some vocabulary words by doing my favorite thing - cooking!  I do have to confess that I also consulted my favorite Spanish cookbook, Greatest Ever Spanish & Tapas Recipes by Pepita Aris. The results were quite tasty; the combination of the sweet raisins and almonds with the savory beef, tomatoes, and seasonings made us go back for seconds!  It's different but delicious!

Chiles Rellenos Con Picadillo Dulce

 

1.  Prepare the Filling

 

 



     Put 2 tablespoons of raisins in a cup of hot water and let them soak while you brown 1 pound of lean hamburger and 1/3 cup diced onion over medium heat. When the meat is evenly browned, drain off any grease. Return the meat and onion mixture to the stove and add 2 cloves of garlic which have been put through a press. Stir the garlic into the meat and cook for 30 seconds.  Add 1 (15oz.) can of diced tomatos, 1 tablespoon chopped mint, 1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 cup chopped almonds.  Drain the water from the raisins and mix them in.  Let this simmer while you prepare the peppers for stuffing.

 

2.  Get the Peppers Ready

 

 

     Halve about 10 peppers, leaving the cores intact.  Scoop out the seeds and the membranes.  Brush both the insides and the outsides with olive oil.

 

 

 

3. Stuff, Bake, and Enjoy

 

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with foil.  Place filling in the cavity of each pepper.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Garnish with a few extra chopped almonds and herbs.  Serve with a little sour cream or Greek yogurt if desired.

 











Making Mediterranean at Home

     Our family has always enjoyed eating foods from all different cultures and countries.  One of our favorite types of food is what I guess you could call  Mediterranean.  At the present time, the restaurant of choice for birthdays and such is a place called "The Mediterranean Grill".  The food there is very yummy, but also very expensive!  The last time I was there, I asked a few questions and made some observations.  The manager of the restaurant told me that all the meat was seasoned with Green Za'atar.  My friend Marina, who has lived in Israel, introduced this mixture to me a while back.  It's actually a blend of roasted thyme, sumac, and sesame seeds.  Although Marina and I bought it in a Middle Eastern shop, I have seen it in the international isle in our local grocery store.  I tried it out in some kabob marinades and the results were delicious.   In this post I have also included a healthy salad that includes lentils, tahini sauce, a "relish" to serve with the kabobs, and some spreads we love on pita bread or sliced vegetables.  I would be remiss if I didn't mention that mixing some tahini sauce into the "relish" is really delicious with falafils. (I do not make falafils from scratch - I use a store bought mix!)  After serving these dishes to company several times, these recipes are now family favorites that I am glad to share!

 

Kabobs

If using wooden skewers, soak in water for at least 20 minutes.  Cut your choice of meat up into cubes.  Whisk up the marinade and pour over the meat cubes.  Cover, refrigerate, and let the meat cubes marinate for a couple of hours.  Then, thread the cubes (and vegetables if you wish) on the skewers.  Place on a medium hot grill and cook about 5 to 7 minutes a side.

 

Marinade for four chicken breasts

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon Green Za'atar

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon lemon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Marinade for a pound of top sirloin

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Green Za'tar

  2 teaspoons dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 clove garlic, put through a press

Tahini Sauce - (from the jar of Ziyad Tahini)

1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt

1 clove garlic, put through a press

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup hot water

Mix the ingredients together.

Mediterranean "Relish"

1 cucumber

1 tomato

1 small bunch of parsley

2 tablespoons diced red onion

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, and then in half lengthwise again.  Run a knive down each cucumber length to get rid of the seeds. Quarter the tomatoe, get rid of the seeds, then dice it.  Finely chop the parsley leaves.  Mix the cucumber, tomato, parsley, and onion together in a bowl.  Add the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt.  Mix well.

The "relish" is clean and fresh as is, but it is absolutely fabulous if you mix in about 1/4 cup of the Tahini Sauce and serve it with the kabobs or falafils (made from astore bought mix).

Chickpea Spread

                        1 (15 oz.) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed                      

2 tablespoons of lemon

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle of paprika for garnish

Blend well in food processor. Put in serving bowl, drizzle with oil.  Sprinkle the paprika on top. Serve with veggies or pita bread.

 Yogurt Walnut Spread

                    1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt                  

1/2 cup crushed walnuts

2 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons diced red onion

1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves for garnish

Mix all the ingredients together. Put inn serving bowl.  Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.

Both the chickpea and the walnut yogurt spreads are great when served with pita or  Middle Eastern type bread that has been brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with Green Za'atar, and warmed in the oven.  Sliced cucumbers or other vegetables are good  as well.

Mediterranean Salad with Lentils

1/4 cup lentils, cooked according to package directions     

1 cucumber, sliced

1 tomato, cubed

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon mint, chopped

1 "jumbo" romaine heart

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

4 thin slices red onion

1/4 teaspoon ground sumac berries (optional)

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 clove garlic, put through a press

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram

Wash the romaine lettuce and put on the serving platter.  Arrange the cucumber and tomato pieces on top.  Sprinkle with the parsley and mint.  Scatter the lentils all around.Put the thin slices of red onion in the middle and shake the sumac(if you are using) on top. Disperse the feta over the whole thing.Then whisk the oil, vinegar, salt, oregano, garlic, lemon juice, pepper,and marjoram together.  Pour the dressing mixture over the top and serve.