21-Ingredient Chili

In preparation to install my magic shelves, I cleaned out the cabinets. These are my spices. Well, most of them. My cinnamon sticks and ground cinnamon got left out. Clearly, I have a problem. A delicious one.

Because of this delicious problem, I was able to make this 21-ingredient chili with only having to buy one spice. I'm not sure if that's something I should be proud of...

We both really liked this chili. My husband, who has a very narrow definition of what a chili is, declared this his "new favorite tortilla soup." It took some work, but I will definitely be making it again, with a few changes - I'll note those below.

The most exciting part of this is that I got to make it in my new crockpot. Behold:

It's pretty and shiny and I love it.

But now onto the chili.

Slow Cooker 21-Ingredient Chili
From A Year of Crockpotting
Prep Time - 25 min
Cook Time - 8 hrs
Serves 8ish

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks.
1 onion, diced
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz) can white cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz) can corn (drained & rinsed)*
1 (15 oz) can fire-roasted tomatoes (NOT drained)
1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and grated
1/2 cup spicy grown mustard
2 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP honey
3 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP chipotle chili powder
1 TBSP onion powder
1 TBSP garlic powder
1 tsp white peper
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon**
1/4 tsp cloves
2 cups chicken broth

DIRECTIONS

Put the chicken into the bottom of your cooker; frozen is okay, but cut it into chunks. Add the diced onion, canned beans, tomatoes, chiles, corn, and grated sweet potato. 

In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, honey, dried spices, and broth. Whisk together and pour into the crockpot. Stir to combine.

Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until chicken easily shreds with two large forks. Stir very well and serve in a large bowl with your favorite chili toppings, like sour cream and cheese.

Serve and enjoy.

NOTES

*I used a second can of kidney beans instead of corn. 

** When I make this again, I will omit. 

Ratatouille Pasta

My oldest two nephews love the movie Ratatouille. I doubt the yonger two have a preference, considering they're 6 months and 12 months, respectively, though I like to think if they could follow a plot line, they'd love the movie, too. We watched it at Thanksgiving (or more accurately, it was on while the adults were talking and drinking homemade Sangria). I'd forgotten how cute the movie actually is. It made me hungry for ratatouille. 

Fastforward 4 months. It feels like summer here. March is normally our snowiest month of the year, but I was sitting on my deck wearing a tank top and capri pants. Now, as much as I know this weather isn't normal and in all probability shouldn't be happening right now, I can't help but love it. It really puts me in the mood to make the things I normally make in the summer when I can get fresh, local produce (often from my back yard or the Farmer's Market at my office). 

This time I decided to take it one step further and make traditionally ratatouille even more delicious - add ravioli, top it with cheese, and bake it. It was a revelation. Now if only I could be guaranteed it won't drop below freezing for the rest of the year so I can get started planting my garden.

Ratatouille Pasta Bake

Serves 4ish

INGREDIENTS

2-3 TBSP olive oil

1 eggplant, peeled chopped (about 2 cups)

2 zucchini, chopped (about 2 cups)

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15 oz) can diced tomato

1 (28 oz) can tomato puree 

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 TBSP fresh basil, chiffonade

3 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped

2 packages fresh ravioli (we like the 4-cheese kind from Trader Joe's)

1 cup Mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Put the eggplant in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let it sit out for about an hour. You'll probably notice a lot of moisture on the eggplant. After about an hour, rinse the eggplant thoroughly, and then pat it dry. This process will help coax out the bitterness in the eggplant and help collapse the air pockets, so your eggplant doesn't absorb as much oil.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven. Let it get very hot, but not smoking. If your oil isn't hot enough, the eggplant will absorb it and it. Cook until the eggplant has begun to soften and is a little brown, stirring occasionally. It should take around 5. Add the zucchini and cook until it starts to soften, again about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bell pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, and again cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the diced tomato, tomato puree, salt, pepper, basil, and parsley and simmer for about 20 minutes, again, stirring occasionally.

In a bit pot, bring some salted water to a boil. Add the ravioli and cook until al dente. Set aside if the 20 minutes isn't up yet, or to the ratatouille, if it is. Stir to combine.

Add the ratatouille with ravioli to a casserole dish and cover with mozzarella cheese. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.

Italian Beef Stew

Beef stew is something I never liked growing up. I'm not completely sure why. I loved gravy, so it should have been a perfect fit. I think it's a combination of not having it very much and not really liking beef in an not-ground form.

It took me going to Ireland and trying Guinness stew at a little pub tucked away in the Wicklow Mountains to discover what a wonder stew could be. After having moderate success recreating Guinness stew over the years since, I've broadened out to stews that don't involve stout. My most recent was an Italian version - that used white wine and tomatoes. My husband is somewhat of a stew purist, and he was skeptical (to be polite) after reading the recipe but in the end, we both agreed. This was a great recipe for a change, but we prefer our "regular" recipe. I think he may have had a higher opinion of it if I had put more carrots in the stew, though.

Italian Beef Stew

Recipe from Italian Foodies blog

Serves 4ish

Prep Time - 20 min

Cook Time - 2 1/2 hrs

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 lb stewing meat, cut into small cubes

3 TBSP canola oil

1 onion, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

3 carrots, cut into chunks

1-2 ribs celery, sliced

5 TBSP dry white wine

1 can diced tomatoes

2 bay leaves

1 big sprig of thyme

salt & pepper, to taste

2 TBSP flour

2 cups beef broth

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in a big pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for about 5-7 min, or until soft. Add bay leaves.

Add carrots, celery, and thyme and cook for about 10 min, stirring occasionally.

Add meat and flour and cook until browned.

Add wine and cook until it is almost all evaporated. Add tomatoes and beef broth (start with 1 cup of broth and then add more if it's looking a bit dry. Season with salt & pepper (I think I ended up using about 1/2 tsp of both). Cover and cook over low heat for about 2 hrs. 

Serve with thick bread for dipping.

Beef Stew

Those of you who have been reading my blog for any length of time know that I'm on a quest to find the best beef stew. In fact, I've been on that quest since my first trip to Ireland in the summer of 2004 when I had the most delicious Guinness Stew at a tiny little roadside pub in the Wicklow Mountains. While I've made some great stews during my replication attempts, nothing really did the trick. So, I decided to try my hand at a regular old beef stew.

I wish I could tell you that this is an old family recipe, passed down from generation to generation. Unfortunately, I can't. It's a Paula Deen recipe. My family doesn't have a stew recipe - in fact, I don't remember ever eating stew growing up. Who would've thought - the family that serves practically everything with gravy doesn't make stew? I have a hunch this will become ours.



Beef Stew
Recipe by Paula Deen, adapted
Serves 6
Prep Time - 5-10 minutes
Cook Time - 2 hrs, 15 min

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 - 2 lbs stew meat
1-2 TBSP vegetable oil
2 cups beef broth
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, sliced
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp paprika
dash allspice
2 ribs celery, diced
baby carrots
potatoes

DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a dutch oven or stock pot. Brown the meat. Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and allspice. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours.

Remove bay leaves. Add celery, carrots, and potatoes. Cover and cook about 30-40 minutes or until veggies are tender.

If stew is too dry, add more broth. For a thicker gravy, combine 1/4 cup cold water with 2 TBSP cornstarch and add to boiling stew. Cook until the gravy gets to your desired thickness. Serve with thick bread.

Chili Blanco

It's currently -3 degrees in St. Paul. I think the wind chill is somewhere around -20. Yesterday was worse. That means it's time to bring out the chili. I really love white chili with chicken, but had never made it before. I was a little afraid of trying it, but after searching a bunch of recipes, I decided to give it a shot.

If you like white chili, you must make this recipe now. It's rich, hearty, spicy, and just what you need on a really cold day.

White Chili with Chicken
Recipe from Gourmet, via Epicurious, adapted
Serves 4-6
Cook & Prep Time - about 30 min

INGREDIENTS
1 can cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
1 large onion, chopped
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon Tabasco, or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
two 4-ounce cans whole mild green chilies, drained and chopped
2 lbs shredded rotisserie chicken (I used a mix of dark & white meat)
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack (about 6 ounces)
1/2 cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS
In a skillet cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter over moderate heat until softened. (I did this in my dutch oven).

In a 6- to 8-quart heavy kettle melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter over moderately low heat and whisk in flour. (I did this in my dutch oven, too). Cook roux, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Stir in onion and gradually add broth and half-and-half, whisking constantly. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, or until thickened.

Stir in Tabasco, chili powder, cumin, salt, and white pepper. Add beans, chilies, chicken, and Monterey Jack and cook mixture over moderately low heat, stirring, 20 minutes. Stir sour cream into chili.

Transfer to serving bowls and garnish as desired.

Guinness Stew, again

If you've been following my blog for any length of time, you've probably figured out that I love Guinness Stew. In fact, I love it so much that I almost feel bad for vegetarians because they'll never be able to eat it - traditional Irish food isn't exactly vegetarian-friendly. Because of that, and because I had so much fun turning the Shepherd's Pie recipe I made a while back into a vegetarian recipe, I've decided to do the same for Guinness Stew.

If you don't like Guinness Stout, don't worry - the final product tastes nothing like the delicious dark brown beverage you would normally drink out of a tulip glass.

Vegetarian Guinness Stew
Adapted by Me

INGREDIENTS
1 TBSP oil
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
3 carrots
2 stalks celery
3-4 medium potatoes
large meat-y Mushrooms, cut up (definitely optional - I can't stand mushrooms)
1/2 - 1 cup unsalted cashews (optional, but trust me on this one. Cashews take on a meat-y texture when cooked)
Turnips or Parsnips, chopped (if you want to be extra authentic)
1-2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 pint Guinness (use the cans - have a second can waiting in the wings, just in case)
1/2 - 1 cup vegetable stock
3 TBSP cornstarch
1 TBSP paprika
salt & pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Garlic powder
Seasoning Salt
Oregano
1-2 tsp Kitchen Bouquet (found with the gravy seasonings - it IS vegetarian)
2 bay leaves

DIRECTIONS
Cut onion into quarters, then slice thinly. Cut carrots into thin slices (I like to use a bunch of baby carrots). Dice the celery by cutting the stalks in half, lengthwise, and then in half lengthwise again. Chop into small pieces from there. Mince the garlic. Scrub the potatoes and cut into quarters or smaller. Set all aside.

In sauce pan large, enough to hold everything easily, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Add remaining ingredients (except potatoes), bring to a boil, reduce heat to low. Add potatoes, cover and simmer at least an hour.

If it starts to dry out or if you like a saucier stew, add more Guinness (half a pint or so). If you would like the sauce thicker, stir in 1 TBSP cornstarch dissolved in 2 TBSP water.

Add a lot of salt & pepper to taste. You also probably want to add some cayenne pepper, garlic salt, oregano, and paprika. Use your favorite combination, but I've found the above to give it the best flavor.

When ready to eat, remove bay leaf and serve. I suggest serving it over or with a thick bread or Texas Toast.

Chili

The cooler weather has brought out the soup making at my house. The latest is my husband's brother's recipe for chili.

I didn't know if I could post this recipe for the longest time. I wasn't sure if my brother-in-law kept it under lock and key or if my husband had to take some sort of blood oath to get it from him, but I have now been assured it's safe to post and should be shared with the world (or, my tens of readers... whatever. You've gotta start somewhere, right?). I've taken some small liberties with the original recipe so you don't have to stand at the stove for a whole day cooking, and use every pot, pan, and bowl in your kitchen. You'll thank me later.

I'm not the biggest chili fan in general, but everyone I know goes crazy over this recipe. Be forewarned - it's really spicy.


Scott's Chili
From my Brother-in-Law
Serves 12-18 (yes...)
Cook & Prep Time - 2-3 hrs

SPECIAL NOTES
*Use a 6-Quart stock pot
*Make this at least a day in advance, let it sit in the fridge overnight before you're going to serve it

INGREDIENTS
1 can spicy baked beans (this is a big can. It should be the only one available)
1 large can Tomato Juice
2 cans hot & spicy chili beans (regular sized cans)
2 cans kidney beans (regular sized cans)
2 packages hot chili seasoning mix
3 lbs stew meat
4 stems celery
2 medium onions
6 jalapeno peppers (cut it in half or de-seed if you don't like spice)
1 bottle Frank's Red Hot Sauce (you'll use about 2/3 of the bottle)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
crushed red pepper
Minced Garlic
Vegetable oil (or canola... or olive - whatever you want)
Tabasco sauce
1 cup red wine (I highly recommend a dry Marsala)

DIRECTIONS
Dice onion and divide into two bowls. Cut celery and put into its own bowl. Dice jalapenos, with seeds, and divide into two bowls. Set aside.

Cut beef into nickel size pieces. Set aside.

Coat stock pot with oil, over medium heat, and add one bowl of onion. Season with salt & pepper. Add 1 tsp crushed red pepper. Simmer until onions are translucent.

Add 1 tsp garlic and stir. Add one bowl of jalapeno peppers.

Add more oil if necessary. Never keep the ingredients dry.

Add 1 tsp crushed red pepper and 2 TBSP Frank's Red Hot. Stir.

Add meat. Right away add half the bottle of Frank's Red Hot. Stir.

Add 2 tsp crushed red pepper. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Add 1 tsp Tabasco sauce.

Continue stirring and simmer until the meat is just browned.

Once the meat has browned, add the remaining onions. Salt & pepper to taste. Add 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper and 1 tsp Frank's Red Hot. If the pot is cry, add a little more oil.

Add one heaping tsp. of garlic and the rest of the jalapenos. Stir.

Add the red wine & celery. Stir. Let simmer until the celery gets soft.

Once the celery is soft, add the tomato juice. Stir to combine.

Add the brown sugar and white sugar. Stir.

Next, add the dry chili seasoning mix and all beans (do not drain kidney beans). Simmer on low for about 2 hrs.

Store overnight and cook for at least 1 hour before serving.

Garnish with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, tortilla chips, or whatever your favorite chili accompaniment is.

Guinness Stew, take II

I've been on a quest to find the best tasting, most authentic traditional Guinness stew since I returned from my first trip to Ireland about 4 years ago. I've even blogged about Guinness stew, and made a pretty good recipe around St. Patrick's Day. Except, the flavor wasn't quite right, and it was a bit too runny. So, I kept searching. I found a recipe in a cooking blog I read occasionally that looked fantastic. My husband was hungry for stew, so I decided it was time.

The review? This is the right one. If you ever want to make a traditional Guinness stew, make this one. You won't regret it. It brought me right back to County Wicklow.

Beef in Guinness

from Thyme for Cooking

INGREDIENTS
1 lb (450 gr) beef suitable for stewing or braising
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
3 carrots
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 pint Guinness
2 tsp beef paste (I used about a cup of beef stock)
1 TBSP oil
3 TBSP cornstarch
1 tbs paprika
salt & pepper
potatoes

Cut beef into 1" (2.5 cm) cubes. Cut onion into quarters, then slice thinly. Mince or press garlic. Cut carrots in half the long way, then into 1" (2.5cm) pieces.

Combine paprika and cornstarch in a plastic food bag. Add beef and toss to coat evenly.

In sauce pan large, enough to hold everything easily, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add beef and brown on all sides. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer at least an hour.

If it starts to dry out, add more Guinness. If you would like the sauce thicker stir in 1 tbs cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbs water.

Add a lot of salt & pepper to taste. You also probably want to add some cayenne pepper, garlic salt, oregano, and paprika.

When ready to eat, remove bay leaf and serve with boiled jacket potatoes.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

It's St. Patrick's Day. Rather than going out to a local pub to celebrate Saint Patrick's death by drinking Bud Light colored with loads of green food coloring, I stayed home and made a traditional Guinness Stew and drank a pint. Guinness stew can be found in any county in Ireland, and every family has their own recipe. Traditionally, the stew is comprised of lamb or beef with root vegetables and braised in Guinness stout. Below is my take on the Irish favorite.

You can change it up if you'd like using different meats and your favorite root veggies - I'm sure you could even make it vegetarian by taking out the beef and substituting vegetable stock for beef stock. Be creative and adapt this recipe to your tastes, just whatever you do, don't forget the Guinness.

Guinness Stew

2 TBSP olive oil
2 bay leaves
1 lb stew meat, cut into small cubes
1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped (use bigger chunks)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme (generous pinch)
1 tsp dried Rosemary (generous pinch)
2-3 tsp flour
1 cup beef stock, plus more for final cooking (~ ½ cup)
1 cup Guinness, plus more for final cooking (~ ½ cup)
1 TBSP chopped parsley
3-4 carrots, sliced
2-3 large potatoes, cut into big chunks
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 tsp Kitchen Bouquet (optional)

DIRECTIONS
*Start at least 1 day before you plan to eat this*

Heat a large stock pot and add the oil. Add meat and brown it on all sides.

Add onion and cook until onions are translucent, about 3 min.

Reduce heat to low and add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and flour. Stir until smooth.

Add the beef stock and Guinness; simmer. Stir until the stew thickens a bit.

Add the remaining ingredients and bay leaves. Simmer on low for at least 2 hours.

Cool and place in refrigerator.

On the day you plan to eat it, take out of fridge and simmer on low for at least 2 hours. Add about ½ cup more each of beef stock and Guinness. If the broth is too thin, feel free to add a cornstarch/water slurry to thicken it up. Salt & pepper to taste.

Remove bay leaves just before serving.

Sláinte!