I hope that everyone enjoys a peaceful, happy, and inspiring Fourth. Here's a very easy, and a VERY Red-White-and-Blue cake:
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/firecracker-red-white-and-blue-cake/bbbeeab8-2f8c-4aab-a837-a1a7fd7a7901
-JT
This week, a very fresh summer “soup” - and a call for Chili recipes!
(This is my first post after switching to Linux - big learning curve, and hope everything comes through!)
If you would like to be on or off of this weekly cooking ping-list, please send a private message.
-JT
I can’t eat chili at this time of year! Too hot. :)
Some bean and rice with chili? That lasagna recipe was great, served twelve.
Use large covered dutch oven, 6 quarts?
I get the right amount of heat from 10 or 12 seeded jalapeno peppers usually cut in rounds but sometimes halved and sliced across in pieces. It adds visual appeal and wonderful flavor. If I have a little red pepper, a little adds to the flavor and visual appeal. I love pepper flavor and bell peppers cook to mush but jalapenos can take long cooking times.
Almost forgot the beans. Two cans pinto beans or kidney beans, drained and rinsed. Sometimes I soak pinto beans overnight, rinse and cook with the chili.
Usually the tomatoes consist of one large can of tomato juice, one large can crushed tomatoes, one small can of sauce, one small can paste. Add water, cover and cook down in a 275 oven for a few hours, two if in a hurry.
I have to wear latex gloves to work with jalapeno peppers. If you can take a lot of heat, leave the seeds in.
The slow oven method tastes better right away than top of stove. You can leave it in for hours, just add water if cooks down too much. It will start to smell sooooo good.
If I follow an exact recipe it won't turn out lol.
How do you like using Linux? My son, who works in tech industry, says I should use it. Was it really difficult to learn?
I make something similar, which I call Green Soup, whenever I have an excess of green lettuce, kale, spinach and need to use it up quickly. Mine is cooked and eaten cold or warmed.
In 2 Tbs oil,saute a rough chopped onion until translucent. Add roasted garlic to taste. Add torn greens, as much as you have and quickly stir fry until wilted. Puree with lemon pepper to taste. You can do this in batches if gifted with a lot of greens. If too thick, dilute with chicken broth to desired consistency. Good chilled or heated with a dollop of sour cream. Crisp crumbled bacon is another good topping. If you crave some mild spice, add Salsa Verde to taste. Freezes well. I don’t sieve it, as I find the few bits of crunch tasty.
A version of this makes use of too many green tomatoes. Oven roast the green tomatoes, liberally covered with olive oil, salt and lots of black pepper, along with quartered onions and any mild green chilies. Roast until edges are blackened. Puree in food processor, again adding chicken broth, tomato juice or any vegetable juice (V8 is good)if too thick. I leave it fairly chunky. Freezes well and is a great addition to chili or rice.
Simplest Quick Chili Recipe
I diced onion
1 lb ground beef
30 oz crushed tomatoes
2 cans Chili beans in hot gravy (I use Bush)
2 Tbs Chili powder or to taste
lemon pepper to taste
Saute onion until translucent, add beef, saute, stirring, until browned.Add chili powder/lemon pepper while beef is cooking. Drain excess fat. Add tomatoes and beans. Cover and simmer low 1 hr. Adjust flavor w/more chili powder or cumin, if desired.
If you like the depth afforded by dark cocoa powder or coffee, add the cocoa (up to 2 Tbs) while beef is cooking, remembering to keep stirring as the cocoa can burn and add the coffee (up to 1/2 cup very strong) with the tomatoes. If you omit the beans, add another 15 oz tomato sauce or 2 cups of the roasted green tomato/onion/pepper combo above and your favorite hot sauce to taste. You can substitute dehydrated tomatoes for part of the crushed or the tomato sauce. I rehydrate the tomatoes in hot water, then puree in processor, using small amounts of the soaking water if needed for consistency. The dehydrated tomatoes add a bright fresh tomato taste and also thicken the chili. I serve with shredded cheddar and chopped sweet red pepper.
I’m a Yankee, aware of the beans/no beans controversy. Let me say that I served this to a woman visiting from Mexico, with the beans. coffee and cocoa and her comment was “These are the best frijoles I’ve ever tasted.” We spent the meal discussing mole sauces.
Someone mentioned the texture of Spanish rice. I use Bismati rice. We like the flavor and the texture is very hearty. In both Oriental and Mexican dishes, I stir fry the raw rice before adding liquid and spices and any other additions.
Basic fried rice
Saute chopped onion, garlic or roasted garlic, if desired, until browned/golden. Use generous amount of oil to accommodate rice, which will absorb it. When onion is starting to brown,add 1 cup raw Bismati, stirring well w/large slotted spoon for 2-4 minutes or until rice is starting to toast &/or sticking to pan. Immediately add 2 cups liquid. Can be any broth, tomato juice, vegetable juice or tomato sauce thinned with juice with your flavorings & spices added. When liquid bubbles, stir, cover, reduce heat and cook 5 minutes. You can check to see that excess liquid is absorbed. At this point, add any other ingredients: leftover diced or cubed meat,poultry, diced sweet pepper, whatever you have. Stir in, cover again and cook very low an additional 5 minutes. If you want to add sliced raw mushrooms, they should be sauteed in the beginning with onion before adding rice. If you need to deglaze the pan, add either 1 small can cold diced tomatoes for Spanish or Mexican dishes or a bag steamable frozen green peas for Oriental. Stir in well, cover and leave pan on burner with the heat off. Check in 5 minutes, but this should do the trick. Adjust flavorings at this point.
No recipe but I make all meat from scratch
Meat should always be diced and ground chuck.
I normally use at least 5 chiles sometimes 7.
Many like pasilla are for depth of flavor, i like serrano and chile pequin for the fire AND flavor part
Excellent !
I love chili and I’m always trying new recipes. This weekend I’m making chicken chili, using ground chicken and white beans. I’m really looking forward to trying it.