Bowl For The Soul Chili

January 27, 2014

I was actually going to save this Blog Post for a future date, but since Polar Vortex II is supposedly approaching our region again, I feel like we all need something warm for our bellies, souls and at this point, mind… I can’t take any more cold! You know at one point this season, I was talking about how mild of a winter we have had considering our snowfall at that point. It wasn’t long after that I took my little Sister and young cousin to see the Disney movie Frozen and everything changed. We started using words like Polar Vortex and -20 and -30 degrees. I feel somewhat to blame. I am starting to think the cold or frozen streak is actually just a fantastic publicity stunt. Well played Disney, well played.

So, when the temps are a mere 7 degrees and when a high of 20 degrees on the local 7-day forecast sounds warm… you know it is time for some comfort food. Behold… an easy and delicious hearty bowl of Chili! Or as I will call it… Bowl For The Soul Chili!

It starts with an ingredient round-up. Shhh… The ground beef was already cooking when I snapped this picture. I know, I ruined this glorious photo op moment. You know when all the ingredients could get to know each other before I shoved them together in a giant stock pot.

Chili Ingredients

Add a Tbsp of olive oil to a stock pot or dutch oven heated to medium high. Once the oil has some ripples, add your ground beer and season with some salt and pepper. As the meat is cooking, chop your veggies. Aren’t they pretty?

Chili Recipe – Chopped Vegetables

Once your ground beef is no longer pink, I create a well or hole in the middle of the beef to add in the veggies.

Chili – Ground Beef Well

Add 1/4 cup of water and stare jealously at your veggies as you realize they are warmer than you at the moment. I mean it is like a really great hot tub party.

Chili Party!

Now bring the spice to the event by adding Chili Powder and Cumin to the mix.

Chili – With Spices Added

Add the Chicken Stock and let the chili simmer on low for about an hour. Please know that the 1-hour simmer is not a necessity, especially if you don’t have the time. However, if you can allow the wonderful flavors to do their magic with a low heat simmer, you won’t be disappointed. In fact, you may thank me!

Secret Ingredient alert! Nah, just kidding… this is the point that I reward myself with chili’s perfectly paired beverage.

Secret Ingredient

After a nice long simmer, your Chili should look like this.

Results Of Simmer

Add the Kidney Beans, including the liquid. I believe this thickens up the chili. Add the Diced Tomatoes, drained.

Kidney Beans

Add your second round of spices and again, let chili simmer but this time for about 15 minutes.

Home Stretch

I like a thick chili; however, if you like a soupy consistency – add in some more Chicken Broth throughout the process. Ladle your chili in a bowl and serve up with a dollop of sour cream and some shredded cheddar cheese. Now I already told you the perfect beverage partner for chili, but if you want to know who chili’s BFF is around these parts of town look no further than the ol’ fan favorite… Grilled Cheese. These two are a hoot together! Enjoy!

Chili and Grilled Cheese

BOWL FOR THE SOUL CHILI:

2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
1.5 – 2 lbs of Ground Beef – 80%/20%
2 – Garlic Cloves – Minced
1/2 of Large Sweet Onion – Diced
1 – Green Pepper – Diced
1 – Red Pepper – Diced
1/4 Cup of Water
2 Tbsp of Chili Powder
2 Tbsp of Cumin
1 tsp of Garlic Salt
2 Cups of Chicken Broth
2 – 15.5 oz Cans of Red Kidney Beans
1 – 14.5 oz Can of Diced Tomatoes – Drained (I use Jalapeno Flavored)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Optional:

Sour Cream
Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Add your olive oil to over medium-high heat. Once the olive oil begins to ripple, add in your ground beef – breaking it up. Once the meat has cooked through, create a well or hole so the bottom of the pan is exposed for the vegetables. Add the diced sweet onion, green pepper and red pepper. Stir and add in your minced garlic and 1/4 cup of water. Add 2 Tbsps of chili powder, 1 Tbsp of cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Stir seasonings and then slowly pour in 2 cups of chicken broth. Reduce heat to low and simmer for approximately one hour, stirring occasionally. Add two cans of kidney beans, including liquid. Then add the can of diced tomatoes, drained. Add your remaining Cumin and 1 tsp of garlic salt, stir and simmer for 15 minutes. Ladle chili into bowls and serve with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.

Recipe alterations: When I have a Jalapeno on hand and am in the mood to spice up the chili, I will half and seed the Jalapeno. Dice one half of the Jalapeno and add when you add your vegetables. Then place the other half, whole in when you add the Chicken Stock and allow it to simmer. Remove before you add your beans and dice tomatoes.

Oh, Sherry!

January 14, 2014

The premise of this post comes down to the fact that I had two key ingredients in my home… a container of 1 lb jumbo lump crab meat (oh yum!) and two bottles of Cooking Sherry. Ummm… I NEVER have Cooking Sherry!! And, now I have two bottles? Say Whaaa? I honestly have no idea why I bought the first bottle, but the second bottle was purchased when my hubby secretly plotted so that I would miraculously have all the ingredients to try a new recipe… homemade crab bisque.

2 Bottles of Cooking Sherry – You started it all!

So, funny story… the title of this post is in deed a tribute to the great Journey song “Oh Sherrie.” I mean it was only fitting since every time I went to reach for the bottle, that familiar beat and the lyrics came rushing to my mind. Only a few times did I sing out loud the chorus… “Oh, Sherry, your out of luck, hold on, hold on…” It was only now as I was searching for the video to post, that I came to a revelation that I must share. For years and I mean years I have been singing the song… WRONG –

Oh Sherry, your out of luck Hold on, hold on

Ummmm, no… not the words. I mean seriously did everyone else know the actual lyrics?

Oh Sherry, our love Holds on, holds on

I am not embarrassed nor ashamed. I kind of feel like starting a revolution to change the lyrics.

Watch Video Here or below and listen – I am not crazy, people!

So, back to the crab soup. I have to share this recipe! It was soooo good and I mean so good that I added three o’s back there. Did you catch that? It really did start with two ingredients. First, the crab meat in the refrigerator that we were too paranoid that if we didn’t use soon, it may go bad (it did not expire until April – we are really, really paranoid!), and second, the Cooking Sherry, which was purchased in fact to make crab soup. However, I was not fond of the recipe the Hubby found, so I was on a mission to find something great, but it had to have both. Behold – Oh, Sherry! Crab Bisque. It is not entirely my own! I need to clarify that. I stumbled upon the South Carolina She-Crab Soup Recipe from AllRecipes.com and adapted it to my own. You will see my revisions listed below.

Oh, Sherry! Crab Bisque

OH, SHERRY CRAB BISQUE: Adapted from She-Crab Soup – AllRecipes.com.

5 Tbsp of Light Butter
5 Tbsp of All-Purpose Flour
1/2 of 1 Large Sweet Onion – Diced
1 and 1/2 – Celery Stalks – Diced
2 – Green Onion Bulbs – Diced (both white and green part)
2 – Garlic Cloves – Minced
1 Cup of 2% Milk
1 Cup of Half & Half
1 Pint of Heavy Cream
1 Cup of Chicken Broth
Dashes of Hot Sauce
2 tsps. of Worcestershire Sauce
2 tsps. of Dill Weed
2 Tbsps. of Dried Chives
1 lb – Jumbo Lump Crab Meat
1/2 Cup of Cooking Sherry, plus a splash!
Salt and Pepper to taste
Old Bay to taste – Because its Maryland!

Oh, Sherry! Crab Bisque ingredients.

Melt the butter in a large stockpot (I used my Dutch Oven) over medium heat. Once melted, stir in flour to create a rue-like paste. Mix in the diced onion, celery, green onion and minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook and stir for about 4 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and half & half so that no lumps form. Whisk in chicken broth and stir in the heavy cream. Once it is brought to a simmer, add in half of the 1/2 cup of cooking sherry. Add the dill weed, Worcestershire sauce, dried chives and hot sauce. Cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Once the soup has reduced and thickened, add the crab meat, remaining cooking sherry, salt and pepper to taste, give it a stir and simmer for another 10 minutes. I poured a splash of Cooking Sherry into the bottom of each serving bowl. I ladled in the soup and garnished with some dried chives and Old Bay. Enjoy!

Oh, Sherry! Crab Bisque

Treat Yo Self – Egg White Scramble

January 4, 2014

Good morning, all. I am back! Now, come on… you really didn’t think I was a Milli Vanilli did you? No, one hit wonder here. I committed to this thing, so let the next Blog commence.

So, here I am on a Saturday morning alone. Now don’t feel bad for me. I use to be someone that dreaded being alone, but with busy work weeks filled with lots of personalities, I will let you in on a little secret… I kind of like being alone. Shhhh! While the Hubby is off in the woods for the last day of Hunting Season (which is humorous to me since there is Bow Season and soon, Spring Fly Fishing) I found myself at home with no plans. Say it with me people – NO PLANS. Now that does not happen often.

I straightened up the house, stoked the wood stove (ah, I sound so Country Chic!) and then thought… “I am making myself breakfast this morning!” I actually got excited as I rummaged the refrigerator looking for ingredients to whip something up and I kept thinking of the “Treat Yo’ Self” episode from Parks And Recreation with Tom (Aziz Asnari) and Donna (Retta). WATCH HERE for a good laugh!

You know from my earlier and first post – Black-Eyed Peas Salsa, I used some vegetables, so you could say I had some veggie leftoverage (I just made up this word and I am keeping it). My Hubby is usually the Breakfast Chef in our home and if we are not eating together, I usually eat breakfast on the go. So, it was a little odd for me to round up the ingredients and cookware for myself.

After a quick assessment of my ingredients I decided to accept the challenge and create an Egg White Scramble. I used Green Onion, Green Pepper, Red Onion and Tomatoes, all washed and diced.

Diced Vegetables – Egg White Scramble

Add some butter to a skillet heated on medium.

Backwards N high Heels – Egg White Scramble

Add your colorful ingredients!

Cooking Vegetables – Egg White Scramble

In a separate bowl whisk three egg whites, add a dash of 2% milk and some sea salt and pepper.

Whisked Egg Whites – Egg White Scramble

Add egg whites to skillet, once veggies are nice and tender. Allow egg whites to cook over veggies, scrapping the sides and tilting the skillet to pull loose egg to cook. Once egg is evenly cooked, add a 1/4 tsp of chives and scramble the ingredients.

Cooking Egg Whites – Egg White Scramble

And, because I live life on the edge… I added a pinch of Mozzarella cheese to top.

Mozzarella Cheese Added To Egg White Scramble

Plate the scramble on a plate, sprinkle some sea salt and pepper, and add some sliced tomatoes.

Egg White Scramble

Now, grab your coffee and enjoy!

Egg White Scramble

EGG WHITE SCRAMBLE:

* This is based on one serving since I decided to… “Treat myself!”

2 – Green Onion Bulbs – Diced (both white and green part)
Quarter of Green Pepper – Diced
Red Onion – Diced
2 – Heirloom Tomatoes – Diced (I used ‘Carmello’)
1/2 Tbsp of light Butter
3 – Egg Whites
Splash of 2% Milk
Mozzarella Cheese to taste
1/4 tsp of Chives (dry)
Sea Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Dice the vegetables. I used Green Onion, Green Pepper, Red Onion and Tomatoes. Add 1/2 Tbsp of butter to skillet heated on medium. Add vegetables, minus tomatoes to skillet and cook until tender. In a separate bowl, whisk three egg whites, add a splash of 2% milk and salt and pepper to taste. Add egg whites to skillet, over vegetables. Cook the egg whites, scrapping the sides to cook all eggs. Add 1/4 tsp of chives and scramble ingredients. Once cooked through, add Mozzarella Cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Black-Eyed Peas New Year

January 2, 2014

Whether you rocked into 2014 with a little “I Got A Feeling” or maybe some “Boom Boom Pow,” really has no relevance to this post other than my cheesy ode to Fergie and will.i.am. You see my New Year’s Day included a little necessary sleep-in time, followed by a hardy breakfast – complete with Belgium waffles and some Bloody Mary action, a one-hour nap (I mean entering a New Year is hard work! We just jumped from 2013 to 2014, people!) oh, and then there were some black-eyed peas…

Around here, whether you like it or not, you better be having pork and kraut to welcome the New Year. It is a tradition and considered good luck. Thankfully for me, my parents spoke up and were willing to fill their home with the aroma that comes with a day of slow cooking pork and kraut. So, I set forth to add yet another tradition to the holiday with a little black-eyed pea action.

You see if you are celebrating this day in the Southern region of the good USA, well you better have some black-eyed peas. From what I hear, these legumes are a tradition that are considered to bring luck and prosperity to those in the New Year. And, considering I am willing to take all the luck and prosperity I can get, especially if it is so freely given with the simple task of eating… well, you can say I was in. I was game for a recipe.

Pinterest kills me. I am a better and worse person through its existence. However, on the recipe and cooking side of things, I have found, that it in fact enhances what I consider my better half. For a gal who use to despise the kitchen because I associated it with work and stress, I have become quite fond of cooking and trying new recipes. My first go at incorporating black eyed peas into our family dinner was a success with my Black-Eyed Peas Salsa, which I made from a combination of recipes I browsed through online. A little of this and a pinch of that and a few taste tests and I think I got it ready to share. Please feel free to snag my recipe and share in the comments any suggestions or alterations you made to make the dish your own.

P.S. – My New Year’s resolution was not to cook more, but after day #1 in 2014, I may have to reconsider. Enjoy!

Black Eyed Peas Salsa

BLACK-EYED PEAS SALSA:

2 (15.8 oz.) Cans of Black-Eyed Peas
1 (15 oz.) Can of Whole Corn Kernels
6-8 Heirloom Tomatoes – Diced (I used ‘Carmello’)
1 Red Pepper – Diced
1 Green Pepper – Diced
1/2 of a Large Red Onion – Diced
1/2 Cup of Green Onion – Chopped (both white and green part)
4 oz. of Jalapeños – Minced
1/2 tsp of Cumin
1/2 tsp of Oregano
1/2 tsp of Course Salt
Garlic Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Wash all vegetables first. Work with one ingredient at a time in order as listed above and add to main bowl as completed, stirring ingredients as added. Seasonings add and alter based on taste. Chill for about an hour before serving.

I used multigrain Tostitos Chips to serve with my salsa. If I could make any adjustments I would add some cilantro and a dash of hot sauce.