Sweet Heat Chili

WARNING!  WARNING!  WARNING!

NO BEANS WERE CONSUMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS CHILI!

How long have I been blogging now and I have never shared my recipe for chili?  Everyone it seems has their "famous" chili recipe or "makes the best chili".  Well, yeah.....that has never been an issue for me.  It has taken me years to perfect how we like our chili.  Even then, it was sometimes not the same as the last time.   No consistency, always a crap shoot.  I finally nailed it down, wrote it down, and got it right, for GOOD!

This is a sweat chili with a good amount of heat.  Heat, as always, can be adjusted to your preference.  The sweet isn't overwhelming but definitely there.  I worked my sweetness so many ways sugar, honey, agave, and you know, nothing does it like the corn syrup.  So there you go.  If you happen to go a little over the amount on the recipe, no worries, just makes it better!  My husband will add in a couple of Thai chilies to his, but, that is how he rolls.

Let me get you started, to me, in this recipe, the order of the ingredients seems important.  I don't know why, please don't ask, because I have no sane explanation, it just seems that way!

2 lbs ground beef
1 lb ground Italian sausage (hot or mild)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (adjust to your taste)
1 can tomato soup
i can petite diced tomatoes1
1 tsp onion powder
3 tsp cumin
1 T chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 T light corn syrup

Brown your ground meats.  If it renders a lot of fat, drain it, if not, no worries.  And in your red pepper flakes.  Let cook for a minute while stirring.  Wake those babies up!  Add in soup, diced tomatoes, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper.   Stir to combine and let simmer for abut 15 minutes.  Add in light corn syrup, and make those tablespoons heaping!  Adjust to your taste adding more if you want.  Stir and simmer on low for another 30 minutes.

If you are using a slow cooker, just put your browned meet and peppers in the slow cooker, add all other ingredients except corn syrup.  Cook on low for 4 hours, and add corn syrup in about 30 minutes before serving.

Obviously you can adjust the sweet or heat to your taste, this is how we do it, and sometimes end up adding more heat to individual bowls.  Don't forget the cheddar cheese on top!

PS.  If you prefer a thinner chili, please feel free to add water or beef stock!If you groove on beans, (erp) add those too!

ENJOY!

2 Bean Chicken Chili

Good evening!  It feels so good to be back in the kitchen, creating, testing, tasting, tasting, and did I mention testing? teehee

I appreciate, again, all of you who have stuck around while I went through a bit of a life pot hole.  Your patience, and love, prayers, good thoughts, have all made a huge impact on not only me, but my family.  I am forever grateful.

Now let's get to this easy, SO easy, and so actually healthy recipe, shall we?  How many recipes of mine can we deem healthy?  Not many, so grab a beverage and read on my friends, read on!

As I mentioned on my Facebook page.  Are you following me there btw?  Just in case you aren't....DO!  
Anyway, as I mentioned there, I hate beans in chili.  OK, total truth?  I hate beans, period.  They are so mushy.  So, just.....unnecessary, aren't they??  Well, we all have opinions, I respect yours, just respect my dreams of the demise of the bean.  I do wish I felt differently and maybe I will do what big kids do, and keep trying them every now and again, maybe my taste buds, or rather mush buds will change.  I mean I did try a bite of this chili and while it is freaking fantastic, those damn beans.  Always getting up in my way of enjoyment.  But in case it matters to you, I feel like you can feel really good about eating tons of this chili.  Lean protein, beans galore, low sodium chicken broth, I mean, we are on a roll here, are we not?

Let's get to it.  You can have this done in 15 minutes, dead serious, but for optimum flavor I would get it done in 15 minutes and then let it simmer for a good 30 to 45 minutes.  I am using canned beans so no need to worry about the rock hard dried beans, taking their sweet time cooking.

You will need:
1 T. butter
1 lb ground chicken (more if you choose)
1 onion (size depends on how much you like onion) medium chop on that baby
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
2 T. chives
1-2 T. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 4 oz can green chilies
2 15.5 oz cans (or something close) large butter beans
2 15.5 oz cans of great northern beans
4 cups low sodium chicken stock
optional-toppings of your choice, cheese, sour cream, avocado, crackers, chips, etc.....

In a large soup pot, melt your butter.  Add in ground chicken, onion and garlic.  Cook until chicken is cooked all the way through and onion is tender.  Stir often as to not burn the garlic.  Add in cumin, chives, and salt, stir to combine.  Now rinse and drain all of your beans.  No need to add the slimy stuff.  Add them, along with the green chilies to your pot and stir.  Pour in chicken stock, stir and let simmer 30 minutes on low.  You could certainly serve this sooner but, letting it simmer lets the flavor soak into the beans, and lets it all become one big happy family!

Enjoy this chili and hey, double the recipe, because I think munching on this for a healthy lunch or dinner for a few days.....oh wait, might cause some lower G.I. disturbance, so perhaps don't take it to work! HA!

ENJOY!

3 Layer Chili Dip

Who is gearing up for the SUPER BOWL?  Not me, and as far as I can tell it will be a long time before my Eagles are in the running again.  Unhappy camper, can you tell? 

I know so many of you are planning big parties, lots of friends, family, food and drink, (please do NOT forget the drinks).  Do you ask everyone to bring something or do you do all the food prep yourself? This is a really easy dip that my son made a couple of months ago when we went over to watch an Eagles game.  He said someone he knew in Georgia  (where he was stationed) had made it and he loved it so he had made it ever since.  I am sure it isn't a new recipe, it is to easy and good for it to have not been around the block a few times!! 

It is delicious, it literally takes 5 minutes to put together and 25 minutes in the oven to to warm up.  I like to serve it with Frito Scoops, but tortillas are awesome as well.  Do what makes you happy!!

GOOD LUCK to your team!! 

You will need:
2, 8oz. blocks of cream cheese
2 cans of chili with no beans
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

In a square or round baking dish or pie dish, spread out the cream cheese in an even layer.  Easy enough, right

 

Next, pour in both cans of chili and spread evenly as well.  I somehow, did NOT photograph this step.  I am sure you can handle it though! HA!  Then add the grated cheddar on top and this is what you will pop in the oven at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes until it is bubbly!

 

Serve up with your favorite chips.  Grab a cold one and enjoy the game!  I...will be shopping!

ENJOY!!

Mexican Spaghetti

My husband said to me the other day, "You know, they keep making taco this and taco that, but I have never seen anyone do spaghetti that way".  I said, "you mean taco spaghetti with like sour cream and warm wilted lettuce, oh YUM".   He explained he meant like a "Mexican spaghetti".  So I listened to the man, and as I listened I was working out in my head how I would make this if I were to write the recipe.  However, he seemed to have an exact idea, and it was just what I was thinking.  So, either we have been married to long, or we are simply two halves to one whole.  Aww.....!

I have Cody's Favorite Enchilada Casserole, which is fantastic.  Just ask Cody :)  But this is different. No toppings, and such, just a few mixed up ingredients, that work beautifully together.  I loved this so much more than I thought I would, which is SO exciting.  You parents ,or grandparents with busy kids, needing kind of a quick, make ahead, freeze ahead, dish, need to check this one out for sure.  It is easy, you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry and it takes as long as it does to cook spaghetti and melt some cheese.  You can't go wrong.

Here is what you will need:
1 lb spaghetti, cooked and drained
1 lb ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 can chili with NO beans
1 10oz. can of Ro-Tel
2 cups tomato sauce
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Cook and drain pasta, put back into the pot, then set aside.  Preheat oven to 350.  In a deep skillet, brown hamburger.  When it is halfway done, add taco seasoning.  If you need to drain off grease, do that when the hamburger is all browned up.  Add in chili, ro-tel, and tomato sauce.  Mix until all combined.  Add it to the pot of already cooked pasta and mix completely.  Pour into a casserole dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and then sprinkle the top LIBERALLY with cheese.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted and it is heated all the way through!

Add a salad and some tortilla chips and call it dinner!  Didn't I tell you this was easy?!

Your "does this qualify as fusion cooking" Chefwannabe

Chili Cheese "TOT" Dog Casserole

HELP!  My husband has gone tater tot and casserole crazy.  WHAT have I started?!?!  Anyway get out your tums, Rolaids and Prilosec people.  This is the bomb, likely in more ways than one??

Seriously, my husband is all over this whole casserole thing now.  I have created a MONSTER.  The night I posted "Funeral Casserole", he emailed me with this casserole he thought up.  I mean, it sounded good, sounded like "man" food.  Maybe it even sounded like "kid" food.  Regardless, I know how this song and dance goes and if I don't listen to him, and attempt this, I will be sorry.  After all, HIS recipe is my most popular/most viewed recipe on the blog.  He loves it.  (insert Jr. high style eye roll).  Really, though I tease, I am grateful for his support, I have learned many women do not have their spouses support with their blogging and cooking and I find it just heart wrenching.  How does the person who loves you more than anything not want to see you happy?!  I am a blessed woman to not only have a husband who supports anything I do, but is my bestie.  He is always firing ideas my way to challenge and help me.  I love that!

This is definitely a C word that probably is going to just be for fun occasions at our house.  This recipe is being deemed, "awesome for game days", some cold beer and a bowl of this would be perfect game day food and drink!

You can use homemade chili for this or you can buy it in a can.  If you use homemade, I suggest draining a little liquid off if your chili is pretty thin.  This is a perfect recipe for that chili you had leftover that you threw in the freezer!  Beans or no beans, that is your call, we roll with NO beans for sure. Hot dogs are another option.  I use all beef, it is all I ever use.  You can use lips and ....oh never mind, you can use any hot dogs you want.  Organic, plain, kosher, I mean, obviously your options are limitless.  I made this in my moms OLD 9x13 from my childhood, which I swear makes it taste even better!

This is so easy, I think it would freeze pretty well, and definitely can be made ahead!  Here is what you will need:

2- 15oz cans of chili (with or without beans) or 4 cups homemade chili
3-4 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1 standard pkg of hot dogs
1 cup finely minced onions (optional)  I did NOT use them
1 bag of frozen tater tots
2 tsp chili powder

You will bake this according to the baking directions on your tater tots.  I set my oven to 450 degrees.  Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray.  Spread/pour chili in first.  Next, cut your hot dogs into bite size pieces and evenly distribute them in the chili.  If you are adding onions, add them at this point too.

Now using 1 1/2 cups of your cheese, sprinkle evenly over the top of the hot dog and chili layers!

Now top with your tater tots.  Just line them up, you know, perfect order people!  Covering the entire top of the casserole.

Now using the rest of the cheese, cover the top liberally with it!!  Then sprinkle your chili powder over the top.

My tot package said to bake for 25 minutes.  Use whatever time yours has on it!!  When you remove it, let it sit 5 minutes before serving, it will be incredibly hot.  The chili will be bubbling up the sides.  Glorious, indulgent, delicious eats!!

Your "no beans, no onions" chefwannabe