False Alarm

This is another one of the first recipes I tried when Josh and I started changing our diet. It can be a little time consuming with all the chopping involved, but it's worth it in my opinion. It's so hearty and filling while still being great for you. And it makes plenty for leftovers too. I had to edit this post, cause I forgot that I totally wanted to use it as my entry in The Well-Seasoned Cook's Legume Love Affair Event, which you can read more about here. This recipe is legume crazy!

False Alarm Vegetable Chili
Recipe from Martha Stewart; Serves 10












2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped into 1/2" pieces
1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1/2" pieces
1 large carrot, chopped medium
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound dried lentils, rinsed
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 15 oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
28 oz. can stewed tomatoes
1/3 cup chili powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, green and red peppers, carrots, jalapeño, and garlic. Cook until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in 7 cups water, lentils, tomato paste, kidney beans, and pinto beans. Stir to blend, adding stewed tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, and crushed red-pepper.
• Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. If the chili starts to dry out, add hot water as needed. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

My notes: I cut this recipe in half since it's meant to serve 10. That means I have half peppers and half beans, so I make sure to plan other things through the week to use these up. I already used the other half of the peppers on that pizza over the weekend.

Re-run One

It's like there's a writer's strike in my kitchen or something. As I mentioned in the last post I'm cooking for two this week. And when cooking for someone else you want to make something you know is good, right? So last night's menu included Southwestern Turkey Burgers. I made these because they freeze so well. Two for us, and two for the new mom & pop. To freeze for later I place two of the patties on wax paper and then into the freezer for 3o minutes or so, until firm. Then wrap in wax paper and seal in a freezer bag for later use. Don't forget to date your bag, so that you don't let good food waste away. (I should listen to my own advice here, what is that foil wrapped blob and how long has it been in there?) When you're ready for a re-run of your own just pop them in the fridge overnight and you'll be ready to go for the next day's dinner. Didn't have the foresight to thaw the burgers ahead of time? Toss your freezer bag into a bowl of cool water and change the water every 30 minutes till they're ready to go. I also made the Chili Oven Fries last night, so I figured I'd re-post both recipes for you here.














Southwestern Turkey Burgers
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 4

1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey, 93% lean
1 jalapeno, minced, seeded and ribbed
2 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Vegetable oil for grates (if grilling)

• Heat grill/pan to medium-high. In a medium bowl place turkey, jalapeno, cheese, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix very gently with fork to combine, being careful not to over mix.
• Gently form meat into 4 equal-size patties, 4" in diameter and 1" thick. Press thumb in the center of each patty to make an indentation approximately 1/2" deep.
• Moisten a folded paper towel with oil; rub on cooking surface. Season burgers with salt and pepper; grill until cooked throughout, 5 to 8 minutes per side. Serve on buns with desired toppings.

My notes: The only thing I change about this recipe is I usually use Pepper Jack cheese in addition to the jalapeño. Mmmmm, me likey spicy. It's not really that spicy though, ha.

Chili Oven Fries
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 4

3 large Russet potatoes (2 lbs.)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
Coarse salt and ground pepper

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Halve potatoes lengthwise; cut each half lengthwise into thirds.
• In a large bowl, whisk olive oil with chili powder; season generously with salt & pepper. Add potatoes and toss to coat.
• Transfer potatoes to a baking sheet, cut sides down. Bake, turning potatoes halfway through, until they are tender and golden brown, about 45 minutes.

My notes: This serves 4. I should remember that, so that I don't make too many and then eat too many. But what would be the fun in that? Oh well, I needed to use up those potatoes anyway.

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

I made this chili, found in the October 2007 issue of Everyday Food, about a month ago. I thought I would give it a whirl as it seemed much quicker than my regular veggie chili recipe. And while it was quicker, it wasn't quite as delicious. Don't get me wrong, it was good, but it just didn't hit the mark for me. It's sort of in between my usual veg chili and the black bean & corn stew I make. I might make it again sometime when looking for a fast veggie meal. No pic, cause really these things rarely photograph well for me. And the recipe wasn't put up on Martha's site, so I couldn't steal their picture either, ha.

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 zucchini (about 1 pound total) halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
2 carrots thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cans (19 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
1 package frozen corn, thawed

• In a 5 quart Dutch Oven or heavy pot heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes.
• Add zucchini, carrots, chili powder, and cumin. Cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, corn, and 1 cup water. Simmer until slightly thickened and carrots are soft, 8 to 10 minutes more.

My notes: I used 2 15 oz. cans of black beans because I don't know that I've ever seen 19 oz. cans. In fact, as I was typing that I was not sure that I even noticed it said 19 oz. when I made the recipe. I wonder if it's a typo. Or perhaps I'm not looking closely enough at the grocery store and these 19 oz. cans have been right under my nose. Anyway, like I said, this recipe was good, not great, and I might make it again but it's not destined to be in heavy rotation. Wanted to share it anyhow though, since it's not available on their website. Hopefully I'll get a chance to make my favorite veggie chili soon so I can share it with you.

Spice It Up

Looking for something a little different? Interested in kicking your Thanksgiving celebration up a notch? Then I suggested you turn to chili. Chili powder that is. I love chili powder, and I especially love roasting things with it. It's practically the only way I like eating sweet potatoes, and I certainly enjoy some oven fries coated in it. But I think that this Thanksgiving would be a perfect opportunity to introduce your family to chili-roasted acorn squash. I made this side dish a week or two ago after seeing it in the November issue of Everyday Food. It went deliciously with the southwestern turkey burgers I cooked up. So, I say give something slightly difference a try this holiday season.

Chili-Roasted Acorn Squash
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 4


2 acorn squashes (1 1/2 pound each), halved lengthwise, seeds removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
coarse salt and ground pepper

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut each squash halve into several wedges, then halve wedges crosswise.
• On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss squash with oil and chili powder; season with salt and pepper, and toss again. Roast until tender and starting to brown, 20 to 25 minutes, tossing halfway through.

My notes: I halved this recipe, since its just the two of us. I'm a squash novice and I had a heck of a time cutting it. I got a tip from Josh's aunt Nelda tonight to poke it several times with a knife and microwave it for a couple minutes to soften it up before trying to slice all the way through it. Next time it should be much easier!

I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving! I should be back sometime this week with posts about the goodies I'll be preparing for my family get-together on Thursday.

Howdy Blog Party #22!

So, it's been a while since I participated in Blog Party, but not because I haven't wanted to. Time alas was not on my side, but this time around I was bound and determined to take part. I mean how could I not when the the theme is Wild Wild West? I do, after all, live in Fort Worth, Texas- Where The West Begins. So, thinking about what I consider to be "western" food, I came up with Cornbread Cups filled with Homemade Chili. For a complimentary beverage I went with a cold bottle of Shiner Bock- a favorite of many of the cowboys I know. Being brewed in Texas gives it a big flavor!

Homemade Chili
Recipe by me
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded & ribbed, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
pinch red pepper flakes
pinch ground cinnamon
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
6 oz. beer

• In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, jalapeno, and garlic; season with salt and pepper and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste and seasonings. Once blended add ground beef and stir, breaking up with spoon, until no longer pink.
• Add tomatoes with juice, beans, and beer. Bring to a boil and reduce to a rapid simmer. Cook for over medium-low to medium heat until beans are tender and chili has thickened. Taste your chili during this time, and add any additional seasoning you'd like.

My notes: I added more chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, and ground pepper. For the cornbread, I have done homemade before, but nothing ever beats Jiffy boxed mix for me. So, that's what I used. Use a serrated knife to slice off the top of the muffins, then run your knife along the inside, bout 1/8" from the edge, all the way around and remove the inside. Fill the muffin cups and top with your favorite chili add-ons. I used shredded cheese and cilantro leaves. Jalapeno slices and a dollop of sour cream would also be delicious and festive.

All I Care about is Love....

I'm listening to the original cast soundtrack for Chicago on vinyl. We got a turntable and a ton of awesome albums from Josh's aunt and uncle today. I'm in seventh heaven I tells ya. Finally an album I can do the Charleston to! Speaking of seventh heaven, there's nothing I like better than an easy night's dinner. And this dinner was pretty darn easy since it was comprised of leftovers topped with a few additional ingredients. And, side note, I'm also in a great mood because I've been getting comments from some bloggers that I think are fab! So thanks to everyone whose been stopping by my page lately. I sure do appreciate it! Well, let's get to the point then, so I don't scare off any of the new readers, ha. This dinner was made from the remnants of the chili I posted about last week. Obviously I didn't just leave this chili sitting in my fridge for a week, so if like me, you decide to freeze your leftover chili, just make sure to thaw in advance for this recipe.

Cheesy Hash-Brown Bake
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 4
4 cups reserved 30-Minute Chili
1 16 oz. fresh or frozen shredded hash-brown potatoes, thawed if frozen
4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
coarse salt and ground pepper

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack set in upper third. Divide chili among four individual baking dishes (10 to 12 oz. each). Set aside.
• Place potatoes in a double layer of potatoes; squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
• in a large bowl, combine potatoes, cheese, and cilantro; season with salt and pepper. Scatter potato mixture over chili. Place baking dishes on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until potatoes are golden brown and chili is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve.

My notes: I don't own any small baking dishes as described above, so I just went the casserole route. Everything turned out pretty much as described, just larger. The recipe has directions for cooking as one dish, but since my chili and potatoes actually didn't thaw enough before I started I had to heat them some prior to preparing the dish, allowing me to cook for a shorter time. If you are making it with unfrozen leftovers it suggest cooking for 40 to 45 minutes. Also, I didn't have any cilantro, and didn't get a chance to stop by the store for any, so ours had none. I love cilantro though, so I can only imagine this would turn out even better with it. We both liked this, although there was still the lingering issue of too much cinnamon in the chili. That aside I will definitely repeat this recipe, once I've tweaked the chili to my liking.

Chili Weather?

It hasn't been all that cold here as of late, although it's supposed to be in the mid-40's tonight. Despite that I decided to make some chili Tuesday night. This month's Everyday Food had a recipe for 30-Minute Chili and it called out to me. Partially because I had yet to make a meat based chili, and also because it was a 2 meal recipe, resulting in leftovers that are used in a second recipe. I haven't made the second recipe, Cheesy Hash-Brown Bake, but the chili was accomplished, and the leftovers are residing in the freezer til later next week. This was an enjoyable meal, with only one or two marks against it, which I'll mention in my notes below.

30-Minute Chili
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 8 plus 4 cups for 2nd recipe
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 medium onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 pounds ground beef chuck
3 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes in juice
1 12 oz. bottle mild lager beer
2 14.5 oz. cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

• In a Dutch oven or large (5-quart) heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add tomato paste, chili powder, chipotles, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring, until mixture has begun to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add beef, and cook, breaking it up with a spoon until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
• Add tomatoes with their juice, beer, and beans. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a rapid simmer. Cook over medium heat until chili has thickened slightly and beans are tender, about 5 minutes. Reserve 4 cups for Cheesy Hash-Brown Bake. Sprinkle with cheese, if desired, and serve.

My notes: I cut this recipe in half, so that Josh and I each had a 2 cup serving for dinner, I reserved 4 cups for the other recipe, and I had about a cup leftover for lunch the next day. This chili had too much of a cinnamon flavor to it, in my opinion, even after adding extra chili powder. The next time I make it I think I will decrease the amount of cinnamon, increase the chili powder, and add some cumin or red pepper flakes. Also might add some jalapeno in with the onion and garlic.