Classic Chili

Well, I have to admit something. I have been slacking in the posting department because...well....I can't seem to remember to take a photo before we eat all of whatever it is I've made. (The photo I used is courtesy of Better Home & Gardens, where the recipe came from in the first place.)

I make this chili every few weeks and every time it seems to vanish before I blink! So it must be good, right? It is! I wanted a "normal" chili recipe that didn't call for ingredients like cinnamon or beer, and this one is primo! The recipe below is doubled (except for the beans). Trust me. Just go ahead and double it.


Classic Chili

2 lbs. ground beef (for the best flavor I use 1 lb. 93/7 and 1 lb. 80/20)
1 large or 2 small green peppers, chopped (1 cup)
1 cup chopped yellow onion
8 cloves of garlic, minced
2 15-oz. cans tomato sauce
2 14.5-oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15-0z. can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
4-6 tsp. Leslie's Chili Mix or chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried basil, crushed
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Optional toppings: corn chips, shredded cheese, onion, sour cream

1) In a large pot cook the beef, onion, green pepper, and garlic until meat is done. Drain.
2) Add all other ingredients and simmer at least 1 1/2 hours for best flavor. Serve with cornbread, if desired, and any toppings.

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Ground Beef Grand Style

Back when our grandmothers and great-grandmothers were young wives and mothers, they cooked for their families every day, restaurants were a rarely-indulged-in luxury, and cooks didn't have to specify that they made something "from scratch," because how else would you make it anyway? Back in those days, women helped their own hamburger; they didn't go to the store to buy something in a box to do it for them. I'm not knocking Hamburger Helper--after all, don't we all rely on shortcuts from time to time? But the next time you think about reaching for that box, instead try this recipe my grandmother passed down to my mother who then passed it down to me.

What You Need

1 can refrigerator biscuits (or make your own; but at this stage of my life, refrigerator biscuits is one of those shortcuts I'm glad to take!)

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese

1 can (10 and 1/2 oz.) cream of mushroom soup

1/4 c. milk

1/4 c. ketchup (I use a little more)

1/3 c. sliced green olives (I love olives, so I usually use more than this)

1 tsp. salt (I usually omit this because the olives add enough salt)

What You Do

Brown ground beef; drain, if necessary. Add onions, and cook a few minutes. Add all other ingredients (except biscuits), and continue cooking until heated through and mixed well. Meanwhile, bake biscuits; and when done, place them on top of casserole. Makes 5-6 servings.

A nice accompaniment to this dish is Ceci's Cucumber and Tomato Salad; that, along with some fresh cantaloupe, is what I served with this casserole tonight for our supper.

Happy helping! (Your hamburger, that is...)

The best way to serve meals is with a smile.

~ from Country Home Cooking

by Marjorie Rohrer

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Meatloaf

Several weeks ago, my dad turned 70. If you don't know our family and if you haven't read about our living situation, I'll just briefly mention that we're blessed to live in my parents' old home (the house in which I grew up), and my parents live right down the hill from our house. Consequently, they come for dinner almost every evening. My dad's birthday was no exception; and as I thought about what to make for such a special occasion, I settled on meatloaf.

Meatloaf isn't grand, I know; but it is good and hearty and filling and can be moist and delicious and it is a favorite of my dad's (although he likes everything...except avocado...but he'll even eat that uncomplainingly if it's served to him), but I rarely remember to make it! On the night of his birthday, I used a recipe for Pot Roast Meat Loaf from Country Home Cooking by Marjorie Rohrer; but I made two changes to it so that I could combine my three favorite meatloaf features. Here is the original recipe:

What You Need

1 lb. ground beef

2/3 c. canned milk

1/3 c. cracker crumbs

1/4 c. ketchup

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

3 potatoes

3 onions

3 carrots

What You Do

Mix first seven ingredients together in a bowl. Shape into a loaf. Place in center of a 9 x 13 pan. Wash potatoes, onions, and carrots; and chop into chunks. Place veggies around meat in pan. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper and parsley. Cover tightly with foil. Bake 1 hour at 375 degrees. Uncover and bake 20 more minutes to brown meat.

I used this recipe because it included one of my favorite parts of a good meatloaf: the veggies around the edges that absorb the grease :) and all the yummy flavor. But there were two more things I wanted to do with it. One was to include a layer of cheese in the middle of the meatloaf; that's how I remember my mother making it--almost like a cheeseburger meatloaf--so as I put the meat mixture into the baking pan, I simply put half down, added some cheese on top, then placed the rest of the meat mixture on top of that. The third aspect of a delicious meatloaf, in my opinion, is a ketchup-based topping, so I mixed 1 cup ketchup, 2 tsp. mustard, and 2 tbsp. brown sugar, then spread that over the top of the meat. And then, finally, it was ready to bake, with all three of my favorites included. :)

Happy loafing!

I feel a recipe is only a theme, which an intelligent cook can play each time with a variation.

~ Madam Benoit

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Baked Spaghetti

I don't remember where I got this recipe but it is a hit when I do make it.  Meaning my husband eats half of the dish and doesn't leave many leftovers for the next day.

8 oz. Spaghetti-cooked and drained
1/2 c. Parmesan Cheese
1 egg lightly beaten
1 lb Ground Beef- cooked/drained
2 c. Spaghetti Sauce
1 pkg (8 oz) Shredded Mozzarella Cheese-top w/ cheese

Cook the spaghetti and cook the hamburger.  Then throw everything together, mix well, put in a dish, then top with the Mozzarella cheese.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  I always have these ingredients on hand and can whip this up in an emergency.

I used Tinkyada Rice Spaghetti noodles to make this a gluten free dish in our house.

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Ginger Beef and Rice Noodles

I got this from the $5 Dinner website.  It was very yummy!   I would double everything but the noodles if you are feeding a family of 4.  I made what the recipe said and realized that it just wasn't enough for our family.  We barely had enough for the 1st round of dinner. 

Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package rice thin noodles (dry)
2 tsp grape seed or vegetable oil
1 pound flank steak, cut into thin strips*
1 small red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 small yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 tsp grated ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup beef broth
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

*Throw beef in the freezer for ten minutes then slice. Much easier to make thin slices this way.

Directions
Cook rice noodles according to package directions until just soft. Drain, rinse with cold water then set aside. (Erin here: Use thin spaghetti in place of rice noodles if you don’t need a gluten free meal.)
In a large wok, heat oil over high heat. Add beef, peppers, ginger and garlic and cook until beef is just cooked, about 3 – 5 minutes. Add in beef broth and soy sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat.
Add in spinach and cooked noodles. Heat through until spinach wilts then stir in cilantro before serving in deep bowls.

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Chinese Savory Beef

We love this recipe from the More With Less Cookbook.  Brief history: My hubby and I adopted our 2nd daughter from China in 2007.  So we have a heart for Chinese food.  We broke down and bought sticky rice from the local Chinese restaurant so we could eat with chopsticks.  He even picked up my favorite, fried noodles.  My Chinese daughter does not like Uncle Ben's rice, but loves sticky rice.  :-)  Our 6 yr old loves to eat with chopsticks, so this was a treat for all of us to eat this meal entirely with chopsticks.  Definitely cheaper than going out for Chinese.  So enjoy!

2 Tbsp Oil
2 lb Lean Beef, cut in 1 1/2" squares
3 scallions, chopped or 1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 thin slices ginger (opt)
1/2 c. Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1/8 tsp Pepper
3 c. Water

Heat the oil in a skillet and then add the beef.  Brown the beef, once browned add the following: scallions, garlic, & ginger.  Then add the rest of the ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 3 hrs.  Add more liquid if needed.  Just before serving thicken with small amount flour if desired.  Serve over rice or noodles.

Alterations: FYI: if you don't have scallions or ginger on hand, you can still make this delicious recipe.  There are many times the kids are craving Chinese, or mom is, and I still make this recipe anyways.  I also cooked some stir-fry veggies on the side and then mixed everything together before dinner.

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Mom's Sloppy Joes

Ok...so this isn't the most glamorous or creative recipe. But, it is delicious!

I've been in a bit of a cooking funk lately. I'm feeling rather uninspired, despite all the delicious recipes here on The Foodie Spot and in the bazillion cookbooks that I own. So, it was time to revisit a classic.

Actually, I think I'm using up all my creative cooking energy making baby food for my little girl. She's eating like a queen -- purees like carrot-cauliflower-tomato-basil and chicken with sweet potatoes and apples. For lunch the other day she had whole wheat pasta with steamed broccoli, a pad of butter, and parmesan cheese. That same day I'm pretty sure I had a bowl of Cheerios!

Anyhow, here's a great recipe for sloppy joes. They're quick, easy, and as mentioned, delicious!

What you need:

1 pound ground meat (I usually use 90% lean)
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup catsup
1 tbsp. vinegar
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. mustard

What you do:

Brown the meat with the onion. Add seasonings if you like. (Every once and awhile I go crazy and sprinkle some cajun seasoning in there, but usually I don't add any seasonings...even though I'm a hard core recipe follower!)

Mix other ingredients together and add to browned meat. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Serve on rolls (whole wheat is best!) with a side of sweet potato fries. Yum!

Recipe from my very cute mom.

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Irish Beef Stew

My husband and I were having a culinary discussion the other evening that centered around traditional Irish Stew (who does that?? he's cute!).  Anyway, so began my search for the perfect Irish Stew...because after you talk about it long enough you have to make it.  And given my fixation with both my crock-pot and quick & easy recipes, I took this recipe, which has great reviews by the way, and turned it into a slow cooker meal.




What You'll Need

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 pounds stew beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 large garlic cloves, minced
8 cups beef stock or canned beef broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 7 cups)
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled carrots
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley




What to Do

1. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and sauté until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add beef stock, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in another large pot over medium heat. Add potatoes, onion and carrots. Sauté vegetables until golden, about 20 minutes. Add vegetables to beef stew. Simmer uncovered until vegetables and beef are very tender, about 40 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Tilt pan and spoon off fat. (Can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before serving.) Transfer stew to serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

 **my changes: really, I just threw everything into the crock pot and cooked it on high for 1hr and then on low for 8hrs.


Adapted from Epicurious.com

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