White Chili (or not)

This is a good chili and easy to make. We brought it tailgating last fall to UCONN football, homecoming game.

White Chili

2 TBS vegetable oil

1 lb ground chicken or turkey

2 onions, finely chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 TBS cumin seeds

1 TBS dried oregano leaves

1 to 2 jalapeño peppers

1 tsp each salt and black pepper

1 can (28 oz) tomatoes, including juice, chopped

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 can (19 oz) white kidney beans, rinsed and drained or 1 cup dried white kidney beans, soaked, cooked and drained  

2 green bell peppers, thinly sliced lengthwise

1½ Cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 can (4 ½ oz) diced mild green chilies, drained

Salsa

Sour cream

Cilantro

In a skillet, heat 1 TBS oil over medium-high heat. Add ground chicken or turkey and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until it is no longer pink. Remove with a slotted spoon to slow cooker stoneware. Drain and discard liquid.

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining oil to pan. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened. Add garlic, cumin seeds, oregano, jalapeno peppers, salt and pepper and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, until liquid is reduced by one third, about 5 minutes.

Add beans to stoneware and pour tomato mixture over them. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until mixture is hot and bubbling.

Stir in green pepper, cheese and mile green chilies. Cover and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes until pepper is tender and cheese is melted. Ladle into bowls and top with sour cream, salsa and chopped cilantro.

Tips    - Instead of cumin seeds, you can substitute ½ TBS of ground cumin

- For a less spicy dish, substitute pablano peppers for jalapeno. If using pablanos, they are larger so you don’t need to add the bell peppers. Sometimes I add one yellow and one red bell for flavor and color.

- For a While Vegetarian Chili: omit the ground beef and add an extra can of beans. Use vegetable broth, rather than chicken.

Pita Toast Triangles

I like stuff you can make beforehand. This is one of those recipes. They even freeze well.

Pita Toast Triangles

Pita rounds, separated at the edges with a serrated knife.

Melted butter – brush on the inside of the rounds

Parmesan or Romano cheese – sprinkled on top

Herbs (basil, dill, marjoram or thyme) – sprinkled on top

Cut into 8 wedges, place on baking sheet and bake at 400° for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown.

Tips:   - Easy to make beforehand. Just store in air-tight container and reheat before serving.

Ratatouille

What I like so much about this dish is that each veggie retains its own shape and flavor. Too often I find ratatouille to be a combination resulting in mush. Enjoy hot or cold.

Ratatouille

This is not a quick dish to make, but the outcome is great!  It can be made the day before and actually improves with reheating.

1 lb eggplant

1 lb zucchini

1 tsp salt

4 TBS Olive Oil

½ lb (about 1 ½ cups) thinly sliced yellow onion

1 sliced yellow pepper

1 sliced green pepper

2 cloves garlic, diced fine

1 lb firm, ripe, red tomatoes, peeled, seeded and juiced

Salt and pepper

3 TBS minced parsley

Peel the eggplant and cut into lengthwise slices 3/8 inch thick, about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. Scrub the zucchini, slice off the two ends and cut similarly to the eggplant. Place the veggies in a porcelain, glass or stainless steel bowl and toss with the salt. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain. Dry each slice with paper towels.

One layer at a time, sauté the eggplant and zucchini in hot olive oil until lightly brown; about 1 minute per side.  Set aside.

In the same skillet, cook the onions and peppers slowing in olive oil for about 10 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Stir in the garlic and season to taste.

Slice the tomato pulp into 3/8-inch strips. Lay them over the onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until tomatoes have begun to render their juice. Uncover, baste the tomatoes with the juices, raise the heat and boil for several minutes, until juice has almost entirely evaporated.

Place a third of the tomato mixture in the bottom of a Dutch oven and sprinkle over it 1 TBS of parsley.  Arrange half of the eggplant and zucchini on top, and then half of the remaining tomatoes and parsley. Put in the rest of the eggplant and zucchini, and finish with the remaining tomatoes and parsley.

Cover the casserole and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover and season if necessary.  Raise the heat slightly and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes more, basting several times, until juices have evaporated leaving a spoonful or two of flavored olive oil. Be careful not to burn the vegetables.

Set aside uncovered. Reheat slowly at serving time or serve cold.

Apple-Cranberry Sauce

This is amazingly easy. Though I haven't tried it yet, I bet it cans well.

Apple-Cranberry Sauce

1 pound cranberries, fresh or frozen

1 cup apple cider

1/3 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

In a saucepan, combine the cranberries, cider and sugars. Simmer until the cranberries begin to burst and the sauce thickens, 12 to 15 minutes.

Tips: 

-          This is SO easy to make and so good, I can’t imagine buying it in a can again after I discovered this.

-          I use dark brown sugar but I tend to always do that when brown sugar is called for.

-          I use fresh berries when available. 

Scalloped Corn

My grandmother and my mother made creamed corn when I was growing up and this is close so I have to include it. To be honest, I never cared for it but the recipe list wouldn't be the same without it.

Scalloped Corn

2 cups corn

2 TBS butter

1 ¼ tsp salt

3 eggs

1 ½ cups milk

1 tsp sugar

Combine the ingredients, folding in well beaten eggs last, pour into casserole and bake in moderate oven until custard sets. Serve hot, may be served as meat substitute.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Mustard Vinaigrette

We found this recipe and made it for Thanksgiving and it was huge succes and is now in regular rotation for veggie dishes. I was not a huge fan of Butternut Squash until we found this recipe but it's wonderful. Happy Cooking!

Roasted Butternut Squash with Mustard Vinaigrette

Serves 8

3 small butternut squash (about 2 lbs each) peeled, seeded and cut into ½ inch thick half-moons

8 shallots, coarsely chopped

4 TBS olive oil

1 Cup apple cider

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 TBS apple cider vinegar

1 TBS whole-grain mustard

¼ Cup fresh, flat leaf parsley, chopped

Heat oven to 375°.  Divide the squash and shallots between 2 large baking sheets. Toss the vegetables with a total of 2 TBS of the oil and season with ½ tsp of salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and roast, turning once, until golden brown and tender, about 50-55 minutes.

Meanwhile, simmer the cider in a small saucepan until reduced to ¼ Cup, 12-15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Whisk in the vinegar, mustard, parsley, the remaining 2 TBS of oil and ¼ tsp each of salt and pepper. Transfer squash and shallots to a large serving dish and drizzle with the vinaigrette.

Lorraine's Carrot Casserole

Years ago my wife, Lorraine, found this great recipe in a magazine and it has been a standard at Thanksgiving and Christmas ever since. It's easy to make and transports well warm. Happy Cooking!

Lorraine’s Carrot Casserole

4 Cups sliced carrots

¾ Cup Mayonnaise

2 TBS horseradish

14 Ritz crackers

½ Cup shredded cheddar

¼ Cup chopped onion

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 TBS melted butter

Cook carrots until barely tender. Preheat oven to 375°.

Mix mayo, onions, horseradish, salt and pepper. Combine with carrots and place in casserole. Melt butter and mix with crackers. Spread over carrots. Bake uncovered 10 minutes. Cover with cheese and bake another 10 minutes.

Oatmeal Bread

I have no idea where I got this recipe but it's an easy bread to make as there's no kneading!

Oatmeal Bread

2 Cups boiling water

1 Cup oatmeal

1 cake compressed yeast or dry yeast

½ Cup warm water

½ cup sugar or molasses

5-5 ½ Cups sifted flour

1 TBS salt

3 TBS butter or margarine, softened

Pour boiling water over oatmeal. Stir and allow to cool.

Mix yeast, warm water, ¼ cup sugar (or molasses) and ½ cup flour. Beat until smooth. Proof until light and bubbly. Stir in oatmeal mixture. Add remaining ¼ cup sugar (or molasses), salt and 2 TBS butter. Stir in remaining flour. Brush dough with butter. Cover and let rise until double in bulk.

Punch down and shape into two loaves. Place in greased and lightly floured 8-inch and. Brush top with remaining butter. Cover and let rise again until doubled in bulk. Bake in 375° oven for 50-60 minutes.

Tips:

I prefer yeast cakes over dry yeast but that’s just me. I also opt for molasses and butter vs. sugar and margarine.

Chunky Tomato Soup

This is a very easy, very tastey soup that I found in the Hartford Courant. After you put the soup in a bowl or cup, top with about a Tablesepoon of extra grated cheddar. Goes great with wine!

Chunky Tomato Soup

makes about 9 cups

1 TBS oil

1 Cup diced onion

1 TBS chopped garlic

1 TBS smoked paprika

1 TBS dried basil

1 Cup dry white wine

2 (28-oz) cans diced tomatoes including juice

1 Cup half and half

½ cup cheddar cheese

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat, and add the onions. Cook onions, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. Add garlic, smoked paprika and basil, and stir well.

Pour in the white wine and reduce until almost dry. Add the diced tomatoes and their juice. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and cook 15 minutes.

Stir in the half and half and shredded cheese.

Serve with grilled pita breads and additional cheese.

Cranberry Pie

My mom is a wonderful cook and has made this pie for years. It's a great mix of tart and sweet and almost requires the vanilla ice cream! I serve it no other way.  Happy Cooking and Happy Holidays!

Cranberry Pie

2 Cups fresh cranberries

½ Cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

1 ½ Cups sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 Cup flour

¾ Cup butter, melted

Better a 10-inch pie plate.

Spread in bottom: cranberries, nuts and ½ cup sugar.

Beat the eggs and 1 Cup sugar and beat well. Add flour and melted butter. Beat well and pour over cranberries. Bake at 325 for 60 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Tip – The recipe is right, there is NO baking powder

Chocolate Nemesis

My neighbor Kim is a wonderful cook and was kind enough to share the recipe with me. I've made it several times and just love it. It is VERY rich and tastey.

Chocolate Nemesis

½ cup water

1 cup sugar

1 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped (or 1 lb. bittersweet choc chips)

2 sticks unsalted butter, cut up

7 large eggs, at room temperature

Softly whipped crème fraiche (or whipped cream)

Fresh raspberries for garnish

1)     Preheat oven to 325F. Grease bottom and side of a 9-inch springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Dust side of pan with flour. Set pan on wide sheet of heavy-duty foil and tightly wrap foil up outside of pan to prevent water from leaking in during baking. (I don’t have double wide aluminum foil so I join two pieces by folding over the edges a couple of times, wrap it around the pan and then do it again in the opposite direction to be sure the pan does not leak).

2)     In a 4-quart saucepan, heat water and ½ cup of sugar over medium-high heat until sugar completely dissolves, stirring occasionally. Add chocolate and butter to mixture in saucepan; stir constantly until melted. Remove pan from heat; cool chocolate mixture slightly, about 30 minutes.

3)     Meanwhile, in large bowl, with mixer at high speed (mix don’t whisk!), beat eggs with remaining ½ cup of sugar 6 to 8 minutes or until mixture thickens and triples in volume. With wire whisk, fold warm chocolate mixture into egg mixture until complete blended.

4)     Pour batter into prepared springform pan; place in large (17” by 11 ½”) roasting pan and set on oven rack. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up side of springform pan.

5)     Bake cake 30 – 35 minutes or until edge begins to set and a thin crust forms on top. Carefully remove springform pan from water bath and place on wire rack. Cook cake to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

6)     About 30 minutes before serving, run sharp knife around edge of pan to loosen cake; remove foil and side of pan. Invert cake onto waxed paper; peel off parchment. Turn cake right side up onto platter. Serve with whipped cream and berries.

Chocolate Rum Balls

These are SOOO good. A great friend of mine, who's a wonderful cook, gave me the recipe. They are more fudge than cookie and the rum and orange taste is subtle. Happy Cooking!!

Chocolate Rum Balls

6 oz. choc. chips

1/2 cup orange juice

3 TBS rum

1pkg. (8-5.oz) chocolate wafer cookies...crushed

2 cups confectioners sugar

1 cup walnuts finely chopped

1 container 4 oz. chocolate sprinkles

Melt chips in top of a double boiler. Remove from heat and blend in orange juice and rum. Stir in cookie crumbs, sugar and nuts. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Roll into balls and roll in the sprinkles. Store in a cool place in airtight container. If adding cookies to a Christmas tray, put in zip lock bag to keep moist.

Championship Chocolate Chip Bars

These are just plain evil!

Championship Chocolate Chip Bars

1 ½ Cup all–purpose flour

½ Cup packed dark brown sugar

½ Cup (1 stick) cold butter or margarine (I used real butter)

2 Cups (12 oz. package) Semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

1 can (14 oz.) Sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)

1. Heat oven to 350˙.

2. Stir together flour and brown sugar in medium bowl; with pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in ½ cup chocolate chips; press mixture onto bottom of 13X9X2-inch baking pan. Bake 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, egg and vanilla. Stir in remaining 1 ½ cups chips and nuts. Spread over baked crust. Continue baking 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Makes about 36 bars. (I cut them smaller)

Pie Crust

As much as I love baking, I always shied away from pies because I could never make a decent crust.  I would even use store bought, ready-to-bake crusts because even those came out better than I could make. Fortunately, my sister-in-law Janice makes the best pie crust on the planet! After a visit where we both made an apple pie side by side, I got the hang of it.  Mine STILL don’t come out as well as hers do so the recipe is no guarantee, but if you follow it you’ll end up with a pretty darn good crust. Happy Cooking!

Pie Crust

For one, 9” pie

1 1/3 Cup sifted, all-purpose flour

½ tsp salt

½ Cup Crisco shortening

3 TBS ice cold water

Put glass bowl, water and pastry knife in the freezer until very cold. When the water forms a skim of ice it’s perfect and the bowl and knife will be cold as well.

Mix flour and salt in cold bowl. Cut in the Crisco until dough forms pea-sized pieces. Do not overwork the dough. Toss with cold water until sticky – about 2-3 tablespoons. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 10 minutes.

Place two sheets of wax paper on counter. Sprinkle with flour. Flatten dough and sprinkle with flour. Cover with 2^nd sheet. Roll thin and transfer to pie shell.

Tips:

- Make sure everything is cold. That’s the secret.

- Don’t overwork the dough. It should just barely hold together in a ball.

- You can make the dough ahead of time and just roll it out when you need it.

Jim's Pecan Pie

I am a big pecan pie fan and tried at least 10 recipes. Eventually I just came up with my own recipe. Because I use a mixure of honey and molasses instead of kayro syrup, it's darker in color and not quite as sweet.

Jim’s Pecan Pie

Pastry for 9-inch One-Crust Pie

3 eggs

2/3 cup sugar

½ tsp salt

1/3 cup margarine or butter, melted

½ cup Honey

½ cup Molasses

1 cup pecan halves or broken pieces

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare pastry. Beat eggs, sugar, salt, butter, molasses and honey with hand mixer. Stir in pecans. Pour into pastry-lined pie plate.

Bake until set, about 40-45 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve warm or refridgerate.

Tips;

The pie will solidify somewhat as it cools so it will still be slightly jelly-like when you take it out. A knife will come out clean though when it’s done.

It freezes well so you can make it ahead of time. After baking, cool pie 2 hours. Freeze uncovered for at least 3 hours. Wrap and return to freezer no longer than one month.

It may look over-cooked but it’s the molasses that makes it dark so don’t worry about it.