Chili

I first made this chili recipe on Christmas Eve but I forgot to photograph the results. Oh well, I guess I would have to just make it again! It was zero degrees here in Denver last night so eating homemade chili sounded like a perfect idea. I also got to use the powerful chili powder that came in a set of Penzey's Spices. Thank you, Susan!

I browsed many recipes online and settled on this one. I did leave out the oregano but that is the only change I made. Peter LOVED it and I have a feeling he will be fighting me over the leftovers! I whipped up a quick batch of corn muffins to accompany the chili. This was a wonderful cold weather meal and now I wish I had made more. It's four degrees here today!

Chili
1 pound ground beef or turkey
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder*
1/2 teaspoon cumin*
1 teaspoon hot sauce (I used this one)*
28 ounces crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

* Start with these amounts and then taste after simmering.

Crumble the ground turkey into a stock pot or large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook stirring frequently until turkey is evenly browned. Drain off excess grease.

Season with chili powder, cumin and hot sauce. Stir in the tomatoes and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 1 hour – or longer if you have time. Stir occasionally to prevent burning on the bottom.

Crack Brownies

Your eyes do not deceive you. These are called crack brownies...because they are addictive like a drug. No, seriously you won't be able to stop eating them.

When Peter and I first started dating we loved to pick up a Pink's Pizza at least once a week. If you have never tried one of their pizzas and you live in Houston, you are really missing out. Our regular order was a large with tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and artichoke hearts. BEST PIZZA EVER. One of the first times we picked up a pizza we noticed that they were selling a dessert called "crack brownies" by the register. Peter wanted to try one, this was before he knew he had Type 1 diabetes, so we took a few home with us. They were amazing and I wanted to know how to make them at home. I literally disected the last few bites of mine to figure out how to make them, The next week I gave it a try and we thought they turned out better than the brownies at Pink's.

We used to eat these way too often but it's been about a year since the last time I made them. Peter likes to tease that these brownies caused his diabetes, of course we know that is not the case, but we did eat them A LOT in the months before his diagnosis.

There are a lot of versions of this recipe all over the internet. I tinkered with a few, made changes and finally settled on this (my own) version. Enjoy!

I found that using a disposable aluminum pan works better than one you want to keep. I have had to cut the sides to get the brownies out...

Crack Brownies
1 box German chocolate cake mix
10 caramel candies
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour a 9x13 baking pan. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix and melted butter. Mix by hand until dough forms. It will kind of resemble a big tootsie roll. Divide the dough in half.

Take one half of the dough and spread it thinly on the bottom of the pan. Make sure the edges rise up about 1/2 inch along all sides of the pan. The raised edges will act like walls that will keep the caramel from spilling over the sides.

In a saucepan over medium heat, mix the caramels and evaporated milk, stirring continuously until completely melted. Immediately pour the caramel mixture over the first layer of dough. Make sure the dough is completely covered. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.

On a floured work surface, roll out the remaining dough to the dimensions of your baking pan. Gently press the dough over the caramel and chocolate chips, until completely covered.

Bake for twenty minutes, remove from over and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Serve cold.

Spinach, Ricotta and Mushroom Ravioli with Homemade Marinara

Thanks to Mike and Cindy, I am the proud new owner of a new pasta maker! I decided to try it out but I had a hard time deciding which type of pasta to make. I have done the goat cheese thing and I hate marscapone, so I settled on ricotta. I searched for a yummy recipe but in the end I went with what I like. I kind of just made this up as I went along and it turned out great! I also had a new, smaller ravioli stamp. Now I don't always have to make the GIANT raviolis!

I know I have posted a pasta sauce recipe before, but I wanted to try something different. The other one is still very good but also very time consuming to make. This one only takes about thirty minutes from start to finish and is just as delicious! Peter said he still likes the other one better but he's not the one spending hours in front of the stove so sometimes he will have to deal with the easier version!

For the pasta dough recipe, please see this post.

Spinach, Ricotta and Mushroom Ravioli
1 1/2 cups chopped spinach, thawed, patted dry
2 cups button mushrooms, sliced
2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup parmesan reggiano cheese, grated
1 tablespoon olive oil
pinch nutmeg
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Just before it begins to smoke, add the mushrooms and saute for ten minutes. Add the chopped spinach and cook for three minutes.

Move the mushroom and spinach mixture into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until course. In a large bowl, combine the mushrooms and spinach with the ricotta and parmesan reggiano. Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix thouroughly.


Homemade Marinara Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 cup red wine
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper

In a medium stockpot, heat the olive oil, add the onions and simmer until translucent, five to ten minutes. Add garlic and simmer for one minute. Add wine on high heat and cook until the liquid evaporates. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, parsley and salt and pepper for three minutes. Simmer fifteen minutes.

On one half of the pasta dough, drop a teaspoon of the filling, 2 inches apart. Fold over the other half of the dough, like a blanket. Press air out of the pockets. Use knife, or ravioli stamp, to cut into squares. Crimp edges with fork, unless you have used a stamp. Brush ravioli with egg wash. Dust ravioli and sheet pan with cornmeal, lay out to dry.

Bring 3 quarts of salted and oiled water to boil in a large pasta pot. Add three or four ravioli at a time, as not to crowd them, and cook for two or three minutes. Remove, plate and cover in a foil tent until you have finished cooking all of the ravioli.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

I LOVE tomato soup. My favorite store bought soup is the Pacific brand. I like to add a dash of red pepper flakes and a sliced clove of garlic. It's the perfect lunch!

A few months ago I decided to try making my own tomato soup. I did a lot of research, tried a few recipes and finally settled on this version. It is easy to make and perfect on a cold night!


Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
1 1/2 pounds roma tomatoes
1 can (14 ounces) peeled tomatoes, whole
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cups fresh basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 quart chicken stock (I like the Pacific low-sodium kind)
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon and 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss roma tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread in one layer on baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes.

In a stockpot over medium heat, saute onions, garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, butter and red pepper flakes until onions begin to brown. Add canned tomatoes, basil, thyme and chicken stock. Add roasted tomatoes with liquid and bring to boil. Simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Use an emulsion blender to blend the remaining tomato chunks. Garnish with fresh basil.

Filet of Beef and Corn Casserole

After Thanksgiving I decided that turkey, while very tasty, was not what I wanted to prepare for Christmas dinner. Peter wanted duck but I wasn't convinced so I settled on a filet of beef. I had to do some research because I wanted to make sure I didn't screw it up! I found this recipe on the Food Network site. It was a HUGE hit! I also made the gorgonzola sauce. Peter loved it but I wasn't very impressed. I may try another sauce next time.
I discovered this yummy casserole a few years ago on The Food Network. It was right around Thanksgiving so I took this side dish over to our family celebration in Alvin. Everyone said they loved it and I really hope they weren't lying to me!

I don't make this often, it's better suited for caloric blowout holidays, but it sure is tasty! You can skip the cheddar cheese if you're watching your figure.

Filet of Beef

1 whole filet of beef (4 to 5 pounds), trimmed and tied

2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Place the beef on a baking sheet and pat the outside dry with a paper towel. Spread the butter on with your hands. Sprinkle evenly with the salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for exactly 22 minutes for rare and 25 minutes for medium-rare.

Remove the beef from the oven, cover it tightly with aluminum foil, and allow it to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. Remove the strings and slice the filet thickly.

Corn Casserole
1 box corn muffin mix
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 package frozen broccoli
2 cloves garlic, chopped
8 ounces cottage cheese
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (optional)
1/2 cup milk
1 stick unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the corn muffin mix, milk, garlic and cottage cheese.

In a large oven safe skillet, melt the butter ovr medium heat. Saute the onions and broccoli until tender. Pour the corn muffin mixture over the veggies, sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake in oven for 30 minutes. Slice, serve warm.

Luby's Macaroni and Cheese

Oh, how I love Luby's. I spent many a Sunday afternoon ordering the following:

Lu Ann Platter
Fried Chicken
DOUBLE Macaroni and Cheese
Red Jell-O
Cloverleaf Roll
Lemonade

Now, I know that is not a necessarily a healthy meal but it was THE meal of my childhood and sometimes a girl needs a little reminder of the state from which she hails.

I tried this recipe last week but it just didn't turn out they way it should. I gave it another try and it was right on! I think that the first time the water wasn't hot enough. This time after I removed the macaroni, I put the pot back on the burner and brought the water to a boil, again. I placed my mixing bowl right next to the stove and slowly added the boiling water, while whisking in the cheese. It was much creamier this time. I also like to put the dish under the broiler for a minute or two, just to give it that crusty, brown top.

Now I don't have to worry about convincing Luby's management to expand into Colorado...

Luby's Macaroni and Cheese
2 cups dry elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons dry nonfat milk powder
2 tablespoonsall-purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 1/2 cups boiling water
3 cups mild cheddar cheese, shredded (not pre-shredded)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook macaroni to package instructions. Remove from pot, keeping pasta water. Return the pot to high heat and boil.

In a large bowl, mix the milk powder, flour and melted butter. Gradually add the boiling water, whisking constantly. Add 1 1/2 cups of the cheese and keep whisking. Beat until smooth and creamy. Stir in macaroni, 1 cup of the cheese and salt. Transfer to greased baking dish. Top with remaining cheese, cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.

Optional: place baking dish under high broiler until golden brown.

Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp

I decided that this week we would eat whatever is on hand Monday through Wednesday. Thursday my parents arrive and I will be cooking up a storm Friday and Saturday! I was looking through our freezer and found some leftover shrimp. I searched online for a yummy seafood sauce and a lemon garlic butter sauce caught my eye. It fit the bill, it looked easy and I could prepare it with ingredients I already had in my kitchen. I did have to adapt it a bit because I didn't have fresh herbs but I think it turned out great! I also halved the amount of butter because yikes, the original recipe called for a TON of butter!

I served the shrimp over brown rice. A little tip- use equal parts water and chicken stock. This makes for much tastier rice! Skip the butter option altogether.

Shrimp with Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon garlic, sliced
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt
black pepper

Heat olive oil over medium heat in non-stick pan. Dredge the shrimp in flour, shake off excess. Fry in olive oil until golden brown. Remove, let rest on paper towel.

Melt the butter in the pan. Add the garlic and fry until fragrant. Add the oregano, remove from heat. Carefully add the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon over shrimp.

Roasted Chicken and Brussel Sprouts

Recently I was reading Anthony Bourdain's Medium Raw. He writes,

"Everyone should be able to roast a chicken. And they should be able to do it well."

I read that and immediately realized that I did not know how to roast a chicken. What would Anthony think???

My original idea was to roast a whole chicken but I chickened out (haha) and decided to start with roasting chicken breast. I found this easy looking recipe and went for it. OMG, best chicken ever! I cannot express just how much I love this roasted chicken. It is perfection.

A few years ago I wouldn't have touched a brussel sprout. No way, no how. All of that changed when I tried the brussel sprouts at Beaver's back in Houston. That was also the night I tried turnips for the first time but I will save those for another post. I prepared brussel sprouts that next week and they were a huge hit! Now they are firmly in the rotation and if we go too long without having them Peter will kindly let me know.

I like to buy the pre-trimmed brussel sprouts in a bag but you can certainly purchase them on the stem.

I will blog about the macaroni and cheese later...I need to tinker with the recipe.

Roasted Chicken
2 skin-on chicken breasts
1 head garlic, unpeeled
2 sprigs rosemary
2 slices crusty bread
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons water
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in an oven-proof skillet. Once again, I like cast iron but any oven-proof skillet will do. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, cook skin down for fives minutes or until browned. Flip chicken, top with the garlic and 2 sprigs of rosemary. Transfer to oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until moist. Remove from oven and let chicken rest on a cutting board.

Add the white wine vinegar to skillet and scrape the brown bits. Add the water and simmer for 2 minutes.

Place the bread on a platter and top with the chicken. Pour the white wine sauce over the chicken and bread.

Brussel Sprouts
1 bag brussel sprouts, rinsed and trimmed
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
black pepper

Bring three cups of water to a boil. Add the brussel sprouts and boil on high for 8 minutes. Remove and drain. After cooling, cut each brussel sprout in half.

In a large saute pan add the olive oil and garlic over medium heat. When you start to smell the garlic (before it browns, about 1 minute) add the halved brussel sprouts. Saute in pan until the brussel sprouts begin to brown. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Butternut Squash Soup

I tried butternut squash soup before but had never been very impressed. A few weeks after we moved to Denver, I was at Whole Foods and saw the biggest butternut squash I had ever seen. It was huge. I was inspired to make my own butternut squash soup from scratch. This is what you do when you have a lot of time on your hands! A little internet research led me to this recipe from the Food Network website. I made a few slight changes to my version but it's pretty much the same as the original.

I did have to invest in an emulsion blender but I have been able to use it when cooking a lot of other dishes so I don't feel like I wasted my money.

I like to top the soup with four slices of a french baguette topped with melted fontina cheese and chopped sage. It's heaven in a bowl and perfect on a cold night. Peter likes it so much that I make way more than we need, refrigerate it and serve it to him for lunch throughout the week. I have also kept in frozen for days and then made another dinner out of it later in the week. If you do this, make sure you add a touch of the chicken stock when heating the frozen soup in a pot. It will help it melt evenly and give it an even richer flavor.

Butternut Squash Soup
3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 3/4 inch pieces (about 7-8 cups)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup sage leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper

In large stockpot, melt the butter and oil over medium heat. Add onion and carrot, saute for five minutes. Stir in garlic, 30 seconds. Add squash and chicken stock, bring to boil. Add sage and boil for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, cool for 5 minutes and use emulsion blender to blend unitl smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.

Crostini

1/2 baguette, sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch thick slices

extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves

6 thin slices fontina cheese 

salt

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sage. Place the cheese on top and season with salt, to taste. Bake until cheese has melted and the bread is light golden, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Goat Cheese and Sun Dried Tomato Chicken

This is another oldie but goodie. I love goat cheese in just about everything so it's no surprise that we end up eating this a lot. The first time I made this I used sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil but I think it works better with the sun dried tomatoes in a bag. I would love to link the Whole Foods 365 Brand sun dried tomatoes but the web Gods won't let me. Boo.



Goat Cheese and Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
1 small log goat cheese, softened
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lay chicken on a greased baking sheet. Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil on chicken. Smear 1/3 log of goat cheese and 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes. Roll chicken and secure using cooking twine at either end and in the middle.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until chicken reaches 160 degrees. Remove cooking twine and serve warm.