30 Minute Chili

This recipe, from Martha Stewart, makes eight plus - one-cup servings. 

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 medium onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 can(6 ounces) tomato paste
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chilies in  adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 pounds ground beef chuck
3 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes in juice
1 bottle (12 ounces) mild lager beer
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional) 

I used two pounds of ground beef and added an extra can of beans. 
Substituted the chipotle chilies for canned diced green chili peppers. Skipped the beer too! 

DIRECTIONS

ONE

In a Dutch oven or large (5-quart) heavy pot, heat oil over
medium-high heat.  Add onions and garlic. Season with salt and
pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes

TWO

Add tomato paste, chili powder, chili peppers, 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.

THREE

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. Sprinkle with cheese, if desired. 

Very easy, tasty chili...

What happened to 2011??

2011 came and went so fast I can't believe its over!

For Christmas we hosted a brunch for the family. My contribution was oven baked french toast courtesy of Paula Deen. She didn't actually make it for us, just supplied the recipe. 

Baked French Toast with Maple Syrup

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Inactive Prep Time: 8 hours

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)  Go for the max ounces -

 I had extra egg mixture at the end. Next time a larger pan too. 

Also, I used an electric knife to cut the bread. Made the process so much easier. 

8 large eggs

2 cups half-and-half

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

dash salt

Praline Topping, recipe follows

Maple Syrup

The wine is for later!

Directions

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. 

The electric knife make nice even slices

Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 x 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows,

overlapping the slices.

I had bread left over

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not to bubbly.

No butter?

Pour mixture over the bread slices, 

making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture.

Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices.

Now the wine!

Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Praline Topping

1/2 bound (2 sticks) butter, no kidding Paula!

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well.  

I'm a messy cook

Looks appetizing doesn't it?

Spread the Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, 

until puffed and lightly golden. 

Serve with maple syrup. (Actually no one used the syrup because the topping was quite sweet and the toast was moist enough)

All the sugar set off the smoke alarm! That's when you know its done...

Everybody said it was good! Thanks Paula!!

Is it November already?

Auntie M's Chicken and Dressing


1 Package poultry dressing

1/2 Cube melted butter

1 Cup water

Mix lightly and put half of the dressing mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan

2 1/2 Cups cooked diced chicken of your liking

1/2 Cup chopped onion

1 Can sliced water chestnuts

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1/2 Cup mayonnaise

1/2 Cup chopped celery

Combine like you would a chicken salad and place over 

dressing in the pan then add the other half of the dressing on top of the chicken

Now beat 2 eggs with 1 1/2 cups milk

Pour the egg mixture over the casserole and 

refrigerate overnight

Take casserole out of fridge one hour before baking

to reach room temperature

Spread 1 can mushroom soup over all and

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes, give or take

Makes 6 to 8 servings or

2 really large ones

Hot Milk With Garlic

Leite e Alho

A home remedy of Azorean Grandmothers

Good for chest colds

Drink it as hot as possible at

bedtime for best results

1 cup milk

4 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon sugar

or honey

Slightly crush the peeled garlic cloves.

Drop the garlic into the milk and bring to the simmering point.

Continue to simmer for a minute or two but do not let it boil.

Strain the milk into a cup and stir in the sugar/honey. 

A little too much milk and sugar

Portuguese ketchup!

No not really.  But it does have two of the most popular Portuguese spices in it, 

Cinnamon and Allspice.

It doesn't seem very complicated to prepare and as Uncle Vic would say,  
sounds tasty...

This recipe is from the Global Healing Center newsletter. 

Xylitol is a sugar substitute and from what I have read it measures the same as

regular sugar.  I believe organic sugar could work too.  Just thinking...

Vegetables and Stuff

EAT YOUR VEGGIES!!

Portuguese Beans

1 Pound bag of white beans

1 Can tomato sauce

1/2 Pound of bacon

Green and yellow onion - chopped

Garlic

Cumin, cinnamon, 2 tablespoons of chile powder, 1/2 cup maple syrup and

the ever popular allspice 

Salt

Wash beans - cook without salt and bring to a fast boil - drain

Cover beans with water, about 1 inch above the beans, and bring to another boil

Simmer until cooked, about 2 hours

Add salt to the beans after they are cooked

Chop bacon and fry

Save the grease to saute the onion and garlic

Turn off the heat and add the spices and maple syrup to the onions

Then add this mixture with the tomato sauce to the beans reheat and serve

Fried Fava Beans

Soak dry fava beans in water overnight

Remove the white skin and split the beans in half

Dry them well on paper towels

Heat oil in a deep saucepan, keeping the heat at medium to low

Add the beans and fry until golden brown

Drain on a plate with more paper towels

Salt to taste

Portuguese Peas

1 Large can peas

1 Small can tomato sauce

1 Onion sliced

Fry onions, add tomato sauce, cumin, allspice :) 

cinnamon, a drop of vinegar and the peas

Mix well

Aunt Glorias' Six Oh Five Meat Loaf Pie

6:05's her nick name, she'd call me at that time every night

1 Can cream of mushroom soup (reserve half)

1 Pound of ground beef

1/4 Cup chopped onion

1 Egg slightly beaten

1/4 Cup dry bread crumbs

2 Tablespoons chopped parsley

1/4 tsp salt and pepper

TOPPING

2 Cups mashed potatoes

1/2 Can of the soup

1/4 Cup shredded cheese

Mix the first seven items thoroughly

Press into a 9 inch pie plate

Bake @350 for 25-45 minutes till done

Drain fat from pan

Frost with potatoes and 1/2 can of soup

Sprinkle with the cheese

Bake 10 minutes more until cheese has melted 

and is golden brown