How's the weather? Pretty Chili.

There are certain weather conditions that we associate with food. For example, in the summer it's all about the fresh fruit and salads to keep you cool. But what about when mother nature has a cold? That's when we turn to our heavy pots and go back to our roots: Chili. Who doesn't have a memory of their mother making chili on a mild winter day. Perhaps dad was having the guys over for football or my brother invited his always hungry friends over. Regardless the occasion, it is the ultimate comfort food to warm your heart and fill your stomach. My chili combines some unique ingredients that put this dish over the top. Bon appetit!

You'll need:

2-1/2 lbs. ground chuck, as lean as possible
1 lb. ground pork
1 cup finely chopped red onion
4 garlic cloves, grated
8 oz. tomato sauce, I used Hunts
1 cup water
1 bottle beer, any non flavored beer will do
3 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp instant beef bouillon (or 6 cubes)
2 Tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp fresh chopped oregano
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp ground instant coffee
1 tsp cornmeal
1 tsp flour
1 tsp warm water

In a large pot, brown half of the meat until cooked through, then drain and set aside. Brown the other half as well, but this time keep 4 Tbsp of grease in pan, as well as meat. Add garlic and onions and saute until tender. Add rest of reserved meat and tomato sauce, beer, water, chili powder, bouillon, cumin, paprika, oregano, sugar, coriander, coffee, cocoa and hot sauce. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce to simmer and simmer 3 hours.

In a small bowl, mix together flour and cornmeal, then slowly add water while mixing. Stir into chili, recover and cook an additional 30 mins.

  These are corn muffins I made to serve with my chili, and topped it off with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.

Hello, Pumpkin!

Fall. Who doesn't love fall? If you live up north, it's when the leaves all turn to amber, gold and copper and the crisp, cold breeze is in the air. And if you live down south, it's when that 80 degree "cold front" comes through and you can actually enjoy the outdoors instead of avoiding them.  I am a pumpkin lover. Pumpkin muffins, cookies, risotto, soup.. you name it, I'll eat it. So it's no surprise that there I was, in Publix on October 1st, asking for canned pumpkin. You may think canned pumpkin seems like a shortcut, but that's because it is!! Who needs to get all goopey and messy when all you need is a can opener and a spoon. Now that is easy!! Here's my simple and delicious way to make old fashioned pumpkin bread. And for my chocolate lovers out there, you can throw in a bag of jumbo semi sweet chocolate chips!

1-15 oz can pumpkin puree
4 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cups water
3 cups granulated sugar
3-1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground cinnamon
1 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray 3 small loaf pans with non stick cooking spray. The disposable pans are cheap, durable and leave you with no clean up!

In a large bowl mix together the eggs, pumpkin, oil, water and sugar until combined. In a smaller separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt and all 4 spices, and slowly add this to the wet pumpkin mixture. Stir until combined, but don't over mix! Pour into pans and bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

What to do with 50 minutes?

Pop open a brewski and enjoy the home-made fall air freshener that is baking in your oven.

Bake Sale

Anytime I have the opportunity to help out a great cause, I'm all in! My work is hosting a bake sale in which 100% of the proceeds go to St. Jude's Children's Hospital . I decided to make chocolate chunk brownies and red velvet cupcakes. Don't you just want to dig right in?    (I have to keep telling myself, " It's for the kids, it's for the kids, it's for the kids")

Chocolate-Chunk Brownies

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Apple (Of His Eye) Crisp

Apple crisp is a classic fall dessert, that is warm and inviting. And it is practically begging to be eaten with Haagen Dazs vanilla bean ice cream. I had a delightful conversation today with my first love, requesting that I make this dish and put it online for him to see. And no, I'm not speaking about an ex-boyfriend or a kindergarten crush. The man I spoke with earlier, my rock, my hero, was my daddy. A favorite of his, my mom made apple crisp frequently. Well, frequently enough for him to get his fill, then request it again. This is apple crisp with a twist. I used not-quite-ripe nectarines as well, because they have a peachy flavor, but the familiar texture and crunch of an apple. Let's hope this warms his heart (and stomach). Thinking of you, dad. Xoxo

 Apple-Nectarine Crisp

7 cups red delicious apples, cored and sliced, peeled if preferred

3 cups nectarines, pitted and sliced

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup water

1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 tsp ground cinnamon

   

Crisp Topping

1 cup quick-cook oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 tsp vanilla extract 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place sliced apples and nectarines in a buttered 13x9 inch glass pan. Mix white sugar, 1 Tbsp flour and cinnamon together and sprinkle over fruit mixture. Pour water evenly over entire thing. 

Combine oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, melted butter and vanilla together. Crumble mixture with hands evenly over apples and nectarines. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. 

Remove from oven, cool slightly and serve with vanilla ice cream. 

Fresh out of the oven

It's a tough job... But someone has to eat it!

Comfort Food 101: Pot Roast

Growing up, the easiest solution for weekday dinners in my family was pot roast. My mom would throw everything in the pot at 7 a.m. as we were all scrambling to find our backpacks and homework for school that morning. By 6:00 when dad was home, supper was on the table. And man, did it smell good! Mom's pot roast always included meat, potatoes and carrots. There was never an issue over not finishing this meal, mostly because of our healthy family competitions of who could eat all their food first. (Dad usually won.) This is a more grown up version of my mother's go-to meal, but nonetheless, delicious. It is classic beef pot roast, served with a carrot risotto.

I don't use exact measurements, but I'm a pretty good guesser ;)


For the roast:

Large Chuck Roast (inexpensive and great for low and slow cooking)
1/2 bottle of Pinot Noir
1 quart of unsalted beef stock (control your own salt)
1 bag of fresh carrots, washed and chopped
1 bag frozen pearl onions, thawed
1 bundle of thyme, tied with cooking string
Salt and pepper, to taste

Place a large, heavy bottomed pan on top of your stove and heat on medium-high. Add enough Extra Virgin Olive Oil to coat bottom of pan. While oil is heating, season your roast on both sides with salt and pepper. When oil is hot, sear beef on all sides until it has a golden brown crust on it. Remove meat from pan to rest. While meat is resting, deglaze the pan with wine and beef stock, getting all those yummy bits off the bottom. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer, and place meat back in pan. Add the chopped carrots, thyme bundle and thawed onions. Cover and remain on low heat for 4-5 hours.

Carrot puree:

Remove cooked carrots and onions from beef pot and place in blender with 1 cup of cooking liquid and 1/4 cup red wine. Blend until smooth.


Risotto:

1-1/2 cups Arborio Rice
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
Carrot puree
Hot beef stock

Place large non-stick skillet on medium heat and add olive oil. Add rice to pan, and coat with olive oil. Once coated, add a ladleful of puree to rice and stir continuously until rice has absorbed most of the carrot. Then add 1 ladleful of hot stock, and stir until liquid is absorbed. Repeat for about 20 minutes, or until rice is tender and risotto has a creamy consistency.


Hope you try this recipe and enjoy it as much as my family did tonight! Leave a comment and let me know how it went!!!

Thyme Machine

Hello there,

Cooking has been a passion of mine since I was a young child making homemade cherry pies with my grandmother on warm summer afternoons. There was something about the way she held my hands while kneading the dough, explaining every step, and letting me taste test before anyone else. Food for me is a time machine, where I can go back to any memory simply by smell and taste. There is nothing better than that. I invite you to share in my memories and to follow as I make new ones for my family and friends. Here's to simple, delicious cooking that will be revisited for years to come.