We’ve had a relatively mild winter here with plenty of warm days scattered in. I feel like, in a way, it makes the cold days worse. Today it’s chilly and rainy and suddenly feels like arctic tundra.
What does that mean? Comfort food, of course. This veggie-loaded chili is just perfect for a rainy Lenten Friday.
Continue readingIt’s been a week for comfort food around here. When you’re feeling low, is there anything better than a bowl of chili? Not really, especially when it’s this easy to make.
This buffalo chicken chili is perfect for cool fall days – and simple enough for a weeknight.
When I was pregnant with Jake, I used to crave everything pizza. I joked that this blog was going to turn into “how many different ways can you make pizza”. With Julie, it was burgers. Now that I’m a mom? I feel like I’m constantly trying to remix my kids’ number one request – hot dogs.
These fun hot dog sliders are the perfect, kid-friendly party food for the big game. The slider size is perfect for the snacky occasion, and gives you the opportunity to customize them up differently based on everyone’s tastes. They’re novel enough that the adults will enjoy them, but they’re hot dogs, so they’ll win the kids’ hearts too.
Note: I received complimentary products for this post. All opinions are my own.
One of my favorite parts of #Choctoberfest is getting a chance to show how versatile chocolate can be. Everyone always jumps to cakes and brownies, but there’s so much more than that – how about some chocolate for dinner?
This delicious chili uses a full bar of Forte chocolate but if you’re thinking “chocolate with meat? gross!”, you’ve got it all wrong. The chocolate isn’t going to be obvious when you dig in, but it add a great depth of flavor and an amazing smoothness to the chili.
Forte is offering a special deal during Choctoberfest – use code CHOCTOBERFEST2018 for buy 3 get 1 free chocolate bars.
Whisky Chocolate Bacon Chili
(adapted from Wallflower Kitchen)
Serves 6
8 slices of bacon, chopped
2 lbs. ground beef
1 red onion, diced
2 red peppers, diced
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. cumin
1/4 cup whiskey
2 oz. dark chocolate (I used Forte 64% dark)
Green onions, chopped
In a large pot, crisp the chopped bacon over medium high heat. When cooked, remove the bacon to a bowl with a slotted spoon but leave the drippings. Add the ground beef and brown, breaking up the chunks as you go. When it’s about halfway cooked, add in the onion and peppers. Cook until the meat is no longer pink and the onion is soft.
Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, chili powder, cayenne, paprika and cumin. Bring to a boil. Stir in the whisky and half of the bacon. Reduce to low and simmer for an hour.
Stir in the dark chocolate until melted and evenly combined. Serve topped with chopped green onions and remaining bacon.
A note: The #foodbloggers4tx event was organized before Hurricane Irma started marching her destructive path through the Caribbean and Florida. While today’s post reflects on Harvey and helping those still picking up the pieces, my heart is with those in Irma’s wake, too – and I’ll have a post up with ways to help soon.
We, like most of the rest of the country, watched as Hurricane Harvey pummeled Texas. It’s so hard to watch so many people lose everything in these situations – where nature just takes over and nothing you do will help.
When it’s my neighbors or friends that are struggling, I tend to cook. Food is my love language, so a dinner or try of baked goods always makes be feel like I’m doing something good. But when the trouble is hundreds of miles away, I turn to groups that already on the ground feeding people – in this case, Houston Food Bank.
It’s hard to downplay how much good local organizations like the Houston Food Bank do. If you’re looking for a way to help out, donating to them is a great way.
Texas-Style Chili
(from House of Yum)
Serves 4
1 lb. ground beef
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup beef broth
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. onion power
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
Fritos, shredded cheddar, and chopped red onion, optional, for serving
Brown the ground beef in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking up, until no longer pink. Drain the grease and add the tomato sauce, broth, and tomato paste. Stir to combine. Stir in all spices until well combined.
Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Serve the chili over Fritos, topped with cheese and onion, if desired.
Friday is the official first day of spring and it’s actually starting to feel like spring here. This winter was pretty brutal with the below-freezing temperatures and ice storms, so I’m relishing the fact that most afternoons it’s warm enough for walking outside.
We are still getting a few cold days, though – my Mother-in-law texted a few days ago she was getting snow! – so I’ve been using them to cook a few more wintery dishes that I know I won’t want to make in a few weeks. (Bring on grilling weather!)
We usually make chili with ground beef, so the chunks of beef in this one were a nice change of pace. It packs a nice flavor punch for the minimal number of ingredients and is definitely something I’ll break out again next winter!
Steak Chili
(from Damn Delicious)
Serves 6
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. stew meat, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
Slat and pepper, to taste
1 red onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 jalapenos, minced
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 15 oz. cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1-2 cups water
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese, for serving
In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat olive oil until shimmering. Season meat with salt and pepper and add tohot pot. Cook for about 2 minutes, turning so that all sides brown. Add in onion, garlic andjalapenos and cook 2-3 minutes, until fragrant. Add in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, kidney beans and enough water so that everything is covered. Stir well to combine.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 1 1/2 – 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded cheese.