Chili of the gods

A few nights ago I threw together a pan of chili in a hurry that ended up as fantastic. I wanted to write it down before I forgot so I can make it again.

Start off with:
~1/2 Lb lean ground pork
1 small onion diced
1/4 red pepper diced
1 can mushrooms with the juice
1 stalk celery diced up fine
1T minced garlic
1 t oregano
1/2 t red pepper flakes
2-3T chili powder (to taste...I used at least 3 -I'm just guessing here)
~3/4 t cinnamon
1 veg bullion cube

Brown up the meat in a splash of olive oil and toss in the veg for a few minutes to saute. Add spices and stir a minute more and then add:
~1 c red wine (I used a cheap merlot) and continue to stir until liquid is nearly gone and veg are clear. At this point, stir in and 1 large T of molasses and ~1 t of good mustard powder (you could probably add a squirt of fresh stuff). Simmer a minute. Then add:

1 small can spicy pizza sauce
1 large can diced tomatoes with chili peppers
1/2 c salsa

Let simmer ~ 5 min to incorporate flavours. Adjust chili powder and add a bit more garlic or pepper if desired. Right before you eat, stir in:
large can black beans, drained and rinsed
large can chic peas, drained rinsed

Cook to warm through and serve with soft buns or some rice. It was enough for a few days of yummy bowls of chili. Chock full of good stuff :)

mexican corn bean salad

It's been a while. Sorry. Some time I'll catch up on all my recipes as of late (some have photos even) but for now, I thought I'd share with you the Mexican style salad I had for supper last night, along with some marinated BBQ'd pork tenderloin and tin foil steamed snap peas. It was deeeelicious.

2 c romaine lettuce
1/2 c corn (I thawed out some peaches and cream corn)
1 c cooked black or white beans (I used canned rinsed black beans)
1/4 c diced green onion
1/4 c diced tomato (called for a handful of cherry tomatoes, but I don't like them so there)
1/2 c fried wontons (originally called for crumbled corn chips but I didn't have any)

Dressing:
1 avocado smooshed up with a fork
3 T lime juice
3/4 c salsa
1/2 c fat free sour cream
4 splashes Tabasco sauce

Put salad in bowl with the rest of the stuff on top. Smoosh avacado with the lime and add the rest and stir well. Pour dressing over salad and toss right before eating. Eat it all up - it will get all soggy if you don't eat it that day.
I have to note that this made about twice the dressing I would use on a salad. BUT, I think that's great because guess what I'm having for lunch today?
Yes! More yummy salad. Yum.

I loved this salad - it's healthy and easy and a good accompaniment to anything really. You could have it on it's own for a meal too. Another great recipe from Vegetarian Times. I love that magazine....

Wrapping it up

Okay, I feel guilty about culture schilling for Kraft so I figure I ought to push some homemade food. Tonight I felt a bit lazy so I made wraps. I had been thinking about the 1988 film, The Milagro Beanfield War, (which is actually on the idiot box as I type - great film) and got in the mood for some Hispanic flavours. I used some pork shoulder that I had steamed for four hours last night and proceeded thusly:

- Sauteed steamed pork in olive oil on medium/low heat with two cloves of garlic, diced onion and chilis - including chipolte.
- As they cook together, I added 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro, 1/8 a cup of parsley and a pinch of hot paprika.
- I added a small amount of 5 year old English cheddar.
- Lastly, I added in some brown rice and black beans and sauteed it with the rest of the ingredients for about five minutes.
- I rolled it all in white flour tortillas and consumed.

Gotta say, it was damned tasty. Geo - learn to love the cilantro.

A Sort of Spanish Rice Dish

The past year has seen me become rather obsessed with paprika. At one time I was rather non-plused by paprika and only thought of it as that spice you have to add to make chili. However, my Dad's wife introduced me to good quality paprika and especially smoked paprika. Yesterday, I made a simple rice and bean dish with chicken.

1 cup of rice and 1 cup of Great Northern Beans. Cook ahead of time and mix together.

Add olive oil to a pan, heat it up and add 2 cloves of garlic and 1/4 diced white onion. (my preference) As you sautee, add 1 mildly heaping tsp of smoked paprika and a couple of dashes of saffron. I also added 7 pepper pods - these small dried pods containing seeds - and a dash of nutmeg. (I have to grind whole nuts)
I cooked this for a about 35 minutes in the pan and served with a chicked thigh that I had stripped and spooned green salso over. I garnished this with fresh cilantro. I would have served it with a beer of some sort, but didn't have any. Oh well. ¡Arriba!

- Magnus