Great Chili

Here I combined recipes from Jennifer Steinhaur, an avid cook and baker who works in The New York Times Washington bureau, and from chef, teacher, author Gail Monaghan .

This was the best chili I have ever made and I have made chili hundred of times! My changes/additions to Jennifer's recipe and Gail's are noted below (Gail=GM); Bruce=*):

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound ground bison or ground dark turkey(I made pork chops the night before and used 2 that were leftover. I cut the meat from the bone and diced and put meat and bone into pot.)
• 1 large red onion, chopped (GM)
• 2 carrots, roughly diced *
• 1 celery, roughly diced *
• 6 cloves garlic (GM) (I used 3 crushed and minced.)
• 1 12-ounce bottle of beer
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee (I used espresso.)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon chile sauce
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (GM)
• 2 tablespoons chili power (GM)
• Half a serrano or other hot pepper, seeded and finely chopped, or to taste (I used 3 tablespoons of Frank's Hot Sauce.)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 2 15-ounce cans kidney beans
• 1 15-ounce can cannellini or other white beans

Preparation

1.

Place a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the meat and sauté until browned, then transfer to a plate. (I skipped this entire step as I used the leftover pork chops.)

2.

Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic to the pot and stir for 1 minute. Take two large sips from the beer, and pour the rest into the pot. Stir in the tomatoes, coffee and tomato paste.

3.

Add the brown sugar, chile sauce, cocoa powder, hot pepper, cumin, coriander, cayenne, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, Frank's Hot Sauce, salt and kidney beans. Return the meat to the pot. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partly covered, for 1 hour.

4.

Add the white beans to the pot and simmer over very low heat, partly covered and stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 more hours. (Longer cooking improves the flavor.) Adjust salt and cayenne pepper as needed and serve.

Roasted Shrimp with Roasted Green Bean and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

The pink, spicy roasted shrimp (The shrimp could be grilled--weather permitting!) atop dark green beans make a spectacular presentation; served over rice warm or salad greens.

Ingredients (Serves 2):

1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined (I bought 10 large)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
juice of two lemons
about 6 tablespoons olive oil
2 large handfuls fresh green beans (about 10-15 p/person)
coarse salt for roasting
fresh ground pepper
8-10 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, slightly drained and slivered
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

1. In a non-aluminum dish, combine the shrimp, garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, half of the lemon juice, and 4 tablespoons olive oil. Toss well, Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 450.

3. Place green beans in a cast iron pan. Drizzle with some oil. Pepper. Roast for about 10 minutes.

4. Push green beans to sides of pan. Remove shrimp from the marinade, reserving marinade, and place shrimp in the middle and roast for an additional 7--8 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan over high heat, bring the marinade to a boil. Cook 3-4 minutes. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and parsley. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil ans the remaining lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the warm dressing over the shrimp and green beans.

~~Based on a recipe from "Everyday Roasting, Williams-Sonoma."

Pan-Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Pomegranate Molasses

Dinner just can't get any better than this!

Ingredients

• Sauce:
• 1 cup less-sodium beef broth
• 1/2 cup pinot noir or other spicy dry red wine 
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Pork:
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed 
• Cooking spray

Preparation

1. To prepare sauce, combine broth and the next 4 ingredients (through honey) in a small saucepan; cook over medium heat 30 minutes or until reduced to 1/3 cup. Remove from heat; strain over a bowl. Discard solids. Add butter to the molasses mixture, stirring with a whisk until the butter melts.
2. To prepare pork tenderloin, preheat oven to 500°.
3. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Combine salt, five-spice powder, and pepper; rub evenly over pork. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan, and cook 1 minute, browning on all sides. Place pan in oven; bake at 500° for 12 minutes or until a thermometer registers 155° (slightly pink). Let stand 10 minutes. Thinly slice pork, and serve with sauce.
4. Perfect wines: Sanford Pinot Noir 2001 "Santa Rita Hills" (Santa Barbara County, CA), $26. This wine's beautiful flavors of earth, pomegranate, grenadine, mocha, and cherry preserves come into focus when you serve it with the pork tenderloin and pomegranate sauce. The sauce also mirrors the wine's wonderful silky, plush texture. As a less expensive alternative, consider the Echelon 2002 Pinot Noir from the Central Coast of California, about $12.

Karen MacNeil, Cooking Light
OCTOBER 2004

Spicy Caramel Bacon Popcorn

OH MY GOSH!

I bet you can't eat only one bowlful!

A recipe from my friend Danielle Rollins.

Ingredients

5-6 slices of bacon

Nonstick cooking spray

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ cup popcorn kernels

1½ teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup almonds

3½  cups brown sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons fine sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and lay bacon side-by-side. Transfer baking sheet to hot oven and cook bacon for 15 minutes, and until crispy and brown. Remove and place on paper towels to drain. When cool, cut into dice-sized pieces.

2. Lightly coat two large heatproof rubber spatulas and a large mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray. In a large saucepan or pot with a lid, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the popcorn kernels, cover, and keep the saucepan moving until all of the kernels have popped, about 4 minutes. Transfer the popped popcorn to the large prepared bowl, removing any unpopped kernels and adding almonds.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda and cayenne pepper. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, salt, and 1/2 cup water. Cook over high heat, without stirring, until the mixture becomes a light golden-yellow caramel, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the baking soda mixture (the mixture will bubble up). Quickly fold in bacon bits. Pour the caramel over the popcorn and toss, like a salad, until all of the popcorn is evenly coated with the caramel.

4. Pour the popcorn onto a large baking pan and quickly flatten and separate it into small pieces while it is still warm. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Once it is cool, store it in a well-sealed airtight container.

5. Caramel popcorn will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Ingredients
5-6 slices of bacon
Nonstick cooking spray
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup popcorn kernels
1½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup almonds
3½  cups brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons fine sea salt

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and lay bacon side-by-side. Transfer baking sheet to hot oven and cook bacon for 15 minutes, and until crispy and brown. Remove and place on paper towels to drain. When cool, cut into dice-sized pieces.
2. Lightly coat two large heatproof rubber spatulas and a large mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray. In a large saucepan or pot with a lid, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the popcorn kernels, cover, and keep the saucepan moving until all of the kernels have popped, about 4 minutes. Transfer the popped popcorn to the large prepared bowl, removing any unpopped kernels and adding almonds.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda and cayenne pepper. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, salt, and 1/2 cup water. Cook over high heat, without stirring, until the mixture becomes a light golden-yellow caramel, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the baking soda mixture (the mixture will bubble up). Quickly fold in bacon bits. Pour the caramel over the popcorn and toss, like a salad, until all of the popcorn is evenly coated with the caramel.
4. Pour the popcorn onto a large baking pan and quickly flatten and separate it into small pieces while it is still warm. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Once it is cool, store it in a well-sealed airtight container.
5. Caramel popcorn will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Enjoy!
- See more at: http://danielledrollins.com/superbowl-recipe-of-the-day-spicy-caramel-bacon-popcorn/#sthash.tyuht61I.dpuf

Ingredients
5-6 slices of bacon
Nonstick cooking spray
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup popcorn kernels
1½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup almonds
3½  cups brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons fine sea salt

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and lay bacon side-by-side. Transfer baking sheet to hot oven and cook bacon for 15 minutes, and until crispy and brown. Remove and place on paper towels to drain. When cool, cut into dice-sized pieces.
2. Lightly coat two large heatproof rubber spatulas and a large mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray. In a large saucepan or pot with a lid, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the popcorn kernels, cover, and keep the saucepan moving until all of the kernels have popped, about 4 minutes. Transfer the popped popcorn to the large prepared bowl, removing any unpopped kernels and adding almonds.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda and cayenne pepper. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, salt, and 1/2 cup water. Cook over high heat, without stirring, until the mixture becomes a light golden-yellow caramel, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the baking soda mixture (the mixture will bubble up). Quickly fold in bacon bits. Pour the caramel over the popcorn and toss, like a salad, until all of the popcorn is evenly coated with the caramel.
4. Pour the popcorn onto a large baking pan and quickly flatten and separate it into small pieces while it is still warm. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Once it is cool, store it in a well-sealed airtight container.
5. Caramel popcorn will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Enjoy!
- See more at: http://danielledrollins.com/superbowl-recipe-of-the-day-spicy-caramel-bacon-popcorn/#sthash.tyuht61I.dpuf

Ingredients
5-6 slices of bacon
Nonstick cooking spray
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup popcorn kernels
1½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup almonds
3½  cups brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons fine sea salt

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and lay bacon side-by-side. Transfer baking sheet to hot oven and cook bacon for 15 minutes, and until crispy and brown. Remove and place on paper towels to drain. When cool, cut into dice-sized pieces.
2. Lightly coat two large heatproof rubber spatulas and a large mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray. In a large saucepan or pot with a lid, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the popcorn kernels, cover, and keep the saucepan moving until all of the kernels have popped, about 4 minutes. Transfer the popped popcorn to the large prepared bowl, removing any unpopped kernels and adding almonds.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda and cayenne pepper. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, salt, and 1/2 cup water. Cook over high heat, without stirring, until the mixture becomes a light golden-yellow caramel, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the baking soda mixture (the mixture will bubble up). Quickly fold in bacon bits. Pour the caramel over the popcorn and toss, like a salad, until all of the popcorn is evenly coated with the caramel.
4. Pour the popcorn onto a large baking pan and quickly flatten and separate it into small pieces while it is still warm. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Once it is cool, store it in a well-sealed airtight container.
5. Caramel popcorn will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Enjoy!
- See more at: http://danielledrollins.com/superbowl-recipe-of-the-day-spicy-caramel-bacon-popcorn/#sthash.tyuht61I.dpuf

Boneless Chicken Breasts With Honey-Beer Sauce

Simple to make.

Superb taste.* Serves two.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 
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• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced shallots
• 1 cup beer (I used Sierra Nevada "Ruthless Rye.")
• 1 tablespoon lower-sodium soy sauce  
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons honey

Preparation

1. 1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and butter to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with pepper and salt. Add chicken to pan; sauté 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Add shallots to pan; cook 1 minute or until translucent. Combine beer and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Add beer mixture to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup. Return chicken to pan; turn to coat with sauce. If desired, sprinkle evenly with parsley.

Based on a recipe from Phoebe Wu, Cooking Light
SEPTEMBER 2012

*I served this with Farro with Mushrooms and Spinach and Roasted Fennel, Red Onion and Pear (This based on recipe from Gail Monaghan. 

Farro With Gourmet Mushrooms, Spinach, Red Pepper Flakes and Pecorino Romano Cheese

I served this with a Roast Turkey Breast and Mushroom Gravy and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Raisins and Walnuts.

YUM!

Ingredients

• 1 cup farro
• 2 1/2  cups homemadestock
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup assorted gourmet mushrooms
• 2-3 big handfuls of spinach
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4+ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese

Instructions

1. In a medium sized pot combine the farro with the stock. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes for semi-pearled farro and 50 minutes for whole farro. The farro is done when the grains are tender and all the water has been absorbed. Set aside.
2. While the farro is cooking, gently saute the mushrooms in the oil.
3. Stir the mushrooms, baby spinach, red pepper flakes, and cheese into the farro, mixing with a large spoon to combine well.

Roasted Cod With Olives and Lemon

So simple.

So superb!

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Cod
• 3/4 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
• 1 cup mixed olives
• zest from one lemon cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley chopped

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. Place the fish in a small roasting pan (I used a cast iron skillet; see below). Add enough wine (about 3/4 cup) to reach halfway up the sides of the fish. Scatter the olives and lemon zest around the fish. Drizzle with the oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the red pepper.
3. Roast until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the parsley. Divide the fish among individual plates and spoon the olives and wine sauce over the top. 

And look what I made with the leftovers: Cod Cakes with Horseradish Tartar Sauce and roasted Fennel with Lemon, Garlic, Olive Oil, and Fresh Pear and Pecorino Romano Cheese (Thank You Gail Monaghan!)---YUM!

The cod Cakes were made with about 1 1/2 cups leftover cod, 3/4 cups leftover brown rice, a few leftover olives diced, 1 celery stalk minced, some bread crumbs and an egg. All mixed together and fried in some oil and butter. The horseradish tartar sauce is from a Martha Stewart recipe.

The Roasted Cod with Olives and Lemons is based on a recipe from Real Simple.