Eat Together, Make Life Delicious...

With the Superbowl upon us, it really is time to break out the great chili recipes. Now, I know that everyone has their own and there really are millions of ways to prepare chili. For myself, I like it simple and this recipe is as straight forward as it gets.

Should you like your chili more sophisticated, adding in other beans would do the trick or consider sauteed onions, fresh cilantro, and maybe even baked cheese sprinkled on top. Or consider adding into the chili a tablespoon of maple syrup, molasses, brown sugar, hot spicy peppers...really whatever you want!

And for fun, besides tucking the chili into a sandwich, stuff it into a bread bowl, rolled some up in a wrap or piled a scoop over nachos. Chili is extremely versatile. And after the big game if you should have any chili leftover, stuff and bake it in artichokes, mushrooms, tomatoes, and even fish!

Below I included my own chili seasoning recipe, but of course, this too is up to you. I suggest trying mine and then going ahead and experimenting with your own version.


Superbowl chili Sandwiches:
Makes 4 Servings

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1½ pounds ground chuck
2 tablespoon chili seasoning of your choice (store-bought or see below)
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained
¼ cup finely chopped onion
½ cup ketchup
1 teaspoon table salt
4 sandwich rolls, split and toasted
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat a heavy metal pot over medium-low heat. Coat the bottom of the pot thoroughly with the oil and add the ground chuck. Cook for about five minutes until the meat starts to loose its red raw color, then sprinkle in the chili seasoning and mix until blended. Add the crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, onion, and ketchup stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the chili cook for about 15 minutes.

To assemble the sandwich, place the toasted and split rolls on plates and cover both the tops and bottoms with two scoops of chili. Sprinkle a handful of cheese over the chili and serve immediately with a knife and fork.

Becca's Chili Seasoning:

1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon celery salt

Cool note: Did you know the longer the chili marinates in the refrigerator, the better it tastes. So say "yes" to chili leftovers!

Labels: chili, Comfort Food, meat, Super-bowl food

Scallops are one of my favorite ingredients to cook with: they are delicate and take no more than 4 minutes in the pan. When you are rushing to get dinner on the table, this quality is all important. Scallops also have another really neat quality, because they are so porous they absorb whatever flavor you cook them in. From start to finish, scallops with rice takes no more than 30 minutes. I like to prepare the rice and scallops separately and then at the very last minute, incorporate it all together. I find this allows all the flavors to meld together. This techinique also works with any type of pasta and cous cous.

My favorite things to include in my scallops and rice -and as demonstrated in the video - are equally delicate ingredients: butter, thyme, garlic, white wine, and shallots. You can adjust these of course to suit your tastes, just make sure to pick complimentary flavors.

Labels: butter, garlic, rice, scallops, shallots, thyme, white wine

If you are looking for a recipe that can be either a snack, a portable bite, or a meal, this is for you. Cheesy Twist offer lots of possibilities. Plain they are a nice snack that take about 25 minutes from start to finish. Once cooled they become the perfect portable bite to place in a ziplock and go. And as a meal with the addition of some extra ingredients such as: freshly chopped herbs, chopped deli meat such as prosciutto or salami, and or sauteed onions or veggies, this simple twist can become a whole meal.

Recently I experimented with adding pizza sauce and pepperoni to create a rolled up pizza; it was outstanding.

Experiment with the ingredients you love by rolling them into the cheesy twists. And even consider spreading out a variety of ingredients on to the dough so that once rolled up and baked every bite is unique and tasty.


Cheesy Twists
Makes 12 cheesy twists

1 cup warm water (110° F)
1 teaspoon yeast
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 heaping cups shredded cheddar cheese
olive oil spray

Preheat the oven to 375F with an oven rack placed in the middle.

In a mixture fitted with a dough hook, combine the warm water and the yeast. Whisk it with a fork and let is sit for a minute to bubble. Add in the olive oil, salt, sugar, and flour and mix at medium low speed until the dough starts to form. Once it forms, turn the dough out on to a floured surface (About 1 tablespoon) and knead it for 5 minutes. If the dough is too wet and sticky add a little bit more flour, but don't over do it. With a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough until it is about ¼-inch thick and resemble a very flat pancake. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the dough making it as even as possible. Roll the dough up into a tube. With a very sharp knife, cut the dough roll in half. Cut each half in half and continue this until you have 12 equal pieces.

Spray a large sheet pan with a little olive oil spray. Transfer the pieces onto the sheet pan cheese side up.

Place the sheet pan in the oven to cook for 15 minutes or until the dough is cooked through and the cheese has melted. Since I prefer my cheesy twists lightly done, if you like it more toasted, consider cooking the twists a little bit longer.

When the cheesy twists are done to your liking, use a spatula to transfer them from the sheet pan to a plate. Serve immediately!

Labels: bread, cheese, cheesy twists, portable, rolled up pizza

Hummus is an easy dip to prepare that accompanies just about anything. And once you understand the basic recipe, variations are easy to dream up.

From time to time, I like to add a sprinkle of cheese into my hummus: a fresh piece of Feta or grated Parmesan is especially nice. And if you are willing, definitely consider blending in the following ingredients to keep it interesting: roasted red peppers, curry, roasted eggplant, olives, capers, or dill pickles. Really anything that suits your fancy.

With lots of tailgating and footballs games upon us, this dip is quite handy.

If you are expecting a large crowd, try preparing this recipe a few different ways so you have a variety (make sure to label them so your guest know what they are getting in to). To help scoop up the hummus, set out a plate of little spoons and plates and of course some cheesy nachos or toasted bagel slices.

Let the dipping begin!


Hummus
makes about 3 cups

3 roasted garlic cloves or 1 raw garlic clove finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoon lemon juice
15 ounce garbanzo beans, drained but liquid reserved
2 small canned peppadews (or ¼ teaspoon finely chopped Serrano pepper)
1 heaping tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves
1 pinch salt

In a standing blender combine the garlic, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, garbanzo beans, peppadews, cilantro, salt, and 1 tablespoon of the garbanzo liquid and pulse until it is smooth. If necessary, add more of the garbanzo liquid to smooth it out. When the hummus reaches the consistency you like, serve it immediately with toasted bread, cheesy nachos, crackers, carrots, really just about anything.

Labels: Hummus, tailgating

Early Morning Breakfast Biscuits take about 20 minutes from start to finish-5 minutes prep and 15 minutes in the oven. I grew up on these biscuits and enjoyed slathering them with butter and jam. The minute the butter hit the biscuit, it melted away and was soaked up into its fluffy texture. Just delicious! When I had kids of my own, I tried experimenting by adding new ingredients into the batter. Some of our favorites include a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese or parmesan, chocolate chips, cinnamon, or freshly chopped peaches, to name a few.



Early Morning Breakfast Biscuits
Makes 4 Servings

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
6 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/8-inch pieces, plus 1 tablespoon, softened
2/3 cup half-and-half, plus 1 teaspoon if the dough is too dry

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt, and mix until well combined. Add the butter pieces and mash with a fork until the mixture takes on a pale yellow hue. Pour in the half-and-half and mix with the fork until dough starts to form. If the dough seems too sticky, add a small amount of flour at a time until the dough is just pliable. On a floured surface, roll the dough out to about 2-inches thick. Using a round 2-inch cookie cutter carefully cut out 8 biscuits. With a metal spatula, transfer the biscuits on a Silpat or parchment-lined sheet pan. If there is any dough left, make more biscuits. Once all the biscuits are on the sheet pan, bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove the biscuits from the oven, brush them lightly with the tablespoon of softened butter, and serve while still warm.

Other great ingredients to include in your biscuits:
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or parmesan
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup freshly chopped peaches, peeled, pitted, and drained

Labels: Breakfast Biscuits, Comfort Food