Red Chili

Chili was always one of my favorite meals that my mother made when I was growing up and I thought she made the best. Well, the best until I started making my own versions. It’s been a number of years since I’ve eaten any of Magee’s chili, but what I remember was a pretty basic (I’ve come to learn) ground meat/bean/tomato based thick stew which also included elbow macaroni to stretch a pound of meat into a bigger pot of food to feed the family. Imagine my surprise when I realized that there are other types of beans out there besides red kidney beans! And playing around with spice blends… absolute nirvana! I’ve made many different versions of chili, and here’s the first of this season’s offerings…


Ingredients:

1 Tbs. olive oil or vegetable oil (the olive oil was close at hand in this case)
1 lb. lean ground beef (I also use ground chicken or turkey in other versions)
1 sweet onion, diced
½ tsp. ground cinnamon (it’s warm and spicy at the same time and such a small amount isn’t glaringly obvious)
1 Tbs. cumin (the smoky scent just screams chili to me!)
1 tsp. garlic powder (do I have to remind you that fresh garlic gives me migraines? Of course you could use real garlic instead!)
1 tsp. onion powder
3 Tbs. chili powder (you could always use one of those pre-packed spice blends for chili, but I like to play around with the flavors myself)
1 tsp. dried cilantro
1 tsp. cayenne pepper (I’ve also used hot sauce, but today it was the powder)
1 sm can (4 oz.) tomato paste
1 lg can (28 oz.) tomatoes (diced or crushed)
2 sm cans (16 oz. each) fire-roasted tomatoes (diced or crushed)
3 sm cans (16 oz. each) beans, drained and rinsed (I used a mix of cannelloni, red kidney, and dark red kidney)

2 cups water (no reason you couldn't use chicken or vegetable stock, I just didn't have an open carton in the fridge)
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar (this adds a sweetness and tang in the background)
1 package of extra-firm tofu, drained, diced (I actually like the texture of this added protein and tofu soaks up flavors like a sponge!)

*optional toppings: sour cream, queso fresco, cheddar cheese, chopped cilantro, hot sauce… the ideas are practically limitless!
I know, long list of ingredients, but it really is one of the easiest dishes to prepare. I’ve used the slow-cooker for this process, but I prefer to just do it the old fashioned way: On the stove top. So, in a large soup pot over medium high heat, cook the ground beef and onion in the oil until browned. Drain off any excess fat if necessary. Add in all of the dry spices and continue to cook the meat mixture for 3-5 minutes or until the spices become very fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes before adding in the canned tomatoes and water. Turn the heat to medium low and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chili starts to thicken. Stir in the beans, balsamic vinegar, and tofu. Drop the heat to low and cover the pot (I cock the lid so steam can still escape), allowing the chili to gently simmer for another 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, before serving with the desired topping(s). I didn’t have any sour cream in the fridge (my topping of choice) so I used a little queso fresco and cilantro instead.

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup

Ok, so this is an actual recipe with (mostly) actual measurements. This butternut squash soup is one of my all-time favorites and I’ve made it several times with a few different variations. Fortunately for me, it freezes very well… as a matter of fact, the attached photo was snapped after I defrosted a pint of the soup that I made a few months ago and stashed in the freezer to enjoy another day. It’s the perfect thing to sip on and savor as the weather changes to a cooler climate… and it does a bang up job of soothing an allergy-induced sore throat.

1 large butternut squash, peeled and diced (I’ve cheated and bought the stuff already prepped at the grocery store, but the texture is better if you use fresh and start from scratch)
1 medium onion, diced (a sweet onion is best)
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 quart vegetable or chicken stock (veg for vegan, of course)
1 tsp. rosemary (I used dried, but I’ve also used fresh which is just as good)
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ - ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
In a large soup pot over medium heat, sauté the onion and butternut squash in the olive oil for 3-5 minutes. Add the stock (enough to cover the veggies) and bring to a boil over high heat then reduce to a simmer for 18-22 minutes until the butternut squash is soft. Remove from heat and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before transferring soup to a blender. Of course, if you have an immersion blender, just use that instead. Puree until desired consistency. Return soup to pot over medium low heat and stir in rosemary, cinnamon, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. You can always stir in additional stock, milk, or cream if a thinner soup is desired, but I prefer a thicker consistency (it’s almost as thick as baby food). Simmer for 8-10 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Serve hot.

Enjoy!