Egg(s) In Purgatory

Another one of my favorite No Recipe recipes, I make this dish at least once a week. It's cheap, it's easy, and it's great for breakfast, lunch or dinner so you just can't beat it. Plus, it's easy to switch things up however you like; keep it simple and basic with just the egg and tomatoes, or toss in pretty much whatever you have a taste for. This particular time, I had some fresh kale in the fridge that was in a use-it-or-toss-it state of being, so I went ahead and used it. Oh, and it's just as easy to make a single serving as it is to cook several eggs at a time to feed a crowd.

Egg(s) In Purgatory

Ingredients:
olive oil
tomatoes, any form you like (my preference is to use canned, stewed tomatoes, italian style)
red pepper flakes (use as much or as little as you like to adjust the heat level)
egg(s)
salt & pepper to taste
add-ins of choice *optional

Directions:
In a skillet over medium low heat, bring the olive oil, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes to a low simmer. (Note: Now would also be the time to add in any other optional ingredients that require cooking, like kale or spinach for example.) Make a well in the center of the tomatoes and crack in the egg(s), sprinkling on salt & pepper to taste. If you want to speed the cooking along, cover the pan with a lid, otherwise you can sort of baste the egg(s) with the tomato juices until the white is set and the yolk has reached your desired level of doneness, about 6-9 minutes. Best when served in a shallow bowl with crusty bread or toast points on the side- all the better for sopping up every bit of tomato-eggy goodness. Feel free to finish with a sprinkle of grated parmesan or fresh basil.

Enjoy!

Barley Chili

So when the Universe tells you to make something, you just have to go with it.

I watched an episode of Rachael Ray's Week in a Day last weekend and she made this stew that was sort of like a cross between Mexican tortilla soup and a beef and barley soup. I was intrigued, and started thinking about how I could make something similar, but maybe something a little heartier. Well, later that day I grabbed the barley from my pantry and guess what I noticed on the box? A recipe for chili featuring barley.

Bingo!

What I ended up doing was using a scaled down version of my basic chili recipe (here) and bumped up the amount of liquid in the pot so the barley could cook right in the chili mix, soaking up all that flavor.

Barley Chili

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 Tbs. cumin powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. paprika (sweet or smoked)
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of oregano
salt & pepper, to taste
2 (14.5 ounce) cans of diced tomatoes with green chilies  *the recipe on the box of barley called for a jar of your favorite salsa instead of canned tomaotes
1 (14.5 ounce) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup pearled barley
4 cups liquid of choice (chicken stock, beef stock, veggie stock, or water)  *you can use more if you'd prefer a soupier consistency
1 cup of corn (I pulled some straight from the freezer)
1 cup of previously cooked chicken breast, diced (I had this leftover in the fridge and thought what the hell, in it goes!)

Directions:
In a large heavy-bottomed pot, saute the onion and all spices in the olive oil over medium heat until slightly softened, about 3-5 minutes. Toss in the rest of the ingredients (except for the corn), bump up the heat to high to bring to a boil before reducing the heat once more. Simmer, partially covered, on medium-low for 35-45 minutes, until the barley has absorbed most of the liquid. Add in the corn (and chicken, if using) and simmer for another 10-15 minutes until it reaches your desired consistency. Top with sour cream, shredded cheddar, or eat it straight up... whatever floats your boat.

Enjoy!

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!