Category Archives: meat

Lamb with Orzo–Greek Style in One Pot

Posted on February 20, 2014 | Leave a comment

photo 1 (48)photo 1 (47)  Now that we put the clocks ahead 1 hour and it is starting to feel a lot like Springtime out here in the Rockies I figure it’s time for some new Spring flavors. The orzo is just delicious and has a real mediterranean feel.  I made this delicious dish which has real “Greek” flavor and if you’re looking for something new to make this could be the one.  This dish was a wonderful and fragrant meal with delicious spices , lemons and feta cheese.  I realize that there are people out there who are opposed to eating lamb and I get that and am not trying to convince you to eat it but I think that this dish was intended for lamb because of the distinct flavoring of the lamb. You can definitely tweak this recipe to your liking, I added the black olives to my dish at the end because Joel really doesn’t like olives of any kind. ( his loss). Tzaziki sauce would be perfect served alongside, and I have a recipe for that on my blog as well (look under A Taste of India and Greece posted on September 13 ’11) .  You can also make and freeze the lamb portion which is always a plus to me. I love the flavors that went into making this and while I realize that this recipe is a bit time-consuming it is well worth the effort. When you smell the mix of spices in your kitchen simmering alongside the lamb you will understand what I mean. This should serve 4 beautifully as a main dish, maybe you can stretch to 6. Enjoy!

I have to give credit to FOOD52 for this recipe, I made a few tweaks myself but the original version comes from there.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground lamb

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 average size yellow onion, finely chopped

6 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

28 ounce can of whole tomatoes, drained and smooshed with your hands

14 ounce can of chopped/diced tomatoes

5 ounces fresh spinach, chopped

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste

*optional 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped — serve alongside in a separate bowl if you’re not certain everyone will like them

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Orzo:

1 lb. orzo pasta

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed please ( app. 1 average lemon)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

In a good sized Dutch Oven type of pot  heat one tablespoon olive oil ( by the way I always spray with Pam first for easier cleaning) . Heat the one tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat until it is shimmering. Add the lamb and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and a few grinds of the pepper mill. Cook, stirring to break up the lamb until it is nicely browned. Remove the lamb when cooked through with a slotted spoon to a separate bowl .

Add the onion and garlic to the pot , cook on medium heat , stirring occasionally, until onions and garlic are softened and onions are transparently golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the spices (cinnamon, oregano, cumin, coriander, and red pepper) and cook until they are fragrant , about 2 minutes. Then stir in the smooshed tomatoes. ( I placed a strainer in sink, drained the can of San Marzano whole tomatoes and with my clean hands smooshed up tomatoes, it’s actually fun).

Cook the smooshed tomatoes in the spices, stirring occasionally, for ten minutes. Then add the can of diced tomatoes and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes.

Add the cooked lamb back to the pot, give it a good stir,  cover the pot and leave it to cook, stirring and tasting for salt every once in a while, cook for about 1/2 hour.

After  1/2 hour , you can stir in the fresh spinach and cook for a few minutes till spinach is wilted. I only used 1/2 the spinach because Joel really doesn’t love spinach, if I wasn’t making it for him I would have added whole amount.  Taste for salt but keep in mind you will be adding cheese and olives which will add saltiness.

While the lamb and tomatoes are simmering away, cook the orzo in a separate pot of well-salted water. Cook orzo until al dente and reserve a cup of the pasta water .  I added pasta water to the orzo and a little to the sauce as well.

Drain the orzo and toss the orzo with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the lemon juice  and the parsley, you may want to add some pasta water to this as well if you feel it needs additional liquid.

I served in individual shallow bowls placing the orzo first and spooning the lamb mixture on top.  I then sprinkled with feta and olives on my bowl and just feta on Joel’s bowl. Serve hot.

Pour a nice glass of red wine and relax and enjoy.

2 tablespoons olive oil

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Sweet and Sour Pot Roast in the Slow Cooker

Posted on January 23, 2014 | Leave a comment

photo 1photo 1 (36)photo 4 (20)photo 5 (19)This Pot Roast in the Slow Cooker has been on my to do list for a long while and last week I finally figured out a recipe that worked out wonderfully and I am going to share it with you.

When it comes to slow-cooking, browning the meat is an optional step. I almost always brown my meat first because I prefer it that way and I think it just tastes so much better that way. It’s up to the individual and it’s all about the texture you’re trying to achieve, with roasts and stews I almost always sear it first.  This roast was just luscious and I highly recommend searing it first. It will form a nice crust on the outside of the meat .

Braising , or slow-cooking in liquid, is the easiest way to tenderize any meat and bring out it’s flavors. A braise is not the same as a stew. A braise refers to a large cut of meat cooked in a small amount of liquid, while a stew is meat that is cut up into small pieces and cooked in plenty of liquid. Searing the meat locks in the flavor and forms a crust around the meat.

I used ingredients from the fridge and pantry and came up with this combo.

Ingredients:

one 3-4 lb. boneless chuck roast, trimmed of as much fat as possible and patted dry

1 16 ounce can tomato sauce

1 16 ounce can whole cranberry sauce

1/4 cup dry red wine

3 shallots, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon dry mustard powder

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper and 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil for searing meat.

Directions:

1. In the slow cooker, stir together the tomato sauce, cranberry sauce, wine, shallots, celery, vinegar, olive oil, horseradish and mustard. Cover and turn to HIGH: cook for 30 minutes. While this is cooking continue to next step to sear meat.

2.  I patted the roast dry with some paper towels. I then rubbed a little olive oil all over the roast with my hands. I then generously sprinkled the roast with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper on all sides. I heated up about a tablespoon of olive oil in a cast iron skillet till oil shimmered. Placed roast in pan and seared it on all sides. You will let it sit for a few minutes on each side, you just want it to brown up on each side and form a crust.

Place the roast in the slow cooker and spoon some of the sauce over the top. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 – 10 hours.

To serve: transfer the meat to a cutting board and I used my electric knife to make beautiful slices. If the sauce is too thin ( which mine was not) continue cooking sauce for a few more minutes while you slice meat. Serve meat with vegetables and sauce .

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Slow Cooking Beef Stew–Ten Hours

Posted on January 16, 2014 | 1 comment

photo 1 (31) photo 4 (15)All I can say is A-mazing! I have to admit I was a doubter the morning I put this together . I didn’t think I had enough liquid and on my way home I picked up Beef Broth but when I walked in the door and the aroma hit me I knew it was right. So right and I am so excited because I used what I had in the house and am delighted with the results. It’s always weird when you’re wearing your pajamas at 8 a.m. , you’re on your second cup of coffee and slicing and dicing vegetables and braising beef cubes on the stove. I doubt I’ll ever get used to that but what a pleasure it is to walk through the door at the end of the day to this!!!! Yum is all I can say. I really did cook for 10 hours. I completed my prep and turned on slow cooker by 9 a.m. and we ate at 7 p.m.

If you’re looking for a more conventional method of Beef Stew, go to my website and enter Sunday Night Stew on a Tuesday Night.

This will serve 4 people generously. You can adjust for less people.

Ingredients:

4 lbs. stewing beef. ( I buy from the butcher at Whole Foods or at any butcher) It’s usually chuck roast cut into cubes.

2 medium size yellow onions, thinly sliced

4 carrots , peeled and sliced . I like a decent size carrot chunk so cut into decent size chunks. Or you can use baby carrots. ( app. 2 – 3 cups ) and leave them whole.

I used red and white potatoes because that is what I had in the house, any potatoes you’d like to use. Peeled or not, I don’t peel. I quartered them. Just don’t make them too small because they will disintegrate.

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup red wine

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup boiling water

*Beef Broth on hand to thin out if necessary.

*2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary–if you have in the house and want to use it , it adds a great punch of flavor.

*you will be searing the meat first, so that’s where I used Salt and Pepper. ( see directions) and it was enough for us.

Directions:

First:

I placed about a 1/2 cup of flour into a shallow bowl and added about a teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. I lightly coatedphoto 5 (16) the meat with flour, then dumped out excess flour and prepared my Le Creuset for browning the meat. I heated up 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil and when oil is hot (not smoking) I added meat in batches to brown them. I had to add a little bit of olive oil to second batch. I put meat on a paper towel lined plate to drain a little bit before adding to slow cooker. Spray slow cooker insert with Pam cooking spray first for easier clean up, then add meat to bottom of slow cooker. Add all of the vegetables on top.

In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, wine, Worcestershire sauce, Rosemary and boiling water. Pour over the meat and vegetables. Cover and Cook on LOW for 8 – 10 hours.

You really don’t need noodles or rice with this because you have the potatoes. If you’d like omit the potatoes and serve over rice or noodles. Your choice.

I served in large shallow bowls.

A nice crusty bread would be nice served alongside to sop up the sauce.

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Pasta with Turkey Ragu–Sunday Night Sauce

Posted on December 6, 2013 | 3 comments

IMG_2425DSCN4442DSCN4444I love cooking dinner Sunday nights and find that it is the best way to unwind from a hectic week and weekend and gear up for the week coming up. Catch up on Homeland, etc. I have an actual recipe that I used to follow for this but at this point I just sort of winged it and wrote down everything I did timing it all out. You all know by now how very much we like our sauce spicy, you can easily omit the chili flakes. This would also be delicious made with pork, but I made it with turkey. It might be a good idea to use 1/2 pork and 1/2 turkey. You can also use turkey sausage, I had ground turkey in the house so that’s what I used. Pork will throw off a lot more fat and will have to be skimmed off.  If made with pork it is best to make a day ahead. In any event I used ingredients I had in pantry which always makes me happy and meat that I had already purchased. I even had those beautiful Italian cherry tomatoes in the can that I had bought and knew I would use for something. It’s a good feeling when you use items from your pantry. Enjoy! we did. I actually made this a few weeks prior to Thanksgiving and just got around to posting it. This sauce freezes up beautifully so eat 1/2 and freeze 1/2 for another time.

Enjoy!

Pantry Items:

unsalted butter, extra-virgin olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes, onion, carrots, garlic, celery , tomato paste, red wine, canned cherry tomatoes/canned diced tomatoes , kosher salt, pepper, pasta and I had pancetta in the freezer

Shopping List:

meat, ricotta salata/fresh ricotta , Parmesano-Reggiano cheese for grating or just buy fresh grated Parmesan Cheese available almost everywhere .

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 lbs. ground turkey, chicken , or pork. Or pork sausage (tastiest and most fattening) or turkey sausage. You can also do any combo you’d like, 1/2 sausage and 1/2 meat would be good.

4 oz. package of diced up pancetta

*1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes ( only if you like a little kick)

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

2/3 cup finely diced carrots

2/3 cup finely diced celery

3 1/2 Tablespoons tomato paste

2/3 cup dry red wine (use what you have in house)

1 14 oz. can Italian cherry tomatoes ( sold at Grace’s Marketplace in Greenvale) or canned diced tomatoes . Drain and smash cherry tomatoes. If you can’t find the cherry tomatoes buy canned diced tomatoes and just remember to drain.

2 cups water

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and Fresh Ricotta for finishing. I used Ricotta Salata crumbled up on top plus Parmigiano-Reggiano.

1 lb. macaroni type pasta , fusilli , ziti , etc. any kind will do

Directions:

In a heavy stockpot ( Le Creuset) melt the butter with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat (you can cook in batches if need to ) cook until just cooked through. Using a slotted spoon , remove the meat from the pot and set aside.

Add the pancetta to the pot and cook until pancetta gets crispy. Stir in the crushed red pepper and garlic for about 1 minute. Add the onion , carrots and celery and cook until onion is translucent , about 15 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste , cook for another 2 minutes then add the red wine and bring to a simmer.

Add back in the meat to the pot along with the tomatoes, water and salt. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for another hour.

Remove the lid after the first hour, continue to simmer the sauce till it thickens nicely, 1/2 hour more should be sufficient. Season to taste with Salt and Pepper, I didn’t add any more salt, just a few grinds of cracked black pepper.

Cook your pasta according to the package instructions for al dente.

I plated pasta in bowls and spooned sauce over it, if sauce is very thick you can add a little water to it.

Finish each bowl with some cheese of your liking and a dollop of fresh ricotta would be lovely. I used Ricotta Salata and sprinkled Parmigiano-Reggiano over it.

Needless to say this was delicious.

Enjoy! and it’s worth the effort.

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Baked Salami – Again – Great Appetizer

Posted on May 26, 2013 | 5 comments

024 (2)023 (2)cookingwithcandioct17 119Without a doubt this is my most popular post.  I can’t really quite figure it out but who am I to argue? It’s truly A-mazing, really delicious and everyone loves it so maybe that’s why.  I have already re-blogged it and decided to re-post it again. Hold on to this one it’s really an Oldie but Goodie.

This recipe is for a small salami, but you can just double up ingredients for a larger one.

Ingredients:

1 Kosher Salami

1/2 cup Marmalade or Apricot Jam

2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Score into Salami, cutting into narrow slices but not completely through to the bottom. Salami will stay intact, just cut almost to the bottom. (see photos)

Mix all ingredients together and spread on salami making sure to get inside the cuts,  place on a sprayed baking sheet or aluminum foil ( make sure you spray well, this will be sticky) and cook for about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours. Serve on a plate with sliced pumpernickel or rye bread . Party Pumpernickle sliced bread is perfect with this since it’s already sliced and comes in a package ready to go, sliced rye bread cut in smaller pieces is also great.  Put a little Honey Mustard or Dijon Mustard or both in ramekins along with Salami.

This is a big hit. Be prepared to have nothing left over.

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Chicken and Mushroom Ragu over Pasta

Posted on March 10, 2013 | 6 comments

I kind of winged this one but it came out so well I just had to post it . I had mushrooms , I had skinless chicken thighs, and all of the other ingredients. Pappardelle type pasta would have been awesome, but I only had fettucine. It was perfectly fine, just try and get as fat a noodle as possible, fettucine, pappardelle type of spaghetti. This is a rustic type ragu, of course you can use white meat chicken just cut into 1/2″ pieces. Firstly what is a ragu?  In Italian cuisine it is a meat-based sauce, commonly served with a pasta. In the northern Italian regions, a ragu is typically a sauce of meat , and cooked with sautéed vegetables in a liquid. Meats are varied and the liquids can be broth, stock, water wine, milk , cream or tomato, and often includes combinations of these. Characteristically, a ragu is a sauce of braised or stewed meat that may be flavoured with tomato, to distinguish it from a tomato sauce that is flavoured with the addition of meat. In southern Italian regions, ragus contain substantial quantities of meat, cooked with vegetables and tomatoes as well. This ragu is a winner, and pretty easy. You’ll need a food processor to get the mushrooms chopped, and a 12″ heavy skillet.

I might also add that I added the arugula and Joel had quite the time picking it out. It added a wonderful flavor despite his picking, I would have loved to do a pod cast of him picking it out, but I was too busy enjoying the dish! photo (8)photo (11)photo (10)photo (12)

Picture of a beautiful Colorado Day from my kitchen to yours. Just have to add that my family is out here now and they loved this dish! especially my son-in-law Brian.

*serves 4 as a main dish

Ingredients:

6 oz. cremini mushrooms

3 garlic cloves

1 1/4 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into app. 1/2-inch pieces

1 small onion chopped

3/4 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes in juice

1 lb. box of pasta, Pappardelle, Fettucine, any thick spaghetti will do nicely

5 oz. baby arugula, kale, spinach whatever green you like and have in the house will work just fine (use as much or as little of this as you want, 5 oz. was an estimate)

grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

Pulse mushrooms and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped

Heat olive oil in a 12 inch heavy skillet over medium high heat. Cut chicken into 1/2″ pieces ( approximately) and season chicken with about 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and  about 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Cook chicken in olive oil until a golden color, about 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl.

Reduce heat to medium and cook onion in oil, stirring occasionally until softened , about 5 minutes.

Add mushroom mixture, rosemary , 1/2 tsp. kosher salt and 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, stirring constantly until it begins to brown up, again about 5 minutes.

Add vinegar and cook until evaporated for about 3 minutes, Add chicken and tomatoes ( with juice) then bring to a simmer, breaking up whole tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon, stir occasionally, cook until sauce starts to thicken up, about 30 minutes or so.

Meanwhile cook pasta until al-dente (according to package directions)

Add arugula to sauce and stir until wilted , it will wilt immediately, reserve a cup of pasta water before draining pasta and add to sauce as needed, I probably used 1/2 cup of pasta water to thin it out . Serve sauce over pasta, it was delicious.

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Orzo and Lamb Shanks – Winter Comfort Food

Posted on February 27, 2013 | 3 comments

photo (7)photo (8)photo (6)photo (5)photo (4)photo (2)photoI had just purchased Ina Garten’s new “Foolproof” cookbook back in 2013 and this amazingly delicious recipe was in there. I have to admit, I didn’t care for the way the lamb shanks looked raw but luckily I got past this. It was Oscar night 2013 and I couldn’t wait to sit down and watch. My idea of an Oscar party is to eat dinner at home and be in my pj’s by the time they start. Being out in Colorado means they start red carpet at 3, so dvr was set and I got to work on dinner. I like to watch the Oscars themselves live, so I had my work cut out for me. I also like watching alone, with texting and tweeting its like you are never alone anyway. It was a perfectly cold winter night, and Joel and I both love braised meats. This was pretty easy to pull together and I did it in under an hour, put in the oven and 2 hours later we were ready to eat this delicious meal. I must say the orzo was spectacular, and I would make this without meat as well.

This was my original post and then this New Years Eve it was on the menu again! We shared New Years Eve with our dear friends and spent the afternoon shopping and cooking! Now that’s my kind of meal. It takes a little work but totally worth the effort .I put up some pics of this as well.

Ingredients:

*this recipe serves 4, I cut it in 1/2 for Joel and I, but I made the 2 cups of orzo which we ate the next night as well.

1 cup all-purpose flour

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

4 lamb shanks ( app. 1 to 1 1/2 lbs. each)

Grapeseed oil

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cups chopped yellow onions

2 cups diced carrots ( app. 4 – 5 carrots)

3 stalks diced celery ( medium diced)

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes , including the juice

2 cups beef broth

1 1/2 cups dry white wine, plus 3 tablespoons

2 bay leaves

2 cups orzo

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Combine the flour, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and dredge the lamb shanks in it, shaking off any excess flour. In a large Dutch oven such as Le Creuset , heat 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil over medium -high heat . Add lamb shanks and cook for about 10 minutes, till browned on all sides, using tongs let them brown on all sides, be careful not to burn oil. Transfer the shanks to a plate. Don’t crowd the shanks, so do 2 at a time, you may need to add a little grapeseed oil for the second time.

Let pot cool a little and wipe Dutch oven with a paper towel, removing all remnants of old oil. Add the olive oil and heat over medium to medium high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, rosemary and cook for about 10 minutes until all veggies are tender. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the can of tomatoes, beef broth, wine, 3 teaspoons kosher salt and 2 teaspoons pepper. Add the lamb shanks, try and submerge them as much as possible in the liquid. Put in the bay leaves and bring to a simmer on the stovetop. Once it is simmering, cover the pot and place in the oven for 2 hours, I turned the shanks around after the first hour.

After 2 hours, add the orzo, stir it in and return the lamb shanks to the oven for about 20 minutes, until orzo is fully cooked and the lamb shanks are very tender. Discard the bay leaves, stir in 3 tablespoons of white wine, and taste for seasonings. Mine didn’t need any more seasoning, I also cut original salt in the recipe to 3 teaspoons instead of 4 and it was perfect. You can always add additional salt at the end.

Serve hot and enjoy!

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Kitchen Sink White Bean Chili (also my Super Bowl Chili)

Posted on February 1, 2013 | 4 comments

We just got back from two beautiful days in Moab, Utah. We hiked most of the time and the glory and splendor that is there has no words. If you ever have the opportunity to go you should do so. It is an amazing area–Arches National Park, the Canyonlands, the whole area is just breathtaking. We hadn’t had snow here so we went on the road. Now we’re back and today was spectacular! It snowed in Aspen last night and we skied today. So nice to be back skiing. It was Sunday, and the Giants were in the playoffs. Joel set the DVR and we were gone all day. I had taken out a package of chopped turkey and figured that I would pick up a few things and make this chili that I love. I use a lot of stuff from my pantry and substitute ingredients where necessary (it’s a think-on-your-feet kind of recipe!) I served with shredded cheese and chips, and it was heartwarming and delicious.

I also have to add a little note: I cook a lot and usually make a big mess. Joel always cleans up and he is such a good cleaner upper! Our deal is that I do the cooking and he does the cleaning. I might add that this is a very good deal because I am not so fond of cleaning up the mess I make cooking. Obviously, I try to clean as I go, so as to not be a complete pig about it, but he’s really a good sport about it, in general. Anyway, he asked me to post a picture of some of the mess I left him in the sink.

I also make this as one of my dishes for Super Bowl but usually for Super Bowl I do it in the slow cooker so it stays warm for a long time. I just throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker and simmer away. Tonite I cooked it in my trusty Le Creuset. I often mess around with these ingredients and you can too. For instance, I only had 1 can of White Northern Beans but I had 2 of Pinto so as long as they are white beans it’s okay to use them. I didn’t have Picante sauce in the house, but I had some great salsa, so I used that instead. I made it with turkey but you can use chicken, or eliminate meat altogether and make it vegetarian with vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. It’s chili, which is not a perfect science by any means; so be flexible with ingredients, but make sure to use proportionate amounts.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 large white onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped (I use green for color but be my guest and switch to whatever you have handy or prefer to use)

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

3 15 oz. cans of White Northern Beans (or any white bean, such as Pinto), drained

7 oz. salsa or Picante sauce (Newman’s own was in pantry but I found a fresh salsa in fridge so I substitured the fresh salsa) they are both fine, use whatever

1 8 oz. can of diced green chiles (I used 2 cans of 4 oz. hot green chiles)

1 8 oz. can of whole kernel corn

1 lb. can diced tomatoes (drained)

1 tbsp. cumin

1 tbsp. Mexican oregano (this is available here in Colorado but may not be everywhere. You can try to find it but if you can’t, regular oregano will have to do…and yes, I know that it looks like pot in my picture.)

Kosher salt to taste (you’ll need a fair amount but salt along the way to your liking, I used a fair amount of salt, but use your own discretion, it’s a big pot of chili

Freshly ground black pepper to taste (if you have white pepper that works as well in this, because it is White Chili)

3 – 4 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock (I start out with 3 and if it is too thick I usually add up to another cup.) I did use 4 at the end, if you’re eating it that night use 3 then before you freeze or refrigerate add another cup to the pot.

12 oz. sour cream (Lite is good. Non-fat is okay, but I don’t love it. Strain first to get rid of that little bit of liquid. You can also use yogurt. Add this ingredient last and blend in well.) Sometimes, I take it out of container and mix it up a bit so it will blend in better.

Shredded cheese (Mexican Style, Jalapeno or Cheddar), for topping. (I let people add this themselves, since some people don’t want the cheese.)

* jalapeno pepper (I love the heat so I dice up a fresh jalapeno, add it to mine, and then leave it in a little bowl for anyone else who may want it.)

Tortilla chips on the side

Directions:

In a large stockpot (my trusty Le Creuset) melt the butter on a medium heat.  Add onion, peppers and garlic and cook until soft. I add the garlic at this point and a little kosher salt.

Puree 1 1/2 cans of the drained beans (Cuisinart food processor is best) until beans are smooth and add to the pot.

Add the rest of the beans, along with the salsa, chiles, corn, tomatoes, and spices (plus anything else you may want to add). Cook for a few more minutes on a low heat,  until the ingredients are blended.

Add the stock and bring to a boil. I then lower the heat and simmer for about an hour on the stove top.

Before you’re ready to serve it, add the sour cream and blend well while simmering.

I place the shredded cheese, extra sour cream, chips, fresh-cut up jalapenos, salsa (and sometimes guacamole) in bowls on the side so everyone can make their chili their way.

Enjoy!

This is so easy, you can make in the morning, and let it sit all day in fridge. You may want to add liquid at some point when you serve. We ate it that night, and then I put in containers for fridge and freezer. I added the rest of the stock before I froze it. Just add back to pot and stir, and then ladle into containers.  Keeps in fridge for at least 3 days. Perfect for freezing, I just take it out of freezer in the morning and by evening it should be defrosted , heat it up and you may need to add some liquid if it is too thick. Those little boxes ( 1 cup size) of broth come in handy here.

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Bree’s Slow Cooked Skirt Steaks

Posted on January 31, 2013 | 4 comments

Skirt Steak and Brody Birthday 004Skirt Steak and Brody Birthday 006Skirt Steak 014This recipe has been with me since 2013 and it is truly one of my easiest go-to recipes that I really love to make and mostly love to eat. It’s perfect for the Holidays or any night. I started making it for Passover and Rosh Hashana because it cooks in the slow cooker and frees up my oven . This is a winner in every sense of the word.

Super easy to make and very few ingredients.

Thanks again to Bree for this much beloved recipe.

* I used 1.39 lbs. of meat for the 2 of us and there wasn’t a single morsel left. Increase all ingredients as you need them.

Ingredients:

*this should be good for 3-4 people

2 lbs. of skirt steak– skirt steak tends to shrink a bit so you can go a little over

Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki

1 Orange ( app. 1/2 cup of fresh orange juice) if no fresh available use concentrate

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

I pat my meat dry with paper towels, then I salt and pepper both sides. I lightly sprinkled because of the sauce which contains salt. I sprayed my slow cooker with Pam to make clean up easier on Joel. Placed steak in slow cooker, covered with enough Soy Vay just to cover , as Bree told me it doesn’t need to swim in it just to cover. Added fresh OJ, moved steak around a bit to mix up all ingredients, turned on slow cooker for 6 hours on low! Awesome! Thanks so much to Bree for sharing this recipe.

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Kick Ass Meatloaf

Posted on January 26, 2013 | 1 comment

More Winter Colorado 001No kidding around this is very spicy even for me.  I figured how spicy can this be?? Well very.  It was even better cold the next day.  In any event for those of you who really love spicy and love Sriracha this one’s for you.   I did make a few changes to original recipe and if I were you I’d cut the Sriracha sauce in 1/2 and you can always add it when you eat it if you’re not sure you’ll like it that spicy.  I love this Sriracha sauce, and it’s awesome on eggs and just about everything in between, so I was super excited to cook something with it.  It was also very different for me because I have never cooked meatloaf in a loaf pan, I will say it took longer than 60 minutes to cook through the center .  Check middle after 60 minutes, and I added a good 10 minutes and let it sit for at least 10 more at the end. It was very moist and yummy.

*Original recipe from Sunny Anderson

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Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

2 teaspoons kosher salt

4 cloves garlic , grated in

8 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped and chopped

1/2 cup yellow onion , chopped or Vidalia

1 scallion , minced

1 lb. ground chuck

1 lb. ground dark meat turkey

1 cup plain bread crumbs

9 x 5 loaf pan

Spicy Ketchup Sauce:

1 1/2 cups ketchup

1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons Sriracha chili sauce

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

For the spicy ketchup sauce, mix all ingredients together in a small bowl and stir. You will use app. 1/2 of it for the topping, and 1/2 of it for the meatloaf. Set aside.

Meatloaf:

In a large bowl, whisk together the Worcestershire sauce, egg , salt, pepper, paprika, garlic , thyme, onions , scallions, and 1/2 of the reserved spicy ketchup sauce.

Crumble 1/2 the chuck into the bowl, followed by some of the bread crumbs, then 1/2 the turkey, repeat with other 1/2 of meat and remaining bread crumbs. It made mixing a little easier, and apparently makes for a juicier loaf. Gently mix with your hands (clean please) bringing the egg mixture from the bottom to the top and around until everything is gently combined. Place into a 9×5 sprayed loaf pan, flatten the top and pour the remaining spicy ketchup over the top evenly. Bake in the oven for 60 minutes and check on it for doneness, I used a meat thermometer in the center. I also placed loaf pan on a cookie sheet because it looked like it might erupt up and over the loaf, and didn’t feel like having that mess in my oven. It was pretty clean, but I would still do this. After meatloaf cooled down for 10 minutes, I tilted the pan slowly to 1 corner and discarded any excess fat or juices from the pan while holding the loaf inside. ( a little tricky but was able to do it) I sliced into 1 inch thick portions and it was beautiful, serve warm, and it was awesome cold the next day. Makes for a great leftover.

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