Three Bean Chili Madness

chili madness

Before we get to the recipe there’s a few odd tips and tricks you need to know.

  • This chili cooks all day long but I didn’t use a slow cooker.  It was a cold day and I was hunkered down in the house.
  • The beans get an overnight soak and are cooked separately first for several hours.
  • You make beans first then add the beans to the meats.
  • Unlike other chili recipes this is very mild.  You add your own heat at serving time.

So now that you know this is a pain in the rump recipe (time wise) here we go.

1 T extra virgin olive or grapeseed oil
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 large green pepper, diced
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp each oregano, paprika, chili powder, cumin, dried cilantro
1 can (15 oz) no salt diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) low sodium chicken broth

1 small can mild green chilies
3 T tomato paste
1 cup red wine
1 C each dry Mayocoba beans, pinto beans, and light red kidney beans
1 lb grass fed ground beef 80/20
1 lb ground turkey
Salt & pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste

  1. Place the dried beans into a stock pot large enough to hold the beans when fully plumped up.  Rinse the beans with water several times.  Fill the pot with fresh water and soak overnight.
  2. In the morning drain then add fresh water to the beans.  Bring to a boil, add your soup recipe seasonings, then lower the heat down to a simmer.  The seasoning for the beans is based off my Sopa de Frijol con Vegetal soup recipe.  Substitute the three bean mix for the 100% pintos and leave out the tomatoes until later.  (No salt and the chili powder is also a no salt variety).
  3. Allow the beans to simmer for several hours.
  4. In a different large stock pot heat the oil and saute the onion, celery, and green pepper until softened.
  5. Add the meats and brown.
  6. Add red wine and cook off the alcohol.
  7. Time to toss everyone else into the pool.  Spices, tomatoes, chilies, broth, beans.
  8. Simmer for several hours.  Stir occasionally.  Add more water or broth if the chili gets too thick.
  9. Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, and your favorite hot sauce.
  10. Yum.

More odd tips

Don’t add salt until the beans are cooked through and soft.  The Mayocobo beans will break apart and make this chili creamy and thick (unless you add more broth or water).  The recipe will make approximately eight servings.  I used chicken broth instead of beef broth because I thought I had beef broth in the cupboard, looked and did not find it.  I found the beef broth the next day.  The package was sideways and I didn’t see it.  I used both ground beef and ground turkey because I didn’t buy enough ground beef and the meat to bean ratio was wrong.  I had ground turkey so I used it.  And that’s how this recipe turned into a beef and bird chili.

This recipe is not in the book pictured.  Lucky you.

Washing does not remove Salmonella bacteria from tomatoes — Science Chronicle

IISc researchers have found that tomatoes get infected with Salmonella typhimurium, which cause gastroenteritis, when the bacteria enter the plant through tiny openings that form on the main root for the lateral roots to emerge. Hence, the bacteria are found inside tomatoes and cannot be removed by washing. As salinity increases the number of lateral roots […]

via Washing does not remove Salmonella bacteria from tomatoes, IISc team finds — Science Chronicle

Oops.

Scared of Romaine Lettuce? Eat Local

Buried in the latest CDC update on romaine lettuce is the following:

No common grower, supplier, distributor, or brand of romaine lettuce has been identified.  Nine additional people have been reported since the last update on November 26, 2018. This brings the total to 52 cases from 15 states. Nineteen people have been hospitalized, including two people who developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome. No deaths have been reported.

I was surprised when romaine lettuce reappeared at my local grocery store at $4 a head.  I haven’t checked the prices of bagged salads but I’m sure they are higher too.

 

Well, the eat local movement should get a huge boost from this most recent e coli outbreak.  If you’re in Oklahoma try the Looney Farm or Scissortail Farm.  I’ve had both and they are excellent sources of fresh locally grown greens.

 

21 Cheap Family Meals – Healthy Vegetarian Budget Food — Hurry The Food Up

21 Cheap Family Meals – Healthy Vegetarian Budget Food It’s not always easy to cook for families, especially as a vegan or vegetarian. It often gets expensive, too. To help out, we’ve compiled a collection of our favourite cheap family meals. As well as being budget and wallet-friendly, each of these recipes does something else…

via 21 Cheap Family Meals – Healthy Vegetarian Budget Food — Hurry The Food Up

This article appeared in my WordPress reader and I thought it was worth sharing the link.  I have not made nor tested any of the recipes.  Yet.

I’m only two pounds heavier after two Thanksgiving meals.

But I have to wear my “fat” jeans because my “skinny” jeans are too tight.

Thus the search for veggie recipes.

TOMC 10.19.18

The Old Man Car (TOMC)

2006 was a traumatic year. I was terminated from an executive level job on July 24 2006 and my income went from six figures down to zero. I was rendered car-less because I had to give up my company car. Car sharing for several months until our financial situation improved was the plan. But after a few months my consulting work started getting pretty steady and I felt comfortable enough to consider buying a car for myself. On January 23, 2007 I bought a 2006 Ford Taurus. It was used and a former fleet car per the salesperson. The odometer read 15,366. My former company car was also a Ford Taurus. I told the guy I’d take it. With an extended warranty the car cost $15,262.95.  I figured the extended warranty was worth the cost since this was a used car.

2019 is coming up and I’m still driving The Old Man Car (TOMC). No debate. This is the BEST car I’ve ever owned.  In January I will have driven TOMC for 12 years.

Nice.  For all of you foodies out there sorry, but this post has Nothing to Do With Food.

 

Give Her a Day

Give Her A Day

© Lisa Tasker

Published: February 2006

What can you give to one small girl?
A diamond ring, a baton to twirl?
A pretty pink dress with lots of bows,
or dainty sandals that show her toes.
A walk in the woods, a romp in the park,
a shopping trip from dusk till dark?
A shine new bike, a kitten for a pet?
No, there’s still time for such things,
yet…
Give her a day of her very own.
Just one small girl and her Dad alone.
Give her the gift that only you can,
the companionship of her old man.
Games are outgrown and toys decay,
but she’ll never forget
if you give her a day.

Source: https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/give-her-a-day

Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad

Full disclaimer:

Neither of these vegetables are my favorites.  Kale is evil.  Brussels sprouts are like tiny cabbages with a very strong flavor and the potential for producing troublesome gas bubbles.  Favorite DIL made this salad this weekend.  I watched her prepare the dish while expecting the worst.  I figured I’d limit my salad to a small portion.  But life is full of surprises.

I loved this salad and had two helpings.

This recipe is from Bon Appetit and may or may not be the basis for the salad I ate.  It’s pretty close and I’m pretty sure the recipe will change once I start playing around with it.  The recipe (for now) is reproduced in its original form.  Source link follows after the recipe.

  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallot
  • 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 large bunches of Tuscan kale (about 1 1/2 lb. total), center stem discarded, leaves thinly sliced
  • 12 ounces brussels sprouts, trimmed, finely grated or shredded with a knife
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1/3 cup almonds with skins, coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup finely grated Pecorino
  • Combine lemon juice, Dijon mustard, shallot, garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a pinch of pepper in a small bowl. Stir to blend; set aside to let flavors meld. Mix thinly sliced kale and shredded brussels sprouts in a large bowl.

  • Measure 1/2 cup oil into a cup. Spoon 1 Tbsp. oil from cup into a small skillet; heat oil over medium-high heat. Add almonds to skillet and stir frequently until golden brown in spots, about 2 minutes. Transfer nuts to a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle almonds lightly with salt.

  • Slowly whisk remaining olive oil in cup into lemon-juice mixture. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

  • DO AHEAD: Dressing, kale mixture, and toasted almonds can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover dressing and kale mixture separately and chill. Cover almonds and let stand at room temperature.

  • Add dressing and cheese to kale mixture; toss to coat. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Garnish with almonds.

    Source:  bon appetit online at https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/kale-and-brussels-sprout-salad.

Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan

What do you do when you want to surprise your friends with a new dish?  You think of something that they probably never had, never thought they would like, and make it.  You sneak it in as a side dish.  Serve it with something familiar like Maple Soy Roasted Salmon.  You make…

Hipster food.  And if you’re thinking to yourself that cauliflower can’t possibly be hip and trendy I actually found a restaurant that has whole head roasted on their menu for seven bucks.

Here’s what I made:

Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan

One head cauliflower
Extra virgin olive oil
Granulated garlic
Dried thyme
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Salt and black pepper

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Remove the green outer leaves and stalks from the cauliflower head. Tear and cut the cauliflower into florets, removing any hard tiny stalks. Each piece should be about a US quarter in width. Golf ball size is too big.
  3. Place the florets into a baking/roasting pan with sides.
  4. Drizzle the cauliflower with olive oil. Toss with a wooden spoon. You want a nice thin coating of oil on each piece.
  5. Lightly salt and pepper and sprinkle with a hint of thyme.
  6. Generously sprinkle granulated garlic over all.
  7. Place in the oven and roast for approximately 35-40 minutes. Shake the pan every 10 minutes or so to ensure most of the surfaces of each floret get browned (this is why you want a pan with sides).
  8. When nicely browned add a handful of shredded Parmesan cheese over the cauliflower. Roast for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
  9. Transfer the cauliflower to a serving bowl and add more Parmesan.
  10. Eat.

 

Unfortunately this dish is Not Tiny Taste Tester Approved.  She was not present at the dinner.

“What is a Collie Flower?”

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