Presidential All Meat Chili

I read a great book recently called "Dinner with the President: Food, Politics, and a History of Breaking Bread at the White House". It was really interesting cover foods and meals favored by all the presidents from Washington to Biden.   What people will, and will not, eat says so much about a person, so it was fascinating to me to see all the presidents tastes. How about the one president who likes his steak well done with ketchup! Ugh.

The book included some recipes at the end, and this recipe was popular with Lyndon Johnson during his presidency.  It was so simple, I just had to try it!  It was a big hit with everyone that I've served it to, so I wanted to share this one.  It does make a bunch, but I would recommend making the full batch and freezing it for future easy mills.

 Link to the LBJ recipe 

12 servings

Ingredients: 

• 4 pounds ground beef (I used 80/20 mix)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3-4 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste (I used Extra Hot chili powder)
• 1 tsp cayenne, optional
• 2 cans (15 oz) of diced tomatoes (I used with green chilies)
• 2 can (8oz) of tomato sauce
• 1 can (6 oz) of tomato paste
• 2 to 6 dashes hot sauce, or to taste (optional)
• Salt to taste (likely needs between 2-3 tsp)

In a large pot, cook the ground beef, onions and garlic, over medium high heat.  There's no need to add any olive oil, as ground beef has a lot in it naturally when you use 80/20 mix. Using a flat bottom wooden spoon breaking it into small pieces. 

Drain the meat, there's a lot of fat and water in there that won't add anything to your chili.  Here's how much I got from my 4lbs of ground beef.  I usually put this in the fridge to harden and then throw away the fat.  You could add the watery broth back to your chili if you felt it was too thick.

Add the chili powder, cumin and oregano.  Mix well. Add all the tomatoes, 2 cans of diced tomatoes, 2 small cans of tomato sauce and the can of tomato paste.  Let simmer on medium low for about 30 minutes.  Add the salt gradually, to ensure its just the right amount of salty for you.

I have made this ahead and it keeps, and reheats, very well.  

Serve with grated cheese, chopped onions, jalapenos and cilantro and maybe some sour cream.  This is also great for chili hot dogs or even "chili sloppy Joe's" on hamburger buns.

Easy Weeknight Meaty Chili

I got this recipe from a friend who sells Pampered Chef, and immediately thought, YEP, I need to try that. I didn't have their awesome RockCrok to use for their recipe (link here) but I thought I would try it on the stove top and it worked beautifully. I had both ground pork and ground beef, so I decided to use a combination, but you definitely try all beef if you preferred!  

Don't be worried about the unsweetened coca powder in this recipe, it really gives a complexity and smoothness to the chili.  If you're worried, you could cut the qty in half, but honestly, I think you'll like it.  My hubby wants me to make it again using less cocoa powder and more chili powder, which I promised to do next time. 

We're eating more low carb, so i elected to make this without the canned beans, but it would be good either waya. 

Makes enough for 6-8

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil

1  medium onion, chopped

1 lb lean ground beef

1 lb ground pork 

4-5 garlic cloves, minced

4 Tbsp chili powder

2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tsp cumin

½  can (3 oz/ tomato paste

2- 10oz cans of Rotel diced tomatoes with chilies, undrained

1 1/4 cup water

2 Knorr Chipotle bouillon cubes, or one minced canned chipotle chili (optional)

1-2 cans (16 oz  each) mild chili beans in sauce, undrained (optional, I did not use)

Salt, to taste

Saute the onions in olive oil until they start to soften, add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.  Add the ground beef and pork, and cook over medium high heat while stirring. Make sure to leave some big chunks that will add to the texture of your chili. Add in the spices, the canned tomatoes and tomato paste, adding the water at the end.  Give it a stir to combine, and turn the heat to medium low heat. 

Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.  

Add the canned beans (optional) and bring back to a boil. You can serve it over rice, if desired, or just a big bowl of rich chili!

Serve with Sliced green onion, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, jalapeno slices 

(optional)

Stuffed Cabbage Bowl

We both agree, how can this be comfort food if you never even had it as a kid?

I can't actually say I really even like Stuffed Cabbage, but I do love this!I  know lots of people remember their mom's stuff cabbage rolls for dinner.... I assure you, my mom made many, many amazing dishes in my childhood, but I never specifically remember her making these. My husband's mom was definitely more challenged in the kitchen, so she never made something exotic as stuffed cabbage rolls! I seem to remember making them once, decades ago, and I thought they were fussy and not that great. So, in other words, a recipe NOT to be repeated.

We're trying to reduce how many carbs we eat, so when I saw this recipe it really intrigued me. We were both instantly in love with this.  A couple months went by, but I remembered we liked this, so I bought the ingredients again to see if it was a fluke, or did we really like this?  Guess what? We so LOVE this! 

Easy, fast, comforting and cheap.  Something to enjoy in this uncertain times of a pandemic. Let's call this one a dinner hug.

Serves 4-6 (makes great leftovers)
Ingredients

1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 to 1 cup diced red bell pepper (optional)
1 lb ground pork
1 lb ground beef, low fat
4-6 cups shredded cabbage
1 can diced tomatoes plus juices
1 tsp granulated garlic
2 tsp Italian seasoning
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt & Pepper

Chop the onions and pepper into a dice, saute over medium high heat in a large saute pot or dutch oven, for about five minutes. Add the pork and the beef and cook breaking into medium size chunks while it cooks. Add the Italian seasoning and the garlic, plus some generous salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (as desired).  Add the canned tomatoes and the shredded cabbage.  Cook until the cabbage starts to wilt, about 3-5 minutes.
Serve in a low bowl as the meat/veggie mixture, or over steamed rice.

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Puerto Rican Soupy Chicken and Rice

I've been traveling for work in Asia lately and came home with a little tummy bug.  The funny thing is, I am pretty positive it's not from something I ate in Thailand, but actually something I ate on the airplane!  Yikes.  

When  you've been gone so long and eating all sorts of fresh, spicy and delicious food, you want a bit of comfort food.  I had saved this recipe from a Food & Wine issue as it looked delicious. I am happy to say this one is a keeper.  Easy to make, mostly healthy and not too spicy.  

This makes a large batch, and I had to swap out my 5.5 qt dutch oven for my 7 qt dutch oven once I got all the ingredients into the pan and ready to cook it. I could tell that once the rice cooked, it was going to overflow, so plan accordingly.  These leftovers make great lunches, but it isn't as saucy when it gets reheated as the rice continues to soak in all the liquids. No worries... I think you will still enjoy it.

The recipe calls for Adobo seasoning, which I didn't have, and since I had all the spices I needed, I made some.  At the end of this post is the recipe I found online for Adobo seasoning. I did reduce the salt as I felt it was too salty, it would be better to add your own salt than risk over seasoning with this mix.

Ingredients
Serves about 8

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs

1 teaspoon adobo seasoning* (Goya brand is good, or make your own)

Salt  and freshly ground black pepper

2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced

1 onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

4 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth

2 (14.5-ounces) cans diced tomatoes

2 cups water

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 1/2 cups medium-grain rice

2 cup thawed frozen peas

1 cup small pimiento-stuffed olives

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

In a large enameled cast-iron Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season the chicken with the adobo and black pepper. Brown the chicken in 3 batches over moderately high heat, 6 to 8 minutes per batch, turning each halfway through. Transfer the browned chicken thighs to a plate.

In the pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the bell peppers, onion, and garlic to the pot, and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it turns brick red, about 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes and their juice, 2 cups water, bay leaf, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a simmer. 

Return the chicken to the pot, stir in the rice, and cook, covered, over moderately low heat until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir in the peas and olives, and let stand until heated through, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with cilantro before serving.

Here it is once it was browned.

Peppers, onions and garlic, oh my!

Mixing in the tomato paste

Adobo Seasoning

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon paprika

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 1⁄2 teaspoons onion powder

1 1⁄2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon chili Powder

Lazy Girl Chile Verde Pork Stew

This is variation of one of my all time favorite ways to cook pork, Chile Verde.  However, the recipe I have always used calls for tomatoes, which are RED, and not VERDE (green) at all, so it has always bugged me a bit that the end result was a reddish dish.  In this recipe, I have substituted the tomatoes with canned tomatillos instead.

As I was making this, my hubby walked in and said "aren't you going to brown that pork?". To which I answered,"No, I am not" feeling a bit grumpy at being challenged about being a accomplished lazy girl. Now, honestly people, I do realize that browning adds carmalization and therefore, more flavor.  BUT, in this case, there is SO much more flavor ingredients in this dish, you honestly should save yourself some time (and a greasy stove top) by skipping the browning and throwing it altogether in your crock pot.  Set it, forget it, do something awesome with your day and come back to a great dinner.

Serves 5-6 
Ingredients

3lb pork, large, cut into large chunks
1 large can (14 oz) whole tomatillos, with juice
1/2 onion, diced small
1 small yellow bell pepper, diced small
2 jalapenos, diced small
1 small can (4 oz) diced ortega green chilies
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped small (about 1/2 bunch)
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tbsp cumin
1 tsp oregano

Topping:

• green onions
• cojita cheese or feta cheese (optional)

Add all the ingredients to the crock pot, and cook for 8 hours on low.  Serve with green onions and cheese, as desired.

Below is a picture of the crock before I cooked it. I didn't brown the pork, as I guess, I am a lazy girl. LOL.  You can definitely brown it before starting your crockpot, and it just might be even better.  Me?  I can't decide if this stew is actually better for having browned the pork first.

Pfeffer Schnitzel

I had this dish on a trip we took to Germany this summer.  Everywhere you go in Germany, there is schnitzel on EVERY menu.  It's definitely the national dish!  I was a bit tired of the fried version, even though it is delicious.  We had an outdoor lunch in the Augustiner Keller beer garden and I saw pfeffer schnitzel on the menu!  I know enough German to understand pfeffer is pepper, which I love!  This one was served with spaetzle and fried onions.  Yum! 

I wanted to recreate this dish at home!  So here is my first attempt, You could use chicken, turkey or veal instead of pork, but do get the thinnest cut of meat that you can, and then pound it to a uniform thickness under 1/4 inch.  Getting it thin and tender is the keep to this dish.  Traditionally, it would be served like pictured to the left, or even with red cabbage and potatoes. We had ours with broccoli, as I felt a bit more green needed to be involved here. Certainly not traditional, but definitely more healthy.

As a note, I used half and half instead of whipping cream, but I do think that whipping cream would have tasted more traditional.

Ingredients

Serves 4

8 Pork cutlets, pounded thin to 1/4 inch

2-3 Tbsp flour

2-3 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup chicken broth

1 med onion, minced small (about 3/4 cup)

1 Tbsp cracked black pepper

1-2 Tbsp green peppercorns (optional)

1/2 cup cream

1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

Salt and pepper

With a meat mallet and some plastic wrap, smack the meat until it is a uniform thickness of less than 1/4 inch.  If you don't have a meat mallet, you could use an empty wine bottle!

Lightly dredge the pork in flour, shake off excess.

Saute the onions in about 1 tablespoon of oil until golden brown.

Deglaze the pan by adding the chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Turn the temperature to medium and add the cream, stirring to combine. 

 Add the cornstarch to a small amount of water and mix thoroughly, add to the broth/onion/cream mixture.  Add the pepper (black and green, if using), and salt to taste.  Keep sauce warm while you fry the  pork cutlets.

Keep sauce warm while you fry the  pork cutlets. In a non-stick pan over medium high heat, add a bit of oil and fry the pork cutlets for 2 minutes per side, letting them get a little bit brown on the edges. Cover the cutlets with the sauce and serve at once.

Here's a little shot of us eating lunch in the beer garten!

Turkey & Sausage Meatloaf with Spinach

I like ground turkey, but I have struggled with the texture of meatloaf made with ground turkey before because it is so crumbly and doesn't hold its shape..  Here's an excellent solution with adding Italian sausage that gives it a denser texture.  I've made this with, and without, the breadcrumbs, so if you are trying to go gluten free, or just don't have breadcrumbs, go ahead and try it without.

We've loved this for dinner a couple of times recently, and the leftovers are excellent for sandwiches too.

Serves 4-5
Ingredients

20 oz ground turkey (low fat)
8 oz spicy Italian sausage
1 egg
2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 tsp garlic
1/2 cup shallots, or onions, chopped
2 cups spinach, chopped
Salt & Pepper


Pre-chop the spinach, onions and garlic.

Call me lazy, but when it comes to half a pound of Italian sausage, I have an excellent easy solution.
LOL

Add the turkey and sausage to the food processor with the egg, crumbs and seasoning.  Mix well and add it to a loaf pan, and smooth the top. Bake for about 1 hour at 350 F degrees.

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One Bowl Apple Torte

This is a simple, delicious, homey dessert that I completely had forgotten from our childhood! My sister made it when we were over for dinner one night, pulling a little scrap out of her recipe box, and put the recipe on the counter.  I picked it up to have a look and noted that it was written in another sister's handwriting. It was completely yummy and so easy to make.  I need to do this one again soon.

Love to my Mom and sisters as I think of this dessert tonight.

NOTE- In the pan shown, we doubled the recipe as its about a 11" square dish.

Mom's Apple Torte

Ingredients
Makes on 8x8 dish, serves 4-6

1 egg, well beaten
1 cup chopped apple* (peeled)
3/4 cup sugar
2 heaping Tbsp flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2-1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Mix altogether, pour into 8x8" greased pan and bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes.

*Note, adding more than 1 cup of apples will makes it thicker and more pie-like.

Serve warm with whipped cream, or ice cream.  Also is good cold.

Mixing it up, ready to go in few minutes.

Here it is ready to go into the oven

Out of the oven, cooling a bit before we dig in!

Puerto Rican Red Beans

Big and bold flavors and combination of beans, bacon, spices and potatoes.  
A different way to enjoy beans without the regular sweetness.  These would be great as a side dish for smoked pulled pork, grilled meats, or even as a main dish!
   

Serves 10-12 (freezes well)
Ingredients

1 cup chopped bacon, thick cut, if possible
1 Bay leaf

1 Bell pepper, medium, chopped

1/4 cup Cilantro, Fresh

2 tsp Garlic, chopped

1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1 Onion, medium, chopped

1 Potatoes, large "waxy", chopped in large cubes

6 cups Broth, or water

4 Tbsp Tomato paste

1/4-1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper

1 tsp Paprika, smoked

1 tsp Cumin

3 cups dried small red beans or 15oz. cans rinse and drained
3 Tbsp of mild hot sauce, like Green tabasco or Frank's Red Hot

Chop all the veggies and all ingredients to a crockpot. Give it a stir to combine well.  Cook at 8-10 hours on Low for dried beans until they are tender.  Or, about 3-4 hours with canned beans (until potato is tender).  Add salt and pepper to taste.

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Savory Moroccan Pot Roast with Olives and Preserved Lemons

Lemony, salty, briney- yummy exotic flavors with all the comfort of Mom's pot roast.
Okay, maybe someone's Moroccan Mama.
I decided to call this "savory" Moroccoan because most Moroccan dishes have an element of sweetness, but not this one.  I've done a very different Moroccan Pot Roast before in 2011.  It's one of our family favorites, however it has different flavors for sure.

You can buy Preserved Lemons, or make them with my recipe here.

Serves 4-6
Ingredients

1 pot roast (2-3 lbs)
Olive oil
salt and pepper

1 small onion, diced
1 tsp turmeric
1 Tbsp grated ginger
3/4 cup water or broth
1-2 quarters of preserved lemon
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
2-3 garlic cloves
2-3 Tbsp olive brine (optional)

1/2 cup of olives, sliced of quartered
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Salt and pepper a pot roast, cutting some slits into the roast and pushing the garlic into them.  In a large dutch oven over medium high heat, sear the roast getting some brown crust on each side.  Put on a plate and reserve for later.

In the same pan,  saute the onions until starting to soften and brown.  Add in the turmeric, ginger, minced preserved lemons, broth (or water) and the tomatoes.  Bring to a boil, add the meat back to the pan.  Cover and remove from the stove top. 

Bake at 350 for 2-3 hours.   The pot roast is done when it's very tender and slices, or shreds easily.   Taste the sauce, adjusting for more salt and pepper, if needed.  Add the cilantro and the olives.  Serve over cous cous.

Here's the sauce simmering

Seared pot roast

Here it is ready to go

The finished dish, served on a bed of pearl couscous