My grandfather always tells me to K.I.S.S. - Keep it simple, stupid!
The kitchen is the one place where I seem to forget that nice little acronym...
I should probably start by explaining that I come from a meat and potatoes family. We have always had meat of some sort, a veggie, and a grain or potato at every single meal for most of my life. There were, of course, rare exceptions. I also had my attempts at vegetarianism while I was in college. For me it was never about the cruelty of killing the animal, but more so about the fact that I really do not enjoy eating meat. Call me crazy if you must, but I hate steak and I hate seafood! Every time I tried to become a vegetarian I would do well until one of two events struck - Thanksgiving and 4th of July. I just cannot turn down turkey and juicy burgers! A one day slip would turn into a landslide of meat no matter how hard I tried to find my way back to the vegetarian path.
Not having much experience with vegetarian dishes, I have viewed Meatless Mondays as a bit of a challenge. The only exposure I ever really had to vegetarian meals was in college. I attended a college that really put forth an effort in making appealing vegetarian meals and even had a vegetarian food line. For those that were not vegetarian, the food was there to be played with while they waited for their turn in the sandwich line - I think it reminded people of play-dough sometimes! Another reason I view Meatless Monday as a challenge is partially because I always feel like I need to present a completed "traditional" meal. I also always feel like cooking should consist of a certain amount of work. This week my dad and sister proved me otherwise...
While writing my grocery list on Saturdays, I always ask "Is there anything in particular you guys want for dinner this week?" Normally I get groans and stares and they tell me to do what I want. This week my dad actually chimed in with a request! While writing my menu and list I was still pondering over Monday's meatless meal. When my dad mentioned baked potatoes this thought hit me - there are so many meals that I make throughout the year that don't have meat in them that my family enjoys so much! I quickly realized that I could swap out what little meat I do use in my Loaded Baked Potatoes and use that as a vegetarian meal. Last week my sister's suggestion of an Ultimate Garden Salad was pretty straight forward, too.
I have to sit back and wonder why I sometimes make simple things like that so difficult for myself. I don't know if I just get caught up in the cooking and planning process, or if it is about enjoying the challenge. What I have realized though is that sometimes there is an easy, yet delicious way out! As much as I love being in the kitchen, sometimes I like an easy way out meal, too! I cannot begin to tell you how much I enjoyed throwing the potatoes in the microwave and just heating up a few things on the stove top - what can I say, sometimes a girl just needs a break!
For our baked potatoes, we enjoyed toppings that included cheddar cheese, onions, sour cream, broccoli, vegetarian chili, and Bacon Bits. I should probably point out here that Bacon Bits are not actually meat, but rather, soy! Sorry if I ruined them for you!
What did I learn this week? Despite the fact that I should K.I.S.S., my mind is already revolving around what next Monday's dinner will be! I think after two weeks of vegetarian gone easy, I might need to pull out a showstopper next week...
Showing posts with label Chili. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chili. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Tofu and Four Bean Chili Topped with Banana and Mango
You guys have probably noticed a trend this week of me trying to trick my family into eating vegetarian dishes, and tonight was finally the night it blew up in my face. Don't get me wrong, the chili was delicious - I had a heaping plate, my dad had 2, and my sister whined the ENTIRE time she ate her bowl of it! My dad had no idea until my sister got suspicious and dug through the top of the trash bag to find the tofu container. He then proceeded to act disgusted while she ate a muffin and stopped eating her chili. They have put their feet down that vegetarian week is over, but unfortunately for them, I bought the groceries on Saturday. They are at my and the kitchen's mercy until Friday! I guess it wouldn't have bothered me so much if they weren't so mean about it. I mean really...is one vegetarian dish a day that horrible?! Nonetheless, dinner was really yummy, and I enjoyed it!
Tofu and Four Bean Chili Topped with Banana and Mango
Yields 8 - 10 servings
To Prepare the Chili
1. Start to heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan.
2. While the oil is heating, grate your block of tofu on a cheese grater. If you don't want to grate it, you can break it up by hand, and then break it up more when it is starting to fry. I like grating because it makes the size of the tofu consistent...there's some mild OCD at work!
3. Add the tofu to the hot oil, and fry it until it just starts to brown a little.
4. Add a hot chili seasoning packet to the tofu and cook for a little bit longer. Remember, when you are cooking tofu, it takes on the flavor of what you are cooking it with, so the more you cook the spices into it, the less it is going to taste like tofu!
5. Once the spices and tofu have started to brown, add a can of tomato puree or sauce (approximately 30 ounces worth).
6. Add a mild chili seasoning packet to the pan and stir well!
7. Add in 1 can of dark red kidney beans, 1 can of pink kidney beans, 1 can of black beans, and 1 can of cannellini beans.
8. Stir everything together and let it simmer over low heat. Be sure to stir it every now and then so it doesn't stick to the bottom and burn!
9. While your chili is simmering, dice one banana, and an equal bit of mango. Serve this on top of the chili! For some reason these two fruits manage to compliment the red sauce really well. If you don't want to go the route of chopping the fruit, you could buy a pineapple or mango salsa to use!
Tofu and Four Bean Chili Topped with Banana and Mango
Yields 8 - 10 servings
To Prepare the Chili
1. Start to heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan.
2. While the oil is heating, grate your block of tofu on a cheese grater. If you don't want to grate it, you can break it up by hand, and then break it up more when it is starting to fry. I like grating because it makes the size of the tofu consistent...there's some mild OCD at work!
3. Add the tofu to the hot oil, and fry it until it just starts to brown a little.
6. Add a mild chili seasoning packet to the pan and stir well!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Chili Con Carne with a Cornbread Crust
On of my favorite parts of fall is that the crock pot is in a state of constant use! I wanted to find a way to liven up my crock pot chili, and found the perfect opportunity when I decided that I didn't want to make extra dishes by making corn muffins, but still wanted the muffins! Because of the density of the chili, the heat of the chili, and the constant temperature (thanks to the crock pot lid), adding a crust to chili is nice and easy! This recipe can be made the night before and heated throughout the day on low heat, but don't add the cornbread until 30 minutes before serving. If you are making this for just a few people, you will have great left overs for a day or two for lunch or dinner too!
Chili Con Carne with Cornbread Crust
Yields 6 generous servings
To Prepare the Chili
1. Brown 2 pounds of ground beef with a packet of McCormick's Hot Chili Seasoning.
2. While the beef is browning, add approximately 28 ounces of tomato sauce, a packet of McCormick's Mild Chili Seasoning, 1 drained can of black beans, 1 drained can of pink kidney beans, 1 drained can of red kidney beans, and 1 drained can of cannellini beans to a crock pot on medium heat (low heat if you are going to leave it on all day).
3. When the beef is browned add it to the crock pot and stir everything together.
4. The crock pot will come to a slow boil. Be sure to stir it every now and then.
5. 30 minutes before serving, mix the cornbread mix and gently spoon it across the top of the chili and put the cover back on. If you are not making your chili in a crock pot, you can still make a crust by finishing your chili in a casserole dish in the oven, or on very low heat on the stove top in a pan with a lid!
6. The cornbread is done when it puffs up and is firm to the touch!
Chili Con Carne with Cornbread Crust
Yields 6 generous servings
To Prepare the Chili
1. Brown 2 pounds of ground beef with a packet of McCormick's Hot Chili Seasoning.
2. While the beef is browning, add approximately 28 ounces of tomato sauce, a packet of McCormick's Mild Chili Seasoning, 1 drained can of black beans, 1 drained can of pink kidney beans, 1 drained can of red kidney beans, and 1 drained can of cannellini beans to a crock pot on medium heat (low heat if you are going to leave it on all day).
3. When the beef is browned add it to the crock pot and stir everything together.
4. The crock pot will come to a slow boil. Be sure to stir it every now and then.
5. 30 minutes before serving, mix the cornbread mix and gently spoon it across the top of the chili and put the cover back on. If you are not making your chili in a crock pot, you can still make a crust by finishing your chili in a casserole dish in the oven, or on very low heat on the stove top in a pan with a lid!
6. The cornbread is done when it puffs up and is firm to the touch!
So Much Chili, So Little Time!
Growing up, my mom always made chili one way - 4 types of beans (Cannellini, Pink Kidney, Red Kidney, and Black), ground beef, tomato sauce, and 2 types of chili seasoning (mild and hot). It wasn't until about 3 years ago that I realized that not everyone makes their chili this way! There are so many regional and flavor varieties, and since chili is tonight's recipe, I wanted to talk about some of these varieties and what makes them unique and regional specialties! Here is a break down of the most commonly found varieties!
Cincinnati Chili
There are several reasons why Cincinnati chili is unique, and one of the main reasons being the type of spice used! This chili includes spices and ingredients such as cinnamon, cloves, or even chocolate, but excludes spices such as chili peppers or chili powder. Generally, it is served over spaghetti. Here is the break down of the ways to order it: Two way: Spaghetti and chili, Three way: Spaghetti, chili, and cheese, Four way: Spaghetti, chili, cheese, and diced onions or beans, Five way: Spaghetti, chili, cheese, diced onions, and beans!
Vegetarian Chili/Chili Sin Carne
Vegetarian chili is very similar to chili con carne, but removes the meat product and replaces it with tofu, potatoes, carrots, or other vegetables. Veggie chili almost always has beans in it (since they are a great source of protein), but also include produce such as corn, squash, mushrooms, and beets! This is a great option, not only for vegetarians, but also for people watching their calories!
Green/Verde Chili
Verde or green chili uses pork as its meat, and finds its color from tomatillos (a sibling of tomatoes that are green and tangy), roasted green chilies, chicken broth, and garlic! This chili version is fairly spicy, as it is a more authentic Mexican dish, and finds its spiciness from poblanos, jalapenos, serranos, and habaneros!
White Chili
This style of chili is made by using white beans (either Cannellini or Great Northern Beans), turkey or chicken (ground or cubed), and chicken stock or broth. It is spiced heavily with garlic, salt, pepper, and jalapenos!
Texas Chili
Texas style chili is generally made using meat only! It is a very smooth sauce made of tomatoes and chili peppers with only meat visible in it. Instead of using ground meat, this chili uses chuck beef!
Chili Con Carne
Chili con carne is the chili that most of us are familiar with! It is made in a red tomato sauce, is heavily spiced, and includes beans and meat. Most restaurants and recipes call for ground beef to be used, but traditional speaking chili con carne used venison, pork, and beef for the recipe!
Kansas City
This chili is generally not made with tomatoes, and consists mostly of finely ground beef and beans. Depending on the recipe or where you are ordering it, you have the option of either dry beans (no bean juice), or wet beans (lots of bean juice). Kansas style chili is also served along side vinegar, vinegar with hot peppers, jalapeno sauce, ketchup, cheese, and onions! The restaurant that is famous for serving this style of chili is called Fritz's!
Springfield Chili
This style of chili is found in its most famous state at Joe Rogers Chili Parlor in Springfield, Illinois! Springfield style chili is broken down into two separate pieces - beans and ground meat. When you order or make this kind of chili, you can either serve the meat with the chili, or serve just the meat, or just the beans! What really makes this type of chili unique is the spicy chili oil that is served with it! There are 6 degrees of spiciness ranging from Mild to Firebrand, specifically at Joe Rogers. If you are able to eat a whole bowl of Firebrand at Joe Rogers, they will add your name to the Honor Roll on the wall at the restaurant! Some of you may have seen Joe Rogers featured on Man v. Food as Adam Richman attempted to eat 5 bowls of Firebrand!
Cincinnati Chili
There are several reasons why Cincinnati chili is unique, and one of the main reasons being the type of spice used! This chili includes spices and ingredients such as cinnamon, cloves, or even chocolate, but excludes spices such as chili peppers or chili powder. Generally, it is served over spaghetti. Here is the break down of the ways to order it: Two way: Spaghetti and chili, Three way: Spaghetti, chili, and cheese, Four way: Spaghetti, chili, cheese, and diced onions or beans, Five way: Spaghetti, chili, cheese, diced onions, and beans!
Vegetarian Chili/Chili Sin Carne
Vegetarian chili is very similar to chili con carne, but removes the meat product and replaces it with tofu, potatoes, carrots, or other vegetables. Veggie chili almost always has beans in it (since they are a great source of protein), but also include produce such as corn, squash, mushrooms, and beets! This is a great option, not only for vegetarians, but also for people watching their calories!
Green/Verde Chili
Verde or green chili uses pork as its meat, and finds its color from tomatillos (a sibling of tomatoes that are green and tangy), roasted green chilies, chicken broth, and garlic! This chili version is fairly spicy, as it is a more authentic Mexican dish, and finds its spiciness from poblanos, jalapenos, serranos, and habaneros!
White Chili
This style of chili is made by using white beans (either Cannellini or Great Northern Beans), turkey or chicken (ground or cubed), and chicken stock or broth. It is spiced heavily with garlic, salt, pepper, and jalapenos!
Texas Chili
Texas style chili is generally made using meat only! It is a very smooth sauce made of tomatoes and chili peppers with only meat visible in it. Instead of using ground meat, this chili uses chuck beef!
Chili Con Carne
Chili con carne is the chili that most of us are familiar with! It is made in a red tomato sauce, is heavily spiced, and includes beans and meat. Most restaurants and recipes call for ground beef to be used, but traditional speaking chili con carne used venison, pork, and beef for the recipe!
Kansas City
This chili is generally not made with tomatoes, and consists mostly of finely ground beef and beans. Depending on the recipe or where you are ordering it, you have the option of either dry beans (no bean juice), or wet beans (lots of bean juice). Kansas style chili is also served along side vinegar, vinegar with hot peppers, jalapeno sauce, ketchup, cheese, and onions! The restaurant that is famous for serving this style of chili is called Fritz's!
Springfield Chili
This style of chili is found in its most famous state at Joe Rogers Chili Parlor in Springfield, Illinois! Springfield style chili is broken down into two separate pieces - beans and ground meat. When you order or make this kind of chili, you can either serve the meat with the chili, or serve just the meat, or just the beans! What really makes this type of chili unique is the spicy chili oil that is served with it! There are 6 degrees of spiciness ranging from Mild to Firebrand, specifically at Joe Rogers. If you are able to eat a whole bowl of Firebrand at Joe Rogers, they will add your name to the Honor Roll on the wall at the restaurant! Some of you may have seen Joe Rogers featured on Man v. Food as Adam Richman attempted to eat 5 bowls of Firebrand!
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