This is the trouble with having 3 blogs.....you really can't do any of them justice. Such as soup... have I really not made soup in over a month? This just doesn't seem possible to tell you the truth.
I made some "chili" on Halloween night.... to satisfy the crowds. It seems as if we are the stopping point...the end of the evening, for a lot of our friends with small trick-or-treaters. So, what better than a pot of hot chili on a cold October night?
I made two of them. A traditional "red" and then a "white" chili. My husband shook his head as he think I "overkill" when I'm cooking sometimes, but with 10 adults and a handful of children eating throughout the night, we only had enough left for lunch on Saturday.
Chili is an interesting dish.... Jane and Michael Stern, who wrote "Chili Nation...the Ultimate Chili Cookbook with recipes from every state in the union", say that Chili is fun---easy to make and simple to serve.
Well, I guess that is true, you can make it early in the day and not have to worry about it. Most everyone likes it....in varying degrees. And that's why I made two different chili's. I wanted anyone who stopped by to have something they liked... not too hot, not too mild, but just right.
I own the cookbook "Chili Nation" but I didn't use a recipe from it, nor did I use my "Gramma's Chili" recipe, which makes my cousin Linda shake her head in wonder, as it is very good, and it is her one and only choice of chili's. Linda is a good cook and sticks with a proven recipe. We've thought often of having a restaurant. I want to do soup, she wants to do everything else. We need to think of a catchy "cousin" name. And maybe we need to live less than 450 miles from each other. We can always dream tho.
I didn't use any of these tried and true, proven recipes.
I searched the inter-net for my "red" and found the 1997 ICS World's Champion Chili, made by Stephen Falkowski of Hopewell Junction, NY.
It always amazes me that someone from New York can win a chili cook-off. I love New York, don't get me wrong, but when I think of chili, I always think of Texas or New Mexico.
I've made the Gold Miners Chili before... it is one I printed out and put in my very own "Tried and True" recipe notebook.
For my "white" I have recipe from my sister in law, Cherrie. It's called "Mt. Rainier Chili". Cherrie lives close to Mt. Rainier.
QUICK POP QUIZ! Which state is Mt. Rainier in?
This chili can be much milder than a red chili, not always, but it's one of my family's favorites.
And now, as the Stern's say:
Chili is a delight to share with family and friends...which is what I did on Halloween night.
Chili
GOLD MINERS CHILI
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 pounds beef, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 1/2 cups white onion, finely minced
8 garlic cloves, finely minced
3/4 teaspoons garlic powder
2 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
4 ounces tomato sauce
3 tablespoons ground cumin
10 1/2 tablespoons Gebhardt chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon meat tenderizer
1/2 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
optional (and this isn't in the award winning recipe).....kidney beans and/or pinto beans, however many you like. I also added a can of mild Rotel tomatoes. I strayed.....
Brown the meat in the oil and drain well. Set aside.
In a large pot, simmer the onion, garlic and garlic powder in 2 cups of the chicken broth for 10 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, cumin, salt, and the chili powder. Mix well.
Sprinkle the browned meat with the tenderizer. Add the meat to the pot. Add the remaining broth and simmer for 2 1/2 hours. Mix in the brown sugar and the hot pepper sauce just before serving.
I doubled this recipe. And to be honest, I didn't use the meat tenderizer. I used a chuck roast, but had to cut away a lot of fat. So you can use what cut of beef you might like...and this would also be good with ground beef.
I do add the beans....because my family thinks chili should have some beans.
and of course, shredded cheese on top.
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MOUNT RAINIER CHILI
1 pound dry great northern beans
8 cups water
Rinse beans. In a Dutch oven, combine beans and water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1hour. Drain and rinse beans. Set aside.
OR....
Use 1 16oz can of great northern beans (or any white bean)
1 T. cooking oil
2 cups chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cans green chili peppers
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
8 cups chicken broth
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, shredded, or 4 cups coarsely chopped cooked chicken.
1 12oz can beer
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapenos or plain if you prefer.
sour cream--optional
salsa--optional
snipped fresh cilantro--optional
more shredded jack cheese--optional
In Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat; add onion and cook for 5-8 minutes or until tender. Stir in garlic, green chilies, cumin, oregano, cloves and ground red pepper. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Stir in beans and chicken broth. Bring to boil; reduce heat.C over and simmer for 2 hours or until beans are very tender.
Meanwhile, place chicken breasts in large skillet; add enough water to cover. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until chicken in tender and no longer pink. Drain; cool slightly. Shred or coarsely chop chicken.
Stir in chopped chicken, beer, and 1 cup of cheese into bean mixture, cook and stir until cheese is melted.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with sour cream, salsa, cilantro and cheese.
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