Chili To Feed The Masses (Or Just You!)

Mmm, chili. I know football season--classic chili time--is over, but screw the seasons. You should eat chili any time you want. Because it's delicious. (Sorry, I've been watching a lot of Parks & Recreation lately so I may be channeling a little Ron Swanson there). So delicious in fact, that when the BF and I hosted a big Mother's Day to-do at our house last weekend, I made this chili (doubling the recipe below to feed all 12 of us). It was a big hit!

This chili is made with ground bison, making it a leaner and lighter option than standard chili. I also add in a ton of veggies, which play dual roles in adding great nutritional value and--more importantly--great flavor. And, making up a big pot of soup means figuring out what to take for lunch is made an easy choice for a few days!

What's the difference between bison and buffalo? On food labels and restaurant menus they appear to be synonymous, but just know that a bison is the bearded creature of the classic American west, whereas the buffalo is his beardless African and Asian cousin.

Bison Two-Bean Chili
--1 lb. ground bison meat
--2 TSP canola
--small onion, diced
--garlic, minced
--oregano
--cumin
--chili powder
--10 oz. frozen corn
--bell pepper, diced
--1 zucchini, quartered and diced
--2 14.5 oz. cans of diced tomatoes with juices
--1 chipotle pepper, chopped
--15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
--15 oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (you can use white or red beans, whatever your pleasure, when I'm feeling sassy I add both and make this a three-bean chili. Just sayin'.)
--1 cup water
--2 TBSP tomato paste
--3 oz. shredded cheese

In a dutch oven or large stock pot cook the bison over medium-high heat (add no oil to the pan). Stir to crumble as it cooks and set aside. Drain any fat from the pot and return to the stove.

Add the canola to the same pot and turn the heat down to the medium. Add the onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and oregano and stir well to combine. The spices will distribute themselves around the garlic and onion pieces and give your chili a consistent flavor throughout. Cook for a few minutes, until the mixture is fragrant and the onion is translucent. Add the frozen corn and cook for five minutes, stirring regularly. Add the diced bell pepper and zucchini and cook for 3-5 minutes so the pepper begins to soften. Add the canned tomatoes with their juices and let the mixture bubble (there is no need to adjust temperature).

Add the bison back to the pot and add in the chipotle pepper, tomato paste and beans. Stir to combine and let cook for one minute before adding the water. Bring the pot to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Cook uncovered for two minutes. Then spoon into bowls and top with 1 dollop of grated cheese.

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...
Time: 55 minutes (including prep)
Serves: 6
Calories: 273 per serving

Plans Change, Tasty Results Ensue

I bought already-shelled pomegranate seeds--and if you've ever slaved away at unlocking a pomegranate you'll understand why. And I was super excited. Because they're pomegranate seeds--and if you've ever slaved away at unlocking a pomegranate you'll understand why. Oh, I had such grand plans for those pomegranate seeds--heating them over a dry skillet so they started to gush their juices before adding a little honey and a splash of wine to make compote...

But it was not to be. When I opened the package they had fermented. It smelled like a vinegary disgusting mess, like a gym sock had mated with corked wine. Sigh. But all was not lost. I still had some very ripe, luscious roma tomatoes and an open bottle of red wine. Together, these two would compliment my seared pork chops in albeit a different way that originally planned. Success!

Pork Chops & Tomato Burgundy Sauce
--2 pork chops, bone-in, 3-4 oz. each
--kosher salt and cracked pepper
--2 TSP olive oil
--1 shallot, minced
--1 cup dry red wine
--1 cup beef stock or broth
--2 medium ripe roma tomatoes, chopped into thumbnail-sized pieces

Heat a stainless or cast-iron skillet over high heat. Season the pork chops on both sides with the salt and pepper, using your fingers to press the seasoning into the meat. Reduce the heat on the skillet to medium and add one teaspoon of olive oil to the pan, swirling to coat. Sear the pork on both sides for 3-4 minutes, until a nice crust is formed (this will lock the juices in).

Place the pork chops in an oven proof dish and continue cooking at 250 degrees while you make the sauce.

In the same skillet used to sear the pork chops, add one teaspoon olive oil and the shallot. Sauté 2 minutes before adding half of the wine. Use the wine to de-glaze the pan before adding half of the beef stock.

Change the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until it reduces. Add the tomato pieces. Add wine and stock as needed to make more stock.

Remove the pork chops from the oven and nestle them into the sauce pan. Remove from heat and let sit one minute before serving. Plate the pork chops and spoon the sauce and tomatoes over the top of the chops.

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...
Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 2
Calories: 439 per serving

Hold Me Closer Tiny Burger

You know what's awesome about sliders? They're just tiny versions of something tasty! Sliders have such mass appeal that next to the regular hamburger and hot dog buns, you can now purchase tiny buns too. Sliders are a great way to portion control and also stretch your budget. You can make a pound of ground anything or a slab of tuna or salmon go farther and feed more folks.

These sliders are made of lamb--a great source of protein and iron--and are topped with an equally Greek-inspired tzatziki sauce. You get two recipes for the price of one today!

As always, if you make this or anything else please email me or hit me up on the interwebs so I know how much you liked it. Our Facebook friends can also post their own pictures and I guarantee your photography is probably better than mine...

Lamb Sliders with Tzatziki
--1 lb. ground lamb
--garlic, minced
--small onion, minced
--salt and pepper
--1 egg
--1 cup mixed greens
--12 wheat slider buns

Tzatziki Sauce
--2 cups greek yogurt
--garlic, minced
--1 small cucumber, diced
--1/4 cup of shredded mint leaves, stems removed
--1 tsp olive oil
--2 tsp lemon juice
--pinch of salt

Place the ground lamb, garlic, onion, and egg in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and then use hands to mix. It will feel super gross but trust me, mixing this up with your hands is better than using a spoon.

Form the ground lamb mixture into 12 equally sized patties. Fire up the grill and cook the sliders for 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked to desired doneness. Hey, who am I to judge how rare or well done you like your meat? I do, however, highly recommend that you toast your buns...

In a separate mixing bowl combine the tzatziki ingredients.

Place each slider on a toasted bun. Top each burger with some mixed greens and a dollop of tzatziki sauce. Happy grilling!

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...
Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 12 sliders
Calories: 217 calories per slider

Asparagus & Sweet Peppers: Delightful Match!

I am a big fan of color--big fan. My couch is red, my hangers are lime green, the chairs on the porch are electric blue, and few clothes in my closet follow a neutral palette. So it's no surprise that I also like colorful meals. Meals or dishes with lots of color have different flavors, variety, and are usually really good for you. What I especially love about this dish is that it even looks like Spring!

When my father and his brothers were young boys, asparagus grew wild along the banks of the canals and creeks near their childhood home. The boys would go out and hand cut the asparagus and bring it home for dinner. Call me wistful or nostalgic, but I just think that's a really cute visual! Asparagus popping up at the local market is a sure sign that Spring is here.

When choosing asparagus, I grab the smallest, most tender stalks I can find. The sweet peppers compliment the asparagus--which can have a slightly bitter flavor according to some--and when mixed inside a creamy risotto...I'm salivating! I want to make this dish again right now!

Spring Risotto With Asparagus & Sweet Peppers
--2 tsp olive oil, divided
--1 small shallot, diced
--1 cup arborio rice
--1 cup wine
--1 cup chicken broth
--1 oz. goat cheese
--1 bunch fresh asparagus, ends removed and stalks snapped into 2-inch long pieces
--4-5 small sweet peppers, roughly chopped
--black pepper

Heat a medium-sized saucepan on medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp of the olive oil and the shallot and sauté for a few minutes, until the shallot begins to get translucent. Add the dry arborio rice and stir for 1 minute before adding 1/2 cup of the wine. Stir regularly and as the rice absorbs the wine, add the other 1/2 cup of wine. Once the rice has absorbed the wine begin adding the chicken broth in 1/4 cup increments, stirring regularly and allowing the rice to absorb the broth before adding more.

While the risotto cooks, heat a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 tsp of olive oil and the asparagus and peppers to the pan. Crack a healthy dose of black pepper over the veggies and sauté until tender, tossing regularly for even cooking.

When the veggies are done add them to the rice pot, stirring well to combine. Add the goat cheese and again stir well to melt the goat cheese and mix the creamy deliciousness into the risotto. Serve and top with more black pepper if desired!

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...
Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Calories: 271 per serving

Pâtisserie, Mais Oui!

I have told you previously about my love of pie crusts. It's kind of like eating fried food--it's always good, no matter what it is. Think about it. Fried pickles, yes. Fried oysters, yes. Fried chicken, hell yes. Now, try it with pie crust. Irish boxty, yum. Pie of pretty much any flavor under the sun, yum. Chicken pot pie, yum yum.

Pâtisserie is just a fancy French way of saying pastry, and so much fun to say! Say it with me, "Pâtisserie..." Yeah, it even sounds delicious. Unlike their fruit-filled sugar-glazed counterparts, these pâtisseries are savory and work well as an hors d'oeuvre or as part of a tasty meal.

Red Pepper Rosemary Pâtisseries
--4-5 small sweet peppers (I used the small sweet bell peppers Costco sells)
--1 refrigerated pie crust dough
--4 oz. brie cheese
--1 TSP + 1 TBSP unsalted butter
--1 small shallot, diced
--fresh rosemary

Take the peppers and place them directly onto the oven rack. Roast at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, turning once. Let cool before removing tops and slicing in half.

.Roll out the pie crust and cut it into 6 squares. Wrap 6 equal-sized pieces of brie in the pie crust, making packages. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until pie crust is golden, brushing occasionally with 1 TSP melted butter.

While the pastry cooks, melt the 1 TBSP butter in a large skillet. Sauté the shallot and fresh rosemary until the shallot is softened and begins to brown. Add the sliced roasted peppers and sauté until tender.

Remove the pastries from the oven and pour the pepper mixture into the pan. Brush the pâtisseries with any remaining butter and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Serve the pâtisseries over the sweet pepper mix.

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...
Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 6 Pâtisseries
Calories: 251 per Pâtisserie

Quitting A Chicken Marsala Habit

First, allow me to confess that I love chicken marsala. If I see it on a menu at a restaurant I feel compelled to order it, even if there are other and seemingly better options. Worse, it often occurs in the kinds of places where one should never order chicken marsala, like that airport where the dish definitely came from a vacuum packed NASA or Army-type ration meal... Second confession, I've never attempted to make chicken marsala at home. It would be too devastating if I failed miserably as my taste buds have long ago decided exactly what a chicken marsala should taste like.

Also, chicken marsala is a heavy dish, especially restaurant style, and is laden with butter, oil, flour, wine, and probably sherry. So this dish is like chicken marsala-light. It has the essence of the dish--mushrooms, chicken, wine--but is a lighter, different dish all on its own. It doesn't quite taste exactly like a chicken marsala, but it's close enough to fool me into thinking that I've quelled that craving for the time being.

Chicken with Mushroom Pasta
--1/2 cup dry bowtie or penne pasta
--2 cloves garlic, sliced into thin intact pieces
--1 cup sliced button mushrooms
--2 TBSP butter
--4 boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders
--3 TBSP cup flour, seasoned with garlic salt & fresh black pepper
--1 egg, beaten
--cooking spray
--1 shallot, diced fine or minced
--1 cup dry white wine, divided
--2 cups chicken broth, divided
--1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Cook the pasta omitting any oil.

In a medium skillet, sauté the mushrooms and garlic slices in the butter over medium heat until soft and tender.

While the mushrooms and pasta cook, dredge the chicken alternately in the egg and flour until evenly coated. In a cooking spray-coated medium skillet on medium to medium-high heat, cook the chicken tenders for 4-5 minutes on each side. Add 1/2 cup of the wine and 1 cup of the chicken broth and allow the sauce to boil and reduce. Set the chicken aside and pour any remaining sauce over the top of the chicken.

Spray the same skillet the chicken was cooked in with a little more cooking spray. Add the shallots and sauté until browned, stirring regularly. Add the remaining wine to the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any bits before adding the rest of the chicken broth. Allow the sauce to reduce a little so that it is less liquid but not so much that it is too thick.

Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Pour the mushrooms into the pot and add the tomatoes. Pour the sauce into the pot and stir to combine.  Plate the pasta and then add 2 chicken tenders to each plate. Drizzle any remaining sauce onto the chicken and serve. Garnish with fresh parsley and 1 oz. of grated Parmesan, if desired.

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...
Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 2
Calories: 607 per serving

Tempeh Time!

Tempeh. The word itself even sounds a little weird, I realize. But it actually tastes good, and that is what's important. And is full of protein. And easy to cook. And I needed tasty, protein-packed, simplicity after my workout. I was beat. This getting in shape business is hard.

Stir fry is an easy way to pack in a lot of veggies in a short amount of time. Cook times are relatively short (in fact the most time you spend is the prep time to chop all those veggies) but the payoff is big. If you're tired of chicken or pork or tofu, tempeh does provide you with a different flavor and texture and works well in stir fry. Don't be scared, tempeh won't hurt you. And especially after kicking your own ass at the gym, you need lean proteins and veggies to feed those battered and bruised muscles!

Tempeh Stir Fry
--TBSP seasame oil
--2 TBSP canola oil, divided
--2 TBSP soy sauce, divided (I use the low sodium kind)
--8 oz. package of tempeh (found in the refrigerated section with the tofu), sliced into strips
--small onion, diced
--large shallot, diced
--ginger, minced
--garlic, minced
--medium jalapeno, sliced in rounds
--medium red bell pepper, seeds removed and sliced into strips
--small yellow squash, sliced into strips
--small zucchini, sliced into strips
--medium carrot, peeled and sliced into strips
--small package button mushrooms, sliced
--1 bunch red chard, stems removed and cut or ripped into business card sized pieces
--1 pear, core removed and sliced into thin slices

Heat the sesame oil, 1 TBSP canola and 1 TBSP of the soy sauce in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the tempeh strips until browned on all sides. Remove from heat and set aside.

Add remaining TBSP of canola oil to the skillet. Sauté the onion, shallot, garlic, and ginger for a few minutes until fragrant and tender. Add the jalapeno, bell pepper, squash, zucchini, and carrot pieces and sauté for several minutes, stirring regularly. When the veggies begin to soften add the mushroom pieces, again stirring regularly.

Add the remaining TBSP soy sauce and stir to combine into the veggies. Add the tempeh back into the mix and also add the chard pieces at this time. Mix it all up and sauté for a few minutes to allow the tempeh to get warmed up and the chard to begin to wilt. Remove the stir fry from the heat and stir in the pear slices. The cold, crisp pear will provide a nice flavor and texture contrast to the warm, tender veggies!

Serve! This is not a meal that re-heats well so adjust ingredient quantities as needed to avoid leftovers.

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...
Time: 35 minutes (most of it prep time)
Serves: 4 bowls
Calories: 300 per bowl