Chili

What sounds better on game day than a big pot of homemade chili staying warm on the stove and enjoying it throughout the day? Not a lot! Especially in these winter months. This was my first attempt at making homemade chili and I'm proud to say that I made it all on my own, no recipe, no pre-seasoned packets. I was pretty nervous about it, but it came out great and I've made it twice now..per my husbands request. There's no greater compliment to me than if he love what I make and requests it again. I may not always oblige because hey, i'm a food blogger..I need to be making new things all the time, so I don't repeat dishes a lot. I will on certain favorites though, and this is definitely one of them! If you've never made homemade chili, don't be intimidated like I was because it was SO easy. Give it a go!
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Ingredients:

1 1/2 Pounds Lean Ground Beef

1 Large Onion, diced

Half of a Green Pepper, diced

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

4 Cups Beef Broth

1 Can Diced Tomatoes

1 Can Tomato Paste

1 Can Red Beans

3 Tablespoons Chili Powder

1 1/2 Teaspoons Cumin

1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano

1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Frito's, Shredded Cheddar/Monterrey Jack Cheese, Diced Onions, Sour Cream (to serve with)

Directions:

Heat a large pot on medium high heat and add the olive oil, then add the onions, green peppers, and garlic and saute until they just barely begin to get translucent. Remove vegetables to a bowl and set aside. Break of ground beef in the same pot and cook until done. Add vegetables back into the pot with the beef. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasoning/herbs; mix well. Pour in the beef broth and combine everything. Rinse and drain your beans and add them to the pot and mix. Cover and turn heat to medium low and let cook for 3 hours or more. Check for seasonings and add more to suit your taste. *I forgot to look, but I don't remember the sizes of the cans/broth I used. They were all the pretty standard sizes if you refer to my picture of the ingredients.

Mini Caramelized Onion, Bacon & Cheddar Quiches

My husband and I are thoroughly enjoying this super bowl week here at my blog. Everything has been so delicious to eat. These are absolutely no exception. I didn't expect these to be as good as they were. I'm not a huge egg fan, but when it's like this, I love it. These are the perfect bite sized snack for any occasion. You can make them all up ahead of time, cook them, let them cool, freeze them, then pop 'em into the oven. I think I will make a batch just to do that. They are great down-home party food, yet sophisticated enough for a really nice cocktail party. If you're not in the mood to make your own dough, you can use the refrigerated stuff, but I highly suggest making your own as I believe it makes a huge difference in the finished product. I used my Mom's pie crust recipe that is the BEST I have ever had. Thanks Mama! You can add any meat & cheeses you'd like, and you can also completely leave the meat out if that's not your thing. One warning, they are dangerous! You will not be able to stop popping these babies in your mouth, they are that good!

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Ingredients (dough):

2 Cups All-Purpose Flour (plus extra for rolling)

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

3/4 Cup Shortening

1 Cup Ice Water

Directions (dough):

In a large bowl add flour and salt, and cut in shortening until you have a crumb looking mixture. Add water until the mix comes together and dough is slightly slimy on the surface. Sprinkle flour on a flat surface and lay out dough and flour both sides and roll until it is about 1/4 of an inch thick. Using a small round cookie cutter or the top of a small cup, cut a circle big enough to fit in a mini muffin tin. Work the dough round up to the edges of the muffin cup until it is even.

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Ingredients (filling):

6 Slices Bacon

Half of a Large Onion

4 Eggs

1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

3/4 Cup Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded

1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Grated Black Pepper

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Directions (filling):

Dice the bacon strips of and place in a frying pan on medium heat, cook for about 10 minutes. Dice up the onion and add it to the bacon in the frying pan. Cook until bacon starts to brown and the onion is caramelized. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and let the grease drain. Add eggs to a bowl and whisk in the heavy cream. Add salt & pepper, then add the cheese, and bacon & onion mixture; mix well. With a tablespoon measuring spoon, pour 1 onto each crust. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. * I got 24 out of this batch, with some dough leftover. I had a tiny bit of egg mixture leftover that I just went through and added a little more to each muffin cup.

Asian Chicken Skewers

Hey there. I'm here with the 3rd recipe for my super bowl party food week. It's chicken skewers marinated in just a really simple Asian marinade. If you're not into these kind of flavors you could totally just marinade them in whatever you'd like. These can definitely be cooked on a grill too, just soak your skewers (if using wood) in water for a bit before you assemble them. These are a really great finger food that almost everyone will enjoy. They would be great with steak as well!

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Ingredients:

6 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

1 1/2 Teaspoons Ground Ginger

1 Teaspoon Sesame Seeds

1 Large Garlic Clove, minced

2 Large Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, sliced into strips lengthwise

Wooden or metal skewers

Directions:

In a bowl, add the olive oil, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and sesame seeds and mix well. Stir in your sliced chicken and make sure it is all evenly coated. Cover and let marinade for 1 hour. Slide your chicken on the skewer in a zig zag motion (Does that make any sense? If you just look at my pictures you will understand what I'm talking about.). Place on a foil lined cookie sheet and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 15 minutes (or until chicken is cooked through), then turn the broiler on high for about 5 minutes if you desire to give them more color.