With most ingredients assembled

Recently we had two families over for dinner with their young children. Because I did not want to spend a lot of time at the table, we had a one-bowl supper. I made chili with a special technique that I claim is because our kids do not like beans when in truth it is because I do not like beans but LOVE a savoury chili.

Bean Frappe

I took an entire can of red kidney beans juice and all and plopped them into my Magic Bullet. This made a kind of bean frappe that I added to the rest of the ingredients.

I think that this chili version is my favourite because it calls for a glass of Merlot. Now I must admit I’m a bit stingy with my Merlot and did not want to have it evaporate into my chili so I used half a glass of Medoc and half a glass of Shiraz. I think that flavour of the wine is enhanced by the addition of a generous amount of brown sugar.

Ingredients: 6 oz. hot Italian sausage, 2 cups chopped onion (1 red & 1 white), 1 cup chopped green pepper, 4 garlic cloves, minced, 1 lb. hamburger, 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (I ommited for the kids), 2 T chili powder, 2 T brown sugar, 1 T ground cumin, 3 T tomato paste
1 t dried oregano, salt and pepper to taste, 2 bay leaves, 1 1/4 cups Merlot or other red wine, 2 – 28 oz. cans whole tomatoes with juice, chopped, 1-14 oz. cans kidney beans  optional toppings-sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and chopped green onions

Saute the onions and peppers with the sausage and hamburger. Crumbling with a wooden spoon. Drain off fat. Add spices and tomatoes, wine and frapped beans. Simmer until all veggies are tender: approx. 45 mins.

I also mixed up a batch of cheddar/ cornmeal buns. Using the bread machine recipe but bumping up the cornmeal amounts. Once the dough is mixed, I shape the buns and bake them in a muffin pan.

Before the oatmeal topping

For desert I made a blueberry/apple crisp with a rolled oat toping-just like Mom used to make.

PS I hope that this is the best darn chili that you have ever tasted because it took me a week to get this entry posted! I was out of town with limited resources and could not get my pictures to upload and what is a blog without pictures? Apologies to my regular readers-I promise to make it up to you.

Kath’s quote: “It doesn’t take much to see that the problems of three little people doesn’t add up to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you’ll understand that. Now, now… Here’s looking at you kid.” Humphrey Bogart

I recently learned two new things about fondue.  The first is that the word comes from the french word fondre -to melt.  The second is a fun rule that we will have to institute for our next family fondue party: if you drop what is on the end of your fondue fork into the melting pot, you have to kiss someone at the table. 

I had lunch today with an old friend and when he heard that  I wrote yesterday about TV dinners, he was happy to share this delicious one.  Perhaps  you’ll want to make it Sunday night for the Canada /US hockey game.

Pizza Fondue

This is a very simple and delicious comfort food to enjoy while watching a movie or the Olympics. Serve with a side salad and a nice bottle of red wine. Totally to die for.

1 lb. Lean ground beef and/or Italian sausage

1 small onion

10 oz cheddar cheese (shredded/cubed)

1 ½ tsp garlic powder

1 tsp. oregano

1 ½ tsp fennel seed or Italian seasoning

Fresh cracked pepper

20 oz can of Meat or Spaghetti sauce

10 oz. mozzarella cheese (shredded/grated)

1 French baguette cut into 1” bite-size pieces.

Sauté the beef/sausage and onion until cooked and drain. Now transfer to an electric fondue pot. Add all seasonings, cheddar and sauce and stir well. Turn onto medium to heat everything up and melt the cheddar cheese. Once it’s all nicely warm and blended, add the mozza cheese and continue stirring occasionally until all bubbly and melty. Stick your bread cubes onto fondue fork, dip, twirl and enjoy.

Kath’s quote: “When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore.” Jack Brooks (song writer)

Canada Germany Olympic Hockey

For two nights in a row I have fixed a quick dinner to enjoy in front of the TV.  I do not make this a habit; in fact I would proudly say that we have raised three kids to adulthood without compromising on this house rule.  But now we are almost empty-nesters and there must be some fringe benefits to this new found status.  My excuse is that the Canadians played Germany last night in Olympic Hockey and tonight they play Russia.  Besides everyone knows that rules are made to be broken.

Mid Prep

To say I am a frugal cook is an understatement.  Anyone who has read my refrigerator soup recipe on this site can attest to that.  Tonight I found a couple of already formed hamburger patties in the freezer.  Just in case that didn’t taste their freshest, I decided to make patty melts.  Once you add the caramelized onions and melted Bothwell hot pepper cheese, who can detect how fresh the patty is anyway?

I’m happy to say that I was able to create a low fat version than what one might order at a restaurant.  Here you go:  Cook hamburger patties to desired doneness and set aside on a “holding” element.  Saute one sliced onion in 1 t of olive oil until brown.  Add to held patty container.  Clean pan and cover bottom of pan with 1 T olive oil.  Add desired slices of rye bread with a swish through the oil.  Top with a grated cheese and heat on medium until cheese is melted but at the same time checking that the browned side of the bread is not getting too dark.  Assemble all cooked ingredients and serve with a crunchy green veggie and oven roasted sweet potato “fries”.

For one of our last lunches in Italy, my husband wanted to have an authentic seafood anti pasto.  We chose a restaurant called La Baraccia (named I think for the ancient Northern Italian Village of Baracca) in Monterrosso, CinqueTerre. 

It was busy with both tourists and locals which we thought was a good sign.  We sat outside on the big covered deck and were placed very close to our dining neighbours so we could see what menu decisions they had made.  I bet they were stunned if they watched the food that D and I put away at that lunch.  The cost was 18 Euros each and the minimum order was for two persons.

We thought that perhaps we had misordered when the first 6 cold plates came out.  They were very delicious but we thought that the seafood feed had concluded too soon.  Then when the hot dishes came out and kept coming out, we felt silly about our mistake and had to admit that we were blown away.

I’ve been for many business meetings at The Inn at the Forks but never had a chance to dine at The Current.   Last night was my first opportunity.  I am a rock and stone collector and am soothed any time I am around water and so I was quite taken by the decor of the hotel lobby and the restaurant.

The Current

Chris was our waiter and although he was busy, he was very attentive.  The evening started with the delivery of an Amuse Bouche (a delightful taste) which was resembled a steak tartare on a crostini topped with a grate of Parmesan.  But this description does not do it any justice because the two and a half little bites were divine!

Amuse Bouche

We then shared the Scallop appetizer which was succulent and gone too soon.

Scallops

Awaiting the entree we had some time to gaze out the window where we sat and enjoy the comings and goings at The Forks.  There were many families there for the evening to skate on the central rink or along the world’s longest skating path.  There was a soft snow falling and it was a glistening night.

Rainbow Trout

Pork Rack

I’m glad that my husband chose the trout because I need help with the stuffed pork loin.  Even with his assistance, I still had enough to make a huge sandwich for lunch today.

We lingered long enough over coffee that we could fit in one more bite and Chris’s assistant helpfully suggested the Lava cake.  Even though I think Sister #2 does a better job of the cake itself-the homemade peanut butter ice cream that it came with was rich and wonderful.

Lava Cake

The restaurant was bustling with family travellers and business persons.  It was a delicious and tranquil way to spend a Monday night in the winter.

Kath’s quote:”Wine is sure proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”-Benjamin Franklin