Three Bean Turkey Chili, by MVL Jr.

Three Bean Turkey Chili from Epicurious.com

2 large onions chopped
1 head / 8 garlic cloves, chopped fine
1/2 cup olive oil
four 28-ounce & two 15oz cans crushed tomatoes including the juice
two 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 cup chili powder
3 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoon dried hot red pepper flakes
2 teaspoon dried orégano
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2lbs ground cooked turkey
2 large green bell peppers, chopped coarse
two 19-ounce cans kidney beans rinsed and drained well
1 can pinto beans rinsed and drained well
1 can black beans rinsed and drained well

coarsely grated Cheddar as an accompaniment if desired

In a large kettle cook the onion and the garlic in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until they are golden, add the tomatoes with the juice, the tomato purée, 1 cup of water, the chili powder, the cumin, the red pepper flakes, the orégano, the cinnamon, the salt, and the black pepper, and combine the mixture well. Add the cooked turkey and simmer the chili, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours. Stir the bell peppers and the beans into the chili, and simmer the chili, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes, or until the bell peppers are tender. The chili may be cooled completely and chilled for 2 days or covered and frozen for 2 months. Serve the chili topped with the Cheddar or sour cream.

Sloppy Joes

 

One of Zach's favorite foods is sloppy joes, so we decided he would make this for this segment of our blog. This is the recipe I grew up with, and it's one that Zach has requested all the time since we've been married. So now he knows how to cook it himself!

Sloppy Joes

2 1/2 lb. ground chuck
1 cup ketchup
2 T. vinegar
2 T. sugar
2 T. wet mustard
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 small onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped

Brown onion and green pepper in small amount of olive oil.
Add meat and brown slightly, drain fat.
Mix ketchup, sugar, vinegar, mustard, and worcestershire sauce together and add to meat. Simmer at least 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Stevenson Casserole

For our weekly dinner exchange, Nathan thought it would be a good idea to have the husbands/fiances take a turn cooking for the ladies... His favorite dish growing up was a family recipe and his mom used to make this for his birthday dinner every August at the beach. We have lightened up the dish just a bit by adding lite cream cheese and lite sour cream. Enjoy!

STEVENSON CASSEROLE - 4 -5 servings:

1 lb ground beef
1 chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
pepper
1 large can tomato sauce (15 oz)
1/4 cup red wine
8 oz lite sour cream
6 oz lite cream cheese
6 oz egg noodles
Cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef and onion. Spoon off fat. Add salt, pepper, wine, and tomato sauce; Simmer. In separate bowl, combine sour cream and cream cheese. Slightly cook noodles. Place in layers in casserole dish (two total) - end with meat sauce on top: noodles - cheese mix - meat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Top with squares of cheddar cheese; bake 5 minutes more until the cheese is melted.

The most common mistake is with the noodles - either using too many or over cooked.

Smothered Chicken Sandwich w/ Sausage & Corn Stuffing

Smothered Chicken Sandwich

6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 1/2 lb)
1 can (10.5 oz) chicken gravy
1 pkg (6 oz) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1 1/2 cups hot H2O
6 slices wheat bread

Here's How:
1. Cook Chicken in large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray for 3 min. on each side. Add gravy; cook 5 min. or until chicken is done. Meanwhile, mix stuffing mix and hot H2O.

2. Spoon stuffing over chicken; cover. Cook 5 min. or until stuffing is heated through.

3. Top bread with chicken and gravy.

4. Eat'um up!

Special note - food was cooked seperately for our purposes this weekend...and so stuffing would not be mushy upon delivery tomorrow.


Corn & Sausage Stuffing

1/2 lb. pork sausage (preferably above 50% lean)
1 2/3 cups hot H2O
1 pkg. (10 oz) frozen corn, shucked, thawed, and drained
1 pkg. (6 oz) STOVE TOP Cornbread Stuffing Mix

Heat Oven to 350 degrees F

1. Brown sausage in skillet; drain, reserving 1/4 cup drippings

2. Mix sausage, reserved drippings, hot H2O and corn in 1 1/2 qt. casserole. Stir in stuffing mix just until moistened.

3. Bake 30 min. or until heated through.

4. Slap it on the side and enjoy!

*Note: Hickory Acres is out of chicken for the season, so I used "natural" supermarket chicken breasts. The pork sausage is from Hickory Acres, though.
**Both recipes from Kraft Stove Top Recipes, copyright 2009.

Also, beware of deliciousness...just a friendly suggestion.

Brett.

Squash, Sage and Gorgonzola Tart

*This is from the "Breakfast At Herrick's" Event. It comes from the book Tarts by Sarah Banbery.*

Pie Dough

generous 3/4 c. all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

2 1/2 oz/75g cold butter, cut into pieces

cold water

Filling

1/2 small butternut squash (or 1 slice pumpkin)

1 tsp olive oil

1 c. heavy cream

salt and pepper

6 oz/175 g gorgonzola cheese

2 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk

6-8 fresh sage leaves

1. Cut the squash in half and brush the cut side with the oil. Salt and pepper. Place cut side up on a baking sheet and baked for 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees until browned and very soft. Let cool. Remove seeds and scoops out the flesh into a large bowl discarding the skin.

2. Lightly grease a 9 in. loose-bottom fluted tart pan. Sift the flour and salt into a food processor, add the butter and process until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Tip the mixture into a large bowl and add a little cold water, just enough to bring the dough together. Turn out onto a floured counter and roll out the dough just larger than the pan. Carefully lift dough into pan and press to fit. Roll the rolling pin over the pan to neaten the edges and remove the excess dough from the edges. Fit a piece of parchment paper into the tart shell, fill with dried beans, and let chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375.

3. Remove the pastry shell from the fridge and bake the tart shell blind (covered with the paper and beans) for 10 minutes. Then remove paper and beans and return to the oven for 5 minutes.

4. Mash the squash and mix with the cream, cheese, and eggs. Season with salt and pepper and spread in the shell. Arrange sage leaves in a circle on the top. Bake 30-35 minutes and leave for 10 minutes in the pan before serving.

Spaghetti & Meatballs

Whole Wheat Spaghetti: 2 boxes for 8-10 people. Follow directions on box. This is hard to mess up!

Jeremiah's Tasty Balls - Recipe compliments of Jeremiah's Blog - Cooking4Kicks
w/ Sara's adjustments

• 2 lbs. of ground beef
• 1 cup of bread crumbs
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup of skim milk
• 1-2 tbs. Ms. Dash Italian Seasoning (I used garlic herb)
  
• 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese
  
• minced garlic (I ran out, so don't expect garlic in your balls)
  

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients. Add to wet ingredients and mix until well incorporated (mixing with hands is easiest). Scoop out 1 tablespoon at a time and roll into balls. Place balls on cooking sheet and cook for 15 mins. Turn the balls over and cook for another 15 mins or until brown.

Makes between 26-36 balls depending on size. For consistent ball shape and size use either an icecream scoop or meatball/cookie scoop. I got 42 out of this batch.

Spaghetti Sauce: Homemade this summer from my neighbors garden and farm share. Remove from freezer and thaw. Complete Recipe.

Chickpea Curry with Whole Spices

*From A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop*

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 cinnamon stick

1 bay leaf

2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 medium onion, minced

1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

3 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp. gingerroot

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground turmeric

3 14 oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 c. water

2 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro leaves

Kosher salt to taste

1. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high head until shimmering. Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the onion and cook until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, cumin and turmeric and simmer until the tomato juice evaporates and the mixture looks dry and begins to sizzle, about ten minutes.

3. Stir in the chickpeas and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer briskly until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors are blended, about twenty minutes. Add the cilantro and salt to taste. Pick out and discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaf before serving. The stew can be refrigerated for several days. Warm over low heat to serve.

I will be serving this over jasmine rice.