Smokey Red Peppers and Beans Gumbo (vegan)

I was a tad skeptical about making this. Gumbo normally gets it's trademark smokey flavor from sausages. This is vegan so It didn't call for sausages or shrimp or chicken. However, I decided to give this a shot because it came from a vegan cookbook that I have come to love and trust to deliver on taste. In the end , this was fab. The smokiness was totally there thanks to a little liquid smoke, roasted red peppers and fire roasted tomatoes. The backbone of the gumbo was held up by yeasty beer and thick tomato paste. The usual suspects were there; okra, onions, celery and bell pepper and also the addition of kidney beans, a not so usual suspect, and when it all came together wonderful things happened. It thickened up beautifully and tasted divine. I sound surprised, and I was. I was surprised because it was so good that I probably would have chosen to eat this gumbo over any other meat filled one even before the word vegan became so loosely used in our household.

I hate when food pretends to be something ( like gumbo) and falls terribly short because you cut out the main ingredients to accommodate a certain diet. Vegan in this case. However, if that said food turns out to be surprisingly wonderful AND can accommodate a certain diet, well then, I'm all for it. My kids downed this in a flash by the way. Probably because the vegetables don't taste like vegetables. They taste smokey and mild due to the cooking process. Oh, about the cooking process. You'll notice the recipe says to sometimes let certain vegetables or flour cook together for a longer period of time than normal before adding the next ingredients. Just do what it says. You can't argue the results. That being said, I did have to adjust the heat to low once because my peppers started to burn a bit before it was cooked through like the recipe asked.

And lastly, a disclosure. I used butter instead of earth balance or another vegan margarine. I know, I know, that defeats the purpose, but I can't stand vegan margarine. It was my only tweek.

Smokey Red Peppers And Beans Gumbo

adapted from "Veganomicon"

serves 6-8

1/3 cup vegan margarine, (or butter for non vegans)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 medium sized onion, cut into small dice

2 green bell pepper, cut into small dice

1 stalk celery, sliced thinly

4 fat garlic cloves, minced

1 (12-ounce) package frozen, sliced okra

1 (28-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes with their juice

3 roasted red peppers, jarred or homemade chopped into fine dice

1 (16-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

3 cups vegetable broth (more if needed)

1 cup ale-style beer

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1/8 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

2 bay leaves

pinch of cayenne (optional)

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

5 cups cooked brown rice, for serving

First were going to make a roux: Preheat a large heavy bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat. Place the margarine in the pot and stir until melted. Sprinkle in the flour and stir to dissolve it. Cook the flour mixture, stirring frequently, until it is a rich caramel color and smells toasty, anywhere from 10-14 minutes.

Add the chopped onions and bell peppers to the roux mixture, stirring to coat completely. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook until the vegetables are very soft, at least 10 minutes.

Add the celery, garlic, and okra, and cook for another 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes, roasted red peppers, kidney beans, and vegetable broth. Whisk together the beer and tomato paste and add that to the mixture, stirring to incorporate completely. Stir in the allspice, liquid smoke, and grated nutmeg, and lastly tuck in the bay leaves.

Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then lower the heat back to medium and partially cover. Allow the mixture to simmer 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until okra is very tender. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before serving, then season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Serve by itself or with a scoop of brown rice in the center of the bowl with the gumbo around.

This is a long list of ingredients. I know. But I wouldn't blog about it unless it were worth it. Also, a long ingredient list doesn't always mean a lot of work. You only need to chop the onions, garlic, and red peppers. The rest is a breeze.

White Chickenless Chili (with or without chicken)

December 30th is my little Olivia's birthday. This year she turned two. I decided not to make a huge deal out of the day, with Christmas and New Years and all that jazz, so instead I made a big pot of this chili and invited people over to celebrate, last minute. It wasn't necessarily a party, but there were pink heart balloons and carrot cake with rainbow sprinkles and this chili with all the fixings, so I think we did a job well done, considering. Next year we will do it up right for my girl, but this year was so busy and so cold and so snowy that a low key stick-to-your-ribs chili dinner seemed appropriate.

I originally got the base for this recipe from my Aunt Jenny. It's good and calls for all the right stuff like cumin and onions, beans and lime, which I think of as truly Southwest. I tweaked a few things, added garlic and thickened it up a bit. My Aunt's was always really good and flavorful, but it was also really thin. Think beans in broth that sunk to the bottom. It needed to be thicker and it needed a little more salt. In the end, I added to the recipe rather than change it and it's better than ever. Honestly, this chili could proudly be served in any restaurant due to it's rich depth of flavor and I mean that.

Over here at the MacGray house we don't really eat meat, so I make this vegetarian. If you like it that way too, just tweak the recipe by adding 2 more cans of beans and no chicken. Also you can substitute vegetable broth for the chicken. It's delicious and honestly, we don't miss a thing. The vast array of toppings make it hearty and satisfying. We top ours with chunks of avocado, jack cheese, cilantro, sour cream, corn chips and fresh lime juice.

White Chicken Chili

serves 4

4 cups chicken stock

2 fat garlic coves, minced

4 tablespoons flour

1 small chopped onion

1 small can diced green chilies

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 pinch fresh nutmeg

1 teaspoon kosher salt

juice from 1/2 a medium lime, or to taste

2-15 oz. cans great northern beans and/or navy beans, drained

1 15-oz. can white kidney beans, drained

3 cups cooked shredded chicken (When I use it, I buy a rotisserie chicken. Grilled works too)

olive oil

Toppings: Chopped cilantro, grated jack cheese, sour cream, avocado chunks, corn chips and lime wedges

Heat a soup pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onion and garlic and saute until onion is translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin, salt, nutmeg and flour and cook, stirring, for another minute (this is to cook the floury taste away). Add the can of green chilies, the beans, and chicken stock and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat down to a simmer and add the chicken and lime juice, stir and check for seasonings. Serve hot with all the toppings. Squeeze additional lime juice on your bowl of soup, if desired.

Notes: to make your soup thinner, add more chicken stock. If after adding the flour and adding your stock you want it thicker, still, make a roux. In a small saucepan melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and stir together for 2 minutes, then add it to your chili pot while simmering, one tablespoon at a time until thickened to your desired consistency.

This chili thickens up more if refrigerated, so if you have leftovers you may need to add a bit more chicken stock to thin it out.

We are headed to an annual sledding party out at my friends parents ranch. They have it every New Years Day. Everyone is supposed to bring a dish and I lucked out this year because I have lots of leftover chili to take. Perfect really, since it's currently -14 out and we will all be wanting something hot!

Chipotle Kissed Red Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

I bought a cookbook last summer called "Fresh From The Vegetarian Slow Cooker" and have made this recipe from it three times. I have not made any other recipe from that book. I guess I need to branch out, but this chili is so original and so fun I can't pass it up when I open the book. The texture varies a bit each time I make it only because I'm working with sweet potatoes. The longer it does it's thing in the slow cooker, the thicker it will be, like in this picture. If you cook this for only 4-5 hours it will be a bit thinner and the food will be more defined, Which is more ascetically pleasing to the eye. Whether you like it thick or thin, the taste is the same. People who don't usually like sweet potatoes will like them in this because as with any chili, the whole dish takes on it's own flavor and everything tastes like everything else. It's a beautiful thing.

"Vegan Craig" Is staying with us for a couple days. He was never "Vegan Craig" but rather, just Craig until a few days ago when his wife called him by that name in a text and I laughed so hard, I've been calling him it ever since. You see, Craig is vegan now. He used to be rather large and eat a block of cheese a night. Before dinner. Now he is svelte, healthy and well...vegan. This chili, coincidentally is vegan, so it was only fitting that I make this for him while he was here. He left this morning sadly. Craig is a great guest. My husband and Craig have been friends forever and he and Sally, his wife, used to live here but alas, they moved a couple months ago. Luckily they are the traveling type so we will be seeing them from time to time for sure.

I don't like to label things as being "vegan" up front, or like in the title, because I feel it turns people who are not vegan off. I like lots of dishes that happen to be vegan, but probably wouldn't have tried them out had they been labeled "vegan". You know what I mean? Maybe I am the only one with this fear.

Chipotle Kissed Red Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

adapted from "Fresh From The Vegetarian Slow Cooker" by Robin Robertson

serves 4-6

1 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped

1 medium-sized red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder, or more to taste

3 small sweet potatoes, (1 1/2 lbs) peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks

One 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

2 (15.5-ounce) cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups water (more if necessary. You need to just cover all the ingredients with it)

1 tablespoon kosher salt, or more to taste

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, or to taste

cilantro, fresh tomato, red onion for topping (optional)

Add all ingredients except the chipotle chiles, into the slow cooker. Make sure you add enough water to just cover the top of all the ingredients. You can add more than the 2 cups of water if necessary.

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. When ready to serve add the chipotle chilies to the slow cooker and taste for seasonings and adjust if necessary.

Serve and top with chopped cilantro, fresh diced tomatoes and red onion.

Keep in mind the chipotle chiles in adobo are pretty spicy. My kids can eat this with the 1 tablespoon recommended but they like spicy things. If you are sensitive, try adding 1/2 tablespoon first (about 1/2 a pepper) and tasting before adding more. The chipotles are what give this a pleasing smokey flavor so don't leave them out all together.

Roasted Tomato Soup with Fresh Basil

It's just a couple days before Thanksgiving and I am writing about tomato soup. It doesn't seem right. By all intents and purposes I should be blogging about Justin Timberlake's Grandmothers Pecan Pie that I made last week, but alas, it was just so-so and I didn't snap a picture of it. So, with all that said...Tomato soup it is and a dang good one at that. This is a smack down tomato soup. If you are having a tomato soup throw down, make this one because it's everything a tomato soup should be. It's bold and rich, satisfying and creamy with subtle garlic notes. Roasting the fresh tomatoes with onions and garlic before making the soup, really develops and deepens the flavor of the whole thing. Adding the croutons is a perfect salty crunch that sends it over the edge. The bottoms soak up the soup and become soft while the top keeps it's texture. I love that.

I abide by a simple method when making croutons. Just cut your bread of choice (preferably something crusty and hearty) into bite sized cubes. Heat a skillet up over moderately high heat and add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. When the pan is hot, add the cubes of bread and season liberally with salt and pepper, tossing the whole time to be sure it does not burn. When your bread has dried out and is a bit crusty, your croutons are ready, about 3-4 minutes.

Roasted Tomato Soup with Fresh Basil

adapted from"Stirring the Pot" by Tyler Florence

serves 4

2 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes (mix of heirlooms, cherry, vine, and plum tomatoes)

2 small yellow onions, sliced

6 garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

4 cups chicken broth

2 bay leaves

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream (I scaled this back to about 1/4 cup)

1 cup croutons (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash, core, and cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes, onions, and garlic onto a baking tray. (Add the cherry tomatoes whole). Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-30 minutes, until caramelized.

Transfer the roasted tomatoes and the onions and garlic to a large stockpot. pour in any roasting liquid from the tray, about 3 cups of the chicken broth, the bay leaves, and butter. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until liquid has reduced by a third.

Remove and discard bay leaves. Add chopped basil leaves. Puree the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. You can also puree in batches in a regular blender. Return soup to low heat; add the 3/4 cup cream and adjust consistency with remaining chicken broth, if necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. if you like, garnish each bowl with fresh chopped basil and croutons.

Were headed to Nebraska this Thanksgiving to celebrate with Jeremy's side of the family. A snow storm is supposed to move in the day we leave. Joy, right? Have a happy start to the holiday, be safe, and when you get tired of turkey, turn to this soup.

Roasted Potato Leek Soup

When the weather starts to get chilly I undoubtedly turn to my good friends, soup and stew to help bring me comfort. I make all different kinds and am always trying new recipes. I love potato soup and I make three different versions of it regularly in the cold months. The three versions I make fall into different categories: humble and casual (the usual suspects, potato, onion and bacon boiled to together) the crowd pleaser (a baked potato variety with skin and all the fixings) and a fancy schmancy pureed one with leeks, wine and lots of cream. That's the one I'm talking about today.

I didn't know potato soup could be elevated to such a high place. This version is without a doubt the most flavorful, complex, restaurant quality one that I've made. It does require a few extra steps, such as roasting the potato and leeks in the oven before pureeing and finishing it off, but trust me, it's simple and well worth it. It does take some time though, so make sure you start dinner at least an hour before you want to serve. Then, as the potatoes are roasting measure out all the other ingredients so they are ready to go when you are. I don't know about you but I hate having to stop and grate 1/4 cup of cheese while my soup is bubbling away waiting for me to hurry up already. You can also make the optional fried shallots to garnish while the potatoes are roasting. If you prepare ahead of time, you can be done in just over an hour from start to finish. Most of that time is to allow the potatoes to cook through.

This soup calls for a strange ingredient as far as potato soup is concerned: arugula. I'm not sure why, other than it adds pretty little green flecks throughout, that people will probably mistake for leeks. It does look gorgeous, while adding to the nutritional value so I always use it. You can't taste it at all, and like I said, people will take them for leeks so if you need to sneak some veggies into certain people in your family this is an ingenious way! Win-win!

Roasted Potato Leek Soup

adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

serves 6 to 8

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks

4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned of all sand (4 leeks)

1/4 cup good olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

3 cups baby arugula, lightly packed

1/2 cup dry white wine, plus extra for serving

6 to 7 cups chicken stock

3/4 cup heavy cream

8 ounces creme fraiche (or sour cream)

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish

Crispy shallots, optional, for garnish (recipe to follow)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Roast for 4 to 5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted. Remove the pan from the oven and place over two burners. Stir in the wine and 1 cup of the chicken stock and cook over low heat, scraping up any crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan.

in batches, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor (*see note) fitted with the steel blade, adding the pan liquid and about 5 cups of the chicken stock to make a puree. Pour the puree into a large pot or Dutch oven. Continue to puree the vegetables in batches until they're all done and combined in the large pot. Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 cups of stock to make a thick soup. Add the cream, creme fraiche (or sour cream), 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and check the seasonings.

When ready to serve, reheat the soup gently and whisk in 2 tablespoons white wine and the parmesan cheese. Serve hot with an extra grating of parmesan cheese and crispy shallots, if using.

* be sure to use a food processor to blend the soup. If you use a blender it will cause the potatoes to get gummy. They are fickle things!

Crispy Shallots

1 1/2 cups olive oil or vegetable oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 to 6 shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings

Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer (or until hot)

Reduce the heat to low, add the shallots, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until they are a rich golden brown. the temperature should stay below 260 degrees. Stir the shallots occasionally to make sure they brown evenly. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain well, and spread out to cool on paper towels. Once they have fried and crisped, they can be stored at room temperature, covered for several days, if not using right away.

So, the recipe calls for creme fraiche, as you can see, but I have made it both that way and using sour cream to substitute. There is no big difference, so use the sour cream if budget is a concern to you (and who isn't it a concern to?) But, there's no doubt that creme fraiche is special so use that if you are feeling fancy.

Chorizo and Black Bean Soup with Avocado Cream

This is black bean soup at it's finest. I recently had a black bean soup at Winonas, a local restaurant in our area and it was very good. So good that when I came back with a friend I ordered it again, had her try it and together we tried to figure out what was in it. After some debate we settled on the fact that there must be a huge amount of jack cheese in it to get that kind of flavor and texture. A heck of a lot. Figures. The reason someone (me) would make black bean soup at home is because it's supposed to be healthy. If it's not, why would I waste precious calories and dairy intake on black bean soup? Bring on the French onion, the garlic cheesy mashed potatoes with a cup of cream, but not...black bean soup. You get what I'm saying? I like black bean soup alright, but it A) better taste good and B) Not be riddled with calories. I'll save that for another meal, thank you. Or even better, dessert!

This soup fits my criteria perfectly. There is just enough heft and background flavor from the fat of the smokey chorizo and just enough richness from the avocado cream (which contains a bit of sour cream) to elevate this soup to a whole new level. It's good and warming and satisfying all the while being healthy for you (well, about that...I took the pretty picture with the chorizo rounds as garnish on this soup just as the recipe says to do, but before I ate it, I took them off, thus making the dish that much healthier). If you are a meat eater, go ahead and leave it on, but if you don't mind you can leave it off without missing anything. All it's flavor is in the soup anyway and doesn't need it to carry any flavors. If you are not a wasteful person this will be hard for you because it means all you will use the package of chorizo for is to render it's fat and since the recipe calls for Spanish chorizo, it's not a whole lot. Worth it though. Very worth it.

Please make sure and buy Spanish chorizo (or Italian sausage or Kielbasa will work too) and not Mexican chorizo. Spanish chorizo tends to be clean, containing only respectable parts of the pig while the Mexican variety can contain nasty things like lymph nodes, as my friend Danielle found out earlier this week. That's all I'm saying on that. Buy Spanish people! Spanish! If the label does not distinguish clearly, it's easy to tell which specimen you have. Mexican chorizo will be squishy, look like ground beef and render TONS of fat. Spanish chorizo is sausage or hot dog like, comes in links and is firm and cured.

Chorizo Black bean Soup with Avocado Cream

adapted from The Rachael Ray Show

Yield: 4 servings

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 pound cured chorizo, casing removed and chopped

1 small onion, chopped

3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated

2 serrano peppers, seeded and chopped

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

Salt and ground black pepper

3 14-ounce cans black beans, drained

3/4 to 1 quart chicken stock, depending on desired thickness

2 ripe avocados

1/2 cup sour cream

Zest and juice of 1 lime

1/2 cup (about a handful) cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of olive oil, about 1 tablespoon. Add the chorizo to the pan and cook until crispy, 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan and reserve.

Add the onion, garlic, serrano, paprika, some salt and pepper to the pan, and cook until the onions are tender, 5-6 minutes. Add the black beans and chicken stock to the pan, and bring the liquids up to a bubble.

Ladle a couple o scoops of the soup into the bowl of a food processor, or blender (I used a stick blender) and process until smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot and keep warm.

After pureeing the beans rinse the food processor bowl out and return it to the base. Remove the pit from the avocados and scoop them out into the bowl along with the sour cream, lime zest and juice, and process until smooth.

Serve the soup topped some avocado cream and reserved crispy chorizo and cilantro.

Eva Longoria Parker's Tortilla Soup

You probably are wondering why I'm writing about tortilla soup in the midst of our glorious heat wave (70's and 80's) In Steamboat. Well, sadly it's because my husband is sick (I was sick with the same thing last week) and I wanted to make him something to help him feel better. Well, that and it's Mexican. If the meal is Mexican, even when it's soup and warm outside, I feel like it's okay. Hot Mexican food is a free pass during the summer. This particular recipe comes from Eva Longoria Parker, also known as "Gaby Solis" on Desperate Housewives. I decided to make this for a number of reasons. It looked like an authentic tortilla soup recipe and Eva is Mexican, so we had that going for us. Then, there was the fact that she serves this at her (and Chef Todd English's) restaurant, Beso. And finally, Jeremy loves Mexican food and this recipe called for ancho chilies to be pureed and added to the soup and I knew it would help his stuffy nose.

The chili paste

I'm glad I decided to make it. It was very good. It's not a Longoria family recipe though. Eva modified the traditional dish on her own. She has said that she has adjusted the recipe over many, many years. It's light and easy (don't let the soaking the dried ancho peppers and puring them into a paste scare you. It's super quick) and you can make it more filling by adding grilled chicken. We had this for lunch, but it could just as easily be a light dinner, or a first course.

I feel like I should tell you, in case you don't read the recipe all the way through, that this particular recipe calls for straining the soup at the end to get rid off all the solids, like herbs, onion and tomato chunks so all you are left with is a flavorful broth. I actually love this idea. It makes for pretty presentation because when you go to serve this, you first mound up your grilled sliced chicken and half an avocado, cut into chunks into the bottom of a shallow bowl. Then you add a bunch of fried tortilla strips and cilantro to top. Then you ladle in the hot tortilla soup broth so it encircles the whole thing. Top the everything off with queso fresco (white crumbly Mexican cheese, that they sell in grocery stores...sometimes called cojita cheese) and you're in business.

Tortilla Soup

adapted from Beso restaurant, Eva Longoria Parker

3 dried ancho chile peppers (with the bell peppers in Safeway, or in Mexican section)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, sliced

3 garlic cloves, smashed

1 28-ounce can of whole plum tomatoes

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin

6-8 cups low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

2 bay leaves

4 springs fresh thyme

kosher salt

1 -2 grilled chicken breasts, sliced

3/4 to 1 cup crumbled queso fresco

2 avocados, diced

fresh cilantro

4 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips and fried

1 to 2 tablespoons sour cream (optional)

Bring a saucepan of water up to a boil and add the dried peppers in, turn off the heat and cover. Let them soak for 15 minutes, or until soft. Drain the chile's, and discard the stems and as many seeds as you can. Transfer to a blender and process to make a smooth puree (use some water if needed to loosen up the mixture to help make a paste).

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent. Add the tomatoes with their juice, 1/4 cup chili puree, the coriander seeds and cumin and cook about 5 minutes. Add the broth, bay leaves and thyme and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook about 30 minutes (I smashed the tomatoes against the pot to break then up a little and let the juice out). Strain the broth through a medium-mesh strainer into another pot, discarding the solids. Season the broth with salt and heat up again ( I needed a lot of salt. If it tastes bland at all, add more salt and it won't. Salt brings out all the flavor).

Place a small amount of chicken, avocado, tortilla strips, cilantro and queso fresco in each bowl, then pour about 1 cup of the hot broth around the garnishes. Add sour cream if desired.

serves 4

I cut my tortillas into thin strips and fried them in a small skillet in olive oil over medium to med-high heat until crispy. As for the chicken, I didn't add any. But I'm sure marinated in a little lemon juice, thyme, olive oil and salt for about 20 minutes before grilling would be great. Either that or sprinkle it with blackening seasoning and grill for more flavor.

This soup is not spicy so don't be afraid to add the whole 1/4 cup of ancho chile paste. In fact I wish it was a smidge spicier, which is why the recipe calls for 6-8 cups of stock. The original recipe calls for 8 cups, which is what I used, but I think it would have even been better had I reduced the broth to 6 cups. It would have had a more concentrated flavor. But please, do what you like.

Award Winning Slow-Cooker Chili

I love chili. Most any kind of chili. Two years ago when our town started to do a "Chili Cook Off" I was in heaven, counting down the days until it began. I'm not usually a huge beer fan, but with chili (and the Superbowl, and those really hot summer days on the deck) I have to have a corona with lime and salt. Unfortunately, last year the "Chili Cook Off" began the day after we had planned to leave for our annual California trip. I seriously tried to change our dates, to accommodate the cook-off. Alas, I am married to Jeremy who is very practical and didn't see the urgency in staying, so off we went. Our first morning in Cali we went to breakfast and low and behold, on the door was a flyer advertising the "Malibu Chili Cook Off" that weekend! A ray of light! I had been to the legendary "Malibu Chili Cook Off" as a kid with my Dad a couple times and it holds a special place in my heart. I remembered it as being fun, festive and happenin' and I was really looking forward to it!

The day came and everyone knew my expectations were high. The only problem was, for some reason or another, the kids hadn't napped on time that particular day and we were going to have to wake them to get to the festival. Also, it was really hot outside. Another thing was that both Jeremy and I were really tired. We woke the kids up early, rationalized that it would be a lot cooler in Malibu than in the valley where we were, and off we went. I know Jeremy didn't really want to go but he was trying to act excited for me.

The whole thing was kind of a disaster. It was held in a dirt lot, which is where it had always been held, but Jeremy hates walking in dirt, so he had to get over that. Then, we had to pay to get in. Then, I realized the carnival rides that used to be spread throughout the chili stands were in a separate lot next to us so we couldn't get to it without leaving the festival. Then lastly, and most disappointingly, you had to pay each and every vendor for tastes of their chili!!! Ugh! We only had a limited amount of cash, so Jeremy just wrangled the kids together and kept them out of the way while I went from booth to booth to get my fix. Turns out, chili tasting is not very fun when it's just you and you know your kids are acting like wild banshees and complaining about the sun and standing around doing nothing. We lasted about 30 minutes before we were back in the car, by my own initiative. Bad experiences really do make for fun stories later. That's the only upside.

Needless to say, because of my love for chili, I make it quite a lot. I made it last night, in fact. This chili recipe is my favorite as it is straight forward and what I personally want when I think about chili. There are other versions I really like as well, and when you make chili as often as I do, you have to change it up a bit. I'll probably be sharing the other chili recipes with you as this year goes on, but for now I'd like to start with this one.

I originally thought this recipe was a secret. Well, I think it was for a while as it had won a couple chili cook off's it was entered in. However, I got the feeling the last time I was with the family who's recipe it was, that it really didn't matter much anymore, and I am so glad because now I can share it with you (My Aunt Kellies cookies are a different matter entirely). The recipe comes from My Aunt's Husbands parents, actually. I don't know how else to say that...My Uncle in law's parents, maybe? I had wanted to not be that formal and just say it's my Uncles parents recipe, but then you would have thought it was my Grandparents and it would have been weird. I digress.

You make this chili in the crock pot which I think is fabulous because you can do it in the morning and it just cooks all day. Chili in general, I've found is much better in the crock pot because it takes a while for the meat to get soft enough to meld into everything else and for all the flavors to slowly marry. This recipe is specific. I am going to write it the way it was given to me, with certain brands of tomatoes and so fourth, but just know it's okay to substitute for another. It's certainly best when made as written, but I can't find everything called for in my grocery store and it's still incredibly awesome. Hardez Mexican Tomato Salsa makes all the diference in the world if you can find it. I think as long as you stick to kidney beans (red and white are ok and I am known to use both) or sometimes I use a can of navy beans, you are okay. Don't do black beans or pinto or anything crazy like that or it won't be the same. I mean, you would probably like it and all...well you get the idea.

Award Winning Slow-Cooker Chili
adapted from Tom Brukiewa

2 lbs. 80/20 ground beef
1 large onion, diced
2 cans kidney beans, drained
1 30 oz. can hunts small red beans, drained
2 14.5 oz. cans S&W ready diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. cans Hardez Mexican tomato salsa (aka. "casara"- I can only buy this is glass jars)

1 15-oz can of tomato sauce
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 Anaheim peppers, chopped
1 jalapeno, or Serrano or red jalapeno, diced
2-3 tablespoons chili powder (schilling brand)
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt

*see note below for making this vegetarian

Brown the ground beef and onion in a frying pan over medium heat with a sprinkle of salt. Put the meat mixture in the bottom of a crock pot and add all other ingredients and stir. Cook all day on low, or at least 6 hours.

Topping time! I like to top this chili with chopped, fresh red onion, cilantro and cheddar cheese with maybe a small dolop of sour cream. If you can't find the 30 oz. can of the red beans and are going to substitute, just remember that 30 oz. is a big can, so you will probably need 2 more cans of beans to make up for it since beans typically come in a 15 oz can. If you like your chili spicier, add another jalapeno because one doesn't really add that much kick. Oh, and about that, I don't dice my jalapeno up or else it ends up all over my hands and I always end up touching my eyes, ouch! Instead, I just cut it in half, long ways and put it in the pot. That way all the flavor gets in but I don't risk getting jalapeno juice everywhere. Just make sure to not serve someone the whole half. Well, unless it's my Mother or Isabella, my daughter. Those two would probably ask you for both of them!

*I should note that I made this vegetarian last night to accomidate our diets right now. I just put everything except the meat in the crock pot, with an extra can of beans and let it cook all day. It tasted really good but wasn't as thick. I guess that's just the price you have to pay!

Sausage, Peppers and Onions Stoup

My two good friends Danielle and Melissa and I decided to do a couple recipe exchanges this year. I proposed that we each make something we really enjoy that can be frozen, tripple the recipe and keep one portion for your own family and distrubute the other two into freezer ziplock bags and freeze until the day of our exchange. Then we would exchange the meals to keep in the freezer until we were ready to use them. The first time around I made homeade sausage spaghetti sauce and gave a portion each to Danielle and Melissa along with some spaghetti noodles. Melissa made her famous chili, which is really MY famous chili, which is really Tom Brukiewas famous chili. And Danielle made sausage peppers and onion stoup. That very stoup is the one I am currently defrosing in my refrigerator right now to have for lunch today since my husband has temporarily (hopefully temporarily...please, please, please be temporary) gone vegetarian and will not eat it becuase of the sausage. His loss. Sausage is so good, as I am sure you all already know.

The day this recipe aired on 30 Minute Meals (Rachael Ray's Food Network Show) both Danielle and I were watching in our respective houses. I watched the show and thought "I really need to make that! It looks so good and simple and it has balsamic vinegar in it...how different". Really, anytime a meal has something unexpected and delicious sounding in it's ingredient list I am a sucker to make it. Aside from the unexpected vinegar thrill, it also contained anaheim peppers (which are mild...they're what chili rellanos are made from) instead of bell peppers. I was sold. I knew that sausage peppers and onions stoup was in my near future. But it would have to wait until the next week. I meal plan according to the weather forecast and I only shop once a week. Danielle on the other hand does not and I think she ran straight to the store after seeing this recipe. She called me up the next day or so and raved about the stoup (stoup becuase it's thicker than a soup but thinner than a stew) and I think somehow we wound up going to dinner at her house for it before I got a chance to make it. But, make it I did. And then I made it again, and again and again. It's a regular meal in our household in the winter time. Regular meaning I have made it more than 3 times and a copy of the recipe is in my permanent green binder recipe file. I think it appeals to men and women alike becuase it's hearty, but different becuase of the balsamic vinegar. It's not really spicy but It sort of gives the illusion of being becuase of the balsamic vinegar. and you top it with freshly grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil. It's so good I cannot even tell you.

Last year I ate this on my sofa while watching the 2009 Academy Awards. Yes, I remember that. It was a good night.

Sausage, Peppers and Onions Stoup
adapted from Rachael Ray

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds hot or sweet bulk Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 to 4 anaheim peppers (or cubanelle) seeded and thinly sliced
2 medium-large onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2-3 cups chicken stock
2 (15 oz) cans diced fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 cup basil leaves, torn
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
1 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano

Heat olive oil in a deep skillet, add sausage and brown a few minutes then add garlic, peppers and onions and cook until soft, 6-7 minutes more.

Deglaze the pan with a little vinegar, stir in the stock and tomatoes and reduce the heat to simmer, cook 5 minutes more then stir in the parsley and basil and serve with cheese on top.

A few notes: I buy ground sausage so it is easier to cook, but if all you can find are links just slice through the casings with a knife and squeeze out the sausage in the pot and break up with a wooden spoon. Also, I cut my onions the way you would for french onion soup (another favorite). Just slice the ends off both sides of the onion and cut it in half through one of those ends. Then just slice thinly into half moon shapes. I slice the anaheim peppers into the same half moon shape. Just slice down the center of the pepper the long way and remove the seeds, then slice horizonatally. I don't usually add the basil in the soup becuase I like it as a garnish instead.

Cheating, Easy, White Chicken Chili

So, I made the white chicken chili that I talked about last time and it turned out exactly as I thought it would, good in an okay sort of way. I think this chili is perfect as a weeknight throw together type dinner and that is why I'm choosing to write about it. I realize that not everybody has the time or patience to cook every single night and I also see that in this economy we are all trying to pinch pennies and eat at home as much as possible. This chili is a great solution to both. I made this, oh, I don't know, last Friday? It was a hit with the rest of my family and I admit it was pretty darn good for what it was. Like I mentioned before in my last post, this chili requires no real cooking to be had. The only thing you have to do that is labor intensive is grate some cheese, chop 2 cloves of garlic and that's it! Everything else just gets opened up and dumped into the pot. It's quite remarkable actually. I saw this dinner on an episode of the Rachael Ray show. The episode was about the most requested dishes of the whole year. If you don't know already or are not familiar with the show, Rachael makes food like she does on her other cooking shows on Food Network and calls the segment "what's for dinner tonight?" At the end of last year they took the top 10 most downloaded recipes and highlighted them. One of those recipes was for this white chili, I imagine, for it's simplicity and good combination of ingredients. Rachael didn't make this one up though. It was shown to her by a viewer of the show named Mandy Forester and so, fittingly, this dishes proper name is "Mandy Forester's White Chicken Chili".

It takes maybe 10 minutes to make and another 10-15 minutes to heat through so we are looking at a 30 minute meal. This chili tastes Mexican because it has cumin in it. It's also got a kick. My kids ate it with no problems but they like spicy food. If you have children or sensitive eaters I would recommend using a mild salsa ( I used medium) and use half cheddar cheese and half pepper jack. I do not recommend subing out all of the pepper jack cheese for cheddar because the pepper jack tastes awesome and ties in with all the Mexican flavors so well. Also, I didn't use as much cheese as the recipe calls for. It calls for a whole 8oz block of grated pepper jack cheese. I used about 5oz. I don't think you need much more than that. I also needed about a cup of tortilla chips, crushed, to thicken the soup to my liking instead of the called for 1/2 cup. If you like it thicker, put in more crushed tortilla chips. I should point out that I made this vegetarian. That is, I put in an extra can of beans and didn't buy the rotisserie chicken to shred into it. It was still very good. Chicken would have been better though, I think. I don't know because I usually pick around the chicken in soups so I can't say for sure. Another thing is don't drain the beans. leave them in their juices when you pour them into the pot. It helps thicken the chili and adds extra liquid.

White Chicken Chili
Adapted from The Rachael Ray Show and Mandy Forester

1 32-ounce box chicken stock
3 cans white beans, left un-drained ( I used white kidney and navy beans)
1 chicken, shredded (rotisserie or boiled)
1 16-ounce jar salsa (whatever heat you prefer)
1 8-oz block pepper jack cheese, grated
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, chopped
black or white pepper to taste
1/2 to 1 cup finely crushed corn chips

6 servings

Place all ingredients except the corn chips in a crockpot or in a stock pot. If using a crockpot, cook on high until all the cheese is melted and then add in the chips before serving and stir until thickened. If using a stockpot, heat through on the stove top over medium heat until cheese is melted through, then add the corn chips and stir to thicken.

I topped mine with chopped avocado chunks and cilantro. We ate it with chips for dipping too. You could also top it with sour cream. Notice that you put the shredded cheese right in the pot along with all the other ingredients. It's not for putting on top of the chili. That's not common, but it worked and tasted good. I like that there is salsa right in the chili that has all the diced onions right in it so there is no need to chop more yourself. I really like that.

New Food Blog and 15 bean soup

I originally wrote this first post a couple weeks ago, but have since resolved to make this food blog thing a year long project and so now, for the first two entries, I am back posting. I will be writting reguarly about the food I make this year, and my foodie revelations. This project is mostly a discipline on my part, but hopefully I can use it as a tool to improve my cooking as well as maybe inspiring creativity.

12-6-09- Today I am making a very humble bean soup. This is something I had on a regular basis growing up and honestly thought I would never make again. My Mother used to make bean soup quite a bit growing up and we would eat the leftovers for days and days. Hers consisted of beans, usually just pinto, water and if we were lucky, a ham hock. She would top it off with melted cheddar cheese and a tortilla, if they were around, and voila that was dinner. My version is going to be somewhat different. Isabella my daughter, had her first cheerleading event this morning. When we left the high school it was clear, but by the time lunch time rolled around it was dumping snow. Living in a ski town, the weather can change in minutes. The weather calls for something hearty and I have all the ingredients to make a great 15 bean soup. I had no recipe. I mean it is bean soup and I don't think there is an actual science to it. I basically just drained the previously dried beans from the pot of water they had been soaking in overnight and put them in a crock pot. I added a chopped onion, carrot and 2 celery stalks (cut lengthwise and then chopped) we had a left over yellow bell pepper in the fridge so I cut it up and tossed it in as well. Then I added a can of petite diced tomatoes, a bottle of beer (corona) and filled the rest of the pot up with chicken stock. Next I threw in a smoked pork chop, bay leaf, and galric powder, chili powder and a half a packet of lipton onion soup mix. I have high hopes. I think I will top my bean soup off with parmesan cheese, curl up on the couch and watch a movie. A perfect end to a blustery day.
NOTE: In retrospect, since this day has already passed, I would like to say that it took the beans a while to cook in the crock pot. About 7 hours. But the soup itself was delightful. Oh, and I didn't watch a movie. It sounded good, but my inlaws came by just as dinner was being served and they joined us and we talked. Afterwards, there was no time for a movie. But still a good night.