Pike Place Stout Beef & Coffee Chili

After a long week, and a long weekend, on this very CHILLY day, we decided to make some CHILI. :) My dad had put up this recipe on his food blog a while ago, and I decided to try and replicate it. It turned out wonderfully smoky, spicy, and toasty warm. Just what we needed since our heater in our apartment isn't working - darn!

Pike Place Stout Beef & Coffee Chili
adapted from Dad's recipe


INGREDIENTS:

oil
1-1/2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb+ steak cut into ½” cubes (I used chuck)
1 can diced tomatoes
½ bottle dark beer (I used Pike Place Stout Extra Stout, Dad suggested a porter - probably would try with a Porter next time)
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
beef broth (see directions for quantity)
3 TB brown sugar
3 TB chili powder (I used a mixture of chili powder, Ancho chili powder, and smoked paprika)
1 TB cumin
1 TB dried oregano
Cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to taste (start with ¼ tsp) (Omitted - and it was plenty spicy!)
Salt and pepper
2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans (or sub 1 can for pinto) [We are not eating a lot of beans right now, so I put in about 5 medium chopped parsnips instead - worked well, since they have a nice earthy texture and flavor]
1 (8oz) can chopped green chilies
2 fresh hot chili peppers, seeded and chopped



Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put some oil in big dutch oven and heat on stovetop to medium/medium-low. Add chopped onion and chopped peppers. Sauté briefly then add garlic and chopped meat. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Put in oven for 1 hour uncovered. You brown the meat this way instead of on stove-top. And it's the most beautifully yummy smell you will ever smell.

After 1 hour, remove from oven to a burner on medium heat. Reduce oven temp to 300. Add the rest of the ingredients except for beef broth. Stir chili well and let it come back up to heat slowly. Add beef broth until amount of liquid is appropriate and consistency is how you want it. Cover pot and return to oven for at least 1 hour.

YUMMMMM!

Oven roasted veggies

 OK so pretend I'm writing this in the fall... 

 Or not, because you all know how much I love the fall. So it's not THAT weird for me to be posting this in December??

And you can make roasted veggies anytime! Not just in the fall!! 

 OK, so here's the recipe. :)

Chop up ANY root or other veggies.
Here are some ideas:

Carrots
Bell peppers
Potatoes (red, purple, yukon gold, sweet, etc.)
Onions (white or sweet are best)
Brussels sprouts (sliced in half)
Butternut squash
Leeks
Beets
Turnips
Parsnips
Hatch chili peppers
Etc
Etc
(Get the idea? Almost anything works!)

Toss chopped veggies with olive oil to coat, and salt and pepper. 

Roast in 375-425 degree oven (depends on the veggies you're using. Potatoes will take longer to cook.) I put them on a pan with foil so it's easy clean up - easy to make, easy to clean up - hmm, I like the sound of this!

Roast for 30-40 minutes. Brussels are best when they're getting brown and crispy, all other veggies taste great when they're tender. 

See? So forgiving, and SOO easy. Do this same method with broccoli (toss with Olive oil, S&P, roast till brown and crispy) and asparagus (same, just not as long in the oven). YUM! 

Easy weeknight pork tenderloin

So this meal has become one of my go-to meals when we don't have a lot of time but still want to eat a healthy and delicious meal. Trader Joe's has packages of pork tenderloin pre-seasoned with garlic and herbs in their meat section. Trader Joe's also has pre-seasoned asparagus in a microwave pack. And you can just pick up a few sweet potatoes while you're at it, and you've got this meal made! This is also a pretty cost effective meal... Did I mention I love Trader Joe's?

Bake the pork tenderloin as directed on the package - ~350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes, depending on the size. Let sit for at least 10 minutes once you take it out of the oven.

While that's in the oven, chop up a few sweet potatoes and boil them. Once they're tender, drain, and mash to desired consistency. Use a food processor for smoother results. Add milk, butter, cinnamon, or other spices/flavorings. These should be done around the same time as your meat.

Follow the directions for microwaving the asparagus - 2 1/2 minutes, and you're done!

ENJOY!! :)

Sauteed Butternut Squash

I first off have to apologize that there will be no photo for this post... but it's for good reason - the butternut squash this post refers to was so quickly snarfed up that that fact alone should speak to how good it was. :)

I sauteed some cubes of butternut squash in butter, some ground ginger and some cinnamon. YUM! It was heavenly - crispy on the outside, and soft and smooth on the inside. Perfect fall dinnerish-snack. Do it. Super easy and delicious!!

Crockpot Pork Chops

Jeff and I decided we would be brave and try cooking pork chops again. We both have never been big fans of pork chops, but because they're so cheap, we wanted to see if there was a way to cook them that we'd enjoy. We found it! The Crockpot wins again... these chops were SO tender - literally falling apart when you cut them with a fork. I've NEVER had a pork chop do that before, and these were sooo easy and very flavorful.

Crockpot Pork Chops
Adapted from Allrecipes.com

6 boneless pork chops

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

2 cloves garlic, crushed

*I cut the soy sauce to 1/4 cup and added about 1/8-1/4 cup of honey as well.

*I also added some chicken broth to increase the amount of liquid

salt and pepper to taste

Place pork chops in slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over pork chops. Make sure that you cover the chops with the sauce - if your crockpot is large like ours, spoon some of the sauce over the chops periodically as they cook to keep them from drying out.

Cook on Low setting for 6 hours, until internal temperature of pork has reached 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

*Important: brown the pork chops in a pan before putting them in the crockpot - this adds a ton more flavor, and helps seal in the moisture. I didn't do this because we ran out of time, but this is important!!

Chop up some sweet potatoes and toss with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast on a baking tray in the oven ~350 degrees, for 25-35 minutes, or until tender.

Spiced Honey Lemon Chicken and Sweet Carmelized Brussels Sprouts

Jeff and I celebrated my Grandma's 80th birthday today with the rest of the Berger clan at The Oyster Bar in Bellingham, right on Chuckanut Drive.

We had a great time celebrating with family, and the sun came out just in time to enjoy a beautiful view from the private room in the restaurant.

We came home exhausted and after trying to figure out "what to do" tonight after a failed attempt at finding Dogfish Head's Punkin Beer at Fred Meyer, we settled on making dinner together. Wow! What a great choice - we found ourselves a keeper recipe, from one of my favorite blogs Crepes of Wrath. This truly was a 30-minute meal and super simple to make. Jeff worked on the chicken while I did the brussels sprouts, and it was done in no time!

Spiced Honey Lemon Chicken

Adapted from Crepes of Wrath

2 chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness (we used chicken thighs and they were fantastic)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

4 teaspoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter, melted

3 tablespoons honey

zest and juice of 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons paprika

1. Combine all of your ingredients in a small bowl, then pour over the chicken. Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour in the fridge, but you can marinate the chicken for 24 hours, and longer is better!

2. You can either grill or broil the chicken. To grill, preheat the grill to medium-high heat and grill over high heat for 3 minutes on each side, then over indirect heat for 5 minutes on each side. To broil, heat the oven to 400 degrees F and cook for 10-15 minutes on each side, until cooked through and the juices run clear.

Sweet Caramelized Brussels Sprouts

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided into 3 tablespoons

1 onion, thinly sliced (my quick tip: get the bag of pre-chopped onions from Trader Joe's - cuts down on time and weepy eyes!)

kosher salt

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

4 teaspoons sugar

1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, quartered (another Trader Joe's quick tip: get the bag of "microwaveable" brussels sprouts, because they are already washed and prepped - all you have to do is a quick chop!)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup water

4 slices of bacon, sliced into 1-inch pieces and cooked until crispy (we didn't have bacon, but that would only make this recipe even better!!!)

1. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and pepper. Sauté until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the combined vinegar and sugar. Stir until brown and glazed, about 3 minutes.

2. Quarter the brussels sprouts length wise. Heat the olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the brussels sprouts and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until brown at edges, 6 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and 3 tablespoons butter. Sauté until most of water evaporates and sprouts are tender but still bright green, 3 minutes. Mix in the cooked, crispy bacon and serve and top with the onions. When you eat them, mix the onions in with the sprouts so you get a little bit of everything in each bite. Serves 3-4.

Corned Beef Update!

Corned Beef was a success!!! Unfortunately, so much of a success, I don't have a great picture of everything on one plate!! Oops! But here's some of the final prep process...

~*~

Take the meat out of the bag, and rinse, then pat dry. I debated this step, because I didn't want to wash away all the yummy-ness, but after reading numerous blogs and deciding to trust Bow-Tie Man, I did. It really doesn't take away any of the flavor, after all - it's been soaking in its juices for a week!!

The meat was added to a pot of water, filling the pot 1 inch above meat so it was all covered. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer, and continue to simmer covered for 2-3 hours. Occasionally check, and skim off any foam that rises to the top. Meanwhile, you can clean house, pack up for camping, find some fun Celtic tunes to play, and chop up the veggies you choose. I decided on cabbage (of course), potatoes, onions, carrots, and some brussels sprouts. This pile of veggies did not all fit in the pot, so make sure you have an appropriate sized cooking vessel. :)

The veggies were added to the pot after the meat finished cooking. Place the meat on an oven-safe platter, and put in a 200 degree oven covered with a little bit of the juice, and cover the whole thing in foil. Carrots, potatoes, and onions go in first for 10-15 mins. Then add cabbage and brussels, for another 10-15 minutes. Like the meat, bring to boil, then simmer covered until veggies are cooked.

Irish Soda Bread, courtesy of Katy Bowers. Check out her baking blog! This turned out great - very simple and quick, and tasted amazing after cooking on a cast iron skillet. Just a little flour, salt, baking soda, dash of sugar and buttermilk - yum!

Our final adventure of the evening was these amazing cupcakes. I chose to adapt a couple recipes, because I liked different features of each. I chose to use this Guinness Chocolate Cupcake & Bailey's Cream Cheese Frosting recipe, from Nook & Pantry.Then the Irish Whiskey Chocolate Ganache filling from Smitten Kitten, because it seemed too good not to include!

Final verdict:

OOF and YUM!!!

In Process: America's Test Kitchen Corned Beef & Veggies

I hope to try making this for St. Patty's day next week ... glad I looked this up now, because it calls for the meat to sit in the fridge for 5-7 days!! WOW! But I trust America's Test Kitchen and the bow-tie man, as my mom calls him, so we'll see how it turns out!

3/13/11 Update: Finally found some uncured beef brisket at the local meat market on top of Queen Anne. While pricey, I know it will be yummy, and I couldn't find uncured brisket at ANY other local grocery store. While I was there, I had to pick up some of their applewood smoked bacon (oh darn!) and test it out. :)
Meanwhile, the beef is sitting in the fridge, "corning" in all the goodness - can't wait to see how it turns out! One note: don't forget to add the peppercorns - kind of a crucial ingredient in "corned" beef. ;-) I forgot at first, because it required the extra step of trying to crack some of them, but it's easy to open the bag again, and add them (hopefully not too far into the resting process!).

CORNED BEEF

SERVES 8 WITH LEFTOVERS

If you prefer a leaner piece of meat, feel free to use the flat cut. In fact, we found more flat cut than point cut briskets in supermarket meat cases, so you’ll probably have to ask the meat department attendant or butcher to bring you a point cut. Leave a bit of fat attached for better texture and flavor.

The meat is cooked fully when it is tender, the muscle fibers have loosened visibly, and a skewer slides in with minimal resistance.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup kosher salt

1 tablespoon black peppercorns , cracked

3/4 tablespoon ground allspice

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1/2 tablespoon paprika

2 bay leaves , crumbled

1 beef brisket (fresh, 4 to 6 pounds), preferably point cut, trimmed of excess fat, rinsed and patted dry

7-8 pounds vegetables , chosen from the categories below

Category 1 Vegetables

Carrots , peeled and halved crosswise, thin end halved lengthwise, thick end quartered lengthwise

Rutabagas (small), peeled and halved crosswise; each half cut into six chunks

White turnips (medium), peeled and quartered

New potatoes (small), scrubbed and left whole

Boiling onions , peeled and left whole

Category 2 Vegetables

Green cabbage (small head), uncored, blemished leaves removed, cut into six to eight wedges

Parsnips , peeled and halved crosswise, thin end halved lengthwise, thick end quartered lengthwise

Brussels sprouts , blemished leaves removed and left whole

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Mix salt and seasonings in small bowl.
   

2. 2. Spear brisket about thirty times per side with meat fork or metal skewer. Rub each side evenly with salt mixture; place in 2-gallon-size zipper-lock bag, forcing out as much air as possible. Place in pan large enough to hold it (a jelly roll pan works well), cover with second, similar-size pan, and weight with two bricks or heavy cans of similar weight. Refrigerate 5 to 7 days, turning once a day.
   

3. 3. Choose 7-8 pounds of vegetables of your choice from categories 1 and 2, prepared as described in the ingredient listing.

4. 4. Rinse the brisket and pat it dry. Bring the brisket to boil with water to cover by 1/2 to 1 inch in large soup kettle or stockpot (at least 8 quarts), skimming any scum that rises to surface. Cover and simmer until skewer inserted in thickest part of brisket slides out with ease, 2 to 3 hours.

5. 5. Heat oven to 200 degrees. Transfer meat to large platter, ladling about 1 cup cooking liquid over it to keep it moist. Cover with foil and set in oven.

6. 6. Add vegetables from category 1 to kettle and bring to boil; cover and simmer until vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add vegetables from category 2 and bring to boil; cover and simmer until all vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes longer.

7. 7. Meanwhile, remove meat from oven and cut across the grain into 1/4-inch slices.

8. 8. Transfer vegetables to meat platter, moisten with additional broth, and serve.

9. 9. Serve this dish with horseradish, either plain or mixed with whipped or sour cream, or with grainy mustard.

Italian Meatballs

After a month and a half of being sick, I'm tired of eating applesauce and canned soup or crackers for meals. I finally broke down and had a moment of motivation and decided to make a *REAL* meal!!

I got this recipe from my Dad (check out his food blog). This is my go-to when I don't know what else to make, and when I want to make a cheap and easy but delicious meal.

1 lb lean ground beef *

½ cup bread crumbs (preferably white) **

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (or to taste or use fresh minced)

1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning (or to taste)

1 teaspoons parsley flakes (or to taste)

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

dash of cayenne pepper (to taste or optional)

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together (everything above except for meat and egg)

2. Mix dry ingredients with meat by hand, knead together in a big bowl (Dad uses disposable nitrile gloves for this and for meatball forming, way easier to clean up)

3. Knead in slightly beaten egg

4. Form into ~1.75” diameter meatballs (should make about 12 meatballs - I find it usually makes more!)

5. Place on a foiled and sprayed cookie sheet (if you use less lean [i.e. cheaper] ground beef put on a sprayed cookie rack on top of the foil so they won’t cook in the grease)

6. Bake at 375 for about 20 – 25 minutes until slightly browning (don’t listen to anyone telling you to cook them in the sauce or in a frying pan)

Meanwhile, cook pasta about 30 seconds less than the package al dente recommendation, and heat sauce in a large frying pan. Combine ½ of the cooked meatballs (3 per person per meal), the drained and rinsed slightly undercooked pasta, into the heated sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes. Swerve it up with vegetable of choice. (Mine was brussels sprouts tonight! Slice them up thinly, and saute in a couple tablespoons of butter with salt and pepper. YUM!)

* Best if you can double this recipe by using 1lb of ground beef and 1lb of ground plain pork {not sausage} (makes a bunch of meatballs for freezing which you can just take out and plop in sauce to thaw and heat)

** Bread crumbs can be had for free if you take ends of your bread loaves and freeze them, then when you need bread crumbs, take them out of the freezer, break into ~1 – 2” pieces and put them in your mini food processor while still frozen. Whole wheat bread or “weird natural bread” really doesn’t work well for bread crumbs.

MUSHROOM SUCCESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I witnessed a momentous occasion in history Monday night. Jeff ate a mushroom ... and LIKED it!!! I was so amazed. :)

Granted, it was a stuffed, baked mushroom ... so a lot of flavor to disguise the "texture" of mushrooms that he doesn't enjoy.

I'm not entirely sure why I'm blogging this appetizer, other than the fact that I want to remember stuffed mushrooms as a super fast and easy option to impress guests, not to mention that they're super yummy and a relatively healthy option for a snack.

For these [imagine a really cool and artsy photo here], I used larger cremini mushrooms, but it usually would be better to use the small white button mushrooms. Wash and dry the mushrooms, and then snap out the stems. (Some recipes call for chopping up some of the stems and sauteeing them to include in the stuffing, but this recipe was ultra-easy, so I didn't do that - a.k.a. I'm LAZY.)

I grabbed a packet of "Tuscan Stuffed Mushroom" mix from Crate & Barrel during their holiday sale, and you mix that with 8 oz. of softened cream cheese. I only had about 4 oz of cream cheese, so I halved the little packet. oh darn - guess I have to make more soon! :) You spoon portions of the mixture into the mushroom "caps" so they're slightly overflowing with the filling, and stick them in the oven for 15-20 minutes - till the filling is sizzling and warm all the way through.

YUM!

Braised Beef Short Ribs

Pulled out a bunch of magazines for people to write on during a game at our Christmas party last weekend, and found a Bon Appetit magazine from last fall. It has this recipe on the front, and I got inspired to try it. :)

Braised Beef Short Ribs with Red Wine Gravy and Swiss Chard

short ribs

6 pounds 3-inch-long meaty beef short ribs

Coarse kosher salt

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup olive oil, divided

3 cups chopped onions

3 cups 3/4-inch cubes peeled turnips (about 1 pound)

2 cups chopped peeled carrots (about 8 ounces)

2 cups chopped celery

8 garlic cloves, peeled

1/4 pound sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil) **I used canned diced tomatoes and it turned out great.

1/4 cup (lightly packed) fresh thyme sprigs (or dried)

5 large fresh sage sprigs (or dried)

5 bay leaves (I ran out, so omitted)

2 cups dry red wine

4 cups low-salt chicken broth

Balsamic vinegar (optional)

swiss chard

1/4 cup olive oil

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 pounds Swiss chard, center ribs removed, leaves cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick ribbons (about 28 cups)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place ribs on rimmed baking sheet; sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour over; toss to coat. Heat 1/4 cup oil in heavy large wide pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook ribs until browned all over, about 10 minutes per batch. Return to sheet.
Wipe out pot***Don't do this! Keeps yummy flavor in the pan for cooking the veggies.
Add remaining 1/4 cup oil to pot. Add onions and next 4 ingredients; cook until tender and slightly browned, stirring often, about 12 minutes. Add sun-dried tomatoes and next 3 ingredients; stir to coat. Return ribs to pot, placing on sides to fit in single layer. Add wine. Simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Add broth; cover and bring to simmer.

Transfer pot to oven and braise until ribs are tender, about 2 hours. Let stand, covered, at room temperature 15 minutes. Carefully transfer ribs to large bowl, keeping meat attached to bones if possible (some bones may separate from meat). Remove herb sprigs.
***This next step is optional***Pass all braising liquid and vegetables through food mill into large bowl; return to pot. Spoon fat from surface. Season gravy to taste with salt and pepper and a few drops of balsamic vinegar, if desired. Rewarm gravy. Return ribs to gravy; cover and simmer to rewarm, about 5 minutes. ****I did not do this step - kept the vegetables whole, and spooned the liquid over mashed potatoes. :)

Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic; stir 30 seconds. Add half of chard; toss to wilt, adding water by tablespoonfuls if dry, about 1 minute. Add remaining chard. Toss until wilted but bright green, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide ribs among plates. Divide chard among plates. Spoon gravy over ribs and serve, passing remaining gravy alongside.

Steak and Brussels

This is by far my new favorite meal ... and it's pretty easy, albeit time-consuming for the prep of the brussel sprouts.

If you don't like brussel sprouts, you just might after you try these - they get tossed around with shallots, garlic, and all the yummy leftover meat juices in the pan, and they are sooo addictive.

Choose your cut of meat. The original recipe I found suggested skirt steak (my fav), but Jeff requested tri-tip the other night (his fav). Both work fine. Salt & pepper your steaks on both sides, and let rest at room temp for 30 minutes - 1 hour.

Heat up a skillet to medium-high heat. (Not a non-stick pan, because of the high heat, and the fact that you're not using any oil.) When the pan is HOT, place your steaks in the pan, and don't move them around, for 3 minutes on each side. This creates a great sear, and doesn't toughen them up. Don't worry about the stuff they leave behind on the bottom of the pan, that's the best part. When cooked to your preference, place on a plate covered with foil, and set aside. Turn the heat down to Medium.

While the steak is cooking, or beforehand, prep your brussels by peeling off just the outer couple leaves, and rinsing them. Chop off the bottoms, and then slice them thinly.

Mince 2-3 cloves of garlic, and 1-2 bulbs of shallots.

Add 2-3 tbsp butter to the bottom of the hot steak pan, and let melt. Throw in your shallots and garlic, and sautee until shallots are soft. Then, add the brussels, and sautee until "crisp-tender"(I don't know what this term really means, but for a few minutes, until they look softer and are bright green - no more, because overcooking brussel sprouts makes them bitter).

Serve and enjoy, and see if you can resist going back for seconds ...

Whatever-you-have Quiche

This is my favorite thing to make when I have a craving for my mom's crust, and need an easy meal that's healthy and filling, and good for leftovers! :)

One unbaked pie-crust (or as an alternative - thinly sliced red potatoes, overlapping slightly to cover entire surface of pie pan)

6+ eggs (beaten)

Splash of Milk, or half & half

Grated cheese (optional)

Veggies (chopped & uncooked - asparagus, broccoli, red/green peppers, etc.)

Meat (optional, cooked - sausage, ham, etc.)

Salt & Pepper (dash of each)

Chop your veggies and meat choices into small bite-sized pieces. Place in crust.

Beat the eggs with your milk or half-and-half with a whisk. Pour over veggie/meat inside the crust. You can top with cheese, or mix in the cheese with the egg mixture.

Bake in an oven for 40-45 mins, until knife inserted in center comes out clean, and center is firm (no jiggly eggs!). In the case of using potatoes for your "crust", make sure they are cooked through.