Chili Baked Potatoes

The plan on Saturday was to watch football, eat and drink. We were very successful!
I saw 5lb. bags of potatoes were on sale, so I decided to do a baked potato bar. However, it sounded like everyone liked the idea of just chili cheese potatoes, which was a lot easier! I deviated a bit from my standard chili, but it came out fantastic, hearty and healthy!

Chili-Cheese Baked Potatoes

8 russet potatoes, cleaned, pierced and wrapped in foil
12 oz. 96% lean ground beef
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced
15 oz. can dark red kidney beans
1/2 bottle of corona light
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 c. chicken stock
Salt and Pepper
1 tbsp. mexican chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika
Dash of cayenne
2 c. 2% cheddar cheese
1 c. light sour cream


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place wrapped potatoes in the oven and bake for 1-2 hours (depending on size)
In a large pot over medium high, brown meat. Drain, and add onions, garlic and peppers. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Deglaze with the beer, turn to low. Add beans, tomatoes, stock, and spices. Simmer for a hour or two. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Put potatoes in a bowl, top with chili, cheese and sour cream.

Six Bean Chili with Corncake Toppers

For dinner tonight I had to put something in the crock pot since JJ and I would be eating dinner seperately. My best tool for that is a big one-pot meal (or crock pot) on the stove. As I was rummaging through the cubbord this weekend, I found a package of mixed dried beans my mom gave me to make a 6 bean soup. Rather than have a soup though, I decided to make it chili. I added some veggies and spices, and served it with the usual chili side - corncakes! This meal is very easy, spicy, and healthy!

Six Bean Chili

2 c. assorted dried beans, soaked overnight

2 slices pancetta, minced (optional)

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 c. dark beer

1 5 oz. can tomato paste

1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

2 chipotles in adobo, minced

2 c. chicken stock

1 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. cayenne

1/2 tsp. paprika

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. oregano

Sour Cream for Garnish

Corn Cake Toppers:

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup milk
2 tbsp. minced jalapeno
1/4 cup shredded cheddar

In a large soup pot over medium high, sautee pancetta until fat renders. Drain out most of the fat, add the onions, garlic, and peppers. Season with salt and pepper, cook 3-4 minutes. Add beer to deglaze the pot, turn to medium-low, and add all of the remaining ingredients.

Let the chili simmer on the stove for at least 3 hours, or until the beans reach desired doneness.

Serve with Sour Cream.

For the Corncakes:

Heat a nonstick skillet to medium heat.

Gently mix all ingredients in a bowl, drop heaping tablespoons full into skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes per side.

Set it and forget it!

My husband is an athletic trainer and often has to work games at night, so I try to find meals that will hold over well for those nights, like soup, casserole, or crock pot dinners. I have the luxury of going home for lunch every day, which allows some dinner prep time. Today at lunch I put this meal together in the crock, and tonight when I get home at 6pm it will be ready, and when JJ gets home at 9pm, it will be just as good (or maybe even better)! This chili is very healthy, light, and spicy!

Spicy Turkey Chili in the Crock with Corncake Bottoms

Chili:

1 lb. 99% fat free ground turkey breast

1 can crushed fire roasted tomatoes

1 can dark red kidney beans, drained

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 red onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 chipotles in adobo, minced

2 tsp. chipotle in adobo sauce

2 cups chicken stock

1 tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

2 tsp. kosher salt

Corncakes:

1 box jiffy corn muffin mix

¾ cup skim milk

1 egg

Toppings:

½ cup cheddar cheese

2 tbsp. reduced fat sour cream

In a large nonstick skillet, cook the turkey over medium high heat. Break up with a spatula as it cooks, about 10 minutes. Add all other ingredients to the crock pot, when turkey is cooked, add in turkey. Stir and taste for seasonings. Turn crock pot on high and simmer for 4-5 hours (low if simmering all day).

Clean out skillet and heat on medium. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, combine corn mix, egg and milk. Ladle into the skillet and cook 4-5 minutes per side, or until browned.

To serve, put corn cake in the bottom of the bowl, ladle chili over, top with cheese and sour cream.

Poll Winner!

I was watching Rachael Ray’s $40 a Day last weekend, and I saw her get this dish in the Black Hills episode. I looked up the actual recipe, and it contained many seafood ingredients, which I wouldn't eat. If you like seafood, check out the recipe - Spontaneous Heating Gumbo at www.foodnetwork.com. I decided to make it my own way without all of the seafood, and to change the portions to feed 2 people. This recipe was also the winner of my weekly ‘What Should I Make’ poll, but I was going to make it anyway!

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large chicken breast, diced
2 links andouille sausage, sliced
Salt and pepper
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. flour
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup beer
½ cup chicken stock
2 tsp. hot sauce
1 tsp gumbo file seasoning (which is ground sassafras leaves)
1 cup frozen okra
2 cups brown rice

Heat a pot to medium high, add 1 tbsp. olive oil. Add diced chicken and andouille. Cook 7-8 minutes until browned. Scoop out into a bowl. Add 1 tbsp. olive oil to pot, and then add peppers, onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, sauté for 5 minutes. Add chicken and andouille back to pot, sprinkle in flour and stir to coat. Cook for 2 more minutes, turn to high and add beer. Allow alcohol to cook off, turn to low and add tomato sauce, stock, hot sauce, seasoning, and okra. Stir to combine, cover and simmer for an hour. Serve over brown rice.