Super Bowl Chili

Well, I have a VERY special request .... Super Bowl Chili.

And I have a "recipe" all my very own. I tried making chili one day (for fun) from scratch without a recipe. It was delicious. I get begged to make it every year, sometimes even for the USC vs. ucla football game -- when it works out.

But first, I am afraid I must put in a few disclaimers. I change this recipe up all the time, to address my moods and the audience to which the chili is being served. But the basics are ALWAYS the same. Secondly, the "basic" recipe is MILD. So, for those who like HOT HOT HOT can adjust the recipe accordingly. :0) Below is the recipe for Andrea's Famous Super Bowl Chili:

Andrea's Famous Super Bowl Chili
serves 5 to 6 people
Best if prepared 24 hours in advance and reheated to serve.

3 cloves of Garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced (color doesn't matter -- I use yellow)
1T of Olive Oil
1 lb. of Extra Lean Turkey
32 oz. can on Stewed tomatoes (no salt added)
15 oz. of Black Beans (low sodium)
32 oz. of Chili Beans (in sauce)
15 oz. of  Kidney Beans (lite/ low sodium)
6 oz. of frozen corn
1 serving (I think about 1T?) of Chili Seasoning (read package for serving size)
Salt and Pepper to taste.

In a large (6 qt.+) Stock Pot, heat the oil and sautee the garlic, onion and turkey until turkey is no longer pink. Add all of the other ingredients and simmer on low until the chili is completely heated through, stirring occasionally. Keep refrigerated overnight (or I suppose you can use a crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours) and then reheat on the stove for optimal flavor blending. Serve with corn bread and low/non fat cheddar cheese sprinkled on top. Enjoy! GO FOOTBALL!

Note: to add heat, one could at a couple of diced jalapenos, red chiles, Tabasco (or other cayenne pepper sauce) etc to taste and preference. I sometimes add a couple cans of diced green chiles to add a little Southwestern twist.

Fix it, Freeze it, Feast it!

I was heating up some left over slow-cooker Beef Stew in the kitchen at the office, when the front page of the LIFE/FOOD section of the Orange County Register caught my eye. I tell you, folks .... I almost did a happy dance, right there in the kitchen!

It was an article about a cook book called "Cook & Freeze: 150 Delicious Dishes To Serve Now AND Later" by Dana Jacobi. It is available both in hard back and paper back in local bookstores AND on Amazon (I already looked).

This book talks about the process of freezing, how to to it properly to avoid things like freezer burn, and how to do it SMARTLY (like freezing in 1-2 serving portions, perfect for easy defrosting, or a quickly heated up lunch!) Not to mention that it has 150 recipes in it. I mean ... with my crazy schedule, I use our Crock Pot a LOT. But sometimes it can be a hassle to do the prep chopping the night before or in the morning while trying to get ready for work. So I am ALL FOR meals that come out of the freezer, into the microwave, but are still HOME MADE (aka no added "stuff" in the ingredients). See why I wanted to do a happy dance???

One word of warning though ... the few recipes that were in the article did NOT specifically request the low fat/lo cal/better-for-you ingredients. But this can EASILY be remedied by substituting the healthier options (such as non fat cheese, whole wheat pasta, etc.) to guarantee that these will taste good but NOT ruin those post-New Years weight loss resolutions.

This book is going on my "must have" list! I'll let you know how things taste!

Buon Appetito!

To purchase "Cook & Freeze" on Amazon, click here!

Crustless Quiche

New Year's Eve morning ... I thought I'd make something a little different for breakfast. Okay, so I had planned to make this and put it on the menu before I had gone grocery shopping for the week, so it is not like I just woke up and decided to start creating breakfast out of the random things in my refrigerator. But this breakfast was SO worth it. The best part, was that I didn't have to make a pie crust to enjoy this delectable delight.

4 eggs, a little whole wheat flour, reduced fat feta cheese, reduced fat cheddar cheese, fat free cottage cheese and 10 oz. of frozen broccoli, salt and pepper. That's it. Done. It's really THAT EASY.

I found this recipe in Better Home and Garden's "Eat Well, Lose Weight" cookbook. Of course you can always substitute the "reduced fat" cheese for all fat free stuff .... I just usually have a really hard time finding fat free cheeses (like Cheddar or Jack, etc.) in my local Albertsons stores. So I figure reduced fat is a decent alternative as opposed to "whole fat".

When I made this recipe, I seriously thought it would be really watery because of the broccoli and the cottage cheese. However, when cooked to perfection (and the top of the pie is slightly browned) then there was none of that yucky moisture left ... each slice was had a nice texture and was firm to lift out of the pie pan.

If I make this one again, I might want to add a little "zing" to it. Though it was wonderfully delicious just as it was, I might add a little cayenne pepper, or perhaps a few sprinkles of red chili flakes or finely diced jalapeño to add a little heat but without adding a heap of sodium, fat or calories.

The only "drawback", if you can call it that, is that it cooks in the oven at 375º for 35-40 minutes. (I found closer to 40 minutes worked a little better). So it smells delicious and torments your empty tummy until its ready. But, when it's done, you get to consume 1/6th of the pie for a delightful 197 calories. This is a great recipe to make and freeze in single servings so that you have ready-made breakfasts on the go to heat up and eat at your desk in the morning --- and it would last a whole week!

I added 2 thin slices of ready-cooked bacon on the side for a little "cheat". Serve this up with some hot coffee, orange juice or skim milk (or soy milk, if you prefer) and you're ready to start your day.

Until next time,
Buon Appetito!

Giada's Gnocchi

Okay ... so these look a little funky, but they were pretty tasty. And definitely a new experience for me as far as pasta-making goes.

I'll admit that I have tried making homemade pasta on my own before, and failed miserably. Not having been able to learn this treasured skill from generations past means that I am going it alone ... BUT, these gnocchi made it a little easier to learn a few things about pasta, how to make it, and how to make it GOOD. Though this try was still no masterpiece, it will get better the next time I get brave and try to be the Italian that I am not.

I found this recipe in Giada DeLaurentiis's "Everyday Pasta". Some sort of Gnocchi with Butter Thyme Sauce concoction. I thought I'd ditch the butter part, but give the rest a whirl.

First, I peeled then steamed 2 large baking potatoes. This made it easier than cooking and THEN peeling. Then, once the potatoes were tender, I mashed them, added a little salt and pepper, 1 egg and 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour. Next time, I think I'll add a smidgeon more salt, or garlic and/or herbs to the mix to give it more internal flavor, but without overpowering the delicate gnocchi itself.

I was then able to take a spoonful of the dough, rolled it out onto a clean, dry surface into a snake about a half inch thick. This is where the play-dough loving kids can help. But I highly recommend rolling them out on a floured surface ... the recipe didn't say this, but on a wood cutting board, it keeps the dough from sticking.

Once I had a nicely rolled "snake" of dough, I cut the pasta into segments about 1 inch long. The recipe also called to roll it along a surface that would give the gnocchi that nice, lined texture (The back of a fork would work nicely). I opted NOT to do this. Next time, I will ....

Here's where I make my mistake.  (GASP!) Yes, I figure that if I am going to "keep it real", I may as well share a few kitchen disasters too. I tossed some of the gnocchi in to a pot of (warm but not yet boiling) water as a place to keep them without them sticking together ... oh, the joys of a small, apartment kitchen. BIG BOO BOO. So the first few batches of gnocchi turned to mush. RATS! They still tasted good, but the larger majority of the batch looked like Mashed Potatoes Marinara, not gnocchi. I obviously salvaged a few good ones to photograph.

As for the sauce, I did saute the gnocchi in a little garlic and olive oil and some dried, crushed oregano. Making a butter sauce just didn't sound too good for the waistline ... But the 2T of olive oil and 2 cloves of garlic sounded like it would be just enough to give a little extra flare. I also had about a half of a cup of left over marinara sauce in the fridge. So, the sauce is a combo of Aglio e Olio (Garlic and Oil) and Marinara sauce.

Despite the hot mess of a presentation that it made, the gnocchi was still pretty good. Yes, I have had better. BUT ... I know with practice, it WILL get better. But if any of you hear of any pasta making classes, I would LOVE to sign up. If I think my gnocchi was a mess, my attempts to make Fettuccine are MUCH worse. LOL!

Until next time,
Buon Appetito!