The Chili Queen

Around these parts... we're from Texas. Although I have spent mostly all of my adult life living elsewhere, my formative years were all spent in The Lonestar State. And, let me tell you... there are two things that Texans take very seriously: their history and their chili.

I was dumbstruck when I moved to Alaska towards the end of high school. Their state's history was barely a blip on the radar... at least where the public school system was concerned. In Texas, we spent the better part of several grading periods learning solely about Texas history. Our entire 7th grade year, we had a Texas history course. Not world history. Not US history. TEXAS history. Weren't all states like this? I guess not. 

The Alamo. Bluebonnets. Jim Bowie. Mockingbirds. Independence from Mexico. Chili. Yes, CHILI. The origins of chili have their roots firmly planted in The Lonestar State. So, it's only fitting that it is the official state dish of Texas. One of my favorite projects in my Texas history class was "Cowboy Chow" day. We researched the traditional meals of real frontier cowboys of yore. Chili, cornbread, pork and beans. At the end of the week, each student was responsible for bringing in a dish to share. A dish of traditional cowboy fare. Favorite. Project. Ever. I was a foodie even at the age of seven.

San Antonio. My favorite city in all of Texas. Rich with history. Delicious meals available at a plethora of traditional Tex-Mex restaurants on nearly every corner. Back in the 1800's, the phenomenon of the Chili Queens at Military Plaza Mercado. These women sold bowls of stew known as "chili". At the time, it was a simple dish consisting of dried red chiles and beef. They made their chilis at home, loaded them up into colorful chili wagons, and hauled their fare to the market every night. They would build mesquite fires right at the market square to keep their chili nice and hot. Colorful lanterns would adorn the chili wagons, drawing patrons to the women seated on the ground next to their pots. The Chili Queens would serve up their fiery stew to patrons while they sat on stools in the square, enjoying their spicy meals. Eventually, sanitation laws were passed that put The Chili Queens out of business in the square. Many just closed up shop, others went on to open indoor cafes. Whatever the end of their story was, their infamous fare lives on as a popular culinary treat even today.

Recipes for chili are up for serious debate. They are the star player in culinary cook-offs all over the southwest. And, each chili cook has his own recipe that he or she proudly proclaims, and firmly believes is the. end. all. be. all. chili. recipe. Beans or no beans? Ground meat or cubed chuck? Spicy or nuclear hot? It's all a matter of opinion. But, this recipe has been in my family for quite some time. Over the years, I have put my own twists on it. And, like any other chili cook... I believe this to be the. end. all. be. all. chili. recipe. 

One note before we move on to the recipe... chili is supposed to be hot. Not so spicy, in my opinion, that it sears the roof of your mouth and you dissolve into a puddle of sweat. But, heat is an important factor in this dish. I have found that there is NO way to make this mild enough that kids will enjoy it, while still maintaining the integrity of the flavor. So, just do yourself a favor... unless you have a child with extremely savvy tastebuds, forego serving them this dish. The accompanying corn muffins go nicely as a side with tomato soup or canned chili of a less spicy variety. Now, moving on...

Queen's Chili

2 lbs. ground turkey (You can also try ground pork, beef or chicken. We LOVE bison as a subsititute.)

1/4 of a lg. Vidalia onion, minced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tsp. salt

3/4 of large Vidalia onion, coarsely chopped

3 lg. jalapenos, seeded and minced

2 (12 oz.) cans or bottles of beer (I use whatever is on hand... usually PBR)

2 Tbs. molasses

1 (6 oz.) can and 1 (12 oz.) can tomato paste, plus 1 can each full of water

2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes

1 lg. handful fresh parsley, chopped

4 tsp. terragon

4 tsp. sweet basil

2 tsp. thyme

1 can Ranch-style pinto beans, UNdrained

1 can kidney beans, UNdrained

1 (4.5 oz. bottle of chili powder)

2 tsp. paprika

2 lg. squares baking chocolate

1 lg. handful of yellow cornmeal

Several dashes of mango habanero salsa

Start by cooking in a skillet: ground turkey, minced onion, minced garlic and salt over med-high heat until meat is just cooked through. 

While meat is cooking, put all remaining ingredients into a large crock pot. Add cooked meat, and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined. Cook on low heat for 4 1/2 hours. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, and chopped onions. 

You can also offer the option of Frito pies. Take a handful of Fritos, top with chili and cheese. I think this ruins the whole chili experience, but the Mr. loves it. It is a great way to enjoy left-overs, though. Only then, will I allow the Fritos to creep into my bowl!

This makes A LOT of chili... perfect for Super Bowl parties! It also freezes quite nicely. So, even if you're only feeding a small group... cook it up, and freeze some of the left-overs. Or, if you're so inclined... just cut the recipe in half, and eliminate the can of kidney beans.

Every bowl of chili needs a tasty carb to soak up the remaining gravy in the bowl. These muffins are PERFECT. Just a slight touch of heat to their moist, sweetness!

Sweet Heat Muffins

3 Tbs. butter

1/2 lg. vidalia onion, chopped

2 lg. jalapenos, seeded and diced

1 (8 oz.) pkg. corn bread mix (I HIGHLY prefer Jiffy brand)

1 lg. egg, beaten

1/3 C. whole milk

1/2 C. sour cream

1 C. grated sharp Cheddar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. dried dill weed

1/4 tsp. paprika

Preheat oven to 375*. Coat a muffin tin with cooking spray; set aside.

In a skillet, melt butter. Saute the onion and jalapenos until tender, but not browned. 3-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, place muffin mix, egg, milk, sour cream, cheese, salt, dill and paprika in a lg. mixing bowl. Add onions and peppers. Mix until just combined. Spoon into muffin tins until 3/4 full. Bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly browned, and toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean.

Now, you're ready to enjoy a good old cowboy-style meal... just like you would deep in the heart of Texas!

And, just like Texas has its favorites of chili and history... I have my favorites of history and food. You may have noticed, I have tried to tie in a little history with every post here lately. I am enthralled with food history. The shows Unwrapped and American Eats have long been favorites of mine. I have a stack of food history books on my bedside table that I'm in the process of working my way through. The history will eventually play an important role into the design of this blog. Stay tuned!

Semi-Homemade

Cheerleading. Homework. Pre-school graduation. Field day. It's a busy time of year around here. To be honest... when is it NOT a busy time of year with two kids. We all have those nights where cooking a wholesome, full-fledged meal seems daunting at best. Fear not... a trip to McDonald's doesn't have to be your inevitable future. This salad is colorful, delicious, emcompasses the 5 food groups, and is a snap to throw together in less than 30 minutes!

Truth be told, I detested vegetables as a child. Green stuff? Wasn't touching it. Peppers? They were ALL hot. Tomatoes? No. Freaking. Way. I can remember sitting at the dinner table, long after everyone else had retired to the living room, with a small pile of hominy on my plate. I sat solemnly, willing it to disappear into thin air. Anything not to have to actually put it into my mouth. Even as an adult, there are still things I can't choke down. Cauliflower. Hominy. Brussel sprouts. But then, there came recipes that actually made me WANT to like vegetables. Fresh bruschetta. A myriad of tempting salads. Crisp, roasted green beans tossed with mushrooms. So, I tried them. And, I fell in love. Now I find myself craving sweet tomatoes, the refreshing coolness of cucumbers, savory roasted bell peppers. A little tip? Grow your own garden. Something about nurturing and harvesting your own veggies from the earth makes them all that more tantalizing. I can't wait until my garden comes into its own this year. Then, I can just walk out the front door, select the freshest of ingredients for this salad, and whip it up back in the kitchen. In the meantime, it's store-bought and semi-homemade!

Fiesta Salad

3 heads of romaine lettuce

3 medium-sized sweet peppers

1 can black beans

1 pkg. pre-cooked chicken

1 sm. can black olives, sliced

1/2 pkg. of shredded Mexican-blend cheese

Tortilla strips

Ranch dressing

Fresh salsa

First, we'll make the dressing. Mix equal parts ranch dressing and fresh salsa. I prefer the fresh salsa that's available in the produce area of your local supermarket. Harris Teeter has my favorite brand, but truly any salsa will do... fresh or not. Mix the dressing and salsa well; refrigerate while putting the salad together.

Moving on to the salad... start by tearing the romaine leaves into nice, bite-sized pieces. Place in colander, rinse under cool water, set aside to drain, pat dry. 

Empty the can of black beans into a collander. Rinse with cold water, and allow to drain.

Chop up the sweet peppers into bite-sized pieces.

Tear up the pre-cooked chicken into small pieces. I prefer to buy the Southwestern grilled variety by Oscar Mayer for this recipe. Next, drain the olives. Add the beans, olives, chopped peppers, and chicken to a bowl of lettuce.

Top the salad with a drizzling of dressing, a handful of cheese, and some tortilla strips. My favorite are the lime flavor (available in the salad dressing section of your supermarket with the croutons). 

Ole! The perfect refreshing Fiesta Salad! Semi-homemade, and on your table in less than 30 minutes!

Eat your veggies!

We are the typical all-American family. House. Car. Dog. Three kids that won't eat their vegetables. But, I'm here to tell you... this recipe will render a change of heart with even the pickiest of eaters.

I tried a version of this recipe a couple of weeks ago. It was one that I had stumbled upon through our wonderous, time-sucking friend, Pinterest. But, the Mr. declared that batch "too sweet". Okay. Challenge accepted. I fiddled around with the recipe all last week, and finally came up with one that satisfied the tastebuds of two picky little eaters, and a man with a very discerning appetite. And, myself. These beans are absolutely delicious!

A little history on balsamic vinegar... did you know that JUST 25 years ago, it was virtually impossible to acquire in the US... "tradizionale" versions anyhow? It had to be given as gifts from Italian friends that wanted to share a little of their culture with us cuisine-addled folks Stateside. Balsamic vinegar's uniqueness lies in tha it is made from unfermented grape must, as opposed to wine. Unlike it's common US counterparts, rather than being of a liquid consistency, it is more of a syrup. Quality balsamic vinegars are pricey, but WELL worth the cost. And fortunately, much like the costly saffron... a little goes a long way. I prefer the Elsa brand. Trust me... subpar balsamic vinegars will simply ruin this tasty side dish.

Roasted Soy-Balsamic Bean Salad
1 lb. fresh green beans
8 oz. fresh, sliced mushrooms (I used button mushrooms, but I imagine cremini muschrooms would be tasty too!)
3 cloves of fresh garlic
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
3 slices of bacon
Shaved parmesan cheese, to taste
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste




Let's start off with those green beans. As always... fresh is best! I absolutely CANNOT wait until my green beans get going in the garden. Walking outside to pick a collander full, and THEN making this recipe? Heaven.

Clean off those mushrooms. Slice them if you need to.

Slice the garlic cloves into 1/8" pieces. Don't slice them too thin. Too thin = burnt garlic. Burnt garlic = nasty, NASTY taste.

Toss the green beans, garlic and mushrooms into a large Ziplock bag. Add the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and olive oil to the bag. Seal the bag, and gently massage the contents until all veggies are nicely covered in the marinade. Refrigerate for up to one hour.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon. Take a tip from the pros... bake it. Frying it in a pan leads to uneven cooking, wasted time constantly flipping, and more shrinkage of the meat. I use that handy little vented roasting pan that comes with most new ovens. The vents allow the bacon grease to drain into the bottom of the pan... makes saving that grease for later SO much easier. But, you can also use a cookie sheet with a wire rack placed on top. Bake the bacon at 400* for 10-20 minutes. I cooked mine for about 12 minutes. You don't want it super-crispy for this recipe. Bacon that is a little on the chewier side is perfecto! Once the bacon is done, remove from oven; set aside to cool. Once cooled, chop into bite-sized pieces, and save to toss with salad when it is cooked.

Back to those beans and mushrooms... spread them out onto a non-stick baking sheet. You want to have them even spread across the sheet. Crowding the beans will not allow them to have that crisp-tender texture when you bite into them.

Roast in a 450* oven for about 15 minutes. Check for doneness. My oven is a little on the rushed side. I'm thinking most normal oven would take about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and, using a spatula, move to a serving bowl. Add bacon, kosher salt, pepper and shaved parmesan to taste. Use salad tongs to gently toss salad. Donezo!

This salad went nicely with a honey-baked ham, fresh-baked rolls, and a hearty helping of The Ultimate Mash.

And, although this ins't my recipe... I will ALWAYS give credit where credit is due. For dessert that night, we had Pink Rhubarb Cake...

My word, if that cake isn't worth EVERY calorie contained therein... I don't know what is! Bon appetit!

The comfort of small things...

Food. It can be our best friend. Our worst enemy. Sometimes both. I've traveled to both ends of that spectrum. Times when you can't get off the couch. When you sit staring at mindless television for days on end. Days that you spend asking yourself how everything you've ever done in your life put you HERE. What you could have done differently to alter the outcome. Days that you couldn't even think about eating a single BITE of food. When you lose 10 pounds in a week. When choking down a couple of glasses of water is barely even manageable. I've been there. I've been there most recently. And, I've been there, what seems like a lifetime ago now. 

Yet again, food can softly fill the voids left inside. It can give small pleasures, seemingly insignificant comforts when there seem none left to be had. Family recipes that bring back fond memories. Building new family traditions, spending time in the kitchen with your children. Showing them how your father taught you to knead the dough. Sharing with them, your grandmother's tips for the perfect meatball. And, after the timer sounds on the stove... sitting around the kitchen table, sharing your day's happenings with your family. 

Food can be your best friend. Food is part of our history. Our past, our present, our future. Some of my fondest memories as a child were spent in the kitchen with my mother, Nana, grandmother, father. It's something that I hope, someday, my children look back on fondly to remember me. You see, I have goals. Aspirations. Those seem to have gotten lost somewhere amidst the chaotic shuffle of the last two years of my life. And, then someone saved me from that. Rather, helped me save myself. We have to love ourselves before we can love anyone else. That's easy to forget. But, I need this. My kitchen. My pots and pans. My cooking. This blog. I need it because it's what makes me, ME. It's my release. My time make myself happy. So, I'm going to get back to that. Starting... now. 

 Comfort foods. Mashed potatoes always seem to be the ultimate answer for that. They are as American as apple pie. Literally. Potatoes are a crop native to the Americas. And, as it is told, a Frenchman, Antoine Parmentier, once ran a competition for recipes with potatoes as the focus. To nobody's surprise, he went on to win the competition with his timeless classic: mashed potatoes. The combination of starchy, boiled potatoes, mashed with butter, creams of sorts, a dash of salt and pepper... 

But, THESE mashed potatoes take your tastebuds on a new ride. They are a tad time-intensive. They require love. They will probably take more effort than any other component of your meal. Perhaps, they could even be a meal of their own. But, everything you put into them, you will get back ten-fold. At least, your stomach will. 

  The Ultimate Mash

2 lbs. Yukon Gold OR Russet Potatoes 

3 heads garlic, roasted 

6 shallots, caramelized 

Extra virgin olive oil 

2 Tbs. brown sugar 

4-5 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled (or 1 sm. package of real bacon bits) 

1 C. Gruyere cheese, shredded 

2 Tbs. horseradish 

1 stick butter, plus 2 Tbs., softened 

1 C. half-and-half 

Kosher salt, to taste 

Freshly ground pepper, to taste 

First, you'll want to roast the garlic. Slice of the tops of 3 heads of garlic. Lay each head of garlic on a small, separate piece of foil. Drizzle with olive oil. 

Foil the foil up to make a pouch around each head of garlic. Roast in a 400* oven for an hour. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool.

Once cool, squeeze each clove of garlic into a bowl. Use a fork to mash the garlic; set aside.

Here's where the time-consuming part. Caramelizing the shallots. Don't rush this part. To caramelize properly, they need about an hour to cook. And, trust me... it's worth the extra care. Plus, you can go about preparing the rest of your meal while these guys cook away. Cut each shallot into thin slices.

Coat the bottom of a pan with a thin layer of extra-virgin olive oil. Add 2 Tbs. of butter, and allow butter to melt. Once melted, add the brown sugar; stir well. Add shallots to the pan. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for an hour. Your shallots will slowly become translucent and deliciously caramelized. Once done cooking, allow shallots to drain before adding them to the potatoes.

Meanwhile, cube your potatoes. Put in a large cooking pot, and fill pot with water until potatoes are completely covered. Bring to a boil, and boil the potatoes, pot uncovered, for about 45 minutes. Drain potatoes, and return to pot. Mash them until just combined. Add the butter and half-and-half to the potatoes, allowing the butter to melt.

To the bowl of mashed garlic, add shredded Gruyere, horseradish, bacon, salt, pepper. Add some of the caramelized shallots (leaving some set aside to top the potatoes with before serving). Use a fork to gently mix these ingredients together until just combined.

Use a spatula to fold in the now-melted butter and half-and-half into the potatoes. Then fold in the cheese mixture. Mix until just combined. 

*Tip: Mashing potatoes too much can actually begin to break down the starches. And, rather than having a soft, fluffy bowl of potatoes... you end up with a sticky, gluey mess. So, that's why we gingerly mash the potatoes BEFORE gently folding in the remaining ingredients. 

Spoon potatoes onto serving plate, and top with caramelized shallots...

Like I said... I have goals. I have an ultimate one in mind. It all seems a little presumptious at the time, though. So, we're going to take this slow. The blog, that is. It's getting a major overhaul. It's a process. But, my goals and dreams for this will all be revealed in time. Food has always been my passion. For many years now. I still love crafting. It will still make a guest appearance from time to time. But, this will mainly be taking a turn to a food blog... with a slice of crafting, if you will. So, please be patient with me. And, just stick with me, if you will. In the meantime... it's good to be back, and I look forward to this new chapter in my life! Thank you for turning the page with me!

Better late than never...

Wow. The settled dust is literally inches thick around this joint. I've had so many people ask me lately why I stopped blogging. Stopped crafting. I think everyone has those creative glitches... for whatever reason. Life gets in the way. You lose your mojo. You forgot why you started doing it in the first place. You turn in different directions.

I had a conversation with a really good, old friend the other day. She said I inspired her. She asked me what stopped inspiring me. Life. People. I lost myself somewhere along the way over the last 6 months. How do you find yourself again? You stop living your life for other people (except your kids... they always come first). You stop worrying about what other people think so much. You do what's best for you... not for them. You pull yourself up by the boot straps, and carry on. You rediscover the things you used to do that made you happy. You rediscover the things that got you by.

I've spent much too much of my life being a people-pleaser... family, friends, co-workers, acquaintances. As I get older, I realize it never got me anywhere. It might have made someone else happy along the way, but it certainly didn't do much for my own well-being. Enough of that. Life is too short. I refuse to spend the rest of mine walking on eggshells, and worrying more about everyone else than I do myself.

WIth that said... I am diving back into crafting, scrapbooking, cooking, decorating head-first. And, I'm thrilled. I have some VERY EXCITING projects, guest designing spots, and news to share with you all over the next few weeks. We'll start with some American Crafts projects today.

I don't know if I've ever mentioned it, but Dear Lizzy is one of my FAVORITE product lines of all time! I love creating with it. The variety of embellishments is amazing, the fabric paper... SWOON! It all came together to make a spectacular spring banner...



















The fabric paper is fun to cut into strips, fray they edges, remove the adhesive backing and tie into little fringes between each banner piece. I really had a blast making this banner. Okay, so I didn't finish it in time to actually hang up for spring. But, it'll be at the ready for next year. NOW... if I could just get my hands on the upcoming Dear Lizzy holiday line. *le sigh* It's beautiful. I'm crossing my fingers to have my American Crafts DT contract renewed for another year just so I can get my Christmas crafting on with that line!

Another one of my favorite American Crafts supplies is their selection of 3-Dimensional stickers. I stink at making cards... it really isn't my forte. But, the dimensional stickers make it SO easy! Here's a quick card with some Dear Lizzy and dimentional stickers...



And, if you haven't had enough of a Dear Lizzy fix... head on over to the American Crafts blog to check out the page I made. It's punches week at American Crafts! So, break out your punches and play along! Our designers have some fabulous projects for you. You won't want to miss Paige's AMAZING altered purse featuring punches! See you there!