Death Chili

Dave likes making chili, and he likes it spicy -- and he likes bacon. So when he saw this recipe on line, it was a natural for him to try it out. The below is a two-pass modification of the original: stuff he did before making it at and stuff he wishes he'd done differently after that first time. 

This is a large recipe (doubled from the original). How many it cooks for depends on how much people eat, but this filled up a very large pot on the stove. 

The name, by the way, doesn't have to do with the heat, but with the bacon. 

Ingredients 

2 lbs. bacon

1 lb. chuck roast, cubed
4 lbs. chuck, ground
12 tbsp garlic ( = 1.5 x 4oz. tube crushed garlic)

4 large onions

8 tbsp ground cumin
8 tbsp black pepper
2 tbsp cinnamon
3 tbsp seasoning salt
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

1 pint beef stock
2 x 32oz cans of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp maza / corn flour for thickener

2 x 8oz cans chopped green chilis
3 fresh Serrano peppers
4 tbsp chili pepper

Instructions 

1. Fry bacon to a crisp. Pour off fat in the skillet.
2. Brown meat and garlic, Set aside.
3. Brown onions.
4. Combine everything and simmer for a few hours.
5. Let sit in fridge overnight

Note that it really is much better when it sits in the fridge overnight.

Serves: Lots. Like, dozens. Lots of left-overs. 

Source: Original is here, by "timmah." This recipe (doubled) has been modified to use a bit less cinnamon, half-again the garlic, no tobacco, and half the Serrano peppers. What is not modified is the bacon. "The secret is the bacon," Timmah says. "Bacon makes everything better."

Jamaican Breeze

This was Dave's drink of choice at Margie Gras - Labor Day 2008. Cool and crisp, but unlike most drinks of this sort the ginger keeps it from being cloyingly sweet. 

2 oz. white rum
2 slices fresh ginger
3 oz. cranberry juice
3 oz. pineapple juice

Shaker, muddler, ice, highball glass

1. Pound/muddle the ginger and run together in the bottom of a shaker.
2. Add ice and the remaining ingredients.
3. Shake and strain into a highball filled with ice.

You can, of couse, do the muddling at the bottom of the glass, add ice, and pour the rest of the juice in. You'll end up with bits of ginger in the drink, but that's not that bad of a thing.

Margie's Mojo Mojito

Dave says: We had some limes, and mojitos sounded fun. One problem: what is, in fact, the definition of a mojito? Generally speaking it's a combo of rum, lime, soda water, sugar, and mint -- but a Googling of the term turns up an amazing variety of blends and proportions thereof, including variations on the sugar (simple syrup? confectioner's sugar? cane sugar syrup?) and what to do about the lime juice (everything from fresh-squeezed to Rose's Lime Juice to lemons and lemon-lime soda). 

Here's what we came up with that seemed to be a good combo. Noted for future reference: 

10-12 mint leaves (maybe fewer)
1 lime's juice (1 oz.)
2 tbsp. simple syrup* (about the max sweet you want; you can use a bit less)

ice
2 oz. white rum
3-4 oz. club soda

1. Put mint leaves, lime juice, simple syrup in a pint glass (highball). 
2. Muddle the leaves (with a muddler, or else a spoon) until the are bruised and releasing mint flavor, but not shredded.
3. Fill glass with ice.
4. Pour in rum, club soda.
5. Mix to get mint to the top of the glass, too.

Serve with a slice of lime or some sprigs or mint, if you want to get fancy.

Chicken Tetrazzini

A perennial comfort food. And, by its nature, it begs for tinkering to the ingredients on hand, including seasonings and (even more often than chicken) a post-holiday turkey carcass. 

Ingredients:

1½ Chickens (fryers)
Water (to cover in the pot)
1 tsp. Onion Salt
½ tsp. Celery Salt

½ lb. Vermicelli (or similar spaghetti-like pasta)
Salt 

6 tbsp. Butter
¾ lb. Mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp. Lemon Juice

¼ tsp. Paprika
¼ tsp. Pepper
1/8 tsp. Nutmeg
1 c. Milk
1/3 c. Parmesan Cheese

Instructions:

Chicken: 

1. Place chicken, salts, water in large pan. Simmer covered 30 min, until tender. 
2. Remove chicken, save broth.
3. Cool chicken, remove meat from bones, refrigerate.

Pasta:

1. Reserve 2½ cups of broth from the previous step.
2. Add water to remaining broth to fill the pan. Add 2 tbsp. salt.
3. Bring to boil, add pasta.Cook 6 minutes.
4. Drain, return to pan or large bowl.

Mushrooms:

1. In frying pan heat 3 tbsp. butter.
2. Add mushrooms, sprinkle with lemon juice, ½ tbsp. salt.
3. Sauté until soft but not brown.
4. Put with pasta.

Sauce:

1. Melt 3 tbsp. butter in pan.
2. Stir in flour, paprika, 1½ tsp. salt, pepper, nutmeg. Cook 5 minutes.
3. Slowly stir in reserved broth. Cook until it boils (it will be thin).
4. Add milk.
5. Mix everything together in a large bowl. Place in a 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese.
6. Bake covered at 400F for 20 minutes. Uncover and add more cheese before cooking another 10 minutes.

Serves: 8-10 if half are ladies. On the other hand, a family of four can polish it off without much trouble.

Prep time: 1:30

Notes:

• This will keep two days refrigerated. Oven heat from the fridge 45 minutes to an hour, until bubbly. Freezes well. As with most cassaroles, many folks consider "aging" in the fridge or freezer an improvement over "fresh."
• If you are dealing with an existing carcass (chicken or turkey), pick the (presumably cooked) carcass from the bones. Use the (meaty) bones in water with with some celary, onions, maybe garlic salt and pepper, to simmer as described to make the broth. The amount of meat you pick off first will determine proportions on the recipe. You can also substitute chicken tenders or boneless breasts.
• Yes, it's spelled "Tetrazzini," not "Tetrazini."

Source: Ann Coombs, as tweaked on more than one occasion by Margie.

Margie's Corn Chowder

This one's pretty much Margie's recipe. It's actually scaled down from a large group recipe (great for luncheons), and makes the house smell great. Entered by Dave the Husband as a public service. 

Ingredients: 

4 oz. Bacon (diced)
½ Onion (diced)
¾ tsp. Thyme
¾ tsp. Sea Salt

2 tbsp. Flour
1 pint Chicken Broth

1-1/8 lbs. Canned Corn
½ large Idaho Potato

½ c.Heavy Cream

Instructions:

1. Brown bacon until almost crisp. 
2. Add onions and sauté until tender.
3. Stir in seasoning until fragrant.
   
4. Add flour and cook slightly.
5. Slowly add half of broth while stirring. Cook until thickened.
6. Add remaining broth and simmer 20 minutes.
   
7. Microwave potato. When cool enough again to handle, peel and dice.
8. Add corn and potatoes to soup and heat through.
   
9. Remove from heat and stir in cream.

Serves 16.

Upgrade

This blog has been upgraded to MT4. I don't expect to do all of the funky template changes, as what's here works just fine, but this is the best way to actually test it.

Spiced Pumpkin Cake

Very moist pumpkin spice cake.  First tried for Thankgiving Dinner, 2007

Ingredients:
3 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
¼  tsp ground clove
1¾  tsp ground allspice
1 tsp salt
½  tsp ground nutmeg
---
1½  c sugar
1 c (packed) golden brown sugar
1 c butter (melted)
---
5 large eggs (at altitutde; 4 at sea level)
29 oz. pumpkin
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp grated orange peel
¾ c raisins (optional)
¾ c sweetened flaked coconut, plus extra for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Butter a 9x13 pan.
3. Sift flour and spices into a medium bowl.
4. Beat both sugars and oil into a large bowl until combined into a grainy mixture.
5. Add eggs one at a time, beating until well blended after each addition.
6. Add pumpkin, vanilla, orange peel, and beat until well blended.
7. Add flour mixture, and beat until just incorporated.
8. (Optional) Stir in raisins and coconut.
9. Pour into pan; bake for about 1 hour (when tester inserted into center comes out clean).
10. After cool, top with a frosting.

This cake comes out incredibly moist -- it almost seams undercooked, but it's not.  It can be made a day ahead of time, covered and refrigerated; let stand at room temp an hour before serving.

Variations:  This recipe is originally designed as a layer cake -- using 15 oz. of pumpkin, and putting into two 9" cake pans.  Originally set to use 2 tsp ginger instead of cloves, and canola oil instead of butter.

Source:  Bon Appetit, 10/2007

Cream Cheese Frosting

This frosting was originally from a Bon Appetit Spiced Pumpkin Layer Cake, but has been tweaked a bit by Margie and Ginger, and can be used on a variety of cakes.

Ingredients:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
10 tbsp (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
---
¼ c spiced rum
1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
---
4½  c powdered sugar

Instructions:

1. Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth.
2. Beat in rum and vanilla.
3. Add powdered sugar (best to do in three additions, beating just until frosting is smooth after each addition; if you overbeat the frosting will become too soft to spread).

Source:  Bon Appetit, 10/2007

French Toast a la Dave

Dave the Hubby says:  Breakfasts on Saturday, growing up, were always something battered, a rotating menu of pancakes, waffles (both made via Bisquik) and french toast.  Years later, I did some research and cobbled together this recipe.  I always keep slowly ratcheting up the extra spices -- which should be, of course, to taste, the point here being that there's more to french toast than egg and milk batter.  Spice it up!

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, whole and beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1½  tsp vanilla
• 1½  tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 4 slices of bread

A note on bread:  I prefer something on the soft side, but thin/sandwich cut.  Other people prefer a thick slice.  The bread should be soft enough to soak up the egg/milk mix, hearty enough to maintain its integrity when dredging and flipping, and of a taste not to conflict with the spices or topping.  White or buttermilk work great.

A note on toppings:  I'm a butter and maple syrup guy.  Never been much into the powdered sugar, or the fruit syrup, but your mileage may vary.  Whatever, make sure you have plenty on hand before starting the toast!

Directions:

1. Blend all of the above in a bowl.  Pour into a 9x13 pan.
2. Heat flat griddle on medium-low (about 1/3 of the way on our stove).
3. Dredge pieces of bread through the mixture, getting them battered on both sides.  Let any excess drip off for a second, then put on the griddle.  Cook on both sides until a thin brown crust appears.  Toast should be crispy on the outside, still a bit tender (though not goopy) on the inside.
4. Top with butter and syrup, or your favorite toppings (see above)

Serves:  Four pieces, or so my notes say.  I almost always double the recipe, and it goes further than 8 slices.  Most adults will eat 4, but poll your guests before starting.  The mix, being eggs and milk, probably won't keep long.  You may be better off making as much toast as you can and freezing the leftovers for mid-week snacking.

Source:  Dave the Hubby

UPDATE: Yeah, it appears I previously put this recipe up here. Sorry for the dupe.

Cajun Coconut Spam Fritters

Hrm.  Yes, Spam.  We had a Hawaiian-themed murder mystery, complete with Luau, so Margie (playing the cook/witch doctor) cooked up some yummy hors d'oevres, including stuff involving Spam.  While subject to much ridicule, these were actually -- tasty.  Who'da thunk?

Ingredients:

• 1 Spam Classic (12 oz.)
• 1½ cups Bisquik (or similar complete pancake mix)
• 2 tspn Cajun seasoning
• 1 cup milk
• 1½ cups shredded coconut

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Cut Spam into 32 spears. 
3. Place a wooden toothpick lengthwise into each spear.
4. In a bowl, combine pancake mix and cajun seasoning, gradually adding milk, stirring until smooth.
5. Dip each spear into batter, roll in coconut until lightly coated.
6. Place on baking sheet.  Bake 10-13 minutes, turning halfway* through baking, until golden brown and batter is cooked through.

Serves: 32 or so, depending on how you slice it (so to speak).

Notes:  These are tasty on their own, but the recipe notes you can dip in sweet-n-sour sauce.  Turning wasn't necessary in a convection oven.

Source:  Hormel, of course.

Mary's Mom's "Spaghetti"

After extolling Aunt Elda's Casserole, I have to add a word about Mary's Mom's Spaghetti. I remember being served this many years back at Mary's Dad's house, and being amazed how much like AEC it was. Well ... yeah. Welcome to classic American casserole cooking. This one is a bit fancier (despite including catsup), but just as yummy.

Ingredients:

• 1½ lbs. Ground Beef
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 2 large Onions, chopped
  
• 8 oz. Rotini style pasta
  
• 16 oz. Tomato Sauce
• 16 oz. Water (use the tomato sauce can)
• ½ c. Catsup
• 1 tsp. Chili Powder
• ½ tsp. Allspice
• 1/3 tsp. Majoram
• 1/3 tsp. Thyme
• 1 dash Sugar
• 1 c. Mexicorn
• 1 can Mushrooms, Canned
• ½ c. Parmesan Cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Brown beef, garlic, onion.
2. Make pasta.
3. Combine all in a casserole, top with cheese.
4. Bake 45 minutes at 350-375°

Serves: The note indicates "a single batch is plenty."

Note: Not really "spaghetti," but the rotini give it some scoopable substance, and catch the sauce nicely. Could be done with any pasta (with slightly different results).

Source: MEO

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake

Worlds easiest cake. Yummy too! To adjust for sea level reduce the eggs to 2.

Ingredients:
3 Eggs
1 can Cherry Pie Filling (21 oz)
1 teaspoon Almond Extract
1 pkg Chocolate Cake Mix
1 cup Chocolate Chips (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9x13 pan with Pam or other non-stick spray.
   
2. Beat Eggs lightly in a large bowl. Add Pie Filling and Almond Extract. Stir until well mixed.
   
3. Stir in Cake Mix until just moist. Stir in Chocolate Chips.
   
4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until tester comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
   
5. Cool cake completely in pan.

Frosting:
2 cups Chocolate Chips
½ cup Half and Half

Heat in microwave for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Spread on cake.

Note: I do not adjust the temperature when using convection, but I do reduce the time and start checking after 30 minutes.

Serves: 20

Prep time: 0:45

Source: The Cake Doctor

Aunt Elda's Casserole

So things have been kind of slow here in the Kitchen for a while, so Dave the Hubby decided maybe he should rummage around for some stuff himself. He used to be a bit of a recipe-bound cook himself, albeit nothing quite as yummy or creative as Margie. Nevertheless, maybe it's time to record some of those Old Standards / Comfort Foods from days gone by ...

This recipe is no doubt from some sort of magazine article, but Dave's family was introduced to it on a visit to Aunt Elda up in Sacramento. Hence it became known in the family as "Aunt Elda's Casserole." From that day, a long-time family standard.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. Pasta (rotelle/rotini work well)
• 1 lb. Ground Round
• ¾ c. Cheddar Cheese, grated
• 1 can Tomato Soup
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
• 1 mdm Onion, chopped
• 1 small can Mexicorn
• 6 oz. Tomato Paste
• 8 oz. Tomato Sauce

Directions:

1. Boil the noodles and set aside.
2. Brown the meat.
3. Mix together the other ingredients (except meet and cheese) and cook for about 10 minutes.
4. Put a layer of noodles at the bottom of a 9x13 casserole. Add a layer of meat mixture, then noodles, etc. Sprinkle top with cheese.
5. Bake 30 minutes at 350°

Note: Can be microwaved, too. Easy to freeze and reheat. Like most pasta casseroles, better the next day.

Serves: However many family members can chow down a 9x13 casserole.

Prep time: Takes about an hour all told.

Source: Aunt Elda, of course!

Comment registration

Dave the Hubby (and Webmaster) here. Due to ongoing bouts of comment spam here at Margie's Kitchen, I've been forced to turn on TypeKey registration for comments. TypeKey is a free service where you can register your name and e-mail address to "prove" you are a real human being, not a spambot (or spammer in general).

The information is fully private -- no sales folks will e-mail you as a result (and we don't even require you to let us know your e-mail address).

It's simple to use, and will keep me from having to spend too many hours cleaning up after spammers who visit here to advertise their unwanted wares.

If you have any questions, or have any problems, please contact me through the "E-mail me" link on the front page.

Now, let's go eat!

Oatmeal Bread

One day I misread the directions for making oatmeal and found myself with a lot of leftover oatmeal. I found the thought of serving leftover oatmeal somewhat repulsive. It would take longer to reheat the mess than to make fresh, but I couldn't just throw it out. So, I search the net and my cookbooks for something to do with it. I found a couple of bread recipes that all started with cooking the oats. This is an amalgamation of those recipes alone with a huge dose of reality. Bread-making takes time and my life is hectic. When left-over oatmeal shows up, I don't always have time to complete all with steps when they SHOULD be done.

This bread doesn't have a real recipe. Every time I make it it is different. Here is the general guideline, or story if you will, of how I make this bread. It will make one free-form loaf

Step One: 5 Minutes work and hours waiting
Start with 2 Cups Cooked Oatmeal. I use slow cooked oatmeal. Use whatever you have left over or make extra so you have left-overs. Let the oatmeal cool until it is below body temperature. Add ¼ Cup Flour and ½ Cup Water. Sprinkle with 2 ½ Teaspoons or 1 Packet Dry Yeast. Use pain old yeast or bread yeast. Don't use instant yeast. For a more interesting bread add less Yeast and let the bread take it's time rising. Stir together and let it sit on the counter for a while. In this case a while means anywhere from 4 to 24 hours. If it needs to sit for more than 24 hours add some more flour and give it another stir.

Step Two: 25 Minutes work and more waiting
Give the Oatmeal a good stir. Add 2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt and begin adding Flour. Keep adding flour and stirring until you are tired of mixing. Turn the dough out onto a Floured board or counter. Here Floured mean the work area is solidly white with Flour and there is a good mound of Flour in the corner to use later. Knead the dough adding more Flour as you go, until the dough is smooth and elastic. To quote James Beard, "You can not knead too much." If you are stressed -- go to town. If you are in a hurry -- stop when it feel like real dough. I sometime add ¼ Cup Molasses along with the Salt.

Put the dough in a bowl and cover with a towel and set it in a warm draft-free place for two hours. Like that ever happens at my house. This is the part where I tend to abuse the dough most. The bread will rise faster where it is warm and slower where it is cold. On average it will take 1-3 hours for the bread to rise at room temperature. But what if you aren't going to be around in 2 hours? Fine, put it some place cooler, like the refrigerator or the back deck on a freezing night. When you are ready for the next step, bring it in an let it finish rising.

So, now it has risen and you still don't have time to finish the bread. No problem. Just punch it down and knead it a bit more and let it rise again and again. Yes, it is abusive and you won't get a consistent product, but if you want a consistent product you can go to a store or read a real cookbook. I'm just telling you how works in my life.

In the end the dough should be about doubled in size and won't spring back when you poke it with your finger.

Step Three: 15 Minutes work and 1-2 hours waiting.
Punch down the dough one last time. Knead in any extras like Rosemary Make a ball and let the dough rest for about 10 minutes. Form the dough into a loaf or drop in into a loaf pan. Let rise one last time until it is almost double its original size.

Step Four: 5 Minutes work and the final hour of waiting.
Heat the oven and baking at least a half hour before baking to 400 degrees.

Slide the dough onto a baking stone or baking sheet and bake for 40 minute to an hour. The bread should sound hollow. Cool on a rack until you can't stand waiting and enjoy.

Some of my favorite Bread Cookbooks include:

Joe Ortiz' The Village Baker
James Beard's Beard on Bread
Daniel Leader and Judith Blahnik's Bread Alone