Chili Con Carne a la Food Network Magazine

It's been a loooong time since I've posted a new recipe and it's probably been about that long since I've tried out new recipes.  Now that I'm working again I haven't had much opportunity to experiment.  I saw this one in my new Food Network Magazine January/February and had to try it.  We usually do the simple chili with the McCormick seasoning packets but this one just looked too good.  This recipe for Chili Con Carne does call for a bottle of amber beer, but if you don't have that you can substitute in more beef broth.  I personally loved adding the fresh scallions at the end and mixing them in for a little crunch.  I also did it without the beans.  Yes, yes, I know.  Some find that sacreligious, but the cook doesn't like beans so the cook doesn't put them in!  :o)

Chili Con Carne

Lucky Pot Roast

Ok, so it wasn't a lucky pot roast.  I was just lucky that I usually keep a supply of seasonong packets and broths on hand in case I need it.  Last week I needed it!  I defrosted a pot roast and was all ready to sear it and realized I didn't have everything I needed.  I dug through my cabinets to see what I could find.  I came up with a box of chicken broth and packet of Montreal steak seasoning.  I'm so glad I did!

I put a nice sear on both sides of the chuck roast in my dutch oven and then added the chicken broth.  Once the broth was in I poured the Montreal all over the chuck and the broth.  I brought the broth to a boil and then covered it and put it into a 375 oven for about 3 hours. 

Everyone noticed that this was something different than what I normally made.  The kids really liked it and my hubby actually wanted to take left overs for lunch and he hardly ever does that with pot roast.  Lucky Pot Roast will definitely be on the menu again!

Happy Friday!

I decided today that I wanted to try my hand at making spinod.  For the uninitiated that is Italian Easter bread.  My grandmother used to make it with anisette and without the hard-boiled eggs that the traditionalcEaster bread braids have.  I tried out a recipe today that worked pretty well.  Thank goodness for my professional Kitchen Aid mixer with the dough hook!  I got to catch up on The Guild while the mixer did all the work.  All in all this bread turned out really well and I'll be making it again soon.

Italian Easter Bread

Showing My Geekiness

As you can tell by the name of this blog, I'm a geek.  I love Star Wars, Star Trek, and Tolkien.  I'm currently home for the next few months (hopefully only a few months!) so I don't have to do marathon cooking on the weekends.  While I'd much rather be working, I'm glad that I don't have to use my entire Sunday to cook!  So, a while ago I was feeding my geeky needs for LOTR and new recipes and I came across this website Middle Earth Recipes that has lots of new recipes for main dishes and desserts.  I was reminded of it today because my son is currently reading The Hobbit (yes, I have a geek of my very own!).  Now that I have time on my hands I need to start using some of these recipes and reporting back.

Until next time!

Quinoa Salad

I made an awesome quinoa salad the other day!  It's part Food Network Magazine recipe and part my own.  Here goes:

1 cup quinoa rinsed
2 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Add vegetable stock and rinsed quinoa to a sauce pan.  Bring to a boil.  Once boiling, cover and reduce to simmer for 12 to 15.  Toss with the thawed corn, scallions, and salt and pepper to taste.

Very very tasty!!

If it's Sunday it must be Sunday Gravy!

Today has been a very busy cook day!  I'll post more later about the other things I made but I wanted to put the recipe out there for the Sunday Gravy that I've been making.  I remember my Granny making this sometimes when we would visit for dinner.  Every Italian family probably has their own.  Since I don't have my Granny's recipe I had to rely on the good people at http://www.foodnetwork.com/ to provide one for me and it does not disappoint!  It's a crowd pleaser in my house.  I make beef brasciole and stuff it with whatever they'll eat like garlic and fresh Italian parsley.  I also add hot Italian sausage and today I made the meatball recipe I blogged about a few months ago, not the recipe above.  I'll try those another time.  I know Big Jim's Meatballs are a hit so I don't want to mess with what works!  Can't wait to dig in!!

It would have made my Granny proud!  Here she is with her Italian sisters, Pia, Mary, and Jae.  My Granny, Etalia, is the one in white.

Chicken Cassarole

Today I made a chicken cassarole that came out so well!  I used someone else's recipe but I had to modify it based on what I had on hand.

1 tbsp EVOO
1 1/2 to 2 pounds of boneless chicken thighs, cut up
2 cans of cream of celery soup
1 large onion cut into rings
4 cloves of garlic
Savory (herbs) or poultry seasoning if you have it
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  In a sautee pan with EVOO cook the onion and garlic until the onions are softened.  Then add the chunks of chicken.  Sautee the chicken until lightly browned.  Once browned add mixture to a 13x9 baking dish.  Stir in 2 cans of cream of celery soup.  Add a sprinkling of savory or poultry seasoning.  Add salt and pepper to taste and stir.  Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 2 hours.  Serve over chicken flavored rice or your whatever rice you choose.