Chili and other Super Bowl party recipes

[Kat]

Tomorrow the Chicago Bears go to the Super Bowl. Does anyone have any recipes to share?

I'm making chili, but I don't really have a recipe I go by; I just usually wing it. We are not having a party or anything like that, but I'd love to make enough for leftovers like chili-mac or chili dogs later.

Kat

[Kat]

Well, since Mick didn't come to my rescue with a good guy recipe on this one, I guess I will have to wing it again. I looked through a few online recipes, but none seem to be my kind of chili recipe. Some have ingredients I don't want. I just use regular ground beef and cook with olive oil (not animal fat, although it appears in a lot of "championship" recipes, it makes them unappetizing to me). I also don't want beer or sugar in my chili and too much heat or my kids won't eat it. I'm not an expert on chilis or hot sauces so I just use chili powder and stuff. If you generally put a little [brown] sugar in your chili, try a teaspoon of honey instead. I know Cincinnati chili is sweet and has cinnamon and stuff in it, and I also saw a recipe where they added cocoa to the mix... that could be interesting....but not for Bears Super Bowl Sunday.

I also read something interesting about cooking chili. It said that if you cook it and then let it cool and reheat it, the beans will absorb more of the flavor. Maybe that's why I like the leftovers so much. I'm kinda missing my big ugly harvest gold crockpot about now. Anyway, any chili recipe tips are welcome.

My problem with writing down a recipe like this is that I rarely measure my seasonings and I season throughout the cooking process. I also tend to cheat sometimes and use chili seasoning mix, but I don't want to do that on the day the Bears play the Super Bowl.

I have a special ingredient for my chili this time. I bought a chunk of homemade colby cheese from the Amish people who sometimes set up a temporary stand near my office and sell their homemade goodies. It is really gooooood.

Kat's Chili

2 lbs lean ground beef

2 onions (diced)

2-3 cloves of garlic

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 green pepper (diced)

4 cans kidney beans (drained and rinsed to remove corn syrup/sugar)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 chopped fresh tomato

1/2 cup salsa

1 tablespoon A-1

2 beef bullion cubes, dissolved in 1 cup water (optional)

3 teaspoons chili powder

1-1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or red pepper flakes)

Garnish - Shredded cheese and diced onion. Sour cream optional. Serve with cornbread, crackers or chips.

Brown the meat with the onion and garlic in olive oil, reserviing some diced onion for garnish. (Add about 1 cup water and cook down a bit before draining, if desired to remove more fat).

Dump everything into a big pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook on very low heat for about 2 hours, stirring and seasoning occasionally and keeping it from geting stuck to the bottom of the pot. If you have enough time, let it cool and reheat it to see if there is anything to that bean theory. Oh, and you may want to try some Bean-O, too.

(note: I started preparing this about an hour before the game and it was done at halftime, so give yourself about 3 hours to prepare this. I also did not need to adjust the seasonings during cooking as it was perfect the first time and everyone loved it!)

BTW - Here is a link for Emeril's Guacamole recipe from the Food Network.

Edited February 5, 2007 by Kat

[Kat]

I'm improvising and making a couple of adjustments to the recipe based on what I have on hand. I added another 2 cans of beans (total 4) and chopped up and added a tomato. I used cayenne pepper powder instead of red pepper flakes and used A-1 instead of worchestershire sauce. I will be adding more spices as I go, too, so just start with the recipe and season to taste.

I am updating the recipe above.

Still cooking....

Kat

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Slurp...

Kitten is a GOOD cook.

Michael

[Michael Russell]

Kat, here's my chile recipe:

Mick's Beer Chile Con Carne

2 tablespoons olive oil (for frying)

1 large onion

2 cloves garlic

1 lb ground beef

1 bottle Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

2 cups tomato sauce

2 cups pinto beans

2 cloves garlic

¼ cup New Mexico chile powder

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1. Fry onion, garlic and beef in a medium-sized skillet at medium heat until

beef is browned. Drain.

2. Add remaining ingredients (beer first) and simmer at low heat for

at least 30 minutes.

For next years Super Bowl when my Chargers defeat your Bears.

[emb021]

Here is the chili recipe I use from my mom. No idea where she got it.

Mom's classic chili

2 lb lean ground beef (sometimes I go a little over 2.5, etc)

1 large onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

2 cans kidney beans (I use 1 dark, 1 light, I also drain them of most of the liquid, but not all)

1 big can tomato juice

2 cans stewed tomatos (I like better then diced. I split them up with my spoon, making them irregular)

6 tablespoons chili powder (can adjust, but I go with 6. I consider this a mild chili, for spicyness)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon marjoram

1 teaspoon ground red peppar

Cooking direction

1. put onion with ground beef, brown, drain. I don't bother with oil. I usually toss in the green peppers as well, once the meat is really going.

2. in big pot, put ever everything together, raise the heat to get it going, then lower heat and simmer. Be sure to stir every so often to keep mixed and prevent burning. I like to cook it down for a few hours before I eat any. Best is to cook the day before, then fully re-heat the next day. Allows everything to really come together.

You can add:

* crushed crackers (great thickener)

* tortilla chips (now a days I use instead of crackers. I usually crush some in, and eat with the chili)

* shredded cheddar cheese

* sour cream

* fresh chopped onions

For those wanting it hotter, you can add hot sauce of your choice.

Edited February 20, 2007 by Michael Brown

[Kat]

It's that time of year again. If you have any favorite superbowl party favorites, post 'em up.

Kat