What’s Cookin’?
By Donna Zitter Bordelon
So far, this winter has been brutal. Soup is in demand right now and will do the trick, but what better way to warm up than with a big bowl of chili? Chase away the chillies with one of our Readers’ Chili Recipes. Judging from the recipes sent into the Times food column, there’s a lot of cooking going on. The following recipes were among the submissions not randomly drawn in the ongoing gift card contest. So many of the submitted recipes really are winners, culinarily speaking, and I plan to share them with you in future columns. If you entered a recipe, it could be published, so please check back in the months ahead.
When the north winds start howling and it’s getting chilly, find your home and your range and make a big pot of chili. Seldom is heard a discouraging word after a good chili dinner, even if the skies have been cloudy all day. So, with the sun slowly setting, I’m on my way home to my range now.
“Cold weather is upon us and so is football season — Great Tailgate recipe!” wrote Paula Reifsnyder, who sent the following recipe.
PAULA’S CHILI RECIPE
1½ lbs. hamburger meat
1 medium onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz.)
½ cup ketchup
1 package of Chili-O Seasoning Mix original
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 can kidney beans (15 oz.)
In a large Dutch oven pot over medium heat, brown meat, onions and garlic. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for one-half hour.
Rita S.’s recipe is the chili recipe that was served for 18 years at Carol’s Beef and Ale in Conshy some time ago.
RITA’S CHILI
2 lbs. ground beef (80% lean)
2 large onions, small diced
2 Tbsp. chili powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. oregano
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 can tomatoes (28 oz.)
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz.)
2 cans light red kidney beans (15 oz. each)
In a large pot, brown beef, breaking into pieces. Remove meat and drain fat.
Saute onions for a few minutes until tender.
Return beef and all remaining ingredients except kidney beans.
Stir and bring to a boil then reduce heat and cover. Simmer 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add beans and simmer until beans are heated through.
Mike Ziegler’s Chunky Stew is a variation on the chili theme.
MIKE’S CHUNKY STEW
2 lb. ground meat
64 oz. V-8 juice
1 medium onion, chopped
3–4 potatoes, diced
1 16 oz. bag of mixed vegetables
1 bay leaf
In a large pot, cook ground meat and drain.
Add onion and V-8 and bring to a boil.
Add potatoes, mixed vegetables and bay leaf and simmer 30–45 minutes.
Remove bay leaf and serve.
Eat Well, Live Long, Enjoy!
(Questions or tips can be sent to Donna Zitter Bordelon at WhatscookinNEPhilly@gmail.com or in care of the Times, 2 Executive Campus, Suite 400, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002)
