Chili - from the Preppy Kitchen

 I finally got around to finding a recipe that is easy - and I was pleased with the results. I bought the ground beef at Gateway and I think that made a difference.

Chili

https://preppykitchen.com/chili-recipe/

Jean's comments are in blue

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion chopped (280g)

1 bell pepper green or red, chopped (140g)

4 garlic cloves minced

1 pound ground beef (450g)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1½ teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (14.5-ounce/411g) can diced tomatoes - fire roasted, Muir brand

1 (8-ounce/226g) can tomato sauce

1 (16-ounce/454g) can red kidney beans rinsed and drained

1 (16-ounce/454g) can pinto beans rinsed and drained

2 cups beef broth (480mL) - I used Better Than Bouillon + water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

To serve:

Lemon juice

Shredded cheese

Sour cream

Tortilla or corn chips

Sliced green onions

• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
• Add the ground beef and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking into small pieces with a wooden spoon until no longer pink.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently, until the spices are aromatic.
• Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney and pinto beans, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth. Scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven to loosen any browned bits and bring to a simmer.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, until the chili thickens, 25 to 30 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Add a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice to each serving. Top with shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla crisps, and sliced green onions, if you like.
• It's always better the day after. It might need some water added when reheating.

• OPTIONS:
  
  For additional savory notes and added warm spice, add up to 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder and/or 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
• To enhance the meatiness of the chili, add up to 1 tablespoon of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce. I added 2 T of both.
• If you like spicy chili, try using Rotel tomatoes with green chilis in place of plain diced tomatoes. Or add a diced jalapeño to the mix with the onions and bell peppers.
• Mix and match your beans depending on what you have. I’ve made this recipe with all varieties, including black beans and white beans—it’s always a hit! My only recommendation is you skip pre-seasoned “chili beans,” which can be overly salty or overly sweet.
• Make a vegetarian chili be skipping the ground beef altogether and adding two more cans of beans, or using a plant-based substitute.
• Swap the ground beef for another protein like ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork.
• Swap your regular chili powder for all or in combination with ancho chili powder or chipotle chili powder.

Lemon meringue pie

Separate 3 eggs

In med saucepan combine

1 cup sugar

3 T AP flour

3 T corn starch

dash salt

Gradually add 1 1/2 c water

Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thick and bubbly - cook/stir 2 min more

Set aside to cool

Beat egg yolks slightly, temper by adding the hot filling

Boil gently while stirring for 2 minutes

Add

2 T butter

1-2 tsp finely shredded lemon peel

1/3 c fresh lemon juice

Pour into baked pie shell, top with meringue, bake 350° 12-15 min - til meringue is golden

Store in fridge

Meringue

Bring 3 egg whites to room temp - combine with

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Beat on medium until soft peaks form

Gradually add 6 Tbsp sugar - 1 Tbsp at a time

Beat 4 minutes - until peaks are stiff and glossy and sugar has dissolved

Spread on filling, seal to edge of pastry

***

4 egg whites

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 c sugar

Apple Bread (Apple Loaf)

 Grease a loaf pan - line with parchment paper on bottom and two sides - need a fairly large loaf pan - or two smaller ones.

1 cup sugar

1/2. cup margarine (or butter?)

Cream above and then add 2 eggs - beat until fluffy

Sift together:

3 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Peel and grate 3 cups apples

Mix apple and flour mixture together - with 1/2 chopped walnuts

Stir into sugar/butter/egg mixture - just until blended.

Bake 350 for 60-70 minutes (less if you use 2 small pans)

Use Granny Smith, Braeburn, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, McIntosh

Turkey Tetrazinni

 This is the first recipe I found. I have tried some easier recipes but this is still my favorite. It makes two 8" x 12" pans which is fine if you have that much turkey - but it is a lot. You can freeze it before baking - if you make the full recipe - which is a good option. Below is the recipe, halved.

LINK to the original recipe  which is from McCall's Cooking School. It includes the instructions for how to freeze before baking - and then how to bake from frozen.

HALF RECIPE - one 8" x 12" pan - makes 6 generous portions ( 8 portions - if there were side dishes)

Make a white sauce with

6 tablespoons butter and 6 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/16  tsp nutmeg

2 cups milk and 1 cup broth (chicken or turkey

After boiling the sauce gently for 2 minutes

whisk together 2 egg yolks and 1/2 cup heavy cream

Temper the egg mixture, return to the sauce pan and bring up to heat, but not boiling

Stir in 1/4 c dry sherry

While you are working on the sauce, boil 1/2 lb spaghetti in salted water until al dente.

Drain 1 can of mushroom pieces (or saute fresh mushrooms) OPTIONAL - saute some onion, celergy and a little garlic. It's not in the original recipe - but - it's a very nice addition - mince everything so that the flavors are in the white sauce - but it's not chunky.

Combine 3-4 cups turkey with mushrooms, cooked spaghetti, and 2 cups (or a little more) sauce.

Pour into a greased casserole - and top with 4 oz or 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese. Add Parmesan if you with, not in original recipe.

Preheat over to 350 to bake. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes - or until bubbly - let it rest before serving.

Reheat the leftover sauce to serve over the top of each serving.

Lemon Buttermilk Pie & Pecan version

This recipe came from my pen pal Jackie. She recommends rubbing the lemon zest into the sugar and I agree - otherwise the zest can clump. She also said that she prefers it with regular lemons - so that's what I used and I would not bother with Meyer lemons.

The instructions suggest that you just dump everything in one bowl - and mix - which probably works, but most recipes with eggs and milk will recommend slightly beating the eggs to break up the yolks and white and then stirring in the milk - so that's what I do - in a smaller bowl - which makes it a two-bowl recipe - but that's not bad.

You can go to the link at the end for the full recipe - or here are the ingredients - with abbreviated instructions.

Prior to making the pie - put 4 eggs and 1 c buttermilk out to come to room temp. It takes an hour - or 2 hours is better. 

Preheat over to 350°

Prep: Start by zesting a couple lemons to get 1 T zest and then squeeze to get 3 T juice. Then melt 1 stick of better. Get your pie crust ready.

Assembly:

In a large bowl rub 1 Tablespoon lemon zest into 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and set aside.

In a smaller bowl - slightly beat (with a whisk) 4 eggs (at room temperature) and 1 cup buttermilk (at room temp) until they are smooth

Add eggs and milk to sugar and lemon zest - and add

1/2 cup (one stick) melted butter

3 Tablespoons cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 tsp kosher salt

Blend with a whisk and then add 1/4 cup flour - and stir until just combined

Pour into an unbaked 9-inch pie shell and bake 60 minutes

***from the link

• Pour the filling into the unbaked pie crust and bake for 60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crackly. To further assess doneness, jostle the oven rack slightly and look at the filling. The custard should jiggle when moved, but shouldn’t look liquidy or loose in the center.
  

  • Let the pie cool for at least 45 minutes before serving. Note that while the pie cools, it will deflate slightly, and this is normal because of all the eggs in the filling. When cooled, slice and enjoy!
    ***back to meI like it better chilled - but it is fine at room temp. I also like to serve it with a few berries because it is very sweet and the tartness of berries is a nice contrast. I also stuck a skewer in to make sure it was done - rather than relying on the jiggle method. I only use the unroll Pillsbury pie crusts for this kind of pie. Custardy pies always melt into the crust and prevent any possibility of flakiness. It's not worth it to bother with a homemade crust. Just my opinion - 
    
    

Here is an easier version with pecans on top - I have not tried it yet - but I will be adding vanilla.

The recipe suggests you can *make* buttermilk by adding vinegar to whole milk - but, I've read recipes for buttermilk pie that say it has to be actual buttermilk and I know I would not bother trying that substitute. 

https://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/pies/uss-missouri-buttermilk-pie/

 

Hot Beans

 This is a perfect dish to feed a crowd. Easy to make but pairs well with fancier dishes or burgers. What's not to love about a full cup of brown sugar?

Brown 1/2 lb diced bacon (or a full pound if you love bacon) - set aside

Brown 4 medium onions in the bacon grease (if there is a lot of grease - remove some)

Add 

1/2 garlic powder or granulated garlic or fresh garlic

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/2 cup vinegar

1 cup brown sugar

Simmer for 20 minutes - or as long as it takes you to open all the cans of beans

Drain and add beans -- listed are the beans in the original recipe - but you can use whatever beans you prefer. The only two that are essential* are the first two.

1 can pork and beans

1 jar B&M baked beans

1 can lima beans

1 can green beans

1 can kidney beans

(optional - black beans, butter beans, garbanzo beans)

Stir everything together and bake at 350° until it bubbles - somewhere between 1/2 hour and an hour. Don't bake too long or the beans get mushy. A flatter casserole will heat faster. A le Creuset is great if you want to take it to a pot luck. I put beach towels in a banker's box to insulate the casserole - and they will stay warm for a couple hours.

Feel free to add anything else that sounds good - to boost the flavors. The original recipe is pretty generic. - but nostalgic.

Turkey Tenderloin - Iowa State Fair recipe

 1 lb turkey tenderloins - 3/4 to 1-inch thick

1/4 cup each - soy sauce, vegetable oil, and dry sherry

2 T lemon juice

2 T dehydrated onion - or 1/4 c fresh onion

1/4 tsp ginger - or 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Mix together and marinate turkey tenderloins - half day is OK - better if they marinate overnight

Cook to 165° - grill to 155° - then take off grill, cover with foil and they should get to 165° in 5-10 minutes

May also cook in oven - or air fryer

https://foolproofliving.com/turkey-tenderloin-recipe/

Easy Mediterranean Soup

 

• This is a very versatile soup base. On the first day, we put chunks of cod in it for 2-3 people - and there was plenty of soup left over. We had garlic flavored couscous as a side and there was plenty left over.
• The next day - we added shrimp - and it was delicious - broth was better the second day. There was just soup and a little couscous left after the second meal so I combined it and figured it would make a good lunch on the third day. 
• I microwaved it an added some leftover rotisserie chicken, sour cream, more cheese - and it was delicious.
• It could be turned Mexican with chili powder, black beans, corn, garbanzos, and cojita cheese. Tortilla chips, crumbled - for topping.
• It could be turned greek with artichoke hearts, garbanzos, and greek olives (and chicken or gyro meat) and feta cheese
• 
  
• Yellow highlight is what I used
• While it is *easy* - there are still a lot of ingredients. I group them to assist in my organization. Sometimes it's easier to do all the prep - and then take a break before I do the actual cooking - which was really easy.
• 
  
• A-spices
• 1 ½ teaspoon coriander
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon turmeric
• ▢ ½ teaspoon paprika
• 
  
• ▢ B-protien
• 1 ½ pounds moderately firm fish fillet, original recipe suggested a combination of sea bass and red snapper, cut into chunks (1 ½ -inch pieces)
• 
  
• ▢ C- season each *layer* - to taste
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 
  
• ▢ D-veggies
• Extra virgin olive oil - 3 T
• 1 red onion, chopped
• ▢ 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• ▢ 2 celery ribs, chopped
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves minced

• ▢ E-add and simmer 20 min
• 1 28- ounce can whole tomatoes (or diced to save time)
• ▢ ½ cup white wine
• ▢ 4 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock, preferably low-sodium -that's the original recipe opinion- it depends on which brand you use
• 
  
• ▢ F-stir in at end
• 1 cup packed chopped fresh parsley
• ▢ 1 cup packed chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 lemon, juice of

• ▢ G-toppings
• 3 green onions chopped (both white and green parts)
• ▢
• grated parmesan - not in original recipe - but almost every soup tastes better with some parmesan cheese.
• sour cream - not in original recipe - and not with fish - but with all the other variations

At the very end - I'll include the original instructions.

Mix the spices together - use a tsp or more to season the fish - (optional in my opinion - use your own judgement if you like to season fish prior to cooking.

Saute the vegetables in olive oil - until soft.

Push them aside and toast the spice mixture for a minute or two

Add E-ingredients

Simmer 20 minutes

Add fish - if that's the protein you are starting with.

If you start with chicken thighs - plan to cook them longer - they could be added with the tomatoes - you do not need to brown chicken thighs that are going into soup.

Fish - timing will depend on the fish

Stir in the parsley, cilantro, and lemon juice. Top with green onions and parmesan cheese - although - if that does not sound good - just be sure to salt the dish enough.

Here are original directions:

• In a small bowl, mix the spices together.
• Season the fish with a good pinch of kosher salt and black pepper and 2 to 3 teaspoons of the spice mixture; toss to coat.
• In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic. Cook, tossing regularly, for 5 minutes or until the vegetables soften. Season with a good pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Add the remainder of the spice mixture.
  
• Add the tomatoes, white wine, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot part-way and let simmer for 20 minutes.
  
• Add the fish and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes or until the fish is cooked through (do not over-cook the fish, remember it will continue to cook in the hot broth even after you remove it from the heat).
  
• Stir in the parsley, cilantro, green onions. Finish with lemon juice. Serve immediate