Spicy Chili

Recipe adapted from original in Flavours magazine.

This chili is delicious and full of flavour. In fact, my husband said it's the best chili I've ever made! I think he might be right, it was pretty yummy!

What you'll need

450g lean ground beef

450g spicy Italian sausage, casings removed*

1 white onion, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 red pepper, chopped

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 Jalapeño pepper, ribs and seeds removed, diced

2 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tbsp cinnamon

1/2 tbsp cumin

1/2 tsp thyme

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

3 tbsp packed brown sugar

1 tbsp molasses

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

4 tbsp white vinegar

1/4 cup ketchup

1 can (796 mL) diced tomatoes, drained

1 can (540 mL) kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Cheddar cheese and sour cream to serve

Chives, chopped to serve

*You can often buy Italian sausage without the casings, it just looks like ground pork. This will save you the step of removing the sausage from the casings. 

How to

1.  In a large and deep skillet, sauté the beef with the sausage until well browed and cooked throughout. Break the chunks of meat up well using a wooden spoon.

2.  Drain excess fat and set aside.

3.  In a large stockpot, sauté the onion in some olive oil until just tender. Add the garlic, red pepper, mushrooms and diced jalapeño. Soften on medium heat.

4.  Add the beef mixture to the pot and slowly stir in all of the spices: chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir in the sugar, molasses, Dijon, vinegar and ketchup. Incorporate well into other ingredients.

5.  Add tomatoes and kidney beans. Cook over low heat for 1-2 hours, allowing to gently simmer. 

6.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream, grated cheddar and chives.

Mulligatawny

Recipe from Jamie Oliver's Great Britain.

Whenever I hear mulligatawny, I think of the Seinfeld episode with the "soup nazi". I never actually knew what it was though (I figured it was soup). Andrew gave me Jamie Oliver's Great Britain cookbook for my birthday. When we were looking through the recipe's together, he said "this looks like something you'd like". I agreed, so I though I'd give it a try. Well, Andrew knows me well because I looooved this recipe! One dish dinners is my kind of eating (if you've noticed from the majority of the recipes on my blog) and the flavours in this dish are right up my alley.  Curry, ginger and cilantro I love. What surprised me in this dish however was how the flavours from the HP sauce, thyme and butternut squash set this recipe apart from my other curry recipes. I will definitely be making this recipe a lot!

What you'll need

Olive oil

8 1/2 oz Ground beef

1 Red onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 Carrots, peeled and finely chopped

4 Garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced

1 Red pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 Piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1 or 2 Fresh red chiles, seeded and finely chopped

A small bunch of fresh cilantro

1 heaped tbsp Curry paste

1 heaped tbsp Tomato puree

Sea salt 

Ground pepper

1 heaped tbsp HP sauce

5 cups Organic beef stalk

1/2 Butternut squash (about 12 oz)

A couple sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked

A couple pinches of garam masala

1 cup Basmati rice

Plain yogurt to serve

How to

1.  Put a large pan on high heat and add a splash of olive oil and the ground beef. Cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up the beef, until it starts to turn golden and caramelize.

2.  Stir in the onion, carrot, garlic, red pepper, ginger and most of the chiles, and add a splash more oil if needed. Cut the top leafy section off the cilantro and put aside in a cup of cold water for later. Finely chop the stalks and add to the pan. Cook and stir for around 10 minutes over medium heat, or until the vegetables have softened. 

3.  Stir in the curry paste, tomato puree, a good pinch of salt and pepper and the HP sauce. After a few more minutes, when it smells fantastic, pour in the stock. Leave to blip away with the lid on over a medium heat for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4.  Meanwhile, cut the butternut squash in to 1/2-inch chunks, getting rid of any seeds. Put a smaller pan on high heat. Add a lug of olive oil and the squash. Stir in the thyme leaves and the garam masala. Place a lid on the pan and cook for around 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring every few minutes until softened and golden. Add rice to the pan with 2 cups of water and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Replace the lid and cook for around 8 minutes on medium heat, then turn the heat off and leave to steam for 8 minutes with the lid on.

5.  Fluff up the rice and tip it into the soup. Have a taste, and season if needed. Gently mix together, then divide between your soup bowls witha good dollop of plain yogurt. Scatter over the cilantro leaves and add a sprinkling of fresh chile, if you like.

Chili Con Carne

Recipe from Jamie's Food Revolution, by Jamie Oliver.

I looove this chili recipe! Have I mentioned that Jamie Oliver is one of my favourite people ever? This recipe is filled with so many delicious flavours and textures, I don't think I will ever be able to make regular chili again! Mmmmmm!

What you'll need

2 medium onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 red bell peppers, stalks and seeds removed, roughly chopped

olive oil

1 heaped tsp chili powder

1 heaped tsp ground cumin

1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon

sea salt 

freshly ground black pepper

1 - 15oz can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained

1 - 15oz can of red kidney beans, drained

2 - 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes

1 lb good-quality ground beef

1 small bunch of fresh cilantro

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 cups basmati rice

2 cups natural yogurt

1 cup guacamole

1 lime

How to

1.  Place your largest casserole-type pan over medium high heat. Add 2 lugs of olive oil and all you chopped vegetables. Add the chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Stir every 30 seconds fro about 7 minutes until softened and lightly coloured.

2.  Add the garbanzo beans, kidney beans, and the canned tomatoes. Add the ground beff, breaking any larger chunks up with a wooden spoon. Fill one of the empty tomato cans with water and pour it into the pan.

3.  Pick the cilantro leaves and place them in the refrigerator. Finely chop the washed stalks and stir in. Add the balsamic vinegar and season with a good pinch of salt and pepper.

4.  Bring to a boil and turn the heat down to a simmer with a lid slightly askew for about an hour, stirring every now and again to stop it catching.

5.  This is fantastic served with fluffy rice. Just divide the rice and chili into big bowls or serve in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves.

6.  Put a small bowl of natural yogurt, some guacamole, and a few wedges of lime on the table, and sprinkle the chili with the cilantro leaves. 

Beef and Sweet Potato Stir-Fry

Recipe from canadianliving.com

I love sweet potato, and what a great idea to add it to a stir-fry! This dish would also be quite tasty with some toasted sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

What you'll need

2 tbsp Vegetable oil

454 g Beef stir-fry strips

1 Onion, sliced

3 Garlic cloves, minced

2 cups Cubed, peeled sweet potato

1 Green pepper, sliced

1/2 cup Beef stock

1/4 cup Oyster sauce

1 tbsp Cornstarch

1 tbsp Rice vinegar

1 tsp Sesame oil

2 Green onions, thinly sliced

How to

1.  In wok, or large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the oil over high heat. Stir-fry beef until browned, but still pink inside, about 2 minutes. Transfer to plate.

2.  Drain fat from pan; add remaining oil. Stir-fry onion and garlic over medium heat until onion is softened, about 2 minutes.

3.  Stir sweet potato, green pepper, and 1/2 cup water into pan; cover and steam until sweet potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

4.  Meanwhile, in a glass measuring cup, whisk together stock, oyster sauce, cornstarch, vinegar, and sesame oil. Return beef and any juices to pan.

5.  Add oyster sauce mixture and bring to a boil; boil, stirring, until thickened and glossy, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with green onions and serve with quinoa or rice.

Spicy Chipotle Meatballs with Rice

Recipe modified. Original recipe from Real Simple magazine.

My husband makes fun of me because I always make notes on my recipes about how good they are and what I would change the next time. Yesterday he asked, "so what are we having for dinner?" After I told him he said "that sounds good". "I've made it before" I said. "Oh, I don't remember. Was it good?" "I think so" I said. "Well what did you write on the recipe?" he asked. I looked down "Oh! Delicious!" We both started laughing. See, this is why I make notes. And I have to say, it was delicious the second time around as well!

What you'll need

1 1/2 tbsp Olive oil

1 medium Onion, diced

6 Garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 28-ounce can Diced tomatoes

1 tsp Canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, chopped

1 cup Long-grain white rice

1 1/2 lbs Ground beef 

1/2 cup Fresh cilantro, chopped (plus more for serving)

1/4 cup Bread crumbs

1 large Egg, beaten

1 tsp Ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp Black pepper

Sour cream for serving (optional)

How to

1.  Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and half the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 5-7 minutes. Add the tomatoes (with their juices) and chipotles. Simmer, partially covered, until the sauce has thickened, 15-20 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the package directions.

3.  While the rice is cooking, in a medium bowl, combine the beef, cilantro, bread crumbs, egg, cumin, the remaining half of the garlic, salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into 16 meatballs (about 2 heaping tbsp each).

4.  Heat the remaining 1/2 tbsp of oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Place the meatballs in the pan and cook, rotating the meatballs frequently. Cook until browned and cooked through.

5.  Add the meatballs to the sauce. Serve over rice and sprinkle with additional cilantro. Serve with sour cream on the side.

A Deliciously Juicy Burger

Recipe from Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.

I apologize for the brief hiatus. We were in Phoenix on holiday's. I am back now however, and cooking delicious things once again. With nice weather, I crave burgers. Jamie Oliver's burger recipe is super easy and delicious! Jamie's recipe walks you through making your burger from start to finish, but I've just posted here the recipe for the hamburger patties...you can do up your burger however you like.

What you'll need

12 Cream or plain crackers, broken up into fine crumbs

8 sprigs of Fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

2 heaped teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 lb Ground beef

1 Egg

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil

How to

1.  Put the cracker crumbs, parsley, dijon mustard, ground beef and egg in a large bowl. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper.

2.  With clean hands, scrunch and mix everything up well. Divide into 6 and pat and mold each piece into a roundish shape about 3/4 inch thick.

3.  Drizzle the burgers with oil, put on a plate, cover and place in the refrigerator until needed (this helps them firm up).

4.  Jamie suggests grilling your burgers on a preheated large grill pan over medium heat, but I just did mine on the barbeque over medium heat for about 6 minutes per side. I'm sure either way is just as delicious.

5.  Dress those burgers however you like them best! Eat and enjoy.

Black Bean Beef and Vegetable Stir-fry

Recipe by Canadian Living, slightly modified.

Can you tell I love stir-fry's? I love all the vegetables and yummy flavours.  There are so many different ways to do a stir-fry that it's hard to get tired of them. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! This one is a little different for me. I generally use chicken or shrimp, but thought I'd mix it up a bit for my red-meat loving husband. Enjoy!

What you'll need

340g Beef flank marinating steak, thinly sliced across the grain

1/2 tsp Pepper

1 cup Beef broth

3 tbsp Black bean sauce

1 tbsp Cornstarch

2 tbsp Vegetable oil

2 Garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp Fresh ginger, minced

2 cups Broccoli florets

2 Sweet orange peppers, cut in chunks

1 White onion, cut in chunks

1 tsp Sesame seeds, toasted

1.  Sprinkle beef with pepper. Whisk together broth, black bean sauce and cornstarch. Set aside.

2.  In wok or large skillet, heat half of the oil over medium-high heat; stir-fry beef until browned but still pink inside, about 3 minutes. Transfer to plate.

3.  Add remaining oil to wok; stir-fry garlic and ginger for 30 seconds.

4.  Add broccoli, peppers and onion; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Cover and steam for 2 minutes.

5.  Return beef and any accumulated juices to wok. Add black bean mixture; stir-fry until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with white or wild rice.

Minted Meatballs with Hummus

Recipe modified. Original recipe by Woman's Weekly.

According to my husband, I have to make these again.  I agree.  These meatballs were so flavourful! You can eat them for dinner or serve them as an appetizer with the hummus on the side.

What you'll need

Meatballs

400 g Ground beef

1 cup Stale breadcrumbs

1 Clove garlic, crushed

1 Beef stock cube

1 Egg, lightly beaten

2 tbsp Fresh mint leaves, chopped

2 tbsp Olive oil

Hummus

300 g can Chickpeas

1 tbsp Olive oil

1 Clove garlic, crushed

2 tbsp Lemon juice

2 tbsp Fresh mint leaves, chopped

1 tbsp Tahini paste

Salt to taste

How to

1.  Combine beef, breadcrumbs, garlic, crumbled stock cube, egg and mint in large bowl; mix well. Roll level tablespoons of mixture into balls. 

2.  Heat oil in non-stick pan; cook meatballs, shaking pan occasionally, until browned all over and cooked through. 

3.  For the hummus, blend or process undrained chickpeas with oil, garlic, lemon juice and tahini until almost smooth. If still too thick add cold water, 1 tbsp at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Stir in mint and salt to taste.  Let sit in the fridge for at least an hour to bring out the flavour of the mint in the hummus.

4.  Serve meatballs with hummus.

Beef Stir-fry with Udon Noodles

I apologize for the brief hiatus.  These last two weeks have been so busy that we never found time to go grocery shopping.  Dinner has consisted of whatever food we could find at the back of our freezer. On my way home from the hospital yesterday I picked up some ground beef and a red pepper.  I had no plans, but managed to come up with something delicious!  I added the sesame seeds at the end as an afterthought, but this dish would not have been the same without them.  So whatever you do, don't leave out the sesame seeds!

What you'll need
1 cup Beef stock
1/3 cup Hoisin sauce
2 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tbsp Rice vinegar
1 tbsp Cornstarch
1 tbsp Sesame oil
1/2 Yellow onion, chopped
1 lb Extra-lean ground beef
1 tbsp Fresh ginger, grated
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Red onion, sliced
2 Green onions, finely sliced
1 small bunch Fresh cilantro
400 grams Udon noodles
2 tbsp Sesame seeds, toasted

How to
1.  Heat the sesame oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Add the yellow onion and cook for about 4 minutes until the   onion is soft.  Add the ground beef.  Stir up every couple minutes, making sure to break up the beef as you go.

2.  When the beef is nearly cooked through, add the garlic and ginger to the pan.  Stir and cook until beef is no longer pink.

3.  Meanwhile, combine the stock, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, vinegar and cornstarch in a bowl and mix until combined.  Add to the pan, along with the red pepper.

4.  Cook for about 3 minutes.  If it's too thick, add some extra stock until the desired consistency is reached.

5.  Finely chop half of the cilantro leaves.  Add to the pan along with the green onion and udon noodles.  Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the pepper is soft and the noodles are heated through.

6.  Plate and top with the remainder of the cilantro leaves and the toasted sesame seeds.

Campfire Casserole

The first time my husband and I went camping together he insisted we have campfire casserole for dinner. He went on to list all the ingredients we would need for it. "Really??" I said, "that does not sound very appetizing." He insisted it was amazing however and convinced me to give it a try. I have to admit, it's surprisingly delicious, and I've been hooked ever since! On the September long weekend we went camping with some friends of ours and we of course had our traditional campfire casserole. I would recommend saving this recipe only for camping because I don't actually know how it would translate in the kitchen. There is something about a campfire that can make the most simple foods taste delicious!

What you'll need

Some ground beef (1lb was good for the 4 of us)

A can of corn

A couple carrots, chopped

3-4 Potatoes, thinly sliced

1 Onion, chopped

1 Zucchini, thinly sliced

Lot's of ketchup

Salt and Pepper

Butter or extra-virgin olive oil

Tin foil

A campfire

How to

1. Spread some oil or butter on a large piece of tin foil (large enough to put enough food on it for one person, these are individual casseroles).

2. Place on a layer of potatoes.

Photo by Christie Peters

3. Break apart some small pieces of the raw ground beef and layer on top of the potatoes.

4. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper.

5. Add some onion, corn, zucchini and carrots...as much or as little as you like. These are individual casseroles so make yours up how you like it!

6. Squeeze on some ketchup...again, as much or as little as you like. I would say less is better, as I always like to add some more after it's all done.

7. Place another piece of greased tin foil over top of your lovely pile of food. Together with the bottom layer of tin foil, roll the edges up on all sides to make a good seal.

8. Place your individual casserole pockets over the campfire. The fire should be hot, but you don't want the flames too high.

Photo by Christie Peters

9. Let them cook for about 10 minutes, then flip. After another 5-10 minutes, poke a whole in the top of the tin foil to see if it's done. The meat should no longer be pink and the vegetables should be soft.

10. Put onto plates and either eat right out of the tin foil, or scrape onto the plate. Serve with ketchup.

Curried Beef Noodles

Recipe modified. Original recipe from Women's Weekly.

I made this the other night for the first time and was pleasantly surprised with how wonderful it turned out. My husband said it's almost like beef stroganoff with an Asian flare. I have to agree. It's good old comfort food with a bit of a twist.

What you'll need
1 Red pepper, thinly sliced
1 Yellow pepper, thinly sliced
250g Dried wide rice noodles
1 tsp Peanut oil
750g Lean ground beef
1 Medium onion, chopped
2 Garlic cloves, crushed
1/3 cup Red curry paste
2 tbsp Lime juice
2 tbsp Fish sauce
1 1/2 cups Beef stock
2 tsp Cornstarch
4 Green onions, chopped
1 small bunch Fresh cilantro leaves

How to
1. Cook the ground beef in a large pan until well browned. Drain the fat and remove beef from the pan. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in the same pan. Add the peppers, onion and garlic and stir-fry until the onion and peppers are soft.

3. Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles according to the directions on the package.

4. Combine the curry paste, lime juice and fish sauce. Add to the pan. Stir-fry for 1 minute.

5. Combine the beef stock and cornstarch in a small bowl or measuring cup. Add to the pan. Bring to a boil; simmer, stirring, until thickened slightly.

6. Return beef to pan with noodles; stir-fry until heated through. Stir in the green onions. Serve topped with fresh cilantro.

Curry Feta Burgers

Recipe modified. Original recipe from Canadian Living

I have made these burgers so many times and they are always a hit. If you're not a curry person, don't be scared off...they're still amazing!

What you'll need
500g Extra lean ground beef
1/2 cup Fresh coriander, chopped
1/3 cup Feta cheese
2 tbsp Curry paste
2 Cloves garlic
2 tsp Fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp each Salt and pepper

How to
In a large bowl mix all of the above ingredients. Divide and flatten into 4. Grill over medium-high heat, flipping once.

Topping options
Ketchup and mustard (yup, they taste good with curry burgers too!)
Lettuce and tomatoes (a must in my opinion)
Grilled red onions (delicious!)
Hummus
Mayo
Tzatziki sauce (maybe not with the ketchup and mustard)