These are Snyder’s Of Hanover’s Hot Buffalo Wing pretzel pieces. SOOOOO good. Dip them into home-made blue cheese dressing, or just pick some up while getting the pretzels. Oh…and some beer…!
You can also go online and play with the pretzel pieces flavor SIMULATOR:
http://www.snydersofhanover.com/
Image : http://www.flickr.com
Many of us are often confused visions of certain food preparation techniques that we do not forget many vital processes, marketed by Quick-to-eat food that we want to pop in the oven and voila! There are some kitchen / cooking metric that does not encourage us Food Central, but want to know how the food can be intelligent.
Here are some simple tips for cooking may find useful when > Koch. Prepare the ingredients are sometimes tedious work – as well as washing vegetables, peeling prawns, mussels, wash and dress the loin and so on. If you know what the best way for themselves in the kitchen, you can run some effort by using these techniques, the food:
Salt the water if you are hard-boil eggs, make-up, with easy to cook eggs peel is very difficult to add the salt in warm water, turn off the fire and start> Cooking eggs. When the water boils, cook to turn your fire. Constantly check eggs for cracks – water too hot to break the eggs (and if you want a gas cook eggs in hot water to save money, you can only crack a lot of them when you're in a boiling chunks), salt, water of about 1 handful of salt in 5 liters of water. The salt extends the cooking time, but will make your life 100 times easier.
Keep the hot knifeIf you are cutting "at risk" foods, the trick to perfect a slice of cheese or eggs (and some chocolate products) is to keep your knives hot, not warm. Hot temperatures in stainless steel is not performing well, and your kitchen knives end, will not take long. Wipe the knife, dip it in hot water for a while ', or focus bare then make your cut – you will see that it makes a very clean cut.
When you piece of egg, hold theBoiled egg to be cut into slices on top (usually half) of their yolk first section. Always pay attention to the yolks, then make your cut there. Slicing too far from the yolk should also make it difficult for you – makes your egg mixture portions. In some cases, where no one can see the yolk or is already in the Open, just follow No. 2 and do it your way.
Use egg whites to smooth the "If the chicken is marinating the chicken, you can also use protein inMarinade and keep them inside. For example, a whole chicken () in 8 portions, and a protein of larger size. After cooking the chicken, is actually seems that the skin smoother.
Italian sauces are best eaten the day before, many homemade sauces are very cheap Italians – even better if "age" for a day. As liquid evaporates from sauces (so as to achieve a more focused and intense flavor) and / or integrated with other ingredients with its natural, these sauces aredo not lose their taste for a day, but it gives you a greater impact on the following day. The best examples are some tomato sauces, pesto and stocks, as smooth (white available – Can vegetables, fish, seafood or chicken) or (X – anyone can vegetables) concave.
For the Parmesan better, allow for "sweat" A lot of cheese in this way can not be done, but for the Midori special brand Parmesan cheese in a block (in Jusco & Cold Storage, and sometimes found Tesco) Cheese mayleft to sweat and made it better. Here's how to do it – open to remove the package, but only the upper part. Let) out on your desktop (with 20 + C ambient temperature and make sure it is in contact with sunlight and rodents. Keep this for 2 days – now taste. It's different.
Let your Chinese celery and / or cilantro are living longer in the refrigerator alone (with paper or film), which kills quickly. Get a little 'deep'Tupperware, or even a Milo tin, add water, and left it in its internal session (with the roots below). This prolongs the shelf life.
Remove the chicken skin with a cut and pull, if you make the main categories of Chicken Skin must remove all the chickens, do this: turn with a sharp knife and remove the chicken breast-side-down. Make a straight cut vertically along the backbone of the chicken, then tear the skin of chicken separately. This should remove most of her skin (with the exception of the wings).
Nonstick food ingredients with a few techniques, or heat / temperature control Pan is the best technique. If you need your non-stick frying pan (but is not labeled or sold as a non-stick), you can do two things – heat thoroughly before pot (dry), steaks, a whole egg before cooking, cook one Stock ingredient in place until the area before it), touch (having a high enough heat, oil the skillet and heat the oil is boiled (and then remove it and put it into another container)before cooking and beansprouts fried or coconut shells before cooking.
The "new" smell from the wok or pan to remove these few ingredients to try. Do not bother to wash too often, the smell, not because some free "discount pots work. You can try heating the pan to drop the maximum then pour boiling oil in it and beansprouts fried or coconut shells, leave the heating on charcoal burning for 30 minutes, a simple "one-pot" and throw them away. All these works,But if you still get the smell, then you know, pan will not last long.
First "rust" marks from your pots and wok wok Chinese are famous for this, especially when they are old. They tend to hang on to leave your wok (with a little 'water intact) and then go back and find your wok has spots of rust. You can use several methods to combat this problem: After washing, cover the pan / wok, with a cloth and then rub a bit 'of oil is enough oil on them – so the water does not oxidize the metalSurface of the pan / wok. Alternatively, you can heat your pan / wok to cook the most, and then leave (do not let that come in contact with water. Wash before heater pan / wok.
Keep is not seafood in the refrigerator for storage of shellfish in the refrigerator the wrong way to go to (applies to fresh ones live). What can be done under running water for a while 'to wash the dirt, instead of them) in a container (ie without the cover of a damp kitchen towel and cover them.Make sure it is at room temperature and not more than 1 1 / 2 days waiting. Do this for live clams and mussels local (Malaysia).
Do not use any mayonnaise tasted right out of the tub / container mayonnaise Commercialized absolutely ridiculous if not a challenge with another strong flavor ingredient. What can be done to tame "its flavor is found in milk, salt and pepper, to kidnap also add a subtle texture. If you are adventurous enough to take a small amount of mayonnaise andAdd-in a few other ingredients. You can add garlic, tomatoes, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins), Maggi seasoning sauce, juice, jalapeno, pickles, cream, sugar, salt, onion, find carrots, cabbage, or whatever you refrigerate. Its taste is subjective, so be careful.
Try a tomato with a knife You want to know do not know how strong the knife, but, as a test? Here are some simple tricks are free for you to get them out: Slice a not-so-young-and-fresh (ifpressed very soft and tomatoes), and you should be able, without the pressure on the knife, cut into slices. Another possibility is large, cut yellow / red onion slices. If you're crying in a hurry, then either the process or your blade. Another great way to check is to cut slices of plastic. Extremely sharp knife to cut plastic bags a bit 'too easy – do this without adding any pressure. Simply move it to the plastic bag and see if it passes.
Do not wash Wash the mushrooms freshly pickedFreshly picked mushrooms can be deadly) to be (for its natural flavors. If you are hygiene, PICK IT from a hygienic environment, or they get from Tesco. In both cases, they work better. If you are not particularly, just use a pastry brush and brush the sand. for mushrooms, as some fresh mushrooms, peel 'outer' skin before cooking. You can use the skin you use for your chicken broth.
Keep this leaflet with cockroaches pandan Use '(or asScrew pine) leaves to keep out the cockroaches. They work very well. Pandan / Screw Pine Leaves used in hundreds of thousands of recipes and home applications.
Heat the bread in the microwave with a little water and put the bread in a microwave-friendly or glass bowl filled with water in the microwave and give a quick 20 seconds over high heat. This is not your bread to lose much of its moisture.
Make your bananas grow naturally juicy Thingscan do is hang your bananas – Using a string or a hook hanging from the edge of the banana and let it rest on the air – that way you strengthen your banana and a juicy brown evenly. Placing on cold surfaces, the blackening of the skin (in a first sector is to disseminate the latest) faster. Bananas are by nature "smoke bomb" before the first farm, which visit the sale (and to allow uniform ripening), and when ready, the way the bananas did not taste as good as natural ones.
Keep yourRice by rodents and stick-free, if you keep uncooked rice, leave some pieces of container dry and fresh in your company, your uncooked rice. This will keep out insects and rodents. Moreover, the addition of new cool dry rice in your kitchen will also facilitate your kitchen – the rice is not the end. Be careful not to cook the dry cold (or, if he came into contact with oil), in first place or not work.
Of course you can cook the ingredients a couple of times faster whenBring with you long enough, you can groped packaging () into a plastic bag and a few green apples and a little 'cold. Set in 4 pieces 4 red apples cold. Put them together in one pocket and put it in the refrigerator. You will find that actually "cold" reactions "cook" the apples quickly. Although this is not very good "," scientific knowledge of many masters, works in some cases.
Image courtesy of familyfun.go.com
Most St. Patrick’s Day activities are geared toward adults (well, at least the activities that get the most attention!). There are plenty of family-friendly ideas to be found online, click below for links to some of our favorites, including the recipe for these adorable rainbow cupcakes!
This past couple days has been pretty uneventful… even by my standards but I did get out of the house to go see Alice in Wonderland on the IMAX… I am still not a big fan of the genre but at least it wasn’t complete rubbish, there were two things that bothered me in the movie though… er, well three actually. Firstly the storyline was weak… seriously weak. There was nothing new that was noteworthy and since it is supposed to be a continuation of the first Alice in Wonderland they could have done so much more with it. Secondly, the ending was just boring, im not going to spoil it but I have to say it just felt like they ran out of production time and couldn’t think of anything exciting. Lastly, the actress that played Alice looked okay as Alice, but not a 19-year-old Alice (or 18, whichever) she looked like she was at most 15, also, her acting skill’s were limited. Just my opinion though.
Only a couple more day’s and the hubby and I will be off for a 3 night vacation near red hawk casino and even though I’m not really a gambler I think just getting away for a few days will recharge my batteries, I wonder if there is a day spa nearby there, I will have to look. My mom is thankfully going to be babysitting the kids, hopefully they behave for her and I come home to children who are not to badly spoiled.
It’s been almost a week since I have stopped drinking regular soda and started drinking Diet. I of course miss regular cola but it is getting easier to resist and the taste of coke zero is not as nasty as it was. I have not gone completely diet nuts, I still drink regular milk and regular juice but the soda is a BIG step. I am still not happy about the water situation… I would like to drink more of it, more often but I am slacking.
Since it be the luck o’ the Irish day I am hoping I can get supplies to make corned beef and cabbage for dinner tonight… sigh, should have thought of it last time I got groceries. I’m not Irish but the hubby is, I wouldn’t want him to feel blue when he is supposed to be feeling green lol.
Now that I am pretty positive that I will be moving home in May, I’m trying to focus on what is most important. School is my number one priority at the moment and it is actually paying off. I have been doing well in my classes pulling off A’s and B’s on my tests and only one C so far.
Since I still don’t have a job, it has been hard to make food like I used too. But because of a few blogs I have been reading pretty regularly lately http://smittenkitchen.com/ and http://culinaryescapades.wordpress.com/, i want to get back into baking and cooking home cooked meals, even if they are just for me.:) I’m going to be frugal in my grocery shopping, but still buy things that i can make a few good meals a week with. And hopefully I can get a job soon!
Only 2 more weeks until Spring Break, I cannot wait!!! My friend Erin is coming to visit and we are gonna hang out in L.A. with Kyle and go clubbing and maybe to LACMA and then I am going to show her around SB for a few days until we drive up north to Sonoma!! I am so excited to go home for a while!! Once Spring break is over only about a month and a half left here until Summer!!
I am really dreaming big this summer and am pretty certain it will be EPIC. Even though I will most likely be in summer school for the first half, i want to take a trip back east to DC, Boston, and NYC and also visit my friend Rachel in CO, as well as spend time in Sonoma and SF!! I’m really looking forward to Summer 2010 and being home again!!
xoxo
BTW:
I am learning how to cook Chinese Food, and well it is not as easy as Mexican food (for me), there are different techniques to try to master, as well as one must also learn how to cook with different items.
Last Night I made a Chinese 5 Spice steak dinner over Rice stick noodles.
The Noodles were not to my liking, but the flavor of the steak was good, I’m going to make the same basic dinner, but add more onions than were called for, add red bell peppers, cut the number of tomatoes in half, and maybe add green beans into it as well.
Instead of noodles I will substitute rice, the rice noodles can tricky, Ill try them again later on another recipe.
WHITE TRASH COOKING
By: Ernest Matthew Mickler
“She don’t know me from Adam’s housecat.”
–Nelda Welch, Hot Coffee, Mississippi
You asked for it!
For Natasha: I could find anything with CoCola but I thought you’d enjoy this.
FRIED SQUIRREL
Make sure all the hair is cleaned off the squirrel. Cut it up. If it’s old and tough, put it in the pressure cooker for about 15-20 minutes.
Salt and pepper it. Cover with flour and fry in a cast iron skillet on a medium fire until brown and tender. This is a real sweet meat.
You can smother a squirrel just like a chicken.
*********************************************************************
DarkSculptures: I found possum but I though you’d like this better.
BUTT’S ‘GATOR TAIL
The only place you can find alligator is near the coast or the inland swamps in the South. So if you’re lucky enough to get a holt to an alligator tail, there’s a section about a foot long just behind the back legs that’s tender and juicy. You cut it in sections at the joints just like you would a pork chop. Salt, pepper and flour each piece of tail and then fry in hot grease until golden brown. Or you can barbecue it with Bosie’s Barbecue Sauce (Page 49). He had alligator in mind when he concocted it.
If you haven’t eaten ‘gator tail before, you’re in for a surprise. It’s gonna taste a little bit like chicken, a little bit like pork, and a little bit like fish. It’s so good, you’ll wanna lay down and scream.
*********************************************************************
And my favorite…
PORE FOLK SOUP
For a light supper, crumble soda crackers in warm milk. Salt, pepper and eat with a spoon.
Oh yeah, this is vegetarian too, fer y’all.
Hooka tooka my soda crackers?
Does yer Mammy chew tobaccer?
If yer Mammy chaw tobaccer then
That Hooka tooka my soda cracker?
Finished work, picked up Jim from the dentist, picked up Kev, went home to dash aorund making dinner before I go back out for one more lesson. Imagine my surpise to find Sunshine home. The shopping had been delivered by the co-op, she’d put it all away, had started dinner and was busy whipping up a Gawd I love that girl.
The cheesecake is a trial run, she wants to whip up a perfect one for Big Love 2 because they are approaching the sacred 7 month mark.
I was a little surprised the other day to find a book on the table titled, ” How To Please Your Lover’. When I faux casually asked whose it was, Sunshine claimed it. I was even more surprised to discover it’s a cook book, full of heart-shaped fondant cream stuff that one’s lover will drool over apparently.
Then Doris got me when she stated that she has decided which High School she wants to go to. In fact she decided about 10 years ago because there is only one High School in the district with a girls soccer team, but seems she is nixing that plan and wants to go to a school that specialises in cooking.
I blame myself, my food is clearly so fabulous, my fine young women have been inspired by me and the magic I make in the kitchen. 
Yesterday we had homemade tortillas for dinner. They were delicious. In fact, my husband thought it would be a good idea to have fresh tortillas every Sunday. I told him I would be happy to show him how to make them 
I thought I would share how we came to making our own tortillas. When I taught first grade we studied Mexico. As a culminating activity we had a fiesta and all the kids brought a dish to share. The day before the fiesta my teammate told me, “oh yeah, and I usually make tortillas with the kids.” So being the easy going person I am, I asked her if she had a recipe, no big deal she sprung this on me the day before we were supposed to do it. She didn’t, the one she used before didn’t produce good results the year before so she was going to “wing it.”
Now I am all for “teaching in the moment” and what not, but not when it involves a hot pan, messy dough and six year olds. Not to mention I was 5 months pregnant at the time too. So I decided to for go the tortillas, besides I hadn’t even mentioned them to the kids.
The fiesta was great and my teammates tortillas were a disaster. Afterward I decided to be prepared for the next year and I found the simplest recipe I could and practiced at home. Well, the recipe is simple and it produced such good results we continue to use it to make our own tortillas. And I have a great, kid friendly recipe for when I go back to work.
Homemade Tortillas Recipe
Here are a few in the process photos too.
Resting dough balls.
Pressed out by hand.
In the hot pan.
Megan chose this chocolatey delight which means that for another weekend I had to eat something naughty – it was such a struggle!
I had never made marble cake before as I always thought that it would be too hard to make, but in fact, the recipe was easy to follow. However, even though this was a chocolate cake I was surprised at the amount of butter (8oz) and eggs (four of them). My cake cooked in the hour, and although I left it to cool, a piece remained at the bottom of the pan, so I ate this warm (it was good).
I had trouble with the ganache as my chocolate wouldn’t completely melt. Instead I used a little more warm cream and then mum took to stirring it over a pan of hot water.
Dad doesn’t eat chocolate cake, so mum and I tried this. We found it to be too chocolately (which shouldn’t be surprising as this was a chocolate cake!) but I used dark chocolate (UK chocolate is different to US chocolate in both taste, and description). I think if I made it again I would use a combination of milk and plain chocolate. However, I am sure that everyone at work will love this cake on Monday.
Whether you are an aspiring chef or simply an epicure, culinary travel promises the opportunity to truly savor your vacation. This growing trend of experiencing authentic cooking and dining around the world allows you to broaden your education and your palate at the same time. What a decadent way to travel!
The genre of culinary travel includes trips that focus on learning to create local dishes, those that emphasize tasting and wine pairing, and everything in between. As you can see, there are many options available. Let this TRO report assist in your planning, as it will provide you with the basic recipe for culinary travel. With it, you and your travel consultant are sure to cook up the perfect culinary adventure!
The most important consideration in planning your culinary vacation is whether you want to learn traditional recipes and cooking techniques, or if you’re more interested in enjoying the end result. Those wanting a strictly educational experience might enjoy cooking alongside famous chefs in renowned cooking schools. If dining inspires you, perhaps you would prefer the company of a learned chef as your guide. Or maybe you would like just a taste of culinary arts in your trip, as you explore other cultural aspects of your destination. The more consideration given to these issues before contacting a tour operator, the more efficient the planning process will be and the quicker you’ll be on your way.
If cooking is your passion, think about attending a cooking school, many of which boast award-winning chefs as instructors. If you go, you will have to consider your level of expertise to ensure pairing with courses that suit your abilities. The less experienced might learn more through hands-on instruction, while advanced students may feel confident in attending cooking demonstrations. You can even choose to learn a particular specialty such as pastry making. Wine schools are also a popular choice, offering classes on wine making, history, appreciation and pairing with foods.
For those interested in learning to cook according a country’s customs but want to spend a little less time in the kitchen, a cooking tour may be the best bet. Along with culinary classes, these tours are peppered with visits to wineries, vineyards, superior restaurants, and local markets and food producers. With some tours, you will travel to different cooking schools to take classes. Others offer the more intimate experience of attending the kitchens of various celebrated chefs.
Culinary tour guides, many of whom have backgrounds in history and/or cultural anthropology, will tell you the history of indigenous dishes, offer guidance while dining with you, and even provide cooking instruction. Your tour may be guided by an actual chef, or may enlist the services of two guides: one culinary and one cultural. Your guide should be bilingual, even if those providing the cooking demonstrations are not. And of course, if you would like to design your own culinary dream vacation, chef guides and cultural guides can be hired on an individual basis – the possibilities are endless!
Most cooking tours will accommodate travelers with every level of experience. However, general kitchen knowledge is expected. Before you go, ask your travel consultant if class participation is mandatory, or if you may merely observe. You will also want to inquire about attire. Cooking classes are generally casual, but more sophisticated dress may be necessary when dining out. You may also want to find out whether recipes will be provided after the demonstration.
Your tour operator should be able to accommodate any dietary needs regarding meals. However, the meals prepared during cooking classes, unless the class is designed and taken on an individual basis, are usually determined by the instructor and cannot be changed upon request. There are tours designed for vegetarians, which usually take place in Asian countries. Thailand, for example, boasts an annual vegetarian festival.
If you are more of a gastronome, you will want to take or design a tour that focuses on the pleasures of dining. Many culinary travelers maintain that there is no better way to learn about a culture than by sampling its traditional dishes. Such tours often include the excursions mentioned above, as well as more standard tourist attractions such as museums and art galleries. Certain tours allow more time for exploring the towns in which you stay. There are also more active tours, which incorporate such activities as hiking, painting and language instruction. These tours also provide a good option for those wanting to dine independently.
Not surprisingly, the most popular destinations for gourmet vacationing are Italy and France. Tasting tapas in Spain is also en vogue. When visiting these popular regions, the earlier you make your reservation, the better. But Europe isn’t your only option. You may enjoy a culinary cruise to the Caribbean, or take a chef-guided tour of Mexico. For the more adventurous, culinary tours are offered in such exotic locales as Morocco, India and Vietnam. For those looking for an experience closer to home, consider becoming a barbecue connoisseur in West Virginia or cook up some Creole in Louisiana.
Travelers may also take a culinary vacation by means of a food festival. The Netherlands boasts an international food-tasting festival every August, and Georgia is home to the annual Vidalia Festival. If you appreciate good beer as much as good food, Oktoberfest is certain to leave you hoppy.
The cost of a culinary vacation varies widely. The biggest factor in determining the price of your trip is whether you opt for a package tour, which generally means sharing your travel experience with other culinary enthusiasts. Most culinary tours are packaged at a fixed price that includes daily classes, meals, excursions, accommodations and ground transportation. You will be responsible for making your own travel arrangements to the school or destination, a task with which your travel consultant can greatly assist. The cost of your trip is further determined by the country visited, the extent of teaching provided, the quality of restaurants enjoyed, and the number and nature of excursions taken.
Accommodation is also a factor. Luxury and high-end hotels are a more expensive option. Staying in a countryside villa may not be as posh an experience, but the relaxation granted by fresh air and lush landscapes could prove to be priceless. Work through the options with your travel consultant. The more clearly you state your own preferences, the better your travel consultant can work with the tour operator to properly accommodate you and your traveling companions.
When pricing your stay, remember to take into consideration any Value Added Tax (VAT) levied by many countries in Europe and elsewhere. Because VAT is often as high as 20% of the cost of an accommodation or good purchased, the amount is often not insignificant! Many travelers assume that VAT is refundable. However, this is typically not the case for services such as transportation, accommodation, food, gas or any other goods or services consumed within the country itself. Ensure that the price you are quoted includes all taxes and other fees.
Sound too good to be true? It’s all for real and with a little planning a culinary vacation can be an absolutely wonderful way to garnish your next trip away from home.
Content courtesy and with the express permission of Travel Research Online.
A few weeks ago I received an e-mail from a dude named Jethro that was addressed to me and Scott from (Seattle Food Geek). Jethro asked us if we knew if there was a club or group of people that would like to do experiments with food. Who the hell knows…..let’s start one, is the conclusion we came to.
Tonight was our first meeting. I felt like I was going to a dungeons and dragons meet up but instead of thousand sided dice and more pimples than I know what to do with I brought as many books, equipment, and cool ingredients as I could possibly carry over to Jethro’s house. After lugging around 50+ lbs. of books I said, “alright meeting is my place next time….haha”. Get back on track….
So we met up and I am happy to report that I have found another group of people that have a crazy addiction for food just like me.
Our first experiment was a spherification of rootbeer (pictured above). It took a little work but we got to a few shapes we were looking for. Now we have to focus on flavor, thickness of sphere, and if we need to introduce flavoring components to give us a much more intense rootbeer flavor.
Next up was a spherification of blueberry juice. We fooled around with it a little bit and finally find what we were looking for.
We were missing a few key pieces of equipment but I think the next time we meet up we’ll have that addressed. This is extremely exciting for all three of us. I think there is a lot bad press with this type of cooking but really at the end of the day it’s about fun. Each little sphere that came out was like receiving a Christmas present. Now we just have to make those little Christmas presents taste good.
Even if we have a bunch of failure we still have a cool name: Jet City Gastrophysics.
Eric
I would go into more detail about what we did but the first rule about food science club is that there is no food science club.
Rootbeer noodle……
Cast Iron Cooking Grid for Broil King, Coleman, Fiesta, Charbroil and Kenmore Grills
Brand: Market Merchants
Model : MUS65993
List Price : $116.99
Sale Price : $116.95
Cast Iron Cooking Grid for Broil King, Coleman, Fiesta, Charbroil and Kenmore Grills Feature
Cast Iron Cooking Grid for Broil King, Coleman, Fiesta, Charbroil and Kenmore Grills Overviews
Cast Iron Cooking Grid. Dimensions: 18 1/8″ x 30″. Fits the following models:
Broil King.92: 95224, 95227, 95244, 95247, 95274, 95277, 95294, 95297, 95324, 95327, 95394, 95397, 95824, 95827, 95894, 95897, 95924, 95927, 95994, 95997
Coleman: 5100, 5110, 5300, 5310, 9990-132, 9990-132D, 9990-142, 9990-1420, 9990-646D, 9991-132, 9991-142, 9992-646
Fiesta: Blue Ember, FG50069
Charbroil: 463268107
Kenmore: 463268107
*** Product Information and Prices Stored:Mar 04, 2010 04:00:13
Available Check Price Now!***
Think soups, stews, chowders.
Like this vegetarian bean chili:
Look at that glistening asparagus side dish! And on a side note, Kroger brand Triscuits are not bad at all.
Chili is easy, fast, and vegan, depending on what kind of chocolate you use.
I’d rate the spiciness as medium. Made it twice and still not completely satisfied with the flavor. The heat is a very dry one. Next time I make it I’m thinking about scrapping most of the spices and just using taco seasoning. If anybody prepares it this way let me know. Honestly, the chocolate might be overkill, too. This is definitely a work in progress, but I’ve gotten favorable responses so far, and it works as is.
Recipe adapted from epicurious. Here it is with my spin:
Spicy Black Bean Orange Chocolate Chili
1.5 tsp orange zest
juice of 2 oranges
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, pressed
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 15.5-ounce cans seasoned black beans, drained
1 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
1.5 oz dark or unsweetened chocolate
Sour cream or plain yogurt
Chopped fresh cilantro
Grate orange peel. Juice oranges (two oranges yield appx. ½ cup of juice). Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté 5 minutes. Mix in garlic and spices. Add beans, tomatoes, and half of orange juice. Simmer over medium heat until heated through and flavors blend, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Mix in orange peel, chocolate (I tend to use whatever I have lying around, excluding milk chocolate, which, honestly, I rarely have lying around) and remaining orange juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with sour cream and cilantro. Maybe some hot sauce.
