Hearty Soups and Stew Recipes

Can you tell we’re anxiously waiting for spring and summer?  Like most of the country our temperatures in Michigan are unbelievable cold.  At 3:00 p.m. in the afternoon, with the sun shinning we are at -2 degrees F.

Great day for staying indoors and making a hearty soup or chili that will warm you from the inside out.  Today we’d like to share with you the link to our Chili, Soup and Stew Recipe page.

Visit our Chili, Soup and Stews Page at Rezich Family Kitchen

https://rezichfamilykitchen.wordpress.com/chili-soups-and-stew-recipes/

 

Joshie’s Chocolate Chip Pancake Day

You just have to love the little people, they are like little sponges.  You never know what they will absorb, how much or how they will interpret anything that they see or hear.  Our little family blog has been fun for all of us and a learning experience.  The little ones already know that we have to take pictures of food before we eat it, they know that sometimes they have to take retake photo’s for pictures that are going on the blog.  They know about food days and silly holidays coming up.  We have fun discovering new things together.  Of course because he’s older and understands more than Eric and Kaylee, Josh takes the blogging a little more seriously than “oh grandma is gonna put our picture on the blog.”  Which is the reason why this morning I have to share a funny Joshie moment which more than likely was blog related.

Earlier today I received a funny private Facebook message  from Josh and Kaylee’s other grandmother Mio.  Evidently yesterday, Josh told Mio that it was National Chocolate Chip Pancake Day and requested chocolate chip pancakes.  Of course she wouldn’t doubt Josh since she knows that Josh is involved in and with the blog, so it would only make sense that Josh would actually have accurate information about a “National Anything Day.”  So, Mio sent me a message to say thanks for the day and then asked if she had been “duped.”  I laughed so hard because……

1. Yesterday was not National Chocolate Chip Pancake Day
2. I did some research and can’t even find a National Chocolate Chip Pancake Day
3. Josh really does listen to my blog chatter and has now used this knowledge to his advantage

Josh loves chocolate chip pancakes, he must have had a craving for Chocolate Chip pancakes so he created a day for it, pretty creative for an eight year old.  So, in honor of Joshua’s creativity, I am declaring February 5 as National Chocolate Chip Pancake Day created by Joshua K. who’s love for chocolate chip pancakes lead him to convince his grandma, Mio, that chocolate chip pancakes had to be made in honor of the day.  And Mio…you weren’t duped, you were seeing genius in action.  I love it!

Today I have a recipe for you that I know Josh would never create a day for or even as for because it has hamburger in it and way too many other things he doesn’t like but Walt does, it’s Cincinnati Chili.  Cincinnati Chili is a regional style of chili con carne characterized by the use of seasonings such as cinnamon, cloves, allspice or chocolate.  It is commonly served over spaghetti, sometimes being mistaken for a spaghetti sauce rather than a chili.  This chili is packed with flavor as noted by the number and variety of spices it calls for.  You’ll note that I have listed several different assembly versions of the chili after the initial sauce recipe, the number before the word “way” determines which ingredients are selected.

I made this dish last week as part of my promise to use my cookbooks rather than the internet sites.  This recipe is from “Square Meals” Alfred A. Knopf – New York – 1984.  This recipe won’t disappoint, you will pick up all the wonderful flavors of the spices and the chocolate.  Let us know how you like it!

CINCINNATI 5-WAY CHILI

 

What You’ll Need:

1 lb.  Finely ground – ground beef

2 Medium onions chopped finely

2 Cloves of garlic minced

1 Cup (8 oz. can) Tomato Sauce

1 Cup Water

2 Tbsp. Ketchup

1 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar

1 Tbsp. Chili Powder

1 Tbsp. Paprika

1 tsp. Black Pepper

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Honey

½ ounce Unsweetened Chocolate – grated

½ tsp. Turmeric

½ tsp. Ground Cumin

½ tsp. Marjoram

½ tsp. Allspice

½ tsp. Cinnamon

¼ tsp. Nutmeg

¼ tsp. Ground Cloves

¼ tsp. Mace

¼ tsp. Ground Coriander

¼ tsp. Ground Cardamom

½ Dry bay leaf – crumbled

Additional Chopped Onion

What You’ll Need to assembly your Cincinnati Chili:

• 2 Cups Shredded cheddar cheese  (Or more)
• 1 Can Red kidney beans – heated and drained
• Heavy Pasta Noodles (I used Spaghetti, broke them in half and cooked them – then mixed in a tablespoon of butter

Directions:

In a large skillet, brown meat, garlic and onion

Add tomato sauce, ketchup, water, vinegar and honey

As mixture begins to boil add the spices – mix well

Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for 1 hour

**If the sauce gets too dry to ladle – add some tomato juice**

Constructing Cincinnati Chili:

It’s all in the chili and the assembly of Cincinnati Chili.  5-Way Chili is the authentic Cincinnati Chili, however for those who don’t like the beans I’ve also included assembly for 4 and 3-Way Cincinnati Chili.

In a single serve bowl build your Cincinnati Chili as follows

5-Way Chili

• Pasta
• Chili
• Beans  (DO NOT add to chili, are added in the assembly)
• Onions
• Cheese – lots of cheese to cover

4-Way Chili

• Pasta
• Chili
• Onions
• Cheese

3-Way Chili

• Pasta
• Chili
• Cheese

All American

No, today’s post is not going to be about the election.  I am a proud American, I tear up when I hear the National Anthem, I am happy to say that I do believe my vote matters and if I don’t vote in an election, I own a small part of the outcome in that election if who or what I believe in doesn’t make it.

As much as I believe in my right to vote, I also believe in my right to privacy regarding my choices during an election.  Our constitution gives me the opportunity to vote in private, don’t stop me or call me to ask if I’ve voted or who/what I voted for.  I respect your opinion and choices, please respect mine.

OK, enough on the subject I wasn’t going to talk about, it’s time to move onto other thing!

Yesterday’s temperatures here in Michigan were in the low 40’s, it was cold and gray making it a perfect day for a nice bowl of homemade chili.  I am having a difficult time finding my McCormick’s Cocoa Chile Blend, the Kroger close to my house, who used to have it stocked, has not carried it since they remodeled the store.  I did call McCormick who told me the location of a Kroger that recently had a shipment, unfortunately I’ve not had the opportunity to drive out to that store.

I love my Cocoa Chili, the Cocoa Chile Blend which is a combination of cocoa and chipolte peppers gives my chili a sweet heat and the house smells amazing as it simmer’s.  The sweet heat takes you by surprise when you take that first bite.  It’s so yummy!!

Here is the link to the Cocoa Chili Recipe I posted:

https://rezichfamilykitchen.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/chili-chili-cocoa-pop-chili-chili-wow/

Unfortunately yesterday I had to come up with another chili recipe so onto McCormick’s website I went and found their recipe for All American Chili.  It really was quite tasty served with chopped red onion, cheese and a little dollup of sour cream.

Like my spaghetti sauce, I always try to make my chili earlier in the day so it has a few hours for all the spices and flavors to blend together.  This is really a very tasty chili for those chilly winter nights.

This is the recipe as posted on McCormick’s website, I posted the link below the recipe.  I doubled the recipe because we like to have chili the next day for lunch.  I doubled everything except for the:

• Onion – I only used 1 cup because we were also adding onion on top of the chili
• Beans – I only used one can of red kidney beans because I am really not a fan of red beans

McCormick’s All American Chili

What You’ll Need:

1 pound lean ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons McCormick® Chili Powder

2 teaspoons McCormick® Cumin, Ground

1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Garlic Salt

1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Oregano Leaves

1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

Directions:.

• Cook ground beef and onion in large skillet on medium-high heat until beef is
  no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Drain fat, if needed.
  Stir in spices and remaining ingredients.
• Bring to boil.
• Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped onion, if desired.

Here is the link to the McCormick All American Chili Recipe:

http://www.mccormick.com/MCC/Layouts/RecipePrintFull.aspx?id={3404DAC5-D30F-4E39-A199-2AF80208BBC4}