CLASSIC CHILI Updated

CHILI  -  MOM’S BEST

In the end, I am very pleased with this chili. It always gets rave reviews when served to guests.  

All the ingredients listed are approximate quantities…you can add each element according to the taste and drama that you wish to present in your pot of chili.

Ingredients

·         1-2 Tbls cooking oil,  lard

·         2  lbs. lean grd chuck

·         1  sweet onion chopped very small

·         1  green bell peppers chopped

·         1 teaspoons minced garlic

·         2 pkgs Chili Mix, Frenchs Chili “O,

McCormickl, or Lawry’s Chili Mix.

OR

1/4 cup any Ancho based Chili Powder

2 Tbls Passila Chili Powder

·         3 Tbls Cumin

·         2 Tbls Brown Sugarshopping listshopping list

·         2 Tbls Balsamic Vinegarshopping listshopping list

·          2 Tbs  Cocoa Powder

·         1 tsp Red pepper flakes

·         2 tsp Salt

·         ½ tsp Cayenne pepper

·         1 can beer (12 oz.) I use Lite Beer

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·         1  large cans tomatoes whole or chopped

·         1 can tomato sauce med

·         1 can tomato paste small

·         1 cans Bushes Chili Hot Beans or S & W Chili Beans or Winco Brand

·         16oz  water  you can adjust this to make your chili thick and chunky or  thinner soup

 Directions:

1.    In a heavy-bottomed Dutch Oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. brown the meats.

2.    Add the Onions and cook, stirring. Stir in Bell Peppers and Garlic and cook, occasionally stirring. Cut them small and make sure they are well cooked and tender.

3.    Add the Chili Powders, Cumin, Brown Sugar, Cocoa Powder, Salt and Pepper. 

4.    Add the Tomatoes and Tomato Sauce and Tomato Paste, Beer, Balsamic Vinegar, and stir

5.    Add Chili Beans

6.    Add water  to bring the liquid to the consistency you like.

7.    Simmer 2 hours

Now it is time to TASTE….check for salt, pepper – hot or mild, sugar content. The cocoa powder and vinegar are not ingredients you can really taste. They add intensity or punch to the other ingredients. Have fun and add whatever works best for you…

Thicker chili ???....

The package chili mix will give you thickeners in the packet.  If your using your own chili powder you can add thickening by add ¼ cup flour with the lard in the first stage one to make a roué before you add the tomatoes and chili powder.

Options:      Serrano or Jalapeno Peppers,

                        Beef chuck roast shredded

                        Dry chili peppers processed

Green onions and cheddar cheese

Corn muffin or cheese quesadillas

guacamole

                       

ENJOY!

BEST BISCUITS 2014

Unless you can travel back in time back to Grandfather's kitchen, where all the ingredients for making biscuits were much different from what we have in our markets today, you haven't tasted the best of the best. Modern biscuits have had to undergo changes due to the industry changing our wheats and fats. Companies that sell mixes have had to make changes due to economics as well.   I am so lucky to have memories of my Grandpa's biscuits.  They were the BEST EVER and simply can not be reproduced with ingredients available today because he used country fresh lard, country fresh buttermilk, butter and his flour came right from the mill. So we  move on with the modern biscuit and doing the best with lots of experimentation and a few adjustment.  I have experimented with adding egg,cream and even coconut oil.  They are all good but I like this recipe because it is quick and easy, still the biscuit I made on Sunday mornings for my family.  That was a whole cookie sheet of biscuits by the way and when they came out of the oven, family was practically standing in line to devour them.  Now, I make a single batch in a 10" Cast Iron Skillet. It is also just as easy to cut the recipe in half and have BISCUITS for TWO in a flash. 

Ingredients:

2 cups Bisquick

1 Tbls baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbls sugar
4 Tbls cold butter chips ( from the freezer)
2 Tbls All Purpose Flour for the board

*an egg wash made by beating 1 large egg with 1 tablespoon water



Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.
Yield 8 biscuits

Mix the Bisquick Mix, adding additional baking powder,baking soda and sugar, mix.
Cut the cold butter chips into the dry ingredients giving it a gentle stir.
Add buttermilk and mix together until the dough turns into a ball and comes away from the side of the bowl. You can do this by hand very easy without any electric appliances in a large mixing bowl.  Scoop out the dough with a large spoon individually onto a board covered with some flour, rolling each biscuit by hand.

 Shape each portion into a smooth biscuit and place close together in a 9 inch pan or cast iron skillet. Apply egg wash. If your dough does not fill the pan you are using you can make a foil ring to go around them and keep them from spreading out and flattening. This works very good. *You might also try baking in a 9" spring form pan.  Releasing the biscuits from the spring form pan makes a lovely presentation when served.

Bake 20 minutes

When you remove the biscuits from the oven, brush the tops with melted butter.