tequila and lime black bean soup

1/2 lb bacon, cut in one inch pieces
2 large onions, diced
1 bunch celery, diced
1 lime, quartered
1/2 c tequila
chicken broth
2 large cans black beans
1 lb chorizo, diced (kielbasa works as well)
cumin
chili powder
salt
pepper

Cook bacon in bottom of stock pot; add onion, celery, and lime and cook until onion is translucent. Add one can of black beans, tequila, seasonings, and about two cups of chicken broth. Simmer for about thirty minutes. Puree the mixture in a food processor and return to stock pot. Add the other can of beans, the chorizo, and more broth if it feels to thick and simmer again for about twenty to thirty minutes.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and tortilla chips.

Read the post that goes with this recipe here.

banana pudding

For pudding:
3 1/2 T flour
1 1/3 c sugar
dash of salt
3 eggs yolks
3 c milk
1 t vanilla
1 box vanilla wafers
6 to 8 bananas

For meringue:
3 egg whites (left over from pudding)
1/4 c plus 2 T sugar
1 t vanilla

Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Beat egg yolks and combine with milk; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Slice bananas. In a three quart baking dish, layer one-third of vanilla wafers, then one-third of banana slices, and then one-third of custard mixture. Do that three times.

No one in my family is much for the meringue, but if you want to make it, beat the egg whites until they are foamy, add the 1/4 c plus 2 T sugar (one T at a time), beating the whites until stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla and beat until blended. Spread the meringue over the pudding sealing to the edge of the dish.

With or without the meringue, bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes. 8-10 servings.

Read the post that accompanies this recipe here.

uncle milty's guinness and chocolate chili

2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 large can (29-30 oz) can red beans
1 can Guinness
1 oz unsweetened chocolate (fair trade)
diced green chiles or jalapenos
cumin
dark chile powder
salt and pepper

In a large pot, saute the beef and the onion until beef is cooked through; drain the fat and leave meat and onion in the pot. Add beans, Guinness, chocolate and heat until simmering. I didn't put amounts on the peppers and spices because you may like it less hot than I. The green chiles are milder than the jalapenos (I use canned in both cases); the cumin won't add heat, but gives it a kind of smoky flavor. I have also ground up dried ancho chiles into a powder and added them instead of the dark chile powder.

The stout and the chocolate give the chili a sweet undertone alongside the savory cumin and the peppers. This is good stuff.

Read the blog entry that goes along with it here.

open-faced chicken pot pie

Basically, you're making biscuits and putting the pot pie filling in the middle.

Cheddar biscuits

2 c flour
1 T baking powder
1 t salt
2 T oil (or shortening)
3/4 c grated cheddar cheese
1 c buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients; add oil (or cut in shortening) until it is a coarse meal; add cheese. Work into a ball and cut into 3 inch rounds. Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes.

Chicken-Vegetable Filling
(this is what I put in -- very adaptable to what you like)

2 T olive oil
salt and pepper
1 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
1/4 lb prosciutto, cut in small strips
4 scallions, cut in 1 inch lengths
1 med carrot, diced
1 med potato, diced
2 c green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 T chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 c chicken broth
cayenne pepper
1/4 c sherry
1 c heavy cream

Heat oil, add chicken and S & P, and cook till browned (about 8 mins); add prosciutto and cook one more minute. Reserve.
In same skillet, heat chicken broth and add scallions, carrots, potato, and green beans; bring to a boil and let cook until broth is almost evaporated. Add thyme, cayenne, and chicken and cook everything over medium heat for one minute.
Add sherry and cook about two minutes, until almost evaporated; add cream and simmer until slightly thickened -- about five minutes.

Split the biscuits. Put bottom halves on plate (I like to use large bowls), spoon chicken mixture on top, and then add biscuit tops. Serves four.

Read the journal entry that goes along with this recipe here.

open chicken marsala ravioli

Here's on of those contemporary cuisine ideas that figures out how to do something more easily and then promote it as fancy. An open ravioli means you don't seal up the sides. You simply stack things up: a pasta sheet, the filling, another pasta sheet, and the sauce or garnish.

I found a good and easy pasta dough recipe here. You could also use egg roll wrappers if you don't want to make the pasta. Fill a roasting pan with about 2-3 inches of salted water (I use chicken broth for a little more flavor) and bring to a boil. Right before you are ready to serve the meal, drop the pasta into the water and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Go straight from there to the plate.

For the filling:

2 chicken breasts, diced
1 small onion, diced (you could use a couple of shallots instead)
3 T pine nuts
1/4 c dried cranberries
1/4 c golden raisins
1/2 c pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped
1 10 oz. package fresh spinach, stems removed
2 c Marsala wine
1/2 c heavy cream

In a large skillet, heat olive oil and saute chicken until done. If you want the chicken to be a little brown and crisp, toss it in corn starch before you put it in the oil. Set aside. Saute onion and pine nuts until onion becomes translucent and pine nuts begin to brown; add cranberries, raisins and olives and cook until heated through. Add chicken back to skillet and then transfer mixture to a bowl and keep warm.

Deglaze the pan with the Marsala wine and bring to a boil. After it reduces by about half, whisk in the cream and let it reduce again.

Heat another skillet and add 2 T olive oil; add spinach and heat just long enough to wilt.

Put one square of pasta on the plate, then a layer of spinach, the chicken mixture, another pasta sheet, and top with Marsala cream sauce.

Yes, it's a little bit of work, but it's worth it. Also, I'm sure you've figured out you could use any kind of filling or sauce. I served this dish at a church dinner (read about it here) and served thirty people for about $90.

Peace,
Milton