Weekend Warmer

It is so cold in New England this weekend, that it was perfect for chili. Made Saturday and heated repeatedly all weekend. So good.
I did mine in the Crockpot, cause really, the longer it cooks the better it tastes. Brown the meat and then throw everything in the crock and let it go!

Buffalo Chicken Chili

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 2 pounds ground chicken
• 2 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 ribs celery with leafy tops, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika
• 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup hot sauce
• 1 can tomato sauce (15 ounces)
• 1 can stewed, fire-roasted or crushed tomatoes (15 ounces)
• 1 sack whole grain tortilla chips, lightly crushed
• 3/4 pound Maytag Blue cheese, crumbled
• A handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped

Preparation

Place a large pot over medium-high heat with the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan. Add the ground chicken and break it up, lightly browning it for 5 minutes.

Add the carrots, onion, celery, garlic, paprika and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 7-8 minutes. Add the chicken stock and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot.

Add the hot sauce, tomato sauce and the stewed, fire-roasted or crushed tomatoes to the chili and bring up to a bubble. Simmer for 8-10 minutes more to let the flavors come together.

While the chili is simmering, pre-heat the broiler.

Spread the chips out on a cookie sheet. Top with the crumbled blue cheese and transfer to the oven to melt the cheese, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.

Top each serving of Buffalo Chicken Chili with a few blue cheese chips.

Dinner-6/1

These steaks were really good. Instead of T-bone steaks we used london broil, as it was on sale.
these are on the make again really soon list. :)


Savory Garlic Marinated Steaks
Ingredients:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 (1/2 pound) rib-eye steaks

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, mix the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, honey, olive oil, ground black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, salt, liquid smoke, and cayenne pepper.
2. Place steaks in a shallow glass dish with the marinade, and turn to coat. For optimum flavor, rub the liquid into the meat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.
3. Preheat grill for medium-high to high heat.
4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill steaks 7 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. Discard leftover marinade.

Dinner-5/28

This was pretty good, and we have leftovers for lunch today, but i think i would use less butter next time. this one is def. not diet friendly!

4 Cheese Macaroni

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni

9 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup shredded Muenster cheese

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 1/2 cups half-and-half

8 ounces cubed processed cheese food

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

	Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain well and return to cooking pot.
	In a large bowl, combine the Muenster cheese, mild and sharp Cheddar cheeses, and Monterey Jack cheese; mix well.
	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
	Add the half and half, 1 1/2 cups of cheese mixture, cubed processed cheese food, and eggs to macaroni; mix together and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a lightly greased deep 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese mixture and 1 tablespoon of butter.
	Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until hot and bubbling around the edges; serve.

Dinner-5/27

Tonight's dinner was so good i couldn't even wait until tomorrow to post it.
You all have to try this burger...

$20 Hamburger

1 tablespoon butter

1 small red onion, diced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

3/4 cup plain lowfat yogurt

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon horseradish

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon chipotle-flavored hot sauce

2 pounds lean ground beef

Directions:
1.Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add red onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion softens and begins to turn brown, about 8 minutes. Scrape onion into a large bowl. Add yogurt, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, mustard powder, garlic powder, horseradish, parsley, cilantro, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and hot sauce. Whisk together until smooth. Mix in the ground beef until evenly blended with the yogurt mixture. Cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat. Shape mixture in to 6 patties 1/2 inch thick, and 5 inches across.Grill burgers until no longer pink in the center, about 6 minutes per side.

Dinner-5/26

Here is dinner from last night
The flavors sound weird, but worked together really well. Paul said this is a definite must make again...

Jalapeno Chicken

Ingredients: For 6 servings
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves -pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
1 (16 ounce) bottle Italian dressing
3 fresh jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese6 slices bacon-I used turkey bacon, and that worked really good.
toothpicks

Directions:
Place chicken breasts in a dish with the Italian dressing. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours.
Preheat the grill for high heat.
Stuff each jalapeno half with cream cheese.
Roll chicken breasts around jalapeno peppers.
Wrap each chicken breast with a slice of bacon. Secure with toothpicks.-I took another piece and wrapped it the opposite way so that i closed the hole that the rolling created, and so the cream cheese wouldn't come spilling out.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Arrange wrapped chicken breasts on the prepared grill. Cook for 20 minutes, turning frequently, or until bacon is browned and the chicken juices run clear.-I cooked it on all 4 sides and then top and bottom, and it worked well.

Day 4: Chocolate-Espresso Snowcaps

These were a little bit of a pain to make, but so worth it.


Chocolate-Espresso Snowcaps
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 teaspoons instant espresso
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon milk
Confectioners' sugar, for coating
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, espresso, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until well combined; mix in cooled chocolate. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; beat in milk until just combined. Flatten dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Freeze until firm, about 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Pour confectioners' sugar (about 1/2 cup) into a medium bowl; working in batches, roll balls in sugar two times, letting them sit in sugar between coatings. Place on prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart.
Bake until cookies have spread and coating is cracked, 12 to 14 minutes; cookies will still be soft to the touch. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Day 3: Nutella Cookies

Nutella Cookies

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
7 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temp.
2/3 cup granulated sugar


1/3 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup toasted & skinned hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350F.
Sift together flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside dry ingredients.
Cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in Nutella and vanilla extract. Mix in egg.
Add flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Add chocolate chips and hazelnuts.
Drop tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for about 11 minutes until the edges look set. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes then carefully remove to cooling racks.