Chili Weather

I don't know how your weather is, but ours has turned suddenly and bitterly cold. Like, wind-chill-of-17-at-the-bus-stop-this-morning cold. So it was a perfect day to make some of my signature chili. I created this recipe last year when one of my husband's work mates gave us some deer meat. It was outstanding with the deer meat, but it's just as good with plain old beef.

Annie's Signature Chili (mine, all mine!)

1 lb. chopped meat (beef or venison)
1 lb. smoked sausage (beef or deer sausage), sliced into rounds
1 lg onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 Anaheim chili, chopped
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 can (28 oz.) chopped tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) great northern beans, drained and rinsed
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBSP chili powder
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients in a large slow cooker and stir. Heat on low for 6 hours, stirring occasionally.

I serve this over rice with corn bread on the side. It's nice with some grated cheese or sour cream on top. You can top with jalapenos for more kick. This is flavorful, but not so spicy that my son can't eat it. Tonight, he had a whole bowl. This would be great for a large group.

It Helps to be a Boy Scout

I was very excited when my recipe magazine showed up this month because it included the recipe for something I've always wanted to try: summer rolls. I often pick these up for lunch and assumed it couldn't be too hard to make them, but I didn't know what materials I would need. But now I know.

Summer Rolls (from Everyday Food magazine)

4 oz vermicelli rice noodles
8-inch spring-roll wrappers
1/2 lb. medium shrimp, peeled, cooked, deveined and halved lengthwise
1/2 C fresh mint leaves
1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks (1 1/2 C)
1 bunch chives

1. Pour boiling water over vermicelli rice noodles and soak 15 minutes. Drain and rinse. Divide into 8 equal portions. Fill a wide, shallow bowl with cool water. Working with one spring roll wrapper at a time, soak until pliable, about 20 seconds. Transfer to a flat surface and smooth.

2. Place a layer of shrimp, carrots and mint on the bottom third of the wrapper, leaving 1/2 inch border. Top with a portion of noodles and then another layer of fillings.

3. Fold bottom of wrapper tightly over fillings.

4. Roll over once, tuck in sides, and place 3 chives along the leading edge. Continue rolling until all fillings are completely enclosed. Transfer to a plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Repeat, making 8 summer rolls. Serve immediately with dipping sauces (see below) or refrigerate up to 2 hours.

So, the key here is preparation. You need to get all of your fillings prepped before you begin. There were two alternate filling recipes (I'll include them below) but you can basically use anything you like in these. I bought vermicelli noodles, but I somehow ended up with wheat ones instead of rice ones. Ask your grocer. I was only able to find the noodles and wrappers at Whole Foods. You may need to hit an Asian Grocery store to stock up. I did the shrimp, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, basil, mint and chives. I alternated the mint and basil as fillers. (I used herbs and lettuce from my garden. I'm so fancy.) Once you soak the wrappers for a few seconds, they become pliable and you need to fill and roll them immediately. So do all of your slicing and chopping and have everything assembled within reach in bowls or piles. I lad the wrapper on a cutting board and it worked very well. I did not cover them with the damp paper towel as I went and we ate them right away, so they didn't dry out. I imagine the longer you need to keep them, the more important the damp towel becomes. These would be great for a party. I served them with Sesame Noodles and had minimal leftovers.

Dipping Sauces:

Creamy Peanut Dipping Sauce
1/2 C natural creamy peanut butter
1/2 C warm water
1/4 C fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
1 TBSP soy sauce
4 tsp sugar
1/4 C chopped roasted peanuts

In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter and water until smooth. Whisk in lime juice, soy sauce and sugar. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts just before serving.

Spicy Hoisin Dipping Sauce
1/2 C hoison sauce
3 TBSP chili sauce (they recommend sambal oelek, I used sriacha sauce, aka rooster sauce)
2 tsp white vinegar
1/4 C water

Whisk together all ingredients until smooth.

Alternate fillings:

Chicken Mango Summer Rolls
4 oz. chicken cutlets cooked and shredded
1/4 C fresh cilantro leaves
1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks (1 1/4 C)
1 small ripe mango, peeled and thinly sliced

Vegetarian Summer Rolls
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1/2 C fresh basil leaves
1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks (1 1/4 C)
1 small cucumber cut into matchsticks (3/4 C)

Dinner, all wrapped up

I'm always looking for good, light meals for the summer months. This one fit the bill.

Stir-Fried Turkey in Lettuce Wraps (from EveryDay Food Magazine)

1/4 C soy sauce
4 tsp fish sauce
4 tsp sugar
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 TBSP minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small jalapeno or serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
1 lb. ground turkey (you can use chicken, pork or beef as well. I used chicken.)
2 large heads Bibb, Boston or iceberg lettuce, leave separated

1. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves and set sauce aside.

2. Heat a large skillet or wok over high until hot. Add oil and swirl to coat skillet. Add shallot, ginger, garlic and chile and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add turkey and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until almost cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add half the sauce to skillet and stir until meat is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Serve in lettuce leaves with remaining sauce. Serve with thinly sliced scallions, shredded carrots and lime wedges.

I served these with rice on the side. It was a light and delicious meal. It was quick to prepare and my son even really liked the meat prepared this way. He ate his with his rice instead of in a lettuce leaf. Despite the jalapeno, they were not especially spicy, just flavorful. These would even be pretty good for a buffet table since they require no utensils to eat. I great low-carb option for dinner.

We Even Talked About the Book

I hosted book club at my house on Thursday. So I tried out a bunch of new recipes on my unsuspecting ladies. They were an overwhelming success. We ate and laughed and even talked about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (which I very much enjoyed, by the by).

Salted Toffee-Chocolate Squares (from EveryDay Food magazine)

13 graham crackers
1 bag (8 oz) toffee bits
1 1/2 C coarsely chopped toasted natural almonds
1/2 C sugar
1 C (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 C (4 oz) bittersweet chocolate chopped or chocolate chips
3/4 tsp coarse salt

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place graham crackers in a single layer on sheet, edges touching. Sprinkle toffee bits and almonds over graham crackers.

2. In a small saucepan, bring sugar and butter to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat and cook at a rapid simmer, swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is syrupy, 2 minutes. Immediately pour over graham crackers. Bake until sugar topping is bubbling, 12 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate and salt over graham crackers. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut into 2 inch squares. Let cool completely on sheet on wire rack. (Store in an airtight container, up to one week.)

This one was the biggest hit. It's very simple to make delicious. I was only able to fit 12 crackers onto my cookie sheet. I used slivered almonds that I toasted a bit in the oven before using. I also used Hersey's Special Dark chocolate chips. I would sprinkle the salt by hand so it is fairly even.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies (from EveryDay food magazine)

2 1/4 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 C (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 C sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp chili powder (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400, with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 C of sugar on medium speed until light a fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs and beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat until combined.

2. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 C sugar, cinnamon and chili powder, if using. Using heaping tablespoons, form balls, of dough and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place about three inches apart on baking sheets. Bake until cookies are set in center and begin to crack, about 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. (Store in an airtight container, up to one week)

These were also terrific. They make really big cookies, so limit yourself to 8 to a sheet. It makes 32. I used the chili powder and it is very subtle, but adds a great balance. My son loved these. A word of warning, the dough was stickier than I expected. Roll lightly between your palms and get them into the cinnamon-sugar quickly.

White Bean Dip (from EveryDay Food magazine)

2 cans (15.5 oz each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 TBSP red wine vinegar
1/4 C water
2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
coarse salt and ground pepper to taste

In a food processor, combine beans, olive oil, vinegar, and water. Process until smooth, adding more water if necessary. Add rosemary and pulse until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowl and drizzle with a little oil.

This was very tasty, though no match for the toffee bars. I served it with french bread.

Chili-Lime Cashews (from EveryDay Food magazine)

2 1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp finely grated lime zest
2 TBSP dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 large egg white
3 C raw cashews

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, using the back of a wooden spoon, grind salt and lime zest. Add brown sugar , red pepper flakes and egg white and whisk until frothy. Add cashews and toss to coat.

2. Spread cashew mixture in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake until golden, 20 minutes. Let cool completely.

These were delicious. Spicy and salty and citrusy. So yummy. Perfect for all of your noshing needs. I got my cashews at Trader Joe's, but I'm sure you could find them at Whole Foods or other upscale market. I couldn't find raw ones at my regular grocery store. The bag I bought was one pound and it was just more than 3 cups. Perfect.

A light meal

We are fans of beef around here and I'm always looking for recipes that are satisfying without being overwhelming. This one fits the bill.

Beef Rolls (from Everyday Food magazine)

3/4 pound braciola beef (thinly sliced top round), cut into four equal pieces
coarse salt and pepper
2 ounces pepper jack cheese, thinly sliced (You can substitute another cheese like Swiss or cheddar)
1 cup white onion, red and orange pepper, sauteed
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1. Pat meat dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Place cheese and onion-pepper mixture in center of beef pieces. Beginning with narrow end of meat, roll filling up tightly. Carefully flip meat seam side up and secure with toothpicks. (Use two toothpicks per seam, like straight pins)

2. Place a medium skillet over med-high heat, brush pan with olive oil. Place meat rolls, seam side down, in skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until beef browns and cheese melts, about 8 minutes (reduce heat if meat is browning too quickly.). Transfer beef rolls to place and remove toothpicks before serving.

This was like tiny Philly cheese steaks without all the bread. I used cheddar cheese, deli sliced. It was perfect to impart the flavor and creaminess without making a huge mess or overwhelming the other ingredients. I served it with broccoli, a spring greens salad with lemony-garlic vinaigrette and garlic bread. These would also be great for a party, on a buffet. They could easily be popped into rolls to make individual hot sandwiches.