Football Weekend Chili

So I have been slacking on the blogging. Mostly because I have been slacking on the cooking. Bad, Abby! Bad!

The good news is we went to the Michigan vs. Notre Dame football game this past weekend at Notre Dame. The even better news is the good guys won! That place is pretty cool, by the way. I've never been to an away Michigan game for a huge rivalry and it was awesome. And I am happy to report that the Notre Dame fans are a classy group. Unlike those in the state next to them.

Being at my first football game of the season got me in the mood for fall. Not really fall weather, since we live in Southern California, but fall food. Like tailgating food! I immediately had a craving for chili.

Now, I'm sue some of you are crazy about chili and have your own "award-winning" recipe from a chili cook-off or something blah blah blah. I'm trying to win awards here. This is just a damn good, simple, not-too-spicy-but-has-some-kick, chili! I have constantly tried twists and turns but this is the recipe I like the best so far. Try it out, and then tweek it with whatever goodies you like.

And PLEASE don't give me the whole "well, I don't like beans" bologna. First of all, if you don't like beans, you don't like chili. Second of all, if you refuse to accept my "First of all", then switch out beans for cooked ditalini or elbow pasta and more veggies or something and quit your complaining. You can figure it out. You're a big boy.

Cheesy Factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): well when I eat it, a 10 due to the shredded cheese mountain I put on top
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): pretty long, but that's what slow cookers are for. I give it a 3-4 on prep time.
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 1 (any rookie would have a hard time screwing this up)

Chili
2 lbs ground beef or ground round
1 46oz can tomato juice
1 29oz can tomato sauce
1 15oz can kidney beans
1 15oz can pinto beans
1.5 cups chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp white sugar
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1.5 tsp cumin
1/4 cup chili powder
Chopped onions for topping (optional)
Shredded cheddar cheese for topping (optional)
Sour Cream for topping (optional)

Brown meat in skillet. Then put all ingredients above in slow cooker. Set to desired cook time (4, 6, 8 or 10 hours) OR cook on low anywhere from 8-10 hours, or on high from 4-6 hours, stirring occasionally. Top with shredded cheddar cheese, chopped onions, and/or sour cream (optional).

This sh-- is so good!!! And so easy. I mean....brown meat?! That's all you have to do?! C'mon. Don't be a wuss. I like to make it at night, and then cook it on low over-night. Just make sure if you do, that your crock-pot/slow cooker is big enough to not boil over once thing thing gets rockin' (I speak from experience on this one....it's a mess to clean up).

* Disclaimer: should you actually want to make this for a tailgate, make sure to consider 2 things: 1) where are you going to put crock-pot in your car so that it won't spill over while driving? and 2) how are you going to keep it hot at the tailgate? Maybe your tailgates are fancier than mine but we didn't have an outlet. Made for lukewarm to semi-cold chili during the winter tailgates. YUM!

Carne Asada and Leftover Breakfast Casserole

We went down to Mexico this past Labor Day weekend. And successfully came back with all of our heads. I was super worried about going down, and did hours of research on the internet. But thankfully, we had an amazing trip with no problems. We went to Las Gaviotas, which is a housing community in between Ensenada and Rosarito in the Mexican state of Baja California Norte.

We rented a 3 bedroom house, about 3 rows up the hill from the ocean (about a 3 minute walk to beach area), for $159 a night! It was awesome. We brought all of our own food, and pretty much didn't leave the gated community the whole time. It was super fun and very relaxing.

As we were cooking one of our meals, we started talking about how people often don't know what to do with leftovers. I happen to be the queen of leftovers. I love them, and love coming up with new ideas of what to turn last night's dinner into. For dinner that night, we were having carne asada and chicken tacos, with sides of black beans, refried beans, and guacamole.

Before I get into the leftovers, I have to mention a new place I heard about: El Toro Gourmet Meats. Apparently, it's a full-on meat market with amazing cuts of meat AND pre-marinated meats. They are famous for their carne asada, and I have to say after trying it this weekend, it lived up to the hype. The chicken was amazing too. I am a meat snob (my next blog will be named "No Rubber Meat for Me, Please"). Both the chicken and carne were super lean and tender. I will be going there often.

So anyway, if I have to put a recipe on here for tacos, I will kill myself. C'mon people: meat, tortillas, toppings. Not difficult.

BUT, the leftovers for this were something I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with. So many options. So little time.


Cheesy Factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 1 or 6 (copious amounts of cheese optional, but recommended)
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 1
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 1

Taco Night Leftovers Breakfast Casserole
Leftovers from taco night (beans, meat, toppings)
Eggs
Jalapenos
Hot Sauce

Scramble eggs or egg whites. While eggs are cooking, arrange in a bowl leftover meat, beans, cheese, chopped onion, chopped jalapeno. In saute pan or microwave, heat meat mixture up until meat hot and cheese melted. On plate, put meat mixture, then scrambled eggs, top with cilantro, salsa, and hot sauce. OPTIONAL: take everything on plate, and put into tortilla for breakfast burrito.

This doesn't sound all that amazing, as I read it, but trust me, it was a delicious Mexican breakfast. And healthy too. If you don't go overboard on the cheese that is. But I don't know how to do that. You could even make this casserole into nacho toppings on tortilla chips! So many options. So little time. 

Guinness

We are getting a puppy! I am SOOOO excited. She is a Maltese and Shih-Tzu mix (both are good for James, since he has allergies). We have decided to name her Guinness (appropriately) and she is only 6 weeks old right now, so we can't pick her up until next week. I can't wait! I've already ordered her 2 University of Michigan food dishes, a little Michigan bandanna to wear on game-days, and a giant towel for her to play on that says "Guinness". (Random side note: I have been searching for other pet-type things from the Guinness webstore, and they have NONE. It's very strange to me.)

Anyway, I want everyone to meet her. Even though she has nothing to do with food. Except to Filipinos, according to my in-laws, who I have instructed to not even come close to considering her food when they baby-sit. Joking. Kind of.

My mom's reaction was the best: "She's really cute. But that's not much of a video. She isn't really doing anything." Ha! What is supposed to do?! She's a newborn. And she was wet from a bath, freezing, and very very sleepy. I happen to think she's great. And that the video is great. So take that!

Corn on the Cob From the Fair.....BUTTER

I heard a rumor that this was the last year that "they" were going to have the OC Fair??? Please tell me it isn't true! Not only is it the only time that I eat whatever I want for entire evening, but we have seen some amazing concerts there too. Last year we saw Ziggy Marley, year before was Steve Miller Band, year before Pato Banton. I really hope they don't get rid of both the fair and the concert arena. Sad.

I love fair food. Most of it. Some of it is just flat out weird. Like chocolate covered bacon. Or fried butter. My stomach is churning just thinking about it. James ate fried Oreos this year and told me they were delicious, but that sounds awful to me as well. I did, however, eat a fried White Castle once. It was delicious. And then awful. I do LOVE the BBQ at the fair too. But if there is one fair food that takes the cake for me.....it's the CORN!

I don't know what it is about this corn that is oh so delicious. But I have a few ideas I would like to put to the test. A) It's grilled in the husk. I have yet to master this task. B) It's dunked in a bucket of hot hot butter. I feel like I can rub enough butter on mine to get the same effect. C) There is a table of condiments and toppings to put on. I, too, can have these condiments.


Cheesy Factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 1 or 2 (optional cheese)
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 2
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 2

Hot-Buttered Grilled Corn
4 ears of corn
1 stick of butter
Salt/Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Garlic Salt
Parmesan Cheese
Tinfoil

Pre-heat grill. Shuck corn and place in a piece of tinfoil that is large enough to wrap around corn and seal tight. On the inside of each sheet of tinfoil, smear large amounts of butter. Then season the butter with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic salt, and Parmesan cheese (also could use mayo, lemon pepper, cajun, etc.). Then wrap tinfoil around corn so that all the toppings are corn-side in. Make sure tinfoil is sealed closed or at least over-lapped some, so that butter doesn't spill out when melted. Place corn on grill and grill for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through.  

So let's be honest, I have no idea how long to cook corn. It feels like about 20-30 minutes when I do it. But one thing I learned: start the corn early, before anything else. It will stay super super hot in the tinfoil long after you take it off the grill, so you can't really make it too early.

I'm sure there are other ways to grill corn. I'm sure they are good. But this is the way I do it because I like the toppings and butter to be sealed in with the corn. And I like grilled corn. And aside from having a bucket of butter on the stove that I can dip my corn in, this is a pretty decent alternate without killing our arteries TOO much. Ha!

Bacon Bacon Bacon. Oh, and German Potato Salad too.

This one time, at band camp....just kidding. But seriously, this one time, my friend Cristina and I went to our friend Paul's house on Gross Ile. We spent the whole day drinking on the boat, cruising around, and when we got back to Paul's house, there was a feast of food for us. It was heaven. Paul's family is German, and there was this AMAZING German potato salad that I will never forget.

I had no experience with a potato salad before that didn't have either mayo or mustard in it. But this potato salad was a thing of beauty and I have been trying to recreate it ever since. This latest experiment is the closest I have come (I think), but it doesn't do the Prechter version any justice. What I can't remember is whether their version had bacon in it.

But this one does, so have no fear.


Cheesy Factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 1 (I don't know how something so wonderful has no cheese)
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 4
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 4

Prechter and Bacon Hot German Potato Salad
3 russet potatoes, peeled (or 4 red skin potatoes, skin on)
3-4 slices of bacon
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/8 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tsp flour
2 tsp white sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp celery seed
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup water
2 Tbl white distilled vinegar

Serves 4. Boil potatoes in water until tender. If using russet potatoes, let cool, then slice thin. Cook bacon in skillet until crispy. Set aside and then crumble. Saute onions and red bell pepper in bacon drippings in skillet until onions are golden brown. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, celery seed, and pepper. Add mixture to skillet, stir, and cook until bubbly, then remove from heat. Stir in water and vinegar to skillet, then return to heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir for one minute. Then mix in potatoes and bacon to skillet, tossing to coat in mixture and potatoes heated through (if using red skin potatoes, light break up potatoes with a fork or lightly smash into mixture).

Seriously, I don't care if you like vinegar or not. This sh-- is delicious. And cooking onions and bell pepper in bacon drippings??? Forget about it. Genius! What I remember most about the Prechter version is the vinegar. This is the first go around I have had with this version, but I may add a little more vinegar on the next one, just to see.

Bacon. YUM.

Grilled Tuna Steaks. Blah for me. Yippee for others.

Never would I call my own food disgusting. But something about tuna makes me gag. True story. Unless, of course, it is cut fresh off the fish, and eaten raw. Then it's butter in my mouth.

My husband, and every other asian out there I know, loves nothing more than fish, and rice. Fish and rice. Fish and rice. That's all he wants to eat. So, I made fish. And rice. And here is the tuna recipe I used. I had some other dinner guests who also like it very much, so I thought I would share.


Cheesy Factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 1
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 2
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 4

Grilled Tuna Steaks
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 TBL olive oil
1 TBL lemon juice
2 TBL fresh parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 tuna steaks


Combine everything in a bowl, whisk. Combine fish and 3/4 of marinade in plastic bag, and marinate for least 30 minutes. Grill fish until desired doneness, while basting continually with leftover marinade.




Blah blah blah. This sounds so awful to me. Apparently it was really good. But like I said, I don't like tuna, unless it is fresh, and raw, and served with an obscene amount of wasabi. 


I supposed that whatever was left over, you could mash up with some relish and mayo and whatnot for a tuna salad. But the thought of that makes me throw up in my mouth a little bit. Try it with a croissant! I bet that will make it not taste like tuna-salad.


Like I said: not a fish eater, this one. But I had 3 witnesses tell me it was very good. So try it for yourself.

Outback take-out? No, thanks. I'll make Abby-Springs Chicken

I LOVE Outback Steakhouse. And it's one of the few restaurants where I don't get the same thing every single time I go there. One of my go-to favorites, however, is Alice Springs Chicken. Chicken smothered in bacon, mushrooms, cheese, and deliciousness.

So what if it isn't good for you?! I mean, it's smothered in cheese! What's not to love?!

Granted, this is my interpretation. And I ate it when I was absolutely starving. Which is often the case when we eat a late dinner and I can barely contain myself. But this was pretty dang good and a nice substitute if you are too lazy to even get take-out, but still have the craving for cheese and bacon.

I convince myself it isn't bad for me because it is chicken. And I suggest you do the same.

Cheesy Factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 7
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 4
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 5


Abby-Springs Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
5 oz Worcestershire Sauce
8 slices bacon
2 Tbl butter
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
8 oz (1 bag) shredded cheese (mild cheddar, Monterrey jack, colby jack, etc.)
Honey-mustard dressing (optional)

Poke holes in chicken breasts with knife or fork. Place chicken breasts in shallow glass dish, or plastic bag, with Worcestershire sauce, toss to coat, and try to get into the holes. Cover and refrigerate for an hour at least. In frying pan, cook bacon, set aside. Drain grease from frying pan, then return pan to stove and add butter and mushrooms. Saute mushrooms, then set aside. Preheat oven to broil. Take chicken out and place on baking sheet, season with salt and pepper. Cook under broiler 5 minutes each side (or until juices are clear, not pink). Take out of broiler, put 2 sliced on bacon, then mushrooms, on each chicken breast, then cover with cheese. Place back under broiler until cheese is melted (about 1 minute). Serve with dressing (optional).

So for the dressing, your guess is as good as mine. I don't normally keep honey-mustard dressing on hand, so for this, I just made my own quick-fix style. I'm sure there are better recipes, but I took 1 TBL cider vinegar, 2.5 teaspoons dijon mustard, 2 TBL mayo, and 1.5 TBL honey, and whisked away. It was ok. Not great, but it did the trick, considering it was lazy, and I simply used the ingredients I already had.

This is one of those recipes that is not quite as good as the original, but pretty darn close. And will probably prevent me from getting take-out here and there. If you want to go for a "healthier" version, for some unknown reason, try turkey-bacon. And saute the mushrooms in olive oil instead of butter and bacon grease. And I don't condone this whatsoever, but you could even try a lower-fat cheese. Why, oh why, would you do this? I have no idea.