Lazy Jerky Turkey Chili

 Since I have started working in the city and my commute is much longer than the average, I have had to find recipes that I can whip up in no time to feed a hungry family when I walk in the door.  This one is a great one-pot meal that is full of flavor and hits the spot on any cold, chilly night.  Leftovers are great for lunch the next day and taste even better than the day before.

 

Lazy Jerkey Turkey Chili

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds ground turkey
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
One 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped
2 cups chicken stock
2 scotch bonnet chile peppers, finely chopped (for a milder jerk, use 1 chile pepper, seeds and ribs removed; for a very mild jerk, use a red Fresno pepper)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 scant palmful sweet smoked paprika or sweet paprika
1 teaspoon allspice (about 1/3 palmful)
1 teaspoon ground cloves
About 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper
One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
One 12-ounce bottle lager beer (or omit the dark brown sugar and add one cup of cola instead)
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish



Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook until browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and chile peppers. Stir in thyme, paprika, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, beer, Worcestershire, brown sugar and vinegar; simmer to combine the flavors, about 5 minutes. Serve in bowls and top with the scallions. 

Thank you Rachael Ray!

Nanny Bea's Taco Soup

This is a tribute to my wonderful Grandma.  This recipe is so easy and is ready in a flash with tons of flavor.  Taco Soup is her recipe and she deserves all the credit for being so creative.  Thanks Nanny, I love you!

Nanny Bea's Taco Soup

1 lb lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 15 oz can whole kernel corn
1 15 oz can pinto or black beans
1 - 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 package taco seasoning
1 package of Ranch dressing mix
salt and pepper to taste
Garnish with avocado, cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream or whatever your heart desires

In large dutch oven, brown ground beef and onion.  Add remaining ingredients and cook 20 minutes more.  DONE!  Yes it's that easy.

Aunt Amy's Stuffed Peppers

As you may have noticed, back in January I posted a recipe for Uncle Wilson's Stuffed Peppers.  It was a good recipe but I felt I could make it better.  I ramped up the flavor by using more Rotel, chili sauce and ground pork.  This recipe will please any finicky eater and tastes like a pizza with a kick.  Pair this with a salad and bread and you will have enough for 6 or more or put the extra pan in the fridge for later that week or freeze for another time.

Aunt Amy's Stuffed Peppers

6 large red or green bell peppers
2½ cups Mexican rice (or rice of your choice) I used leftovers from my dinner the night before
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 small sweet onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 bottle Heinz Chili Sauce
2 10-oz can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles
16 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 4 cups)
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp salt


Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Cut the bell peppers in half, top to bottom. Remove the seeds and the ribs. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, cook the rice according to package directions. In a medium skillet, brown the ground beef and ground pork, onion, and garlic. Drain the meat. In a medium saucepan, bring the Rotel and chili sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, rice, tomato and chili sauce mixture, pepper, and salt and mix until blended.

In  2 - 9×13×2-inch pans, place the bell peppers skin side down. Evenly divide the beef mixture among the pepper halves.**  Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes  Remove the foil and sprinkle the cheese on the top. Return the pan to the oven, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, until the cheese melts.


**If you are saving one pan for later, stuff peppers and cover tightly with foil and refrigerate or freeze.  When you are ready to eat it, bake covered until thoroughly heated throughout at 400 degrees.  Uncover, sprinkle with cheese on top and cook an additional 5 minutes until cheese melts.

Independence Day Favorites

Amid the traditional BBQ fair of hamburgers, hotdogs, potato salads and watermelon, one thing sticks out in my mind as an All-American winner.  Blueberry pie and homemade ice cream tops my list.  Here is my most favorite recipe for both.  Freedom and independence is the reason for the day and I am grateful to live in this beautiful country.   Happy 4th of July to you all!

All-American Blueberry Pie

1 double pie crust (store bought or homemade)

6 cups blueberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup blueberry jam
3 tablespoons corn starch
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
Pinch of kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

Glaze:
1/2 cup sugar
Juice of 1 orange (about 1/4 cup)

Generously coat a 9-inch pie plate with butter.  Lay first pie crust into pan. 


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Combine 3 cups blueberries and 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then cook until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl; add the remaining 3 cups blueberries and 1/2 cup sugar, the jam, corn starch, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt. Stir to combine and set aside to cool completely.


Spoon the filling into the crust-lined pie pan. Dot with the butter. Lay second pie crust over the top, folding edges under edges of bottom crust.  Pinch the edge to flute and seal. Use a pastry cutter or small knife to cut a 1-inch hole in the center of the top crust.


Put the pie on a baking sheet. Bake in the center of the oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake 30 more minutes.


Meanwhile, make the glaze: Combine the sugar, orange juice and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over low heat. Simmer gently until the glaze coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Open the oven door and slide the rack out slightly. Pour the glaze over the pie and into the opening in the top crust. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 10 or 15 more minutes.


Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool overnight before slicing.  Serve with homemade ice cream.

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream


1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups whole milk

Mix all ingredients into your ice cream freezer and whisk till combined.  Follow your freezer's instructions whether it be a table top model or an old-fashioned crank.  Once frozen, put ice cream into an air-tight container and put in freezer to harden for 1 to 1 1/2 hours more.  

Father's Day Mexican Grill

On Father's Day I chose to celebrate it by making one of my husband's favorites, Tasajo (Tesajo).  Depending on where you are from in Mexico, there are several versions of this meat.  My husband's family is from Cholula, Puebla, and this is the recipe my sister in law gave me years ago.  Traditionally, this meat is marinated in the chile mixture then hung to dry in the hot desert sun then grilled when ready to eat.  This dish will transport you to Mexico's countryside with your first bite.  Don't be afraid of the chile heat on this one.  Guajillo chiles are mild and don't have the heat that other chiles have.  Serve this with warm tortillas, Mexican Rice, beans, pico de gallo and guacamole.

Tasajo (or Tesajo depending on where you are from ;-)  )
(serves 4-6)

2-3 lbs pork, country-style ribs or thick pork chops or steaks
6-7 guajillo chiles (can be purchased at most supermarkets in the ethnic food section or latino stores)
2 T. roasted ground cumin (McCormick's)
4 cloves garlic
3 T. vinegar
salt to taste

Reconstitute the chiles by placing in bowl and add boiling water over the top and cover.  While chiles are softening, prepare the pork by cutting into long strips.  To make strips, cut in a spiral from the outside in to make long strips of meat.  Place strips in a large ziploc bag.

Once chiles have softened, reserve liquid.  Pull out and discard stems, seeds and inner membrane of chiles.  Place chiles in blender with remaining ingredients and puree for several minutes.  If mixture is too thick add reserved water from chiles to loosen.  Texture should be like thick ketchup consistency.  Taste to ensure enough salt has been added.  Add puree to ziploc bag, seal and make sure all meat strips are coated with marinade.  Marinate meat for up to 24 hours.

Heat grill to medium flame and cook until done.  Serve with warm corn tortillas.

Mexican Rice

2 T. corn or vegetable oil
1 1/2 c. long grain rice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Roma tomato, pureed
3 c. chicken broth

Optional substitution for chicken broth:
3 c. water
1 large cube chicken boullion or 2 small cubes or 1 T. chicken base (omit if using chicken broth)

In medium pot, heat oil over medium high heat.  Add rice and cook until it appears white, stirring constantly.  Add pureed tomato and garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds until liquid has absorbed.  Add chicken broth (or water and bouillon and stir until bouillon has dissolved).  Taste water to ensure that enough salt has been used.

Cover and cook for approximately 20 minutes over medium low heat until water has been absorbed.  Set aside and let rest for 5-10 minutes covered to ensure all remaining liquid is absorbed.   



Pico de Gallo

3 Roma tomatoes
1 large onion
2 jalapenos, seeded and white ribs removed or not, depending on how much heat you want
1 large handful of cilantro (1/2 c. chopped)
juice of half a lime
salt

Dice tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, cilantro and add to a bowl and combine.  Add lime juice and salt to taste.

Guacamole

3 avocados
4-5 large spoonfuls of pico de gallo
salt to taste

Cut avocados in half, remove seed and spoon out inner flesh into bowl.  Mash with a fork and mix in pico de gallo till combined.  Salt to taste.

Finger-licking goodness

I am so blessed to have a brother that is a foodie like me.  His area of expertise is barbeque.  Nothing says home to me like falling off the bone ribs with sauce dripping off your chin.  Jeremy has always been a great cook, however, he has mastered the art of the grill.  He has been competing professionally on the BBQ circuit competitions and have won a few.  And let me tell you, that is one tough crowd to beat.  Lucky for me, he has given me an all access backstage pass to his secrets that I will share with you.  Here are his secrets to perfect St. Louis-style ribs.  Get your bibs and napkins ready!

Jeremy's Spare Ribs

Step 1.  Watch this video on how to prepare your ribs.  Rib Video


Step 2.  Once you trim and prepare your ribs.  Season ribs on all sides with Rib Rub Seasoning.  Place on baking sheet and cover overnight in refrigerator.

Rib Rub Seasoning

2 T. kosher or sea salt
1 T. pepper
1 T. granulated garlic (not powder)
1 tsp. chipotle chili powder (if you can't find powder then take a  whole dried chipotle and grind it in a spice or coffee grinder)
3 T. McCormick's Grill Mate Pork Rub


Step 3.  Prep the smoker
I initially tried smoking on my gas grill.  Not such a great idea.  It does not allow the smoke to be trapped in the grill to properly penetrate the meat.  Use a kettle style grill like Weber or any type of regular smoker.

Soak Apple, Cherry or Pecan wood chips in water for 30 minutes.  Drain water and make a package out of heavy duty foil for your wood chips and vent top by making a few 2 inch slits with knife, or use smoker box if you have it.  Once your smoker is at temperature you will put this package directly on the coals or heat source.  Meanwhile, prepare your smoker by regulating the temperature to a steady 225-250 degrees.  IMPORTANT!!!  USE AN OVEN THERMOMETER TO REGULATE YOUR HEAT.  Grill and smoker thermometers are usually always off.  It is imperative that you get the right temp to ensure the best results.  If using a grill, make sure you are setting the coals to one side for indirect heat.

Step 4.  Place meat on smoker and relax
Do not put your meat directly over your heat source.  This will char your meat.  If you realize that you don't have enough grill space for your ribs you can use a grill rack that stands the ribs on the side to conserve grill space or form your ribs into a circle and secure with toothpicks and stand on their side.  Smoke your meat for 6-7 hours or until the meat starts to pull away from the bone, exposing the bare bone on the end.  Baste ribs during the last 30 minutes of cooking with a BBQ sauce such as Head Country.  For those of you who live up north and can't get this one, find a sauce that is mostly a tomato and vinegar base as the first 2 ingredients.  Sauces that use high-fructose corn syrup as the main ingredient will result in a gummy sauce once smoked.  I found that Dinosaur Original BBQ sauce worked well for me which was available at my local Walmart here in upstate NY.

Step 5.  Let your meat rest for about 15 minutes.
Once cooled, cut ribs into individual pieces, serve with your favorite BBQ sauce and enjoy!

I realize that this may seem like a lot of work but trust me, it is worth every minute when you sink your teeth into this finger-licking goodness.

Stay tuned for more BBQ recipes and sides to go with this.

Memorial Day

For the last 11 years I have had to work many holidays, including Memorial Day weekend.  Memories of times at the lake, BBQing, spending time with family and celebrating the holiday still linger in the back of my mind.  This weekend was no different than the previous ten years.  To celebrate at work, the team leads were asked to bring side dishes that went well with the typical BBQ fare.  This is what I brought and hope you all enjoy trying these recipes.  By the way, I am so looking forward to spending the entire 4th of July weekend off.  WHAT A TREAT!!!  Stay tuned for what comes next!

Corn Casserole

1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 package Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2 cups shredded Cheddar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a large bowl, stir together the 2 cans of corn, corn muffin mix, sour cream, and melted butter. Pour into a greased 9 by 13-inch casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and top with Cheddar. Return to oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let stand for at least 5 minutes and then serve warm.

Thanks Paula Deen!

Patriotic Berry Trifle

1/4 cup plus 2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 premade angel food cake, cut into 1-inch slices
1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups heavy cream, at room temperature
2 pints blueberries
2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced 

Heat 1/4 cup sugar, the lemon juice and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the almond extract.

Brush both sides of each slice of cake with the syrup. Cut the slices into 1-inch cubes.

Beat the remaining 2/3 cup sugar and the cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and light. Add the cream and beat on medium-high speed until smooth and the consistency of whipped cream.


Arrange half of the cake cubes in the bottom of a 13-cup trifle dish. Sprinkle evenly with a layer of blueberries. Dollop half of the cream mixture over the blueberries and gently spread. Top with a layer of strawberries. Layer the remaining cake cubes on top of the strawberries, then sprinkle with more blueberries and top with the remaining cream mixture. Finish with the remaining strawberries and blueberries, arranging them in a decorative pattern. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Thank Sunny Anderson