Chili Con Carne

After committing to a pescatarian diet all week (Monday - Friday), I was ready for some meat! Even better is that I could enjoy some beef since my husband is out for the day (and he's not a beef eater.) With Superbowl food ideas in mind, what could be better than some Chili con Carne?

I found the following recipe on Food Network.com and chose it based on its ratings. I halved the original recipe and adapted it by using only beef stew meat (instead of both beef and pork), used canola oil (instead of corn oil), beef broth (instead of chicken) and red kidney beans (instead of pinto beans). This was hearty, chunky and flavorful chili with a nice kick from the chili powder. If you prefer more of a wet chili, you can increase the amount of broth.

Chili Con Carne

recipe adapted from Food Network Kitchens

2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat or beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
5 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chili powder
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Pat the meat dry with a paper towel and season with the salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large stew pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the meat, in small batches, until well browned, adding more oil to the pan as needed. Transfer meat to a bowl and reserve.
Discard all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the pan. Saute the onions over medium heat for 10 minutes, scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon from the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes more. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and oregano and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the canned diced tomatoes and whisk in 2 cups of the stock. Add the meat and any accumulated juices back to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer. Season the chili with the salt and pepper, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.
In a food processor or blender puree half of the beans with the remaining 1 cup of stock. Add the bean mixture to the chili along with the whole beans. Let simmer, uncovered, 1 hour more or until the meat is tender. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

I served this topped with homemade guacamole, crumbled queso fresco and tortilla chips.

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Southwestern Chicken Chili

In my initial freezer cooking post, I didn't include the recipes since I was still recovering from the day of cooking. Here's the recipe I made for the Southwestern Chicken Chili:

Southwestern Chicken Chili

Chili is a great dish to freeze and is great during these cold winter months too. I made a southwestern chili and once it cooled, I ladled it into quart size freezer bags. The bags hold a perfect serving amount for 2 people and I like how I can freeze them flat like a book - maximizing the space in my freezer!

(you could even make this in a crock pot, cool then place in heavy duty freezer bags)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 pounds ground chicken or turkey breast
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can tomato puree
1 (15-ounce) can dark red kidney beans or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can sweet corn, drained and rinsed
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans chicken broth
2 tablespoons dark chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
flour as needed

In a large pot, heat vegetable oil over medium heat.
Add bell pepper, onion and garlic. Saute about 5 minutes, until onion is translucent.
Add ground turkey and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up large chunks, until turkey is browned. Do not drain fat.
Add tomatoes, tomato puree, kidney beans and corn. Stir in broth.
Stir in the chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper and cayenne.
Bring to simmer, then reduce heat, cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking or scalding.
If the chili is too thick, add additional broth. If it is thin, stir 1/4 cup masa flour into an equal amount of water, then stir into the chili. Cook 5 minutes.
If the chili is still thin, repeat with an additional 1/4 cup masa flour.
Taste the chili and adjust the seasonings and spices to taste.

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