chili...inside and out.

Okay. First I must apologize. Again I have been M.I.A. for far too long. I could give you my list of excuses...busy at work, being without my camera, a little detour to Puerta Vallarta...but really...no one likes excuses. So here it is...my world famous chili! Okay...maybe not the world, but maybe Southern Ontario...or at least the Niagara Region...okay, maybe just at my house...but one day...

I know this recipe seems like an odd one to share considering it's spring and chili is generally more of a winter's night kind of meal, but for those of you living in Southern Ontario, or Montreal, or Halifax or even Trenton, Michigan...we've been teased with some warm days, but the 5 day forecast is looking cold and rainy! My solution...stay in your PJ's all day today, tune in to the "W" network and watch a cheesy romantic comedy from the 80's, and make a big pot of chili. Just a suggestion :).

This recipe is of course a spin off of another recipe I found...an award winning recipe at that. Stratford, Ontario hosts a yearly "Heartburn Day" festival where people gather to share their favourite recipe for chili, and this was one of the winners! This festival MUST be Stratford's true claim to fame...not this one hit wonder Justin Bieber :).


People's Choice Chili
(Serves 4-6)
 
- (7) slices of bacon
- (1) lb of lean ground beef
- (1) onion, chopped
- (1) clove of garlic, minced
- (2) tbsp of brown sugar, packed
- (1) can (19oz) diced tomatoes
- (1) can (19oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- (1) can (14oz) pork and beans in molasses
- (1/3) cup of vinegar
- (1) tsp dry mustard
- (3) tbsp chili powder
- (1) tsp Worcestershire sauce
- (1/2) tsp salt
- (1/4) tsp pepper
- hot pepper sauce (however much you like)


Cook bacon over medium heat until crisp and then drain on paper towels. Crumble and set aside.

Drain fat from pan if you wish and increase heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef to the pan, breaking it up with a spoon. Add the chopped onions to the pan and continue cooking for 10 minutes or until no longer pink. The key is to have a handsome guy like this to help break apart the ground beef :).

There are two ways to proceed from here. You can either choose to bake the chili or put it in the crockpot. If you're hoping to eat the chili right away, baking it will be much quicker, but if you're making it ahead of time, letting it simmer all day is good option. 
Add all the remaining ingredients to either an oven-proof casserole dish or your crockpot, including the ground beef mixture and crumbled bacon. Stir until combined.

If you're baking the chili, cover and bake at 300 degrees F for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid after 2 hours and bake for an additional hour, allowing the chili to thicken. If you've chosen to cook the chili in the crock pot, set to medium heat and allow to simmer for 4-6 hours, again stirring occasionally. Serve and enjoy!

 

beans, beans the musical fruit...

Everyone know's the rest of the song, but don't let that scare you off of this recipe. While beans do have the ability to turn your body into a musical instrument, they also pack a mean punch of fibre and protein. I know...boring! But it's true! Beans are soooo good for you and this recipe is soooo simple. Pick a few cans of your favourite legumes, mix up a batch of this homemade Italian Dressing, and you're set! Feel free to use dried beans instead and simply soak then in water overnight. This salad is a healthy option whether you eat it as a side dish, just on it's own, or throw the beans on top of a boring lettuce salad. It's a great way to get your protein this summer without consuming a quarter of a cow. You can go ahead and eat this salad as soon as it's made, or seal it up and let it marinate for a few hours or overnight. Sealed and refrigerated, you can keep this salad for up to two weeks...but you may want to consider seperate beds...


Bean Salad

- (3) 540 mL cans of beans of your choice (red kidney beans, black beans, chick peas, romano beans, etc.)

Italian Dressing
- (1/2) cup of oil of your choice (extra-virgin olive oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, etc.)
- (1/4) cup of vinegar
- (2) tbsp of finely chopped onions
- (1) tsp salt
- (1) tsp sugar
- (1) tsp dry mustard
- (1) tsp dried basil
- (1/2) tsp dried oregano
- (1/4) tsp pepper
- (2) cloves of garlic, minced

To prepare, choose three cans of beans (anything goes!), drain, rinse and empty into a bowl or resealable container.

In a seperate container, mix all the dressing ingredients together and stir until combined. 

Pour all of the dressing over the beans and mix it up. Cover and refrigerate or enjoy right away. If you're planning on serving it after it's been refrigerated, remove from the fridge ahead of time to allow the oil dressing to come up to room temperature. Give it a quick stir and enjoy!