Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Taco Salad and Chili



This past Sunday I made chili.  It was flippin' humid but I had told my Mom earlier in the week that I would make chili for Sunday dinner.  My Mom was looking forward to it so I pressed on.  (I just love her so).

It was a wise decision because it actually has come in handy for a few quick meals.  You know chili always tastes better the next day anyhow. 

I know everyone likes their chili but I am putting this recipe on here for me because this was one of the better tasting ones I have made and I want to record what I did.

The other thing I had done was cook up a pound of white beans.  I don't know about you but when I cook up my beans I always put in aromatics while it cooks.  I think it really infuses the beans with flavor.  I cook it with a bay leaf or two, garlic and a whole onion, quartered.  These were used for some greens and beans the first night.  Then in the chili the next day and then in some beans and rice with scape pesto just recently. 

I tell you about this not because its some stunning new discovery but  because its economical and handy especially in the summer.

Chili
I had some pepperoncini that was really tough (hate that), so I chopped it up small and threw it into the chili.  It provided a really nice heat that was easy to gauge.

8 pepperoncini's minced
1 onion, minced
2 lbs ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cooked beans
4 tablespoons chili powder
2 quarts of stewed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 tablespoon canola

Fry onions in oil until softened; add beef.  Cook until beef is browned.  Add tomatoes, garlic, pepperoncini, chili powder, and beans.  Simmer for three hours, add tomato paste towards the end of the cooking period.  Skim any grease off the top.

The salsa used on the salad is called Fire Roasted Salsa; you can find the recipe here.

8 comments:

PJ said...

chili looks delicious and what a tempting platter!

Anonymous said...

It is somewhat of a pain to cook up a big vat of chili in the summer heat, but after it's done, I actually like to eat mine cold. The cold temperature but hot spices make for a great combination!

kat said...

Its always good to have a yummy chili recipe, we are looking for new ones all the time. I like to cook up some beans & put the in the fridge for salads for lunch

ann low said...

Chilli looks tempting. My family loves chilli and it is a must have on every meal.

vanillasugarblog said...

oh you know i'd love this. this is perfect for those sweltering days of summer isn't it? just been craving avocados like crazy this summer

Murasaki Shikibu said...

"I cook it with a bay leaf or two, garlic and a whole onion, quartered."
Thank you for sharing this tip!

grace said...

chili is a foodstuff that'll make me sweat even on the coldest day of the year, but i love it so much that i'll eat it even on the hottest day. GORGEOUS plate, lori!

Ingrid_3Bs said...

Looks really really good Lori! You did a fabulous job on plating the "dish".

I don't have a family favorite. I just make whatever recipe pops up into view so, I'll be keep yours in mind for next time.

Hope you and the girls have a safe and Happy 4th, my friend!!
~ingrid