Meaty Black Bean Chili

Meaty Black Bean Chili
Print Recipe
    Servings Prep Time
    9 cups 30 minutes
    Cook Time
    60 minutes
    Servings Prep Time
    9 cups 30 minutes
    Cook Time
    60 minutes
    Meaty Black Bean Chili
    Print Recipe
      Servings Prep Time
      9 cups 30 minutes
      Cook Time
      60 minutes
      Servings Prep Time
      9 cups 30 minutes
      Cook Time
      60 minutes
      Ingredients
      Servings: cups
      Instructions
      1. Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add ground beef and pork and cook until no longer pink and starting to brown, breaking up any large pieces. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
      2. Scrape out seeds from the chipotle peppers and finely mince, use about two chili peppers with sauce to equal 2 tbsp or more depending how hot you want it. Add peppers to the pot along with beef broth, tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, green pepper, onion, spices, salt, and sugar. Stir well to combine.
      3. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for about 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove lid and adjust consistency to your liking by adding more beef broth or simmering uncovered for a few minutes to evaporate some liquid. The chili will thicken slightly as it sits and cools.
      4. Stir in black beans and cook for 1-2 minutes to warm. Stir in cilantro just before serving and ladle into serving bowls. Garnish with cheddar cheese, green onion and additional cilantro.
      Recipe Notes

      -I found 1 cup of beef broth just about right for consistency.  Adjust to your liking.

      -This chili is even better when served the next day as the flavours have longer to meld.

      -Makes about 9 cups of chili and freezes very well.

      Beef Taco Crostata

      Beef Taco Crostata
      Print Recipe
        Servings Prep Time
        4 people 40-45 minutes
        Cook Time Passive Time
        35 minutes 1 hour
        Servings Prep Time
        4 people 40-45 minutes
        Cook Time Passive Time
        35 minutes 1 hour
        Beef Taco Crostata
        Print Recipe
          Servings Prep Time
          4 people 40-45 minutes
          Cook Time Passive Time
          35 minutes 1 hour
          Servings Prep Time
          4 people 40-45 minutes
          Cook Time Passive Time
          35 minutes 1 hour
          Ingredients
          Pastry
          Taco Meat
          Servings: people
          Instructions
          Pastry
          1. Combine flours and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter chunks until pea-size or smaller. Drizzle with 4-5 tbsp of cold water and the vinegar tossing with a fork until dough becomes scraggly. Add another tbsp of cold water if necessary. Turn mixture out onto a clean work surface and knead until dough comes together. Form into a flat disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
          Taco Meat
          1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and green pepper and sauté over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add ground beef and continue to cook until beef is no longer pink and has started to brown, breaking up beef chunks as it cooks. Remove from heat and dab out any excess fat with a paper towel.
          2. Return to medium heat and add spices and water, stirring to combine. Allow mixture to come to a simmer and cook uncovered until most of the moisture has evaporated, about 10 minutes.
          3. Remove from heat and stir in beans and half of the cheese.
          4. Preheat oven to 375°F and line a large baking tray with parchment.
          5. Roll dough into a 14" circle that will be about 1/8" thick. Fold dough in half and move to your prepared baking tray.
          6. Spread beef mixture in the centre of the dough leaving a 1 1/2"-2" border of dough. Fold the dough border up and over the beef mixture, crimping the dough slightly as you go.
          7. Whisk egg with a tbsp of water and brush onto exposed pastry edge. Bake for about 35 minutes until pastry is golden.
          8. Remove from oven and top centre with remaining cheese. Cut into wedges and serve with desired toppings.
          Recipe Notes

          -The pastry can be made up to a day in advance and kept chilled until ready to use.

          Stroganoff Meatballs

          Stroganoff Meatballs
          Print Recipe
          Servings Prep Time
          6 people 55-60 minutes
          Cook Time
          35 minutes
          Servings Prep Time
          6 people 55-60 minutes
          Cook Time
          35 minutes
          Stroganoff Meatballs
          Print Recipe
          Servings Prep Time
          6 people 55-60 minutes
          Cook Time
          35 minutes
          Servings Prep Time
          6 people 55-60 minutes
          Cook Time
          35 minutes
          Ingredients
          Beef Meatballs
          Stroganoff Sauce
          Servings: people
          Instructions
          Beef Meatballs
          1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
          2. In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix until incorporated. Roll into 1-ounce meatballs (about 2 tbsp each) and arrange on a large baking tray lined with parchment. Will yield about 38 meatballs.
          3. Bake for 15 minutes and remove from oven. Reduce heat to 350°F.
          Stroganoff Sauce
          1. While meatballs are cooking, heat oil in a large dutch oven. Add sliced mushrooms and sauté until most of the liquid has evaporated and starting to brown.
          2. Add 2 cups water and OXO soup base and heat to a simmer, stirring to dissolve. Whisk together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water. Add to pot, whisking constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and whisk in mushroom soup until smoothed out. Stir in sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, paprika and pepper.
          3. Add meatballs to the sauce and stir gently to coat with sauce. Cover and bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately over noodles, rice or potatoes.
          Recipe Notes

          -It is a must to use beef soup base (preferably Knorr OXO Beef in a Mug)  I have tried to use regular beef bouillon cubes and powder, however, they do not have the same level of beef flavour and are not recommended for this recipe.

          -Meatballs can be made and cooked up to a day ahead.  Keep covered and chilled until ready to use.  Cook casserole for 40-45 minutes if using cold meatballs.

           

          Grilled Steak Salad

          Grilled Steak Salad
          Print Recipe
            Servings Prep Time
            2 people 25 minutes
            Cook Time
            10 minutes
            Servings Prep Time
            2 people 25 minutes
            Cook Time
            10 minutes
            Grilled Steak Salad
            Print Recipe
              Servings Prep Time
              2 people 25 minutes
              Cook Time
              10 minutes
              Servings Prep Time
              2 people 25 minutes
              Cook Time
              10 minutes
              Ingredients
              Servings: people
              Instructions
              1. In a small bowl stir together first 10 ingredients. Sprinkle steaks generously on both sides with spice rub, pressing gently to slightly adhere. Drizzle with oil and rub paste evenly over steak. Cover and set aside at room temperature while grill preheats.
              2. Preheat grill to medium high.
              3. Clean and dry mixed greens ( I like to use a salad spinner). Clean and slice vegetables, subbing in others as you like.
              4. Grill steak to desired doneness. 4-5 minutes per side for a medium 1" steak. It will depend on thickness of steak. Remove steak and cover with foil and allow to rest at least 5 minutes.
              5. While steak rests, arrange mixed greens on plate and top with sliced vegetables and crumbled goat cheese.
              6. Slice steak across the grain and arrange on salad. Drizzle with Catalina dressing and serve immediately.
              Recipe Notes

              I recommend using homemade dressing, you just can't beat it.  Here's a link to my Catalina Dressing.

              Catalina Dressing

               

              Italian Turkey Kale Rolls


              Italian Turkey Kale Rolls
              Print Recipe
                Servings Prep Time
                14 rolls 45 minutes
                Cook Time Passive Time
                63 minutes 5 minutes
                Servings Prep Time
                14 rolls 45 minutes
                Cook Time Passive Time
                63 minutes 5 minutes
                Italian Turkey Kale Rolls
                Print Recipe
                  Servings Prep Time
                  14 rolls 45 minutes
                  Cook Time Passive Time
                  63 minutes 5 minutes
                  Servings Prep Time
                  14 rolls 45 minutes
                  Cook Time Passive Time
                  63 minutes 5 minutes
                  Ingredients
                  Rolls
                  Servings: rolls
                  Instructions
                  Rolls
                  1. Bring water and salt to a boil, add rice, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool while continuing.
                  2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a simmer. Trim the bottom 2-3 inches from kale leaves. Blanch leaves in water for 3 minutes. Remove using a slotted scoop to a cold water bath or cold running water to stop the cooking process. Drain well.
                  3. In a large bowl combine ground turkey, Italian sausage, onion, green pepper, garlic, herbs, salt, pepper and chili flakes. Mix gently just to combine all ingredients. Gently mix in rice.
                  4. Preheat oven to 350℉. Lay a kale leaf flat and dab with a paper towel to grab any excess moisture. Scoop a generous 1/4 cup of filling onto leaf and roll leaf over filling, tucking in the sides as mush as possible. If the leaf is not large enough to tuck the sides simply press them around the filling. Place roll into a greased 13"x 9" casserole dish. Repeat with remaining kale and filling, stacking rolls tightly in pan getting 2 rows of 7.
                  5. Pour sauce evenly over rolls, cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired and broil 2-3 minutes. Allow to rest for 5 minutes prior to serving.
                  Sauce
                  1. In a medium bowl whisk together all ingredients and set aside until rolls are assembled.
                  Recipe Notes

                  I found that it takes 3 bunches of fresh kale to yield the 14 large leaves.  Save the smaller leaves for another use. It may be necessary to trim out about 1" of the center stem from the bottom of the cooked kale leaf to allow the leaf to roll nicely.  Don't worry too much about tucking in the sides as they are packed tightly in the pan and hold their shape when cooked.