Earthly Eating

Then try these three great chili recipes.

Chili Number 1:

• 4 lbs. coarse-ground chopped sirloin or tenderloin
• Olive oil or butter
• 1-2 small cans tomato paste, with water, or fresh tomatoes finely chopped, or canned tomatoes, pressed through a colander
• 3-4 medium onions, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2-10 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbs. oregano
• 1/2 tsp. sweet basil
• 1 tbs. cumin seed or ground cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tbs. (or more) of chili powder or some chili pods

In a 4-quart pot, brown meat in oil or butter, or in a blend of the two. Add the remaining ingredients. Simmer in the pot with the lid on for two hours.

Chili Number 2:

• 1 finely chopped onion
• 3 finely chopped garlic cloves
• 2 piece of bacon cut crosswise into pieces
• 2 tablespoons of chili powder
• 2 cans of cannelloni, pinto or red kidney beans
• 1 ½ teaspoons of dried crushed oregano
• 1 ½ teaspoons of paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper
• 3 cups of water
• Coarse salt
• 3/4 cup of Monterey Jack Cheese or cheddar (shredded)
• 2 tablespoons of fine cornmeal
• 1 ½ cups of chopped winter squash or zucchini
• 1 ½ cups of frozen or fresh kernel corn (whole)

Cook the bacon in a chili pot over medium heat until brown. Add the onion, garlic, paprika, pepper, oregano, beans and salt into the chili pot. Stir mixture occasionally for about 10-15 minutes. It is good to mash up the beans a bit.

Mix the cornmeal with water, corn, squash or zucchini and bring the pot to boil. Reduce the heat and keep stirring until the chili become thick and the vegetables are softer. Add water if needed. Serve chili with some cheddar cheese.

Chili Number 3:

• 2 lb. of round steak
• 1/8 lb. rendered, beef kidneys, (ask a good butcher for some, it’s hard to find it in the supermarkets.)
• 8 chili pods, pick ones with a reddish hue to them.
• 1 tbs. beef bouillon
• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped
• 1 tbs. dried Mexican oregano
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tbs. cayenne pepper powder
• 1/2 tbs. chili powder
• 1 tbs. paprika powder
• 1 tbs. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. white vinegar
• 1 tbs. semi-sweet baking chocolate
• 1 cup water from boiled chili pods
• 3 tbs. masa (yellow corn flour, if you can’t find this all-purpose flour may be used instead.)

Cook the meat until it is browned. Drain and place in a crock pot or Dutch oven. Cook the beef kidneys over low heat, about 40 minutes or more. discard
pieces of fat that are left over, Pour the clear liquid in with the meat. Wash chili pods and remove the stems and seeds, wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.

Boil pods for 30 minutes, or until you can easily remove the skins. Mash and dice them finely and add to the meat. Add all remaining ingredients to the meat and the pepper water used to boil the pods. Don’t add the masa yet.

Cook in the crock pot on low 8-10 hours or 4-5 minutes on high. About 30 minutes before the chili is done mix the masa well with the remaining chili pepper water with a fork, until it’s smooth and there are no remaining lumps, add this to the chili.

Allow to set in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours so the spices can set and the chili thickens. The grease will rise to the top and can be scraped off or left. Heat chili in the crock pot and serve.
____________________________________________________________
Earthly Eating Daily Recipe

Pomegranate Champagne
Serves: 6

In a pitcher, mix juice, liqueur, and Champagne. Pour into flutes, and garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Happy Eating!