This is my favorite chili recipe of all time.  It’s best served with crackers and a big glass of milk, but won’t disappoint in Frito Pie, Chili Dogs, or Chili Mac.

There are no beans in this chili.  If you like beans in your chili, add them.  I won’t be offended.

Ingredients:

• 5 lbs. coarse ground chuck (80% lean)
• 2 c diced yellow onion
• 1 c diced celery
• 1 can stewed tomatoes, diced
• 2 green peppers, diced
• 2 jalapenos, diced
• 8 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 T. Tabasco sauce
• 2 T worcestershire suce
• 1 12 oz. can of your favorite American beer (don’t get all German lager on me, here)
• 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
• 8 T. good quality chili powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 4 c. water

Brown ground beef in large stock pot.  Drain well into colander.  Add onion, celery, green pepper, jalapeno, garlic and tomato paste, and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat.  Add beer and use to deglaze the bits on the bottom.  Return meat to pot.

In separate bowl, mix chili powder, cumin, cayenne and salt.  Add to pot and stir to combine.  Add water, worcestershire, Tabasco, and stewed tomatoes.  Cook and simmer over low heat until reduced to desired consistency, at least an hour.

I love broccoli salad from the grocery store deli, but don’t love the $5.99 a lb. price tag, so I re-created it.

Ingredients:

• 2  broccoli crowns (large)
• 1 red onion
• 1/2 lb. bacon, unless you’re a bacon fiend like Yours Truly, then go ahead and make it a full pound
• 3/4 c. golden raisins, dried cranberries, craisins, or any combination of them
• 3/4 c. sliced almonds, or chopped pecans, or crushed pistachios or….well, pick a nut, and use it.
• 1 c. mayo
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 T. white wine vinegar

OPTIONAL:

Cooked tortellini (my son absolutely loves it with the added pasta)

Diced apple

Mozzarella or colby cheese (diced into small bite size pieces)

Early June peas

Cook bacon crisp. Chop broccoli florets into bit size pieces.  I also use the stems after peeling them, but some people don’t like them.  Dice red onion.  I like to blanch the broccoli for 1 minute then shock in cold water.  Drain well.

In a large bowl, mix mayo, 1/2 the sugar, and white wine vinegar.  Taste, and add the remaining sugar to your liking.

Add broccoli, onion, raisins, nuts and bacon (along with any of the optional ingredients)  to the dressing, and mix well.  Best to let the flavors meld for a couple of hours.  Salt & pepper to taste when serving.

My husband had these growing up, and they’re a comfort food for him.  Many thanks to my mother-in-law, who is a brilliant cook.

Ingredients:

• 3 T. butter
• 1/2 c. celery, finely diced
• 1/2 c. green onion, chopped + 2 more green onions sliced on the diagonal for garnish
• 2 T. flour
• 1/2 c. chicken stock
• 2 c. cooked rice, cold
• 1.5 c. cooked chicken, small dice
• 1/2 c. white cheddar cheese, diced or fine shred
• 1 egg
• salt & pepper to taste
• pick your seasonings/herbs: we sometimes use poultry seasoning, sometimes Italian herb blend, sometimes just a little nutmeg
• 1 c. crushed corn flakes, FINELY crushed, to the consistency of bread crumbs
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/4 c. milk

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, and saute the celery and green onion until just softened, not more than 2 minutes.  Transfer contents to a large mixing bowl.  Add fllour, rice, chicken, and white cheddar cheese.  Add 1/2 of the chicken stock.  Lightly beat the egg, then add to mixture.  Add salt, pepper, and herbs.  You’re going to have to use your hands on this one to mix thoroughly.  You want to make ping pong ball sized balls.  Check the density, and add the remaining chicken stock by tablespoons full as needed.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Do something non-stick to a cookie sheet:  parchment paper, non-stick spray, or trust your Teflon.

Roll each ball into the crushed cornflakes until completely coated and place on cookie sheet 1 inch apart.  Bake in oven 10 minutes or until your cornflake crust is crisp.

While baking the balls, combine the mushroom soup and milk in a small saucepan and bring up to heat.

To serve, drizzle a good amount of the sauce over the chicken balls, but don’t drench them in it so they get mushy.  Sprinkle with remainder of the green onions.  This recipe makes 2 meals for my husband and I, or serves 6 as part of a finger-food buffet.