Cincinnati Chili

When I started making foods to go with the towns the football games are in, Cincinnati Chili was something I was wanting to try. Last year there was not a game there so I did not get to make it. So when I saw the schedule for this year I was excited that I would finally get to try it. Cincinnati chili is flavored with a different spice mix than normal chili, it has allspice, cinnamon and cloves. When I read the recipe I was a little worried that it would not taste good, but I made it anyways. Of course the kids hardly ever like anything new, so they did not like it, but i'm glad we tried it. Typically it served over spaghetti noodles with chili toppings like cheddar cheese and onions. You want it to be runny like a spaghetti sauce, not thick like a chili. Also it has to refrigerate overnight.

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
2 cans tomato sauce(16 ounces total)
1 onion, chopped
21 ounces beef broth
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate


Make It:
Heat a large pot over medium heat, add meat to pan. Stir and brown, breaking up the meat with the spoon as it cooks. Once meat is browned, drain off almost all of the fat, add onions to pan. Cook until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add all seasonings, tomato sauce, chocolate and broth to pot, stir to combine. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, allow to cool and refrigerate overnight. Reheat over medium heat and enjoy over spaghetti noodles topped with cheese, onions, sour cream and even add kidney beans if you like.

Chipotle Pork Burger

So after doing some research I discovered that Indiana's biggest crop is corn and they are known for a huge pork tenderloin sandwich. Even though the sandwich sounded good I decided to roll with a twist and make this spicy pork burger. I found the original recipe online but of course changed it for our tastes. This was so good! I will be doing lots of pork burgers from now on!


Ingredients:
1 pound ground pork
2 chopped chipotle peppers
4 slices Monterey jack cheese
4 hamburger buns
1 avocado
3 tablespoons fire roasted tomatillo salsa
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
salt and pepper


Make It:
In a bowl mix together pork, chipotles and salt and pepper. Once combined form into four patties, set on a plate and place in the refrigerator. Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl mush avocado with a fork, then stir in salsa and cilantro leaves. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Lay cheese slices out so they get warm, tis helps them melt faster. Put patties in skillet and cook four minutes per side, place whole skillet in oven for 6 minutes. Put cheese on patties, leave in oven until cheese is melted. Toast buns in oven. Serve one patty on each bun, topped with 2 tablespoons of the avocado salsa. Enjoy!

Fancy Pork & Beans

This might sound weird, but the mixture of sweet and spicy is really good. This recipe is also quick and easy.

Ingredients:

2 cans baked beans(I don't have a homemade recipe for these yet but i'm working on it)

1 package cheddarwurst, sliced

1 can ranch style beans

1 jalapeno, diced

1 shallot, diced

Ingredients:

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, spray with pam and add shallots and jalapenos. Cook and stir until softened. Add all cans of beans and stir, bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes. Heat a separate pan over medium heat, and add cheddarwurst. Cook and stir for 5 minutes. Pour into beans, stir. Cook for another ten minutes. Enjoy!

Bow Tie Crab Casserole

Ingredients:

2 cups crab meat, I have leftover king crab so thats what i'm using

1 pound bow tie noodles, cooked

4 oz. velveeta, cut into cubes

2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

1 cup fontina cheese, grated

1 cup parmesan, grated

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

4 cups milk

2 to 3 drops hot sauce(optional)

Make It:

Preheat oven to 350. Heat a large pot over medium heat, add butter and melt. Once butter is melted whisk in flour. When flour and butter are combined whisk in milk one cup at a time. Bring to a low boil, stirring often to avoid burning. Once boiling reduce heat a little and allow mixture to cook and thicken for five minutes. Remove from heat and stir in velveeta, cheddar, fontina, and 1/2 cup parmesan. Stir until combined and cheese is completely melted. Stir in hot sauce. Add in noodles and crab and stir to combine. Spray a large casserole dish with pam, and pour noodle mixture into dish. Mix together panko and parmesan, sprinkle onto top of casserole. Bake for thirty to forty five minutes until bread crumbs are golden brown. Enjoy!

Double Decker Grilled Cheese & Green Bay Booyah

Booyah is a chicken and vegetable stew that was created in Green Bay. It is supposed to be made to feed a crowd, but i'm only feeding 4 so i'm making a smaller version. Traditionally its cooked outside for a long period of time. This is an indoor modified version, but with traditional ingredients.

Grilled cheese ingredients:

12 pieces garlic cheddar bread

4 slices sharp cheddar

4 slices medium cheddar

4 slices swiss

4 slices colby jack

butter

Make It:

Heat an iron skillet over medium high heat. Butter one side of 8 pieces of bread. Place one piece of bread butter side down in skillet, place one slice sharp cheddar on bread and one slice colby jack on sharp cheddar slice. Place one piece of unbuttered bread on the colby jack, then put one slice medium cheddar on bread and one slice swiss on medium cheddar, place a piece of buttered bread on top of that, butter side up. Cook until cheese on the bottom starts to melt, then flip and cook until all cheese is melted and bread is browned, you may need to lower the heat depending on your pan, if the bread is getting to dark. Enjoy!

Booyah Ingredients:

1 pound chicken thighs, skin off, left whole

1/2 pound stew meat

2 cups onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup carrots, chopped

2 bay leaves

salt & pepper

5 cups chicken broth

5 cups beef broth

1 can stewed tomatoes

1/2 head cabbage, chopped

1 cup green beans, chopped

1 pound red potatoes, chopped

1 tablespoon soy sauce

juice of one lemon

Make It:

Put chicken and beef, bay leaves and broths and salt and pepper in a large pot, bring to a boil. Reduce heat cover and simmer for an hour. Uncover and add vegetables, lemon juice, soy sauce and salt and pepper if it needs it. Bring back up to a boil, stirring occasionally, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes uncovered. Enjoy!

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup flour

4 tablespoons creole seasoning

1 cup diced onion

1/2 cup bell pepper diced

1/2 cup celery diced

1 1/2 cups sausage, diced, i'm using linguica

3 tablespoons garlic

6 cups chicken stock

3 bay leaves

1 1/2 cups chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces

2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

hot sauce to taste

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1/4 cup green onion, diced

Make It:

Heat oil in cast iron dutch oven over medium high heat. Whisk in flour, add 1 tablespoon creole seasoning, sausage, celery, onion, bell pepper. Stir until vegetables are soft. Add stock, remaining seasoning and garlic. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover, cook for 2 hours. Add chicken, worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, parsley, and green onion cook until chicken is cooked through. Stirring occasionally about 30 minutes. Serve over white rice. Enjoy!

Frito Boats with Tex-Mex Chili

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

2 bell peppers, diced

1 onion, diced

1 14oz. can diced tomatoes

1 can rotel brand diced tomatoes and chilies

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 tblsp. new mexico chile powder

2 teas. paprika

1 tblsp. granulated garlic

1 tblsp. pasilla chile powder

1 tblsp. cumin

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 bottle good quality beer

salt to taste

1 cup corn(optional)

Fritos

cheddar cheese, grated

Make It:

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add meat brown breaking up meat with your spoon. Once meat is browned, drain off half of the grease, add peppers and onions. Stir and brown until softened. Add beer and allow to reduce by half. Add seasonings, tomatoes, rotel, corn and black beans, stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for an hour. Place two handfuls of fritos in a bowl, top with chili and cheese. Enjoy!

Special Note: If the chili is too thin. Spoon 2 tablespoons of liquid off the top and place in a separate pan, whisk in 2 tablespoons flour, stir to combine. Whisk into chili and allow to simmer for 15 minutes more.

Cheesy Crescent Dawgs with Brown Mustard

Ingredients:

1 tube crescent rolls

8 hot dogs

8 slices cheddar cheese, each cut into 3 strips

brown mustard of choice(I prefer the beer and brat mustard, it is spicy and delicious)

Make It:

Preheat oven to 375. Slit hot dogs to within 1/2 inch of ends. Insert 3 strips of cheese into each hot dog. Wrap 1 crescent dough triangle around each hot dog. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet, cheese side up, for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with mustard on the side. Enjoy!

Denver Scramble

Ingredients:

6 eggs
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 ham steak, cut onto cubes
4 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 tblsp. milk
salt and pepper to taste


Make It:
Heat a large skillet over med-heat, spray with pam. Add bell pepper and onion, saute until softened. Meanwhile in a seperate bowl break all eggs and add milk, whip with a fork or whisk until yolks and whites are combined. Add ham and bacon to pan, cook a minute or so till ham is heated through. Pour in egg mixture. Stir and scrape pan until eggs are cooked, and everything is combined. Sprinkle cheese on top turn heat to low and cover until cheese is melted. Enjoy!