Back To The Well

So sorry. I know I just recently blogged about Bob's Red Mill 13 Bean Soup Mix but I must share the yummy chili I made on Super Bowl Sunday with this same product.  Following the recipe on the back of the bag, it was just about the most perfect bowl of chili to be had. 

Personally I had previously been of the chili con carne made with chunks of beef school. After making this though, I have been converted to the ground beef method.  I did make a few tweeks to the recipe such as adding ground cumin and cayenne pepper and increasing the amount of chili powder called for.  I also added one can of fire roasted diced tomatoes in place of one can of tomato sauce.  Below is the recipe with my adjustments.  It's a fine all around bowl of chili!

13 Bean Chili

1 1/4 cups Bob's Red Mill 13 Bean Soup Mix
1 lb. ground beef
1 chopped medium onion
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 8 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper

Soak the beans overnight in cold water.  Drain and cover with water and simmer until tender (about 3 hours). 

Brown ground beef and drain off fat.

In a large pan add all of the ingredients together and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.  Garnish with chopped onions, shredded cheese, sour cream.  Makes 4-5 servings.

Meatball Stroganoff

A few weeks ago I posted about my favorite baked meatball recipe and spoke about their versatility and ease of preparation. Today I will share with you my favorite of all meatball recipes, Meatball Stroganoff.

This was a standard dinner recipe my dear mother would make and I don't know about my two sisters and two brothers, but it was one of my absolute favorite meals. When I was out on my own and starting exploring recipes, I tried beef stroganoff using the sirloin steak with wine and shallots and various other additions but nothing ever tasted as good as this version. It's one of those childhood comfort food/memory kind of things.This dish doesn't make the most attractive photograph, but not to worry, the taste will win you over. My recipe written in my own hand is well worn and includes meatball instructions. As mentioned above though, I use my baked meatballs and then follow the rest of the recipe for the sauce. This can be served over noodles as is traditional for stroganoff, but my mom always served it over white rice (Minute Rice in the day!) and I always serve it over basmati rice. The other tweeks I make to the recipe are that I always put a cup full of frozen peas in at the end and since I've been married, I never add mushrooms or I couldn't get The Husband to touch it with a ten foot pole. Enjoy!Meatball Stroganoff

Meatballs

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup bread crumbs

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

3 Tbsp. chopped parsley

Make meatballs into about 1 inch size and saute in 2 Tbsp. of butter until cooked. Remove from pan.

3/4 cup minced onion

1/2 lb. sliced button mushrooms.

Saute onions and mushrooms in same pan adding more butter if needed.

3/4 tsp paprika

2 Tbsp. flour

3/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

Sprinkle flour and spices over the sauteed onions and mushrooms and cook for 1-2 minutes to cook the flour.

1 can beef bouillon or beef consomme

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Add soup and Worcestershire sauce to the flour mixture and stir to combine with onions and mushrooms. Add meatballs back in to sauce and cover and cook at a low simmer for 10 minutes.

At the end, add 3/4 cup sour cream and 1 cup of frozen peas and combine and cook just until heated thoroughly. Serve over wide egg noodles or rice.

Baked Meatballs

Here is a recipe that should be a standard for anyone who enjoys spaghetti and meatballs, or meatball sandwiches. This is a very simple, tasty baked meatball. The beauty of this recipe that it is so quick and simple in that there is no standing over the stovetop frying batch after batch of meatballs with grease spattering every which way. Of course, you do still have to roll the meatballs out but I actually find that quite therapeutic. Once that's done, you simply place them in a baking pan, throw them in the oven for 1/2 hour and presto, a lovely batch of meatballsBaked Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion, finely chopped (I actually grate mine for a wonderful fine mince, along with the onion juice)

3/4 cups bread crumbs (I use dried, seasoned crumbs)

1 egg, beaten to blend

1 1/2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Mix together all of the ingredients well. Wet hands and form meat into 1 inch balls (around the size of ping pong balls). Place in baking dish and bake until cooked through, about 30 minutes. Makes approximately 30 meatballs. I often double this recipe and put one batch in a freezer bag to be used at a future date.