Ground Beef and Bean Chili

Had a super busy day coming up today, baking a large cake, canning tomatoes and green beans and having to get something ready for lunch. The thought of chili on a 103F day didn't seem very appealing, but with all the baking and canning, i just happened to set my AC to 65F, which in my mind is the perfect temperature for chili...

Ingredients:

2 lbs of lean chuck, ground

1 lb of block sausage

1 large onion chopped

4 cloves of garlic minced

1 can of lager beer

8 oz tomato sauce

16 oz beef stock

1 can of pinto beans

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons  oregano

2 tablespoons paprika

1/2 tablespoon ground coriander

2 tablespoons cumin

2 teaspoons sugar

In a large heavy bottomed pot, brown the beef and sausage together. Remove cooked meat.

Drain fat leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pot. Add onions, cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and meat. Add all the other ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for about 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes.

Serve with shredded iceberg lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped onion, tomato and cilantro.

Zucchini and Cherry Tomato Orecchiette with Grilled Chicken

At least twice a week, hot or cool day , my body screams for carbohydrates. And not only bread which i manage to eat every day, but pasta. I love pasta, and during the summer months i skip the heavy cream sauces and stick to olive oil and garlic, topped with lots of fresh herbs. You can toss just about any grilled veggie or meat with your pasta and the final dish will be a success.

Ingredients:

1 lb orecchiette, cooked to package instructions

1 zucchini shredded

24 grape tomatoes

2 ears of corn off the cob

4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

2 chicken breasts

salt and pepper to taste

2 +1 tablespoons of olive oil

handful of parsley and basil chopped

Clean chicken breasts of any extra fat, run a long chef knife across the breast, slice into 3 thin fillets each

breast. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat a large frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add chicken fillets, and fry each for about 2-3 minutes a side or until done. Set the aside. When cooled to the touch, using 2 forks or your fingers, pull chicken apart.

Heat a large frying pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and garlic. Add chicken, corn, zucchini and tomatoes. Toss with cooked pasta. Add fresh herbs. Serve warm.

Peach Bourbon Glazed Grilled Salmon with Wilted Cabbage

I really try to have fish in my dinner table once a week, doesn't always work that way but that's life!
Went to the fish market this morning and they had a 3lb salmon fillet that smelled so fresh, i just had to get it. Decided on making a glaze, since my trip to the farmer's market ended with a large bucket of peaches...
The wilted cabbage is a favorite of mine as a side dish to many of my main meals.

Ingredients:

4 salmon fillets

olive oil

salt and pepper

Glaze:

2 peaches, pitted, skinned and cubed

2 tablespoons of butter

1/2 cup onion chopped

3 garlic cloves minced

1 jalapeno seeded and chopped

1/3 cup of ketchup

2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons of brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons of bourbon

salt and pepper to taste

Wilted Cabbage:

1/2 head of cabbage thinly sliced

1 large sweet onion thinly sliced

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Start with the glaze. Cook the butter and onions until translucent. Add garlic and jalapeno. Cook for 2 minutes. Add peaches and cook for about 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add ketchup, vinegar, lemon juice, zest and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Using a immersion blender, puree the sauce until smooth. Strain the sauce into a clean bowl. Discard the solids. Mix in the bourbon and let it cool down.

Now to the cabbage, heat a large frying pan. Add olive oil and onions. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add cabbage, mustard seeds, salt and pepper. Cook covered for about 15 minutes.

Preheat the grill to high.

Rub salmon fillets with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Place fish on hot grill, brush with peach glaze. Cook for 3 minutes. Flip fish and glaze the cooked side. Cook for another 2 minutes. Flip one more time and cook for another 1-2 minutes for medium-rare. Serve with wilted greens and extra glaze on side.