Book Update: The kids and I have been reading Calvin and Hobbes for about two months now. I am pretty sure the parts about how society is just trying to make us miserable with ourselves in order to buy their stuff, the irony of deer killing an office worker in order to thin the ever-growing human population, and the meaning of life in philosophical terms are all going over my 3 year old’s head. But, she asks me to read them every night. She goes to bed with Calvin and Hobbes open on her bed because she fell asleep reading them with her nightlight. Calvin and Hobbes is some fine, good literature. Maybe I should work it into a lesson plan if I ever go back to teaching.
Recipe Update: I made this chili a few times last year and still really like the big chunks of meat in this type of chili. It’s really comforting and makes enough food for a lot of people watching oh say… the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series! Go Cards! 🙂
This would be perfect to make tonight and then re-heat for Halloween! Stews and chilis always taste better the next day anyway!
Texas Chili
serves 6
1 tablespoon canola, vegetable, olive or grapeseed oil
3 lbs. beef stew meat, lean and cut into 3/4″ or so cubes
2 carrots, peeled and fine dice
3 onions, chopped
4 cloves or teaspoons chopped garlic
3 tablespoons AP flour
1/4 cup chili powder
3 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 and 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano
salt
1/4 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 cans (28 oz. each) whole plum/Roma tomatoes, drained and chopped (or chop fresh roma tomatoes)
5 cups beef stock
2 chipotle chiles
2 cans (15 oz. each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese or cheddar
sour cream, cilantro, salsa, Fritos, etc.
1. Heat up a large pot or Dutch Oven to medium-high heat with the a third of the oil. Add in about a third of the meat. Brown on all sides (about 2-3 minutes) . Remove from the pot and repeat until all the meat is browned. The pot is just too small to sear that much meat.
2. Now that you have lots of yummy bits on the bottom of the pot and no meat in there, add only 2/3 of the chopped onion and carrots. Cook until tender – about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add in the spices chili powder, cumin, salt and red pepper flakes. Cook that about 30 seconds.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, beef stock, and chiles. Scrap the bottom and mix it all up. Add the meat back into the pot. Bring the pot to a boil. Simmer with the lid on for 30 minutes. Remove the lid. Stir. Cook uncovered another 90-120 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the chiles from the pot before serving the chili.
4. For the beans: in a small saucepan or medium skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of oil on medium-high heat. Add the other 1/3 of the chopped onion. Cook 3-4 minutes. It’ll be translucent. Add the black beans. Cook 2-3 minutes.
5. To serve: plate some black beans first. Top with meat. Then, add cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, etc.
Recipe from Williams-Sonoma “Cooking at Home”
