It’s that time of year! Here in central Indiana, we’re having the coldest winter of any I remember here in quite a long time. In fact, it’s been warmer in Billings, Montana, my former home. Temps reached -16°F last night. No weather for man nor beast. But a perfect time to warm up with a steaming bowl of Mimi’s Favorite Chili.
(Uh, don’t be put off by the green stuff mixed in with the sour cream in the above picture. I served Mexican dinner on Christmas Day and my husband mixed the guacamole and sour cream together. It looks questionable, but was delicious!)
I’ve made this chili recipe for as long as I can remember, seriously forty years or more. Sometimes we eat as pictured. Sometimes I’d make up some macaroni and serve the chili over that. A friend of mine used to serve her chili over cooked rice – another option.
Funny. Richard and I were in Costco the day before I made the chili pot. A customer overheard us talking about making chili, and immediately invited himself over. Our conversation wandered to the topic of what to serve with chili. This fella said he insists that his chili is served with a peanut butter sandwich. “Well, of course!” I said. Our new friend and chili connoisseur told us he was having a difficult time winning over his wife to the idea.
In the mid-century olden days, the school cafeteria always served chili with peanut butter/honey sandwiches and carrot and celery sticks. We settled it must be an Indiana thing.
Any way you like it, a hot bowl of chili, mild or spicy, is a surefire way to warm up your bones!
Let’s make some!
First, brown your meat in a heavy 6-qt dutch oven or other heavy pot. Oh, and don’t forget to add a Tablespoon or so of cooking oil to the pot, bring up to medium-high heat, then add the meat. Even though there’s fat in the meat, the oil helps the process along. You may use ground beef or ground turkey, as long as it’s pretty lean. I normally use 90% lean ground beef, but don’t be afraid to use turkey. It’s delicious and we really can’t tell the difference once the chili is finished.
While the meat is browning, dice up a nice large yellow sweet onion, set aside. Mince 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic, set aside. Measure the chili powder, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, and paprika into a small bowl, set aside. Open up your cans of tomatoes and beans. The goal is to have everything at the ready so the dish comes together quickly.
Chili 101
Now’s the time to have a discussion about heat – like hot peppery heat. Not everyone shares the same enthusiasm for peppery spicy food. I, myself, like the heat from peppers or Tobasco sauce or ground cayenne, but enjoy the flavors in moderation. I like the simple spike of heat, but not so hot that’s it’s uncomfortable to eat.
If you like the flavor of pepper but not the heat, add one diced green pepper, or throw in a stalk of diced celery, or both.
Need to add a little extra heat? Add 1-2 finely diced jalapenos or 1-2 finely diced serranos, which are hotter than jalapenos. Set them aside with the minced garlic.
What I do is add a finely diced jalapeno, a finely diced serrano, and add dry ground cayenne to the dry spices. A couple shakes of red pepper chili flakes goes in there, too. And a couple shakes of Tobasco sauce as the chili cooks.
You can always add more hot peppers to the mix if you like spicier chili or include the pepper membranes and seeds into the dice, which adds another level of heat. Remember, however, to add peppers to the browned meat when you dump in the diced onions. If you decide to ladle the chili into serving bowls over macaroni or rice, keep in mind that will lower the heat level, too.
If you’re serving children, look out. In my experience, they don’t tolerate peppery heat at all – enter macaroni or rice and lots of cheese.
Now the meat is nicely browned. Add the onion and peppers (hot or mild). Stir over medium-high heat until the onions begin to soften. Add diced celery, if you’re using.
Add the garlic. Continue to cook until you smell the aroma of garlic, about one minute.
Add the dry spices: chili powder, cumin, Mexican oregano, cayenne, crushed red chili peppers, and cinnamon. Stir all the spices together and heat until you can smell the spices, 1-2 minutes max. (Adding the spices this way intensifies their flavors.)
Dump everything else into the pot: diced tomatoes, whole tomatoes, dark red kidney beans. Add 2-3 cups of liquid: beef or chicken stock or just plain water if you don’t have stock in the pantry. Stir and bring to a simmer. Turn down the heat to continue the simmer. Cover with the lid not quite covering the pot so steam is able to escape.
After 45-60 minutes, your chili is ready! See how much liquid was evaporated?
Ladle generous portions into deep bowls and add your toppings: Monterey jack or cheddar cheese, sour cream, guacamole, additional finely diced hot peppers, finely diced sweet yellow onion.
On this particular night, I had some leftover tostada shells and we used them to break into our bowls instead of crackers.
Chili Thoughts
I think chili is one of the first dishes beginning cooks learn to make. It’s easy. The ingredients are inexpensive. Everyone enjoys a hearty bowl.
Serve with peanut butter sandwiches or cornbread.
Don’t be afraid to mix up the ingredients. You can add corn. Use canned pinto beans, light red kidney beans, or black beans.
Try a can of beer in place of some of the stock/water. If so, you’ll want to add the beer to meat/spice mixture before you add tomatoes, beans, etc. Let it cook a bit after adding to burn off some of the alcohol.
Cinnamon is uncommonly used in chili unless you’re in Cincinnati. Just 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon is all you’ll need. Cinnamon evens out the flavors.
If you need to thicken your chili, add a Tablespoon of cornmeal stirred into 1/4 cup of water. Add to the chili after the cooking is finished and stir to incorporate.
I would love to know how you make your chili special! What tips and tricks do you have up your sleeve?
It's that time of year when a steaming bowl of Mimi's Favorite Chili warms us to the very core. Learn Chili 101 and how to make my easy and satisfying recipe along with a couple of hints.
Author: Mimi
Recipe type: Chili
Cuisine: American
Serves: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
2 pounds lean ground beef or ground turkey
1-15oz can of dark red kidney beans drained, or pinto, light red, or black beans, drained
2-14oz cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes.
1-28oz can whole tomatoes
2-3 cups of beef or chicken stock, or water, or a combination
Over medium-high heat, add 1 Tablespoon cooking oil into a heavy 6-quart dutch oven
Add ground meat. Brown until there is no pink visible.
While the meat is cooking, chop onion, mince garlic, dice peppers. Set aside.
Measure dry spices into a small bowl. Set aside.
When the meat is ready, add chopped onion and hot peppers. (Add green or red pepper and celery if using.) Stir and continue to cook until the vegetables are softened.
Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, one minute.
Add dry spices, stir to distribute and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes max.
Add all the tomatoes, beans and stock &/or water. Stir to distribute.
Bring the chili to a simmer. Cover the pot, but not completely so steam escapes and thickens the chili.
Turn down the heat. Simmer for 45-60 minutes.
Check for seasoning. Add 1-2 shakes of Tobasco sauce, if using.
Serve with peanut butter sandwiches or cornbread.
This chili can also be served over cooked macaroni or cooked rice.
Notes
1. You can substitute one can of beer to replace an equal volume of stock/water. Add the beer to the meat mixture before adding tomatoes. Let the mixture cook for a bit to allow the alcohol to cook off. 2. To thicken chili, if needed, add 1 Tablespoon cornmeal to ¼ cup of water, mix. Add the slurry to the chili while stirring.
Serve with any variety of toppings: shredded Monterey Jack &/or cheddar cheese, sour cream, guacamole, diced sweet yellow onion, diced jalapeno or serrano peppers.
Here’s another good choice for a holiday treat for your cookie plate, to take to a cookie swap, or to give as gifts. Joe Carson’s Ginger Cookie recipe was first published in Midwest Living magazine in 1999. I’ve been making them every Christmas since.
My husband loves the chewy texture. The cookie dough is made with vegetable shortening instead of butter. I normally follow the recipe to the letter, but this year I decided to use 1/2 cup of shortening and 1/4 cup of butter.
I like this recipe, too, because it calls for a couple Tablespoons of molasses. Molasses gives the cookie a rich flavor. They hold well, so if you decided to bake them a couple of days in advance, it’s no problem.
The recipe is easy. This is a family favorite, so I whip up a double batch with my electric mixer. If I don’t bake all the dough, I cover it with plastic wrap and store the leftover in the refrigerator in a container with a tight-fitting lid. That way I can bake up another batch in no time at all.
Joe’s recipe instructs bakers to roll the dough into balls, roll them in sugar, dip them in water, and roll again in sugar before baking. The result is a nicely cracked sugary cookie top. It’s fabulous, but I didn’t like the way the water clumped up the sugar. So, I decided to form the balls, roll all of them in sugar and put them on a cutting board until all the balls got their first coating. Before I put them in the oven, I roll them again for a second sugary coating. They don’t come out as spectacular looking as Joe’s, but it’s quicker and less messy, and the cookies are as delicious.
You may want to try a couple of my other holiday cookie favorites. Cranberry Orange Cookies and Orange Sablé Cookies. Joe Carson’s cookies and these other two make their way onto my cookie plate every Christmas.
This chewy ginger cookie recipe is from Joe Carson at the Silver Dollar City theme park in Branson, Missouri. It's the best ginger cookie I've ever eaten. Fantastic taste, texture and easy to make.
Author: Joe Carson, Silver Dollar City Theme Park Bakery
Recipe type: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Serves: 30 cookies
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¾ cup vegetable shortening, or ½ cup shortening and ¼ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 egg, room temperature
Instructions
In a stand mixer, beat the shortening (or shortening & butter) for 30 seconds.
Add sugar and beat until fluffy. 1-2 minutes
Add molasses and egg. Beat on medium speed until combined.
Add the baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt into the bowl. Mix on low speed just until the spices are incorporated.
Add flour. Mix on slow speed until the dough is well combined.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
Use a one-Tablespoon cookie scoop and begin to form the dough into balls. As each one is made, set them on a cutting board until all the dough is gone.
Put ½ cup of granulated sugar in a bowl, and roll the balls, one-by-one, in the sugar, and place them back on the cutting board.
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line two half-sheet baking pans with parchment paper. Roll the balls a second time in sugar and place them on the baking pans.
Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes until they're light brown on the bottoms. Cool the cookies on a wire rack.
Notes
Once cooled, you can store the baked cookies in a container with a tight-fitting lid. You can also make a double batch of cookie dough, bake one-half, and save the rest wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator.
I’ve made these cookies for five consecutive Christmas cookie plates. They’re a big hit! Cranberry Orange Cookies are so easy to put together. You mix everything in a food processor.
These cookies have an interesting mix of dried cranberries, orange zest, allspice, and cloves. Very festive flavors rolled into one or two bites.
They’re pretty, too, which always makes for an attractive plate nestled among the other cookie bounty.
A batch is quick and easy. I usually make two batches and store one in an airtight container in the refrigerator for baking later over the holidays. They don’t spread a lot, either, so you can fit more than 12 on a half-sheet pan. I got 18 cookies on each sheet pan this year.
Rolling the cookie dough in red sugar sprinkles before baking gives the cookie a crunchy exterior and a little sparkle. Cranberry Orange Cookies stay moist and keep well.
And buy red sugar sprinkles early in the season. Egads! I went to six grocery stores until I found four little bottles. And it was ten days before Christmas! Every store had plenty of green. I left two red bottles on the shelf knowing some needy baker would run into the same dilemma as I did. Maybe I should come up with a green sprinkle recipe? Next year, I’m ordering mine online immediately after Thanksgiving.
These are ideal cookies for the holidays - read quick, easy, no fuss. The dough is mixed completely in a food processor. Bright red sugar sprinkles give a little sparkle. Dried cranberries, orange zest, allspice, and clove give the cookies a bright festive flavor. And they keep well, too!
Author: Mimi from Food Network Magazine 2013
Recipe type: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Serves: 48 cookies
Ingredients
¾ cup dried cranberries
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of ground cloves
1 stick cold, unsalted butter, but into small pieces
¼ cup cranberry juice cocktail
½ teaspoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, slightly beaten
Red sugar sprinkles for rolling
Instructions
In a food processor, pulse the dried cranberries and granulated sugar until the cranberries are finely ground and the sugar turns red.
Add the flour, baking powder, orange zest, salt, allspice, and cloves. Pulse until combined.
Add the butter, and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal.
In a 1-2 cup measuring cup, combine the cranberry juice, food coloring, and vanilla. Stir with a fork. Break an egg into the measuring cup, and lightly beat the egg.
Pulse the liquid into the other ingredients until a dough forms.
Put the dough in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about an hour.
Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat to 350F degrees.
Line two half-sheet pans or cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into balls and place them on a cutting board. Once all the balls are made, roll them into the red sugar sprinkles and onto the sheet pan.
Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove cookies from the oven onto cooling racks. Let stand for 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
Store in container with a tight-fitting lid in a cool dry place until ready to serve.
Notes
I usually make two batches of cookie dough, mixed one at a time in the food processor. One batch I bake, and the second batch of dough is wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator until I need another round. These are fabulous holiday cookies. They stay moist, keep well, and are so pretty!
Uncover precious buried treasure. Dig down into a deep bowl filled with beef and rice stuffed green peppers smothered with a perfectly seasoned tomato-onion-basil gravy. Grab a couple slices of Italian bread slathered with butter to sop up all the gravy goodness. Heaven … really, Heaven in a bowl.
Beneath this lovely tomato gravy lay the most delicious stuffed peppers and porcupine meatballs. Dig deep. Ladle a pepper and a large spoonful of tomato gravy into your bowl.
Growing up, Mom’s Stuffed Green Peppers was a beloved family staple. At the end of summer, my dad would find gigantic green peppers at a Northwest Indiana farmers’ market that begged to be filled. He would bring them to my Greenfield, Indiana home, and there was only one application for the lovely peppers. These peppers were also served between Thanksgiving and Christmas in anticipation of family arrivals often at different times of the day or evening because they hold well.
Use whatever fresh peppers you wish. Green, red, orange, yellow or a combination of any. A variety lends itself to a festive presentation.
Or slice the peppers into thick slices, 2 inches or so, maybe using a colorful variety of fresh peppers. Stuff the resulting rounds with the beef/rice mixture. Saute the filled slices in a skillet and smother the finished delight with my savory tomato-onion-basil gravy. YUM!
Does it sound like I LOVE this recipe? Yes, I do. For me, Mom’s Stuffed Green Peppers is the quintessential comfort food. My brother especially loves them!
Shall we bring Mom’s bowl of deliciousness to your family? Absolutely!
Cut the peppers in half. Rinse and remove the stems, veins, and seeds. I usually put the peppers on a piece of paper towel, cut side down, to dry them out a bit before stuffing.
Tomato Gravy
Dice one large onion, roughly chop 1-2 roasted peppers (I use any jarred roasted red peppers.) and mince 2 cloves of garlic. Set aside.
Heat 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil in a heavy bottomed dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and quickly brown until the onions are translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the chopped jarred peppers and minced garlic. Heat until you can smell the garlic, 1-2 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons dried basil and one bay leaf. (I love the flavor basil gives to anything tomato. If you’d rather, you can use dried oregano, marjoram, or parsley.)
Add a 15oz. can of petite diced tomatoes and one can of condensed cream of tomato soup. Add one cup of water or broth and stir until combined. Bring to a gentle simmer and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes. Set the tomato gravy aside while you prepare the meat mixture and stuff the peppers.
Meat Stuffing Mixture
You can use lean ground beef or ground turkey. For every pound of ground meat, add one cup of cooked rice. (This is an excellent way to use up leftover rice from Chinese take-out.) I used two pounds of ground beef and two cups of cooked rice for this recipe.
Put the rice and ground meat in a large bowl. Add two teaspoons kosher salt, two teaspoons seasoning salt (I use Lawry’s.), and two teaspoons ground black pepper. Lightly beat 2 eggs in a small bowl. Pour the eggs over the meat, rice, and seasonings in the bowl. Mix well with your hands (the best utensil) or use a wooden spoon or sturdy rubber spatula until everything is evenly distributed throughout.
Take one pepper half and gently mound a handful of the meat mixture into the cavity making sure the stuffing fills the entire pepper. Place into the tomato gravy. Continue with the rest of the peppers.
You’re going to have some leftover meat mixture. I roll it up forming meatballs, “porcupines,” into the size of a tennis ball, maybe smaller and drop them into the gravy around the stuffed pepper ones. You know, there’s always someone you’re serving who doesn’t like green peppers. I’ll withhold comment; however, that someone should not be denied.
Basically, you’re going to steam the peppers in the gravy until the meat is cooked through. Over medium heat, bring the pot to a gentle simmer. Cover the dutch oven with a lid, lower the temperature and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, and let everything rest for 10 minutes.
Spoon the peppers and porcupines to a large serving bowl. Pour the tomato gravy over them, and serve. Cut some big slices of Italian or French crusty bread for sopping up the tomato gravy. Fabulous!
Mom's Stuffed Green Peppers - Uncover Buried Treasure
Dig down into a deep bowl filled with beef and rice stuffed green peppers smothered with a perfectly seasoned tomato-onion-basil sauce. Grab a couple slices of Italian or French crusty bread slathered with butter to sop up all the gravy goodness. Heaven ... really, Heaven in a bowl.
Author: Mimi, At Mimi's Table
Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
2 green peppers, cut in half, stemmed, membranes and seeds removed
2 pounds lean ground beef or ground turkey
2 cups cooked white rice
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
2 teaspoons seasoned salt, Lawry's
1½ teaspoons ground black pepper
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1-2 jarred roasted peppers, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 bay leaf
1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 can condensed cream of tomato soup
1 cup water
Instructions
!Tomato Gravy
In a heavy bottom dutch oven, heat 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil. Add onion and saute for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add chopped peppers and garlic. Heat until you smell the garlic, 1-2 minutes. Add basil and bay leaf. Stir.
Add diced tomatoes, tomato soup, water. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
!Meat Mixture
In a large mixing bowl, add rice, ground meat, salt, seasoned salt, and black pepper. Pour in beaten eggs. Using your hands, a wooden spoon, or a sturdy spatula, combine all ingredients until thoroughly combined and evenly distributed.
!Stuff the Peppers
Fill each pepper half with a handful of the meat mixture. The entire half should be filled and slightly mounded in the middle. Place stuffed pepper in tomato gravy. Continue with the rest of the peppers.
If you have meat mixture leftover, divide equally and roll into meatballs, "porcupines." Place each meatball among the stuffed peppers.
Bring to a gentle boil. Lower the heat. Cover with a lid, and cook for 30-45 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
!To Serve
Remove bay leaf. Spoon the stuffed peppers and porcupines into a large serving bowl. Pour the tomato gravy over everything. Scoop up a stuffed pepper or porcupine, spoon over tomato gravy from the bowl.
Notes
Mom's Stuffed Green Peppers are fabulous served with a loaf or two of crusty Italian or French bread.
I have always prepared the Thanksgiving meal, even if it was cooked at my daughter’s house. Last year, I roasted the turkey at my home and carted it over to Jessica’s house. She prepared the side dishes.
This year, Jessica decided to stuff and roast the bird herself! She and I discussed techniques, but it was all her doing. Could not have been prouder of my girl! She used the same recipes we’ve created for 20 years or more. (Stuffing recipe is 50+ years old.) Hers was a much better turkey than I’ve roasted for a long time. Moist, beautifully browned and juicy.
For your dedication and bravery! For your outstanding skills! For a WONDERFUL BIRD! You are beautiful and bold!
I, your mother, present you with the 2017 Turkey Cup!
Congratulations, my darling. You deserve it!
What were Jessica’s tricks of the trade, you may ask?
She didn’t brine her turkey. (Egads) She bought a lovely 21-pound Butterball, which is self-basting. She used a Martha Stewart concoction of white wine and butter to baste her turkey during the first two hours of roasting. (3 sticks of butter melted in 1 bottle of Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc held warm on the stove burner as the basting continues.) Cheesecloth is drenched in the wine/butter mixture and the cloth is gently placed over the breast and drumsticks during the first two hours of roasting. Then the cheesecloth is removed. And in addition to her roasting – she tented the turkey breast and tops of the legs in between the first two hours to keep the skin from browning too quickly. Genius!
Jessica also put a piece of aluminum foil in the roasting pan underneath the turkey so the bird didn’t flop around during the steady rotation and basting in the pan. GENIUS!
And it was much easier to collect the drippings for making gravy. We ran warm turkey stock over the pan drippings to release the tasty brown bits and added it to the gravy pot. Phenomenal. GENIUS!
Awesome Thanksgiving meal. I’m looking forward to next year! Love you!
It can’t get easier than this. Use leftover turkey or roasted chicken and transform it
into a creamy, steamy biscuit-topped casserole.
Wait – It gets easier! I cheated when I prepared this dish. I had some chicken breasts in the freezer and poached them. And then I used frozen peas & carrots, country-style diced frozen hash browns, frozen chopped onions, and a box of commercial biscuit mix for the luscious dumpling-like topping. This is not my normal style, but what the heck. I wasn’t looking forward to chopping a bunch of vegetables this particular day. It was an easy way out. It was so easy in fact that I’m sure I’ll utilize more frozen prepared vegetables in the future, for sure! And it tasted just as good as if I’d made it from scratch, even the biscuits.
I still like to make my own white sauce rather than canned cream soups. My husband and I need to watch our salt intake, and it’s one way I can control the amount I use in a recipe.
Here’s a Thanksgiving leftover tip! Substitute turkey to build these fabulous sandwiches! YUM!!
Star of the Show! Pickled Red Onions with Jalapeno
Pickling fresh vegetables seems to be all the rage these days. And there’s a good reason. Pickled veggies don’t take a lot of time. The ingredients are cheap and simple. A small sweet and tangy crunchy bite for almost anything. And you can make pickled veggies in small batches.
It only takes 10 minutes to put everything together. And if you make a large batch, Pati says these delicious pickled onions will last in your refrigerator for two weeks.
Tangy and sweet pickled red onions add a flavorful crunchy bite to any sandwich, taco, salads. Whatever your little heart desires!
Author: Patti Jinich
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 2 cups
Ingredients
¼ cup each grapefruit juice, orange juice, lime juice and white distilled vinegar
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon kosher
1 large red onion thinly sliced, about 2 cups
1 jalapeno charred
2 bay leaves
Instructions
Place the grapefruit juice, orange juice, lime juice and vinegar in a mixing bowl along with the black pepper, allspice, and salt. Mix well.
Add the red onions and bay leaves.
Char or broil the banana pepper in the broiler, on the grill, on a hot comal or dry skillet set over medium heat or directly on an open flame, for 3 to 6 minutes. Turn it once or twice, until its skin has lightly charred.
Add to the onions.
Toss well in a canning jar and let the ingredients pickle at room temperature from ½ hour to 2 hours
Put the jar in the refrigerator. Pickled Red Onions will keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.
3.5.3229
This Chicken Pibil Sandwich is one of my favorites from Pati’s Mexican Table. Spicy chicken topped with crunchy pickled red onions and slathered with avocado crema is a satisfying bite. It’s a quick sandwich to put together, too.
Let’s make a batch!
Chicken Pibil Sandwich with Pickled Onions and Avocado Crema
Nicely seasoned chicken or turkey topped with tangy, sweet pickled red onions and slathered with avocado crema. Quick, easy, and very yummy!
Author: Pati Jinich, Pati's Mexican Table
Recipe type: Sandwich
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 4-5 servings
Ingredients
½ pound ripe tomatoes
¼ red onion outer layer removed
3 cloves garlic unpeeled
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups low sodium chicken broth, divided
2 tablespoons canola oil
¼ cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
¼ cup white distilled vinegar
½ teaspoon dried oregano
⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons achiote paste chopped (the paste that comes in a bar, not a jar!)
6 cups cooked shredded chicken from homemade broth or rotisserie chicken (may substitute turkey)
Soft buns
Avocado Crema
Pickled Red Onions a la Yucateca
Instructions
Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet or roasting pan with foil. Place the whole tomatoes, onion and unpeeled garlic cloves on the foil and set under the broiler, 3 to 4 inches from the heat. Broil for 4 to 5 minutes, until charred on one side. Flip over and broil for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the skin is blistered and completely charred. The tomatoes should be very soft with the juices beginning to run out. Remove from heat.
Once cool enough to handle, quarter the tomatoes and place in a blender jar along with any juices from the baking sheet. Peel the garlic cloves and add to the blender along with the onion, salt and 1 cup of the chicken broth. Puree until completely smooth.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a casserole or soup pot until hot but not smoking. Pour in the puree and cover partially, as the sauce will sizzle and jump. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and darkens considerably.
Meanwhile, combine the grapefruit juice, orange juice, lime juice, vinegar, oregano, cumin, allspice, pepper, chopped achiote paste, and the remaining cup of chicken broth in the blender and puree until completely smooth.
Stir the puree into the tomato sauce and bring back to a simmer. Simmer 5 minutes, then add the shredded chicken. Mix together well and continue to cook, uncovered, until the chicken has absorbed most of the sauce, about 5 minutes. The finished dish should be very moist but not wet or soupy.
To serve, scoop about 1 cup of the chicken pibil onto the bottom half of a bun. Top with avocado crema and a few pickled red onions.
Avocado Crema: 2 ripe avocados; ½ cup Mexican crema;1 minced clove garlic;1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice; ½ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
Anyone who grew up in the vintage mid-century years remembers creamy tomato soup from a well-known soup canner. What a satisfying and hearty lunch or dinner served with a grilled cheese sandwich. I remember my mother would make us tumblers of tomato soup and grilled cheese to eat at our picnic table in the fall. One of my favorite childhood memories. Fifty years later, I can still taste and smell that soup served in Tupperware mugs and dunking the sandwich quarters.
Cincinnati- based Tom & Chee, a tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich restaurant attracted Shark Tank investors Mark Cuban and Barbara Corcoran, who invested $600,000 in the franchise idea. Who woulda thunk? I mean, it’s tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. The lesson goes to the fact that tomato soup is a gastronomic bomb and a Midwestern staple.
Serve hot Creamy Fresh Tomato Soup with your favorite accouterments and
you’ll have a beloved memorable quintessential comfort meal in no time.
I like this recipe because it’s loaded up with other vegetables, not just tomatoes. You can control the salt which is always a good thing. You can control fat content depending on how creamy you want your soup to be. And if you don’t have fresh tomatoes on hand, you can substitute canned tomatoes (Salt-free if you roll that way.)
My goal for this batch was to use up tomatoes I already had on hand. I used three fresh tomatoes from the Farmers’ Market, a half-quart of heirloom grape-sized tomatoes leftover in the fridge, and a 15oz. can of salt-free petite diced tomatoes. So, it really doesn’t matter the source of your tomatoes.
Love tomato soup, but tired of the canned variety? Make up a homemade batch from simple and healthy ingredients. It's easy!
Author: Mimi
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: American
Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1½ cups onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, trimmed and roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
4-5 pounds of fresh tomatoes, or any combination of fresh and canned(with juices)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 Tablespoons dried basil leaves
1 bay leaf
1 Tablespoon salt or salt substitute (optional)
2 teaspoons black pepper
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
3 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup whole or 2% milk
Instructions
In a large heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add onions, carrots, and red pepper. Reduce heat to medium. Put a lid on the pot, and allow the vegetables to steam for 10 minutes until they're soft.
Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper, basil and bay leaf. Stir and saute for one minute.
Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir.
Add chicken stock. Stir. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer.
Cook for 30-40 minutes.
In small batches (3-4), use a blender to liquefy the soup. Pour the liquefied soup into a large bowl until everything is blended.
(CAUTION: The contents are hot. When blending anything hot, always cover the blender jar top with a kitchen towel. If you use the blender lid, the heat generated as you're blending will blow the lid off and you'll have hot tomato soup all over you and your kitchen. Not good.
OR use an immersion blender.
Pour the soup from the bowl into your cooking pot. Add the heavy cream and milk. Over medium heat, bring the soup to temperature.
Check for seasoning.
Finish soup with a Tablespoon of unsalted butter to add some sheen. (Optional)
Serve
Notes
Accouterments: Oyster Crackers, Croutons, Any sandwich especially Grilled Cheese, Garlic Bread, Hot Rolls, Cornbread.
Garnish with a dollop of Sour Cream, a sprinkling of Grated Cheddar Cheese, or finely Chopped Basil.
If you want a creamier soup, add more heavy cream and less milk. Or you could use half-n-half instead. At Mimi's Table
I’m no stranger to Mexican cooking. If you’ve read a few of my Mexican food posts, I frequently mention my ex-mother-in-law who was my introductory mentor.
Over the last 40 years, as Mexican food and cooking became an American obsession, I was increasingly intrigued by all the chiles, spices, foodstuffs, utensils, and techniques. I sought out Mexican/Latino grocers and ingredients. I wanted to broaden my horizon to include a variety of South-of-the-Border dishes and not the usual American restaurant fare.
Because I learned from a real Mexican cook, I knew dishes would be delicious and better going the homemade route using traditional ingredients and techniques.
Enter Pati Jinich. Her show on PBS, Pati’s Mexican Table was nominated for two James Beard awards and two Emmy awards. Pati begins her sixth season in September 2017.
Pati has an interesting story. She was born in Mexico City to Mexican-Jewish parents, and was raised in Mexico City. Not until she was married did Pati and her husband move to Texas.
Pati’s career began as a political policy analyst. Eventually, at the urging of her husband and family, Pati decided to migrate to another career doing what she’s passionate about, Mexican food.
I’ve learned a lot about Mexican ingredients and cooking methods from her blog and television program. Pati has a simple, welcoming style. It’s clear she loves to teach and share what she learns.
Pati’s blog is divided into three sections: Recipes, The Basics, and Ingredients. If you’re looking to build a well-stocked Mexican pantry, be sure to visit her Ingredients section – everything from spices and chiles to grains, beans, and vegetables. Browse in The Basics section for tips on cooking techniques and utensils. The Recipe section is amazing. Pati has included so many dishes I’ve never imagined to try.
Mole Poblano Yes You Can! is her recipe for the dark, richly flavored cooking sauce that coats chicken, tortillas for enchiladas, served with eggs, potatoes, and napoles (cactus). Pati solves the mystery of making a batch of this famous Mexican food staple, and breaks down making it yourself in easy to follow steps, coaching along the way with ingredient pairings, descriptions and why they work.
Fast Track Chicken Pilbil Sandwich is another of my very favorites. Scrumptious, creamy, crunchy, it’s all those things. The avocado crema is phenomenal.
Pickled Red Onions a la Yucateca has become a family favorite not only for the Pilbil Sandwich, but to top tacos. They’re crunchy, not too sweet, not too vinegary – they’re a perfect accompaniment for any sandwich, grilled meat, eggs. These onions are addictive. Learn about bitter orange as the unique ingredient for the pickling liquid.
Here are a few of Pati’s recipes I’m eager to try:
I’m very fortunate to have a college roommate who owned a cottage on Lake Erie in Lakeside, Ohio.
Two summers ago, my daughter, her family and I decided to rent Cynthia’s cottage for a week and a lovely getaway. We enjoyed it so much that we returned in July this year.
I grew up near Lake Michigan, so the trips to Lakeside are nostalgic for me. I love the drive up to the cottage. As we approach, we can see the big blue lake on the horizon. It feels like home to me. Cindy grew up in Buffalo, NY, on Lake Erie. Both our fathers worked in the steel mills built near our respective lakes’ shores. We were both raised in strong ethnic communities. So, to say the least, we found we had much in common when she and I first met at Butler University in Indianapolis. We’ve been friends for over 40 years!
Lakeside is known as one of many Chautauqua communities scattered throughout the Eastern United States. Founded in 1873, Lakeside became a retreat for families and adults where visitors are invited to participate in cultural and religious enrichment, history, musical appreciation, and health and wellness programs.
The area surrounding Lakeside hosts unique historical sites to visit, too. Believe it or not, Johnson’s Island on Sandusky Bay once was a Confederate prisoner-of-war camp.
There’s boating, fishing, swimming beaches, water sports all on Lake Erie and easily accessible.
Lakeside Chautauqua is a unique experience for each individual. We invite you to experience our Chautauqua community this summer in your own way; reconnect with family, grow spiritually, expand intellectually, unleash your creativity or challenge yourself physically. The opportunities are endless. You will soon realize why Lakeside Chautauqua has remained an annual tradition for generations of families.
The Keeper’s House
I love lighthouses! This one on the Marblehead Peninsula became a state park built on the Columbus Limestone rocky shores of the lake. It’s maintained by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and operated by the US Coast Guard.
Since 1822, the Marblehead Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse in continuous operation on the Great Lakes. The Keeper’s House was constructed in 1880, and was the home to 16 keepers including two women.
Of course, there’s a fantastic view of Lake Erie.
And a great view of Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky.
On the way back to the cottage at Lakeside, we stopped at Brown’s Dairy Dock on State Road 163. Brown’s is seriously a must! Visit their Facebook page!
And while we’re talking about food, a visit to the Jolly Roger Seafood House in Port Clinton is another must for our family.
Lake Perch and walleye are fresh, perfectly deep fried, and the servings are very generous.
Jolly Roger’s also serves incredible jumbo fried shrimp and fish tacos. Their onion rings are out of this world, too.
Really. I can’t get enough. Neither can Jessica. She, Brock and the boys stopped again on their way home to Indiana. Oh my gosh, it’s that good!
Now’s the time to have a discussion about heat – like hot peppery heat. Not everyone shares the same enthusiasm for peppery spicy food. I, myself, like the heat from peppers or Tobasco sauce or ground cayenne, but enjoy the flavors in moderation. I like the simple spike of heat, but not so hot that’s it’s uncomfortable to eat.
What I do is add a finely diced jalapeno, a finely diced serrano, and add dry ground cayenne to the dry spices. A couple shakes of red pepper chili flakes goes in there, too. And a couple shakes of Tobasco sauce as the chili cooks.
Chili Thoughts
I would love to know how you make your chili special! What tips and tricks do you have up your sleeve?
And buy red sugar sprinkles early in the season. Egads! I went to six grocery stores until I found four little bottles. And it was ten days before Christmas! Every store had plenty of green. I left two red bottles on the shelf knowing some needy baker would run into the same dilemma as I did. Maybe I should come up with a green sprinkle recipe? Next year, I’m ordering mine online immediately after Thanksgiving.
Avocado Crema: 2 ripe avocados; ½ cup Mexican crema;1 minced clove garlic;1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice; ½ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
