Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner and I wanted to share this fabulous recipe for Cheesy Enchiladas in Mole. This is Jeff Mauro’s recipe, Ultimate Cheesy Enchiladas, from the Food Network with just a couple of changes. The sauce is not a true Mexican mole, like mole rojo, but it comes pretty close. I’d use this sauce in a heartbeat for any mole dish. The ingredients are easy to put together. I reconstituted powdered mole in this recipe: Turkey Enchiladas in Mole. But this sauce is so easy to make and comes together so quickly that I decided homemade was the way to go.
I decided to char a couple of mild long green chiles, like the ones used for Chile Rellenos, peeled off the skin, removed the seeds, and chopped them into a medium dice. I like the combination of cheese and chiles – who doesn’t like queso dip, right?- and thought chiles would add another layer of flavor.
Let’s talk about cheese.
Obviously, cheese is an important part of this dish. I decided to use Oaxaca cheese because I love it. Oaxaca is a mild-flavored, buttery cheese that melts like a dream. You can find Oaxaca cheese in any Mexican grocery and it is becoming common in most grocery stores, too. I find Oaxaca is cheaper at Mexican stores. Mauro also suggested Chihuahua which would be a good one, too. He added Monterey Jack and cheddar to his filling so the enchiladas are filled with lots of cheesy goodness. I’d recommend that you avoid substituting mozzarella for Oaxaca. Mozzarella melts beautifully, too, but lacks the richness of Oaxaca. Just sayin’.
Add oil to a pot over medium heat. Add flour and whisk together to make a roux. Add ancho chile powder, chipotle chile powder, cocoa, Mexican oregano, garlic powder, and cumin. Whisk together until the mixture begins to thicken and the spices are fragrant – 5 minutes tops. Add chicken stock, whisk until smooth, and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened. Add vinegar and check seasonings. Take off the cooktop and set aside. See, the mole comes together in no time at all.
Now it’s time to soften the tortillas. This step is quick and makes it easier to fill and roll the tortillas into enchiladas. Pour 1/2 cup oil over medium heat. Drop the tortillas one at a time into the hot oil. After 5 seconds, using tongs, flip the tortilla over to cook on the other side – 5 seconds. Remove the cooked tortilla to a baking sheet lined with paper toweling. I like to keep the tortillas separated using paper toweling between the layers. That way they drain well and don’t stick together.
In a large bowl, mix together the cheeses – Oaxaca, Monterey Jack, and sharp cheddar. Add the diced green chiles if using. Stir until everything is combined. Set aside.
Ladle some of your lovely sauce to the bottom of a 9″x13″ pan.
Let’s Roll!
Preheat oven to 375°F. I use a quarter-sheet pan to roll whatever enchiladas I decide to make. Doing so keeps the process neat. This method is especially handy if you’re using flour tortillas dipped into a sauce to soften before rolling. Place 1/4 cup of the cheese filling on top of the tortilla. Roll into a nice tight little bundle and add the enchilada, seam side down, into the baking dish.
Fill your baking dish in two rows of six enchiladas per row.
You’ll have leftover cheese filling. That’s what you want.
Pour the remaining mole sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Bake for 20 minutes or until they’re hot and bubbly. Sprinkle remaining cheese mixture over the enchiladas. Continue to bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Remove from the oven to a cooling rack. Let your enchiladas rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Yield: 6 servings
Cheesy Enchiladas in Mole
Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner. Those who love Mexican food should try this delicious recipe stuffed with cheesy goodness to celebrate the holiday. The sauce is not a true Mexican mole, like mole rojo, but it comes pretty close. I'd use this sauce in a heartbeat for any mole dish. The ingredients are easy to put together.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Additional Time10 minutes
Total Time1 hour10 minutes
Ingredients
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons ancho chile powder
1 Tablespoon chipotle chile powder
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
12 corn tortillas
16 oz. Oaxaca or Chihuahua cheese, shredded
4 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 long green chiles, roasted, peeled, and cut into medium dice OR 1 can diced green chiles
Instructions
Make the mole sauce.
In a medium-sized pot, heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil over medium heat. Add flour and whisk together to form a roux. Add ancho chile, chipotle chile, cocoa, oregano, garlic powder, and cumin. Continue to whisk for 2-4 minutes until the spices become fragrant. Add chicken stock. Continue to whisk and cook until smooth and the mixture begins to slightly thicken - 2-3 minutes. Add vinegar. Stir and check for seasoning adding salt and pepper to taste if needed. Set aside.
Make the filling.
If you're using fresh chiles, roast them over an open flame or in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until the skin is blistered. Remove chiles and place in a plastic bag. Close and allow the chiles to steam for 10 minutes. Take the chiles out and with a sharp knife peel off the skin. Cut open the chile. Remove the stem and seeds. Chop chile into medium dice. OR add a can of diced green chiles. Add chiles to cheese and toss to distribute ingredients. Set aside.
Soften the tortillas.
In a 10-12" skillet, heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, quickly fry each tortilla no more than 5 seconds per side. The object here is to soften the tortillas so they're easy to roll. Remove cooked tortillas to a sheet pan lined with paper towels using extra paper towels between layers.
Assemble the enchiladas.
Heat oven to 375F degrees. In a 13"x9" baking pan, ladle 1/2 cup of the mole sauce in the bottom of the pan. Tilt the pan to coat evenly. Set aside.
Using a plate or sheet pan, add 1/4 cup cheese mixture to one tortilla. Roll into a tight enchilada and place seam side down in the baking pan. Repeat for the remainder forming 2 rows of six enchiladas.
Pour remaining mole sauce evenly over the top. Bake for 15 minutes until the enchiladas are heated and the sauce is bubbly. Add remaining cheese filling and return to oven for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Remove to a cooling rack and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Use any garnish you enjoy with Mexican food. I like shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes. Sour cream would be good or pickled jalapenos and fresh cilantro.
Jeff Mauro at Food Network is the author of this recipe.
We all need a quick and easy meal like this one in our arsenal. And everyone likely has a pantry and freezer with the ingredient staples on hand. Easy Crustless Taco Pie is not only delicious but gluten-free, low carb and keto-friendly. And did I mention this taco pie is kid-friendly, too? A win-win in my book of tricks.
There’s nothing special that you need. Ground beef or ground turkey, eggs, cheddar cheese, taco seasoning are the staples here.
Serve with a dollop of full-fat sour cream (keto-friendly), guacamole, spicy salsa and a simple shredded lettuce salad on the side with diced tomatoes.
Here’s a tip! I like to buy ground beef in multi-pound packages from a big box store. The meat is usually leaner, 85-15% fat and I find it is cheaper per pound than buying ground meat in the grocery. When you make this recipe, why not brown 2-3 pounds at a time. Then separate the cooked meat into equal portions, load a freezer bag or two and store in the freezer. You’ll have cooked ground meat at the ready for another recipe Sloppy Joe’s or quick meat spaghetti sauce or tacos. Looking for even leaner meat? Use ground turkey instead. I’ve found ground turkey may be substituted for ground beef in most recipes.
I had to share this recipe if only to show the beautiful rise from the eggs. Yes, the dish deflates a little while it cools. But look! Isn’t it pretty out of the oven?
You’re happy! Your kids are happy! Everyone’s happy!
Yield: 4
Quick and Easy, Crustless Taco Pie - Gluten Free & Low Carb!
We all need a quick, simple, and easy meal like this one in our arsenal. And everyone likely has a pantry and freezer with the ingredient staples on hand. Quick and Easy Crustless Taco Pie is not only delicious but gluten-free and low carb. And did I mention kid friendly? A win-win in my book of tricks.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Ingredients
In a small bowl combine:
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon paprika
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1 Tablespoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 Mexican oregano
1/4 - 1/2 cayenne pepper, if desired
For Meat Filling
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons taco seasoning, above
6 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream or half-n-half
4-6 oz shredded cheddar cheese, or Monterey Jack, or Monterey Pepper Jack depending on your pepper heat
Instructions
Taco Pie Assembly
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Spray 9" pie dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a 12" skillet, brown ground meat over medium-high heat until cooked through and no pink is showing.
Add diced onion and minced garlic. Saute for 1 minute.
Add 3 Tablespoons (or one package) of taco seasoning to the browned meat. Continue to cook for 2 minutes until the mix becomes fragrant.
Spread the meat filling into the prepared pie dish.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream or half-n-half. Pour slowly over meat mixture in the pie pan.
Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until the center has nicely risen and begins to brown. 30-40 minutes.
Remove taco pie to a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve with accompaniments, if desired.
This scrumptious cheesy and melty Quick & Easy Burrito Pie is guaranteed to become one of your family’s favorites. It’s everything I love in quick Mexican casserole dishes. Perfectly seasoned and loaded with ground beef, beans, and cheese. You can’t go wrong.
I used 10″ burrito-sized flour tortillas and a 10″ springform pan to build the pie. And you can make it vegetarian by omitting the ground beef and adding black and pinto beans. Or use ground turkey for a healthier meat option.
Serve in pie slices topped with guacamole, sour cream, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, diced onion, sliced jalapenos and/or salsa. Maybe some sliced black olives and sliced green onions? How about some crumbled queso fresco? You know, all the yummy things you’d put on top of a burrito or taco.
Let’s make a burrito pie! Your people will love you. Guaranteed!?
Heat a 10-12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Add one Tablespoon olive oil and the ground meat. Brown the meat and drain off fat. Return the meat to the skillet. Add chopped onion and saute until just wilted. Add one thinly sliced (slivered) or diced jalapeno pepper. You can substitute diced green or red bell pepper to make the dish less spicy. Add 1-2 cloves of minced garlic. Continue to saute just until the garlic becomes fragrant – 1 minute or so.
Add one can of petite diced tomatoes liquid and all and one package taco seasoning. Stir and simmer until the mixture is slightly thickened – 2-3 minutes. (I added one corn tortilla sliced into slivers to help thicken things up, but you don’t have to.)
Add one can of drained and rinsed beans – any beans you like – pinto, black, light red kidney beans. (If you’re going vegetarian, I’d use two cans of beans and skip the meat.) Stir and continue to heat through. Remove the meat mixture from the heat and set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together one can cream of mushroom soup and 1/2 cup of sour cream. Set aside.
In another bowl, mix together the cheeses. I like using half shredded Mexican quesadilla cheese or Monterey Jack and half shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
Let’s put our burrito pie together! Shall we?
I used a 10″ springform pan and 10″ burrito-sized flour tortillas. The springform pan makes for easy assembly and serving once the pie is baked.
If you don’t have a springform pan, you can use a high-sided souffle dish or a 10″ pie pan.
Spray the bottom and sides of the pan with vegetable spray. Place a tortilla on the bottom. Top with 1/4 of the mushroom soup/sour cream mixture. Top that with 1/4 of the meat/bean mixture. Sprinkle with 1/4 of the shredded cheese.
Repeat the layers three more times finishing with soup, meat, and cheese.
Place the springform pan on a baking sheet. I line my baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
Bake your burrito pie in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes or until the pie is hot and heated through. Remove pie from the oven onto a cooling rack.
Let it sit for 10 minutes to make it easier to slice.
And there you have it!
Cut into pie-shaped wedges and serve with the toppings you choose.
Once cooled to room temperature, your pie can be frozen then thawed and reheated.
I can’t wait to dig in!
Hot, melty, cheesy, and scrumptious Quick & Easy Burrito Pie. Serve with toppings like guacamole, sour cream, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, diced onion, sliced jalapenos and/or salsa.
Author: Mimi
Recipe type: Main Dish, Quick Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
4 - 10" burrito-sized flour tortillas
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1lb ground beef or turkey
½ - 1 onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, slivered or diced (May substitute diced green or red bell pepper.)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 15½ oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 package taco seasoning
1 - 15½ oz can pinto, black or light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can cream of mushroom soup
½ cup sour cream
3 cups total Mexican quesadilla cheese and sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a 10-12" skillet over medium-high heat add olive oil and ground meat. Brown and drain. Return meat to skillet.
Over medium heat, add onion, Cook until just wilted. Add peppers and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add garlic. Cook until garlic is fragrant - 1-2 minutes.
Add undrained canned tomatoes and taco seasoning. Stir and simmer until slightly thickened.
Add drained and rinsed beans. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes until mixture is thickened and heated through. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine cream of mushroom soup and sour cream. Set aside.
In another bowl, combine shredded cheeses. Set aside.
Spray a 10" springform pan with cooking spray.
Line the bottom with one tortilla. Top the tortilla with ¼ soup/sour cream mixture. Top that with ¼ meat/bean mixture. Top that with ¼ shredded cheese.
Repeat layers three times ending with shredded cheese.
Place springform pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the pie is bubbling and heated through.
Remove from oven onto a cooling rack and let sit for 10 minutes.
Remove the outer collar of the pan and cut into pie-shaped wedges.
Serve with any variety of toppings: guacamole, sour cream, extra shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced jalapenos or salsa, sliced black olives or green onions.
Notes
Feel free to make your burrito pie vegetarian by omitting the meat and adding another can of drained and rinsed beans. The springform pan makes this easy to assemble and to serve, but you could use a straight-sided souffle dish or a 10" pie pan.
Simply put: This is one of the most delicious taco recipes ever! Jessica and I made this for “Cinco de Mayo.” Marinated and grilled shrimp offers up the perfect shrimpy bite. And I mean PERFECT! These shrimp tacos are an amazing combination of flavors and textures. They’re refreshing, too. Do I sound excited? Oh, my mouth is watering!
And a Negra Modelo. Doesn’t get any better. Truly! My son-in-law introduced me to Negra Modelo a long time ago when he and my daughter went to a late lunch. So good and flavorful – it’s the perfect beverage with good Mexican food.
When Richard and I vacationed in Mexico a few years ago, I ordered Negra Modelo. The beer was delivered in a tumbler-sized glass filled with ice. Lime juice freshly squeezed over the ice, and a healthy portion or lime juice. The Modelo was served alongside to pour over the ice and lime juice. Oh, so refreshing!
The cooked shrimp are placed in warmed corn tortillas, doubled, so two tortillas for each ta top. Then a layer of finely shredded cabbage for a nice crunch topped with this amazing sauce from Indian chef Aarti Sequeira at the Food Network. I didn’t have banana peppers, but if you like a tangy bite with a little heat, I’d put a few of those on, too, before digging in.
In fact, this is Arati’s Fish Taco recipe. I substituted shrimp and added the guac. I’ve made this dish with fish, too, and it’s equally delicious. Thanks, Arati!
Zachy Endorsed
If you try your hand at Shrimp Tacos, I’d love to know what you think!
These Shrimp Tacos are a delicious bite of heaven. Quick and satisfying. Serve with a chilled Negra Modelo for a perfect meal.
Author: Arati Sequeira, Food Network
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 3-4 servings
Ingredients
For The Shrimp
2 lbs raw large shrimp (21-25/pound count), peeled and deveined
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
Pinch cinnamon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For The Sauce
½ cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 lime, juiced, plus extra if necessary
Kosher salt and pepper
At Service
24-6" corn tortillas, wrapped in foil and warmed in the oven at 225 degrees for 10-15 minutes
Finely shredded cabbage or angel hair coleslaw mix
Pickled banana peppers
1-2 fresh limes cut into wedges
Instructions
Rinse shrimp in a colander under cool running water. Line a baking sheet with a double thickness of paper towels. Put the shrimp on top and cover with another layer of double paper toweling. Pat dry.
In a large bowl, mix the marinade ingredients. Add shrimp and toss until it's well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix the sauce ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator to let the flavors blend.
If you're serving homemade guacamole, now's the time to put that together. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Divide tortillas into two stacks. Wrap tortillas with aluminum foil and set inside a 225F degree oven to warm.
On the stove, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Begin to grill the shrimp in batches making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Grill for two minutes on each side, or until the shrimp turn pink. Be sure not to overcook the shrimp, because they will become tough.
As the shrimp cook, remove them to a bowl covered with aluminum foil.
To Serve
Set out warm tortillas, cooked shrimp, shredded cabbage, guacamole, sauce, and banana peppers buffet-style. Let everyone assemble their own tacos with whatever they like.
Notes
Shrimp Tacos may be served with refried beans, Mexican rice, or a salad. I've never cooked seafood on an outdoor grill, so I can't comment, but they certainly could be grilled. Enjoy!
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.
Let’s talk about cheese.
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.
Chili Thoughts
I would love to know how you make your chili special! What tips and tricks do you have up your sleeve?
