If I Had A Blog

Recipe from Alton Brown

1. 3 Haas avocados
2. 1 lime
3. 1/2 tsp kosher salt
4. 1/2 tsp ground cumin
5. 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
6. 1/2 medium onion
7. 2 small tomatoes
8. 1 tbs chopped cilantro
9. 2 cloves garlic

Chop the onion, garlic and cut the tomatos into small pieces.

Scoop out avocados, squeeze lime juice over them.  Add salt, cumin, cayenne pepper and mash.

Fold in the onions, garlic and tomatoes.

1. 1 lb green beans
2. 1 large onion
3. 3 tbs vinegar
4. 3 tbs vegetable oil
5. 1/2 tsp dried dillseed
6. 1 tbs sugar

Cut green beans lengthwise.  Put the beans in a small pot cover with water.  Bring to a boil and cook them until just tender.  (Save 1/4 cup of the water from the pot after cooking)

Cut the onion into thin slices.

Mix together onion, vinegar, oil, dillseed, sugar and the 1/4 water from the pot.  Pour over beans and marinate for several hours.

(I never measure when I make chili so these are all just rough estimates from memory.  I might pay attention and update this the next time I make chili)

1. 2-3 lbs ground beef
2. red kidney beans
3. dark red kidney beans
4. pink beans
5. tomato sauce
6. Walmart White Corn & Black Bean Salsa
7. Barilla Roasted Garlic Sauce
8. onions
9. 2+ tablespoons chili powder
10. garlic cloves
11. Old Bay
12. cayenne pepper

Cook ground beef on the stove in a pan to brown it slightly and cook out the fat.  Drain off the fat/grease before adding the beef to the chili pot.  Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer over medium low heat for 4-8 hours stirring occasionally.

Stock

1. chicken carcase (left over from baking a whole chicken, usually the day before then removing the meat)
2. chicken giblets (minus the livers)
3. 1 chicken bullion cube
4. 1 onion
5. 3-5 cloves garlic
6. Old Bay
7. ground black pepper
8. cayenne pepper (a small amount)

Add everything to a large pot then fill with water about 1/2 full.  Bring to a boil, then simmer stirring occasionally for 3-6 hours.  Strain the liquid off into another pot.  (It may be saved in the refrigerator if you aren’t making the soup until the next day)

Soup

1. stock
2. chicken (cut into small pieces)
3. carrots (chopped)
4. onions (diced)
5. peas
6. corn
7. rice or potatoes
8. turnips (purple topped, chopped)

Bring the stock to a boil and then add the ingredients in order of longest to shortest cooking time.  That insures none of the ingredients will be overcooked and turn to mush.

Add the chicken first with the carrots and turnips (and potatoes if you are using those).  After a time, add the onions, then the peas and corn.  If I am using rice instead of potatoes, I use boil-in-bag rice and cook it right in the pot near the end.  Taste the soup as you go to see if you need to add more pepper, Old Bay, or other spices.  I usually do not ever add any salt as the bullion cube is mostly salt and seems to work out perfectly.

Brownies

1. 4oz unsweetened chocolate (I use Nói Síríus Icelandic Chocolate – 56% bitter-sweet or 70% extra-bitter)
2. 2/3 cup shortening (Crisco)
3. 2 cups sugar
4. 4 eggs
5. 1 1/4 cups flour
6. 1 teaspoon baking powder
7. 1 teaspoon salt
8. 1 teaspoon vanilla

Grease brownie pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flour, baking powder and salt together.

Melt chocolate and shortening together in a pot over low heat, stirring occasionally.  When completely melted, remove from heat.  Add sugar to pot and mix completely.  Alternately add eggs and flour mix stirring each time.  Add vanilla.

Pour in brownie pan and put in oven.  Cooking time is between 25 – 30 minutes.

After 15 minutes, turn the pan around (back to front).  This will ensure the brownies cook evenly if your oven isn’t evenly warm (as many ovens can be).  After another 10 minutes, check the brownies with a toothpick.  If the brownies are starting to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out dry, they are done.