Three Bean and Veggie Chili

Nachos, Buffalo wings, sliders, guacamole, dips, chips, chili. This menu symbolizes one thing...The Superbowl. Where else would this disparate list of menu items work so perfectly? Food, drinks, family & friends, the commercials and, of course, the actual game. This Sunday should really be considered a national holiday. Sadly, this year I am not rooting for either team so a bit less exciting but still "must see" TV.

I have been making this vegetarian chili for years. It is an adaptation of a recipe I first found in one of the last editions of Gourmet Magazine from the November 2007 edition. I have made a lot of tweaks by mixing up the vegetables throughout the seasons. The original called for all pinto beans, but I like the color, taste and texture the three bean medley provides. Best of all, both carnivores and vegetarians love the chili so it is the perfect dish to add to the wings and sliders main courses. Oh..and it can be made in under an hour! But I recommend you make it 1-2 days ahead of the big day. The flavor improves after sitting in the refrigerator a day or so. Just bring it to room temperature before you begin heating to avoid overcooking. Who are you rooting for this weekend?

Three Bean and Veggie Chili
adapted from Gourmet Magazine
(serves 6)

2 dried ancho chiles
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, crumbled
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
extra virgin olive oil
2 white onions, chopped
1/2 large sweet potato, unpeeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 yellow or red bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/4 teaspoon coconut sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 (14 1/2-oz) can whole tomatoes in juice
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, minced
1 1/4 cups water
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 lb baby spinach, washed and dried
sea salt
black pepper

guacamole
salsa
grated parmigiano-reggiano or shredded cheddar cheese
tortilla chips
warm corn or flour tortillas

Split anchos in half and remove seeds and stem. Warm in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until soft and pliable, turning frequently. (about a minute). Remove from heat and tear into small pieces. Add prepared chile, cumin, oregano and cinnamon to small coffee/spice grinder and process until a fine powder is created. Set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onions, sweet potato, bell pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons each salt & pepper and saute until vegetables are soft, stirring frequently. (7-10 minutes). Add the garlic and saute an additional minute. Stir in chocolate, sugar, orange zest, tomatoes with their juice, chipotle, and water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Using a wooden spoon, break up tomatoes into small pieces. Cover pot and cook 20 minutes.

Stir in beans and spinach. Simmer, uncovered, an additional 5-10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve with the above accompaniments of your choice.

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Other Bean Recipes You May Enjoy:

• acorn squash and pinto bean chili with chipotle (made in a slow-cooker)
• roasted pumpkin & black bean stew with chorizo and pepitas
• baked beans, my way
• my dad's beans

Winter means comfort food at Food Network and this week we are celebrating Chili. Do you have a favorite chili recipe? Share in the comments section and/or link to your blog if you have one. And be sure to check out the delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network. 

Feed Me Phoebe: Gluten-Free Chicken Chile Verde
The Cultural Dish: Game Day Turkey Chili
Big Girls, Small Kitchen: Classic Chicken Chili
The Mom 100: Barbacoa Beef Chili
Weelicious: Four Bean Chili
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Three Bean and Veggie Chili
Red or Green: Chili Dogs
Swing Eats: Slow-Cooker Chili & Jalapeño Corn Muffins (gluten-free)
Taste with the Eyes: Gourmet Bison Chili with Heirloom Cranberry Beans, Poached Egg
Creative Culinary: Smoky Beef and Bourbon Chili
FN Dish: Come Sunday, It's All About Game-Day Chili Bowls

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green? 

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove
please follow me on Facebook

I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos."  Please visit and let me know what you think.

Thai Red Curry & Peanut Vegetable Stew

We have had such a mild winter in Taos. Many days in February and early March had temperatures in the 50s!  But Saturday was cold...wind with gusts of 35 to 40 MPH made it feel very chilly. Cloudy skies threatened snow. I craved a big fire and an even bigger pot of warm, comforting soup.

This Thai Red Curry & Peanut Vegetable Stew was exactly what I needed. Spicy, savory, chock full of vegetables, thickened with coconut milk; heat from Thai red curry paste and creamy from the peanut butter. Served with gluten-free coconut biscuits (will be shared in an upcoming post), this made a perfect Saturday night meal. Enjoy!
(oh, btw...I heated up leftover stew for lunch on Monday. Two days later and still delicious!)

Thai Red Curry & Peanut Vegetable Stew
(serves 4-6)

1 medium eggplant, cut in 1 inch cubes
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut in 1 inch slices
1 large cauliflower, cut into florets
1 cup baby bella mushrooms, washed
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp ginger, minced
2 tbsp Thai red curry paste (I use Thai Kitchen)
1 32 oz box organic vegetable broth
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup canned coconut milk
juice from 1/2 fresh lime
2 green onions, chopped (white & green parts)
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
zest from one lime
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Add eggplant to large colander. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp salt and let sit 30 minutes.

Heat large stockpot over medium high heat. Add olive oil and eggplant. Saute for 15 minutes until eggplant is soft and brown on all sides.  Add onion, bell pepper, cauliflower and mushrooms. Saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and curry paste, cook for 1 minute.

Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Stir in peanut butter. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. Add coconut milk, 1/2 green onions, 1/2 of the cilantro, 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Stir and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Serve with remaining green onions, cilantro and lime zest topping each bowl of stew.

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It is "most comforting peanut butter recipes" week at Food Network's Comfort Food Feast. Check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends.  Have a favorite peanut butter recipe of your own? Please share in the comments section of this posts. (links o.k.) 

Domesticate Me: Peanut Butter and Banana Overnight Oats (Vegan and Gluten-Free)
Jeanette's Healthy Living: Gluten-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
The Heritage Cook: Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (Gluten-Free)
Virtually Homemade: Mini Nutter Butter Baked Donuts with Chocolate Ganache
Weelicious: World's Greatest Peanut Butter and Jelly 
In Jennie's Kitchen: Peanut Butter & Chocolate Cinnamon Buns
Red or Green: Peanut Butter and Ginger Cookies
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Thai Red Curry and Peanut Vegetable Slaw
Devour: Most-Comforting Peanut Butter Desserts
Taste With The Eyes: Korean Buckwheat Noodles, Peanut Sauce and Banana
Sensitive Epicure: Peanut Butter Oat Bars (Gluten-Free)
FN Dish: 10 Peanut Butter Pairings

Feed Me Phoebe: Thia Peanut Chia Pudding

best,

diane
napa farmhouse 1885

red or green?
california girl in taos
MoseyLove!

please follow me on facebook

I have started sharing my Taos experiences on my newest blog "California Girl in Taos". Please visit and let me know what you think.

Pork Stew in Port Wine Sauce with Grilled Cheese Croutons

I love the way this dish turned out. A delicious pork stew in a port wine sauce slow cooked in the oven then topped with grilled ham & cheese sandwiches cut into croutons. The stew combines pork meat with onions, leeks, garlic, carrots & red bell pepper with seasonings and a fruity port wine sauce. The croutons are made with the best quality extra sharp white cheddar and...to keep the pork theme going...ham, then grilled to an oozy melty goodness.

This is Grilled Cheese Week at Food Network's Comfort Food Feast. I have posted some of my favorite grilled cheese sandwiches over the past few years...apple, fennel & cheddar cheese panini tops the list...so I wanted to try something different. Grilled cheese makes terrific sandwiches of course, but I also like to cut them into smaller pieces and serve as appetizers or floating on top of soup (tomato of course). So tonight I thought the grilled cheese croutons would be the perfect accompaniment to the stew...better than potatoes or pasta and...according to my dinner guests...I was correct!  Enjoy and please tell me what you think.

Pork Stew in Port Wine Sauce with Grilled Cheese Croutons
(serves 4-6)

2 lbs pork stew meat, cut in 2 inch cubes
2 tbsp unbleached flour
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 large leek,(white and light green parts) cut into 1 inch slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp herbs de provence
2 cups fruity port wine
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 large carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, large chop
grilled ham & cheese croutons (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Season pork with 2 tsp each salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour over meat and toss to evenly coat. Heat a large oven proof skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add olive oil and pork to pan. Cook for 5 minutes without turning. Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes until golden brown on both sides. Remove from pan and add to rimmed plate (like a pie plate).

Add onion and leek to pan. Saute for 5 minutes until beginning to soften and caramelize (stirring frequently . Stir in garlic and saute for 1 minute longer. Add herbs de provence, port and chicken broth. Return pork to skillet adding any liquid from pie plate. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and stir in carrots and bell pepper. Turn off heat, cover pan and place in preheated oven.

Cook stew for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off oven and let stew remain in oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve topped with two or three grilled cheese & ham croutons.

Grilled Ham & Cheese Croutons
(makes 2 sandwiches or 12  croutons)

2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard
softened butter
2 slices sourdough bread
1 cup coarsely grated cheddar cheese
2-3 ham slices, thinly sliced

Heat skillet or grill pan(my preference) over medium high heat. In a small bowl, combine mayo and mustard. Set aside. Spread 1 side of  each slice of bread with butter. Spread the mayo mixture on the other side of each slice. Place 2 slices of bread , butter side down, in the skillet. Mound the cheese on top of the mayo side.   Top the cheese with the ham slices. Top with a second slice, mayo side down. Grill for 3- 4 minutes, or until bread is nicely toasted with deep grill marks (if using grill pan) and cheese is melted. Flip sandwiches and grill second side until golden brown. Remove from heat, Cut each sandwich in half diagonally, the cut each half into three triangles.

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Other cheese dishes you may enjoy:

• apple, fennel & cheddar cheese panini
• salad with apples, cheddar cheese and walnuts
• potato soup with red chile & cheddar cheese
• mac & cheese with roasted cauliflower and leeks
• cheese enchiladas with new mexican red chile sauce (vegetarian)

It is "Grilled Cheese Sandwiches" week at Food Network's Comfort Food Feast. Check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends.  Have a favorite grilled cheese sandwiches recipe of your own? Please feel free to share in the comments section of this post or link to your blog if you have one.  

Jeanette's Healthy Living: Lighted Up Croque Monsieur Grilled Cheese
Blue Apron Blog: The Tastiest Grilled Cheese Fillings
Weelicious: Grilled Cheese and Pickle Panini
Devour: Kelsey's Decadent Grilled Cheese
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Inside Out Grilled Strawberry and Cheese Sandwiches
Daily*Dishin: Grilled Pimento Cheese with Instant Pickles
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Pork Stew in Port Wine Sauce with Grilled Cheese Croutons
Red or Green: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Three Pepper Cheese, Grilled Onions and Pickled Jalapenos
Dishing With Divya: Egg and Mushroom Cheese Sandwich
Domesticate Me: Barbecue Chicken Grilled Cheese
Taste With The Eyes: Bulgogi Panino with Kimchi, Cheddar and Ssamjang Mayo
Virtually Homemade: Creamy Roasted Tomato and Basil Grilled Cheese with Bacon
The Sensitive Epicure: Grilled Cheddar Cheese Sandwich with Apple, Walnuts and Thyme (Gluten-Free)
FN Dish: 10 Grown-Up Grilled Cheeses

best,

diane
napa farmhouse 1885

red or green?
california girl in taos
MoseyLove!

please follow me on facebook

I have started sharing my Taos experiences on my newest blog "California Girl in Taos". Please visit and let me know what you think.

Italian Chicken Stew with Olives and Kale

The perfect dish for a cold winter night...chicken, vegetables, kale, chickpeas and olives slow cooked as a braise in a very flavorful broth.  Best of all, the prep is easy and fast...then you can set the timer and leave the kitchen letting the oven work its magic.

This is one of those dishes that improve by being made a day in advance. Then you just need to heat and serve.  Perfect for a weekend or weeknight dinner. This also works really well for pot luck get-togethers...double, triple or whatever you need. Just adjust your skillet(s) size accordingly. Ensure you serve with lots of delicious sourdough, french or hearty toasted whole wheat bread...perfect for soaking up the delicious broth.  Enjoy!

               
Italian Chicken Stew with Olives and Kale
(serve 4)
extra virgin olive oil
4 chicken drumsticks
2 whole chicken breasts, halved (about 1 1/2 lbs total)
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 bunch curly red kale leaves, cut into chiffonade 
1 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
1 cup chickpeas, fresh (soaked & cooked) or canned (drained)
1 cup whole Italian green olives such as Castelventrano, pitted
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. 

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large, oven proof skillet or dutch oven set over medium high heat.  Add chicken to skillet, skin side down, and cook until golden brown. (about 5 minutes)  Turn and saute other side until brown (5 minutes).  Remove chicken from pan and set on a rimmed plate.

Add the onion, bell pepper  and 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper to the skillet and saute until onion softens and begins to caramelize. (about 6 minutes) Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the broth, vinegar and kale and bring to a boil. Add the chicken, parsley and any accumulated chicken juices from the plate to the pan and cook over high heat for 2 minutes. 

Remove from heat, cover and braise in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and add chickpeas and olives, stir to combine. Taste broth and adjust seasonings if necessary. Add back to oven (uncovered) and cook for an additional 25 minutes. Remove from oven.

Serve stew in large bowls along with sourdough or french bread to dip in the delicious broth.

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It is "Chicken" week at Food Network's Comfort Food Feast. Check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends.  Have a favorite chicken recipe of your own? Please feel free to share in the comments section of this post or link to your blog if you have one. 

Jeanette's Healthy Living: Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili with Green Chilies
The Heritage Cook: Gluten-Free Fried Chicken Cutlets with Madeira Gravy
Weelicious: Roast Chicken with Caramelized Lemons
Devour: Giada's Top Chicken Dinners
Taste With The Eyes: Griddled Gochujang Chicken Sandwich, "Kimchi" Slaw and Seaweed Mayo
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Italian Chicken Stew with Olives and Kale
Red or Green?: Oven-Fried Tortilla Chicken Drumsticks
Blue Apron Blog: 5 Not Boring Weeknight Chicken Recipes
Virtually Homemade: Chicken Puttanesca
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Spicy Deep Fried Chicken
Domesticate Me: Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders with Sriracha Honey Mustard (Gluten-Free!)
Dishing with Divya: Couscous with Chicken and Vegetables
In Jennie's Kitchen: How to Roast a Chicken
FN Dish: Winning Chicken Dinners

best,

diane
napa farmhouse 1885

red or green?
california girl in taos
MoseyLove!

please follow me on facebook

I have started sharing my Taos experiences on my newest blog "California Girl in Taos". Please visit and let me know what you think.