Robyn's Recipes

Meal of the Week

To my Australian friends:

Ok, so it's 85°F. where you live...
You must be absolutely "green with envy" that
you're not having snow flurries and frigid
temperatures!  It must be just dreadful having
to get up every day and put shorts on and
think about getting to the nearest beach!
And how about leaving work every day and
nearly getting blown away by the wind..?
There's nothing like having to get up early in
the morning and spend time scraping your
windshield!  Well... "go ahead...be jealous
of us!!"  "Uh..."
{"pssssst!!!  <whispering>..... "anyone over there have a
room you'd like to rent for the season????":-) }

As we go into the winter months,
we need a great meal that won't take up
our entire day... something to keep us warm,
right?  Try my mom's best chili recipe.
You can make this in a crock pot and let it
simmer all day long while you're at work,
or while you're outside decorating the house
for Christmas.  Get those lights out and get into
the Christmas groove!!!  Then come inside to
a nice, hot dinner.....

Entrée

My Mom's Chili

1-1/2 cups chopped onion
1/2 of one green pepper, chopped
2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
16 oz. can of tomato sauce
1 lb. 12 oz. can Whole Peeled Tomatoes, chopped
2 (two) 40-oz.  cans kidney beans, drain approximately
half the liquid from can
1 quart of water

In a skillet, saute together onions, green pepper and
ground beef.  When meat is browned, add all the
seasonings and allow to simmer a bit.
Transfer entire contents of skillet to crock
pot or a large Dutch oven.
If using a crock pot, simmer on low for approximately
seven hours.  Before adding kidney beans, remove
about half the soup from pot, and transfer to a large
container to freeze for another meal. (Do not add beans
to container that you'll be freezing -- they'll get soft
and mushy.  You'll add them after you thaw the container
the next time.)
 Add beans to pot and allow to simmer
for another 45 minutes.

If cooking on top of stove in Dutch oven, allow
chili to simmer for about 90 minutes.  (At this point, remove
half the liquid from pot as directed above for freezing.)
Add kidney beans to pot. Simmer for about 15 more
minutes, then serve.

Side Dish

This cornbread recipe has a kick to it...
a teaspoon of chopped jalapeno peppers
makes it just the right flavor.
If you don't like "hot", simply
omit the jalepeno peppers.

Warm-Me-Up Cornbread

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup dry (powdered) milk
1 egg, beaten
1 stick butter or margarine, melted
1 cup water
1/2 grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno peppers

Preheat the oven to 350º.
Mix together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder,
sugar, salt and milk.  Add the egg, margarine,
water, cheese and peppers.  Stir well.
Pour into a 9X9 baking pan.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick
inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cut into squares.

Dessert

Bread Pudding with
Whiskey Sauce

2 cups milk
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3 cups dry bread cubes
3 cups dry raisin-bread cubes
1/2 cup raisins, if desired
Whiskey sauce (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 350º.
Heat milk and margarine in a saucepan over
medium heat until margarine is melted and milk
is hot.
Mix sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and eggs
in a large bowl with a wire whisk until well blended.
Stir in bread cubes and raisins.  Stir in milk mixture.
pour into ungreased square baking dish.
Place casserole in rectangular pan.
Pour boiling water into another large rectangular
pan, until about 1 inch deep.  Place the pan
of bread pudding down into the second pan of
boiling water.

Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes or until
knife inserted 1 inch from edge of casserole
comes out clean.

Prepare the whiskey sauce.  Serve sauce over
warm bread pudding.
Refrigerate any leftovers.


Whiskey Sauce

(As an alternative to this sauce,
you can also use warmed caramel sauce.
Comes in a jar and is found in the ice
cream section of your grocery store.)

1 cup packed brown sugar
1 stick butter or margarine
3 to 4 tablespoons bourbon OR 2 teaspoons
of brandy extract

Heat all ingredients to boiling in a heavy 1 quart
saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly,
until sugar is dissolved.  Drizzle warm or cold
over top of warm bread pudding.