Gaines Family Chili

Last month I was craving chili and found this very simple recipe (a printable version is here). The only thing you need to chop is one onion, so this is the perfect weeknight recipe since it comes together so quickly. All of the flavor comes from the canned tomatoes and beans which are already seasoned. Two 26-ounce cans of beans sounded like a lot to me, so I used two 15-ounce cans instead and I thought that was perfect. I had never seen or heard of Ranch Style Beans before but luckily our commissary had them. I used mild Rotel but if you like more heat, use original or hot. I did not use Fritos but I left it in the recipe.

I was skeptical about this recipe but I was surprised at how good it was. I'm so used to making a big recipe of chili that uses ground beef and ground pork and requires chopping peppers, onions and garlic and using various spices and then having it cook for several hours. This recipe only takes about 45 minutes. I made cornbread to go with it (and spaghetti because I love spaghetti with chili) and this was the perfect fall dinner.

If you are new to cooking or running low on time, this is the recipe to make!

Gaines Family Chili

Recipe from Magnolia Table, Volume 1 Cookbook

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 large white onion, finely chopped

2 pounds ground beef (80% lean)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Two 10-ounce cans mild diced tomatoes and green chiles, such as Ro*tel, undrained

Two 26-ounce or 15-ounce cans Southwestern-style beans, preferably Ranch Style brand, undrained

One 10.25-ounce bag Fritos

2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)

In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat until hot. Add the onion and sauté until translucent and tender, about 8 minutes.

 

Add the beef and a couple of pinches each of salt and pepper and cook, stirring often to break up the meat, until it loses its pink color, 6 to 7 minutes.

 

Stir in the tomatoes and beans with their juice. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

 

Ladle the chili into bowls. Serve topped with Fritos and grated Cheddar and accompanied by cornbread.

 

Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

 

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Zuppa Toscana

I recently came across this soup recipe and made it tonight - it was so good! I don't think I have ever put potatoes in soup before (I always add pasta), but this was delicious and is the perfect recipe for anyone who is gluten-free. Apparently this soup is served at Olive Garden, which I do not go to so I've never had it. There are many copycat recipes out there and most have bacon and kale in them but this one was more appealing to me. This recipe is very straightforward and easy and I much prefer spinach over kale. Sadly I can't have heavy cream but I found a dairy-free alternative that I used, which worked well. It would have tasted just fine without it though (if you leave it out, replace it with a bit more broth). I really love the addition of flour which makes the broth thicker than most soup recipes. I did find that it needed more salt and pepper so I increased those amounts below, and I still added more of both at the end of cooking. Otherwise I followed the recipe and wouldn't change a thing next time.

This recipe did not make that much but it was enough for my use tonight, so depending on how many people you are cooking for you might need to double or even triple the recipe. My husband wasn't home but I had 2 bowls of it, one of my sons had a very small bowl of it and I gave the rest to a friend who isn't feeling well. I also made bread this morning and dipping the toasted crusty bread in this soup was amazing.

This is a delicious, hearty soup - a great fall and winter recipe that I'll be making again very soon!

Edit: This soup was so good that I made it again the following night when my husband was back home. He loved it! This will be in our dinner rotation for sure.

Zuppa Toscana

Recipe from Once Upon a Chef Blog

 

Make delicious Zuppa Toscana at home with this easy recipe! It’s filled with sausage, potatoes, and spinach in a creamy broth that feels like a satisfying meal on its own. 

 

1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy, depending on your preference), removed from casings

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 medium carrots, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups chicken broth

1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, diced into ½-inch pieces

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for more heat)

2 cups baby spinach, stems removed, packed

½ cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving

 

In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the sausage over medium heat, breaking it up into small pieces as it browns, 5 to 7 minutes. Once browned, use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a colander in the sink to drain, leaving about 1 tablespoon of the drippings in the pot for sautéing the vegetables.

 

Add the diced onion and carrots to the reserved drippings (if the pot seems dry, add a bit of oil). Sauté over medium heat until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Do not brown. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until fully incorporated, about 1 minute.

 

Gradually pour in the chicken broth, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the potatoes, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer. Stir occasionally to prevent the potatoes from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

 

While the soup simmers, transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate. With more paper towels, blot the sausage to absorb any excess grease.

 

Add the baby spinach and cooked sausage to the soup. Simmer until the spinach is wilted, a few minutes. Stir in the cream and cheese and continue to simmer until everything is warmed through. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve hot, passing more cheese at the table.

 

Serves 4.

 

Notes:

Make-Ahead Instructions: You can prepare the soup up to 2 days in advance. After cooking, let it cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, reheat the soup gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. You may need to add a splash of broth or water if the soup has thickened too much.

 

Freezing is not recommended.

 

This soup is endlessly adaptable, so don’t be afraid to play around with ingredients depending on what you’ve got on hand. A few ideas:

·       Swap the sausage: Use turkey or chicken sausage in place of pork.

·       Toss in extra veggies: Diced bell peppers or mushrooms would be great; just sauté them first. If you want to swap out the spinach, kale or Swiss chard would work well. (Because they’re both sturdier than spinach, add them a little earlier so they can soften up.)

·       Add beans for heartiness: White beans (like cannellini or great northern) give the soup one more layer of texture and add a creamy bite.

Before adding the cream in

Focaccia

A while ago I tried this Focaccia recipe that I saw on Meghan Markle's Netflix series called With Love, Meghan. I've never paid any attention to her but I like cooking shows and this recipe looked so simple that I decided to try it. The other focaccia recipes I usually make take longer and are much bigger recipes so I end up freezing half of it. This is a better size for my small family and comes together easily for a weeknight meal.

This recipe is super simple to make and doesn't take very long at all. I bake it in my 12" Le Creuset skillet. The first time I made this, I had a very tough time getting it out of the skillet, so now I line the skillet with parchment paper which makes it much easier. I top it with flaky sea salt and bake it for 20 minutes. It is really good and easy! If you've ever wanted to make homemade bread but were intimidated by it, this is a great first recipe to try.

Focaccia

Recipe from With Love, Meghan

2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling/coating the pan as well as the focaccia
1 teaspoon instant yeast or 1¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit)
1-3 sprigs of rosemary leaves
Flaky sea salt, to taste

 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the water, yeast, flour, and olive oil until a shaggy dough forms.

 

Add the salt and mix until the dough comes together. It will be sticky.

 

Coat the top of the dough with a thin layer of olive oil and cover with a tea towel.

 

Place dough in a warm place and let rise for 2 hours.

 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

Once the dough has risen, turn it out into a well-oiled (or parchment paper lined and oiled) enameled cast-iron braiser, skillet or baking pan.

 

Gently stretch the dough to the edges of what you are baking it in. Be gentle and patient at this step. It may take a few tries to get the dough to that shape.

 

Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and put in a warm place to let rise in the pan for another 30 minutes.

 

Once dough is ready, coat your hands in olive oil and gently dimple the top of the dough to create small wells with your fingers.

 

Drizzle generously with more olive oil, rosemary, and flaky sea salt.

 

Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly golden.

 

Remove from the oven and carefully from the pan.

 

Slice, serve, and enjoy!