Fresh Natural Chili Recipe

Created this chili recipe using only real foods it makes a good size pot, great to take for lunch and a couple of dinners thru the week.

Fresh Natural Chili

4 C Pinto Beans Raw

1 lbs Hamburger

1 Bell Green Bell Pepper (Diced)

3 Cloves Fresh Garlic (Minced)

4 Roma Tomatoes Fresh (Pureed)

4 Roma Tomatoes Fresh (Diced)

4 Serrano Chilies Fresh (Diced)

2 Tbs Salt Plus some for boiling beans

3 Tbs Chili Powder

1 Tbs Cumon

2 tsp Pepper

5 C Chicken Stock

    In Large pot add beans, fill pot with water and add some salt. Cover and cook on med/high heat for 2 hours. Strain beans and set aside, in large pot brown hamburger. Stir all the remaining ingredients into the pot with the cooked hamburger, bring to a boil and cook for ½ hour. Last add the 5 cups chicken stock, stir and let cook on med heat for 1 hour.

This recipe takes a good amount of time to prepare, thats why its great to make the full batch. Have it ready for meals for a couple days thru the week. I also used all fresh ingredients for my diet to avoid any processed sugars and other added chemicals. If you have a great brand of canned beans or any other ingredient you would like to use just substitute them to speed up the process.

Seafood Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe

Day 57
15 Recipes
2 Projects in Progress
1 Restaurant Review
1 Ingredient Article


The Safeway grocery store I work at had scallops in the ad for 5 dollars a pound, after some confusion I walked away with 2 pounds for $3.42 don’t ask me how. I wanted to make something with them. Thinking back the most amazing dish I can remember with scallops is a fettuccine alfredo from a little steak house near by called the broiler. I figured I will kick it up a little by trying to replicate their dish with some extra added seafood.

Seafood Fettuccine Alfredo
¼ Cup Butter
1 ½ Cup Heavy Cream
¾ Pound shredded Parmesan
2 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic minced
¼ Cup onion minced

Seafood
½ Pound Clams
½ Pound Mussels
¾ Pound Baby scallops
½ Pound Shrimp (I used 26-30 Count)

1 Box Fettuccine Pasta

In Large saucepan add butter, garlic, and onion let cook on med high heat until onion turns translucent. Add the Clams, Mussels, and Shrimp cover and let sit for 6-7 min. As that sits start your fettuccine noodles boiling in some salt water. After the 6-7 min open the pot, the clams and mussels should have opened up. Pour in the heavy cream and salt, give it a few stirs and let it heat until it just starts to boil. Add the parmesan cheese and scallops, stir until the cheese has all melted and you have a creamy looking sauce. Continue stirring every min for about 5-6 min then turn to low and let sit uncovered. Strain the noodles when finished, place a few noodles on a plate. Top with a nice amount of the seafood and alfredo sauce. Serve right away.
 

Spicy Chicken Strip Recipe

Day 43
14 Recipes
2 Projects in Progress
1 Restaurant Review
1 Ingredient Article

I told myself I would not eat fast food for a year and I am sticking to that. On occasion I have a little deli food, I want to cut that out to. This does not mean I am eating very healthy it just means I have to fix everything myself, cutting out most preservatives, extra sugars, and chemicals. Since the beginning of the year just cutting fast food out I have lost 45 pounds. But I do have the cravings sometimes for KFC. The following recipe is of a slightly spicy chicken strips recipe I came up with as I was trying to copy their recipe.

Spicy Chicken Strips

3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (Cut into 1/3 inch thick strips diagonally across the grain)
1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Bread Crumbs
1 ¾ Cup Buttermilk
1 Tbs Cayenne Pepper
2 Tsp Black Pepper
2 Tsp Salt
1 Tbs Baking powder
2 Tsp Oragano
Enough oil to deep fry in

In large bowl add all ingredients except chicken, mix until you have a thin paste. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel, add to the mix. Stir the chicken in until it is completely coated. Bring the oil up to 325 degrees, with tongs add coated chicken strips one at a time making sure not to overcrowd the fryer. Fry for 5-6 min until nice and golden brown, remove and place on a paper towel.

Polenta Recipe

Day 25
14 Recipes
2 Projects in Progress
1 Restaurant Review
1 Ingredient Article

I am back sorry I was not feeling very good for a few days and did not want to focus on anything other than work and sleep. For this recipe I am making polenta, II never heard of polenta before a couple of years ago. It is a very simple dish to make and can be prepared hundreds of ways or just eaten as is. It's also a good dish if you are looking to save some money in the following recipe I use chicken stock but you can use any stock you would like or even just water.

Polenta was originally an Italian word, coming from the Latin for crushed grain. Until the 16th century when corn was introduced to Europe barley-meal and other grains were used for the dish. It was and still is classified as a peasant food. It was often served topped with a sauce, in the 1940's and 1950's it as eaten with just a little anchovy or herring.

Basic Polenta Recipe
6 Cups chicken stock
2 Cups yellow cornmeal
2 tsp Salt
3 Tbs Butter

In large pot add chicken stock and salt and bring to a boil. As soon as water begins to boil slowly add cornmeal making sure to stir constantly, once all the cornmeal is in continue to stir. It should begin to get thick within seconds, continue to stir until you can move your spoon across the bottom and it takes a few sec to fill back in. At this point add butter stir until melted and mixed in completely. Quickly transfer the polenta mix to a buttered dish of sort, it will take the shape of this dish I use a glass pie pan. Let cool for several hours if you would like to cut.

Creamed Spinach Recipe

Day 20
13 Recipes
2 Projects in Progress
1 Restaurant Review
1 Ingredient Article

After yesterdays article on spinach I realized I really like learning about the history of food. It is safe to say I will be doing more articles in the near future. I could not help my self from making a spinach dish after all the research yesterday. Cream spinach is one of my favorite sides, unfortunately most places do not serve it.

Creamed Spinach
2 10oz packages chopped spinach
8oz sour cream
2 Tbs butter
1/2 Pound Cheddar Cheese
½ Cup Shredded Parmesan
3 Tbs Minced Onion
1 Tbs Minced Garlic

In med size pot on med high heat add chopped spinach, Onion, Garlic, and butter stir until onions become soft and transparent. Add sour cream and both cheeses, continue to stirring until all the cheese has melted. Serve hot, goes great with steak

If you have any questions or would like to share your recipe please share it in the comments bellow.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe

Day 18
12 Recipes
2 Projects in progress
1 Restaurant Review

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day

Happy Saint Patrick's Day to everyone out there.  If you could not guess today I am making corned beef and cabbage. I love this dish so much I stock up on corned beef when its on sell and freeze it so I can have it later in the year.

Corned Beef and Cabbage
1 Corned Beef 3-5 Pounds
6 Large Carrots
6 Red Potatoes (All about the same size)
1 small yellow onion
1 head green cabbage

In a large pot add corned beef and seasoning packet that comes with it. Fill with water to top of pot, bring to a boil and cover for 2 hours. Peel carrots and slice into 1 ½ inch pieces, slice a little bit off two ends of each potato, Slice the onion into large chunks. After the 2 hours add the onion, carrots and potatoes to pot. Turn to med heat and cover back up for 1 hour. Cut cabbage into 4 pieces, add to pot for 15 min. Remove corn beef, slice and serve with a little of each vegetables on a plate.

 

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If you have a different recipe or would like to give me your input please share it in the comments bellow.

Pigs in a Blanket Recipe

Day 17
11 Recipes
2 Projects in progress
1 Restaurant Review

I am going to keep the recipes simple for the next couple of days. Today I am doing pigs in a blanket, a recipe that most of you know or think you know. If you are anything like my friends you each have your own way to make them. I have heard of hot dogs wrapped in croissants, sausage in pancakes, even little smokey's wrapped in biscuits. I am not going to say any of those ideas are wrong …. Wait, yes I am! The true way is to make them with sausage and biscuits.

Pigs in a Blanket
2 Packages 8 ct Farmer johns pork sausage
1 Pack Pillsbury jumbo biscuits

In frying pan cook the sausage until it has a nice golden brown coat. Open the biscuits and cut each biscuit in half. Flatten one of the halves with your hands and wrap around a cooked sausage link and place on baking sheet. Repeat until all biscuits and sausage are done and bake for 10 - 15 min at 350, once biscuit's are light brown remove and place on plate to cool. Goes great with honey mustard dipping sauce.

You can switch out the sausage and biscuits for your favorite types.

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Shrimp Won Ton Soup Recipe

Day 16
10 Recipes Completed
2 Projects in progress
1 Restaurant Review 

When I was a kid, I would always want to go to Hong Kong restaurant. A little chinese food place in Lakeport CA near where I had grew up. I don’t remember much of what I ate, except 2 dish’s stand out in my memory one was pot stickers, the other won ton soup. As a kid I don’t think I even cared that much of the soup, I was more excited to use one of those big Chinese soup spoons.. Now that its years later I have learned to also enjoy the soup it’s self.  It is a simple recipe, and healthy.

Shrimp Won ton Soup

Won ton’s
½ Pound raw Shrimp
1 Large Carrot
2 Cups napa cabbage
¼ Cup soy sauce
Won ton Wrappers

Soup
10 Cups Chicken stock
1 Bok Choy
2 Large Carrots
salt to taste

Add Chicken stock to large pot, Slice bok choy into med strips across the leaves and stems. Chop all the carrots into small squares, place ⅔ of the carrot and the bok choy in pot with the stock. Cover and turn to med high heat. Remove any skin and tail from shrimp and chop into small pieces. Chop napa cabbage into small pieces. In large bowl mix the shrimp, remaining carrots, cabbage and soy sauce. Place about 1 spoonful of the shrimp mixture on each won ton wrapper and fold.
When soup begins to boil, drop in won tons. Do not over crowd pot with to many boil for about 7 min and serve.

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Spanish Rice Recipe

Day 14
9 Recipes Completed
2 Projects in progress

Did not get to a post yesterday for anyone that is following. Went to San Francisco for the day, I did review a nice little bakery in Sausalito, so check that out in tomorrows post. Today I am sharing my recipe for Spanish rice, it is really simple and works great as a side for almost any Mexican dish.

Spanish Rice

2 Cups Rice
½ Cup oil
2 Cups Chicken Stock
½ Cup water
3 Tbs Chopped Onion
1 Tbs Minced Garlic
1 Jalapeno (Minced)
3 oz Tomato Paste


Heat oil up in pan on med high heat, add rice to hot oil and stir until rice turns bright white. Strain out oil add rice back to pan with chicken stock, water, onion, garlic, tomato paste and jalapeno. Stir once and cover, reduce heat to med low for about 30-40 min until all liquid is gone. Fluff with fork and serve.

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Chicken Tacos

Day 12
8 Recipes Completed
2 Projects in progress

Not much to explain here, we all know of tacos. I created this dish as a way to use up some extra salsa I had. It turned out so moist and flavorful that every time I make my salsa I put some aside for this tacos. The recipe is not very complex and is more about what you have sitting around so don’t worry if you need to modify it a little.

Tacos
Meat
1 Pound boiled Chicken meat (I use the thighs but any meat is fine just make sure bones are removed)
1 ½ Cups Salsa Quemada (This salsa is my choice as it has a perfect blend of spice and freshness)
1 Tbs Fresh crushed oregano
1 tsp Chile flakes
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbs olive oil

Condiments
Greens (I used spinach)
Cheese
Avocado Cut into thin strips

And tortillas (I highly recommend the la tortilla factory hand made style white corn tortillas)

In skillet heat up oil on med high heat. Toss in chicken, chili flakes, cumin, oregano and ¾ cup Salsa. Fry for about 5 min, stirring until most of the moisture from the salsa is gone. Add the remaining ¾ cup of salsa, mix for a min or two to make sure it is hot then place on warm tortillas add your choice of toppings. Makes about 8 tacos.


Hope you enjoy,

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Fried Corn Recipe

Day 11
7 Recipes Completed
2 Projects in progress

As you can see this is not the most beautiful dish to look at, but it is truly one of my favorite holiday side dish’s. Right up  there with green bean casserole and mashed potatoes. My father would always make this and I was to busy shoveling it into my mouth to think how it was made. Last year he was unable to make it do to his arthritis and gave me the recipe. Takes a little time but not much work and its a great recipe to start as you do other things.

Fried Corn
6 Corn on the cob
5 Garlic cloves
2 stalks celery
2 carrots
6 slices bacon
1 Large onion
Salt and Pepper

Cut bacon into ½ inch pieces and throw in frying pan, meanwhile cut corn off the cob and milk the cob and put aside. In another bowl mince garlic, chop celery, onions and carrots fine. Once bacon is crisp add corn and fry for about 5 min. Then add garlic, onions, carrots and celery cover to top of vegetables with water, add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil on med high heat. Once at a boil stir and turn to med heat cover and let slowly boil for 2 hours.

This can be served with the liquid drained or as a soup.

Parmesan Potato Patties Recipe

Day 10
6 Recipes Completed
2 Projects in progress

Left over mashed potatoes is something we all have after thanksgiving or a large dinner. I remember growing up my mom use to make potato patties, she would use the left over mashed potatoes and throw in a egg and some salt and pepper an fry them up. I still love them to this day but wanted to touch the recipe up a little. So the other night I was stuck with some extra mashed potatoes and thought this is my chance.

Parmesan Onion Potato Patties

2 Cups Mashed Potatoes
¼ Cup onion minced
¼ Cup flour
½ Cup grated parmesan cheese
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp ground turmeric root
1 egg

2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs Butter

In mixing bowl combine potato, onion, flour, cheese, salt, pepper, turmeric, and one egg. Mix everything together. In hot pan add butter and oil and heat on med high. Spoon batter into pan like a pancake and press down tell about ½ inch thick. Fry for about 3-4 min tell golden brown, flip and repeat. This is a great breakfast item and makes about 4-6 patties

There you have it, I think this recipe gives my mom’s a run for its money, sorry mom.

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Mexican style Boiled Meatloaf Recipe

Day 8
5 Recipe Completed
2 Projects in progress

    After pushing threw second place the last 4 throwdowns I have emerged the champion once again. My Mexican style boiled meatloaf came out on top but it was not easy I had some major competition, from friends Sabrina and Chris. I will go over the whole throwdown in tomorrows post, for now I would like to share my meatloaf recipe with you.

Mexican style Boiled Meatloaf
Meatloaf
½ Pound Ground Beef
½ Pound Ground Pork
1 Egg
2 tsp Chopped Fresh Mint
2 tsp Crushed Oregano
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cumin
½ Cup bread crumbs
¼ cut onions chopped fine
2 tsp garlic minced
½ cut raw uncooked rice
ketchup

Vegetables and serving stock
4 Cups chicken broth
2 Roma tomatoes chopped
2 Serrano chilies chopped
2 tsp garlic minced
1 large carrot cut into med size pieces
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt (2 if the chicken broth has no salt)
¼ pound of fresh green beans (remove tips and slice into 1 inch pieces)


Start with the Vegetables and stock add all the ingredients together and turn on a med high heat and cover.

In Bowl add all ingredient for the meatloaf except the ketchup and mix together. Place in large muffin pans and bake at 350 for about 45 min. Once you take them out remove from muffin pans and add each one into the vegetables and stock turn to med heat and boil for ½ hour. Remove meat loafs from liquid and place on oven sheet, cover with the ketchup and place back in the oven for 20 min. Slice and serve with a spoon full of vegetables and juice


I got my inspiration from the Mexican soup albondigas with a little traditional meatloaf twist.