Official

I've been voted back!! I haz a happy!!!

Valentine's Day Delta's Only

From my friend Tracy Z. Originally from Whole Foods

Wild Smoked Salmon Chili

2 cans unsalted navy beans
2 cans red beans
1 large and 1 regular can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 small red onions, diced
4 large garlic cloves
1 small celery stalk, diced small
2 poblano peppers, ribbed seeded and diced
1 large red pepper, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded, diced small
½ cup cilantro, chopped
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon oregano
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon hot sauce
1 pound traditional smoked salmon

1. In large, heavy bottom stock pot, sauté onions, and celery in olive oil until soft.
2. Add Worcestershire sauce, peppers, garlic, and spices. Cook until peppers are soft.
3. Add tomatoes, beans, cilantro, and hot sauce
4. Simmer 1 hour.
5. Shred salmon. Add to chili and simmer for 10 minutes.

FYI: Tracy omits the celery, as she's not a fan.

Mexican Chocolate Chili

I made this dish for our dinner club last night & it came out well.  I think that next time though, I'd play w/the spices a bit more.  It's made to be sweeter, but I would have liked a bit more spice.     Mexican Chocolate Chili

Rated: Submitted By: saraeudy Photo By: catastrophiccook Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes Ready In: 2 Hours 45 Minutes Servings: 6

"This tasty slow cooker chili takes on south-of-the-border flavor when chocolate is added to the pot."

Ingredients:

1 pound ground round 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup hot water 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with garlic, undrained 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and

drained 1 (14.5 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.	Combine ground round and onion in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until beef is browned, about 5 minutes.
2.	Transfer cooked beef and onions to slow cooker. Stir in water, tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, corn, chocolate chips, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook on High until chili begins to bubble, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to Low, and cook until thick, about 2 hours.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2012 Allrecipes.com

Printed from Allrecipes.com 1/29/2012

Dinner at home tonight

Bean & cheese enchiladas.  N & L helped to make them.  For the most part, I enjoy having the kids help me.  Even when it would go faster by myself....They won't learn if I don't let them.  That's my mantra....

Cooking on Vacation

I've decided that I'm officially broken in terms of cooking for my family.  Last night I made enchiladas & looked at the amount of food & went, "Is this enough? Do I make more?"  I had no clue.  It turns out I made exactly the right amount for us, but it was such a weird sensation.

I also taught N [age 11] how to make scrambled eggs.  He's becoming quite the little chef himself now.  He has no fear to try cooking new stuff.  So maybe he did get something from me after all. Sometimes I wonder what w/all the gaming he's wont to do. 

It's good that the kids are learning things in the kitchen.  Sometimes it gets on my nerves. for example, Elie cracked an egg all over the cupboard & it dripped down the front of the cabinets.  But she's 4  I took a deep breath & wiped it off.  And kept going.  You can't make an omelette w/o breaking a few eggs right...I'll be here all week....hit the tip jar on the way out....

But seriously, Grandma never really had me cook much & she still thinks rosemary is an exotic spice.  So I want my crew to be able to enjoy at least cooking for themselves sometimes!

Oatmeal Raisin Cake for my B'day Boy

Niall's favorite dessert is oatmeal raisin cookies, which makes his b'day cake rather anticlimactic sometimes.  Here's your big cookie honey.  But this year, I was able to find a recipe for making it into an actual cake, which turned out fabulous! I used vanilla buttercream frosting w/it.

Here is the original link for it w/recipe below:

Applesauce-Oatmeal Raisin Cake

Recipe courtesy Elizabeth Alston

Prep Time:

35 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

40 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

12 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups water test
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup dark raisins
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 large eggs
• 13 by 9-inch baking pan

Directions

Bring the water to a boil in a medium-size saucepan over moderately high heat. Stir in the oats. When the liquid returns to a boil, stir in the raisins and salt. Reduce the heat and simmer 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oats are soft and the water is absorbed. Remove from heat, stir in the sugar, applesauce, and oil. Cool to lukewarm. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350 degrees, and grease the pan. Put the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a large bowl. Stir to mix well. Stir the eggs into the oat mixture. Add the flour mixture, and stir just until moistened. Spread in the prepared pan and bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until the cake starts to shrink from the sides of the pan and a wooden pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool. The cake is good served warm. Or cool completely, cover tightly, and store overnight at room temperature before serving or freezing.