Bedlam Manor Chili

This is primarily my mom's chili recipe, with one added ingredient that a friend suggested for a richer tasting dish: Worcestershire sauce. The recipe doubles, triples, or quadruples easily for a crowd.

Bedlam Manor Chili

1 medium onion
1 clove garlic
1 lb ground beef
salt or garlic salt to taste
1 lb can tomotoes
1 lb can kidney beans
1 teaspoon oregano
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
shredded cheddar

Brown first four ingredients. Add tomatoes and beans. Bring to a boil then add oregano, chili powder, and the Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for at least 1 1/2 hours. Taste and add more chili powder and salt if desired. Chili should be thick.

A great recipe for some of the cold nights we've been having!

Enjoy!

Banana Blueberry Oatmeal

This recipe comes from my friend Irene, who recently moved to Denver where she has been experiencing a true winter. This recipe sounds so good, that even though we haven't seen a snowflake here in D.C., I can't wait to cozy up with a hearty bowl.

Banana Blueberry Oatmeal

1/3 cup Bear Naked regular oats

2/3 cup water

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1 banana, sliced

1 tbs flaked coconut

1 tbs slivered almonds

1-2 tsp brown sugar (to taste)

1-2 tsp lowfat or nonfat milk

Combine oats and water in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Add all other ingredients to microwaved oats, stir to combine and enjoy! Makes one serving - a quick, hearty breakfast complete with two of your daily servings of fruit.

Lemon-Blueberry Muffins

My new interest in baking muffins led me to this recipe, from a 2005 issue of Food & Wine magazine. 

Lemon-Blueberry Muffins

(From Food & Wine, August 2005 issue)

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup blueberries (frozen or fresh)

2 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  
• Butter a standard 12-cup muffin pan. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in the blueberries. 
  
• In another medium bowl, whisk in the eggs with the milk, oil and lemon zest, then whisk in the lemon juice.
  
• Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg mixture into the flour mixed until blended; do not overmix.
  
• Spoon the batter into the muffin cups and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins stand in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a rack to cool slightly. Server warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Foil-Baked Salmon with Corn and Lime

This was one of the first recipes I made when I moved to Washington, DC and started living on my own. At the time, I was cooking for one, and this was the perfect home cooked meal. I made this the other night, after deciding that I needed another preparation for salmon, and doubled the recipe. With very little work, you wind up with a beautiful and very tasty dinner.

Foil-Baked Salmon with Corn and Lime
(from Williams-Sonoma Cooking for Yourself)

This recipe serves one, but is easily doubled.


3/4 cup corn kernels
1/4 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into small, neat dice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 jalapeno chile, seeded and minced, or more to taste
salt and ground pepper to taste
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 lime wedge, plus 3 thin lime slices
1 skinless salmon fillet (1/2 lb)

• Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F.
• Put the corn kernels in a bowl. Add the bell pepper, cilantro, chile, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
• Put a 12 x 18-inch sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil on a work surface. Top with the corn mixture and dot with 1 teaspoon of the butter. Squeeze lime wedge over the salmon fillet, then season with salt and pepper. Place the salmon on top of the corn mixture. Top with lime slices and dot with the remaining 1 teaspoon butter.
• Bring the long edges of the foil together and fold over to form a tight seal. Fold and seal the ends as well. Bake until the salmon is opaque throughout and just flakes with a fork, 15-20 minutes. The timing will depend on the thickness of the fillet.
• Transfer the packet to a heatproof work surface. Open the foil carefully at the ends first, allowing hot steam to escape, then unwrap the top. Transfer to a warmed dinner plate.
  

Enjoy!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to everyone and welcome to 2009! I hope you had a nice celebration last night. If your day is anything like mine, today is a lazy day of relaxing and eating lots of leftovers. We pulled out a few old time favorites and tried a few new dishes and as always, had way too much food. But, I did remember to take pictures of everything, so I am happy to share with you our New Year's Eve feast - complete with links to each recipe. Of course, the dishes can be made for any occasion and I know that I'll certainly be pulling these out again.

Enjoy!

Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil

Grown Up Ham and Cheese Finger Sandwiches

Grilled Beef Tenderloin on Focaccia Toasts

French Onion Soup

Pear and Walnut Salad

Beef Bourguignon

Potatoes au Gratin

Banana's Foster

(recipe provided and cooked by Betsy and flambeed by Mike!)