#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨
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Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Sunny Anderson’s Interstate Chili

February 3, 2009 · Narrative

Interstate ChiliIt has been simply ages since I really cooked a significant amount of food for the Superbowl.  The last time, though, quite memorably involved a trip to the ER before 30 guests came over, and resulted in 10 stitches in my left hand.  Darn guacamole.  To this day, as much as we love avocados, I still wince just a little when I have to play with them.

Sunday afternoon I was trying to decide what to make, flipping through my backlog of Tivo’d shows and landed on Sunny Anderson’s Cooking for Real.  She was making “gameday food” and one of the dishes was an Interstate Chili, so named because it combined chili flavors she loves from San Antonio, Texas and Detroit, Michigan.  She had me at chorizo.

When it comes to chili, I am not die-hard about it.  There are those that are very serious about it … beans, no beans, white, red … I happen to prefer red chili over white, but can go either way on the beans.  Sunny said she prefers chili without beans, and when it comes to this version, I wholeheartedly agree.  When I printed out the recipe, I nearly bagged it when I saw the list of ingredients (long!), but don’t let that deter you.  We would have missed out on this one.  The chorizo gives the chili a nice, low, lingering heat, but not so much that your mouth is on fire and you’re grabbing for a water glass.   The cooked red and green peppers and onions gave the consistency surprising little soft pieces throughout each bite, and I think that was my favorite part of the whole dish.

Would I make it again?  You bet.  And it’s perfect for this cold, winter-won’t-leave-us weather we’re having.  Last night, an earthquake (in NJ?!) and today more snow, with two more days of snow on the calendar for this week still to come.  Mother Nature is certainly having fun with us this season, and I don’t know about you, but I am over it.  Spring?  Where are you?

In the meantime, bowls ready, spoons poised, dig in.  This chili is waiting.

Interstate Chili
Recipe courtesy of Sunny Anderson, Cooking for Real

For the chili:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 medium Vidalia onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 jalapeno peppers, minced (I skipped)
  • 3 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons cayenne
  • 1 pound ground beef chuck
  • 6 links Mexican chorizo, removed from casings
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Gravy Master (I’ve never used this before,but at $1.49 for a small bottle, I sprang for it)
  • 2 tablespoons hot sauce
  • 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 2 to 3 bay leaves
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream, for garnish
  • 3 cups grated Cheddar, for garnish
  • 1 small onion, diced, for garnish

For the chips:

  • 1 (10-ounce) bags corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • Salt

To prepare the chili: Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, onion, garlic, and jalapenos and saute until tender, about 6 minutes. Add cumin, oregano, chili powder, cinnamon and cayenne and continue to cook, another 5 minutes. Add beef and chorizo and saute until browned, about 10 minutes, breaking meat apart as it cooks. Add Worcestershire, Gravy Master, hot sauce and tomato paste. Continue cooking until tomato paste turns nicely brown and caramelized, another 3 to 4 minutes. Add beef broth and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with sour cream, grated cheese, onion and Homemade Tortilla Chips. Chili can be made 2 days in advance and chilled, covered. Reheat before serving.

To prepare the chips: Place oil in a deep pot until it comes almost halfway up the side of the pan. Heat oil to 360 degrees F.

Deep-fry strips, 30 to 45 seconds each side, until crisp and just turning golden. Transfer to paper towel to drain. Sprinkle with salt immediately. Serve with chili.

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Posted In: Narrative · Tagged: chili, chorizo, Cooking, Cooking for Real, Food Network, gameday food, Sunny Anderson, Superbowl

Comments

  1. Blond Duck says

    February 4, 2009 at 7:45 am

    Yup! You can’t go wrong with a good chili.

    Blond Ducks last blog post..Without a Single Word

    Reply
  2. Scott at Realepicurean says

    February 4, 2009 at 2:47 pm

    My belly is empty. This looks really good!

    Scott at Realepicureans last blog post..If you eat pork, you MUST read this

    Reply
  3. Sunny :-) says

    March 11, 2009 at 7:01 pm

    hey girl, glad you liked it! long time no hear! guess what? we have something in common, kinda … growin up my mom severely cut her hand in the kitchen when she went to CATCH a knife that was falling, she caught it alright … anyway, now no matter what it is in the kitchen, if it falls, i wince a bit and step back … i’m not even catchin a stick of butter … btw, great pic of the chili … you could teach me some things …

    Sunny :-)s last blog post..I Want Mussel(s)!!! (long live Grace Jones!)

    Reply
  4. Cate says

    March 11, 2009 at 10:54 pm

    Hey Sunny, nice to hear from you again! Ouch on catching the knife, but totally something I would do too. Thanks for the compliment on the pic – not one of my best, but anytime you need pics, give me a holler. :)

    Reply

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨

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