Ultimate Chili

It has chocolate and four kinds of beans. That makes it ultimate, right? This is, so far, the only chili that I really care for. It's so rich that you could probably omit the meat entirely without any ill effects, which is why I'm tagging it vegetarian.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground meat
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1-2 jalapenos, or a can of green chilies
  
• 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 15-oz cans of beans, rinsed. Pick out whatever combination you have on hand, or whatever sounds good at the time. I used pinto, kidney, Great Northern, and red beans.
• 1 28-oz can crushed or diced tomatoes
• 1 15-oz can corn
• 1 15-oz can chicken (or vegetable) broth
• 2 tbsp oil
• 5 tbsp chili powder (yes, that's tablespoons. I used about three, plus another tbsp combined ancho chili powder, chipotle chili powder, and New Mexico chili powder, left over from my sweet potatoes)
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Sauté the onions, garlic, bell pepper, and jalapenos in oil until translucent, then add the meat, cook through, and drain. If you want to cook this in a pot, go ahead and do this in the pot you want to cook with. If not, dump everything into the crock pot now.

Stir in the spices. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, corn, and broth.

As soon as it gets hot enough, be very brave and stir in the chocolate chips. Or, if you're me, resist the urge to dump in the entire bag.

Simmer gently for as long as possible. The longer it cooks, the better it tastes.

If using a crock pot, start it on high for an hour then switch it to low.

This is even better the next day. And it's super good for Frito chili pies.

Beef and Bean Roll-ups

This hearty and flavorful recipe was created by a male contestant in the 1969 Pillsbury Bake-off. It's a simple dish of baked beans and beef with a brown-bread style biscuit dough.


Biscuit dough:
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup molasses

Meat mixture:
1 to 2 pounds ground beef
2 (1 lb. each) cans pork and beans (undrained)
2 tablespoons instant minced onion
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare meat mixture by browning ground beef, drain well and add beans, onion, molasses, and ketchup. Mix well and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour with baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Add milk and molasses; stir just until dough clings together. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough 5 or 6 times. Roll out to a 12 x 9 inch rectangle. Spread 3/4 cup warm meat mixture over dough. Starting with longer side, roll up. Cut into 12 1-inch slices. Pour remaining meat mixture into a 12 x 8 or 13 x 9 baking dish. Place biscuit slices on hot meat mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Note: to speed preparation you can roll out the dough as if you were making biscuits, cut with a biscuit cutter and place them atop the meat mixture. It's just as tasty either way. I have found that certain brand of beans have less "juice" than others, so it may be necessary to add a little water to the meat-bean mixture. You don't want the beans and beef to be dry.

Craig's Hawaiian Baked Beans

Dad got this recipe from one of our very first computer programs, called Cook'n. When we walk into a Friends of the Library potluck dinner with it people say, "Now the good food's here!"

2 (16oz) cans pork and beans (Bush’s are best)

1 (8oz) can pineapple tidbits, drained

3 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons ketchup

1 Tablespoon instant minced onion

1 Tablespoon mustard

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a 1 ½ quart round baking dish. Bake uncovered for 1 hour. Makes six to eight servings.