Five-Star, Five-Bean Chili

The Superbowl is coming up, and it's time to start planning your party menus. I can't think of any dish more appropriate for a sporting event than a big bowl of chili. I'm making this chili for the Hoyas vs. Villanova game!! This recipe comes to us courtesy Emeril Lagasse.

This chili has a lot of spices/ingredients, but it is SO worth it (scroll to bottom for complete list of ingredients):


The veggies:


The meat:



Step 1:
In a cast iron pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the meat until well browned, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes.





Step 2:
Add the onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, salt, cumin, black pepper, cayenne pepper, coriander, and cinnamon, and cook until vegetables are soft, 4 to 6 minutes.






Step 3:
While the vegetables are cooking, use this opportunity to break up the tomatoes with your hands (yes, I washed my hands). This is kind of messy, so I'm thinking next time I'll ignore Emeril's instructions and just buy diced tomatoes.




Step 4:
Add the bay leaves, tomatoes, and stock; bring the mixture to a simmer, partially cover, and cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.




Step 5:
Finally, add all of the beans, stir to combine, and continue to cook another 20 to 30 minutes, or until the flavors have come together and the chili has a nice, thick consistency. Add the cilantro, taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.



Here is the full list of ingredients:
1 pound ground chuck
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 cup diced green bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder, preferably Mexican style
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 bay leaves
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, broken up with your hands
3 cups beef stock or canned, low-sodium beef broth
1 1/2 cups great northern beans
1 1/2 cups cooked and drained pinto beans
1 1/2 cups cooked and drained kidney beans
1 1/2 cups cooked and drained black beans
1 1/2 cups cooked and drained navy beans
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
Sour cream, grated Cheddar and chopped green onions, for garnishing, optional

I am officially a blogger!

Oh hello there loyal readers!
(and by “loyal readers,” I mean the family members who are obligated to read this blog, at least the first few times, and if I happen to put this link on facebook, the people who are so bored at work they have resorted to clicking on my blog for entertainment)

I’ve been talking about starting a food blog for a couple of years now, and finally my husband convinced me to make this my 2010 New Year's Resolution. There is a good chance that if this blog goes anything like previous hobbies/dreams ---tennis, dancing, flute playing, acting, gardening (yes, gardening)— I may lose interest within a few weeks. For that, I apologize in advance.

I don’t know how to describe my cooking style.Both of my parents are from Spain, so of course, I love Spanish cuisine----I’ll take a plate of paella over an all-American hamburger any day. I grew up in the South, so when entertaining, I tend to be drawn to recipes that include butter, cheese, and bacon. And of course, to balance out the butter, bacon,and chorizo, I try my best to throw some healthy recipes into the mix.

I will use this blog as an excuse to leave my cooking comfort zone, experiment with different techniques, and most importantly, share my love of cooking with all of you!

According to my mother, “all you have to do to be a good cook is to love it.”