What's for Dinner? Chunky Chili!

It's my go to meal when I want a lot of something for leftovers - a big vat o' chili. Mom taught me a version of this recipe which is lifted from the Betty Crocker cookbook. Now, you hard-liner chili buffs, this is with beans and tomatoes and tomato soup. When I first had to eat gluten-free, I was so disappointed that I could no longer use Campbell's tomato soup which uses wheat. In this recipe I substituted Amy's - which is gluten free - but much more expensive.

Cooking a vat like this is much more art than science, so go to town with your own variations...

Basic Chunky Chili Recipe

1 lb ground beef
large onion - diced or minced if you don't like the chunky bits
3 medium tomatoes - diced, can use a can if you like
1T crushed garlic - about a clove
1 15oz can kidney beans - I like the dark red ones
1 can Amy's tomato soup - ready to eat not condensed
dash olive oil
1-3T chili powder to taste
salt


Heat up a big pot - preferably heavy - I use cast iron.
Add some olive oil to the bottom.
Have vegetables diced and prepped.
Toss in onions to lightly carmelize - watch em so they don't burn.
Add ground beef - I usually use chuck - it's got some fat for flavor.
Brown ground beef, add tomatoes, garlic and salt the whole mess to taste which will help the tomatoes break down.
Add can of kidney beans - don't bother to drain unless you are fussy.
Add can of Amy's tomato soup - let simmer about 10 minutes
Add 1-3 tablespoons of chili powder - more or less depending on your taste.
Let simmer at least a half hour. The older it gets - to a point! - the better.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and enjoy!







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MMM Cream Cheese and...

I've used it in cheesecake and spread it on ham to roll up for little appetizers, but I feel like I just discovered cream cheese with this new twist. Was wanting to make a BLT, but my gluten-free bread (store-bought) is so heavy and small - hard to layer a couple tomato slices and the requisite several pieces of bacon on it - so I made this BT spread and saved the lettuce in a green salad. Makes a great light dinner when you don't want to heat up the kitchen.

Bacon-Tomato Cream Cheese Spread

8 oz - 1 block cream cheese, softened
8 slices bacon - cooked and crumbled (I used the microwave stuff - fast and easy)
10 or 12 grape tomatoes - quartered
6 or 8 sundried tomatoes (I get the dried kind - very sweet, tangy and chewy)


Mash all of the above together. Serve as a spread on gluten-free crackers, rice cakes or as an open face sandwich on gluten-free bread. Garnish with cherry tomatoes or a bit of arugula for a nutty spicy flavor.