Super Bowl

I was hanging out with friends on play off Sunday and we decided spontaneously to have a playoff party. It was really fun as we all ran off to our favorite markets and pulled together chips, dips, sausage sandwiches and shrimp cocktail. Assorted chocolate coved treats and fresh berries rounded off our meal. For me it was a blast because I don’t normally eat that way. As we were watching the games we thought how fun it would be to have a super bowl party based on famous foods from the two teams cities. We came up with a lot of things for New Orleans and New England, but came up a bit light for Chicago and Indianapolis. Though a pizza bar could be fun, we decided to cozy up with chili, cornbread, salad some fruit and cheese and maybe a few chips for the “kids”! Have fun, enjoy the game and mostly use it as an excuse to hang with friends and family.

Vegetable Chili
! /2 cup olive oil
4 small red onions, roughly chopped
8 cloves of garlic
2 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
2 yellow bell pepper, roughly chopped
6 carrots cut lengthwise then sliced
3 bunches broccoli, roughly chopped
3 zucchini cut lengthwise then sliced
3 yellow squash, cut lengthwise then sliced
2 cans (35 ounces) Italian style stewed tomatoes
3 pounds fresh ripe Plum tomatoes cut in 1- inch cubes
4-6 tablespoons chili powder (to taste)
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons Italian Spices
(Or any combo of basil, oregano, sage, etc.)
2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper
1-teaspoon salt
2 cans dark red kidney beans, drained
2 cans garbanzo beans, drained
2 cups tomato sauce

Heat olive oil in really large pot. Add onion, garlic, peppers, carrots and broccoli. Sauté for 10 minutes. Add all tomatoes and beans. Sauté for 5 more minutes. Add all spices and sauté for a few more minutes. Add the marinara sauce and 1 cup of water. Cook covered, stirring frequently for 1 hour. Serve with lots of shredded cheddar cheese chopped scallions and homemade corn bread.


Chili con Carne

3 Red Onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Pinch of salt
2 pounds Sirloin, cut into half inch pieces
2 15 oz cans kidney beans
3 large cans diced tomatoes

Sauté’ onions and garlic in the olive oil until tender over medium heat. Add seasoning. Then add the sirloin and brown the meat stirring constantly. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce to a simmer and let cook for at least one more hour.


Corn Bread
1-cup buttermilk
2 eggs, well beaten
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1-cup flour
1-teaspoon baking powder
1/2-teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar.
Spray a 9-inch square pan with bakers joy. Combine buttermilk, eggs and butter. In a medium bowl mix cornmeal, flour baking powder, sugar and salt. Stir in the buttermilk mixture until just mixed. The batter may be a bit lumpy. Pour into the greased pan. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes until the top of the bread is golden brown.

Jalapeno Cornbread
Great flavor with a nice kick!!!
4 eggs
1-cup buttermilk
2 cups corn, fresh, frozen or canned
2 sticks melted butter
4 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
2 cups cornmeal, blue, yellow or white
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Mix in a large bowl. Spray a loaf pan with bakers joy. Bake at 350 for about one hour or until golden on top.


Over Sized Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies
4 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-teaspoon salt
2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3-teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
3 packages (12 ounces each) assorted chocolate chips
(I like the mixture Ghirardelli 60% semi sweet, milk chocolate and biter sweet chunks.)
2 cups pecans, chopped

Pre-heat oven to 350. In a small mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Ser Aside. In a large mixing bowl combine butter and sugars. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs on at a time. Change to low speed and add the flour mixture and mix until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Using a large ice cream scoop drop the dough onto a cookie sheet. The perfect amount is 5 to a tray. Bake about 15 minutes until edges are golden brown.