Chow down on Chili

With all the ball game gatherings and snowy days ahead a quick and easy no fail chili recipe is an essential part of life. You can use it to top hot dogs. Make it the crowning touch on a nacho buffet or just eat it by the bowl full with great bread, saltines or tortilla chips. If you have friends from Cincinnati you may want to cook up some spaghetti noodles to douse with chili.

Four pounds of chopped sirloin
1 12 ounce can of tomato paste
1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
4 medium onions diced
1 poblano or several mild green chilis diced
8 cloves of garlic chopped
1 tbls of oregano
1 tbls of basil
1 tbls of cumin
3 tbls of chili powder
1 tsp of salt
1 tbls of hershey's chocolate syrup
1 tbls of cooking oil

Add ground cayenne by the tablespoon for spiciness.
1 tbls for mild
2 tbls for hot
4 tbls for sizzling

Brown onions, garlic and sirloin in a tbls of cooking oil
Place everything in a stock or crockpot and cover
Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours
Add water as neccesary

Now you are ready to go
chopped onions, peppers, sour cream and cheese make for great toppings

Serve at halftime and they will be snoozing in the fourth quarter.

Holidays mean party time. From caroling through the neighborhood to watching your favorite bowl games a little winter party warms the heart. It seems from Thanksgiving to the first of February we are either answering the door or knocking on someone's. It's good to have something easy to fix and unique too for either situation.

One of my favorites is Baba Ganoush. This is a healthy, easy to make and travels well party snack that everyone loves. Thanks to the folks at Budweiser and their mention of Baba Ganoush, even your least daring friends will give it a try.










Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant
1 whole bulb of fresh garlic
1 lemon juiced
2 tablespoons of tahini (you can substitute plain yogurt)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley (you can mix fresh basil and cilantro in too)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Peel the garlic so that you are left with whole cloves less the skins
Wash the eggplant and make quater inch slits all over the surface
Place garilc cloves in the slits of the eggplant
Bake on a sheet pan for 30 minutes or until soft

Allow the eggplant to cool for about 10 minutes
Cut in half and scoop out the flesh
Combine eggplant, garlic and remaining ingredients and blend or mix until it becomes a smooth paste

Chill for one hour before serving with pita chips or tasty crackers

Baba Ganoush and Bud Lite for a tasty party treat that won't fill you up and hits that spot. Save a Guinness for me.