REAL Texas Chili

prep: 20 minutes

cook: 1 hour (or longer if you have the time)

serves 8 to 10

you’ll need…

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 lb. chuck or eye of round, trimmed of fat and cut into ½-inch cubes
6 tablespoons chili powder (add more if you want it spicier!)
6 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped or passed through a garlic press
1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
6 cups beef stock
2 cups crushed or chopped canned tomatoes (not drained)
½ cup masa harina (Mexican corn flour)

let’s get to it…

Heat the olive oil on medium high in large heavy stockpot or saucepan for 1 to 2 minutes.

Sauté the meat in the olive oil until browned; reduce the heat to medium low.

Stir in the chili powder, garlic and salt until the meat is well coated with the spices.

Add the beef stock and tomatoes. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes to keep the meat from sticking and burning. Continue cooking until the meat is tender.

Place the masa harina in a bowl and whisk in 1 to 1½ cups of the chili liquid (try to avoid stirring in beef or tomatoes) until a watery paste forms.

Blend the masa mixture into the chili. If the chili isn’t thick enough, make another slurry until you get the desired thickness.

cooking know how…

• The flavor of your chili depends on the flavor of your chili powder. Buy fresh chili powder at a spice store or at a market where you know they make their own spice blends.
• Serve your chili with sides of shredded cheese, sliced jalapeño, chopped onions and Fritos (I love Fritos on my chili) so everyone can top it with what they like!

Easy Oven Roasted Chicken Breasts

prep: 10 minutes
cook: 35 to 40 minutes

you’ll need…
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
3 garlic cloves, finely minced and mashed
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or paprika if you don’t like it spicy)
4 bone-in, skin on chicken breasts (about 3 ½ pounds)

let’s get to it…
Place oven rack in the middle of the oven. Heat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Spray with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
Mix olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and cayenne pepper (or paprika) together in a small bowl to form a paste.
Spread half of the paste under the skin of each of the chicken breasts. Rub remaining paste on the skin.
Place chicken breasts on baking sheet. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through to 165°F.

Cooking know-how: Substitute your favorite seasoning for the Italian seasoning. If your seasoning contains salt, omit the salt in the recipe.

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Double Blueberry Muffins (Gluten-Free… not Flavor Free)

prep: 20 minutes
bake: 20 to 25 minutes

you’ll need…
2 cups Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour
1 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
2½ teaspoons baking powder
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
¼ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 eggs
2 cups fresh blueberries, divided

let’s get to it…
Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or filled with muffin baking cups; set aside. Place oven rack in middle of oven and heat to 400°F.
Mix together in a large bowl flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, sugar and salt.
Beat together in a separate bowl milk, oil, lemon juice and eggs. Gently fold liquid mixture into flour mixture until just moistened.
Fold half of blueberries (1-cup) into batter.
Pour batter evenly into muffin tin with a ¼-cup measure. Sprinkle remaining blueberries (1-cup) evenly on top of each muffin.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until tops are lightly brown.

bon appétit inspired Skillet-Fried Chicken

prep: 3 hours
cook: about an hour
serves: 6

you’ll need…
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
• 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 3–4-lb. chicken (not kosher), cut into 10 pieces, backbone and wing tips removed
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 3 1/2  cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• Peanut oil (for frying)
• special equipment:
A deep-fry thermometer

let’s get to it…
Whisk 1 tablespoon of the salt, 2 teaspoons of the black pepper, the paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic and onion powder together in a small bowl.  Rub the chicken with the spices in a medium bowl. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours (you can also let it sit overnight).

Rest the chicken out of the refrigerator for 1 hour before cooking. Set a wire rack inside a large rimmed baking sheet lined with foil.

Whisk the buttermilk and eggs in a medium bowl. Whisk the flour, the cornstarch, remaining 1 tablespoon of salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon of pepper in  in a 9x13x2″ baking dish (like a lasagna pan).

Pour the oil into a 10″–12″ cast-iron skillet or other heavy straight-sided skillet (not a nonstick pan) to a depth of ¾-inches. Prop up the deep-fry thermometer (or clip it to the side of the pan) in the oil so the bulb is submerged. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until thermometer hits 350°F.

Dip the chicken in the buttermilk mixture one piece at a time, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. (I like to use one hand for wet ingredients and one hand for dry ingredients.)

Dredge the chicken piece in the flour mixture and shake off the excess. Place several pieces of the chicken in the skillet (don’t crowd the pan!). Fry the chicken, turning with tongs every 1–2 minutes and adjusting heat to maintain a steady temperature of 300°F–325°F, until skin is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 165°F, about 10 minutes for wings and 12 minutes for thighs, legs, and breasts.

Remove the chicken from the skillet, allowing excess oil to drip back into skillet and place on the wire rack. Repeat as directed until the chicken is cooked. Cool for 10 minutes before diving in!