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Engaging stories of love, joy, comfort and friendship with proven scrumptious, healthy recipes, we celebrate LOVE as the secret ingredient for wonderful food!

Super Bowl Food

February 1, 2014 by Mary 22 Comments

We are getting ready for the big game tomorrow organizing our Super Bowl Food. The excitement in this city is palpable! A section of Times Square has been converted to Super Bowl Boulevard. It’s crazy, you can even ride a toboggan there. It’s warmed up and the initial rain that was predicted has been taken off the menu. Woo hoo!
Super easy nachos with avocados

My husband and I are having a little party tomorrow and I’m serving up traditional football-watching food. My super easy nachos, spicy chicken chili with all the toppings, along with Jasmine rice, cornbread, a big tossed salad with a sherry vinaigrette and brownies with ice cream and strawberries for dessert. All the recipes are here if you’d like to follow my lead. My husband would totally love those little pigs in a blanket but I won’t let him have it. Way too unhealthy. And last I heard, my good friend Margaret, who is coming, is making homemade stuffed grape leaves. I am very excited for those! I’ve never had homemade grape leaves.Spicy Chicken chili in a Le Creuset pot..

Rich chocolate brownies with walnuts.Our January newsletter went out yesterday – in the neck of time. (Yep, last minute Mary here!) The newsletter features recipes not available on the blog and I’m suggesting a great Valentine’s Day menu – Veal Chops with Sage and a super easy Chocolate Souffle. If you’d like to receive it, at no charge, please sign up for it in the upper right hand corner and I’ll be sure to get it to you.LOVE - the secret ingredient apron for sale now.

And while I’m at it, a LOVE apron would make a nice little Valentine’s Day gift for your sweetie. Click on the ad in the right hand column and we’ll get one right out to you.

May your favorite team win tomorrow!!

Filed Under: Dinner Tagged With: best brownies, best chili, best chili with chicken, brownies, easy delicious nachos, healthy chili, LOVE the secret ingredient apron, low fat chili, low fat nachos, nachos, spicy chicken chili, Super Bowl Food, Valentine's Day gift

Oscar night chili

February 24, 2013 by Mary Frances 12 Comments

Spicy chicken chili in a Le Creuset pot for a terrific Oscar night dinner party.
I made this chili yesterday because I was making chicken broth at the same time, (from a roast chicken carcass that I had cooked on Wednesday) and I thought, well this would be easy because the chili calls for two and half cups of broth. It is a fairly quick recipe, so you still have time to make it today. (And your broth does not have to be homemade, although it is better.) Served in warm wide soup bowls with some hot cornbread and topped with some fresh onions, cheddar cheese or sour cream, you have a perfect dinner to watch the Academy Awards with tonight!

So I was all excited to share this with you today. (Last night I was busy with the gallery show opening that my painting was in – a terrific turnout with support from our friends!) And then I said, wait a minute, didn’t I already do that last year? And a quick search said yes I did, for a football Sunday. But wait, I changed the recipe again! So here is my version from yesterday. Although I am serving it tonight, trust me, I tasted it yesterday and it is darn good.

Now, who do you want to win best picture? I’m betting on Lincoln. And I’m rooting for Sally Field for Best Supporting Actress. I thought she was terrific! (Yes, we like you, we really like you!) And if Alan Arkin doesn’t win Best Supporting Actor for Argo, I’ll be very upset. Let me know what you think.

SPICY CHICKEN CHILI- VERSION 2.0
– serves 4 – 5

2 tbs. canola oil
1 medium large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 of a large red pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into 1/2″ squares
1 lb. skinless chicken thighs (about 4), trimmed of all fat and cut into thin strips
1 tbs. plus 1 tsp. chili powder
1 tbs. ground cumin
2 tsp. dried oregano (preferable Greek oregano)
1 tsp. salt
2 jalapeño peppers, ribs removed, chopped, with some seeds
1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes with their juice
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
1  15 oz. can drained and rinsed pinto beans
1  15 oz. can drained and rinsed black beans
1/2 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper

Suggested garnishes:
Chopped cilantro
Grated sharp cheddar cheese
Minced onion
Sour cream or unflavored low fat Greek yogurt

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over low heat. Add the onion, garlic and red pepper; cover, stir and cook until they soften, about 12 minutes. This makes the onion lovely and sweet.Onions, garlic and red pepper sauteeing in a Le Crueset Dutch oven.

Increase the heat to moderate and stir in the chicken strips. Cook until they are no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt. Add the jalapeños, the tomatoes with their juice, and the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Uncover the saucepan and stir in the beans and black pepper. Simmer until the chili is thickened, about 15 minutes longer. Serve topped with your favorite garnishes.

Wedges of warm cornbread are always great with chili. Or serve the chili over rice.

Filed Under: Dinner Tagged With: Academy Awards, Cheddar cheese, chicken chili, chili, homemade chicken stock, jalapeños, Oscar night, sour cream, spicy chicken chili

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Mary Frances

Mary Frances

Spread love through cooking.

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