Chicken Apple and Andouille Sausage Chili

In my home, when the dad goes away the beans come out and play.

My mother and I love beans, but dad is very anti. Like, I can’t serve them in anything. Ever.

As soon as we know he will be away, Mom and I start plotting what bean dishes we will be having in his absence.

Chili is always first on our list.

I wanted to create a chili that was hearty but also had a tangy sweetness about it that wasn’t quite expected. A Springy chili, if there is such a thing.

Luckily for my taste buds, Dad will be traveling a lot more due to landing his dream job.

Go Dad! And go beans!

You will need…

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 ½ lb chicken apple sausage, casings removed

1 ½ lb andouille sausage, casings removed

2 medium onions, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

6 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoon chili powder

2 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes

2 16-ounce cans kidney beans, drained

2 cups water

Salt to taste

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil until hot. Add in the sausage and cook over high heat, breaking it up as it cooks. Cook until browned about 15 minutes.

Add in the garlic, bell pepper and onions and season with salt. Cook down, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent. About 8 minutes.

Add in the tomato paste and cook another 3 minutes.

Add in the chili powder, paprika, cumin and oregano and cook for 1 more minute, stirring in all the spices.

Then, add in the tomatoes, beans and water.

Lower the heat just until the chili is simmering slowly.

Cook down until thickened, about 1 hour. Season with salt and serve hot with your favorite chili garnishes.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Chicken Apple and Andouille Sausage Chili

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 ½ lb chicken apple sausage, casings removed

1 ½ lb andouille sausage, casings removed

2 medium onions, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

6 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoon chili powder

2 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes

2 16-ounce cans kidney beans, drained

2 cups water

Salt to taste

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil until hot. Add in the sausage and cook over high heat, breaking it up as it cooks. Cook until browned about 15 minutes.

Add in the garlic, bell pepper and onions and season with salt. Cook down, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent. About 8 minutes.

Add in the tomato paste and cook another 3 minutes.

Add in the chili powder, paprika, cumin and oregano and cook for 1 more minute, stirring in all the spices.

Then, add in the tomatoes, beans and water.

Lower the heat just until the chili is simmering slowly.

Cook down until thickened, about 1 hour. Season with salt and serve hot with your favorite chili garnishes.

White Bean and Parsley Dip

The thing that I’ve noticed about any dish that has the word “dip” in it, usually means it’s really bad for you.

French dip?

Bad.

Spinach artichoke dip?

Sounds healthy, but really bad.

Dip’n’Dots.

Looks harmless. Still bad.

I would keep going with examples, but long ago I learned of the writing rule of three. That and I’m out of good ones.

Basically, every time I make a dish with the word “dip” in it, I stop actually wanting to eat the dish.

Unless it’s delicious enough of course.

This is the first dip that I have encountered that didn’t make my arteries freeze up in fear.

The bonus is it tastes yummy.

You will need…

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons

1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Here comes the really hard part.

In a food processor or blender, mix the beans, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and parsley.

Pulse the mixture until it is coarsely mixed.

Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a small serving bowl.

Serve with pita, pita chips or veggies.

Dip THAT!

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Broccoli, Tomato and Chickpea Salad

What is it about being a child that makes us not want to eat certain foods? Is it the fear of the unknown, or do our taste buds need to grow just like our bodies?
There were so many things that my brothers and I wouldn’t touch as kids. I HATED avocado. Now I put it in and on EVERYTHING.

Albert only ate hot dogs and French fries for the first five years of his life, but now he eats everything in sight.

Josh wouldn’t… oh wait, Josh was allergic to peanut butter and hated salmon and both of those are still very true.

This salad was hands down one of the best (and simplest) things I have made yet, and it contains two of the things I hated most as a kid, broccoli and red onions.

Broccoli was always too mushy (probably also while I hated avocado) and red onion was too “spicy.”

I’ve always loved tomatoes though. I used to eat tomato sandwiches and take them to school in my lunch instead of an apple.

I would say the tomato and vinaigrette was why this salad was so good, but that would only account for my taste. I think Blake, Morgan, Lish and Megan loved it because it’s just undeniably fresh, crisp and tangy.

You will need…

1 lb broccoli separated into florets (4 cups)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 small red onion thinly sliced
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas drained and rinsed

In a pot, steam the broccoli for about 4-6 minutes. You want the broccoli to be slightly cooked, but still very crisp.


While the broccoli is steaming, prep the onions and tomatoes and combine them in a bowl with the chickpeas.



When the broccoli is finished steaming, remove the broccoli from the pot and add them to the mixture.

Whisk together the vinegar, oil, mustard and salt and pepper and pour the dressing over the salad mix.


Toss and serve.


And try those things you hated as a kid!

Love and Beer Floats
Angela

Nachos!

So, since I started this whole new food kick I've tried a lot of things. From home made ravioli, to crab cakes, to root veggie soup. I have quickly learned that my favorite thing to make are classic comfort foods. Really. Really. Good. I like to make them, yummier, fancier and just plain better. So when I took this show on the road, I knew exactly what I was going to cook for maggie. Nachos. Her all time favorite food. This girl eat, sleeps and breathes nachos. I read a lot of recipes for Nachos, and have sampled quite a few of them myself, and if there is one thing i realized about nachos is that the bigger the better. If you think it would be good with chips and cheese. Go for it. It probably will be.

Maggie helped chopped the tomatoes...

Here is my version...

Not Your Nachos!

1 bag tortilla chips

1 can refried beans

2 cans chili (preferably two different kinds)

3 diced tomatoes

3 sliced green onions

guacamole

sour cream

1 bag shredded 3 cheese mix

1 bag shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Ready for the oven...

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a cooking dish put the bag of chips followed by the beans and chilies. Top with lots and lots of cheese. Heat in oven for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Add tomatoes, onions, guacamole and sour cream to taste.

Get messy and enjoy!

Love and Beer Floats,

Angela