Chili in a Biscuit Bowl and Dallas Ice Storm

It’s FREEZING outside, literally freezing!!! If you don’t believe me, take a look at the pictures below!

Dallas got hit with a winter storm on Thursday night. As crazy Texas weather can be, it went from 80 degrees at 3 pm on Thursday to 32 degrees just 12 hours later! We’ve been stuck inside since Friday, but it’s actually been kind of fun.

Just make sure you have food! I stocked up earlier this week so we’ve had chili in a biscuit bowl, Hebrew National hot dogs, chicken enchiladas, pb&js, and coffee by the fire. Yum!

dallas ice storm — 2 inches of solid ice! We’re stuck in the neighborhood for the next few days!

Take a look at the ice I’m talking about below. Two inches of solid ice!! We tried to get out of our house today, but our car got stuck in the alley way and so we had to park it on the street since we can’t get it back in the garage. Oh well, let’ just hope a tree limb doesn’t fall on it!

weber grill — Maybe I should grill and melt off some of that ice!

Since there is nothing to do other than watch Netflix, blog, cook and work on the computer, Matt and I had to get a little fresh air. Our “neighborhood electric vehicle” came in handy! Since we don’t have a car or truck that’s all-wheel drive, this saved our life! Okay, not really…but if we run out of groceries, we’re taking it to Kroger to stock back up!

As mentioned, there’s nothing else we can do inside except watch TV and cook. Last night I made chili in a biscuit bowl, sans the biscuit bowl. Matt’s not a huge biscuit person, and requested crackers instead. He’s crazy… who doesn’t like biscuits???

These biscuit bowls are so impressive and easy to make that I usually make one just for myself, even though Matt will eat his with crackers. 🙂

We’ve got an outstanding beer bread recipe that goes perfectly with chili!! Plus, the bread is super easy. Click HERE for the recipe.

This chili doesn’t get any easier, so enjoy, especially if you’re iced or snowed in like we are at the moment.

Chili in a Biscuit Bowl and Dallas Ice Storm

Serves: 6

Adapted from Southern Living

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium-size green bell pepper, chopped
2 (10-oz) cans Rotel original diced tomatoes & green chilies
1 (15-oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
2 cups biscuit mix
2/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
Toppings: sour cream, sliced green onions, cheddar cheese

Instructions

FOR THE CHILI: Cook beef, onion, and bell pepper in a dutch oven over medium heat until meat crumbles and is no longer pink; drain. Stir in Rotel, beans and chili powder.
Bring beef mixture to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes. Spoon into biscuit bowls and serve with desired toppings.
FOR THE BISCUIT BOWLS: Stir together biscuit mix, milk and red pepper. Turn dough onto a surface sprinkled with biscuit mix. Shape into a ball, knead 3-4 times. Divide into 6 portions.
Invert 6 (6-ounce) custard cups several inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. (Or use an inverted muffin pan.) Coat outsides of cups with vegetable cooking spray.
Roll or pat each dough portion into a 6-inch circle. Place each on a custard cup; press into a bowl shape.
Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool slightly; remove biscuit bowls to a wire rack.

Pam’s “2 x 4” Chili

August in Texas means mornings so humid and warm that its nearly unpleasant to go for a walk or run, scorching hot summer afternoons leaving your backyard looking like a dessert, back-to-school shopping, and last-minute vacations for those escpaing the heat and enjoying their last getaway before school starts.

As mentioned before, I write the resident recipe column for our monthly neighborhood magazine. For this month’s article, I featured a resident who discovered this “2 x 4” Chili while on a camping trip with her father in August. It’s a neat story, and a ridiculously simple yet delicious recipe, so enjoy! An excerpt from the article appears below:

“Road trip! Pack your bags,” Pam’s father announced. “We are headed for Blue Lake and Bear Mountain in Colorado where we’ll be camping in a tent and staying in a campground area!”

For those of you who know Pam, she is more at home at a spa rather than a tent, but she was only 12 years old and he was her beloved father. When they arrived at the campgrounds, they overheard the campers next to them talking about having “2 x 4” for dinner. Curious as they were, they asked for the recipe, which consisted of 2 pounds of beef, 2 cans of Rotel, 2 cans of minestrone soup, and 2 cans of Ranch Style Beans; hence the name “2 x 4”.

Who knew that this road trip would teach Pam an extremely quick recipe to share with her carnivorous friends and neighbors!

All you need are 2 cans Rotel, 2 cans Ranch Style beans, 2 cans minestrone soup and 2 pounds of beef.

Once the beef is browned, add the rest of the ingredients.

Combine ingredients, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

While this recipe originates on the campgrounds, you don’t have to go camping to enjoy this delicious chili. Pam and her husband have “2 x 4” for dinner at least 2-3 times per month, and even enjoy it served with their elegant Gianni Versace Medusa China, Waterford crystal and Grand Baroque sterling!

2 x 4 chili — Set a beautiful table with your finest of china, or simply eat on paper plates while camping. 🙂

Pam’s “2 x 4” Chili

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

2 lbs. ground round
2 cans Rotel
2 cans minestrone soup
2 cans Ranch Style Beans

Instructions

Brown beef in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat and cook until crumbly and brown.
Add Rotel, minestrone and Ranch Style Beans, and stir.
Cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes.
Serve with Fritos and shredded sharp cheddar cheese.

Thick Oven-Baked Chili

A cold front arrived in Dallas today and brrr, is it cold! Time for some homemade chili!

Brittany first made this chili a few weeks ago when I visited her in Michigan. It was great to have since the sun barely came out and the temperature stayed in the 30s. Brit eats healthy, so she substituted lean ground turkey for the ground sausage.

My mom made this same chili recipe last week, except she decided to keep the sausage. While the chili is good either way, the sausage adds a nice spicy flavor and tunes the dish up quite a bit. I loved it!

If you’re wanting something filling, this is the recipe you need to try. The chili yields plenty of protein, so you won’t go hungry. FYI – There are tons of beans, so be aware. 🙂

Finally, the chili tastes better the second day you eat it. On the first day, my dad said the chili had too much of a tomato taste to it. Like I said, the flavors blend better the second day. Enjoy and stay warm!

Thick Oven-Baked Chili
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound ground sausage (we used turkey sausage)
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (4 ounces) green chilies
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. chili powder (or more to taste)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a dutch oven over medium heat, warm oil. Saute beef, sausage, onion and garlic until meat is no longer pink and onion is tender, about 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
3. Cover and bake 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Uncover and bake 30 minutes longer. Remove bay leaf and discard.
4. Serve, topped with sour cream, sliced green onions or grated cheddar cheese.

Recipe from: Barbara Bakes

Tortilla Chicken Chili and Color in Motion 5k Winner

You know you’re in Dallas when the temperature drops 18 degrees in just one hour. On Thursday afternoon it was 80 degrees F and 50 minutes later, it had dropped to 62 degrees. It didn’t stop there. Friday morning started out cold, but just seemed to get colder. This morning we saw our first freeze. (If you’re from the northeast or somewhere that has cold weather, you’re probably laughing at us Texans. Sorry, but when it gets cold here, we get excited!!)

Since it is chilly, this tortilla chicken chili should be perfect for your lunch or dinner today. I was looking for something quick to make for dinner, and while the sauce is not homemade (it’s a packet of McCormick Original Chili Seasoning mix), it was pretty good.

Did I mention this chili was super easy to make? It takes less than 30 minutes (including prep and cook-time) and would be a great meal if you’re pressed for time but want something quick. The chili almost tastes like a chicken enchilada since the addition of tortilla chips gives this chicken chili a traditional cornmeal flavor.

But before I get to the recipe, I want to announce the winner of my Color in Motion 5k Giveaway. Congrats to Liz N, who has won a free registration for her and a friend!

If you didn’t win, I still have some good news… just for reading this blog, you will get 15% off the price of registration for the Color in Motion 5k. Simply enter the promo code DALLASDUO15 to save 15%. You can register here: http://colorinmotion5k.com/

Color in Motion 5k

Alright; now back to the tortilla chicken chili. Step-by-step instructions and pictures begin. Enjoy and I hope everyone stays warm!

Cook chicken in large skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.

Stir in seasoning, beans, tomatoes, corn, water and tortilla chips.

Bring to a boil.

Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with shredded cheese, if desired.

Tortilla Chicken Chili
Ingredients
1 pound boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 package McCormick Original Chili Seasoning Mix
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans
1 can (11 oz.) Mexican-style corn or whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups broken tortilla chips (bite-sized pieces)
Shredded Cheddar cheese, sour cream and chopped cilantro (optional)

Directions
1. Heat lightly oiled large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
2. Stir in Seasoning Mix, tomatoes, beans, corn, water and tortilla chips. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped cilantro, if desired.

Yield: 6 (1-cup) servings
Recipe from: McCormick

Chicken Chili

Here’s an extremely healthy chili recipe from Ina Garten (aka – Barefoot Contessa) that I strongly recommend. It is loaded with chunks of white meat chicken for lean protein, contains tons of Vitamin C from the red & yellow bell peppers, and packs quite a bit of heat with the chili powder, cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes in the seasonings.

Ina Garten states from Barefoot Contessa Parties! that “We had been making traditional chili at Barefoot Contessa for almost 20 years. I decided to update it with chicken to make it lighter, and it’s even more popular than our regular chili.”

I can definitely see why… my husband even ate two bowls of it. Serve with perfect corn bread and enjoy!

Saute onions in olive oil until translucent, 10-15 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add peppers and spices and cook for 1 minute.

Process tomatoes and add to the pot with basil. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered. Add diced chicken and simmer for another 20 minutes.

Serve warm with corn bread and toppings of choice including shredded cheese, onions, or sour cream.

Chicken Chili
Ingredients
8 cups yellow onions (6 onions)
1/4 cup good olive oil, plus extra for chicken
1/4 cup minced garlic (8 cloves)
4 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and large-diced
4 yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded and large-diced
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
4 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for chicken
4 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled plum tomatoes in puree, undrained
1/2 cup minced fresh basil leaves
8 split chicken breasts, bone in skin on
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. Cook the onions in the oil over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne, and salt. Cook for 1 minute.
2. Crush the tomatoes by hand or in batches in a food processor fitted with a steel blade (pulse 6 to 8 times). Add to the pot with the basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast the chicken for 35-40 minutes, just until cooked. Let cool slightly.
5. Separate meat from the bones and skin and cut it into 3/4-inch chunks. Add to the chili and simmer, uncovered, for another 20 minutes. Serve with toppings of choice (onions, corn chips, grated cheddar, sour cream), or refrigerate and reheat gently before serving.

Yield: 12 servings
Recipe from Barefoot Contessa Parties!

Turkey Chili

In Texas, as most of you all know, the weather can change drastically! One time in Tyler, Texas, my sister, grandfather, and I went to a movie and it was 82 degrees outside when we walked in. Two hours later, the temperature was 53 degrees and still dropping! So…on those crazy weather days in Texas when the temperature drops, you need a recipe to keep you warm! I found just the one….turkey chili!

This Turkey Chili recipe from “Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook” by DeDe Lahman and Neil Kleinberg, is a wonderful stew to enjoy on a really chilly day. My mom and I made it this past Saturday and everyone in our family loved it. It is extremely healthy with the lean ground turkey, and the spicy, complex, and totally addictive flavors make this chili one of our favorites on a cold winter’s day. This stew is great for company as it can easily double for a crowd. As a bonus, this chili will taste even better the next day! Give it a try and enjoy!

Heat the olive oil, vegetables, and garlic in oil over medium-high heat, until tender.

Combine the herbs and spices.

Add the turkey to the vegetable mixture, breaking up the ground meat with a spoon until the turkey is cooked and colors lightly. Add the herbs, spices, Tabasco, and tomato paste to the mixture and stir until combined.

Stir the peppers in adobo sauce in the crushed tomatoes and add broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add kidney beans and their liquid, and cook for 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove bay leaves, and serve with your choice of garnish. I chose a little shredded Monterey Jack and Cheddar with skillet cornbread.

Turkey Chili

Ingredients

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium Spanish onion, diced

2 medium carrots, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 medium red bell pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground turkey

1 1/2 tbsp chili powder

1/2 Tbsp garlic powder

1/2 Tbsp dried oregano

1/2 Tbsp cumin

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

2 bay leaves

2 shakes Tabasco sauce

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1/2 Tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

3 cans crushed tomatoes

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups (15 ounce can) cooked kidney beans in liquid

1 1/4 Tbsp salt (we did much less)

1/4 Tbsp pepper

Optional garnishes: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and fried tortilla strips

Directions

1. In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil and cook the vegetables and garlic in the oil until tender. Don’t be afraid to caramelize the vegetables a little bit. Add the turkey to the mixture, breaking up the ground meat with a spoon until the turkey is cooked and colors slightly.

2. Add the herbs and spices, Tabasco, and tomato paste to the mixture and stir until combined. Stir the peppers in the adobo sauce into the crushed tomatoes and add broth to the pot. Pour in the chicken stock, bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Add kidney beans and their liquid to the stew and cook for 5 minutes or until the beans are warmed through. (If you want less soupy chili, just cook it down until it’s reached your desired consistency). Season with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaves and serve with your choice of garnish.

Yield: 8-10 servings

“Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook” by DeDe Lahman & Neil Klienberg

Southwest White Chicken Chili

This Southwest White Chicken Chili recipe was given to me by my high school/college friend, Kirsten, who is an excellent cook! This is her mom’s recipe and it is the first time I made it. My husband said, “Chili for dinner…its 100 degrees outside!”. I decided to make it anyways and am glad I did. It is not as thick as the beef chili you are thinking of… it was light, spicy, and soupy. This is also extremely healthy since it has boneless chicken breast, onions, and beans for protein. Enjoy!

Saute chicken over medium-high heat with chopped onions for about 4-5 minutes.

Add the broth, green chilies, and spice blend and simmer for 15 minutes.

Stir in the beans and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Serve hot with sliced green onions on top.

Southwest White Chili
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup chicken broth
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies
1 can (19 oz) white kidney beans or cannelloni, undrained (I substituted chickpeas)
2 green onions, sliced

Spice Blend
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp oregano leaves
1/2 tsp cilantro leaves
1/8 tsp ground red pepper

Directions
1. Heat oil in large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken and onions and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until chicken is done.
2. Stir in broth, green chilies, and spice blend and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in beans. Simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Spoon into soup bowls and top with sliced green onions.

Makes 4 cups.