A bit of an update

We are back from Horror Realm 2009 and I’ve had some significant changes in my life.  Because of these, I will be putting Boiling and Beyond on hiatus for at least two weeks.  To find out what happened at the convention please check out my blog HERE later tonight!

These changes are quite amazing and hopefully everyone is excited for me.  I am not taking Boiling and Beyond down.  I just need some time to set some things up at home and get into a habit.

Once again…

I must beg your forgiveness.  During the day I am a software developer and by night, when I’m not playing daddy, I’m an author.  I write predominantly horror.  Everything from the Apocalypse to Zombies.  This weekend is a huge chance for me to meet some very important people in the horror publishing industry.  Permuted Press, Library of the Living Dead and others are going to be present at a convention this weekend in Pittsburgh called Horror Realm.  I’ve been waiting almost 8 months for this convention and it is finally here.

Because of all this craziness I’m not going to be posting this Thursday.  I don’t feel I can do you guys any good with my mind completely elsewhere.  I hope you all understand and will be ready to start back up again hopefully next week!

A guest Chef!

This week I’d like to welcome my friend Beth as a guest Chef who will be giving us a recipe for Cinnamon Apple Crisps.

The knives are yours Beth!

Having grown up on a small apple orchard when I was little, I have acquired a love of apples. There was nothing like picking a ripe red delicious apple off the tree and biting down into it. It never failed that I would come home my chin and hands would be caked with apple juices. There would be long afternoons with my grandmother and then my mother and father baking apple pies with gala, golden delicious, and granny smiths. There really are so many wonderful varieties and flavors in this simple fruit.

When I was visiting my mother some years ago I had this sweet craving. She pulled out this recipe and suggested we give it a try. Within the first thirty minutes the house smelled so good, reminding me of those memories growing up. After the first hour, I was ravenous! Pulling them out of the oven to put them on the rack, they cool quickly. They were wonderful! The perfect sweet thing along with a potato chip crunch, I was hooked!

There is no need to peel or core the apples, just wash them off and dry them. I use a mandolin to slice the apples; they make the perfect paper thin slices with half the work. Don’t slice more than you can bake at one time, or you will wind up with brown slices. Unlike baking cookies, you can place them as close as you want to each other, they will shrink and ripple slightly during the baking process.

I put my sugar and cinnamon in a shaker and just sprinkle liberally over all the slices. Easy clean up. After you pull them out of the oven, you can use your fingers or a spatula to put the slices on a cooling rack. Let them cool thoroughly before storing. I normally just put mine straight into snack bags for the work week, also great for the kids lunch boxes. They will last about a week after baking them. It’s the perfect sweet, crispy, healthy snack. I hope you enjoy!

RECIPE:

Cinnamon Apple Crisps

Ingredients

2 small apples, Red Delicious or Gala, sliced paper-thin

1 Tbsp. sugar

½ tsp. ground cinnamon.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (NOT WAX PAPER). Place apple slices in a single layer on paper.
3. Mix sugar and cinnamon
4. Sprinkle over apple slices
5. Bake until lightly browned, about 2 hours. Cool on a wire rack and serve.

This is a Weight Watchers recipe and makes 4 servings at 1 point a piece.

Double bonus, makes the house smell wonderful!!!

Normally…

I would be posting this weeks recipe and instructions here shortly but I’ve decided I’m not going to post again until Tuesday.

Tomorrow is the 8th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.  To this day I remember seeing the second plane hit the WTC and the aftermath that followed.

Because of this special day I ask everyone that reads this to take a moment and remember where you were that morning 8 years ago. 

Remember your family.

Remember those families that were ripped apart that day.

Remember those that still need our help eight years later.

Remember all those that have fallen to defend our liberties and freedom.

It doesn’t matter what side of the political fence you sit on.  This was an attack against the United States of America.  As Americans I ask you to remember.

God Bless America.  God Bless You All.

Chef Ben

3-T Tuesday – Chili Seasonings

Welcome everyone to our weekly edition of 3-T Tuesday!  This week’s edition ties into our ongoing Chili Chronicles because we are going to discuss chili seasonings.

As I’ve made it abundantly clear that I love chili in the fall I though it would be a good time to talk about how to season the pot of chili that we started last week.  In that recipe I discussed using a chili mix in my fixings but one thing to remember is that the seasonings can define your chili and to me that’s the most important part.  I’m always looking to have my OWN chili recipe that I can pass down to my daughter.

Today we are going to discuss making our own chili powder.  A good friend of mine asked in last Thursday’s post, what to do if you couldn’t find the mix I recommended.  Use your own.  Now if you don’t have any interest in making your own chili powder then look near the spices and gravy mixes in your local grocery.  There should be at least a couple mixes there.  Or you could just buy chili powder.  But I say poo on that and let’s make our own!!

~Did you know that Chili Powder is just a mix of other spices?~

Chili Powder:

• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

So let’s talk about the five spices listed above and how to prepare the chili powder.  When mixing this recipe please please please do NOT use Garlic Salt instead of Garlic Powder!  They are two completely different things.

Many people don’t realize that each one of these spices has a variety of different versions.  Paprika comes in cheap ole’ paprika, smokey, Hungarian and so on and so forth….

I personally use very specific versions of these spices and I would encourage you to experiment also to try and find a version you like.

**WARNING – Cayenne pepper is hot.  Once you add that to the mixture you MUST wash your hands immediately to get the residue off you hands. 

BONUS TIME!!!!

I’m sitting here writing this weeks post and my 4 month olds’ good mood is rubbing off on me.  The recipe above is for chili powder but what about the mix that goes in chili?  Good question because you don’t just use chili powder, you mix up a chili spice mix.

Chili Mix

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

2 teaspoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon oregano

One thing to consider in the Chili Mix recipe is that there is no salt listed.  I do not believe in pre salting seasonings.  It’s one thing if the salt comes in the tomatoes like on Thursday’s recipe.  You should only add salt to food when it is needed.  This helps keep down on the sodium levels in your meals.

AND NOW FOR THE TIP OF THE WEEK!!

When it comes time to mix the spices together for the Chili Powder I recommend using an inexpensive coffee grinder.  The reason I say inexpensive is because you’ll never get the flavor out of your regular coffee grinder.  I highly recommend this method of mixing because it allows you to a really good mix and it also helps ensure that the spices are evenly distributed.

BONUS TIP!!

I like to mix my spices in large batches so I tend to buy large quantities.  There are two great ways to buy large quantities.  Find you local Indian Food Market.  They tend to sell spices in large quantities which makes it really easy to mix up large batches.  The other way is at your local warehouse club!  Costco and Sam’s carry very large batches of common spices that makes it really easy to mix up batches!

Keep Cooking Folks!

Chef Ben

Base Chili!!

I would never consider chili to be a Lazy Sunday meal.  Chili is so much more complex than people give it credit for.  I love chili for this complexity and have been working for many years to perfect and play with the base recipe to create best chili that I can.  My hope is to provide you with a strong base recipe that you can work with until you find your perfect recipe.

One thing I will say now (and will reiterate in a later Chili Chronicles post) is use a Crock-Pot.  I can not stress this enough.  You must let chili cook for at least four hours at low in a Crock-Pot to get the beginning of a right flavor and no more that six hours at low.  Any longer and the meat will begin to get mushy and you’ll lose the body of the chili.

So you think you are ready?  Well let’s see what you can do!

Ingredients:

2 lbs of meat

2 20+ oz. cans of seasoned diced tomatoes.  I love Dei Fratelli tomatoes and they have one that is seasoned with sea salt.  Therefore you won’t have to add salt to the chili.

2 16 oz. cans of beans (your choice) rinsed well

1 large white onion

8 oz can of tomato sauce

A chili mix that strikes your fancy.  I am a huge fan of Carrol Shelby’s Chili kit because it comes with all the seasoning you’ll need AND some Masa flour for thickening the chili.

Directions:

1) Brown the meat thoroughly in a large skillet, in batches if needed. If you are using a mix of meats (I use combinations of Pork, Beef, and Veal) I recommend hand combining the mixture in a bowl prior to browning the meat.

2) Dice your onions as thick or thin as you want them.  I love thick wedges that I let roast in in the Crock-Pot for 4 hours.

3) In your Crock-Pot add everything else.  Remember not to add ANY salt!  Also hold off on the Masa flour that came with the kit.  The Masa goes in at the very end based on how thin or thick you want the chili. (tomato sauce, onion, rinsed beans, diced tomatoes, chili powder from the kit or mix)

4) Set Crock-Pot to low

5) Stir in meat mixture once its browned and rinsed.  (Rinse the meat to get all the excess grease off)

6) Cook for 4-5 hours stirring and taste testing every so often.

7) If you like thick chili, add the Masa flour and stir in very well about 1 hour prior to serving.  You’ll see the chili begin to thicken almost immediately.

Serving Suggestions:

Sour Cream

Cheese

a variety of Hot Sauces (green, red, smoky)

Tortillas

Rice

Beans (if not mixed in the chili)

Pasta

Diced Onion

Corn Chips (like Fritos)

Enjoy!!

I hope everyone enjoys this base chili recipe.  There will be many future articles that will deconstruct chili and it’s contents, that will hopefully allow each one of us to develop our own chili recipes.  One day I will pass my recipe down to my beautiful daughter, Mallory.

Keep Cooking Gang,

Chef Ben

Chili Chronicles: Part 1

So how do you take these items

and turn them into this?

The interesting thing is that it’s been a source of contention based on different parts of the country.  The South vs. Texas vs. the West vs. the North.  Everybody has their own ideas of what chili should be including myself.  I know that I really love a sweet and smoky chili with no beans.

That brings up a whole different discussion about the contents of the chili.  If flavor is the first battle, contents are certainly the second.  Beans or no beans, chilies or no chilies, what type of meat to use in the chili.  There are all different types of thoughts behind the flavors, textures, and heat levels.

As the weeks progress and the weather cools here in Central Ohio, I tend to make chili every weekend but I don’t think it really qualifies as a lazy Sunday meal.  I put a lot of work into my chili because I really enjoy eating it and watching my wife’s face as the different flavors come out of the concoction.  Some nights I just want water with my chili, some nights its an ice cold beer and sometimes it’s milk to cool the heat but I truly do believe that chili is without a doubt the best fall food and I hope that I can educate you about the different types of ingredients, varieties, and flavors that go into a great bowl of chili.

Be talking to you soon,

Chef_Ben

PTI….

Pardon the interruption my friends.  Boiling and Beyond will be on hiatus for the week.  My wife is out of of town on business and I’m at home with my 4 month old alone for the first time.  Things are a little out of whack but if you want a good laugh check out my personal blog here.

Recipe Thursday – Pork Roast with Peach Chutney

This recipe is a favorite of ours for a Lazy Sunday and that is definitely the category this falls into.  It’s a very simple recipe with an incredible payback in flavor.

Now a bit about chutneys.  Chutney is an anglo-indian word derived from the word catni.  This is not a puree or sauce but more of a unique condiment.  Chutneys are usually wet and made by grinding different components together.  There are many different types of chutney.  If you have ever eaten at an Indian restaurant, our favorite is Amul India Restaurant in Dublin, OH, you’ve probably seen all the condiments for eating pakora.  Those condiments are types of chutneys.  These condiments can be found in the grocery store usually near the Indian or English food sections but they are also very easy to make as in the case of this recipe.

I apologize for the lack of a picture but work these past 2-3 weeks have been pretty rough.  I hope to make this on Sunday so I’ll take a picture of it and update the post with a picture!

Tools:

Crockpot

Food Processor / Blender

Simple kitchen knife

Ingredients:

3-4 lb Pork Loin Roast

16 oz. can sliced peaches

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 small white onion

1 TBS Dijon Mustard

Directions:

1) Peel and halve the onion

2) Combine all ingredients BUT the pork in a food processor / blender and pulse until coarsely mixed

3) Place Pork Loin Roast in crock-pot and smear with the mixture from the food processor / blender

4) Place lid on crock-pot and cook on low for 8 hours

Serving:

Pull the pork out of the crock-pot trying to not knock the chutney off the top of the roast.  Place on a cutting board and slice into 1/2” to 1” slices.  I like serving this with mashed potatoes and a fresh vegetable like steamed asparagus.

# of servings 6 to 8

3T-Tuesday #1 Kitchen Cutlery

Welcome to our first edition of 3T-Tuesday!  The 3T’s stand for Tips, Tools, and Techniques.  Today’s article is going to be about various types of kitchen knives and what I believe a cook actually needs in the kitchen. 

I’ll actually be breaking this into a two part article.  Today’s will be about the types of knives and my opinions on them.  Next week’s article will be about how to purchase the knives at a good price and what quality of knife should be purchased!

No more talk, let’s get started!

Paring and Serrated Knives – These knives are not used as frequently as some of the ones we are going to cover later but they do come in very handy.  The paring knife is good for smaller hand work and the serrated blade is actually best used for cutting tomatoes.  You should ONLY have two serrated blades in your collection.  There is the one about 6 inches long (see photo) and then there is also the bread knife.  Serrated knives are NOT intended for other types of kitchen work other than cutting grapefruit, bread or tomatoes.

Kitchen Shears – A good pair of these is absolutely vital in the kitchen.  Unfortunately, as with most utensils in the kitchen, the good ones are expensive.  They can be used for everything from disassembling a chicken to cutting vegetables.

Carving and Slicing – These blades are the second most used ones in my kitchen.  I use these primarily for slicing meats like London Broil, roasts (pork or beef) or roast fowl.  Every so often if I have something wide I need to slice I will use these knives when I would normally use my chef’s knife.

Sharpening Steel – A sharpening steel is one of the most important tools for taking care of your blades.  Prior to using you knives you should ALWAYS run the blade down the steel three times on each side.  I will soon be doing and article on how to sharpen you blades but for the better knives you must keep them sharp.

Chef’s Knives – Perhaps the most versatile knife you will ever own.  This is the knife to use for dicing, slicing, and just about anything else.  The top knife is mine and the bottom one in the photo belongs to my wife.  The majority of work that is done in cooking is the prep work.  You will spend more time dicing vegetables and fresh spices in preparation for assembly the final dish that you need a knife you like.

So these are the components that make up a good collection of knives and their uses.  I highly recommend that the blades you end up owning are used for their specific tasks.  Nothing will ruin a knife quicker than misuse which includes not sharpening them.

The last thing I’ll say without spoiling the next part of this article I will tell you that there are three pieces up there you should really spend good money on.  The Chef’s Knife, Slicing Blade, and Sharpening Steel should be of a definite higher quality than the other knives.  These three items will be used more than anything else in your cutlery gallery.

Be sure to check back in Thursday night for our weekly recipe!  Just as a sneak peek it will be another Lazy Sunday recipe!

Keep Cooking,

Chef Ben