Let’s Eat: There’s nothing chilly about this comfort food
By Heidi Sutton
On crisp winter days when the wind blows cold, warming up from the inside-out with hearty comfort foods can feel like a worthy solution. In spite of its name, chili can warm anyone up quickly.
This recipe for Totally Excellent Chili is spicy, but not too hot, and thin enough to be eaten with a spoon, but not to be mistaken for soup. The dish pairs well with Honey-Pumpkin Cornbread, a simple and somewhat sweet spin on a classic, comforting side to provide a feel-good boost on chilly evenings.
Totally Excellent Chili
Recipe courtesy of Evelyn Raab
YIELD: Serves 6
INGREDIENTS:
11⁄2 pounds lean ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon Mexican chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
11⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon curry powder
1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 19-ounce cans red kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, combine the ground beef with the onions and garlic, and cook, stirring to break up the clumps, until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are softened — about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, salt, curry powder, and cayenne or jalapeño, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the beans and cook for another 30 minutes, stirring often.
Serve this chili sprinkled with shredded cheese and accompanied by plain rice or freshly baked corn bread. If the chili is too spicy for you, a spoonful of plain yogurt or sour cream will help cool things down.
Honey-Pumpkin Cornbread
Recipe courtesy of Family Features
YIELD: Serves 12
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 large eggs, at room temperature
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 400° F. Lightly butter a 9-inch square baking pan. In bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, eggs, butter, honey, buttermilk and orange zest. Stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until moistened; transfer to prepared baking pan.
Bake until cornbread pulls away from sides of pan and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 20-22 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack at least 10 minutes before cutting.
