Chili

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This all-American chili recipe is perfect for an outdoor cookout but can also be made on the stove for a comfort classic on a cold day.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups chili and 1 tablespoon cheese)

Ingredients

• 6 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/4 cups Merlot or other fruity red wine
• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped
• 2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

Preparation

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage, onion, and the next 4 ingredients (onion through jalapeño) to pan; cook 8 minutes or until sausage and beef are browned, stirring to crumble.

Add chili powder and the next 7 ingredients (chili powder through bay leaves), and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, tomatoes, and kidney beans; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Uncover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard the bay leaves. Sprinkle each serving with cheddar cheese.

Note: Like most chilis, this version tastes even better the next day.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

375 (29% from fat)

Fat:

12g (sat 4.6g,mono 4.1g,poly 1.1g)

Protein:

28.9g

Carbohydrate:

33.7g

Fiber:

8.2g

Cholesterol:

59mg

Iron:

5mg

Sodium:

969mg

Calcium:

165mg

Homemade Thai Food

Thai Fried Rice

4-6 cups cooked Jasmine or Basmati rice- slightly cooled.

a bit of olive or sesame oil or little bit of both

2-4 eggs, lightly whisked

1/2 -1 onion slicked thinly

1-1 1/2 tsp minced garlic or plenty more; depends on your liking of garlic

1-2 tsp minced ginger or plenty more...my husband adds a few Tablespoons, chopped finely

1/2 -1 lb diced chicken or tofu (have made it with fresh crab; oh my goodness..divine)

other sliced or grated vegetables as desired...1 or 2 cups (I sometimes use diced butternut squash, fresh sautee-mix greens, broccoli, frozen peas, mushrooms, grated/shredded carrots and/or zuchinni; it all depends what's in season or in the fridge. It's all great and makes it different every time.)

1/2 -1 bunch green onions, sliced thinly

little bit of chopped fresh basil for sprinkling on top

SAUCE

2 Tbl. soy sauce

2 Tbl. fish sauce

1 tsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. chile paste (optional)

*These amounts are entirely up to taste and mood.

1. Whisk eggs; cook first in a little oil and slide off to a plate or pour them over the vegetables or chicken when you are stir frying them.

2. Combine ingredients for the sauce in small bowl and set aside.

3. In a wok, stir fry sliced onions in sesame oil til lightly browned, adding vegetables that take longer to cook at the end (butternut squash).

4. Add garlic, ginger, chicken or tofu and stir fry a minute or two.

5. Add eggs, either cooked and chopped or still raw. Stir til set.

6. Add vegetables that cook quickly.

7. Add a little sauce and stir fry til almost ready to eat; don't overcook veggies here. You want them crisp-tender.

8. Add rice a cup or 2 at a time, stirring into the mixture, adding sauce a little at a time, until all rice is incorporated. Every grain does not need to be separated. Continue adding sauce to taste, being careful not to make it soggy.

9. Toss in green onions and mix for about 1 minute. Make sure they stay bright green.

10. Let set for a minute or two and then adjust to taste, cooking for a minute after the sauce is added. Be prepared to make a little more sauce if needed.

We eat this dish at least once a week and it is definitely a favorite of everyone. Using a variety of different vegetables make it a little different every time. If we have limes on hand, we'll serve it with limes as a garnish, or we'll make chili-lime sauce to pour over the top: Use 2 Tbsp lime juice, 1 Tbsp fish sauce, and 1 or more jalapenos or Thai chilis, and chop a couple cloves of garlic and throw them in too. Very good for colds with the raw garlic and jalapenos!

We have loved Thai food for as long as I can remember. We find the balance of the flavors sweet, salty, and spicy satisfy us with even a very light and simple dish. If those flavors are in good proportion, we are thoroughly satisfied by our meal. We make Thai food regularly; we love homemade fresh salad rolls with rice pasta wrappers and all sorts of curries as well. I just made Thai salmon cakes the other night that were incredible.

This recipe is a gift from my in-laws, who have visited Thailand several times, and have traveled by tandem touring bike while there. They have visited several Asian countries, and have brought home a love of the culture and foods. We have benefitted from their experiences by expanding our world views and have learned about the people who live in the refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border as well. I hope to someday visit Thailand in a way that is respectful of the culture and cuisine of this amazing country, and hopefully helpful to the people. We talk about plans to someday travel and teach overseas (my husband is an ESL teacher), and Thailand is one of my top choices of countries to visit/live in. My son wants to go just so he can have Thai food three meals a day. I can't say that I blame him; sounds like a great reason for me! The palm trees and beaches wouldn't be too bad, either.

Cool Whip Pumpkin Pie

 Ready in: 2-5 hrs 
 Difficulty:   2 (1=easiest :: hardest=5)

Serves/Makes:   12

Ingredients:
2 cups solid pack pumpkin
2 large packages (6 serving size) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 containers Cool Whip (8 ounce size)
2 graham cracker pie crusts

 

Directions:

In large mixer bowl, mix the pumpkin, pudding, milk and spice. Mix well. Then fold in one container of Cool Whip. Pour into pie crusts and put the other container of Cool Whip on top of pies. Put in fridge/freezer at least 2 hours before serving. 

Best Assignment Ever!!

When Paul announced the final blog assignment was to be our favorite recipe I immediately knew I was going to write about my homemade turkey meatballs I use for my spaghetti! Then as I sat down to write I realized that was really just the most frequent thing that I make not necessarily my favorite. So I thought if money was no object and I could have anything I wanted for dinner it would be crab, and I instantly changed my blog idea to crab cakes. I love crab cakes so much I often have them as my entrée even when they are only served as appetizers…which means I usually order 2!! In that spirit I’ve got 2 crab recipes for you because really, you can’t have too much crab!

Dungeness Crab Cake Salad w/ Berry Sweet Onion Salsa:

1 pound Dungeness crab meat

2 teaspoons chopped green onions

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 egg, beaten

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 cup bread crumbs

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound spring greens

4 onions, grilled and chilled

1 pound asparagus, grilled and chilled

Into a bowl, combine crab, green onions, mayonnaise, egg, red pepper, parsley, bread crumbs, and salt and pepper mixing until blended. Shape into 4 cakes (double the ingredients for 8…what I usually do ;). Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat; add the crab cakes and sauté until brown on both sides.

Berry Sweet Onion Salsa:

2 tablespoons chopped sweet onion

1 cup mixed fresh blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and sliced strawberries

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

To prepare the salsa, combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir gently to blend; set aside

Arrange spring greens, grilled onions and asparagus on 4 plates, Place a crab cake on the greens and garnish with the berry salsa. Mmmmmmmm, enjoy!!

Sautéed King Crab with Wine and Garlic

3 ½ pounds frozen king crab legs, thawed

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 garlic cloves, chopped

½ cup dry white wine

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Salt

Lemon or lime wedges

Remove crab meat from the shells. Rinse in cold water to remove yucky stuff. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, or until golden brown. Add wine, cayenne and parsley. Raise the heat to high and cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium and add the crab meat. Cook for only 2 or 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Add salt to taste, lemon or lime wedges are edible garnish. Sometimes I make bow tie pasta as a bed and serve the crab over it, but it’s amazing either way!!

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

This is an amazing spin on regular mac and cheese, spicy and a little crunchy. I got the recipe from one of my favorite sites tastespotting.com.

7 Tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
Kosher salt
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup Frank's Buffalo Wing Sauce, divided
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2-1/2 cups half-and-half
1 pound extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded
2/3 cup sour cream
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9 x 13 baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 3 Tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard with a wooden spoon until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, then add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth.

Spread half of the macaroni in the prepared baking dish, then top with the chicken mixture and the remaining macaroni. Pour the cheese sauce evenly on top. Put the remaining 2 Tablespoons butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley. Sprinkle over the macaroni. Bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle with some wing sauce for color.

GMO Websites

Monsanto:

The author is Monsanto (but who exactly, it isn't clear...), their purpose is to promote and sell their product and the concept of GMO safety and it's importance in feeding the world, protecting biodiversity, etc. Their bias is clearly toward their product; they want positive public opinion; they want happy shareholders; they look like heroes on their website. Info is basically current; and hey, every 2 weeks you can get their latest videos and newsletters. Audience: people who are questioning GMOs and the Monsanto name, and/or normal everyday folks. Shareholders. I'll add, people who want to be reassured that our health and safety and the future of our planet are in the hands of trustworthy corporations and governmental institutions that really do have our well being in mind....Contact info is available. Clear design, easy to use....very professionally done and polished. Lots of video clips...some convincing experts speaking...lots of images of good ole American farmers...and they are somehow in bed with the International Food Information Council (in at least the "comparison of organics and gmo foods" video...which isn't even a comparison at all, rather a mockery of organics). Who is the IFIC? They look good on paper....but they're on Monsanto's video clip...?

Least credible. It's a huge corporation with shareholders and a mission to promote their business and make money. They're holding hands with how many government agencies?

Scitable

Author of this article: Theresa Phillips PhD. Purpose: to educate people and to publish her research findings on the "free science library and personal learning tool". Bias: toward the furthering of our understanding of GMOs and their scientific risks, controversies without trying to sell us one or the other. It's a little old, 2008, but the website itself as a whole seems up to date. Intended audience: anyone; it's posted on "the collaborative learning space for science". Power to the People through knowledge. Yes, contact info given clearly. Great design and easy to use.

I think this has the most authoritative info given. It is the least biased; it is a forum for science education and research; PhDs are posting well researched articles.

Say No To GMOs

Author: Volunteers put together the website, and within it one can find articles written by many different scientists on the various topics surrounding GMOs. Purpose: to educate the public. Bias: against GMOs. Current information, with past issues/versions available as you click around the site. Intended audience: people concerned with the safety and prevalence of GMOs. Yes, contact information in the form of send us your email and here's a comment box. Clear design. It doesn't look as professional and svelte; it looks a bit homemade and crazed-leftist-earth first-y. With this website design against Monsanto's, the general public is least likely to dismiss Monsanto's message. This one looks far less credible.

This is the second most reliable; within it's links you will find articles written by PhDs as well, but they are on a website that is clearly and strongly biased in one direction.

1. Yes, I definitely have qualms about eating GMO foods. I'm outraged that they aren't labeled, and that they produce health concerns to children....isn't that saying something? What about all the unintended impacts of all of this manipulation of nature? This is reductionist science, and I just don't believe that you can change one thing (supposedly to make an improvement on nature) without the entire web being affected, and negatively. And those negative affects are too far-reaching to then turn around and fix with more science. I would turn away from any gmo food IF I knew it was gmo; sadly, I'm sure I consume more gmos than I probably realize due to the lack of labeling laws. If I buy regular (not organic) corn tortillas at the market, it's gmo corn. Same with masa when I make tamales. Same with cornmeal. Same with oils if you're not careful....it goes on and on. And the chicken food I feed my hens in order to enjoy healthy homegrown eggs; if it's not organic feed, then it's gmo corn. But organic is $10 more per 25 lb. bag. And here's another thought: If we are feeding people a product that leads to 50% death in laboratory rats, then what we are essentially doing is executing natural selection on the human race; only the survivors who can tolerate these gmo products are able to reproduce with each other; creating a whole new race of humans. Far fetched perhaps, and now I sound crazy, but it's just one of my fears. Big Brother. Brave New World. Handmaid's Tale. Any futuristic doomsday novel or nightmare coming into being....this is how I feel about the corporate domination of our agricultural land with gmos.

2. The only reason I can think of why foods shouldn't be labeled as containing gmos is because the public wouldn't buy them. They want to sell their product. Don't tell America what's in hot dogs or chicken nuggets either....or let them see inside our chicken farms...they might not buy Tyson corn dogs at Costco next week....I'm feeling jaded and cynical at the moment.

Smith, Jeffrey M. Seeds of Deception. Fairfield, IA: Yes Books, 2003. Print.

Nelson, Gerald C., ed. Genetically Modified Organisms In Agriculture: Economics and Politics. San Diego, CA: Academic Press, 2001. Print.

GMOs

· Monsanto- The Monsanto company produced this website. Its purpose is to inform clients, potential clients, and the general public of their about their company, what they do, how they do it, and other facts about their company. They are bias towards the products their company produces/helps to produce. The information seems to be currents. The audience of the website can contact the company via produced e-mail and telephone numbers. The website is up to date and easy to navigate.

Scitable- This website is produced by the Nature Education group. The authors purpose is to inform the public about genetically modified foods, both the negatives and positives. I don't see a bias leaning towards either an opinion for or against GMOs. The intended audience seems to be the American public. The specific author is unknown but there are ways listed to contact the responsible group in charge of the website and its contents.

Say no to GMOs- I can not find a clear author of this website. The information provided is to inform the public of the dangers of GMOs. The bias of the author is against GMOs. The information is up to date. The intended audience is the general public. It is possible to contact the author but only through providing your own contact information and waiting for a response.

As of now I'm not concerned about eating GMOs, for the fact that I feel that most of the foods I consume are natural, or seem natural. My assumption about why the US does not require GMOs to be labeled is because of the economy of our nation. In comparison the US usually tends to have a higher unemployment rate then much of the EU. GMOs tend to be cheaper than other foods, therefore it is cheaper to feed the people.