Wow Chow Chili

This is not your average American-style chili recipe. I actually made it up when I was out of a certain number of ingredients (isn’t that how all recipes are eventually created, lol?). Wow Chow Chili, as most of my recipes are, can be completely customized according to your likes. I like my chili only a *little* on the spicy side, so this is a milder recipe. Feel free to add your own toxic spices to make this a hottie. Here’s how I do mine:

Wow Chow Chili
serves 10

• 1 large can (28 oz.) petite-diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 green pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 white onion, diced
• 1 can beef broth
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 4-5 pounds beef or pork, cubed into bite-sized pieces (I used both uncooked beef cubes and some leftover grilled pork steaks, cubed)
• 3 cans black beans, drained
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt

Throw everything into the crockpot and stir well. Turn on HIGH for 6-8 hours (or LOW for 10-12).

Serve with rice and a little cheddar cheese sprinkled over the top.

If you want to add some heat to the recipe, you can add tabasco sauce, or something like hot pickled cherry peppers. I always have a can of these on hand for my Chicken Riggies recipe. My kids don’t like spicy foods, so I don’t make them (not too often, heh heh).

A Great and Simple Marinade for Meat

Easy easy easy! I love it when cooking is this easy. Here’s a really simple, DIY marinade for meat. I used it on beef steak, but it’s delicious with chicken or pork, too. Also, it’s verstaile enough for vegetables.

5 pounds beef steak (I slice mine into chunks for quicker cooking)
1 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons dried basil

In a large bowl, pour all ingredients over the meat. Allow to stand at room temperature for an hour. Heat up the grill, and lay the meat on the grates. Sear the meat for about 15-20 minutes. Once seared, move the meat over to one side of the grill (pile them up if you have to, they won’t stay there long). Then, lay a sheet of aluminum foil across the grates. Place the seared meat on top of the aluminum foil, and throw a few sliced white onions on top. Allow to cook for 15 minute smore or so (depends on how you like your meat– I like mine medium rare to well done).

Serve with fresh green salad, sliced cantaloupe, and potato salad. DELICIOUS!

How to Dice an Onion

Onion and garlic dicing/mincing is an art, and it took me several years to get it just right. Now, I can dice an onion like a PRO, and with nary a tear! I took a whole bunch of photos of me dicing an onion, intending to post a long, drawn-out narrative about it. But then I came across this video, and thought “Why not?!” It’s easy! Enjoy!

The Bad Blogger

I’ve been bad. I haven’t updated this blog in a long time! You see, I have about 8-9 other blogs that I maintain… PLUS this blog became more of a photo blog to run. I was snapping, transferring, editing, uploading, and linking to dozens of photos. It’s a time-consuming task. So I have decided to take fewer photos, write more recipes and write about FOOD more often, and just blog about what I love.

Some of you have requested certain recipes, and have been very patient with me while I slacked off! I promise I will post some new recipes. Thanks for hanging in there. I’ll be back!