Connecticut Real Estate and Green Build Blog.: November 2010

Connecticut Real Estate and Green Build Blog.

Connecticut Cold Weather Chili

Connecticut Cold Weather Chili

Fall is in the air, mornings are chilly, time to get the pot out early in the morning and start chopping, mixing and cooking for Dave’s famous Connecticut Chili. I’ve been making and refining this recipe for over 20 years. It always seems to change a bit but here are the basic ingredients and then you can spice it up any way you like. It's great for after ski, hikes and all other outdoor activities or just haning inside by the fire

Ingredients

2 pounds of beef (or ground beef) cut into 1/3 to ½ inch cubes

2 onions diced

3 peppers cut into ¼ inch size (red, green, yellow any color you like)

1 Jalapeño pepper seeded and diced.

4 gloves of garlic minced

3 cans of kidney beans (if you like you can mix beans, 2 kidney, 1 black, etc) (15-16 oz cans)

1 can diced tomatoes (14-15 oz)

2 can stewed tomatoes (or 2 diced, 1 stewed)

1 can tomato paste (6 oz)

3 cups water

½ cup olive oil

1 chipotle Chile in 1 tablespoon adobe sauce (one Chile not one can)

1 dried ancho chili pepper cut up

Spices:-

· 2 tablespoons Chili

· ½ teaspoon Cumin

· ½ teaspoon Cayenne

· ½ teaspoon Chipotle

· ½ teaspoon basil

· 2 bay leaves

Garnishes sour cream, shredded cheddar, and green onion. A loaf of fresh bake bread is highly recommended, what ever type you prefer. (sourdough, country style, thick crust)

Directions.

Salt and pepper beef in bowl.

Mix spices in a bowl

Cut onions, peppers and put in bowl

Open cans of beans and drain

Open cans of tomatoes, save juice

Coat bottom of large stew pot with olive oil, add minced garlic and cook over medium heat for 1 minute.

Add onions, peppers, jalapeno and cook down for about 10 minutes. Once finished remove garlic, onions and pepper and put in bowl.

Without cleaning same stew pot, coat bottom with olive oil again and cook beef for about 5-10 minutes until juices are almost gone. Add cooked onions and peppers, can of tomatoes, 2 cups of water, beans, spices, chipotle Chile in adobe sauce + acho chili dried. Once everything is mixed should be stew consistency, if too thick add a little more water and let simmer all day.

Garnish with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and green onion. Serve with fresh baked bread, slightly toasted.

Makes great left over for the next day or you can freeze.

** Once you get the basics down you can easily make an all Vegetarian, Chicken or Turkey base chili with the same spices and ingredients.

David Popoff is a license Realtor in Darien, Connecticut. David grew up in Rowayton and is a life time resident of Fairfield County. He has worked throughout lower Fairfield County and now resides in Darien, Ct since 2004.

Member of the Connecticut Association of Realtor's, CAR.
Member of the National Association of Realtor's, NAR.
Is a LEED Green Associate (LEED GA) by the United States Green Build Council (USGBC) and member of the Connecticut chapter (CTGBC).
Certified Green Professional (CGP) of National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Associate member of the local chapter HBRA-Fairfield County, Ct. .
Contact David Popoff for all your real estate needs in Darien, New Canaan, Rowayton and other parts of Connecticut.

David Popoff
Connecticut Licensed Real Estate Broker
Realtor® Green
Seller Representative Specialist
Accredited Buyer Representative candidate
LEED AP Homes

DMK Real Estate, Darien, CT.
Cell (203) 228-0646
DMKrealestate.com