Leftovers #60 ~ Chilli Poutine

Forlorn potatoes and yams, leftover chilli and shredded mozzarella cheese hanging about the kitchen, you can create a scrumptious meal such as this chilli poutine. It's a bit of a mix due to the fact that I used potatoes and yams, rather than strictly potatoes, which are used in classic poutine. The potatoes and yams were cut into chunky wedges, tossed in olive oil and mixed herbs and then oven roasted until golden brown. The leftover chili was warmed up and spooned over the heap of mixed roasted potato and yam wedges and topped with a hand full of mozzarella cheese. This may not replace traditional poutine however it created a scrumptious dinner... a culinary bliss of creating a wonderful meal from leftovers that otherwise might get overlooked. 

Food Photo of the Day ~ Chilli Con Carne

 

One pot dinners are upon us and nothing beats a bowl full of chilli. The spicy heat stewed with tomatoes, meat and beans is a dinner classic in high demand during the cooler months at our house. Making chilli also means leftovers and those leftovers become spooned over jacket potatoes, a platter of hearty nachos, ladled out over homemade chips for poutine, quick lunches, a scoopable snacking dip for tortilla chips and other dinners.   

Food Photo of the Day ~ Spicy Baked Potato

Fully loaded and another way to use up a variety of leftovers. Leftover Chilli con Carne, freshly grated carrots, smothered with sour cream, sprinkled with sharp cheddar cheese, crunchy and crisp fried onions and pickled hot pepper rings top this humbly baked spud for a feverishly satisfying weekday meal. Jacket potatoes... baked potatoes are so easy to dress up and create a multi layer meal.

Hope everyone had a nice and relaxing weekend! - JD  

Leftovers #16 ~ Crusty Chili Con Carne

A good hearty Chili is great on it's own or with a slice of cornbread however when there is leftover Chili one does try to add something a bit different. This crusty chili con carne is a fantastic way to use up leftovers. A nice added twist to a comfort food favourite.

First, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Then place the leftover chili in an oven-proof baking dish. Once the oven is ready place chili in the oven and bake for a few minutes just to take the chill off and heat through. When nicely heated remove from oven. 

Take one package of ready made puff pastry dough. You may make your own or use ready made like I did to save time. Roll out the dough, as directed on the package and place over the top of the chili. If the puff pastry comes in 2 squares you may have to use both. This will depend on the size of the baking dish. When you have rolled out all the puff pastry and placed it over top of the chili, making sure to seal in the chili underneath, then cut short slits in the top with a sharp knife. Brush the top with an egg wash and bake according to the puff pastry directions. (The directions on the box I bought said to bake in a pre-heated 400ºF oven for about 15 minutes or until pastry has puffed up and is golden brown.) Once puffed up and browned remove from oven. Let stand a few minutes and serve. 

  

Hope everyone is having a good week. I have been extremely busy this week.  - JD 

Leftovers #9 - Chili Con Carne Pizza

Things have definitely warmed up in the half cut cook's kitchen. Last night I made chili and there were leftovers. Considering that I was making pizza for tonight's dinner I decided to make it a chili con carne one. Green peppers, mushrooms, cheddar cheese and freshly dried parsley were added on top of the homemade chili and homemade pizza dough. There was enough spice to give this pizza warmth and a festive kick however I did add a dash or two of hot sauce on my slice. - JW   

Chicken Chili Con Carne

Like a good stew, chili is another hearty meal that doesn't get overlooked. I felt like Chili Con Carne over the weekend and within no time whipped this up to satisfy my insides. I will share my recipe with you. Keep in mind I have no recipe written down. And those are the best recipes. I have made this quite often. Chili is one of the easiest recipes to play around with.

First, in a stock pot brown 1 package of ground chicken and one chopped onion together in a tablespoon of olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and a dash of pepper. Stir occasionally so everything doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. I then add two crushed and chopped cloves of garlic. Stir to combined. While the chicken, onions and garlic come together chop whatever veggies you have chosen. I chopped two medium carrots, half a green pepper and half of a yellow pepper.

When chicken is browned, making sure all the meat has been cooked through, and onions are tender and slightly transparent but not over cooked, add the raw veggies. Stir together and cook for a few minutes. Just until the raw veggies have soften. I do like my veggies to still have some crunch. You may also want to put a lid on your pot to enhance the cooking time of the veggies. At this time I add some paprika, about a tablespoonful or two. When things start smelling great and veggies are to your liking...

It is time to add the beans. I chose one tin of pinto beans, drained, one tin of black beans, drained and one tin of baked beans in tomato sauce. Add whatever beans you would like. Kidney beans work well too. When choosing tins of beans I look for the lowest in sodium and use those. You may also used dried beans. Even though I am attracted to the idea of dried beans my experience has left me fussing over them too much. Stir in the beans to combined and simmer a few minutes more.

Now it is time to add the tomatoes. I used two 796ml tins of low salt diced tomatoes. That's 28 fluid ounces. Purely for convenience sake. There is nothing wrong with using tin tomatoes. You could use half tin tomatoes and half fresh tomatoes or all fresh tomatoes. Stir until tomatoes are combined. Now it is time to add the chili powder and don't be shy here. It may seem like you are adding a lot but you need to season this dish well! I added... oh about 5-6 tablespoonfuls. I wasn't measuring I just added the chili powder until I felt it tasted and looked right.

After everything has been added to the pot. Let it simmer anywhere from a half hour to an hour. Letting the spices steep into the chicken, veggies and beans. Sometimes during this stage I add a few squares of 80% dark chocolate. It adds a bit of richness and works well with the spiciness of the chili. Your place should smell fantastic by this point. Your pot brimming with hearty goodness.

I serve my chili best with a piece of rustic cornbread. You may also add a dollop of sour cream and a tablespoon of grated cheddar cheese on top. - jw