Joseph's Delicious Chili--AND his home made chili powder recipe, bonus!

Joseph's chili is GOOD!! 

We get organic beef from a farm near St. Joseph, but you can buy some good stuff in the store, too.  If you prefer ground beef, that’s fine; Joseph is a big fan of chunks instead.  Pork chili is good, or you can even make “white chili,” with chicken. (And of course if you hunt, it doesn’t get any fresher or more primal than venison!)  

The recipe is not QUITE Paleo, using commercially canned stuff, so if you've canned or frozen your own, good ON you! Our garden wasn't great this year... :-(


JOSEPH’S CHILI



I seldom make it the same way twice, but here are the standard ingredients:



2 lbs meat – beef, venison, pork, turkey, whatever

5 T chili powder (see below)

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (I like Hunt’s fire roasted w/garlic) (or if you have them, 2-3 chopped fresh tomatoes, or your own home canned or frozen...)

1 6 oz can tomato paste (organic if you can find it, or can your own)

3 4 oz cans diced green chilis

½ sweet yellow or Vidalia onion, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, minced



Sometimes I may add beans – either pinto or black beans or maybe even both. But never, never, absolutely, positively NEVER kidney beans.

[I don't remember beans in Joseph's chili, ever! And don't miss them in the least. -Kate]



I use a slow cooker but any pot will do.



If using ground meat, first brown it with the onion, then add the remaining ingredients and simmer (low on the slow cooker) for at least an hour, preferably two or three. If using a roast, slow cook it with all the ingredients until it can be pulled apart with two forks. Shred it and simmer until you can’t wait any longer.

[I make mine with ground beef or bison sometimes...it's fine too! -Kate]

Yep, this photo's the ground meat version...and done on the stove...hey, I had the photos in my file!

Serve with chopped onion, sour cream, shredded cheese, hot sauce, vinegar – whatever you like on your chili.


I’ve never really been happy with commercial chili powders so I decided to make my own. (I don’t care if silicon dioxide is harmless, I don’t want it in my chili powder.)



JOSEPH’S CHILI POWDER



¾ c ground Ancho chili pepper

3 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground Mexican oregano

1 tsp cayenne pepper



The only thing not available at most supermarkets is Ancho chili powder and the Mexican oregano, which is stronger and not as sweet as the more common Turkish oregano.  Penzeys Spices is a good on-line source for both. http://www.penzeys.com  Note: I bought a 1 lb bag of ground Ancho chili, which is about a quart. I also bought a 4 oz bag of leaf (the only form they sell it) Mexican oregano and that was ALSO about a quart! So I have LOTS of Mexican oregano! I store it in the freezer and grind it with an electric herb grinder. Well, OK it’s a coffee grinder, but the two devices are exactly the same thing.

Savory Squash Soup--again!

SAVORY SQUASH & SAUSAGE SOUP

I thought I'd done this version in the blog, but if I did I didn't label it....so by popular request, my sausage and squash soup, perfect for a wintry day!

butternut squash keeps well in the winter--this is the bulbous end with the seeds...

bubbling away on the stove...

You’ll need:

1/2 large sweet onion
a winter squash (we like butternut squash for this--and of course if you can get organic, all the better)
2 cloves of garlic
5-6 cups of soup stock or to cover well, preferably home made--I used some of my bone broth I hadn't gotten to yet, with chicken stock
breakfast sausage--about a lb.
1 T. butter or olive oil
dash of sea salt
a generous grating of fresh pepper
(We like Pepperman instead of those last two)
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. turmeric
Sprinkling of cayenne, to taste (I'm a wuus)

dollop of sour cream or plain lowfat yogurt, optional
dash of hot sauce, optional squared...

Peel and chop the onion into about ½" pieces, and brown lightly in the hot oil–
Add the garlic.

Brown and break up the sausage in another pan.

Slice, peel, and dice the squash.
Put in a stock pot with broth and stock, and cook on medium heat till the squash is soft.  Mash with a potato masher or use a blender or food processor.

Add the sautee'd onion  along with the meat and seasonings, and simmer a half hour or longer.
Serve with sour cream or yogurt and enjoy--perfect for a wintry evening!

You can tell this photo was taken when I was still eating bread. If gluten doesn't bother you, that's your choice!

And add a little hot sauce if you're like my husband...I'm the delicate little flower in the family!