Holy Mole!

It's superbowl time. Now, I am not a big football fan, but I do love traditions, and reasons to get together and eat! This got me in the spirit to share my Holy Mole chili.
This recipe, much like many we all have contain loose measurements and are subject to tweaking at any time, so feel free to make it your own. I will give you the basic idea...

Ingredients:

5 Alarm chili kit (I omit the salt)
2 lbs your favorite chili meat
2 cans your favorite chili beans
chopped onions and garlic
jars of
tomato paste,stewed tomatoes,tomato sauce, whatever tomato products sound good...
in the amount that makes the thick or thin chili of your choice
Rotele chilis
Chipotles in adobo sauce (depending on how hot you like it...I usually use half and use the other half mixed with Raspberry preserves for a kick ass maride for pork chops or mix it in with ground beef for amazing burgers)
large palmful or so of Mexene brand chili powder(this one is one thing that needs to be brand specific I think!)

Several good shakes of cumin, cinnamon and black pepper
Good palmful or so of cocoa powder--I like dark cocoa powder the best.

Cook up the meat, throw in the fresh onions and garlic, green peppers too if you feel like it. Add in all the tomato stuff, beans,then all the spices except the masa. Simmer about a half hour or till you remember. Add in masa mixed with 1/4 cup warm water. Mix in with chili and simmer til your ready to devour.
Everyone has their preference how they serve their chili. I like fresh chopped onions and shredded cheese on mine. Luke loves to enjoy his with crackers and peanut butter.
However you prefer it, enjoy!!

Beef Stew

Snowed in. Beef stew. Yep, this was a great recipe. An adjusted version of Kyle's Favorite Beef Stew.

Ingredients:

2 lb. cubed sirloin

1/4 C. all-purpose flower

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 lb. carrots, cut into 2 inches

4 Lg. red potatoes, cubed

1 T. dried parsley

1 T. thyme

2 bay leaves

1/4 t. cayenne

1 1/2 t. ground black pepper

2 C. celery

2 C. boiling water

3 T. butter

3 Lg. onions, quartered

2 T. minced garlic

1 C. dark stout

1 (8 oz) packages fresh button mushrooms, halved

1/4 C. warm water

3 T. cornstarch

2 cubes organic vegetable bouillon

Directions:

Toss the beef, flour, and salt in a sealable bag until the beef is coated.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Combine the beef and Worcestershire sauce inthe skillet, cook until the beef is evenly browned on all sides, transfer to a slow cooker, but do not clean the skillet. Add the carrots, potatoes, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, cayenne, celery, bouillon and pepper to slower cooker.

Melt the butter inthe skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion and garlic in the melted butter until soft, transfer the onion and garlic to the slow cooker and return the skillet to heat. Combine the stout and mushrooms to the skillet, reduce to half, poor the mixture intot he slow cooker.

Place the cover on the slow cooker and set to high, cook for one hour. Reduce heat to low and cook until the beef is fork-tender, 6-8 hours. Whisk together the warm water and cornstarch, stir into the stew, cook uncovered until stew thinkens, about 15 minutes.