Drag Queens and Guinness World Records
It’s pretty much once in a lifetime that one gets to participate in a Guinness Book World Record, but when we learned of Darcelle XV Showplace trying to set the record for the longest continuous Drag Performance, we knew we had to go!
The criterion is quite strict. There had to be a minimum of 25 people in the audience at all times. The show had strict time limits for emcees and announcements. Performers had set times. And all was regulated by Guinness Inspectors who were there for the entire 48 hours. there was no problem with the audience numbers – it was sold out for the entire 48 hours!
Tickets were sold for 2-hour sets. Ours were for 1pm-3pm on the last day – with 3pm to 4pm as the Grand Finale. We tried, but those tickets were sold out immediately.
The Official Record is now 48 hours, 11 minutes, and 30 seconds!
Darcelle XV – aka Walter Cole – holds the Guinness Record for Worlds Oldest Performing Drag Queen. The record was set in 2016 when she was just shy of 86 and and she performed continually until she passed in March. 2023
We have visited Darcelle’s many times and have always had a great time. It’s an experience everyone should have. A sight to behold was Darcelle performing Rhinestone Cowboy in Rhinestone Chaps – a 92 year old bare ass is definitely something you don’t forget!
The talent and energy of the performers is astounding, and many of the performers seem like old family friends, Poison Waters, Cassie Nova, Mr Mitchell… Great fun, indeed.
And the energy of the performers 45 hours into the record was phenomenal.
The pictures don’t even begin to do justice to the costumes, the make-up, the hair, the shoes – and how ANYONE can dance non-stop across a stage in stilettos is a miracle in and of itself. It was enough to exhaust Tina Turner!
Another great benefit of the Drag-A-Thon was raising over $290,000.00 for The Trevor Project! They provide information & support to LGBTQ young people 24/7, all year round. If you would like to donate, please mention Darcelle XV Drag-A-Thon for them to get credit!
While there probably won’t be a repeat of the Drag-A-Thon any time soon, I do encourage all of you to go and visit a drag club near you.
With draconian legislation being passed by Republicans across the country, Drag performers need our support right now, more than ever.
Do your part and have fun doing it!
Zucchini
We harvested our first zucchini yesterday!
They came out of nowhere - as zucchini are wont to do. Wednesday, we had nothing but flowers. Friday, there were 2 huge zukes - with many more coming.
Being the gluttons for punishment that we are, we planted not one, but TWO zucchini plants.
As with our 2 eggplants from our Pennsylvania days, we shall be getting very creative.
Our first zucchini went into Zucchini Bread, because - cake. A simple, very basic recipe from the New York Times that never fails to please.
Zucchini Bread
adapted from NY Times recipes
- 1/4 cup / 57 grams unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
- 1 3/4 cups / 225 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- heaping 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- heaping 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 large eggs
- 3/8 cup/ 83 grams brown sugar
- 3/8 cup / 76 grams sugar
- 3/8 cup / 90 milliliters neutral oil
- 3/4 pound zucchini, unpeeled and grated on a box grater
Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-x4-inch loaf pan with softened butter and line with parchment paper.
Melt butter in a small pot over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter starts to brown and smell like hazelnuts, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a whisk to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot; set aside.
Whisk together flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg in a large bowl.
Whisk together eggs, light brown sugar, sugar and canola oil in a medium bowl until no lumps remain and eggs are well blended.
Using your hands, squeeze out as much water as possible from the zucchini. Add zucchini and browned butter to the egg mixture, whisking to blend.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients. Use a spatula to slowly incorporate until no dry spots remain.
Divide batter among prepared pans, smoothing the top. Sprinkle both with demerara sugar, if using, and place in oven. Bake, rotating once, until bread is golden brown on top, pulls away from the sides and springs back lightly when pressed at the top, 50 to 60 minutes.
Let cool completely on a wire rack before removing from the loaf pan.
I didn't brown the butter because I didn't feel like it. I've done it in the past but I don't think it makes that big of a difference.
Personal taste. Your results may vary.
The other zucchini became our dinner side.
It's a really quick sauté we did as a standard vegetable dish when I worked at the Hyatt Lake Tahoe back in the '70s and have been making ever since.
Zucchini and Tomatoes
- Zucchini
- Tomatoes
- Onion
- Garlic
- Basil
- Olive Oil
- S&P
Chop zucchini and tomatoes into chunks. Slice onions into either strips or 1-inch pieces. Mince garlic, and chiffonade basil.
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté briefly. Add zucchini and cook until it just begins to soften. Add minced garlic and tomatoes.
Continue cooking until tomatoes begin to break down and zucchini is al dente.
Stir in basil and salt & pepper, to taste.
It really is one of the easiest - and tastiest - ways to cook a zuke!
We have plenty of recipes for zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes. The tomatoes are veeeeeery slowly starting to come in and the eggplant is growing, but mocking us in their lack of flowers.
We shall be getting zucchini-creative very soon!
How Does Your Garden Grow?
My father was a great one for nursey rhymes… One I still remember was “Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?” “With silver bells and cockle shells, and one damn tulip.”
Okay… I didn’t say he was good at them, but they are definitely memorable!
2023 seems to be bringing us the best garden since moving here! The main reason, I think, is most of our plants came from our niece, Christine who started them all from seed. Christine is the mother of 2 year old twins. She was able to start enough plants for the entire local family up here, and still find time to feed her kids.
Not bad.
The original front yard was pretty beat up. The double deck was full of dry rot and pretty useless. The bottom section – the property is on a slight slope – was a pea gravel seating area. Totally uncomfortable, with chair legs sinking into the ground. Definitely not a place to enjoy an afternoon beverage or an al fresco dinner.
Our nephew, Jacob, got us started with the planters and nephew Brandon and his brother, Chance, helped with the soil and bark. Then we called in the pros for the patio and wall. It’s now a place where we can entertain, relax, and watch nature flutter by.
We have 10 tomato plants going, probably 25 peppers, 3 eggplants, 1 lemon bush, 2 blueberry bushes, 2 zucchini, numerous herbs… plenty of stuff to keep us going in the weeks to come. Hopefully, we’ll have bountiful crops for canning.
I see lots of different hot sauces, tomato sauces – and tomato paste – as well as eggplant caponata, ratatouille, and whatever else we can dream up once we have a panic-amount of produce. [hopefully]
In the meantime, it’s fun to sit and watch the garden grow.
Retirement is great – I highly recommend it!
Blue Corn Grits
A few weeks ago I got a wild hair and decided to do a small order from Anson Mills.
I like their products, but they're both expensive and can be a bit pretentious, at times. Now, of course, I am never pretentious, myself, but, it's all for a good cause - or dinner, as the case may be.
When it comes to corn, I am generally a yellow corn person. I think it has a much better flavor than white corn, and blue corn - as in tortilla chips - are just slightly lost on me. That didn't stop me from paying $7.00 for a 12 oz package of Native Coarse Blue Corn Grits. Their website states they come from " ... the Cherokee Nation in the mountains of the Carolinas. Slow-cooked grits made from this fresh new crop blue corn have the fragrance and taste of mountain terroir and sweet corn, with intriguing background notes of chestnuts." I was intrigued...
I am a huge fan of polenta, grits, hominy, even good ol' cornmeal mush. And now I can say I'm also a fan of Blue Corn Grits. The texture was great - smooth and creamy with just enough bite - and the flavor was really good. I didn't pick up on the chestnuts, but my aging palate usually doesn't find those semi-obscure background notes. Overly-expensive wines with1001 nuances are lost on me, as well.
The only real downside to them is the cooking time. They really do need to be soaked overnight, and then it's a really low-and-slow cooking process. I think it's worth it, but one does need to plan ahead and be ready to dedicate an hour to cooking them.
I decided on a bit of a non-traditional main to go with them - a quick stir-fry of chicken, Mexican chorizo, bell pepper, spring onion, a bit of cumin, and a squirt of hot taco sauce from Trader Joe's. It was pretty good and both complimented one another.
I don't see me buying these often, but they'll be nice for the occasional special dinner. I think next time might be a lowcountry shrimp and grits!
In the meantime, I have a package of Pencil Cob Grits that will need to find a meal...
Stay tuned.
Grilled Peaches and Pork Tenderloin
I have definitely been remiss in my postings...
It probably has more to do with the fact that I haven't really been cooking up anything very newsworthy. Let's face it - I've been writing this thing since 2005. There are 2016 posts and 1259 recipe pages. Needless to say, there's a lot of repetition in there. I suppose I could write about grilled pork chops again. And again. And again. Or... I can just post something when the mood strikes - like today.
I never monetized the site, I'm not trying to make a living from this and I'm not vying for Food Blogger of the Year. I do it because I like to - not because I have to. There's a big difference.
Besides, I'm retired. This is the time of life when I get to be old and crotchety and scream at kids to get off my lawn. Well, except that we don't have a lawn.
But that's beside the point.
What I will be posting more about is our vegetable garden once Summer hits and we have produce coming out our ears. Our niece, Christine, gave us a couple dozen starts of tomatoes, peppers, eggplants that she started from seed, We added blueberries, a lemon bush, lots of herbs, zucchini... They are growing like crazy and should eventually [hopefully] overwhelm us.
I can't wait for the panic of trying to figure out what to do with a dozen zucchini or five pounds of assorted peppers all at once!
It will be fun.
In the meantime, here's a bit of a start to the Grilling Season...
Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Grilled Peaches with Ricotta, Maple Syrup, and Candied Pecans.
I did a quick marinade for the pork with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, fennel powder, and a bit of S&P. Onto the grill - no muss, no fuss.
The peaches had a drizzle of olive oil, a teeny-tiny bit of balsamic, and a teeny-tiny bit of brown sugar. Onto the grill and, when heated through, onto the plate with ricotta, a drizzle of maple syrup, and chopped candied pecans.
It was a sweet and savory dinner - the pork was delicious dipped into the maple glaze.
In the meantime, I just received a shipment from Anson Mills and I have a small bag of Blue Grits... I guess I'll have to write about them soon...
Cabo San Lucas
What to do when the weather is cold, windy, and wet?!? Why... gather some siblings and spouses and head south to Baja California Sur. Or, more specifically, Cabo San Lucas!
I was in Cabo about 45 years ago when I worked for Hyatt. I flew down with a couple of guys I worked with and we got our free rooms and more than our fair share of free tequila. it was before the advent of the all-inclusive resort, but hotel employees always took care of other hotel employees.
It was a sleepy fishing village just on the verge of becoming a huge resort still focusing on sport fishing and tequila back then. Today, it's all-inclusive resorts, golf, spas - and tequila!
The area has changed so much I really didn't recognize anything - other than the absolutely gorgeous Sea of Cortez, It's just stunning.
This is sunrise from our hotel beach, taken by Victor.
And sunset on a sunset cruise...
We stayed at Pueblo Bonito Los Cabos Blanco.
Here's an early morning shot from our balcony... It's rough waking up to palm trees and a sea breeze...
These were the only early morning shots we did... While tequila was offered at breakfast, we did not partake. We have standards. We waited until at least 11! Well... maybe 10:30.
The food was really good - a lot of traditional Mexican foods with a slightly spiced-down American twist. They did serve a house-made habanero sauce that perked things up a bit, though. Our first night was steak and lobster...
Cooked to perfection! They did great presentations...
We did the requisite touristy things and took a tour to Todos Santos.
Bought some fun souvenirs, ate great food, and had a great tour guide who answered a particular question for me... My memory is very vague and fuzzy about that that first trip - I was only about 25 or 26 at the time - but back when I first visited Cabo, I thought it was a quick drive into town, but it took us about 30 minutes from the airport to the hotel. He said there is an airport probably less than 10 minutes from town that is now a regional airport where I most likely landed. I'm not sure if we flew in from San Diego or Tijuana, but the only ID we needed was a drivers license. Customs took seconds to pass through and on to the next flight.
As for the hotel... It doesn't exist, anymore. All the old hotels and resorts have been torn down or remodeled and expanded beyond recognition. Hyatt now has 5 or 6 properties down there under various brands... But the more I think of it, the more it seems it was south of the marina. It was an easy walk into town.
But back to the present...
My Dermatologist will be very proud of me when I see him on Thursday! I wore my SPF 50 Sun Shirt in the pool the whole time we were there! No sunburn for this kid!
A good time was had by all!
In a few weeks we're off to San Francisco. being retired is good!
Spring, Sprains, and Salad
It was the beginning of Spring and an absolutely perfect day - mild temperature, mild breeze, and blue, blue skies... An absolutely perfect day for a dinner salad.
I headed off to the grocery store walking a bit gimpy with compression socks and a sore knee. It seemed that for no really discernable reason, my left leg and foot decided to swell. I didn't think a lot about it at first, but it seemed to be getting bigger - and bigger... I know the weight loss has not been all that dramatic, but neither has the weight gain - especially on just one side of my body. Time to look into things.
A quick trip to Dr Google let me know that men of a certain (old) age who have prostate cancer are more susceptible to blood clots that those without. I decided it was time to seek actual medical advice from an actual person. Off to Immediate Care.
I saw a great Doc who did the exam and wanted an ultrasound asap. Alas, it was a Sunday and the Imaging Dept was closed for the day. He suggested heading to the ER - which I was not in favor of - so he gave me a blood thinner to get me safely through the night - and an order to get an Ultrasound immediately the following morning. In the meantime, I had several vials of blood taken out and a complete blood workup ordered. to try and rule out every possible cause.
Actually following Drs orders, I had the Ultrasound on Monday and fortunately, it came back negative. No clots, no issues, Good blood flow. Leg still swollen. My PCP called me later that afternoon - she gets notified when something is added to my chart - and said she wanted to see me Tuesday morning so right after my quarterly Urology appointment, I headed to see her - bringing an elastic knee brace I had started wearing because my knee has been bothering me - the same knee I had arthroscopic surgery on 11 years ago. She had the results of the Ultrasound and the bloodwork, and did a thorough exam of my leg. It appears that the elastic brace was the most likely cause of the swelling.
To address the problem of the knee, she sent me upstairs for x-rays. The knee surgery is past its warranty and I'm scheduled for a steroid injection to help alleviate things. The compression socks have reduced the swelling immensely in just a day, and all of my bloodwork came back perfect.
To add perfection to an already stellar medical experience, the Dr who saw me on Sunday at the Immediate Care office called this morning to see how I was doing! It's like old fashioned medicine in the 21st Century!
To celebrate the great news and absolutely gorgeous day, we decided on salads for dinner. Limping through the store , I picked up some fresh tuna kabobs - marinated in teriyaki - and the basic salad ingredients we didn't already have. I made a bean salad, a farrow salad, and I made a salad dressing - a garlicky buttermilk ranch.
Bean Salad was simplicity and based on my old Trader Joe training - 3 cans of beans, diced pimento, diced red onion, a can of diced green chilis, and about a half-cup of Trader Joe's Salsa Verde. A pinch of salt and pepper. Absolutely no muss or fuss - and no-effort really good.
The Farro Salad was another no-recipe recipe. Cooked farro, diced bell pepper, green onion, celery, chopped parsley, olive oil, and coconut vinegar - because we have a dozen (at least) different vinegars and I have to use them up!
There's a little dollop of a local goat cheese with honey and vanilla that tastes like cheesecake - and some marinated veggies from the olive bar. Delish!
The salad dressing was a take on a dressing I've made in the past. This version had a lot of roasted garlic in it.
Garlicky Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup crème fraîche
- 2 tsp. minced onion
- 1-1/2 tsp. lemon juice
- 1-1/2 tsp. flat leaf parsley
- 5 cloves roasted garlic
- Pinch dried thyme
- Pinch paprika
- S&P to taste
Place everything into a good blender and process until creamy. (I used the smoothie cup to my Ninja)
Taste for seasoning and add more S&P, if desired.
After yesterday's great weather, we have cold, cloudy, rainy weather with snow in the higher elevations - welcome to Spring in the Pacific Northwest! But that's okay. I'll be doing nothing today, sitting with leg elevated when i think of it, and dreaming of Cabo San Lucas in a few weeks.
Little glitches here and there, but life does not suck!
Stuffed Eggplant and Focaccia
Eggplant is one of those things I never had growing up, and considering how small the produce sections of grocery stores were back in those dark ages, it's really not surprising. San Francisco was a city of immigrants, but it was also a city of neighborhoods - more often than not fairly segregated.
Our Irish family didn't travel across town to the Italian North Beach for groceries, just as the Italians didn't travel to Chinatown or the Chinese to The Mission. The exception was my Father the Fireman going to the Homestead Ravioli company for cards of fresh ravioli, or Molinari's for Salami or a shop I don't remember for corned beef briskets for St Paddy's Day.
Eggplant wasn't even on the radar.
Fast-forward 50 years and we're on the east coast where eggplant is not only in every grocery store around, we also decided to grow it!
I learned really really quickly how to prepare eggplant!
Victor, on the other hand, just instinctively knew what to do with it. And tonight's dinner is a perfect case in point.
He made stuffed eggplant with a fantastic filling of:
- langostino
- green onion
- bell pepper
- roasted pepper
- breadcrumbs
- quattro formaggio
- the cubed eggplant
- kalamata olives
- arborio rice
- tomato paste
- chicken broth
- oregano
- S&P
He sauteed the eggplant in olive oil, added the rest of the ingredients with a bit of chicken broth and cooked it down. Into the eggplant shells with parmigiano and breadcrumbs on top. Into a 350°F oven for about an hour - until the skin was easily pierced with a skewer.
Done by touch and taste - no recipe required.
Because a fabulous main course needed a fun accompaniment, I made an olive and sun-dried tomato focaccia.
This is one of the easiest breads to make - and the variations are endless. I used kalamata olives and sun-dried tomatoes in oil - and I used the oil from the tomatoes in place of the olive oil in the recipe.
Focaccia
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 pkg yeast dissolved in
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup black olives, chopped
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
Knead all ingredients until smooth – about 10 minutes. Cover and let rise until doubled.
Punch down dough and spread out on lightly-greased baking sheet. Let rise again, about 30 minutes. Dimple top of dough with knuckles and place into a 425°F oven about 20 minutes or until nicely-browned.
Simple and flavorful.
It's Impossible -- Pie!
It's impossibleTell the sun to leave the skyIt's just impossibleIt's impossibleAsk a baby not to cryIt's just impossible ...
It's also impossible not to really like old recipes.
I took some ground beef out of the freezer, this morning, without a real plan for it. I decided to check out my Mom's Cookbook for a bit of inspiration since she could stretch a pound of ground beef like no other! One of the many things she used to make were the Bisquick Impossible Pies. And that struck a bell.
I had all the ingredients I needed, so off I went!
My filling version was a bit different - I used different cheeses, added some roasted corn, and used a different sauce in place of the taco mix - but the concept was there! That's the beauty of these things - the only constants are the milk. eggs, and Bisquick.
These things really are fun. This one had a spicy filling with lots of cheese - and a light and delicate crust that balanced everything.
It's been a really long time since I made one - and I won't wait that long, next time!
A fun accompaniment was a beer from Gigantic Brewing, here in Portland. It's Darcelle Blonde IPA - named after Darcelle XV - who holds the Guinness World Record for being ‘The World’s Oldest Performing Drag Queen’. She is fabulous - and a wonderful person.
From their website: Darcelle is frequently introduced on stage as ‘The Bold, The Blonde, and The Beautiful,’ so when it came to developing the flavor profile for our collaboration beer, we knew exactly where to go. We used locally grown Cashmere and Luminosa hops to be apropos as well as to create a bright and tropical IPA with mango, candied orange peel, and peach notes.
It's all that - and more. It's a really excellent brew! It will be adorning our family table on St Paddy's Day!
It's all of that. and more. The extra-cool thing is proceeds from the Weirdtastic Series of beers are donated to "Weird Portland United", a nonprofit that supports the artistic risk-takers that make our city weirdly wonderful.
I tell ya, I really do love being here. I love the fun, the weird, and the acceptance. I could go for a little less rain, but even the rain is a small price to pay for a real community!
It's a limited addition, so come on out and get some, soon!
Mushroom and Langostino Risotto
Oh, the weather outside is frightful... Cold, snow, ice... Not exactly what we were expecting for the end of February in the Pacific Northwest! The daffodils had already started spouting and we were arranging the Spring yard clean-up. SUPRISE!!!
Cold weather, of course, means hearty food - and a risotto seemed to be the perfect idea. I thought more of a clean-out-the-'fridge than a traditional - and it came out really well.
First fun thing I did was roast a whole onion, head of garlic, and a couple of tomatoes in the oven - 400°F for about 45 minutes - and then into the blender to puree.
I set that aside and sauteed button mushroom halves in butter, and then added the arborio rice. Next, a cup of white wine and cooked it down.
Then came the first ladle of broth and the puree and a hefty pinch of saffron.
I then followed the traditional method of making risotto - adding a ladle of broth at a time until it was absorbed.
Salt and white pepper went in, and then the langostino. When they were cooked, I added a handful of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Gotta admit it came out pretty darn good!
The roasting of the vegetables really ramped up their flavor. It was a simple thing to do and really took no effort.
Mushroom and Langostino Risotto
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 8 oz button mushrooms
- 6 oz langostino
- 1 medium onion
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1 head garlic
- 1 cup white wine
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Salt and White pepper, to taste
Follow the above guidelines. It's simple.
Super Bowl and TastyKakes
It's Super Bowl Sunday - the day where the most people in the country watch the same show on TV at the same time.
It's also a day where more people eat the same foods. It even rivals Thanksgiving!
Some of the standards are:
- Chili
- Hamburgers
- Hot Dogs
- Chicken Wings
- Spinach artichoke dip
- Pizza
- Seven-layer dip
- Guacamole
- Nachos
- Deviled eggs
I know I have definitely had or made all of them at one time or another - and many of them at one time! This year, however, we're going Philly-Style!
Victor is from Philadelphia and we lived in the Philly 'burbs for almost 20 years. Since my hometown Niner's aren't in the game, it's Eagles all the way - starting with the food.
We'll be going with Jersey Mike's Philadelphia Cheesesteaks, since that's about as Philly as we can get in Oregon.
This is an internet picture, but you get the idea. They're pretty good for not being in Philadelphia. There's a lot of debate over who makes the best cheesesteaks in Philly. Our personal favorite was a place in Wayne called Tozzi's. Great place with a really fun and personable cook. They closed for a [supposed] remodel and never reopened. We were crushed.
The next thing is going to be TastyKakes. These, I made since buying them online is ridiculously expensive. Victor looked into a Philly Box with soft pretzels and TastyKakes. It was about $29.00. Not exorbitant, totally doable - but they wanted FIFTY DOLLARS FOR SHIPPING! That, was exorbitant.
Traditionally, they would be round, but squares are easier...
It's a really simple recipe and makes 24 fairly large squares.
Friends KJ and Deb made these for dessert one night and gave us the recipe.
TastyKake Peanut Butter Kandy Kake
- 1 cup milk
- 2 Tbs butter
Scald and set aside
- 4 egg whites
- Dash of salt
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
Mix egg whites, sugar, and vanilla until light. Mix in flour, salt, and baking powder. Add cooled milk/butter.
Put in jelly roll pan and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Take out and spread 12 oz peanut butter on top. Put in fridge to chill.
Melt 8 oz. Hershey chocolate in double boiler and spread on top of cool cake. Refrigerate to harden.
Simple and fun.
GO BIRDS!
Of course, for those who just don't watch or like football, we're going to have our own version of The Puppy Bowl, today, as well!
Phoebe and Nancy have a new puppy - Lucy - who is barely 9 weeks old. She is absolutely adorable!
This is her coming home for the first time.
Being a Good Girl in the backyard...
And sound asleep in a noisy restaurant, yesterday.
Chili Con Carne
We're getting ready for football, tomorrow.
The San Francisco 49ers are playing the Philadelphia Eagles - in Philadelphia - to see who's going to The Super Bowl.
As you probably all know, Victor is an East Coast Philadelphia boy and I'm a West Coast San Francisco boy. And after 20 years in Philadelphia, we're back out west.
If the Eagles were playing any other team, I'd be a rabid Eagles fan - but they're playing my hometown team. I hafta root for my hometown team. It's practically a rule.
Victor is seriously out-numbered.
Phoebe and Nancy are coming over for the game and we're cooking up a west coast meal - chili, jalapeño poppers, quesadillas, bean dip, guacamole, beer, and tequila....
It looks like a lot of ingredients, but it's easy to put together.
Chili Con Carne
- 1 pound dried pinto beans
- 3 dried guajillo peppers
- 3 dried puya peppers
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 1-1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 6 cups beef stock
- 1 bottle (12 ounces) beer
- 3 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can diced mild green peppers
- 3 tablespoons masa harina
Soak pinto beans overnight. Drain and set aside.
Place chiles in a bowl and add enough boiling water to cover. Let sit about 15 minutes to soften. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid. Discard stems and seeds. Process chiles, tomato paste, garlic and reserved liquid until smooth.
In a large pot, sauté onion and poblano pepper. Cook until wilted. Add ground beef and cook until beef is broken up and mostly cooked through.
Stir in spices, oregano, and pureed chile mixture. Add the stock, beer, tomatoes, canned chiles, and beans, Bring to boil and then reduce heat to low. Simmer until beans are done - about 1 1/2 hours. Stir in masa and simmer another 20 minutes.
Serve with assorted toppings: oyster crackers, cheeses like cotija or Mexican blend, chopped avocado, chopped onions, sour cream...
Chili is definitely one of those foods that taste better the next day, so plan accordingly!
Our Super Bowl menu will be completely dependent on the outcome of tomorrow's game. It could be another west coast feast or it could be Jersey Mike's Cheesesteaks. Whichever team wins, we will be rooting for them in the Super Bowl.
And GO NINERS!