Projo Football Food and Spirits

Here are some recipes provided by the Crock-Pot brand for the Super Bowl. It doesn't start until 6:30 so there's plenty of time to slow cook.

Crock-Pot Six Pepper Chili

3 pounds hamburger
1 12-ounce can beef broth
1 teaspoon oregano
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
5 cloves garlic
2 12-ounce cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 12-ounce cans of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
5 dashes hot sauce
2 28-ounce cans crushed Italian tomatoes
1 12-ounce can of tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
2 Serrano chili peppers, minced
1 long red pepper, diced

In a large skillet, brown meat.
Add meat and other ingredients to slow cooker stoneware.
Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours or on High for 5-7 hours, stirring occasionally.
Mix well before serving.
Serves 6-8

Crock-Pot Baby Back Ribs
For a large Crock-Pot slow cooker, double the recipe.

1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2-3 pounds beef or pork short ribs
1/3 cup bourbon
¼ cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup chili sauce

In a small bowl, combine the cumin, chili powder, sugar, coriander, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Stir to thoroughly combine and rub all over the ribs.
Place the ribs into the slow cooker stoneware. In a small bowl, stir together the bourbon, sugar, and chili sauce and pour all over the ribs.
Cover and cook on High for 3 hours or on Low for 6-7 hours. Occasionally brush sauce in crock onto the ribs.
Serves 6-8

Andy Rogers / Seattle P-I
John Howie's Texas Chili. Recipe is below.

Here's the Wildcard Weekend TV schedule:

Saturday, Jan. 5

Washington Redskins (9-7) at Seattle Seahawks (10-6)
Qwest Field, 4:30 p.m. ET (NBC)

Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5) at Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)
Heinz Field, 8 p.m. ET (NBC)

(The lowest-seeded survivor of these games plays the Patriots in Foxboro Saturday night, Jan. 12.)

Sunday, Jan. 6

New York Giants (10-6) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
Raymond James Stadium, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)

Tennessee Titans (10-6) at San Diego Chargers (11-5)
Qualcomm Stadium, 4:30 p.m. ET (CBS)

Over at the Seattle P.I., whose hometown Seahawks face the Redskins Saturday, they arranged a chili cookoff: Two recipes go helmet to helmet to see which deserves a spot at the playoffs.

A local sports bar won, and their chili is below. (The other, which included 1/4 lb. of slab bacon, was understandably judged too greasy.)

I've also included the meatless black-bean chili they found. Make it with black soybeans -- Whole Foods has 'em -- and it's low-carb. (Although John Howie's beanless chili might qualify, the sugar in the pineapple juice may be too much for you.) At the link above, you'll also find a recipe for skillet cornbread and one for making your own chili powder.

John Howie's Texas Chili
Makes 1 Gallon

* 1/2 cup canola oil
* 4 pounds white onion, diced
* 4 pounds chuck roast or other beef, diced in 3/4-inch by 1-inch pieces
* 1 pound pork, diced in 3/4-inch by 1-inch pieces
* 3 cups tomato sauce
* 2 1/2 cups pineapple juice
* 1 cup water
* 1/2 cup mild chili powder
* 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder
* 1/8 teaspoon habanero chile powder
* 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
* 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground basil
* 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic
* 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
* 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
* 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
* 5 bay leaves

Place oil in a large stock pot or braising pan, add the beef and onions in small batches and sear until the onions are tender.

Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a simmer, and cook for three hours, stirring frequently. Serve with cheddar cheese, tortilla strips and salsa on top. Howie also serves it over nachos.

(Note: Habanero powder can be difficult to find. You could omit it, but it's easy to make by whirling a dried habanero in a mini-Cuisinart or spice grinder.)

-- Courtesy of John Howie

Quick Black Bean Chili With Goat Cheese
Serves 4-6

* 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1 small red onion, chopped
* 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 2 teaspoons chili powder
* 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper
* 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
* 2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
* 4-ounce can mild chopped green chiles, drained
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
* 3-6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled or cut into small pieces

In a medium pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add the red onion and green pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder and hot pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute to toast the spices.

Stir in the tomatoes, black beans, chiles and salt. Simmer for 15 minutes. Season with additional hot pepper and salt to taste, bearing in mind goat cheese is salty.

To serve, ladle into warm bowls. Sprinkle cilantro and goat cheese on top.

-- From "One-Pot Vegetarian Dishes" by Amy Cotler

1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey
2 bottles beer
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup canned green chile peppers, chopped
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1 tsp. ground white pepper
4 cups white kidney beans (or canned beans, rinsed and drained)
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

In a large pot over medium heat, combine onion, garlic and ground turkey. Sauté for eight to 10 minutes, or until turkey is browned. Add chili peppers, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper and white pepper. Sauté for an additional five minutes.

Add the beer, half the beans and chicken broth to the pot. Take the remaining beans and purée them in a blender or food processor.

Add puréed beans to chili. Stir well and simmer for 40 minutes.

Add cheese and let melt for an additional 10 minutes.

Source: Molson Canadian

Monday Night Football with the Patriots at the Ravens, don't you just get a chill thinking about it?

How about cooking up some chili on Sunday to serve for dinner before or during the game. These recipes come from Stephanie Anderson, author of Killer Chili: Savory Recipes from North America's Favorite Restaurants (Chronicle Books, $17.95).

The Award Winning Chili recipe comes from Vanilla Bean Cafe in Pomfret, Conn.
The Cape Cod Seafood Chili comes froms the Atlanta Fish Market in Georgia.

AWARD-WINNING CHILI

2 pounds lean ground beef

2 teaspoons plus 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon plus 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

2 drops Tabasco sauce

2 links fresh smoked Mexican chorizo sausage

1 tablespoon minced jalapeno chile

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 16-ounce can tomato sauce

1 28-ounce can tomato purée

1 16-ounce can kidney beans, drained

In a large, heavy skillet, combine the ground beef with the 2 teaspoons chili powder, the 1/2 teaspoon cumin, the black pepper, cayenne pepper, and Tabasco sauce. Cook over medium heat until the meat is browned. Drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of the fat.

Slice the chorizo in half lengthwise and cut into bite-size pieces. In a large, heavy pot, cook the chorizo over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder, the 1/2 tablespoon cumin, the jalapeno, garlic, onion, celery, bell peppers, and reserved fat. Cook until the vegetables are tender. Add the tomato products, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cooked beef and kidney beans and simmer for 2 hours. Serve in crocks with tortilla chips, shredded Cheddar cheese, and scallions if desired.

Serves 10 to 12.

CAPE COD SEAFOOD CHILI

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion diced

2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and diced

2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced

1 green bell pepper, seedfed and diced

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon ground allspice

6 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup (8 ounces) bottled clam juice

3 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes

1 15-ounce can kidney beans

4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 pounds bay scallops

1 1/2 pounds bay (cocktail) shrimp

1 6- to 8-ounce cod fillet, cut into chunks

In a large, heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, chiles, peppers, and garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the salt, chili powder, black pepper, red pepper, bay leaves, and allspice and stir well. Add the tomato paste and stir for 2 minutes. Add the clam juice and crushed tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add the beans, chocolate, cilantro, and parsley.

Taste for seasoning and add more if necessary. Add the scallops, shrimp, and cod and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or just until the scallops and cod are opaque throughout.

Serves 6 to 8.

When the Patriots play the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday the game is set for 4 p.m. This is the best time for the game in my book. I don't know about everyone else's house, but I just can't get to the TV for a 1 p.m. game. We are always knee deep in the unexpected about that time every Sunday. It seems like one child or another will need something from Staples, or the bookstore to finish some homework or project and it will usually be about 12:55 when that announcement is made. So with a 4:15 p.m. start, I have a chance to make something fun and serve it for the game.

The Spicy Pork Chili recipe is actually very soup like and is loaded with beans and pork and has pleny of bite. It comes from Taste of Home's Bonus Book that came with the October/November issue. Taste of Home takes recipes from home cooks so they are usually not very complicated. This one just requires simmering for several hours which means if you start it at noon, you have no work beyond serving at game time.

Spicy Pork Chili
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, cubed
2 large onions, diced
4 celery ribs, diced
2 tablespoons butter
6 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
4 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) chicken broth
2 cups water
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon each white pepper, cayenne pepper, ground cumin and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, optional
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey jack cheese

In a Dutch oven, cook the pork, onions, and celery in butter until meat is browned. Stir in the beans, broth, water, jalapeños, spices, garlic, salt, parsley, and hot pepper sauce if desired. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
Uncover; simmer 30 to 40 minutes longer or until chili reaches desired consistency. Sprinkle with cheese.
Serves 15.

Monday Night Football with the Pats and the Bengals makes me think of one thing - Cincinnati chili. This style of chili always has lots of spices and chocolate as part of the mix.

But it's the way it is served when things get interesting. Every time you add an ingredient, the style changes. Two-way chili is served on spaghetti. Three-way is additionally topped with Cheddar cheese. Four-way is additionally topped with chopped onions while five-way chili is additionally topped with kidney beans.

Michael Iannotti is a New England Patriots tailgater extraordinaire, and a while ago he shared his recipe for Cincinnati Chili that he makes when the Pats play the Bengels and he's serving.

CINCINNATI CHILI
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa or 1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate, grated
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 pounds linguine
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, saute onion, ground beef, garlic, and chili powder until ground beef is slightly cooked. Add allspice, cinnamon, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, unsweetened cocoa or chocolate, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, and water. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 1 1/2 hours. Remove from heat.
Cook pasta according to directions. Put linguine on individual plates and top with chili.
Serves 6-8.

2 large onions, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp cumin seed
3 medium carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, sliced
3 small jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 cups cooked or canned black beans, rinsed
6-12 oz. tomato juice
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 oz.) reduced fat shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Sauté onions in oil over medium high heat in large saucepan until translucent, about three minutes. Add tomato paste, chili powder, cocoa powder, and cumin, and cook until mixture caramelizes to a dark brown, about ten minutes. Stir in carrots, celery and jalapeños and stir to coat. Add crushed tomatoes and beans. Stir in tomato juice to your preferred consistency. Simmer for at least an hour, but only up to two hours.

Preheat broiler. Stir Mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheese into chili and top with shredded Cheddar. Broil until cheese is bubbly, about four minutes.

From 3-A-Day of Dairy