I went to the market and bought some fresh chicken thighs and drumsticks. I also bought a can of beans because that is what one adds to chili- right? I love beans in chili but it kind of bothers me that both the meat and the beans have the same mushy texture. So, I decided to keep them separate. That is how I came up with this very delicious dish.

I made a sauce with three different dried chillies and cooked the chicken till the meat was falling off the bones. In the meantime, I put the relish together. I am not sure how I came up with the apple idea. I was looking for the crunch factor and since apples are in season- it was an easy choice. I also made some yummy guacamole which I served on top.

Did I mention I served the chili on polenta? Yup, and it was delicious. For the big game, I would suggest corn bread or tortilla chips. Lots of garnishes including shredded cheese, chopped onions and of course the fabulous relish and guacamole. Have fun eating, drinking and watching this Sunday!

• 1 large yellow onion, quartered
• 1 head of garlic, drizzles with olive oil and wrapped in aluminum foil
• Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the onion and wrapped garlic on a small cookie sheet. Drizzle the onion with some olive oil and salt. Bake for about 30 minutes or till the onion is tender. Squeeze the garlic out and keep aside with onion.

• 1 large dried New Mexico Chili, deseeded
• 1 dried Ancho Chili, deseeded
• 1 dried Chipotle Chili, deseeded
• 2 cups chicken broth

Add the chilies and the broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
Add the chilies and liquid into a blender. Add the roasted onion and garlic. Blend till smooth.

• 4 chicken thighs on the bone
• 4 chicken drumsticks
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
• ½ cup tomato sauce
• Salt

Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour and sprinkle with salt. Heat a saucepan with olive oil. Brown the pieces on both sides on high heat. Keep aside and add the tomato sauce and blended sauce. Bring to a boil and add the chicken pieces back into the pan. Bring to a boil. Lower to simmer and cover with lid. Cook for 45 minutes or till the chicken is falls off the bone. Take the chicken out and take the meat off with a fork, shredding it at the same time. Discard the bones and add the meat to the sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil and test for seasonings. Add salt. Cook till the chili reaches desired consistency. Serve with Spanish rice or some creamy polenta.

Pinto Bean and Apple Relish

• One can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 small Pink Lady apples, chopped
• Juice of one lemon
• 2 teaspoons agave
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds, crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Add the pinto beans and apples into a small serving bowl. Add the lemon juice, agave, olive oil, cumin seeds, salt and cilantro. Mix well and taste for seasonings. Let sit for at least an hour before serving. Serve a few tablespoons on top of the chicken chili and maybe a ladle of guacamole.

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• 2 teaspoons roasted ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1-2 teaspoons ancho chili powder (depending how spicy you like)
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound ground dark meat turkey
• 1 19oz can cannellini beans, drained
• 1 cup frozen roasted corn
• 3 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup half and half
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped for garnish

Preheat a large heavy pot and add the olive oil. Add onion, garlic, bell pepper and carrots. Saute for a minute on medium high heat. Add the cumin, chili powder and ancho chili powder and salt. Next add the ground turkey and cook on high heat breaking the meat apart. Next add the beans, corn and chicken broth, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for at least 30 minutes. Take the back of a wooden spoon and mash some of the beans in the chili- it will thicken it up. Once reached the desired consistency add the half and half and check for seasoning. Cook another 10 minutes and add the cilantro on top.
Serve with corn bread.

I posted this recipe last year and think it would be delicious for the Super bowl coming this weekend. Try it and let me know what you think…

I love Mexican cuisine, especially since it is full of very strong, bold flavors. I make all sorts of preparations including tacos, enchiladas, salsas, guacamole.. the list goes on. I especially love using tomatillos and all the different Mexican chilies out there. For this preparation I used a poblano pepper- which looks like a large jalapeno pepper closer to a regular green pepper. It sometimes has a bit of heat and once its roasted, the sweetness comes out.

I roasted tomatillos, garlic, green onions and the poblano chili with a drizzle of olive oil and salt. I then made a thick sauce by blending all the roasted vegetables and I had a fabulous start to my chili. I had a pork shoulder with bones cut into small flavors for the dish. Any stew meat can be used as long as it can stand up to 2 to 3 hours of cooking. The house smells wonderful while the delicious chili is on the stove. The result is tender, juicy, falling off the bone meat flavored with the most yummy sauce.

I served the chili with corn bread, guacamole and Spanish rice. It was a big hit with everyone, especially since it wasn’t too spicy.

Green Sauce

• 5-6 medium tomatillos, husked removed, cut into quarters
• 4 garlic cloves, with skins
• 3 green onions, cut in half
• 1 poblano chili, cut into half, seeds removed and chopped
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt

• 2 cups cilantro, cut roughly

Preheat broiler on medium.

In a lined cookie sheet, add the tomatillos, garlic, green onion and the poblano chili. Drizzle olive oil and salt. Mix well and broil for about 7 to 8 minutes or till the vegetables are light brown and charred on the top. Place the roasted vegetables in a blender and add the cilantro and blend till smooth. Keep aside.

• 3 to 4 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1 inch pieces (bones can be part of it as well- they provide great flavor)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt

In a heavy saucepan, brown the pork in batches sprinkling salt to flavor. Take the pork out and keep aside.

• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano

Reheat the saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Saute on a medium high heat till the onions are soft. Add the green sauce and oregano. Mix well and add the pork and the chicken broth. Mix well, bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 2 to 3 hours uncovered till the meat is tender. Check for seasonings and serve with guacamole and corn bread.

I added large pieces of carrots and potatoes- to make it more substantial. I would definitely make the stew for this Sunday. I would serve it with different breads, Spanish rice, guacamole, salsa and shredded cheese. Lots of beer, wine and maybe sangria.

I love the idea of friends and family getting together and eating delicious food. I am not too keen on the game but I am probably in a minority.

• 1 pound chicken thighs
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 2 to 3 large yellow potatoes and cut into ½ inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons roasted cumin
• 2 cups chicken broth

Sauce

• 2 poblano peppers, sliced in half
• 1 anaheim pepper, sliced in half
• 1 small garlic head, wrapped in aluminum
• 1 small yellow onion cut in half
• 2 to 3 green onions
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped
• ½ cup chicken broth

Place the peppers, garlic, onion and green onions onto a lined baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle the salt. Roast in the oven for half an hour, or until the vegetables are soft. Take out and blend in the blender with the cilantro and ½ cup broth until smooth.

Heat a saucepan and add the oil and roasted cumin. Add the carrots and celery and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. Add the green sauce, 2 cups broth and the chicken thighs. Mix well and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer for an hour and a half. Serve hot with bread.

I roasted some red pepper, squash and zucchini with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roasting vegetables brings out the nutty, sweetness which is delicious in this dish. I mixed the veggies in a mixture of pesto and homemade marinara sauce. To make even more different, I tossed the pasta with some chopped fresh mozzarella.

I then roasted the dish in the oven till the cheese became soft and oozy. I served it with some delicious garlic bread and a yummy red wine… and we did not miss the meat…

• 1 zucchini, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 squash, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 red pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 4 garlic cloves, with a drop or two of olive oil, wrapped in a piece of aluminum foil
• Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Place the vegetables and drizzle olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper and mix well with fingers. Place the wrapped garlic cloves in a corner and roast for about 30 minutes or till the vegetables are golden brown. Take out of oven and keep aside.

• ½ pound penne pasta, cooked al dente
• 2 cup fresh or store bought marinara sauce
• 1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1 inch pieces
• ½ cup basil pesto
• Salt

Place the cooked pasta in an oven proof dish. Add the vegetables and the pesto. Squeeze the roasted garlic into the marinara sauce and mix well. Add the sauce to the dish. Mix well. Add half cup of cheese and toss. Check for seasonings. Place the remaining half of cheese on top and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, till the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve hot.