Chili with Beer

Some might call this boilermaker chili. Some might call it tailgate chili. Those two names conjure up different meanings for me, especially concerning their list of ingredients, so I simply named this chili with beer.

Like all tomato sauces, this is better as leftovers, though still incredible the day of. The longer it simmers, the better it'll be too. Enjoy!

Chili with Beer

Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds ground meat (can be anything with or without sausage)
• 1/2 pound dried beans, soaked overnight, sprouted if desired
• 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1/2 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 small cubes of beef bouillon
• 1/2 cup beer
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1.5 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1.5 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1.5 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Cooking Directions

1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook and crumble the ground meat into the hot pan until evenly browned. Drain off fat.
2. Stir in the soaked beans, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste.
3. Stir in the onion, celery, green and red bell peppers, bouillon, and beer.
4. Stir in chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, oregano, cumin, hot sauce, basil, black pepper, cayenne, paprika, and salt.
5. Stir together, then cover and simmer over low heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
6. After 2 hours, taste and adjust salt, pepper, and chili powder as desired. The longer it cooks, the better it'll taste. It'll also get better when refrigerated like most tomato sauce-based dishes.

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

The recipe is easily doubled, and it would probably be easier to mix that way. It could do with more cinnamon flavor, so maybe double that or incorporate into the dough somehow.

Make this for Easter breakfast. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

Yield: 1 loaf
Ingredients

Dough
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 10 1/3 oz bread flour
• 1 3/8 oz nonfat dry milk powder
• 1/6 cup sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon yeast
• 6 oz warm water (110 degrees)
• 1/2 egg, beaten
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
Filling
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1.5 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
Egg Wash
• 1/2 egg, beaten
• a pinch of salt

Cooking Directions

1. Cut butter into 16 pieces and toss with 1/2 tablespoon flour; set aside to soften while mixing dough.
2. Whisk remaining flour, milk powder, sugar, and yeast together in bowl of stand mixer. Using stand mixer fitted with dough hook, add water and 1/2 an egg and mix on medium-low speed until cohesive mass forms, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Cover mixing bowl with plastic wrap and let stand for 20 minutes.
3. Adjust oven rack to middle position and place metal loaf or cake pan on bottom of oven.
4. Remove plastic from mixer bowl, add salt, and mix on medium-low speed until dough is smooth and elastic and clears sides of bowl, 7 to 15 minutes. With mixer running, add butter, a few pieces at a time, and continue to knead until butter is fully incorporated and dough is smooth and elastic and clears side of bowl, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Add raisins and mix until incorporated, 30 to 60 seconds.
5. Transfer dough to large greased bowl, and using a bowl scraper or rubber spatula, fold dough over itself by gently lifting and folding edge of dough toward middle. Turn bowl 90 degrees and fold again. Turn bowl and fold dough 6 more times (for a total of 8 folds). Cover tightly with plastic and transfer to middle rack of oven. Pour 3 cups of boiling water into loaf pan in oven, close oven door, and allow dough to rise for 45 minutes.
6. Remove bowl from oven and gently press down on center of dough to deflate. Repeat folding step (making total of 8 folds), re-cover, and return to oven until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.
7. Whisk filling ingredients together until well combined. Set aside. Grease a loaf pan.
8. Transfer dough to lightly floured surface. Pat into a 6 x 11 inch rectangle. With short side facing you, fold long sides in like a business letter to form a 3 x 11 inch rectangle. Roll dough away from you into a ball. Dust with flour and flatten with rolling pin into 7 x 18 inch rectangle with 1/4 inch thickness.
9. Using a spray bottle, spray dough lightly with water. Sprinkle half of filling mixture evenly over dough, leaving 1/4 inch border on 18 inch sides and 3/4 inch border on 7 inch sides. Spray filling lightly with water. With short side facing you, roll dough away from you into a firm cylinder. Turn loaf seam side up and pinch closed, then pinch ends closed. Dust loaf lightly on all side with flour and let rest for 10 minutes.
10. Cut loaf in half lengthwise and turn halves so cut sides are facing up. Gently stretch each half into 14 inch length. Line up pieces of dough and pinch 2 ends of strips together. Take the piece on the left and lay over the piece on the right. Repeat, keeping cut side up, until pieces of dough are tightly twisted. Pinch ends together.
11. Transfer loaf, cut side up, to prepared loaf pan; pushing any exposed raising into the seams. Cover loosely with plastic, return to oven, and allow to rise for 45 minutes.
12. Remove loaf and water pan from oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Allow to rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size, about 45 minutes longer. The top of the loaf should rise about 1 inch over lip of pan.
13. Brush loaf with egg mixture. Bake until crust is well browned, about 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees, tent loaf with aluminum foil, and continue to bake about 20 minutes more (until internal temperature reaches 200 degrees).
14. Transfer pan to wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove loaf from pan, return to rack, and cool to room temperature before slicing, about 2 hours.

Chicken Liver Pate

The onion could be doubled, increasing the deliciousness. Otherwise, keep as is.

Chicken Liver Pate

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken livers, cleaned
• 1/2-1 stick cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup whiskey, cognac, or brandy

Cooking Directions

1. In a large pan, melt 1/2 stick of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the chicken livers, 1 tablespoon of capers, the bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the livers are browned on the outside and still slightly pink on the inside, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the whiskey and cook until most of the liquid is evaporated and the livers are cooked but still tender.
3. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Take out the bay leaves.
4. In a food processor, puree the liver mixture. If desired, add the remaining butter in pieces and blend. Add the other 1 tablespoon of capers. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
5. Pack the pate into a bowl. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 6 hours.