Brrr-it is really cold most every where, signaling the need for some good, hot 'n spicey chili.  And...if you like football, pro-football is getting down to the "nitty-gritty" games to determine the teams who will play in the Super Bowl.  

Chili parties are great fun to stage for the Big Game..just make one or more big pots of chili with fixin's and mixins' to top the Chili off with.  And I have always liked my Blue Corn Parfait bread as a yummy side dish.

And, as you know--chili does not have to be eaten out of a bowl, it can be the filling for Burritos, Chimichangos and even Enchiladas.  So, whether you like football or not, chili is a great antidote for the post-holiday blahs and to counter the cold.

To make it much easier to purchase our pure mild and hot chilies, I am placing them on a 4 day sale, ending Sunday of 30 % off.  Ditto for our Cumin and Mexican Oregano, frequent herbs in chilis.  And my "Chili Madness" cookbook is now on sale.  The second edition (pictured) is $11.00 and the 3rd edition is $13.00.  (This is my popular best selling cookbook that has sold over a million copies.) 

WE have a popular class next Thursday, the 25th of Take a Tortilla and.... featuring some new and fun recipes such as Memelitas, a trendy new appetizer from Oaxaca.  By the way our Oaxaca tour is shaping up nicely and we are taking reservations and if you are planning on going, sign up soon while we still have space.  I can only take 15.

We still have a few openings in next week's class, so if you would like to come, we'd love to have you. 

Here's a couple of recipes that are very tried and true-- my favorite Bowl o' Red and the Blue Corn Parfait Bread.  Try the chili with fixin's and mixins' just for fun.  My favorites are chopped onion, grated cheddar and/or Jack cheese, pickled or fresh jalapenos, sour cream with fresh lime wedges

BOWL O’ RED 

The influence behind this recipe came from my maternal grandfather, who was in charge of the line extensions going west from Topeka, Kansas.  While working with the Santa Fe Railroad, he was stationed a long time in Dodge City, KS which was the end of the trail for the cattle drives.  He developed this recipe after commiserating with lots of “cookies,” or trail cooks who cooked for the cowboys bringing cattle up from Texas and Northern Mexico.  It has won numerous chili cook-offs and is one of the really true original chilis. I like to gussy it up with side dishes of Fixin’s ‘n Mixin’s of chopped onion, pickled jalapenos, mixed grated cheddar and Jack cheeses, sour cream garnished with lime wedges edged in powdered mild red Chile, cubed avocado and a bowl of pequin quebrado minced Habeneros for those who like it red hot! 

Yield:  6 to 8 servings 

• 2 Tablespoons lard, butter, bacon drippings, or rendered beef fat
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 pounds lean beef, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 3 medium-sized garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup pure ground hot chile or to taste
• 1/4 cup pure ground mild chile
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin, divided
• About 3 cups water
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt 

1. Melt the lard in a large heavy pot with a flat bottom and straight sides over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until softened.  Remove from heat. 

2. Add meat, garlic, ground chiles and ½ the cumin to the pot.  Break up any lumps.  Stir in the water and salt.  Return to heat.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, 2-1/2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is very tender and the flavors are well blended. NEVER COVER.  Placing a lid on a stew such as this will steam the meat, toughening it, rather than allowing it to break down and become quite tender.   Add more water if necessary.  Taste and adjust seasonings, adding remaining cumin. Serve with fixin’s ‘n mixin’s as noted above.

BLUE CORN PARFAIT BREAD

The best blue cornmeal is smoked in adobe ovens and then lava-wheel ground to a fine flour consistency. With the popularity of blue corn, a lot of blue corn on the market is “filled,” or blended with white or yellow corn. For the best flavor, buy pure blue cornmeal, if it is available. The moist quality of this bread has long made it a favorite with campers and picnickers.

Yield: 9-12 servings

1 cup blue cornmeal

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoons salt

2 eggs

2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 cup dairy sour cream

2 cups cooked or canned whole-kernel corn, drained

¼ pound Monterey Jack cheese or Cheddar cheese, or a combination of the two, sliced ¼ inch thick

¼ cup sliced jalapeno chiles, either pickled or fresh

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9-inch round or square cake pan. Mix the dry ingredients together and make a well in the center. Add eggs, butter and sour cream and blend thoroughly. Fold in corn kernels.

2. Pour almost half the batter into the prepared pan. Cover with the sliced cheese and chiles. Pour the remaining batter over cheese and chiles and smooth to cover the filling. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until golden and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes our clean. Serve warm.