Texas Style Venison Chili

Yeah - I know.
My husband got a deer in the fall and our garage freezer is PACKED FULL of venison (and halibut from his fishing trip to Alaska last summer) so I'm always looking for ways to use up the venison - so I can put WHAT I WANT to eat in the freezer - LOL
My husband and kids all like venison - but it's a no for me.
I came across this recipe from Tyler Florence on the Food Network - and I gotta tell you - EVEN I liked it!


Chili:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 tablespoon chipotle powder
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 onions, chopped
1/2 jalapeño, chopped
3 pounds ground venison
Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
4 cups (1 quart) chicken stock
2 tablespoons masa harina
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 tablet Mexican chocolate, chopped

Cornbread:
12 tablespoons unsalted butter plus 1 tablespoon for greasing the skillet
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 large eggs

For Serving:
1 cup sour cream

Zest of 1 lime 

Fresh cilantro leaves

For the chili: Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chili powder, oregano, paprika, chipotle powder, cumin, coriander and cinnamon and stir until toasted and very aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the garlic, onions and jalapeño and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the venison and cook, stirring, until slightly brown, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, masa harina, sugar and chocolate. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, for the cornbread: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of butter.
Stir together the cornmeal and flour in a small bowl.
Combine the buttermilk, water, sugar, the remaining 12 tablespoons of butter and the salt in a medium pot. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally until the butter melts (about 180 degrees F). Add the cornmeal-flour mixture to the pot and cook, stirring constantly, until the bottom of the pot begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer the batter to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until cool to the touch. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until the batter sticks to the side of the bowl. Transfer the batter to the prepared skillet and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs stuck to it, 25 to 30 minutes.
Serve chili and cornbread with dollops of sour cream, lime zest and fresh cilantro leaves.

Chicken Enchilada Chili Soup

Okay folks. This is a copy cat recipe for Café Zupas Chicken Enchilada Chili.

I didn't know if I should title this as a chili or a soup - Café Zupas calls it a chili but I serve it more like a soup...

I often make this soup in my 4.5 quart crock pot because during the week we are in and out and I really want everyone to have a hot meal. However, I LOVE to double the recipe and use my Rachael Ray 8 quart pot.

Chicken Enchilada Chili

2 lbs chicken breast (I use rotisserie chicken)

2 c red enchilada sauce

1 c green enchilada sauce

3 c cream of chicken soup *make your own for the best flavor

1 c heavy cream

2 c chicken stock**

1 10 oz can Rotel

2 c corn (I use frozen - but canned is fine)

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 1/2 c shredded cheese (I use Mexican blend)

3 T chili powder

pinch of paprika

Salt to taste

Add all ingredients to your crock pot or soup pot. Because I use rotisserie chicken (I've also used canned chicken in the past) the soup just needs to come up to temperature and the ingredients need time to marry.

**I use the chicken stock to thin out the chili a bit so it's more of a soup

Runnin' UTE Tailgate Chili

I've been making this chili for a few years and it's always a hit. I took it last night to a "Chili Cook Off" and it won another award!!

It's another one of those easy peasy - even your kids can do most of the work recipes (my girls are only 6 & 3!)

The ingredient list is a long one - but they are basics - you probably have all the ingredients in your house right now!!

Runnin' UTE Tailgate Chili
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 lb mild italian sausage
2 15 oz cans kidney beans, rinsed
2 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed
2 15 oz cans pinto beans, *SW pinto chili beans - not rinsed
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (with juice)
2 15 oz cans Original Rotel w juice
1 large yellow onion, diced
15 oz can tomato sauce
6 oz can tomato paste
4 cubes beef bouillon or 1 T better than bouillon
1/4 c chili powder
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T minced garlic
1 T dried oregano
1 t dried basil
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1 t cayenne pepper
1 t paprika
3 t white sugar

In a large stock pot cook the ground beef and sausage until evenly browned. Pour all of your canned items in. Add all seasonings and stir to blend. Cover and simmer over low heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Top with sour cream and shredded cheese and serve with tortilla or frito chips!

Runnin' UTE Tailgate Chili

I got this recipe from my sister - who won a chili cookoff with the original recipe!

I have tweaked it a bit so that it's a bit healthier - and so that I could rename it!! It is so freakin' good...
It's another one of those easy peasy - even your kids can do most of the work recipes (my girls are only 5 and 2!)

The ingredient list is a long one - but they are basics - you probably have all the ingredients in your house right now!!

Running UTE Tailgate Chili

1 1/2 lbs ground turkey

1 lb hot chicken sausage (italian style)

2 15 oz cans kidney beans, rinsed

2 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (with juice)

2 15 oz cans Rotel (mild with tomatoes and green chilies - with juice)

1 large yellow onion, diced

15 oz can tomato sauce

6 oz can tomato paste

4 oz can diced green chilis (or more if you'd like)

diced celery (as much as you'd like)

diced carrots (as much as you'd like)

4 cubes beef bouillon (or the equivelent)

1/4 c chili powder

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1 T minced garlic

1 T dried oregano

1 t dried basil

1 t salt

1 t pepper

1 t cayenne pepper

1 t paprika

3 t white sugar

In a large stock pot cook the ground turkey and the chicken sausage until evenly browned. Pour all of your canned items in. Add all seasonings and stir to blend. Cover and simmer over low het for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Top with sour cream and shredded cheese!

*If you want to crank up the heat, use Rotel with tomatoes and green chilis instead of diced tomatoes

White Bean Chicken Chili

This is one of Rachael Ray's Top Ten downloaded recipes of 2009 - it def deserves that title!
This recipe is so simple that my 5 & 2 year old girls made it - by themselves!! I literally got out the ingredients, opened all the cans and they took it from there... They were very proud of themselves - and since we split it with another family - they were extra excited to have so many people taste the fruits of their labor! *Makess approx. 10 dinner sized helpings.

White Bean Chicken Chili
1 32-ounce box chicken stock
3 cans white beans, left undrained
5 cups cooked chicken, rotisserie or boiled (I used canned chicken)
1 16-ounce jar salsa (I used 2 cans of Rotel b/c someone ate all the salsa!)
1 8-ounce block pepper jack cheese, grated
2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
Black or white pepper to taste
1/2 cup finely crushed corn chips (if you like your chili thicker)
Sour cream, for garnish

Place all ingredients except the corn chips in a crockpot. Cook on high until the cheese is melted (about 1 - 1 1/2 hours).
Chili may also be cooked on the stovetop over medium-high heat until cheese is melted.
When the chili is ready, add the crushed corn chips, if using, and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken. Garnish with more chips, cheese and/or sour cream and serve.

*To make this 'diet' skip the tortilla chips and use non-fat sour cream.