There are so many different ways to prepare chili and I like to experiment with several of those variations. Today's recipe is the result of that experimentation. 

This recipe calls for a chuck roast cut into 1/4-1/2" chunks. Big decision: ground beef crumbles or chunks of beef? I like the chunks because I really like biting into the tender, flavorful chunk of meat. Ground beef crumbles are good too, I use them when I make Cowboy Beef and Black Bean Chili. When making chili with chunks of beef, I like to cut the vegetables into larger chunks instead of a finer dice.

Another big decision: hot peppers or sweet peppers? Of course this depends on how much kick you want in your chili. I try to keep mine toned down, because the kids haven't all acquired an appreciation for jalapenos. But, without a few jalapenos or habaneros or at least anaheims, your chili lacks flavor. I use a combination of hot and sweet peppers in this recipe.

Here's my final suggestion: If you have the time, prepare this the day before you'd like to serve it. After you simmer it for a couple of hours let it cool then refrigerate it. The next day simmer the chili for 30-40 minutes before you serve it. I am amazed at how much more flavorful chili is when you have time to let the flavors meld together.

1. In a small bowl mix the chili powder, cumin, oregano, and thyme. Mix in water. Set aside the seasoning mixture.
2. Lightly sprinkle beef chunks with salt. Heat one tablespoon of canola oil over medium-high heat. Brown the beef cubes on all sides.  Cook a small amount of beef at a time. If the pan is overcrowded, the beef won't brown well. Remove beef from pan, set aside.
3. In same pan, heat another tablespoon of canola oil. Add the chopped onions and sweet peppers. Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeño, cook one more minute. Add the seasoning mixture and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
4. In a large, heavy stock pot put onion mixture, beef, tomatoes, water, lime juice and sugar. Stir together, breaking apart the tomatoes while combining the ingredients. Heat the chili on medium high heat until it comes to a simmer. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 2 hours, removing lid about halfway through.
5. Stir in the beans. Add salt (if desired) and adjust seasonings to taste. 

Do you have big plans for Valentine’s Day? Does it involve preparing a delicious steak dinner for your loved one? Then check out this T-bone steak recipe!

Have you tried Chimichurri Sauce? (I am full of questions today, aren’t I?) Served with grilled meats it is a sauce that is wildly popular in South America. I am told it is as prevalent there as ketchup/catsup is in the US. I must admit I’ve not traveled to South America so I cannot attest to the authenticity of the recipe I use for Chimichurri Sauce. However, I can vouch that it is delicious!

The following recipe calls for fresh parsley and fresh cilantro, but many Chimichurri recipes use parsley and oregano, which is equally delicious. I choose the herbs based on the rest of the meal I am serving. I’ve also used different vinegar flavors with success. One suggestion: you may want to dial down the amount of garlic, especially on Valentine’s Day!

Oh, are you wondering why I am not showing you a photo of the T-bone steak WITH the Chimichurri Sauce? In the bottom corner of this photo do you see those chubby, little 16-month old fingers?

He kept pilfering the peppers off of the plate! I quickly picked him up then decided I’d better feed him and the rest of the kiddos. Next my husband walked in the door, also hungry and looking for food. Somehow I never did get back to taking a picture of the steak WITH the sauce!

My Valentine’s Day menu: Peppered T-bone steak with Chimichurri Sauce, a crisp salad, twice-baked potatoes, roasted asparagus, and homemade rolls. Dessert will definitely be Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes (my volcano-obsessed boys are SO excited for these individual cakes!).

Now let's get down the important part of this post: The Giveaway Winner! Today's winner is #3 Michelle!

She said: Steak is my absolute favorite food. My choice is also a ribeye. I trim any extra fat off the edges and sprinkle them with garlic salt. My husband loves to brush a little butter over them, but that tends to make them too rich for my stomach. We grill them over charcoal until medium rare. Adding little baby red potatoes and a salad makes this my favorite meal. I always ask for this as my birthday dinner.

Congratulations, Michelle! I hope you enjoy The Healthy Beef Cookbook and items in the Beef Basket!

We woke up to fog at our house today. It's gray and gloomy. And getting a little boring. In order to brighten things up around here, I thought today would be a great day to do a giveaway!

Today's prize has been kindly donated by the Beef Council. They have put together a number of items to create a Beef Basket for one lucky winner! The theme is Beef: It's What's for Dinner. Included in the basket is an apron, ball cap, grocery bag, oven mitt, bumper sticker, 

(photo courtesy of Katlin Davis)

and a copy of the Healthy Beef Cookbook!

It's simple to enter, leave a comment on this post and tell me what is your favorite steak and how do you like it prepared? If forced to choose my all-time favorite steak, I would select a medium-rare Ribeye (preferably grilled over charcoal!). How about you?

Leave your comment before 11:59 pm on Thursday, February 11th. Winner will be announced on Friday.

Super Bowl Sunday! Is there a more perfect day for appetizers? In addition to the traditional Beef Nachos that my family loves, we also enjoy these delicious Stuffed Mushrooms.

I’ll be honest with you: my family was not crazy about mushrooms. When I first started making these Stuffed Mushrooms it was wonderful; I could have the whole plate all to myself! Then my husband decided he had better set a good example for the kids, so he ate one. Then two. Three. ACK! MY plate of stuffed mushrooms was disappearing!

Eventually the kids realized they were missing out on something yummy and tried them. A couple of the kids really like them and always eat more than their fair share (my personal platter of stuffed mushrooms continues to dwindle). The younger kids love the filling, but leave most of the mushroom caps on their plates. Oh well, hopefully mushrooms are an acquired taste.

The recipe calls for dried parsley and dried basil. I usually prefer fresh herbs, but I couldn’t talk myself into driving to the grocery store today, so I used dried. Use whichever you prefer or whichever you have on hand. These are delicious and are best served hot! Enjoy!

These meatballs are delicious and versatile. I change up the spices depending on the recipe I will use them in. I’ll add oregano for Spaghetti and Meatballs or basil for Tomato and Meatball Soup.

I made these yesterday and my kids would not stop eating them. I had big plans to add these meatballs to a yummy soup and serve it for dinner. Then my kids munched on them for a snack, for lunch, and for their after-lunch snack (you know what I mean, right? Twenty minutes after lunch I hear, “Mom, I’m kinda hungry. Could I have a snack? Puh-leeeease?”). Finally, I had to concede the loss. I served the rest of them to my husband for his lunch and informed everyone they were getting PB&J’s for dinner. The kids cheered.

(Okay, I’ll be honest. We didn’t really have PB&J’s, but I was really, really tempted to throw the jar of peanut butter on the table and call it a meal!)

A quick and easy way to form the meatballs: After mixing all of the ingredients, spread the meat mixture out on a large piece of waxed paper. Pat the mixture into a rectangle of uniform thickness. Cut into squares and form each square into a meatball.

The egg whites and bread crumbs hold these meatballs together well, so feel free to use the super lean ground beef, if you want.

Serves four, which isn’t enough for my family of six, so I always double this recipe.

Beef with Broccoli--yum! One of my favorite meals is this basic stir-fry recipe. I have more involved stir-fry recipes with more ingredients, but honestly, this is the one I make the most. Why? Because I usually have all of these ingredients in my pantry and/or refrigerator. Also, this is a great recipe to break up the monotony of mac & cheese, spaghetti, and tacos which seem to be in constant rotation on our dinner table.

The steak needs to be sliced thinly. Easiest way to do this? Partially freeze the steak for about 45 minutes before slicing. We don’t want it frozen solid, just firmed up enough to make slicing easier. Plus, it will thaw completely during the marinading time.

Red peppers make a great presentation in this dish. However, yellow or orange taste great in it, too. I use whatever I happen to have, today it was red and yellow peppers.

This is a simple and delicious dish! Enjoy!

***(Winner of giveaway announced tomorrow!)***

Short ribs in barbecue sauce. Yum!  These ribs are so tender and juicy and flavorful, I can almost guarantee there won’t be any leftovers! I spend a few minutes in the morning browning the ribs and cooking the sauce then the ribs spend the rest of the day in the slow cooker. Simple and delicious.

All four of the kids and my husband enjoy these ribs. I had to remind the kids that there was other food on the table they needed to eat. The baby completely disregarded that directive and threw all of his food on the floor, except for the rib meat. (Ahhh, the joys of toddlerhood.)

Enjoy!

My menu for Christmas Eve dinner will, of course, focus on a delicious Beef Rib Roast. In addition, I will also serve a couple of vegetable dishes.

Roasted Carrots are a huge hit at my house. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the carrots, making them nearly irresistible! I realize this isn't a fancy side dish for a formal dinner, however they are incredibly flavorful and easy. Plus, they are in the oven while the roast is resting, so the timing is perfect!

This dish is simple to put together; I often have my kids help mix the ingredients together. (They finally get around to the mixing after they have argued over who gets to use the pepper grinder!)

Delicious!

Developing a palate for red wine takes time, and then pairing it with the many different cuts of beef and all those wonderful beef recipes may seem challenging.  However, I love a good challenge.   First, let me say that each person's palate is different; I am partial to only red wine, Cabernets, Merlots, Malbec, Riojas (Tempranillo grapes aged a bit longer), Shiraz', and combinations thereof.  The years are important, too, as some years are just bad grape years and the wines reflect that

I was first introduced to red wine after my parents traveled to Europe in the early 1990’s.  My sister was stationed in Italy, and the traditional mid-day meal included a baguette, bottle of Italian red wine, and local cheeses (the only thing missing was a good piece of beef). 

I like to pair the more complex, full-bodied wines, like a California Cabernet or Spanish Rioja with the middle meats, cuts that come from the rib and loin, like your prime rib, New York Strip, and Tenderloin.  The powerful combination of bold beef flavor and the deep, heavy bodied Cabernet cause an entire taste sensation, an explosion of extreme enjoyment and indulgence.  These oak barreled, deep black cherry flavored, rich chocolate, and spicy wines compliment beef perfectly. 

Okay, back to everyday senses, the Australian Malbecs, Washington State Merlots, and some the Syrahs, pair well with your hearty soups, stews, casseroles, pot roasts, hamburgers, etc.  These tend, in my experience to be fruitier and lighter bodied.  The wine’s flavor does not linger long, as do your Cabs and Riojas but still cause the powerful one-two punch I want from my wine.  And, these everyday wines are affordable at $7 to $20 a bottle.

Tonight with my Mini-Beef Wellington appetizers, we will crack open a bottle of 2006 Salentein Reserve Malbec from Australia, $12/bottle.  For our prime rib on Christmas, it will be a bottle of 2005 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley, California, $50/bottle.

The winner of the Roaster is Jennifer! Congratulations, Jennifer!

I enjoyed reading all of your plans for Christmas this year. In addition to Christmas Eve dinner at our home, we will travel to my in-laws for Christmas Day festivities. It is a loud, boisterous, day and we all love it!

Thanks for your comments and look for another giveaway soon.