Leftover Turkey Chili for Tailgating

         My Dad brought my boyfriend, my brother and I to the last Patriots game of the regular season vs. Buffalo. It was like 38 degrees and raining pretty hard, so not the best of weather conditions, but it sure did make for an exciting game! We were very lucky that our seats were covered from the rain and the wind was blowing in our favor so we managed to stay dry for the majority of the game, which I was extremely thankful for because the people just two rows ahead of us were getting drenched!
       

          There's no way my Dad would be going to a Pats game without a solid tailgating session, so of course we hung out under a tent, grilled some burgers (Omaha steak burgers to be exact) and drank a couple beers, surrounded by thousands of other fans. I don't know of a better way to spend a Sunday.....even if it was raining!

        If you are going to be outside tailgating in some cold weather, it only makes sense to come prepared with a yummy pot of chili, and it heats up quite well on the grill. The warmth and spice of a nice big bowl will keep you not only warm, but very satisfied!

        A day or two before the game my mom had cooked up a turkey, so I decided that would be the meat component of the chili, which ended up being a great choice and it was extremely simple. I added a mix of dark and white meat, beans, and loaded it with veggies, just as my mom would. 

          When I make chili I usually just add spices as I go and season it to taste. Sometimes I use a chili seasoning packet, then add in some extra cumin because I love that smokey flavor, and some cayenne pepper if I'm in the mood for some heat. This recipe is very general, and you can add other spices or try a seasoning packet if you prefer!

Leftover Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 small/1 large onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

Approximately 5 cups leftover turkey, chopped

1 1/2-2 tbsp cumin

1 1/2-2 tbsp chili powder

1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

Salt to taste

1 can corn, drained

28 oz can petite diced tomatoes

16 oz jar of salsa

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Directions:

Add about a tablespoon of olive oil to a large pot over medium heat, and add in garlic, onion and bell pepper. Stir constantly, and after a few minutes add in turkey meat and the spices and stir. 

Add in remaining ingredients and mix it up well. 

(Taste test in case you need to altar spices to your preference! But be aware it will get spicier as it sits and you reheat it later)

Reduce heat and let simmer for about ten minutes.

Enjoy tailgating, Go Patriots!

(And also ignore my brother's face below he is weird.....)

Simple & Delicious BBQ Steak Marinade

      One of my favorite things to eat is a nice, juicy marinated steak tip. I'm always trying different marinades and mixing up ingredients, but I often come back to this same simple recipe because it's so delicious. I love the taste of my favorite bbq sauce, with some added zing from the italian dressing, and the worcestershire that really brings out the meaty deliciousness of the steak. It's super easy and the ingredients can always be found in my fridge.

       Five out of the 9 months I'm at school it's way too cold outside to use the grill at my boyfriend's house, and plus I'm pretty lazy to begin with, so I cook my steak in the oven on broil to get a similar outcome. I highly recommend doing that over pan searing or baking at a lower temperature.

     Some tips- Don't broil the meat smothered in the marinade, because the oil in it sears the meat quicker, and plus it will all drip off and end up burning. Also don't season it with salt and pepper because the salt slows the browning process and the pepper will burn.

Simple BBQ Steak Marinade

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs steak tips

1/4 cup worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup your favorite bbq sauce

1/2 cup italian dressing

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp balsamic vinegar (optional)

Directions:

Mix ingredients in medium bowl, add steak and cover.

Marinate in refrigerator for 3 hours (but at minimal 1).

Remove from marinade before cooking and allow meat to come to room temperature before broiling or grilling to desired doneness. Discard marinade

Brown Bag Popcorn

       Until recently I had been eating microwave popcorn as a late night snack, thinking that a non-buttered, lightly salted bag is a healthier, low calorie substitute of chips or crackers. I came across an article on yahoo, "The 7 Foods Experts Won't Eat" which explained how microwave popcorn has harmful chemicals that caused cancer in animals during testing. The chemicals are in the lining of the bag, but when heated, they vaporize and make their way into the popcorn which you eat. Manufacturers have promised to phase out the chemical by 2015, but the bags being sold now until then, and the ones in your cabinet, still contain these chemicals.
       In order to avoid these harmful chemicals, I use an idea that my mom gave me. You could use a popcorn maker, or do it on the stove top, but if you're looking to save some effort and stick to the microwave, this is a great way to do it.

       You can still salt it, season it, and maybe even add some melted butter, and it's going to be way healthier than the bag stuff. And it's nearly just as easy!

      So save yourself from the harmful chemicals of bagged popcorn and also save a bunch of money! Bagged popcorn is way over priced (around 3.50 per pound) and you can make it the brown paper bag way for about 1/7th of the cost! That's some college living if you ask me!

       Try mixing up your topping choices, with some parmesan cheese, or a little bit of cinnamon & sugar, some cumin and chili powder, etc etc!

Brown Bag Popcorn

Ingredients:

Heaping 1/3 cup popcorn kernels

2 tsp olive oil

Salt & seasonings to taste

Melted butter (optional)

Directions:

Mix kernels and olive oil in small bowl. 

Dump into large brown paper lunch bag. Fold the top down and over again, and put in the microwave for about 3 minutes (depending on the power of your microwave) or until the popping slows to 1 pop or so per second. 

Season with salt/seasonings and melted butter if desired.

Sweet Potato Casserole

        Some sweet potato casseroles, topped with marshmallows and loaded with butter and sugar, could easily be substituted for a dessert. Although they're good, they're far too sweet for me, which is why I am very happy with this recipe. It's sweet enough to make it a special seasonal treat, but not so sweet that you feel like it's candy. It brings out the delicious flavor of the potatoes without overpowering them with sugar.
        It was one of soooo many side dishes at our Thanksgiving dinner at my aunt's house. We had all our family's staple sides, a cheesy potato dish topped with cornflakes my cousin makes, my aunt's clam chowder, some creamed pearl onions that were new to the table that were outstanding, green bean casserole, squash, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, two kinds of stuffing, etc, etc. We cooked two 18+ pound turkeys to feed us all!

Here's a picture of my cousins on my mom's side of the family (not included the ones married in) and my Grammy. For the first time in a while, all of the cousins were able to make it and be together!

     This casserole would of course work very well with your Christmas dinner too, whether it be a ham or a roast. My family is a little less traditional and we order in an absurd amount of Chinese food, so I doubt I'll be making the sweet potato casserole to go alongside pork fried rice....

       I realized halfway through dinner that I hadn't taken a good blog photo of the baked product, so being the nerd I am I had to get up and take one. It was over half gone and not looking as crisp as it does straight out of the oven, but I don't think there is a really good way of making a casserole look so pretty in a photo anyways :P
       It tasted absolutely delicious and that's what it really comes down to!

Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

About 5-6 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup honey

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

Topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

3 tbsp butter, softened

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mash sweet potatoes, and combine with honey, 1 tbsp brown sugar, egg and spices. Spread into 1.5-2 quart casserole dish.

To make topping, mix sugar and flour together. Cut in butter until its evenly distributed and mix in pecans.

Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 degrees.