Tailgating at Home

Well, the Super Bowl has come and gone...and not with the outcome we would've liked to have seen...at least not here in the Boston area! Nonetheless, it was an exciting game, and a great opportunity for some good food and great company! I decided to take the route of tailgating recipes. They were easy to make at home and set out for the night, but would be just as easy to bag up and bring to the parking lot of your favorite arena, as well!

I spent the afternoon cooking, and trying to keep the kitchen as clean as possible at the same time. I cooked one thing at a time, and finished up right as our friends arrived. The table was full of goodies, and I was free to enjoy, have a beer, and watch the game!

It wouldn't be a "tailgating" party without chili, so first up on the menu is a very straightforward chili, but what intrigued me about it was the molasses and balsamic vinegar I was asked to add at the end of the cooking process. It added a lot of depth to an otherwise normal chili. I served it in mugs, with some sour cream and grated sharp cheddar garnishes, and the spices were spot-on!

We needed to have some dips so I whipped up some guacamole and hummus to go with the delicate tortilla chips I bought from the gourmet section of the grocery store. I also cut up some veggies (fennel, radicchio, radishes, celery, carrots and broccoli) and paired them with a delicious and tangy Roquefort dip, which I'm enjoying the leftovers of as I write this, right now. Yum!!

While the chili was simmering away, I made some Mediterranean meatballs! Now, these aren't just any meatballs. The seasonings are distinctly Mediterranean, but on top of that, the recipe called for chopped currants and pine nuts to round out the mix. The flavors meshed so well together, and the meatballs had a really nice bite to them, because of the substance of each one. They were simmered in a simple tomato sauce after being browned on all sides in some oil! I'm so happy I've got leftovers of these too!

If you looked at the current menu, you'd see a line mentioning some mini tuna burgers on pita bread, but it's apparently very difficult to find tuna these days. I went to a few different stores, before deciding to scrap this menu item. Don't worry, I will definitely be making them in the future, because I was very much looking forward to trying them! So, all that was left was to make a few side dishes to round out the table. I made a green salad with a red wine-Dijon vinaigrette. I also made an orzo salad with caramelized onions, spinach and shiitake mushrooms. The soy sauce and sesame oil-based dressing gave this salad a nice Asian twist, but still went with the mainstream flavors of everything else on the table!

All in all, a successful spread, I'd say! I enjoyed having everything done in time for kickoff, so I could pick at all the goodies, just like all of my guests! The guests may leave at the end of the night, but we get to enjoy all the leftovers for days to come...and these leftovers, they're delicious!

In Honor of the Superbowl

Today, I wanted to share a recipe that is healthy, low-fat, and also PERFECT for a football game celebration, like the ones most people will be attending this evening. So much of the food that gets served at these get-togethers is drenched in BBQ sauce, or smothered in buffalo, or dripping with melted cheese...isn't it nice to think that one thing on the table can be good for you and taste delicious too!?

From Cooking Light

That's right, I'm talking about Chili with Chipotle and Chocolate. The original recipe comes from a 2007 issue of Cooking Light, and is only 257 calories per serving, with only 6.6 grams of fat. I've shared this recipe with numerous people throughout the years, and have found that there is an unanimous love for this chili. It's rich, delicious and very deep in its flavors...and guess what? It takes less than an hour to make!


And now, without further ado, here it is!

What you'll need:

Cooking spray

2 cups diced onion (about 1 large)

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 1/4 pounds ground turkey breast

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons ancho chile powder

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained

2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

2 chipotle chiles, canned in adobo sauce, minced

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup light sour cream

Chopped green onions (optional)

Chocolate adds a lovely depth to this chili

Heat a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and turkey to pan; saute 8 minutes or until turkey is browned and vegetables are tender. Add sugar and next 9 ingredients (through chipotle) to pan, stirring to blend; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Add chocolate, stirring to melt. Ladle 1 1/4 cups chile in each of 8 bowls; top each serving with 1 tablespoon of sour cream. Garnish with green onions. Yield: 8 servings.

And for good measure, here's the nutrition information! :) Enjoy everyone! Go Packers!

Calories 257 (23% from fat); Fat 6.6g (sat 3.8g, mono 1.7g, poly 0.2g); Protein 23.6g; Carb 26g; Fiber 6g; Chol 34mg; Iron 2.6mg; Sodium 603mg; Calcium 78mg