"Mrs. Cook At Home Dad's" Award Winning Chili

Ingredients:

• 2 1/3 lb ground beef (85/15 for best results as it stays moist)
• 6-8 whole garlic cloves
• 3-4 T olive oil
• 2 T canola oil
• 1 12 oz bottle of dark beer or stout
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 3 T fresh cilantro, fine chopped
• 1 T brown sugar I would have increased the brown sugar by 1 t 
• 1 T cumin I would have increased the cumin by 1 t 
• 2 T chili powder
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1 t onion powder
• 1/2 t cayenne pepper
• 1/2 t red pepper flake
• 1 t salt (or to taste)
• 1 t black pepper (or to taste)
• 1 package maple bacon (frozen for easier cutting, then chopped into thin strips vertically) I would have used regular bacon instead
• 1/2 C hot sauce
• 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes and juice
• 1 10 oz can tomato/chili
• 3 T ketchup I would have used tomato paste instead 

1. In a large sauce pan, brown garlic cloves in olive oil over a medium high heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
2. Add a pinch of red pepper flake and remove garlic once it is a solid golden brown.
3. Liberally salt and pepper ground beef and add to pan.
4. Using tongs or a rubber spatula, separate meat to create small pieces whilst browning.
5. Fine chop browned garlic and return to pan.
6. Add tomatoes, chili/tomatoes, and beer. 
7. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low.
8. Add remaining ingredients (except the onions and canola oil) and stir well to combine.
9. Cover.
10. Add canola oil to a medium saute pan over medium high heat.  Add onions to caramelize, stirring occasionally for about 8-10 minutes. (Note: do not add any salt, as this will cause the onions to sweat and steam instead of bringing out the natural sugars to properly caramelize)
11. Add onions to chili and transfer the entire mix to a crock pot set to high.
12. Cook on high for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
13. Set to low for an additional hour. 
14. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and chives, scallions, and/or cilantro to garnish.

My wife was allowed to have help in developing her flavor profile, but I could not taste or touch the chili itself.  It was truly off the hook as written!  Job well done, Mrs. CAHD xoxo!!! 

Punxsutawney Tomato Bisque

This tomato bisque is one of my favorite summer day recipes and I usually serve it cold.  Thanks to a groundhog's epic fail, we are stuck in perpetual winter.  I made this and served it warm and it was delicious, though not quite the gazpacho-feel it normally has.  Hence, the groundhog spin on this summer classic!

Ingredients:

• one 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
• one 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes (I use diced to create a bit of texture when I puree the soup---if you don't like tomato bits, you can use 2 cans of crushed)
• 4 C chicken stock (one 32 ounce box)
• 1 C half and half
• 1 C sour cream (plus more for garnish)
• 1/4 C chopped fresh dill (plus more for garnish)
• 1 head of garlic, peeled (about 10-12 cloves)
• 4 T extra virgin olive oil (plus more for garnish)
• 1 T garlic powder
• 1 t onion powder
• 1/2 t red pepper flake
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Add 4 T olive oil and whole garlic cloves to a large sauce pot over medium high heat.
2. Tilt the pan to create a "deep fry" environment to ensure the garlic browns evenly.
3. Once the garlic has come to a rich golden brown color, add the red pepper flake.
4. Slowly and carefully add the two cans of tomatoes (stirring will help prevent it from spattering).
5. Add the dill and salt and pepper to taste.
6. Bring to a boil.
7. Reduce heat to low.
8. Using a hand blender, puree the bisque to desired consistency (as noted above, I like to leave the diced tomatoes in bits to create texture in the bisque). If you do not have a hand blender, you may ladle the bisque into a blender and carefully blend 1/2 blender full at a time--pulse to prevent it from exploding out of the blender, you will have to place it in a third container until it has all been blended, and then return it to the sauce pot
9. Add garlic powder and onion powder.
10. Slowly whisk in the half and half.
11. Place the sour cream in a small bowl and add one ladle of the bisque to temper (this will prevent the sour cream from curdling in the hot bisque). Stir well and add to the bisque.
12. Cover and simmer on low for at least one hour, stirring occasionally.
13. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprig of fresh dill and drizzle with a few drops of olive oil. This goes perfect with a grilled mozzarella, bacon and avocado grilled cheese on Italian bread.
14. If you are so inclined (and many of us here on the east coast probably are at this point), add some fried groundhog to the bisque.  But I do not condone the actual cooking (or consuming) of groundhog.  I'm just really miffed that Phil was so wrong this year. ;)