Howling! Chili

Had a snow day, and so I spent the day in cooking chili but not after walking to the local video store and renting some werewolf movies! What I was watching: Underworld 3 Rise of the Lycans, The Wolfman (1941) and The Howling. The Wolfman was by far the best, a classic, like my chili. Now that I've finished with my werewolf marathon, I've got a mess of chili to eat while I watch the 2010 Winter Olympic games in Vancouver. Go team USA!

So I made my chili with ground bison meat, but sometimes I make it with regular 'ole ground beef. But I like bison and this time I went with that. Bison isn't as fatty, so you don't get the grease in your chili when you cook with it instead of beef. Bison is expensive though, so if you want you can make this with beef and it's still yummy.

Next time I make chili I want to add some more peppers other than green peppers. This time I just stuck with the tried and true. Overall, this is a good chili with a hint of heat for taste but not enough to set your nose to running. I like it a lot and make it quite often.

Howling! Chili
ingredients
1 lb ground bison
1 15 oz can of pinto beans
1 15 oz can of dark red kidney beans
1 15 oz can of light red kidney beans
1 14.5 oz can of stewed tomatoes
1 29 oz can of tomato sauce
Chili Powder
Hot Sauce
Garlic Powder
Black Pepper
1 small green pepper
1 small onion
optional: sour cream, cheese
directions
Chop and dice up the green pepper and onion.
Pour tomato sauce and stewed tomatoes in crock pot. Add garlic powder, chili powder, hot sauce and black pepper to taste. I usually first sprinkle a good dusting over the top and mix it all and taste to see how it is and add what I figure it needs after that, so use your own taste buds to get it how you like it.
Next add the green pepper, onion and all the beans: pinto, dark and light red kidney beans.
Next add the pound of ground bison.
Cook for 4-6 hours, until done and stir occasionally.
Serve hot!
p.s. I like to add sour cream and cheese to my chili once its done, mix all that up and eat it that way and that's how I'd recommend eating this chili.

Todd's Hotty Toddy!

In honor of my own birthday, which happens to be today, I'm posting the mixology of one of my favorite mixed drinks. A warn you that this drink is highly regarded by the mouths of many a friend and foe, and so make it at your own risk. But let me tell you that these are perfect for a cold day!

I owe some credit to a man at the Five Points Bottle Shop in Athens for this concoction, although I've played with it enough that it's my own, as his recipe called for 2 full shots of both and was much too overwhelming in my opinion. He also didn't recommend adding the honey or cinnamon.

As a rule, a lot of other Hotty Toddy recipes call for whiskey or bourbon, honey and cinnamon and lemon juice or peels. I find that I like the use of warm spiced rum in this drink. I think you will agree! I've never tried adding anything lemon, 'cause I like it as it is but you may want to.

And although I'm a Georgia Bulldog, I can't help but add the Ole Miss cheer:
Are you ready?
Hell yes! Damn Right!
Hotty Toddy, Gosh almighty
Who the hell are we, Hey!
Flim Flam, Bim Bam
OLE MISS BY DAMN!

Todd's Hotty Toddy!
Here's what you need
1 tea bag Earl Grey Tea
A taste of Honey - about tsp or so
A dash of Cinnamon
1/2 shot BarenJager Honey Liqueur
1/2 shot Sailor Jerry Spiced Navy Rum
Here's how you do it
Make you up a pot of Earl Grey Tea either on the stove or with a coffee maker
Pour in a shot glass 1/2 BarenJager and 1/2 Sailor Jerry Spiced Navy Rum
Pour the full shot into a large coffee mug or other glass with a handle 'cause this is hot and you're going to want a handle to hold onto
Next fill hot tea to the brim of the same mug or glass
Squeeze in a taste of honey to sweeten (not too much)
Dust the top with cinnamon
Stir and Serve
p.s. The cinnamon tends to settle at the bottom, so you may want to keep a spoon handy to mix it up, although this never bothers me but it may you.

Best Damn Brunswick Stew

Here's my own recipe for a Brunswick stew, which just so happens to be the best damn brunswick stew out there--ha ha. If you like BBQ, you'll like this 'cause the stew's base is a variation on my own personal BBQ sauce.

If you're curious, here's a little history behind Brunswick stew, courtesy of Wikipedia and my own editing skills: Brunswick stew is a traditional dish from the southeastern United States. The origin of the dish is uncertain, and there are two competing claims as to the place in the South where it originated. A debate currently exists as to whether Brunswick Stew was actually originally made near the town of Brunswick, Georgia, or in Brunswick County in southern Virginia. (I personally don't know which and don't care 'cause this stuff is mmm-mm good!) The main difference between the two competing styles of stew is the choice of meat. Virginia styled Brunswick stew prefers the use of chicken and possibly rabbit, and Georgia's version calls for pork and beef and at times squirrel. Under that definition, my own Brunswick stew would be considered of the Georgia variety.

Best Damn Brunswick Stew
Ingredients
1lb. ground pork
1lb. ground beef
1 28 oz. can peeled crushed tomatoes
1 14.5 oz. can tomatoes and okra
1 14.75 oz. can of white sweet cream style corn
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 15 oz. small green lima beans
mustard to taste
ketchup to taste
hot sauce to taste
garlic powder to taste
2 tbs. mild unsulphured molasses
2 tbs. honey
2 tbs. brown sugar
1 tsp. Trappey's peppers in vinegar hot
Directions
Mix crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce with molasses, honey, vinegar, hot sauce, garlic powder,
brown sugar, ketchup and mustard in crock pot. Mix to taste.
Next, add can of tomatoes and okra, cream style corn and lima beans.
Next, add 1 lb. ground beef and 1 lb. ground pork and break up both when adding it in crock pot.
Cook on high for 4-6 hours or until meat is thoroughly
Serve hot and enjoy!