Cincinnati-Style Chili

I love chili, especially in the winter. But since Southern California is lacking in the typical seasons department, I have to settle for chili in the summer. I also have to settle for chili without beans because my husband refuses to eat anything with beans. Finding a chili recipe without beans is incredibly hard. I’ve looked through a ton of recipes and they all seem to be lacking something… beans. I finally stumbled upon this Cincinnati-Style Chili recipe on recipezaar.com.

I’ve never had Cincinnati Chili before which makes sense because I’ve never been to Cincinnati. I’d heard of it, of course, but I wasn’t exactly sure what it was and what made it special. So I googled it and this is what I learned!

You can never order just a bowl of Cincinnati Chili- it always comes 2-way and some restaurants only serve it 3-way. So it can be ordered:

3-way: Spaghetti with chili, covered with shredded cheddar cheese

4-way: Spaghetti with chili, then cheese, then onions

5-way: Spaghetti, beans, chili, cheese and onions

2 lbs ground chuck
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 quart water
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce 1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 tablespoons chili powder2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 bay leaf, crumbled
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 drops Tabasco Sauce
2 teaspoons paprika
2 beef bouillon cubes
Cooked Spaghetti noodles
Shredded Cheese
Kidney beans (optional)

Bring the water to the boil and add the ground beef. Stir until the beef is separated and add the rest of the ingredients.

Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours, or until thickened. Cool, then refrigerate overnight. Skim off any accumulated fat and reheat the chili. Serve any way you want!

I had a hard time finding a recipe for this since I had never tried it. I went by comments on the website and found out that you boil the beef, you never brown it. You also don’t add onions to the chili; they are always served separately.

I had mine 5-way so I could have beans, while Neil has his 3-way. Neil loved it but I wasn't a fan. I much prefer the southwestern taste of chili.

Meatloaf

Okay, I have a confession: I never had meatloaf until I got married. While taking pictures for this post I realized why-it looks kinda gross. I couldn't take a picture that looked appetizing and even when I googled it to see if it was just my sub par picture taking skills that made it look bad, I couldn't find a good image. I choose my food like a choose my books- by the "cover." However, the hubby loves meatloaf although he always had the pre-made kind growing up. So I decided to give it a try- and I loved it!

This is the best recipe I've tried and hubby says it even beats the store-bought kind!

2 eggs

3/4 cup of milk

2/3 cup of finely crushed saltines

1/2 cup of chopped onion

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage

Dash of pepper

1.5 lbs lean ground beef

1 cup of ketchup

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon Worcstershire sauce

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add milk, saltines, onion, sage, salt and pepper. Add beef and mix well. Shape into a loaf and place in an ungreased shallow baking pan. Combine remaining ingredients and spread 3/4 cup over the meat loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes or until no pink remains; drain. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with remaining sauce.

Enjoy!

Salsa Cream Cheese Dip

I know I've posted a lot of dips lately but it's all I've had time to make! We've had so much going on and dips are so easy and quick to prepare. This dip we had today at a going away party for some friends from church. The Muche's were leaders of our bible study group and they are such an awesome family. We are definitely going to miss them. They are PCS'ing to Okinawa so the church decided to throw them a Mexican-themed going away party. California has the best Mexican food and I'm sure they are going to miss the carne asada and horchata.

This was a dip at the party that I basically couldn't stop eating :) It was served both hot and cold and was incredibly addictive!

1 lg. cream cheese

1 (24 oz.) jar salsa

All you do is stick the cream cheese in the crockpot, cover it with salsa, and set it to warm. Or, if you prefer it as a cold dip, let the cream cheese soften to room temperature. Put in a serving bowl. Pour salsa over the top. With a fork, chunk up cream cheese, mixing slightly with salsa as you go. I personally liked it with a lot of cream cheese. Chill and serve with your favorite chips.

I promise my next post will not be a recipe for a dip!

Chocolate Chip Cheese Dip

This recipe is a sweet alternative to your regular dip. It's very easy and definitely a crowd pleaser. I brought this to a brunch with a few other Marine wives and luckily I didn't have to take a lot home!

I found this on Allrecipes as a recipe for a cheeseball covered in pecans. I'm definitely not a fan of nuts and didn't have time to make it into a cheeseball so I just left it as a dip!

8oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1/4 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbs. brown sugar
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
graham crackers, chocolate graham crackers, vanilla wafers or animal crackers.

Beat softened cream cheese, butter, & vanilla until creamy. Slowly add sugars until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Place mixture in a covered container. Refrigerate for 1 -2 hours. Form into a ball and roll in pecans (optional) you can also roll the cheese ball into graham cracker crumbs or more mini chocolate chips. Serve with graham crackers, vanilla wafers or animal crackers.

Easy French Onion Dip

A few weeks ago, my mom emailed me a recipe for french onion dip from one of her coworkers. I was so excited but just now was able to get around to making it. Hubby and I love french onion dip although we try not to indulge to often. This one was delicious and tasted very much like the store bought brands!

1 Cup Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
1 8oz cream cheese ( I softened beforehand)
1 can french onion soup

Mix together using an electric mixer. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes or let sit in a crockpot for a few hours.

It's that easy and would be perfect for any get together. Minimum preparation but maximum enjoyment :) We served ours with pretzels and torn up bread.