RECIPE: MARTIE'S FIRE ROASTED CHIPOTLE CHILI

This deliciously smoky chili is simple to make for a huge crowd and your slow cooker does all of the work for you. Make this for your first tailgate party and your friends will want you to make it every game day!

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MARTIE'S FIRE ROASTED CHIPOTLE CHILI

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 15 minutes   Cook Time: 4 up to 8 hours

INGREDIENTS

 2 pounds ground beef

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 bottle of your favorite beer

2-28 ounce cans fire-roasted tomatoes, crushed (or whir canned whole tomatoes in the food processor for a few seconds)

2-15 ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 small can sliced Jalapeno peppers, drained and diced very fine (be careful to wash your hands!)

2 cups fresh tomato salsa (find it at most stores or make your own recipe)

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chipotle powder (find it in the spice aisle; add a bit more if you like that smoky heat)

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon kosher salt 

DIRECTIONS:

Brown the ground beef and onion in a skillet (or use your slow cooker if you have one that browns) until the beef is quite brown and the onions are softened. Drain off the liquid. Return to the heat and pour the beer over the mixture to deglaze the pan. Pour that mixture into your crock-pot. Add the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on your lowest setting for 4 hours for the flavors to develop. Check the salt and seasonings before serving.

Serve with condiments: Sour cream, grated cheese, sliced jalapenos, green onion, hot sauce, or any of your favorite chili toppings.

Yield: 18-(6 ounce) servings or almost 1 gallon of chili

RECIPE: ONE POT SEAFOOD BOIL

No weekend plan? A seafood boil is a party in a pot! And it is the absolute easiest way to serve a big crowd. You can even dump the boil onto a table lined with brown paper and let everyone simply dig in.

A good boil starts with the freshest seafood. I think you can put just about any kind of shellfish in your pot---- so go to the market and get what is the freshest but in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, a boil is traditionally made with shrimp and clams. Or crab. And here in that part of the South- Old Bay Seasoning is a must. You can usually find it at the grocery or ask the guy at the fish counter. You can cook your boil on the stove, on the grill or over a fire.

ONE POT LOWCOUNTRY SEAFOOD BOIL

INGREDIENTS

5 pounds whole fresh shrimp (in the shell)

3 dozen small clams in shell-optional (make sure the shells are closed when you purchase!)

3 pounds smoked sausage

3 pounds small red potatoes, skin on-- cut them in half if they are large

3 large white onions, cut in quarters

5 pounds of fresh corn-on-the-cob cut into 4 inch pieces

1/2 stick butter

2 lemons, sliced

6 cloves garlic, finely minced

Old Bay seasoning to taste (add a little at a time)

1 bottle of your favorite beer (optional)

Salt & Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Put the potatoes and onion along with all of the seasonings (garlic, butter, lemon, too)  in a huge stockpot with enough water to cover and add  the beer. Put the lid on and simmer until almost done. Add corn and sausage and simmer until the corn is almost done. Add the shrimp and clams. Cook until the clams just open and  the shrimp turns pink. Don't keep cooking once your seafood is done--- it will get tough. I will often drain and transfer the boil to a large cooler to keep it hot for serving if I have a huge crowd.

RECIPE: BIG PUFFY SKILLET PANCAKE

I adore these giant skillet pancakes, sometimes called a Dutch Baby. Sooo much easier for a party than standing at the stove and flipping lots of regular pancakes. I learned this from a friend many years ago in Iowa. I didn't write the recipe down so I recreated it from scratch and as I was testing, I've learned there are a couple of tricks to making a great puffy pancake. First, make sure the sides and bottom of your pan are buttered and also make sure the oven rack is lowered near the bottom of the oven so the pancake will not burn around the edges as the pancake puffs like this one below has. Set the oven to 400 degrees F -but after 15 minutes, up the temp to 425 degrees for the final 10 minutes of baking, checking frequently.

So I learned after a few attempts to lower the rack before you start baking so the edges do not burn.

My favorite way to serve a Dutch Baby or puffy skillet pancake is with a squeeze of lemon and a dusting of powdered sugar but Maple syrup, and chocolate shavings are all very delicious!

Difficulty: Easy 

Prep Time: 5 minutes   Cook Time: 15-minutes, then 5-10 minutes more.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

3 eggs, room temperature

3/4 cup whole milk

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

 1/2 cup all purpose flour

Butter, syrup, Confectioner's sugar or other accompaniments.

 INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400. You will turn up the heat after 15 minutes of baking time to 425.

Use 1 tablespoon butter to generously grease the bottom and sides of a cast iron skillet. Set aside. Melt the other tablespoon of butter and allow to cool completely. Set aside.

With a stick blender, blender, or food processor, add the eggs, butter, milk, salt, vanilla and sugar and blend them for 15 seconds. Add the flour and blend the mixture for an additional 1 minute, making sure there are no clumps in the mixture.

Pour the batter into the buttered skillet. Bake 15 minutes then up the heat to 425 degrees for the final 5-10 minutes of baking time or until the pancake is puffed all the way around and the edges are golden brown. The timing will depend on your own oven. Sometimes, it takes 5 minutes more, sometimes more like 10.

Serve with a dusting of Confectioner’s sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice. Other options are fresh berries, whipped cream, or grated chocolate. Warm blueberry compote is also nice in the winter.