Chili with Beans Recipe

I'm a sucker for a good bowl of hearty chili, and this one definitely fits the bill! The beef shank in this recipe really sets it apart from other chili recipes. Obviously, you can use whichever cut of beef that you'd like, but if you can find beef shank, make sure you give it a try--you will not be disappointed!

INGREDIENTS:
1.5 pounds of beef shank cut into bite sized pieces

1 pound of ground beef

1/2 of an onion, chopped

4 cloves of chopped garlic

3-4 ounces of tomato sauce

1 (14.5 ounce) can of fire roasted tomatoes

2 cups of dried kidney beans soaked overnight (may sub for 2 cans, drained)

30 ounces of water

1 beef bouillon cube

1 bay leaf

1/4 cup of masa harina (corn flour) mixed with 1/2 cup of cold water

soy sauce

salt

brown sugar

extra virgin olive oil

FOR THE DUMPS YOU WILL NEED:

3 Tablespoons of ancho chili powder (may use chili powder)

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of white pepper

1/4 teaspoon of oregano

1 Tablespoon of brown sugar

3 teaspoons of ground cumin


INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Into a large pot, add in your beans and water to cover. Cook your beans (at a rolling boil), uncovered for about an hour. You may need to keep adding additional water while cooking, so make sure you check on it, periodically. Check for doneness, and drain well.
2. In a small bowl, add in your ancho chili powder, salt, white pepper, oregano, and brown sugar. DO NOT ADD IN YOUR CUMIN, YET. Mix well.
3. Evenly divide your spices into 3 separate "dumps." Add in your ground cumin into one of your dumps (you will add this dump, during the last 15 minutes of cooking time). Set aside.
4. In a non stick pot, on medium high heat, add in some olive oil and brown your ground beef. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
5. Wipe down your pot with a clean paper towel to remove any excess oil. Drizzle in some olive oil, and add in your cubed beef shank. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned, and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
6. Wipe down your pot again, and add in some olive oil. On medium heat, add in your chopped onions. Add a pinch of salt and cook until softened. Add in your chopped garlic, and cook until fragrant.
7. Add your beef shank back into the pot, along with your tomato paste, fire roasted tomatoes, water, beef bouillon cube, bay leaf, and your first dump. Let this all come up to a quick rolling boil, turn the heat down to medium low, put a lid on the pot, and cook for 1 hour, stirring once or twice during cooking.
8. After 1 hour, stir the pot, and add in your second dump. Cover, and cook for 1 more hour.
9. Add in your last dump (which contains the cumin), ground beef, and cooked beans. Mix well.
10. In a small bowl, mix together your masa harina and water. Add this mixture into your pot, and stir until chili has slightly thickened.
11. Taste check for seasoning, and add any additional flavoring like soy sauce, salt, and brown sugar, as needed.

NOTES:

-I've read that a good sub for masa harina are corn tortilla chips! Just add some corn tortilla chips and water into a blender, and puree! Now, you have your thickening mixture!

-When purchasing beef shank, make sure you purchase it bone-in. Boneless beef shank is very hard to cut into cubes, because it is naturally a very tough piece of meat. Look for a bone-in beef shank that is about 2.5 pounds, because by the time you cut around it, it will leave you with less meat. You may also try to see if your butcher can cut your beef shank for you, instead. And don't toss that bone in the garbage! Keep it in your freezer and use it to make a delicious beef stock! :)

-Chili tastes even better the next day!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Boy, do I love me a good chocolate cupcake! Chocolate ANYTHING, is my absolute WEAKNESS, and this recipe doesn't disappoint! It has the perfect chocolate flavor, it's moist, and the frosting is light, fluffy, and not overly sweet. I've had people tell me that they usually scrape off the frosting, but with this one, they devour it all in minutes!

Still not a believer?

Make some today, and see for yourself. And if you still don't like it, I will pay you...

ONE MILLION DOLLARS.

Just kidding, but I promise that you will love it! :)

INGREDIENTS:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cup of sugar

3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water (may sub for half a cup of freshly brewed, strong coffee)

FOR THE WHIPPED CHOCOLATE GANACHE FROSTING:
2 cups of heavy cream

16 ounces of good semi sweet chocolate chips

pinch of kosher salt

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 muffin pans with cupcake liners. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Using an ice cream scoop, pour batter into prepared pans, filling each 2/3 full. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove and allow for them to cool completely before frosting.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING:
1. Place your chocolate chips into a large, heatproof mixing bowl and add a pinch of kosher salt.
2. Pour your heavy cream into a saucepan and bring it to a quick rolling boil. DO NOT LET THIS MIXTURE BOIL OVER.
3. Pour your cream over your chocolate chips, and allow it to sit in the hot cream for 5 minutes. DO NOT STIR.
4. After 5 minutes, using a wire whisk, gently begin to whisk your chocolate chips with the cream until nice and smooth.
5. Stir in your vanilla extract.
6. Allow your ganache to sit out at room temp for at least 3 hours before whipping. DO NOT REFRIGERATE (unless you're trying to make truffles) :)
7. Place your ganache into your stand mixer (or you may use a hand mixer), and with your balloon wire whisk, beat on high for several minutes (about 4-5 minutes) until fluffy, and light in color.
8. Frost onto cooled cupcakes.

*The cake portion of this recipe was adapted from here.

NOTES:
-This frosting is very light and will not be completely firm at room temp. If you would like a more firmer frosting, feel free to refrigerate your FROSTED cupcakes into the fridge for up to an hour, or until firm to your liking. You may also try reducing the amount of heavy cream used in the recipe instead. :)

-You may use this recipe as a chocolate ganache to pour over your finished cakes. To add a bit of a shine, try adding in 2 Tablespoons of light corn syrup and 2 Tablespoons of softened butter while whisking.

Deep Fried Mac n' Cheese Balls

You guys are in luck, because these deep fried mac n' cheese balls are fat free AND low in cholesterol!

JUST KIDDING.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but these are definitely something that I would only recommend making once every couple of months, haha. They are crunchy, gooey, creamy, and oh-so cheesy!


INGREDIENTS:

refrigerated (preferably overnight or 3-4 hours minimum) leftover mac n cheese (recipe here)

4-6 ounces of panko bread crumbs (lightly seasoned, optional)

1-2 egg(s) lightly beaten

vegetable oil

YOU WILL ALSO NEED:
wax paper


INSTRUCTIONS:
Place a piece of wax paper on a baking sheet. Remove your refrigerated/cold, mac n' cheese out of the fridge, and shape into tiny balls. Put your shaped balls on your baking sheet. Place your panko into a gallon sized, ziplock baggie. Toss your mac n' cheese balls in your egg mixture, and then add them into your ziplock with the panko. Seal, and thoroughly, toss to coat. Heat up your vegetable oil. Once your thermometer reads 350, go ahead and drop your balls in and fry until golden brown, turning them frequently for even browning. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately!

Stovetop Mac n' Cheese

I wasn't planning on doing a post/tutorial on mac n' cheese since there are so many recipes out there, but my Instagram friend's have been requesting this for quite some time, so....here it is!

I don't make this often, because well...it's pretty bad for you. A ton of cheese, and a bit of velveeta, isn't exactly good for your waistline, lol.

This mac n' cheese recipe is a staple in my home, and if you love good ol' comfort food, then you've come to the right spot! :)

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 pound of elbow macaroni (cooked al dente, according to the packaging)

4 Tablespoons of unsalted butter

4 Tablespoons of all purpose flour

8 ounces of Velveeta, cubed

4 ounces of freshly grated monterrey jack

4 ounces of freshly grated sharp cheddar

2 1/2 cups of milk

pinch of salt

1/4 tsp of ground mustard

black pepper to taste

onion powder to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a large pot of boiling water, add some salt and throw in your elbow macaroni. Cook al dente, drain well, and set aside.

2. Have your flour ready, and set to the side.

3. Into your pot or large skillet, add in your butter. Turn the heat to medium. Once butter has almost fully melted, dump in your flour all at once and whisk for 3-4 minutes, until you've cooked all the flour taste out.

4. Slowly, pour in your milk, whisking constantly, until thickened to liking. If you like more of a "sauce" then you don't want the milk mixture too thick.

5. Once thickened, add in your cubed velveeta. Season with black pepper, onion powder, and ground mustard. Depending on what type of cheese you are using, you should add the salt last.

6. When your velveeta has fully melted, add in your monterrey jack and sharp cheddar cheese. Turn off heat, and whisk until smooth. Taste check for seasoning. Add salt if needed.

7. Add in your drained macaroni, toss to coat, and serve immediately.

Lattice Apple Pie

Who doesn't love a good ol' homemade apple pie?? Furthermore, who doesn't love a PRETTY, homemade, lattice apple pie??

The recipe in itself is very easy...it's really the lattice design that's a little harder to tackle. But with a little practice and patience, all will be well in due time, my friend!



INGREDIENTS:

2 homemade pie crusts (recipe here) or you may use store bought as well

4 large granny smith apples

3/4 cup of sugar (may use 1 cup if you like it sweeter)

1/2 tsp of cinnamon

1/8 tsp of nutmeg

2 pinches of salt


FOR THE CORNSTARCH SLURRY:

the juice from half a lemon

1 Tablespoon of cornstarch


FOR THE EGG WASH:

1 egg white mixed with some milk or water


ADDITIONAL ITEMS NEEDED:

Wax or parchment paper

foil

Ruler



INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Peel and slice up your apples paper thin, and place them into a large mixing bowl. Add in your sugar, cinnamon, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix, very well.
2. Make your cornstarch slurry, and mix until smooth. Add your slurry into your bowl, and toss to coat. Set aside.
3. Remove one of your homemade pie crust and flour your work surface. Give your dough a few whacks using your rolling pin, and when slightly softened, roll out your dough to fit your pie dish (not too thin, but not too thick either). You will have excess dough, but don't toss that! You can easily roll the scraps back up, flatten it out into a disc, and place it into the freezer for later use. Set your pie dish to the side.
4. Remove your top pie crust from the fridge and repeat the same process when rolling it out. Roll out your dough into at least a 14 inch circle to make sure you have enough strips for your lattice design. Place your rolled out pie crust onto a piece of wax paper. Place your ruler in the middle of your dough, and mark by the centimeter (or larger) where you would need to cut your strips. If your crust has softened too much, place the whole thing into your freezer for 15 minutes before cutting.
5. Using your pizza cutter (or sharp knife), slice your strips. Remove every other strip, and place them to the side to ensure that you have enough long strips, to go across the middle of the pie.
6. Pour your apple pie filling into your baking dish and flatten it out.
7. Start by placing one of your longest strips in middle of your pie, HORIZONTALLY. Follow by adding more strips, horizontally, making sure that you evenly space them out.
8. Next, peel back every other horizontal strip.
9. Place one of your longest pieces VERTICALLY, making sure it's tucked in nice and tight, next to the peeled back strips.
10. Flatten out your peeled back pieces, up and over your horizontal piece.
11. This time, go back and peel back the horizontal pieces, that you didn't do previously. (For example, if you peeled back the 1st, 3rd, and 5th strips before, this time you will peel back the 2nd, 4th, and 6th strip.)
12. Add another long strip of pie crust, vertically, tuck it in tightly again, and repeat process.
13. Trim any excess dough as needed, and crimp your dough to create a crust. Place a baking sheet under your pie to catch any filling that may bubble over during baking.
14. Brush the top of your pie using an egg wash, and lightly foil your crust.
15. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and move your oven rack to the lowest rack possible.
16. Bake for 10 minutes, lower to 375 degrees F, and continue to bake for another 45-50 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. REMOVE YOUR FOIL after about 30-35 minutes, or when you see the tops beginning to brown.
17. Let pie cool for at least 2-4 hours to allow the filling to set.