Steak and Black Bean Chili (or something like it)

So if you have read any of the comments on the other posts you've read a request for a black bean and steak chili, so I took a little time to come up with a recipe for it. Chili, as most know is Spanish (really Mexican) for a pepper. So to make a good chili you need some spice, unless you can't handle it. So Stacy this recipe is for you. Sorry there are no pictures yet my photographer (sister) was not able to be there when I made this so I'll have to do it at her house later this month. Hopefully ya'll love this quick easy and tasty chili.

Ingredients

1 1lb lean steak (cut in cubes) I didn't specify what kind of steak because of availability, I used what is called a Flat Iron ~($5.99/lb) steak, can be bought at Kroger, Smith's, or Food Lion in the east. If that is not available look for Top Blade steaks (same muscle just cut different) make sure you remove the connective tissue in the center of the Top Blade. If none of this is available use a sirloin steak cut, there are many available. Don't use a New York Strip or Ribeye, just too valuable for this.

1 small sweet onion

1 can sundried (look for them in the Italian aisle)

1/4 cup good salsa (Not Pace, or Tostitos. I use habenero salsa but use to your tolerance.)

Small spoon of Garlic

2 cans Black Beans

salt

pepper

cayenne pepper

chili powder

olive oil

Sour Cream

Cheese

Avocado

So take the onion chop it inot small pieces sautee it in olive oil until mostly caramelized, add garlic, cayenne pepper, and chili powder (Not too much). Coat meat with pepper and a little salt, then add your cubed meat, and brown. Next add tomatoes, salsa. Let cook for a few minute and add black beans, allow about 10 minutes simmering time then serve. I serve it with a dollop of Daisy (some sour-cream), cheese, and cubed avocado.

And now for something completely different - Kibbeh, Hummus, Stuffed Tomatos, and Creamy Lime Tarts

These recipes are a tribute to my Lebanese heritage, actually I'm only like 1/16 Lebanese but I still carry the last name and am proud of it.

These Lime Tarts are a favorite. They are a very refreshing end to a meal. Simple and quick and oh so good.

Ingredients:

Phyllo Dough

Whipping Cream

Sugar

Lime Juice

All you do is whip some cream until stiff, add a little sugar and lime juice to the cream. I then just filled these phyllo cups with the lime cream mix and froze them. You can make the cups by cutting 6 sheets of stacked phyllo dough in a circle and place in a muffin tin then bake in a 400 degree oven until golden brown, or you can get them pre-made from most grocery stores.

These are some hollowed out Romas, I love the flavor of Romas.
Here is the stuffed Roma ready to go into the foil.
Hollowed, stuffed, and wrapped all ready for the oven.

Ingredients:

6 Romas

8 ounces feta cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons Greek Seasoning (I like Cavender's, or Penskey's.)

Mix the feta, oil and seasoning. Hollow tomatoes, save the caps. Stuff, recap and wrap, (oops didn't mean to rhyme). Cook for about 20 min in a 400 degree oven.

Here is my favorite pita. Goes great with Kibbeh and Hummus.

Preheat oven to Hi Broil

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons yeast

1 tablespoon salt

Warm Water

I'll be honest I've never measured, but that is about what I put in. Mix all the dry ingredients. Then add water til the dough sticks together. It is better to make it a little sticky, it seems to rise better. Then break it into 8 or so even sized balls. Let them sit for 1/2 hr. Roll them out to 1/8 inch thick or so. Put your top oven rack as high as it can go. This is the fun part, at least for me. I place the rolled out pita on a cookie sheet directly under the broiler then I watch it until it stops rising or gets some brown spots which ever comes first, the rising always amazes me, I guess simple things really amaze simple minds. Then flip and let it do the same. Then pull it out and enjoy.

Hummus and Kibbeh recipes.

Hummus

1 can chick peas

3 tablespoons tahini (look in the health food isle, by peanut butter, or with condiments it is always in a weird place.) Tahini is just sesame butter.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Small spoonful of garlic (minced or crushed)

salt, pepper, paprika and Greek Seasoning to taste.

Mix everything and blend it in a food processor, let it sit. This one is dusted with paprika a few chick peas and pine nuts.

Kibbeh

1 lb lean ground beef

1/8 lb pine nuts

red wine vinegar

rosemary

basil

thyme

small spoon full of garlic (crushed or minced not powdered.)

Salt, Pepper

Mix all the ingredients together. Shape into balls and place in muffin tins bake at 425 degrees until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160.

The white sauce in this picture is Tzatziki. It is yogurt, plain - not vanilla or strawberry or the awesome key lime pie that Yoplait makes, with grated cucumber and a small spoonful of garlic.
Cut the pita in half and stuff with everything for a messy Mediterranean Taco.

Herbed Pork Roast with Berry Sauce

Preheat oven 400 degrees

2-3 lb pork loin
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons fresh thyme

1 tablespoons fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh parsley

1 tablespoon tarragon
Kosher salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

These measurements aren't exact. I just get enough of the herbs to cover the entire pork loin, for a larger loin you need more, and more sauce. I like to use more rosemary than anything else, then thyme and basil. Just use these proportions or something like it, but how can you go wrong with rosemary and thyme, or Scarborough Fair for that matter.

For berry sauce.
1/2 C. butter
1/2 C. chopped pecans
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon red wine
2 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon lemon

Melt butter in sauce pan. Add pecans and blueberries. Cook and stir on medium heat until blueberries are soft. Add the red wine, sugar and lemon juice. Cook until sauce thickens. You can actually use any type of berry; black, straw or ras. Or whatever is available. I like blueberries because I like blue, and I was addicted to blueberry muffins as a child.

Add a side of brown rice cooked with rosemary and lemon juice, a green salad and pickled asparagus. I have to hide the pickled asparagus from some of my nieces one in particular can finish a whole jar lickidy split.

Enjoy!

Welcome The World of Dan

My name is Dan, hence the title to the blog. I've spent a good part of my life interested in food, as my waistline clearly shows. So when it came time to get a masters degree, I chose meat science. I'm currently working on a MS in meat science. On some weekends I spend time with my sister and her family and usually cook for them. So she finally convinced me to start a blog called Cooking with Dan. So here it is.

Oh and thanks to my sis for the awesome pictures.