At first, when I read the recipe for Cincinnati Chili I was surprised to see that cinnamon, allspice, and chocolate were in the meat sauce. Then upon more research, I found that the recipe was created/modified repeatedly by Cincinnati's large immigrant community in the 1920s -- primarily Greek and Macedonian, which explains the interesting flavor profile.
I thought that the sauce was quite spicy by itself -- yet the spaghetti noodles, cheese, beans, and crackers all balance it out. The oyster crackers and onions add a little crunch, resulting in a really satisfying meal.
Ohio, being the "Buckeye" state just begged for buckeye candy, which are peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate. Easy and fast to make and just the perfect bite.
Menu: Cincinnati Chili, Buckeyes
Outcome: I thought that the sauce was quite spicy by itself -- yet the spaghetti noodles, cheese, beans, and crackers all balance it out. The oyster crackers and onions add a little crunch, resulting in a really satisfying meal.
Next up: Bridget chose Louisiana!
Cincinnati Chili
Outside of the state of Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio, is the most
chili-crazed city in the United States. Cincinnati prides
itself on being a true chili capital, with more than 180 chili parlors.
Ingredients:
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 2 1/2 lb. extra-lean ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp. chili powder
- 2 tsp. ground allspice
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp. salt
- 3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
- 2 15 oz. can tomato sauce
- 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 16-oz. package uncooked spaghetti
- Toppings:
- 1 bag Oyster Crackers
- 1 lb. finely shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1 Chopped Onion
- 2 cans Kidney Beans (16-oz. each )
Directions:
1.
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, sauté onion, ground beef,
garlic, and chili powder until ground beef is slightly cooked. Drain the grease
from the pan.
2.
Add allspice, cinnamon, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, unsweetened cocoa
or chocolate, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, and water.
Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove from heat. As with many recipes, this is better the next day. I made this a day ahead of time and refrigerated it overnight and proceeded with the remaining steps.
3.
Cook spaghetti according to package directions and transfer onto
individual serving plates (small oval plates are traditional).
4.
Ladle chili mixture over the cooked spaghetti and serve with
toppings of your choice.
5.
Oyster crackers are served in a separate container on the side.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Be sure to use the lingo!
"Bowl": chili in a bowl
"Two way": chili and spaghetti
"Three way": chili, spaghetti, and cheese
"Four way": chili, spaghetti, cheese, and onions
"Five way": chili, spaghetti, cheese, onions, and beans
 |
| All of us with "Two Ways", ready to customize! |
Buckeyes
Ingredients:
•
1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter
•
1 stick butter, room temperature
•
1 tsp. vanilla extract
•
3 cups confectioners' sugar
•
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
1.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.
In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, butter, vanilla and
confectioners' sugar. The dough will look dry. Roll into 1 inch balls and place
on the cookie sheet.
3.
Stick a toothpick into the top of each ball (to be used later as the
handle for dipping) and chill in freezer until firm, about 1 hour.
4.
Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler or in a bowl set over a pan of
barely simmering water. Stir frequently until smooth.
5.
Dip frozen peanut butter balls in chocolate holding onto the toothpick.
Leave a small portion of peanut butter showing at the top to make them look
like Buckeyes. Put back on the cookie sheet and refrigerate at least 2 hours or
overnight. Remove the toothpicks before
serving.
Makes about 48.
No comments:
Post a Comment