Today is easily the coldest day we have had so far this winter season. The temperatures today are dangerously low, we are in the negatives. I am grateful that we have a wood stove to help us heat our home during these cold New England winters. I especially love being able to use the wood stove to also help me prepare a meal for my family.
When I think winter meals I think comfort, hearty, delicious and slow cooked. And there is one meal that checks off all those points… chili. I love chili, and so does my family. I also have a freezer full of venison and a house full of people including myself who do not entirely enjoy it, however… I do enjoy it in a chili with some ground beef added and I know my family will also eat it that way. I wish I could use my cast iron Dutch oven and let the chili simmer on the wood stove for the day. I kind of feel like Caroline Ingalls when I’m able to do that, but today I have other plans for that cooking vessel.
I usually make a delicious bacon cornbread to go with my chili, but I found a recipe awhile back that I have been wanting to make and today is the perfect day to make it. I think this will be a fabulous addition to the chili. The bonus is I will use several items from my panty to make all this, thus helping with my pantry challenge. We all saw that fiasco when I took inventory and threw away so much, and I vowed that would be the last time that happened. On this cold day we are making Jalapeno Cheddar Bread and my Venison, Beef & Bean Chili. This chili is a family favorite, and I have to say, the bread is positively scrumptious, and my family has already requested it again. I left the seeds out of the jalapenos when I diced them and sliced them. I did this because we have small children eating this bread, but you could absolutely leave them in for more heat. This recipe was found on Pinterest by The Chunky Chef. I do hope you’ll add this to your bread recipe repertoire. It’s really good. If you’d like to watch me make this meal you can do so by clicking here.
Stay warm Y’all….
[recipe title ="Jalapeno Cheddar Dutch Oven Bread" Time = "3 hrs." Difficulty = "easy"]Ingredients:
In the medium mixing bowl~
- 3 1/2 c. King Arthur Organic Bread Flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
- 2 c. Shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 large Jalapeno diced *You can add more or less to your taste and include or exclude the seeds depending on the heat level you want.
In a large ceramic mixing bowl~
- 2 c. Warm water
- 2 1/4 tsp. Active Dry Yeast (standard .25 oz packet)
For the topping~
- 1/3 – 1/2 c. Shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 sliced Jalapeno
Instructions:
In the medium mixing bowl, add the bread flour, salt, 2 c. cheddar cheese and the diced jalapenos. Mix well and set aside.
Warm up the larger mixing bowl by filling it with hot water and letting it sit for a few minutes, especially in the winter. This will help the yeast to proof and your bread dough will turn out so much better. Once the mixing bowl is warm/hot to the touch, dump out the water and add the yeast and the 2-c. warm water. Give it a little stir and allow it to sit for a few minutes until the yeast dissolves completely in the water. Once dissolved add the flour mixture to the bowl and use a spatula to incorporate it all together until the dry flour can no longer be seen. The dough is a sticky dough. Using the spatula, fold the dough from the sides to the center in a circular motion and fold the dough onto itself 8-10 times.
Cover with a towel and let it sit for 1 hour. After the hour, use the spatula to once again scrape the sides and fold the dough in on itself 8-10 times again. When you are 30 minutes into the second 1-hour rise, preheat your oven to 450° and set the covered cast iron Dutch oven in to preheat it. Be sure to leave the cover on.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and with generously floured hands, turn the dough over. Wipe off the excess flour. Now fold the corners of the dough into the center until a ball is formed. Flip the dough over onto a piece of parchment paper large enough to go in the Dutch oven and hang over the edges. Score the top with a swirl or an X. The dough is sticky and soft, and this is not easy to do so don’t stress it. Spray the top with avocado or coconut oil and add the remaining shredded cheese and jalapeno slices to the top. Place the parchment paper with the dough on it into the hot Dutch oven using potholders and place the lid firmly back on the top. Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and bake for 20 more minutes. Remove the bread when it’s done and place on a wire rack for cooling. Dispose of the parchment paper. Tap the bottom of the loaf. It should sound hollow. The bread should have an amazing crust all around it and be soft and airy inside.
[/recipe] [recipe title = "Nana's Venison, Beef and Bean Chili" time = "3 hours" difficulty = "easy"]
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. Ground venison
- 1 lb Organic grass-fed ground beef
- 1 can (about 16 oz.) Black beans, drained
- 1 can (about 16 oz.) Dark red kidney beans, drained
- 1 can Great Northern beans, drained
- 26 oz can Crushed Tomatoes
- 26 oz can Tomato Puree
- 14.5 oc. can Tomato sauce
- Chili spice mix, homemade or premade. See recipe for homemade ingredients and amounts.
Instructions:
Brown the venison and the beef together in a pre-heated Dutch oven. Next add 2 Tbsp. cumin, 2 Tbsp. onion powder, 2 Tbsp. garlic powder, 1 Tsp. kosher salt, 2 Tbsp. paprika. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. If you chose to use a premix seasoning, add it to taste. I never like giving measurements for chili spices because I feel it’s a very personal taste preference that each person can calculate for themselves to fit their homes.
Add the drained beans and the 3 cans of tomato sauces to the Dutch oven with the cooked meat. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed. If you’d like to add some heat to this, now is the time to include some chili flakes, hot sauce or cayenne pepper to the Dutch oven. I leave it out for the children, so heat can be added to the individual servings if desired. Bring to a boil and reduce to the lowest flame possible. Put the lid on and let it simmer for 3 hours. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese and cowboy candy on top of the chili and a nice warm, buttery slice of cheddar jalapeno bread. It’s the perfect cozy winter meal.
[/recipe]