Spicy Italian Chili

Welcome Googlers! Hope you enjoy this recipe! If you’d like to see more, use the “View Whole Category” drop down menu to show the Angela’s Recipes category.

Print

Spicy Italian Chili

Another chili recipe! Similar to another one I make, but definitely tastes Italian! Lots of ingredients, but worth the effort.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword beef chili, italian chili, italian sausage chili, spicy italian chili
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Author misangela

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef 90/10
  • 1 pkg hot Italian sausage remove casings if you have links
  • 1 lg onion, diced about 1.5 cups
  • 1 lg red bell pepper, diced 2 medium, about 1.5 cups
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced about 2 Tbl
  • 2 Tbl flour any type
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp dry basil
  • 1 tsp dry oregano
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 Tbl chili powder
  • 1 14oz can white beans, drained any kind
  • 1 28oz can Italian tomatoes, whole with juice break up by hand as you add them
  • 1 6oz can tomato paste or 3 Tbl from tube
  • 1 8oz can tomato sauce Italian herbs if you can find it
  • 1 cup red wine optional
  • 1-2 cups chicken stock as needed
  • S/P to taste
  • shredded parm to garnish

Instructions

  • Gather ingredients and prep veg first.
  • Put a large soup pot on med hi heat.
  • Add sausage and beef and sauté until about halfway cooked. A little browning is fine.
  • Add in onions, pepper and garlic. Stir and cook until veg softens. (Turn down heat if it is too dry and/or veg is browning. Add a bit of stock if it's too dry.)
  • Add in flour and all spices. Stir until incorporated into meat and veg.
  • Add beans, tomato products and wine. Bring to a simmer.
  • Add chicken stock to your preferred thickness and simmer for another 15-20 minutes.
  • Check S/P before serving.
  • Serve with shredded parmesan.

Notes

Photo credit: simplyrecipes.com
This chili freezes well. 
This would be excellent over orzo or other small pasta. 

V1.22

Hot Wing Dip

Print

Hot Wing Dip

This is one of the most requested recipes I get! It's super easy and a crowd pleaser!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken cream cheese dip, hot wing dip, party dip
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 10 servings
Author misangela

Ingredients

  • 2 blocks cream cheese, softened room temp or GENTLY softened in microwave
  • 2-3 stalks celery, small dice about one cup, +/- to taste
  • 1 clove garlic, pasted or 1 tsp garlic paste
  • 1 cup chunky blue cheese dressing or 3/4 cup blue cheese chunks. Sub ranch dressing if you dislike blue cheese.
  • 2-3 Tbl Frank's Red Hot +/-, to taste. NOT TABASCO! Franks!
  • 2 12.5oz cans chicken, drained or finely chopped rotisserie. I prefer the soft canned chicken for this dip.
  • 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese or whatever you like

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Mix all ingredients together until combined.
  • Spray a 9x9 or equivalent casserole dish with food release and pour in dip.
  • Top with shredded cheese and bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is slightly browned and dip is bubbly.
  • Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Notes

Photo credit: allrecipes.com

V1.22

Dolmathes, Cyprus Style

dolmas and tzatziki
Print

Cyprus Style Dolmathes

This recipe was taught to me by a lady from Cyprus. She made hers with lamb and beef and they were considered a meal rather than just an appetizer. I make them vegetarian most of the time, but making them with meat is VERY delicious!
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine cypriot, greek
Keyword beef and chicken chili, dolmas, dolmathes, lamb, lamb dolmathes
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 40 dolmas
Author misangela

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground lamb
  • 1 lb ground beef 90/10 (OR use all lamb)
  • 1 lg onion, small dice about 3/4 cup
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced about 1.5 Tbl
  • 2 tsp EACH S/P
  • 1 cup prepared rice basmati is my go-to, make sure to season with S/P
  • 1 14oz can tomatoes, any type drained
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint, finely chopped sub dry 3 Tbl, but fresh is best
  • 1 jar grape leaves, rinsed and separated most groceries have these in the ethnic aisle
  • 1 pkg lamb neck bones or shoulder chops about 1# or less
  • 1 8oz can tomato sauce
  • 2 lemons, zest and juice sub 1/3 cup jarred juice, but fresh is best
  • chicken stock as needed (have 2 cups or so on hand)
  • EVOO as needed
  • plain Greek yogurt
  • lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

  • There is a lot of prep for these. Assemble all your ingredients and take it step by step.
  • Prepare rice by package directions to yield about 1 cup and set aside. You can alter the rice to meat ratio here if you like. If you double the rice, you'll double the number of dolmas you make, keep that in mind.
  • In a large skillet over med hi heat, sauté lamb and beef with onions and garlic for about 8 minutes. It will be mostly cooked, but a little pink still. Season to taste with S/P - go a little salty here. The second cook will take out some salt.
  • Off heat, add tomatoes, lemon zest and mint to meat mixture, combine thoroughly. Set aside while you prepare the grape leaves.
  • In a large stock pot, arrange lamb bones or chops in the bottom.
  • Rinse and separate grape leaves. You may skip rinsing if you like the briny taste like I do.
  • Lay the leaf on the board with the stem UP, at the bottom. Trim stem if it's long. Put about 1 Tbl of filling at stem - do not overfill. Tuck in side leaves and roll like a burrito. (vegetarian filling shown)
    how to stuff dolmas
  • This recipe will make about 40 dolmathes, it depends on the leaves. Stack them seam side down, tightly in the stock pot on top of the lamb chops as you make them and drizzle each layer with EVOO. You should get a big pot of dolmathes from this recipe. Do not fill the pot over 3/4 full. If you have too many, either do two pots or freeze the extras.
  • Once the dolmas are made and in the pot, drizzle with a little more EVOO, then pour over the tomato sauce and lemon juice. Top with chicken stock to reach about 3/4 up on the dolmas.
  • Weigh down the dolmas with a plate and cook over med low for about 45 minutes.
  • Serve with Greek yogurt, EVOO and lemon wedges.

Notes

While labour intensive, dolmathes are truly worth it. I like them both vegetarian (Turkish) and with meat (Greek/Cypriot). 
Dolmathes freeze well! 

V1.22

Smashed Cauliflower

This is one of those low carb diet dishes that is supposed to replace potatoes…and it’s good enough to actually make you forget all about those carbs!

1 head cauliflower, cut up
1-1.5cups chicky broth
salt/pepper
1Tbl butter
1 cup shredded cheese (whatever you like)

Put the cauliflower in a large skillet with a lid if you’ve got one. Pour in enough broth to come up halfway on the cauliflower and turn the heat to high. Let the cauliflower simmer until it gets soft. Drain off the broth, set aside. Add the butter, s/p and cheese. Turn the heat to medium. Start lightly mashing the cauliflower and cheese together. Add back in enough broth to keep the mixture moist but not runny. I like to leave identifiable chunks of cauliflower in mine, but you can smash it all the way if you like.

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Print

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

My recipe is not particularly unique, but I can tell you that this is an OLD cocktail nibbly from the 50s/60s. There are many iterations of it, mine is the usual soy sauce route. Enjoy!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword 50s party food, 60s party food, bacon, bacon wrapped water chestnuts, cocktail nosh
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 10
Author misangela

Equipment

  • plain toothpicks

Ingredients

  • 2 cans whole water chestnuts, drained
  • 1 pound bacon, cut into 4ths NOT thick sliced
  • ½ Cup soy sauce
  • ½ Cup mirin or seasoned rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 Cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 Cup sesame oil or olive oil
  • black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Marinate the water chestnuts in a gallon zip bag with soy, mirin, brown sugar and oil. You can marinate up to 2 days ahead.
  • When ready to cook, preheat oven to 400°F. Cut up bacon and wrap each water chestnut in a piece of bacon and secure with toothpick.
  • On the sheet pan, sprinkle chestnuts with black pepper and a bit more brown sugar.
  • Bake for about 15 minutes, until the bacon is rendered and crispy.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

This is a HUGE party favourite! I usually double the recipe because they disappear so quickly. 
You can change up the flavour profile by modifying the marinade for the water chestnuts. Try it with garlic chili sauce or make them with L&P and rosemary for a completely different taste. 
You can also put bacon around dates or dried fruit.