Chili con Carne recipe

* 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 2 large onions, chopped
* 1 chile pepper, chopped
* 5 cloves garlic, chopped
* 2 pounds lean ground beef
* 3 (14.5 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes with liquid, chopped
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
* 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
* 2 tablespoons paprika
* 2 tablespoons dried oregano
* 2 cinnamon sticks
* 6 whole cloves
* 2 (15.25 ounce) cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium sized stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute onion, chile pepper and garlic until soft. Add ground beef: cook and stir until meat is browned.
2. Pour in tomatoes with liquid, salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
3. Stir in kidney beans, and cook another 15 minutes. Remove cinnamon sticks before serving.

Sean's Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies

The recipe below is for my Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
4 oz of finely grinded oatmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder
6 oz of milk chocolate chips
dried cranberries - use the same volume amount as the milk chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream the butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy (approximately 30 seconds)

2. Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract for another 30 seconds.

3a. Put approximately 1 cup of oatmeal into a blender and grind it into a fine dust. You will need 4 oz of finely grinded oatmeal.

3. In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture at low speed for about 15 seconds. Stir in the espresso coffee powder and chocolate chips.

4. Using a 1 ounce scoop or a 2 tablespoon measure, drop cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into a 2 inch circle. Bake for about 15 minutes at 350F or until nicely browned around the edges. Bake a little longer for a crispier cookie.

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Tribute to Navin Parthasarathy

This blog posting is a tribute to Navin Parthasarathy who passed away exactly two years ago today, on August 4th, 2006 when he was swimming and drowned in a lake near Cornell University. I miss him a lot and sometimes I can't believe that he is gone. We miss you Navin.

http://spham.blogspot.com/2006/08/goodbye-and-rip-to-my-good-friend.html

No Name Salad Dressing

Here's a recipe for a salad dressing that I call the "No Name Salad Dressing".

salad vinegar - 1/2 cup
chicken broth - 1/2 cup
shallots - 2 tbsp
black pepper - 1 tbsp
salt - 1 tbsp
sugar - 1 tbsp
lemon juice
Grey Poupon mustard - 2 tbsp

Patience is a Virtue

As I sit here with my 19 month old daughter watching "The Wiggles" on a Friday evening, I have finally found out the meaning of patience. What am I doing exactly? Absolutely nothing. She likes watching "The Wiggles" so I am just patiently sitting next to her, enjoying the fact that she is enjoying this program on the television.

West Lake Beef Soup Recipe

Here's a recipe for West Lake Beef Soup that I lifted somewhere off of the internet.

Ingredients

225 g filet of beef, sliced across the grain into pieces
4 cups stock (broth)
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons cornflour, dissolved in water
1 teaspoon cornflour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon rice wine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 dash black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped scallions

Directions

1. Marinate beef with corn flour, sugar, rice wine and soy sauce for 15 minutes.

2. Bring the stock to boil.

3. Add in the beef.

4. Add in cornstarch solution when stock starts to boil again.

5. Slowly add in the beaten egg whites while gently stirring the soup.

6. Sprinkle a dash of black pepper and the chopped scallion to the soup.

7. Remove the soup for serving.

Sean's Kung Pao Chicken

Here is a recipe that I got somewhere off of the internet for Kung Pao Chicken. I personally tweak it by doubling the sauce (rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar) and removing the peanuts. I like the extra sauce and I don't like the peanuts, but it's up to you.

Ingredients

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts , cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons light sesame oil or vegetable oil
3 tablespoons green onions , chopped with tops
2 garlic cloves , minced
1/4-1 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (to your own taste)
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger (can use fresh grated if preferred)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts
4 cups cooked rice , hot

Directions

1. Combine chicken and cornstarch in small bowl.
2. Toss to coat.
3. Heat oil in large non-stick skillet or wok on medium heat.
4. Add chicken.
5. Stir fry 5- 7 minutes or until no longer pink in center.
6. Remove from heat.
7. Add onions, garlic, red pepper and ginger to skillet.
8. Stir fry 15 seconds.
9. Remove from heat.
10. Combine vinegar, soy sauce and sugar in small bowl.
11. Stir well.
12. Add to skillet.
13. Return chicken to skillet.
14. Stir until chicken is well coated.
15. Stir in nuts.
16. Heat thoroughly, stirring occasionally.
17. Serve over hot rice.