17 August 2012
Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate: Chili and zucchini bread!
I think I have a problem. I have been having chocolate cravings so badly that I have been trying to find different ways to incorporate it into recipes. From my previous post on Chocolate Balsamic Cherries, you know that I recently discovered Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar from The Olive Mill. I have been racking my brain trying to think want else I could use it in and I remembered that chocolate is used in Mexican cooking. I tried it in chili last night and it was the best chili I have ever made: slightly spicy with a soft chocolate aroma. You can't taste the chocolate but it balances the other flavors nicely.
Chocolate Chili
2 15 oz cans of black beans
1 15 oz can of pinto beans
1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 package of extra lean ground turkey (I used Jennie-O and I think it was around 1 1/3 lbs)
1 medium to large yellow onion-diced
2 bell peppers seeded and diced
1 Anaheim pepper seeded and diced (the one I used was very mild)
Extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp of chocolate balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp Chili Powder
1/4 tsp - 1 tsp of Cayenne pepper
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 pinch of ground clove
2 tbsp of minced garlic
1 tbsp of Better Than Bullion Chicken ( it about 1/2 the price at Meijer than on Amazon)
1 tbsp of fresh basil
1 tbsp of fresh marjoram
1/2 disc of Taza Salt and Pepper Stone Ground Mexican Chocolate
Rinse and drain you beans, I learned that this greatly reduces the flatulence factor! While they are draining, cover the bottom of a heavy pot with extra virgin olive oil and heat on medium heat. Add onion, reduce to low heat, and cook until they are translucent. Add the garlic and cook another couple of minutes being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the turkey and raise heat to medium and brown turkey. Add vinegar to deglaze the pot. Then add all of the peppers, tomatoes, and drained beans. Stir in chili powder, cayenne, cinnamon, clove and chicken bullion. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low but so it stays at a simmer. Simmer for 50 minutes. Then add the basil, marjoram, and Taza chocolate and simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve with cornbread.
I also found this wonderful chocolate zucchini bread recipe from Barbara Bakes . I love this recipe because it also uses Greek yogurt! I am helping my best friend out with her garden while she is on vacation and harvested 3 of the biggest zucchini I have ever seen (one was about 2 feet long). So I grated all of it, froze some, and then baked like crazy! The first batch I wasn't paying close attention and think I only put in one cup of flour.(side note: this is one of the reasons I mainly cook instead of bake, I have a hard time following recipes because I to measure things) This was the larger loaves seen here. They are still yummy but are more like brownies. The second batch I added a 1/2 cup of chopped dried cherries and made the mini loaves and the mini muffins. I can't eating them so good thing I made so many.
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Your chili sounds delicious! So glad you enjoyed the zucchini bread recipe. Cherries are one of my favorite additions too.
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