playboy chili
Posted: September 26, 2020 Filed under: casseroles and one-dish meals, meats poultry and fish | Tags: bay leaf, beef stock, black pepper, cayenne, cheddar cheese, chili powder, corn bread, crackers, cumin, flour, fritos, garlic, green bell pepper, green onions, ground beef, olive oil, oregano, paprika, pinto beans, red pepper flakes, salt, sour cream, sugar, white onion Leave a comment
Playboy Magazine: I Read It For The Recipes
In a bygone era when I was far too young to know what Playboy Magazine was, someone in the family scored this chili recipe. Mom hand wrote the original recipe (the scan is below) so the magazine owner must have dictated it to her. I nominate my Dad or my older brother Tim.
So after returning home after a long September Saturday of shopping for new Halloween graveyard additions, Joe and I decided that despite it being 90 degrees there was no better way to kick-off fall in Texas than with a bowl of chili. So into Mom’s cookbook my fingers strolled until they landed on this ol’ recipe. There’s no telling when this chili was last made but I can tell from the yellowed, stained paper that this recipe was used more than a few times.
While this Playboy Chili recipe isn’t my tried, true and award-winning Kiker’s Kicker Pot Licker Chili, it packed a lotta punch.
Foodie Tips
❤ Some people just see a chili recipe. I see a recipe that’s a glorious gateway to the belly! You can put chili on more than just a spoon – try it on nachos, chili baked potatoes or what’s better than chili and eggs? Not much! I can picture my Dad enjoying chili and eggs right this very minute with eyes as wide as dinner plates and a smile bigger than Texas.
If you decide to make chili baked potatoes (I wildly recommend), don’t just microwave the potato – that’s far too easy. Take a delicious tip from this blue cheese bacon potato recipe – slather the potatoes with shortening, wrap ’em in foil, and bake ’em in the oven for about an hour. The end result? The softest, most delicious baked potato you’re likely to encounter! After all a baked potato is just that – otherwise we should call them nuked potatoes!
Over The Lips… Past The Gums… Watch Out Belly Here It Comes!
❤ Important Lesson: Not since I learned why bagged grated cheese is inferior to freshly grated cheese (goodbye, wood pulp) have I realized that when making chili, plain ol’ ground beef is inferior to coarse ground beef. Why? I find that the typical ground beef often breaks down into more of a grainy mush than a hearty, bold consistency which is a chunky must when beef is the featured ingredient like when in a bowl of chili. Sadly my local grocery stores were out of coarse ground chili beef, so I resorted to the mundane. Note: You can ask your butcher to prepare it fresh for you.
❤ The typical sidekicks for the Kiker family bowl of chili include shredded cheddar cheese, Nabisco saltine crackers, corn bread, Fritos, sour cream and chopped green onions (to name a few).
Let’s Spice Things Up
i. Time
Total prep: About 90 minutes.
ii. Ingredients
2 pounds | coarse ground chili beef
½ cup (or less) | olive oil
1 cup | white onion, minced (Mom would likely chop or dice)
1 tablespoon | fresh garlic, minced (I used 5 cloves)
1 large | green bell pepper, minced (or chopped/diced)
1 large | bay leaf (I used 2)
1 teaspoon | oregano
3 tablespoons | chili powder
1 teaspoon | cumin
¼ teaspoon | cayenne
½ teaspoon | fresh cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon (or to taste) | kosher salt
1 tablespoon | paprika
½ teaspoon | red pepper flakes (aka crushed red pepper)
3 tablespoons | flour
1 ½ quart | beef stock
2 teaspoons | sugar
¼ cup (about 10) | cracker crumbs
1 cup | pinto beans, drained
to serve | your favorite sidekicks (see suggested ideas above)
My Favorite Part… The Bay Leaves
iii. What To Do
1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, sauté the meat in the olive oil.
2. Add the onions, garlic, green pepper, bay leaves, oregano, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, pepper, kosher salt, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Whew!
3. Stir things well and sauté, covered, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the flour; blend well. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour.
Note: I noticed at this stage the chili was a little too oily for my liking which is why I think you can totally dial back on the olive oil (noted above).
5. Stir in the sugar, cracker crumbs and the drained beans. Simmer 10 minutes longer.
6. Serve with your favorite sides/toppings.
Leftovers store well in the fridge or they may be frozen for impromptu meals when that cold front blows in and you’re in a flurry for some chili.
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
A Scan Of Mom’s Playboy Chili Recipe
Ever since watching the 1989 hit When Harry Met Sally I can’t see the word “paprika” without thinking of the funny paprikash scene. “Paprikash” is a popular Hungarian paprika chicken dish. Enjoy the clip!
Another View Of Le Chili Potato
wonderful christmas scent
Posted: December 23, 2017 Filed under: other stuff, The Best Of The Best Recipes | Tags: bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, lemon, orange, water Leave a comment
Ahhhh… the holiday smells!
There’s no doubt that my Mom “Betty” loved cloves.
She cooked with cloves and even decorated with them. At the holidays Mom would make orange-clove pomander balls and you guessed it – clove gum was a special treat beyond the usual mint flavored gums.
There’s no better time of year to enjoy the aroma of all that is spice and nice than at holidaytime.
This Wonderful Christmas Scent recipe comes to us from my Cousin Julie’s kitchen. Julie has contributed several recipes to this blog and her cooking advice has helped bridge the gaps in my much younger memory since the loss of my Mom back in the 1980s. Losing Cousin Julie in October (mere weeks ago) has left a huge void in my heart that’s only filled with the love and bountiful memories she gifted those who knew her.
This holiday season I dedicate all of it to Julie’s loving memory! And as you’d expect making this Wonderful Christmas Scent recipe could be no finer way to fill my home with a memorable great scent of the holidays.
I hope you enjoy this recipe – it’s so easy to make and enjoy! And you can gift the ingredients to friends and family as an easy way for them to brighten and heighten their holiday season!
An example of the holiday pomanders my Mom “Betty” would make at the holidays.
i. ingredients
3 sticks | cinnamon
¼ cup | whole cloves
3 | bay leaves
½ | orange, halved
½ | lemon, halved
1 quart (4 cups) | water
ii. what to do
It doesn’t get any easier than this, folks!
1. Put everything in a medium-sized pot over low heat.
2. Bring things to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Check the water level periodically to ensure it hasn’t all evaporated. You can tilt a pot lid on top to help release the fragrant mist while helping retain the water.
Enjoy and Happiest Holidays from Betty’s Cook Nook!
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
Julie’s original Wonderful Christmas Scent recipe was recently given to me by her son, Lorin. I’d peg this to be circa 1980s-ish given the colorful ribbon design.
In the tradition of many of my posts here at Betty’s Cook Nook let’s take a stroll into the past and enjoy some vintage images of gum advertising! I focus on clove gum, since it was one of Mom’s favorites and clove is a key ingredient in this Wonderful Christmas Scent recipe.
Click the circles to view the entire ad:
Circa 1995: This one’s for us, Cousin!
chicken breasts au vin
Posted: November 15, 2015 Filed under: casseroles and one-dish meals, meats poultry and fish | Tags: bay leaf, brandy, butter, chicken breast, flour, garlic, mushrooms, parsley, pepper, red wine, salt, white onion Leave a comment
This recipe is dedicated to the Bauml Family.
You were more than just neighbors… you’re like family in many, many ways!
~ ❤ ~
“Au vin” is French for “with wine”
Chicken with wine? What can be better?!? Chicken with more wine! Oui! Oui!
Growing up I was a huge animal fan. I still am! I raised more than my fair share of pets – two toy poodles, fish, zebra finches, a cockatiel named “Sam,” and I raised quail from eggs with the help of an incubator and lots of patience. My passion was more like an obsession and Mom and Dad seemed not to notice as I begged them to let me also have a bantam chicken. This was a critical link in my transformation into a bona fide farmer! :)
With 30+ quail living in our back yard I really didn’t need a chicken but our family’s friend Mr. Bauml had some chickens with feathers on the legs and toes that I thought were really cool and before anyone knew it, a butterscotch-colored chicken was living in our backyard pen.
Make no mistake – the quail and the chicken were not to be eaten – they were my pets and were to be admired with the eyes and the heart. They could also be hugged or high-fived, if desired.
Chicken is the hero of this meal and partnered with its sidekicks wine and brandy, I hope you’ll find the end result a tasty twist on your typical poultry dish.
foodie tips ~
❤ For small white onions I suppose you can use pearl onions as the recipe doesn’t say to chop them. I didn’t have any pearls on hand so I used chopped white onions.
❤ Setting brandy on fire is fun! For another one of Mom’s recipes that will impress your guests, try Betty’s brandied pumpkin flan recipe. It’s always a hit at the holidays!
i. ingredients
4 | chicken breasts, boned and split
¼ cup | flour
1 teaspoon | salt
⅛ teaspoon (I used more) | fresh cracked black pepper
½ cup | butter (my grandmother insisted on Falfurrias brand butter)
¼ cup | brandy
2 cups | dry red wine
½ pound (2 cups) | small white onions, peeled
¼ cup | parsley, chopped
1 | bay leaf, crumbled (I left mine whole for easy removal)
1 clove | garlic, crushed (or pressed)
½ pound | fresh mushrooms
ii. what to do
0. Preheat oven to 375°F.
1. Dust the chicken breasts in a mixture of the flour, salt, and pepper. In a skillet, sauté the breasts in the butter.
2. Warm the brandy and set a match to it – no worries, it will be unlikely that you will cause a culinary explosion! Pour the flaming brandy over the skillet chicken. Shake the skillet until the flame dies away.
3. Transfer the chicken and the pan juices to a casserole dish. Add the wine, onions, parsley, bay leaf, and the garlic clove. Cover tightly with foil then with the lid. Cook for 30 minutes.
4. Add the mushrooms and cook for 15 minutes.
I hope you enjoy this dish au vin! I partnered mine with some creamy four cheese Rice-A-Roni, the San Francisco treat!
Serves 6 – 8 humans
~ Patrick
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
A scan of Mom’s original recipe
lasagne
Posted: June 3, 2014 Filed under: casseroles and one-dish meals | Tags: bay leaf, garlic, ground meat, lasagne, mozzarella cheese, olive oil, onion, parmesan cheese, parsley, pepper, ricotta cheese, salt, tomato paste, water Leave a comment
You Say Lasagna. I Say Lasagne.
Lasagne is plural for lasagna, so the more, the merrier! This dish is the epitome of comfort food.
Fun Foodie Facts ~
♥ July 29 is National Lasagna Day, just 72 hours from my official birthday!
♥ The word “lasagna” originally referred to the pot the dish was made in – not the dish itself.
♥ While there are several ways to prepare lasagne, most folks automatically think of a red tomato-y ragu when they think of lasagna. The earliest recipes of lasagna date back to the 13th century, before tomatoes were known to Europeans (they came to Europe via South America).
♥ Northern Italy (Emilia-Romagna) is credited as the birthplace of lasagne. For those who don’t know me, if you want to learn more about Italy, check out my website ForTheLoveOfItaly.com – I created this site to inspire all to travel to this magnificent land.
♥ More fun facts about lasagna are here – check all the links!
i. ingredients
¾ pound | ground meat
1 tablespoon | olive oil
½ clove | garlic, chopped
1 small | onion, minced
1 can | tomato paste
1 cup | water
to taste | salt and pepper
to taste | parsley, chopped (I suggest Italian flat leaf)
1 | bay leaf
8 ounce package | lasagne
½ pound | mozzarella cheese
¼ pound | ricotta or cottage cheese (small curd)
to garnish | parmesan cheese, grated (not the stuff from the can)
ii. what to do
1. Brown meat in the oil. Add garlic, onion, tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, parsley and the bay leaf. Simmer about an hour. Remove the bay leaf before layering (below).
2. While the sauce is simmering, cook the lasagne (if you aren’t using “no boil” or “oven ready” noodles). Mom would have cooked the noodles the old-fashioned way as the speedy version wasn’t on supermarket shelves until years later. Drain the noodles.
3. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
4. Arrange lasagne in layers alternating with layers of sauce, mozzarella and ricotta. Sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the mozzarella is melted and the dish is heated through.
A Belt Buster
the big soup
Posted: March 1, 2014 Filed under: soups | Tags: artichoke, asparagus, bay leaf, carrots, celery, chicken breast, chicken broth, chickpeas, corn, cream, dill weed, green pepper, meat, mushrooms, okra, onion, parsley, pasta, pea pods, pinto beans, plum tomatoes, potato, rice, seasoned sausage, soup, thyme, vegetables, water, zucchini Leave a comment
Everything But The Kitchen Sink Soup
This “BIG SOUP” recipe is insanely flexible! It starts with a base of chicken broth and our familiar friends onion, celery, carrot and herbs. But then the party gets a little crazy – you add whatever fresh, canned or frozen veggies, pasta and or meats that you have loitering around the kitchen, making this soup “soup-er” flexible.
Some of the best cooks never follow a recipe to the “t” and this is surely one of their favorites!
Foodie Tips ~
♥ Note the variations on the original scan –
For more soup: Add additional vegetables and broth.
For two meals: Freeze the leftovers.
For creamed soup: Add ½ to 1 cup cream 5 minutes before serving. Do not boil the cream!
For pureed soup: Put all ingredients (no bones) into a blender and work your magic, until smooth.
♥ If you discover a version you really like, make record of the ratios so you can make it again on the next go.
♥ I was 10 when this recipe appeared in the 1976 edition of Apartment Life Magazine. How alarming it is to see the office phone hanging on the wall in the photo below! PS ~ I also love the bananas T-shirt!
i. base ingredients
2 cans | chicken broth
4 | chicken breasts
1 | large onion, chopped
1 | celery stalk, chopped
1 | carrot, chopped
2 sprigs | parsley
1 teaspoon | thyme (or dill weed)
1 | bay leaf
to “cover” | water
ii. “scavenge” for these accessory ingredients
1 small can | pinto beans, chickpeas and or plum tomatoes
1 medium can | corn
½ package | frozen okra, asparagus, artichokes and or pea pods
2 | potatoes, chopped
1 small | zucchini, chopped
1 | green pepper, chopped
¼ pound | mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup or more | pasta or rice
1 length | seasoned sausage
cubes | leftover meat
1 | kitchen sink (just checking if you’re paying attention!) :)
iii. what to do
1. In a medium/large pot over medium heat, add the first eight ingredients in step “i” above. Add water to cover.
2. While waiting for the soup to simmer, scavenge for your step “ii” ingredients above, whatever form they take.
3. Add fresh veggies and rice after the soup’s been simmering 15 minutes or canned, frozen ingredients and pasta after 20 minutes. Simmer soup for 30 minutes or until everything’s done.
Shazam!
Click To View –> An Original Scan Of The Big Soup Recipe
steamed artichoke
Posted: February 17, 2014 Filed under: appetizers, sides | Tags: artichoke, artichoke hearts, avocado, bay leaf, butter, cloves, lawry's seasoned salt, lemon, seasoned salt Leave a comment
Knock? Knock!
“Who’s there?”
“Artichoke!” “Artichoke, who?”
“Arti chokes when he eats too fast!”
This was one of my most favorite childhood jokes. While many friends say I have a good sense of humor, my biggest deficit is I can count on one hand the funny jokes I can remember. Go figure!
Tasty Chokes
When I think of Mom, I think of her special white artichoke plates; these made frequent appearances for our great gatherings in the 1970s. I don’t think I’ve had an artichoke since then but was happy to be reunited with their taste as an adult – the artichoke reminds me of the great taste of an avocado – just with a different texture/composition.
Foodie Tips ~
♥ My Grandmother “Nanny” absolutely loved Falfurrias brand butter. If you want to make your taste buds happy, buy it!
♥ I never knew how to prepare this tasty deliciously awesome treat but I did my research and found THIS, THIS and THIS!
♥ I’m a big fan of warm butter. I don’t have any butter warmers but will be looking to get some soon!
i. ingredients
1 or more | fresh artichokes
1-2 | cloves (optional)
1 | lemon slice (optional)
1-2 | bay leaves (optional)
¼ cup | falfurrias brand butter
1-2 teaspoons | lawry’s brand seasoned salt
ii. what to do
1. Wash the artichoke well and drain. Prepare the artichoke by cutting and discarding about ¾” – 1″ of the artichoke top as well as part of the stem. Some folks like to eat the stem but you can remove all of it if you have no plans on eating it.
2. If you want a “restaurant style” presentation, you can cut and remove the tops of the leaves as shown; this is typically done to remove the thorned tips of the leaves. Rub the top and bottom of the artichoke with lemon to help prevent discoloration.
3. You can boil, microwave or steam your artichoke. Mom always steamed her artichokes so this is how we’ll detail them here in this post. To do so, insert a steaming basket into a pot and fill with water (fill to just underneath the bottom of the basket). You can add a couple of cloves, a slice of lemon and a bay leaf to season the water.
4. Place the artichoke on top of the steaming basket, cover the pot with a lid and bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer the artichoke for 25-45 minutes – until the leaves are soft and they can be removed.
5. Just before the artichoke is done prepare the sauce by melting the butter and mixing some Lawry’s seasoned salt into it.
6. Remove the artichoke from the pan and place on a serving dish similar to the white one shown – below not the soup bowl I used (sorry, I don’t have the proper plates)! Remove a leaf, dip the bottom/root end into the sauce and place it in your mouth, dip side down, and pull the leaf through your teeth to remove soft, pulpy, delicious portion of the petal. Discard remaining petal.
7. Dip, pull, repeat until all leaves are gone! You can enjoy the artichoke heart by scraping out and discarding the inedible fuzzy part (called the “choke”) covering the artichoke heart. The remaining bottom of the artichoke is the heart. Cut it into pieces and dip into sauce to eat.
Delicious!
julia child’s roast
Posted: August 15, 2013 Filed under: casseroles and one-dish meals, meats poultry and fish | Tags: bay leaf, bouillion, brisket, carrots, garlic, olive oil, onion, peppercorns, roast, thyme, tomatoes, wine Leave a comment
Sometime’s life and eventful timing collide.
This week we just so happened to randomly select this recipe from many in Mom’s cookbook. After further research … How did we know it was Julia Child’s birthday (August 15th)? And who eats a savory hot roast in summer? Apparently we do!
This recipe requires a little TLC in the kitchen and I think it’s well worth it – the results speak for themselves.
Hats off to you, Julia, for inspiring the joy of cooking in so many people – including my Mom! And thanks for channeling us to find this recipe.
A little taste of the good times.
foodie tips ~
♥ The sauce below sounds nice. We made it but didn’t think it was necessary; this roast is delicious as is without added layers of flavor and texture.
♥ By “1/2 cup or more of wine” below, we suggest or more to “keep it real,” as they say. See what you think.
♥ If you love stews try this Tuscan Beef Stew recipe. This dish makes regular appearances at my table and guests love it.
i. ingredients
4-5 pounds | chuck roast, top or bottom round brisket
to season the meat | salt and pepper
to coat the pan | olive oil
2 | onions, sliced
2 | carrots, sliced
2 | tomatoes, chopped
1 cup | bouillion
eye it | water, to fill pot
1/2 cup or more | wine (I suggest a red)
1 | bay leaf
pinch | thyme
5 | peppercorns
2 cloves | garlic
ii. what to do
1. Dry the meat – pat it with a few papertowels. Cover it with salt and pepper. Brown it in a pot lined with a coating of olive oil over medium heat. Remove the meat from the pot and set it aside on a plate or on a piece of foil that we will use later (below).
2. Brown sliced onions and sliced carrots in oil. Put the roast back in the pot and add chopped tomatoes, bouillion, water and wine. Flavor with bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns and the garlic cloves. Half or more of the roast should be covered in sauce; add water or wine if necessary. Before putting the lid on the pot, cover the roast with foil so it won’t shrink too much.
3. Cook at 300°F or simmer on top of stove 3 – 4.5 hours. About 1/2 hour or so before the roast is done, add onions, carrots, and potatoes if desired.
4. For gravy: drain the fat off the roast juice. Add flour mixed with butter to juice.
Yields: 6-8 Servings
Betty's Cook Nook 