Chili my Beans!!!!

 

Ahhhh Chili, how yummy you are...I'm so glad I ate you.

Chili con Carne is one of everyone's favorite dish, if you've never tried it I suggest you read this blog and make a pot or go find some (please not in a can). Ever since I was a child and I could remember and think like a normal human being, or somewhat normal, I was under the belief that Chili con Carne is Mexican, actually...it's from Texas.  I know who would've thought? then again, they used to be Mexico so it could pass as Mexican. Truth be told from my research about Chili con Carne, for this blog, Mexico only serves it in the touristy areas because well the average tourist believes it's Mexican food but they don't traditionally eat the stuff elsewhere. Or so I've gathered.

However it happened it became a hit. Goes to show you some of the best food around is "poor people" food. Chili con carne was a choice of poor families, filling, uses little meat, beans and whatever vegetable was available.

Today, they are a must at football parties, BBQ's, Cook-offs, and other fun outdoor gatherings. They've been additions to it such as cheddar cheese, Monterrey Jack Cheese, Raw chopped purple and white onions, Rice, Corn tortilla chips and in some really yummy cases guacamole, sour cream and cheddar cheese.

(My diet walks through the door)

 

So then, let's start making this chili con carne...

First thing we must have to do to create the best chili ever is patience.

In Belize we say "you can't rush the pot" makes sense.

 

So now to the pot of Beans, the most important part.

 

 

Beans: Ingredients

 

- 3lbs Red Kidney Beans (uncooked)

- 3 pig tails (or any other salted fatty pork)

- 1/2 white onion chopped up

- 4 Garlic cloves crushed

- 1 bunch Cilantro or cilantro (this is optional, I know now that not everyone likes cilantro, right D?)

- 1 tablespoon of black pepper and coconut oil

- 1 teaspoon oregano

- 5 whole Bay leaves.

 

Add all ingredients to a heavy iron pot or a crock pot, for a crock pot you'll put on high until beans are soft, keep in mind this might take a few hours and you'll need to be adding water along the way. For the heavy iron pot put on medium heat, cover and add water on occasion for about 2.5 hours. Taste, you shouldn't need any salt because the salted pork will give it the salt but if you need to you can add some. And remember sea salt is better.

 

 



 

So now here we are with the perfect beans. Let's start the chili con carne.

 

Ingredients:

 

- 1lb medium fatty ground beef.

- 1/2 onion chopped 

- 1,  5oz  can tomato paste

- 1 large sweet pepper

- add as much Stewed beans as you want. I used 2 cups (recipe above) 

- Tortilla chips.

- 1/2 bottle hickory smoke BBQ sauce

- 1 Habanero (whole)

 

 

In a pot, heavier the better add meat, onions, sweet pepper and cook until halfway done. Like the picture below.

 



 

 Then add about 1/2 cup of water to the meat and add the tomato paste., BBQ sauce and habanero. Stir and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Add Beans, stir and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes more if you want your chili con carne thick, add water if you need to thin the juice and just stir and let everything blend together for about 5 minutes. When it's finished with a fork carefully pop the habanero pepper and stir 3 times then remove the pepper...unless you eat habanero's like candy then keep the pepper in it.

 Now, if you want to try your hand at frying your own tortilla chips remember this don't over look flour tortillas, fried they make really good chips... or you can stick to traditional corn tortilla. Just buy the tortilla ready made or you can go that extra mile and make the tortilla yourself but wow that's a lot of work even for me. Cut the tortilla up and fry them in oil, I like to use olive oil when they are out sprinkle salt or seasoned salt to make it spicy. They fry in less than a minute when the oil is hot so keep an eye.

 

Now dive into that big beautiful pot of chili for a taste test...

 

 After all of that work sit down and enjoy your bowl of chili con carne. Can be served with rice, tortilla chips, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, onions, anything, the sky is the limit...had it with Cool Ranch Dorito's once...pretty yummy.

 

 

Hope you enjoyed this dish, I do look forward to hearing how your meal went so don't be shy.

Don't forget you can find Tizzle Sizzles on Facebook

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And please feel free to share www.tizzlesizzles.us with your friends :) 

Mango Curry Shrimp w/ Coconut Rice

 Hey everyone! Hope all is well, So since it's Mango Season in Belize and there is Mango's everywhere and even a lot just wasting away...you can't get rid of it there's so much. So I figured we'd go with 10 fun facts about Mango's...ready?
1. It's the most popular fruit in the world...why not? it's yummy...

2. Mangoes came from Indian over 5000 years ago...

3. Humans brought mango seeds from Asia to the Middle East, East Africa, and then South America around 300-400 A.D

4. The Mango is a symbol of Love in India, and giving a basket of Mango's is considered a gesture of friendship.

5. Buddah liked meditating under a Mango tree.

6. It's related to cashew's and Pistachios...two more of my favorite things... :)

7. A tree can grow to 100 ft.

8. The Mango bark, leaves, skin and pit have been used in various home medicinal remedies for centuries.

9. One cup of Mangoes is just 100 calories. (YAY!)

10. There are over 10 different varieties of Mango with Hayden, and Tommy Atkins being more popular in the US.

Fun facts by www.mango.org

Now that I've educated you let' eat this mango!! So today i decided to do seafood, I haven't had in a while and i live in Belize it is a shame that I haven't had seafood in a while...
 I felt like a nice Caribbean meal something fruity and spicy but light. So first our

Ingredients
2 lbs Shrimp peeled, de - veined
1 medium Green Sweet Pepper
1 small Red Onion
1 medium potato
1 bunch Cilantro
3 cloves garlic
2 cups coconut Milk
2 cups Rice (varies on how much you want to make)
2 large plantains
Spices 1 tsp each Salt, black pepper, curry, cumin, rosemary.
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 cup water

So the first thing you will do is  peel and slice your mango...you might want to peel

it after you slice it, it's slippery and your mango will be all over the place if you peel it first. After you've sliced your mango put your rice to cook. Pour 1 cup of coconut milk in the rice and 1 cup of water, boil for 10 mins on high and 5 mins on med-low until finished fluff with fork. While the rice cooks dice up 1 medium potato, half red onion (small), 2 tomatoes, 1 bunch cilantro, and 1 medium sweet pepper. and chop up the garlic fine. In a skillet with olive oil  then I satueed the  vegetables for about 7 mins add about 1/4 of water then add 1/2 cup of Coconut Milk and lower heat to Medium and simmer and stir.

In a blender blend the Mango, 1 tsp Sriracha sauce ( or however much you want less will be less spicy if you haven't tried this hot sauce yet it burns so thread carefully), and 1/2 cup coconut milk. Blend until smooth.  

Pour mango mix into the vegetables and then mix well and simmer on Low heat for about 10 mins.

Meantime, peel your plantains and slice them across like the picture above. Heat a frying pan with oil, when the oil is hot lower the fire to medium heat and let sit there for about 2 mins before adding the plantains. fry for about 2 mins on each side until you've reached the browness you want. I like mine crispy burnt because it's super sweet and cruchy but to each their own.  After frying place on a plate with newspaper or a paper towel. (the crispier the more it will stick to paper, heads up.)

After you've sauteed the vegetables, stirring occasionally,  add the shrimp and turn off the stove. let the shrimp sit in the mix for about 5 mins before you serve.

And Viola! Dinner is served...plate your food like the last two pictures. This can also be served over rice noodles... 

Hope you enjoyed this dish, I do look forward to hearing how your meal went so don't be shy.

Don't forget you can find Tizzle Sizzles on Facebook

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if you want to send an email you can do so through the blog or email at

tizzlesizzles@gmail.com

And please feel free to share www.tizzlesizzles.us with your friends :)