Many of my friends are sad that Heidi Klum and Seal are divorcing and so very shocked as they seemed so happy (with the exception of my delusional guy friends who think they have a shot with Heidi now…hahahaha). A lot of people seem to be a lot of things. I firmly believe that people have three lives: a public life, a private life, and a secret life.

People always tell me how open I am on here and what not, I can assure you that there are many a thing you don’t know, and well that’s okay. You don’t need to know everything about me. We don’t need to know everything about celebrities. I am not sure what happened along the way but it’s not our right to know what celebrities are doing at all times. I don’t care if they pump gas just like me. Or that they eat ice cream. They carry their own groceries. They aren’t like me. You know why? Because no one is following me around with a camera trying to take photos of me at the grocery store. Thank goodness too. If someone saw me today, I took the dog out in pj bottoms and gigantic sweatshirt with my hair being some sort of throwback tribute to Duran Duran. The only thing following me is a hungry cocker spaniel when I have food in my hands.

Of my friends who have gotten divorced (and even including me), they all seemed to be sooo happy. Partially because if things work out you don’t want your friends judging your spouse and partially because people don’t really like to hear people complain all the time. I honestly think that as a general rule most people in your life would be shocked to learn something about you.

This chili in a way is like people a lot of different layers that make you who you are. This is not a throw it all in one pot and leave it for hours kind of chili. It’s one that requires not only hours of cooking, but four layers of seasoning and four different times. This is how you build depth in food. It’s how something goes from good to really good. I sent this with my BFF to for him and his co-workers to eat. One of them asked for the recipe so I figured I would put it up. It would be great for a cold night or a Super Bowl party.

Lots O’ Spices Chili

1 pound Cubed Beef Roast
1 pound ground beef
1 can kidney beans (14 ounces)
2 cans Beef Broth
2 cups Water
2 cans Tomato Sauce (15 ounces each)
¼ cup ground Masa
Vegetable Oil

1st Spices
2 Tbsp. onion powder
2 tsp. Beef granules
1 tsp. Chicken granules
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. season salt
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. Hot Mexican chili powder (McCormick makes it)
1 Tbsp. ground chili pepper

2nd Spices
2 tsp. Cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. season salt
1 Tbsp. Hot Mexican chili powder
1 Tbsp. chili powder

3rd Spices
1-1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. Hot Mexican chili powder

4th Spices
1-1/2 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Brown ground beef in 2 tsp. oil. Then add cubed beef and brown that.

Add 2 cans beef broth, 2 cups water, 1 can Tomato Sauce and 1st spices.

Bring to boil, cover and cook at medium boil until beef is almost tender (2 hours).

At the end of two hours add 2nd spices, kidney beans, ¼ cup ground masa, and 2nd can of tomato sauce. Bring to boil, then turn down and simmer for ten minutes.

Add 3rd spices and bring to a boil. Turn to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add 4th spices. Adjust to taste for salt and for heat add Tabasco Sauce.

Adapted from the International Chili Society

1998 Chili Cook Off Winner Kathy LeGear

Well, I am 3 months into my Home Farm project and even with some recent setbacks I can say that I am still overjoyed with what my Home Farm has taught me (and produced) this summer. Setbacks you say? Yep.

My first setback was one I didn’t account for as I always assumed that sun and warmth would be a good thing. And while they are to some degree, we had one really warm day which produced me a TON of snap peas (peas for Peabody!!!) but also caused my broccoli to form flowers. Once the broccoli grows flowers you can’t eat it. As you can see from the picture I got flowers. Luckily for me though I still had quite a few other stalks, though I panicked at the idea of not getting to use them. So I probably prematurely chopped some of them to make soup. But I wasn’t missing my chance to make Broccoli Cheddar Soup with broccoli from my very own patio! So even though many of my plants when planted said that they needed 5-6 hours of sun, they seem to like the rainy overcast weather better.

Setback number two I definitely did NOT account for was that my Home Farm is doing SO well that I am running out of space. Things are growing much faster than I can eat them or the plant is getting so large and mingling over with other plants. While I love the growth I only have so much space to work with, especially now that I own a grill that is out there as well.

Setback number three is that the majority of my plants that were planted in small pots have reached their demise (moment of silence please). The only survivors were the mint, because mint I believe is the cockroach of the herb world, you have to work hard to kill it off. So I bought another big pot (this was before I got a BBQ) and plan on planting something new. Suggestions? What do you all think ? What would you like to see me try and grow?

Despite my few setbacks I am not giving up. This is after all an experiment of sorts and you are going to have the good with the bad and you learn from all of it! How about you? How is your Home Farm coming along? If you don’t have one, summer is only half way done, if you did plants and not seeds, you could still join the Triscuit Home Farm movement!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
1/2 medium onion, chopped

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half cream
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 lb. fresh broccoli
1 cup carrots, julienned
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese (use GOOD quality cheese)
salt and pepper

Sauté onion in 1 TBSP butter. Set aside.

Cook 1/4 cup melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and add the half & half.

Add the vegetable stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat 20-25 minutes.

Add salt and pepper. Can be puréed in a blender but I don’t. Return to heat and add cheese. Stir in nutmeg.

Recipe adapted from Panera Bread Company
If you are interested in seeing other ideas, please visit the other bloggers who are participating in the Home Farming Movement which you can find at the Better Homes and Gardens Home Farming Challenge Page.

As always, Triscuit compensated me for this post, but the ideas, words, bad grammar, and opinions are all mine.

How do you translate a hug into food? That was my challenge of sorts.
For you see one of my favorite food bloggers and all around wonderful person Barb, of Winos and Foodies, thought it would be a good idea to see if there were in advances in chemotherapy. You might know Barb from her efforts for getting the word out about cancer with her LiveStrong with a Taste of Yellow event that she has hosted for the last two years. Unfortunately Barb is back to battling cancer. Some of us fellow food bloggers (headed up by Bron and Ilva) thought it would be a good idea to send Barb a big cyberspace hug. Letting her know we are sending her every good thought that we could possible muster up!
So I thought long and hard about what to make. What would say comfort and love. Hot chocolate. Hot chocolate always makes me feel at peace. And I want Barb to feel at peace.
I am one of those who can not have hot chocolate without marshmallows ( well, I suppose if I was forced I could). Marshmallow panna cotta popped up in my head. Only problem…no one had made that yet…well if they did it’s not in cyberspace. So off to the experimenting I went. It only took two tries and I thought it would take much longer. The second time was a charm so to speak and let us hope that Barb’s second time is a charm as well.
To compliment the panna cotta I made a Peppermint “Hot Chocolate” Soup for it to swim in. If you wandering if it taste like marshmallow. Yes, like a big creamy, smooth one.
All the best Barb, we are thinking of you!
(((((((((HUGS, HUGS, HUGS, HUGS, HUGS, HUGS, HUGS, HUGS, HUGS, HUGS, HUGS, HUGS,HUGS, HUGS, HUGS, HUGS,  HUGS, HUGS, HUGS, HUGS))))))

 Marshmallow Panna Cotta with Peppermint “Hot Chocolate” Soup

Marshmallow Panna Cotta

2 cups heavy cream
½ cup half and half (or you can use more heavy cream)
½  cup marshmallow fluff
1 package (¼  ounce) unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Place ½ cup of cream in a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over the cream. Let gelatin bloom for about 5 minutes.
Put remaining cream and half and half into a medium saucepan on medium-low heat. Add marshmallow fluff and whisk into cream mixture. As the mixture heats up the marshmallow will start to melt into it, keep whisking to make sure it full incorporates.
Turn heat to low and add in the bloomed gelatin, whisking again to make sure it fully incorporates.
Add sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk until sugar has dissolved.
Pour mixture into ramekins of your choice. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours but serve that day or the next for best texture and flavor.
Unmold by dipping ramekins into hot water for a few seconds. Flip the panna cotta over into a shallow soup bowl. Pour in chocolate soup. Garnish with candy cane pieces and extra chocolate if you like.

“Hot Chocolate” Soup

1 cup whole milk
1 cup half and half
3 heaping TBSP powdered peppermint hot chocolate
2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces milk chocolate, chopped

Place milk in a medium saucepan and whisk in hot chocolate. Add half and half and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate. Let sit for about 3 minutes.
Whisk to incorporate the chocolate until totally smooth. Let cool slightly as to not melt the panna cotta when served with it.

Oh the pressure, oh the pressure, oh the pressure.
You see the Super Soup Challenge is under way again(this is year two) over at the newly remodeled(looks fantastic) Running with Tweezers.
Why the pressure? Well, you see, my roasted onion and Gorgonzola soup won last year. I was “souper” surprised when I won and even better was the prize( a lovely soup cookbook). So now, I had to figure out what to make for this year. I decided that just like last year, I would stick with simple flavors, I find that best with soup. I wanted something comforting(as this contest is a tribute to Tami’s mother), yet this time I wanted to use some ingredients that were in season.
Corn. Corn is one of the few Summer ingredients I am not allergic to and more importantly I love! But what to do to make it special? I have sauted, roasted, boiled and baked corn but I had never smoked corn. I had tasted smoked corn before so I knew it was tasty, so I decided to give it a shot. Other than my neighbors hating me for making the whole apartment complex smell like smoked corn and setting off the smoke alarm once, my experiment turned out beautifully.
Pureeing half of the soup gives it a velvety touch but still holds some heartiness. You could puree all of the soup or none of the soup and still have a delicious end result. I chose some maple smoked bacon to compliment the smokiness of the corn, they go very well together.
And there you have it, my entry for this years soup challenge. Hopefully I have lived up to the pressure. I’m not sure if it is a winner, but it is definitely a keeper!

Smoked Corn Soup

sprig of rosemary
sprig of sage
4 ears corn on the cob
3 TBSP unsalted butter
¼ cup sweet onion, small dice
¼ cup celery, small dice
32 ounces of chicken stock(or veggie stock is you are a vegetarian)
salt and pepper to taste
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 cup heavy cream
bacon(for garnish) again, if you are vegetarian, leave that out

Take sprigs and place them in cheesecloth, making a bouquet garni.
Shuck the husks and smoke corn over hickory chips(I used a blend that someone gave me that has hickory and maple) in a stove top smoker for 8-10 minutes. Set aside.
Melt butter in a large pot. Add onions and celery, cook(over medium heat) until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
After corn has been smoked, cut kernels from the cob and throw into pan. Saute for 1 minute.
Add the stock and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes. When 30 minutes are up, taste soup. Add salt and pepper to taste. I like to do this after the soup has cooked awhile, in case the chicken stock became salty while it reduced. Remove bouquet garni and discard.
Take half of the batch of soup and place into a blender. Blend on puree. Puree until it is smooth with very little kernels left showing.
Add pureed portion of soup back into the pot. Add mustard and heavy cream and bring heat up to medium for 3 minutes.
Serve in bowls and add as much bacon to the top if you would like. If you are doing the vegetarian version of this you might want to add some fresh chopped chives.

Make about 4-6 servings depending on how big of a bowl of soup you like.