Frugal Beef Week

Sally was gone all week, on a road trip to Virginia, with her daughter.  So I got to cook things that I love and she doesn't.  Beef was the theme of the week.  That and being "frugal" -- in the Jeff Smith/Frugal Gourmet way -- cooking once or twice and eating dinners for the whole week.

Chili Today

My Chili.  No beans chili.  Just beef, a variety of peppers, onion, herbs and spices.  No beans.  No cans. No other vegetables.

1-1/4 lbs 95/5 Ground Beef, thawed
2 large Sweet Onions (Valdosta or similar)
3 cloves Garlic, minced
5 Beefsteak Tomatoes, chopped
2 Red Bell Peppers, seeded & veined and roasted nearly black
3 Green Bell Peppers, seeded & veined and roasted nearly black
2 Poblano Chilies, seeded & veined and roasted
1 Anaheim Chili, seeded & veined and roasted
1 small Jalapeño, seeded & veined and chopped
1/2 tsp Hot Hungarian Paprika (dried pepper of course)
1 tsp Sweet Hungarian Paprika
1 Tbsp Hatch Green Chili Powder
2 Tbsp Healthy Solutionstm Chili/Taco Seasoning
1 Tbsp Cumin
5-6 cups Water

After roasting the peppers under the broiler, chop them to pieces.  Dice the Onions.  In a deep pot, brown the beef, then add the onions and cook until softening.  Add the garlic, tomatoes and chopped peppers.  Cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Add the herbs and spices and water.  Simmer 1-2 hours until starting to thicken.   Serve with white corn tortilla chips or corn tortillas.

This isn't a hot chili, by any stretch.  But it has great depth of flavor with just enough heat to make it interesting.

Pepper Beef
My other cooking this week was what I call Pepper Beef.  Simpler than my Chili, but equally tasty.

1 lb "Beef for Stew"
2 Green Bell Peppers, sliced into strips
1 Sweet Onion sliced into strips
6 oz sliced Button Mushrooms
1 Tbsp BBQ Sauce
1 Tbsp Lizano -- Costa Rican sauce
1 Tbsp Franks Red Hot Sweet Chili Saucetm
1 tsp Evergladestm Seasoning
1 tsp Green Sazon Tropicale
3-4 cups Water

Saute the onions then add the beef and brown it.  Now add the peppers and everything else.  Simmer for at least 2 hours to make sure the beef gets really tender.

Can be eaten as a stew, over smashed potatoes or pasta, or on slices of toast.  Anyway you serve it this is GOOD!

Next Week...
Of course I didn't eat just those dishes!  Breakfasts were my usual 1 egg mushroom omelets.  For lunches I had both rotisserie chicken street tacos with salsa verde, and my tuna salad (with dill pickle) sandwiches.   Plus, wit till you see what I'm making Sally for here Welcome Home dinner tonight!