Embracing My Inner Couch Potato ~ the Countdown has Begun

Whether you’re a cheese head or a terrible towel for some of us (153.4 million est. total world-wide for Superbowl XLIV according to the Nielsen rating) the best thing about this coming Sunday, after the excuse to sit on the couch for 6 hours, is all the yummy food we get to indulge in once a year: potato chips, guacamole, chili, mac & cheese, waffles (waffles?), chicken wings, etc. – and the best part is I don’t cook any of it.  This weekend I head up to the lovely Bay Area for SBS (Super Bowl Sunday), a tradition in our family since the birth of my grand-kids.  I’m looking forward to cuddling with my grand-kids on the couch, trying to explain what an ‘on-side kick’ is to my grand-daughter and enjoying my wonderful son-in-law’s menu for the day.

Maybe someone can explain to me what the Black Eyed Peas are and what they have to do with football?

This week I share with you some of our favorites.  All recipes are credited to their origin and linked where possible.  Enjoy!  And pass the chips.

Turkey Chili

Bon Appétit by Sherri Guggenheim

Ingredients

• Nonstick olive oil spray
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 medium-size red bell peppers, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3 15-ounce cans pinto beans, drained
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
• 3 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
• 1 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped

Prep:

Generously spray bottom of heavy large pot with nonstick spray. Add onion, bell peppers and garlic and sauté over high heat until vegetables begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Add turkey and sauté until no longer pink, breaking up large pieces with back of fork, about 5 minutes. Mix in chili powder, cumin and oregano and stir 1 minute. Add beans, tomatoes with juices, broth and chocolate. Bring chili to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until chili thickens, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper.

Bonus Recipe for today:

Best Yeasted Waffles Ever

by Sheryl Cababa who blogs Crispy Waffles

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp instant yeast (not ‘active dry’. If using active dry yeast, make sure to proof it first)
1 stick melted butter (1/2 cup or 110 grams)
2 cups warm milk (heated to about 110 degrees)
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

The night before:

1. Combine and whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl: flour, yeast, sugar and salt.
2. Combine the melted butter and milk. Add the mixture to the dry ingredients.
3. Whisk eggs and vanilla together in a separate small bowl. Add the egg-vanilla mixture to the other mixture, and whisk until well-combined.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and stick in the fridge until tomorrow morning. (The batter can rise for 10 to 24 hours.)

The next morning:

1. Prepare waffle iron as usual. Stir the batter to deflate it (it should be puffy and frothy).
2. Add to waffle iron the same way you would other batter, keeping in mind that this batter will rise more than batters that use baking powder instead of yeast.