Vi's Best Chili

     Fall is the perfect time for some chili and cornbread!  This chili recipe comes from my friend Vi; she brought this to a campus Bible study one time, and it was so incredible, I asked for her recipe.  This is one of the yummiest bowl of chili I've ever eaten !!

   And that's saying a lot because I've been eating chili a long time.  I grew up with my father's own brand, with more tomato sauce than this thick Texas kind.  

     If you don't like as much chili powder and cumin that's called for in this recipe, you can always reduce that.  At the bottom of this recipe is a link for Beth's Cornbread, this recipe is from one of my school cookbooks, and Beth  one of the mom was from Georgia, so yes, its a good one--with green chilies and cheese! 

 

Vi's Best Chili 

 1. Chop Vegetables: 

(1)  Chop up 2 onions and put in a bowl.
(2) Chop up 1 red pepper (I didn't have one here so I  used green) and put in a separate bowl. 
(3)  Mince up 6 cloves of garlic and put in a pinch bowl for later. 

2.  Measure out spices:  Put ¼ cup chili power (Yes, that much; it’s not a typo!), 1 T cumin, ½ tsp. cayenne pepper, and ½ tsp. salt in a small bowl.

3.  Cook veggies:

(1) Take out a large Dutch oven (or a large soup pot), and put in 2 T oil and the vegetables and spices.  Cook until the vegetables are soft about 7 minutes. 

(2)  Sir in the garlic and cook for 15 seconds.

 

4.  Add meat, beans, & sauce:  
(1)   Add 1 pound of ground beef and cook about 8 minutes unto browned. 
(2)  Stir in two 15 oz cans of kidney beans, two 15 oz cans each of diced tomatoes and  tomato sauce.
(3)  Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes.

(You can see in this picture, I forgot to add the spices at the right time--better late than never!)
(4)  Optional: Add 1 cup frozen corn.

5.  Simmering the chili properly: Remove the lid and continue to simmer about 45 minutes. 

6. Condiments:   Prepare a platter of diced avocado, green onions, chopped red onion, cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese.

Here's a link to Beth's Cornbread.

 

List of My Favorite Soups, Chili & Stew Recipes: 

Beef 

Grandma's Favorite Beef Stew  (My mother-in-law's delicious recipe!)

Just Like Home Ukrainian Borscht   (A Polish student  said this tasted like his mom's!)
Mouth Watering Italian  Sausage Soup   (This is my friend Debbie's recipe)

Poultry

This is the Best Gluten Free Minestrone Soup!   (A recipe my son modified)

Mexican Fiesta Chicken Soup   (A recipe I got years ago from a Mexican cookbook)
My Thanksgiving Turkey Soup  (My very own special concoction!)
Gary's Incredible Gluten Free Arkansas Gumbo  (Given to me by a Bible study friend from Arkansas)
Jeannie's French Market Soup  (A friend from when my kids were little)
Southwest Turkey Soup  (From my Syre School cookbook)

Fish
Northwest Salmon Chowder  (From my Heritage School cookbook)
Almost Like Ivar's Clam Chowder (From my Come & Dine Cookbook)

Bean & Legumes
Vi's Best Chili  (A  Bible study friend's great recipe)
Bethany's Crowd Pleasing Tortilla Soup  (One of my daughter's friends special soup)
Country Style Lentil Soup   (From my Heritage School cookbook)
Kathy's Texas Chili & Chips (From my Come & Dine cookbook)
Spicy Cuban Black Bean Soup (From a store recipe card)
Marilyn's Make It From Scratch Chili  (From my mother-in-law)
Lisa's Red Lentil Soup - From my friend Lisa

Vegetable

Downright Delicious Potato & Kale Soup  (From my daughter-in-law's family cookbook)
A Great Fall Soup - Make it From Scratch Corn Potato Chowder  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
French Pumpkin Soup  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)

Asian

Chinese Chicken Soups  - Bok choy chicken, chicken & spinach, and chicken & cabbage (Modified from Internet search by our Chinese students)

Make Your Own Gluten Free Chicken Pho!  (Modified from a newspaper article)

Gluten Free Chinese Hot Pot  (Modified by a Chinese student)

Chinese Egg Drop Soup  &  Chinese Egg & Tomato Soup  (Modified  from a student's recipe)

Vegetarian & Gluten Free Tom Yum Soup (A delicious Thai soup) 
Deluxe Miso Soup (Kenchinjiru)   (Adapted from Internet search)
A Thai Mom Teaches Me How to Make Tom Yum Kung  (A student's mom's recipe)
A Vietnamese Cooking Lesson - Lien's Vietnamese Sweet & Sour Soup  (An International student's aunt's recipe)
Cooking Beef Pho for Vietnamese Students  (Modified Recipe)
Asian Curried Chicken Soup  (From my Come & Dine church cookbook)
Rose's Very Own Recipe for Chinese Beef Bone Soup  (from Rose my friend from Taipei)

Easy Korean Bibimbap

    Being a host family has introduced us to many types of Asian food. The Korean student who boards with us now told my husband and I that he had eaten some bibimbap at a Korean restaurant in town.  We asked him to describe it, and it sounded so good that I went online to find out how to make it.
   
     Like usual I compared about two or three sites and then came up with a mixture of directions and ingredients!  This is from About Korean Food and serious eats.  As Wikipedia states, bibimbap means mixed meal in Korean.  It is one of the most popular Korean dishes in Korean cooking. If you're gluten free like me, you'll have to check at the Asian market for some gluten free kochujang paste.  I think if you can't find it you can just top your bibimbap with some Sriracha and sesame oil.  This is a picture I took of our Korean student's bowl. 

Easy Korean Bibimbap - for 4

1.  Prepare meat:  Rinse 1/2 pound of flank or top sirloin and cut into 1" strips.

2.  Make a marinade:  Combine 2 T tamari, 3 T sesame oil, 2 t sugar, 1 clove of minced garlic, and 1/2 t of grated ginger.  Put beef in the frig to marinade for at least 30 minutes.

3.  Put rice in rice cooker.

4.  Prepare vegetables:
     1.  Slice 1 large cucumber into thin strips and add 
enough water to cover, sprinkle  with 1 t of salt  and cook for 20  minutes and then drain.
     2.  Cut 2 carrots in julienne strips and put into a bowl.
     3.  Rehydrate 4 shiitake mushrooms in a glass bowl.  
     4.  Cut 1 zucchini into thin strips and put into a bowl.
     5.  Wash 1 1/2 cups of spinach and put into a bowl.
     6.  Rinse 1 1/2 cups of bean sprouts and put into a bowl.

5.  Cook vegetables- You will cook each of these separately except the cucumber and then put them on a serving platter covered with foil to keep them warm:
     1.  Saute the carrots in 1 T sesame oil.
     2.  Saute mushrooms in 1 T sesame oil.
     3.  Saute zucchini in 1 T sesame oil.
     4.  You will parboil the spinach and squeeze it out and mix it with 2 t sesame oil.
     5.  You will parboil the bean sprouts and drain, mix with 2 t sesame oil.

6.  Stir fry the beef:  In a separate pan stir fry the beef in 2 T of  coconut oil until done.

7.  Cook eggs:  When you are cooking your last vegetable and the beef is almost done, put another skillet on the stove with about 1-2 T of butter and cook your eggs until they are set but still a bit runny.

8.  Arrange the bibimbap in your bowl - In the bottom of your bowl put in this order:
                     1.  Rice
                     2.  Beef strips
                     3.  Vegetables - in different groupings
                     4.   Egg

7. Serve with gluten free kochujang paste (red pepper paste) and sesame oil.   Each person can take as much as they like to put on top.

    Our student told us the Koreans like to take all of this and mix it all together, but I didn't do that. I wanted to savor all the tastes.  This is an incredible meal and it would be a lot of fun to cook it with a group of people.


Other Korean Recipes on this blog:

Bibimbap

Korean BBQ Chicken

Jap-Chae

Bulgogi Rice Bowl  

How Does the Lord Heal People's Hearts According to Mark 7:24-30?

I took this as we flew over the Grand Canyon.

     Why are there so many records of healing in the gospels?  In my reading of the Life-Study of Mark lately the chapters have been on the healings in Mark chapter 7 and 8 and what they signify. 

     In the first part of Mark 7 Witness Lee explains that the Lord as the Physician discloses the true inward condition of man’s heart. 

     Many times I find it hard to understand the significance of different accounts in the Bible, like the cases of healings presented here. I like the explanation that he gave for how he studied the book of Mark in Chapter 26: 

 “We need to fit together various portions of the Gospel of Mark like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.  When the individual pieces have been fitted together, we see a picture” (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Mark. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1983, Print).  

     He points out that the record of the Syrophoenician woman's asking for her daughter's healing is connected to the Lord showing her that He is crumbs of bread (verse 27).  I was enlightened by his sharing that the WAY our hearts are healed is by our taking the Lord as the living bread. I would never have put these two together like this!  So many times I may think my need is outward, but in these accounts I see a little bit more that only the Lord Himself within me can heal all the complicated twists and turns in our hearts.  

Other Posts on the Life Study of Mark:

You can listen to excerpts from the Life Study of Mark along with excellent commentary by tuning into the Life Study of the Bible with Witness Lee.    

What's the Purpose of Mark's Gospel?
How Does the Kingdom of God Come in Mark 4:1-20, 26?
Explaining the Parable of the Sower to a Chinese Student
How Does the Lord Heal People's Hearts According to Mark 7:24-30?
Seeing the Healing Power of the Cross in Mark 15:16-41

Gluten Free Chinese - Authentic Chinese BBQ Chicken

      This Chinese BBQ is fantastic! It comes from a Taiwanese friend who used to bring this to potluck dinners we had with college students.  It was so good I asked her to write it down for me.  One thing I learned quickly when I was diagnosed with celiac disease was I had to make up most of my own sauces and dressings.

I have enjoyed the challenge of researching recipes and tweaking them. What's great about this recipe is all you have to do to make it gluten free is use gluten free tamari instead of soy sauce.  I know you’ll like this recipe!

ROSE'S CHINESE BBQ RECIPE

Note:    Use as much of this marinade as you need because this recipe makes enough for about 20 legs/thighs. 

1.  In a bowl combine:  1/2 cup ketchup, 1/2 cup tamari, 1/4 cup honey or agave (I’ve used both), 2-3 T sesame oil, 2 tsp. ginger minced,  and 2 tsp. (about 2 cloves) fresh minced garlic.  I like to hold a little bit of the marinade to brush on the chicken when I turn it when I do it under the broiler. 

2. Marinade chicken: Put chicken in fridge at least 1 hour and then grill.
Or you can bake it for 50-60 minutes at 350 on a broiler pan, turn the chicken after 25 minutes.  When I cook the chicken like this, it's almost like doing it on the grill!

Other Chinese recipes on this blog:

Note about Internet recipes:  For the past 6 years we've hosted international students. Whenever I've made something, they have tasted it, and given me recommendations to make it taste more authentic.  Most of these Internet recipes have been tweaked by their suggestions.

BEEF RECIPES:
Delicious Gluten Free Beef Broccoli Stir-Fry  (Modification of Internet recipe)
The Best Gluten Free Mongolian Beef Stir-Fry  (Modification of Internet recipe)
Gluten Free Ginger Beef Stir-Fry (Modification of Internet recipe)

CHICKEN RECIPES:
Gluten Free Chinese Almond Chicken Stir-Fry   (Modification of Internet recipe)
Amazing Gluten Free Chinese Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry   (Modification of Internet recipe)
Gluten Free Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry  (Modification of Internet recipe)
Gluten Free Chinese - Chicken Broccoli Stir-Fry  (Modification of Internet recipe)
Gluten Free Chinese - Spicy Kung Pao Chicken Stir Fry  (Modification of Internet recipe)
Gluten Free Chinese - Authentic Chinese BBQ Chicken  (From my Bible Study friend Rose)
Rose's Chinese Yellow Curry with Chicken & Vegetables  (From my Bible Study friend Rose)
Gluten Free Chinese - Fantastic Soy Sauce Chicken  (Modification of Internet recipe)
Rose's Authentic Stir-Fried Chicken & Vegetables (Made Gluten Free!)
Gluten Free Sweet & Sour Chicken (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)

TOFU RECIPES:
Tofu & Vegetable Stir-Fry  (Modification of Internet recipe)
Orange "Beef" Tofu Stir- Fry  (Modification of Internet recipe)

FISH RECIPES:
Steamed Scallion Ginger Fish with Stir-Fried Bok Choy  (Modification of Internet recipe)
Fantastic Mahi & Vegetable Stir Fry   (Modification of Internet recipe)
Tasty Gluten Free Sweet & Sour Fish  (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)

NOODLES & RICE:
Gluten Free Chinese Fried Rice    (From my Come & Dine Cookbook)
The Cheung's Gluten Free Chow Mien  (My Bible study friend Rose taught me this)

SOUP RECIPES:
Chinese Chicken Soups  - Bok choy chicken, chicken & spinach, and chicken & cabbage
Gluten Free Chinese Hot Pot  (Combination of Internet & Yingying a student from China)
Chinese Egg Drop Soup   (From my Syre School Cookbook)

SALAD RECIPES
Gluten Free Chinese Chicken Cabbage Salad  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Rose's Refreshing Cucumber Salad  (From a Bible study friend)
Chinese Mandarin Salad & Thai Peanut Dressing   (Dressing is from my friend Judi)

Aunt Sue's Baked Coconut Rice Pudding

        What do you do with left over rice?  I either make fried rice or rice pudding.   This  recipe is an adaptation from my Aunt Sue's baked rice pudding recipe.  After making Thai curry one evening,  I had some left over coconut milk and I decided the next morning to throw it into the bowl, and  when we ate it for breakfast, we all said, wow this is delicious!  

From that time on baked coconut rice pudding  has become one of my family's favorite puddings!    When my daughter's friend Amy was up a month ago, I made it for her, and afterwards she told me to put this recipe on my blog, so here it is!

 I usually make this rice pudding with a frittata when my grandchildren come to spend the weekend or when there's a holiday.   Here's my three year granddaughter enjoying a dish of this pudding.  You know a recipes good when your granddaughter asks you to make it!

Baked Coconut Rice Pudding

1.  Prepare rice:  Put 1 1/4  cups of already cooked rice in an 8 x 8 pan. (I doubled this recipe for this 9 x 13 pan that you see below!)

2.  Prepare pudding -In a large bowl whisk together 
(1)  2 eggs, 1 15 oz can of coconut milk (Don't use the light version!)
(2)  Then add enough milk to equal 4 cups.
(3)  Stir in 1/2 cup of sugar (I always like to reduce it a bit), 1/2 cup of raisins, 1 tsp. of cinnamon, and 1 tsp.of vanilla.
(4)  Pour this over the rice in the pan and stir everything together with a fork to make sure the rice doesn't clump together.

3.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Here is a picture of my serving table for that weekend breakfast with some of the tremendous pumpkin muffins I put on an October blog, baked coconut rice pudding, and a sausage frittata.

Other Gluten Free Baking & Desserts on This Blog:

Breads & Coffee Cakes: 
Gluten free & Low-fat Banana Bread    (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Celebrate Fall With Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread  (A friend's recipe)
Delicious Gluten Free Zucchini Bread (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
My Favorite Gluten Free Cranberry Nut Bread  (From my daughter-in-law's family cookbook)
Claudia's Blueberry Coffee Cake (Made Gluten Free!)   (From a former neighbor)
Here's a Zucchini Bread with a Hawaiian Twist! Gluten Free Pineapple Zucchini Bread (From my Syre School Cookbook)

Cakes:
Gluten Free German Apple Cake   (From my grandmother)
You Won't Believe It's Gluten Free Carrot Cake (From my daughter's husband's grandma--whew)
Judi's Super Moist Gluten Free Chocolate Cake    (From a church friend)
Judi's Gluten Free Orange Chiffon Cake    (From a church friend)
Marilyn's Spectacular Gluten Free Oatmeal Cake   (My mother-in-law's--she's a great cook!)
The Best Gluten Free Black Bottom Cupcakes   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Delicious Gluten Free Rhubarb Cake   (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Grandma's Gluten Free Applesauce Cake   (From an Internet search--tastes like my grandma's!)
Old Fashioned Gluten Free Banana Cake   (From my grandma)
Rosie's Gluten Free Pineapple Upside Down Cake   (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Overwhelmed By Your Bumper Crop of Zucchini? Try Claudia's Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Cake!   (From my former neighbor Claudia of 12 years)
Decadent & Gluten Free German Chocolate Cake  (From my Come & Dine church cookbook)
Debbie's Delicious Hot Water GF Chocolate Cake  (From my Come & Dine church cookbook)

Cookies:
The Ultimate Gluten Free Cowboy Oatmeal Cookies   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Mom's Go To For Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
The Best Gluten Free Recipe for Snickerdoodles    (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Gluten Free Rocky Road Brownies    (From a church friend)
Mark's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies - Made Gluten Free!   (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Judi's Gluten Free Oatmeal Craisin & Coconut Cookies (From a church friend)
Marie's Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies (Also Great Gluten Free!)   (My friend Marie's recipe)

Cornbread & Rolls:
Beth's Amazing Gluten Free Cornbread   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Judi's Favorite Gluten Free Buttermilk Biscuits   (My friend Judi's sister's recipe)

Crisps & Pies:
Lena's Rhubarb Crunch (A crisp with a gluten free top and bottom crust!) (My daughter-in-law's mother. She's an amazing cook, which I think most of us moms become after a few years!)
Delicious Gluten Free Apple Crisp    (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Ginger's Outrageous Apple Pie    (From a church friend)
The BEST Lemon Meringue Pie with Mrs. Lauralicious Gluten Free Pie Crust  (Internet)
My Grandmother's Favorite Banana Cream Pie  (A recipe from my grandmother)
Granny's Lemon Cheesecake Squares   (From my friend Judi's granny)

Desserts with Fruit:
Sensational Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake   (From the back of Costco's organic sugar)

Terrific Gluten Free Strawberry & Peach Trifle  (Modified from an Internet search)
My Favorite Gluten Free Strawberry Cheesecake (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Just Like Grandma's (But Only Gluten Free) Blueberry Cobbler (My husband's grandma)
Gluten Free Lemony Rhubarb Bars (From my Syre School Cookbook)
Old Fashioned Strawberry Buckle (Made Gluten Free)   (A recipe I picked up from a berry farm)

Holiday Cookies & Baking:

Old Fashioned Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookies  (Modified from back of the Libby's pumpkin can)
My Family's Favorite Gingerbread Cookies (Now Made Gluten Free!)  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
My Grandkids Favorite Gluten Free Peppermint Sugar Cookies  (From Syre School Cookbook)
Our Favorite Pumpkin Pie   (Modified from back of Libby's pumpkin can)
Perfect Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake   (From back of cream cheese box)
Gluten Free Polish Fruitcake  ( Modified from Internet search)
Old Fashioned Gluten Free Gingerbread Cake   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Gluten Free Nordy Bars  ( From my Syre School Cookbook)
Grandma Pitcher's Old Fashioned Sandies (Made Gluten Free)  (My husband's grandma)
Make a Family Tradition & Make Your Own Fruitcake    (From my Heritage School Cookbook)

Muffins:

My Favorite Banana Nut Muffins   (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Gluten Free Tremendous Pumpkin Muffins   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Bursting with Blueberries Gluten Free Muffins   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Toni's Outrageous Gluten Free Corn Muffins    (From back of a Bob's Red Mill package)
Sassy Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)

Puddings & Ice Cream: 

Dairy Free Strawberry Coconut Ice Cream (And other ice cream favorites!) (From searches)

Baked Coconut Pudding   (Something I worked out from my Aunt Sue's rice pudding recipe)

Tangy Lemon Pudding   (From my daughter-in-laws family reunion cookbook)