D.M.R. Fine Foods: Search results for roasted vegetables

Monday, December 13, 2010

Comfort Food Calling: Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Herb Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

As the snow flurries fell and the wind howled yesterday afternoon, my thoughts eventually settled on what would make for a cozy, warming and comforting dinner: my favorite herb-roasted chicken and winter vegetables.

I can dine on this dish year-round, and often do, but the hot oven, robust herbs and hearty vegetables made this especially perfect for knocking the chill off, while bringing me the familiar flavors that I love. Delicious and comforting all in one, I recommend adding it to your repertoire. You won't be disappointed.

Here's my tried and true recipe for re-creating the perfect roasted chicken dinner-- every time.

Happy Eating!

Recipe:

Herb Roasted Chicken and Vegetables:

Ingredients:
1 3.5 to 4.5lb whole chicken
Fresh poultry bouquet (suggested: thyme, sage, rosemary and marjoram)
1 lemon, quartered and divided
1 onion, quartered and divided
1 head of garlic, halved and divided
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Herbs De Provence
3-4 Medium carrots
2-3 Medium parsnips
Kitchen twine

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Place chicken in roasting pan of choice
Season chicken cavity with salt, pepper and dried herbs
Stuff cavity with half the lemon, onion, garlic and the entire poultry bouquet
Lightly oil entire chicken
Season liberally with salt, pepper and dried herbs
Tie the legs together with the twine and tuck the wing tips to ensure uniform cooking
Toss the remaining lemon, onion, garlic and the vegetables in the pan
Roast chicken for an hour and 15 or so minutes or until the juices run clear
Cover with tented foil and allow to rest for another 15 minutes
Carve and serve with roasted vegetables.
*Optional: finish vegetables off with a sprinkling of fresh herbs

Roasted Vegetable Baklava

This past weekend I celebrated the birthday of a good friend by making dinner. The menu was vegetarian, by request, so I knew it called for a stellar entrée that was commandeering and substantial enough to hold its own as the star course. In chatting with my friend about options, I was reminded of the savory baklava dish that I had prepared a few years ago to ring in the New Year. This version, like its renowned sweet counterpart, scored high marks, and I was excited to bring it back into my cooking fold once again.

So along with a green salad, garnished with spiced nuts and dressed with a classic vinaigrette, and moist, melt-in-your-mouth citrus pound cake and ice cream, the roasted vegetable baklava made for a delectable indulgence, that kept the seconds--and thirds--flowing (to my delight), and marked yet another memorable celebration of the joys of friendship. It was a good day.

Like the traditional Greek dessert, this dish brings us the irresistibly, flaky phyllo dough. It serves as the perfect "casing" for hearty roasted vegetables, herbs, seasonings and a walnut mixture, that come together in the form of an elegant and scrumptious dish. I adapted my recipe from the original Gourmet recipe by adding some additional touches to amp up the flavor quotient. My final compliment of the night was that it was a "divine dinner".

Now that it's back on my radar, I'm confident that this recipe will find its way into my repertoire more often and help to serve up more great memories and loads of... Happy Eating!

Roasted Vegetable Baklava
Ingredients:
1/2 cup walnuts (2 ounces), toasted
1/4 cup fine dry plain bread crumbs
1/2 pound Yukon Gold potatoes
1/2 pound Sweet potatoes
2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed, reserving fronds, bulbs halved and sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick
3/4 pound parsnips (3 medium), sliced diagonally 1/3 inch thick
1/2 pound carrots (3 medium), sliced diagonally 1/3 inch thick
1 large onion, halved and sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
Herbs de Provence
1/4 cup finely grated Gruyere cheese
Salt and Pepper
3/4 cup olive oil, divided
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup chopped dill
8 (17-by 12-inch) phyllo sheets, thawed if frozen

Equipment: a shallow 3-quart oval or rectangular baking dish

Preheat oven to 425°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.

Pulse walnuts with bread crumbs in a food processor until nuts are finely chopped (not ground).

Peel potatoes and slice 1/4 inch thick. Divide all vegetables between 2 large 4-sided sheet pans and toss each pan of vegetables with 3 tablespoons oil and a generous sprinkling of salt, pepper and herbs de Provence.

Roast vegetables, stirring and switching position of pans--and adding in minced garlic--halfway through, until softened and golden brown in spots, about 1 hour. Leave oven on with 1 rack in the middle.

Add 1/3 cup water to each pan of vegetables and stir and scrape up brown bits from bottom. Chop 1/4 cup fennel fronds. Combine all vegetables in 1 pan and toss with fennel fronds, dill and cheese.

Brush baking dish with some of remaining olive oil. Cover stack of phyllo sheets with plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel. Keeping remaining phyllo covered and working quickly, place 1 sheet on a work surface, then gently brush with some oil and sprinkle with 2 rounded tablespoons of walnut mixture. Place another phyllo sheet on top and repeat brushing and sprinkling. Top with a third sheet and brush with oil.

Drape phyllo stack into one half of baking dish, gently pressing it into bottom and up side and leaving an overhang. Make another stack with 3 more phyllo sheets, more oil, and remaining walnut mixture. Drape into other half of dish (phyllo will overlap in center of dish).

Spoon vegetables into phyllo shell. Fold overhang toward center over filling (it will not cover vegetables) and brush edge with oil. Brush remaining 2 sheets of phyllo with remaining oil, tear in half, crumple, and arrange on top of filling.

Bake in middle of oven until phyllo is deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Gourmet 2008

Herb and Garlic Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables

Herb-Garlic Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables

When it comes to selecting a dish for all things delicious, hearty, comforting and crowd-pleasing, roasted chicken tops the list. I count it as one of my favorite go-to bites when I’m looking for an unforgettable dish that comes together with ease--and often when I’m hosting dinner guests.

On a recent occasion, I decided to infuse some extra “love” into my recipe by flavoring the chicken with my Herb-Garlic butter. Starting with my classic preparation of seasoning the cavity and stuffing it with herbs, citrus and aromatics, I then rubbed my compound butter on the skin (and tucked a little away underneath the skin to help the breast meat remain extra moist) before roasting the chicken over a bed of hearty root vegetables.

And you can probably guess the results. Within an hour and a half, a beautifully golden, crispy and succulent chicken, with tender root vegetables, emerged from the oven ready to be devoured.

The next time you’re ready to wow your guests—and your palate—this easy and delicious recipe should top your list as the ultimate crowd pleaser.

Happy Eating!

Herb and Garlic Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables

Ingredients:
1 Whole Chicken (3 to 4 lbs.)
Herb–Garlic compound butter
1 large onion, quartered

1 lemon, quartered
1 head of garlic, halved with skin on
Fresh thyme
Fresh rosemary

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Root vegetables (parsnips, potatoes, and carrots), peeled and chopped

Method:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place chicken in a roasting pan and sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with onion, lemon, garlic, thyme and rosemary. Rub the chicken with the herb-garlic butter and gently lift the skin over the breast and tuck butter underneath. (Be careful not to tear the skin.) Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Tuck the wings under and tie the legs together.

Spread the root vegetables in the roasting pan to form a bed around the chicken. Place chicken in the preheated oven and roast for about an hour and fifteen minutes or until the juices run clear. Remove the chicken from the oven, tent with foil and allow to rest for 10-20 minutes. Carve and serve with the vegetables. Enjoy!

Spice Roasted Chicken x BHM Potluck

One of the very first dishes I "mastered" when I began my culinary journey in earnest was the classic, beloved, roasted chicken. Growing up, you'd be hard pressed to find a kitchen that didn't have some variation and ode to this home-cooking staple. But what I set out to perfect was not your grandmother's roasted chicken.

Upon finding my stride with the technique of yielding a crispy skin, coupled with moist, tender white and dark meat, I fell in love with the seeming ease of bringing this dish together with varying flavor profiles. Stuffing the cavity with herbs and aromatics, seasoning abundantly, lathering the skin with compound butters, and more, my roasted chicken earned a place all its own in my cooking repertoire. And my friends and family will attest that it makes its appearance as the star of many a dinner party and holiday meal.

So as I contemplated what I wanted to share for the, now annual, Black History Month Virtual Potluck, roasted chicken was a natural choice. **See the full 2019 BHM Potluck lineup below, following the recipe!

Being the self-proclaimed "Spice Girl" that I am, I decided to bring some of my favorite spices to the flavor profile. I made a chili-spiced compound butter with chipotle chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and kosher salt. The yield was a deep burnished color (like chili!), crispy skin, and tender moist chicken infused with flavor, from the inside- out.

And for an extra special touch, I threw chopped vegetables into the roasting pan to roast alongside the chicken, while absorbing the flavor of the chicken juices. Umm-umm, good and an easy meal-in-one that also happens to be one of my favorite ways to serve this dish.

Make it and prepare to add it to your cooking rotation again and again.

Happy Eating!

Spice Roasted Chicken
Ingredients:
1 Whole Chicken (3 to 4 lbs.)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large onion, quartered

1 lemon, quartered
1 head of garlic, halved with skin on
1 teaspoon ground chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for additional seasoning

Freshly ground black pepper

Vegetables (sweet potatoes, fennel, and carrots), peeled and chopped

Method:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Combine butter, spices and 1 teaspoon of salt in a small dish. Set aside.

Place chicken in a cast iron skillet or roasting pan and sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with onion, lemon, and garlic. Rub the chicken with the spice butter and gently lift the skin over the breast and tuck butter underneath. (Be careful not to tear the skin.) Season the chicken all over with additional salt and black pepper. Tuck the wings under and tie the legs together.

Spread the root vegetables in the roasting pan to form a bed around the chicken. Place chicken in the preheated oven and roast for thirty minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 degrees F and roast for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until the juices run clear and the internal temperature from the thigh reads 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the oven, tent with foil and allow to rest for 10-20 minutes. Carve and serve with the vegetables. Enjoy!

Black History Month Virtual Potluck, 2019

Beautiful Eats & Things | Okra, Corn, & Tomato Chicken Stew

Beyond The Bayou Blog | Mackerel Balls With Biscuits & Cane Syrup

B Sugar Mama | Red Beans and Rice

Butter Be Ready | Caribbean- Curry Goat with Rice and Peas

Cooks with Soul | Boudin balls

D.M.R. Fine Foods | Spice Roasted Chicken

Dash of Jazz | Soul Food Power Bowl

Dish it with Tisha | Jamaican Curry Chicken

Domestic Dee | Chicken Sliders

Eat.Drink.Frolic. | Bourbon + sweet potato pie

First and Full | Homemade Peach Pie

Food Fidelity | Nashville Hot Shrimp Sandwich

Food is Love Made Edible | Smothered Okra with Chicken and Smoked Sausage

Foodie In New York | Chess Pie

Immaculate Bites | Pimento Cheese

Kaluhi's Kitchen | Pilipili & Rosemary marinated mbuzi choma with Kachumbari

Kenneth Temple | Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Marisa Moore Nutrition | Sweet and Spicy Roasted Cabbage

Meiko And The Dish | Hot Buttered Rum Biscuits

My Life Runs On Food | Southern Style Caesar Salad

Rosalynn Daniels | Osso Bucco

Savory Thoughts | Haitian Patty

Simply LaKita | Fried Okra

Sweet Tea & Thyme | Spiced Peach Shortcakes

That Girl Cooks Healthy | Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce

The Hungry Hutch | Cornbread Dressing

The Seasoning Bottle | Guava Short Ribs

Whisk It Real Gud | Banana Bread

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

There are some flavors that I simply cannot get enough of. And such are the flavors of one of my absolute favorite sauces: Roasted Tomatillo Salsa. I began making this bold, tangy, bright and ever-so-scrumptious treat years ago as my go-to accompaniment to fish tacos--perfect for drizzling over crispy or grilled fish and for dipping with tortilla chips. But, I soon realized that this treasure could be enjoyed on just about anything, from eggs, to steak, to enchiladas, to any way you please.

Tomatillos are used heavily throughout Mexican and Central American Cuisine

I especially savor this recipe because it yields a warm salsa that's somehow more delectable--a byproduct of the roasted vegetables. Effortless to bring together, there is every reason for this to become a part of your condiment repertoire forever. Forever.

Happy Eating!

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

Ingredients:
1 lb. tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1 large white onion, quartered
4 garlic cloves
2 jalapeno peppers
1/2 cup cilantro
1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place vegetables on a baking sheet and roast in pre-heated oven for 12-15 minutes. Remove vegetables from oven and add to blender or food processor, along with salt, cumin, lime juice, vinegar and cilantro.

Using the pulse function, blend to desired chunky texture. Check for seasoning, serve and enjoy!
(Cook's Note: If a mild salsa is preferred, halve the jalapeno peppers and remove the ribs and seeds before using.)

Foodie Vocabulary: Flexitarian

Flexitarian. I stumbled upon this interesting word used to describe, in my own words, a more well-rounded eater, while recently reading through a Bon Appetit issue. So strangely odd, yet somehow familiar, I had an intuition about what it could mean, but needed to read more to be sure. And so I did.

A flexitarian is one who embraces the vegetarian, omnivore and vegan diets combined into one all its own. And according to Bon Appetit, it is touted as the diet of the moment. As the name implies, it is likely the easiest, most sensible--and flexible--diet around, focusing mostly on plant-based foods, but also including meat, poultry and fish in smaller amounts than typical.

Bowl of Roasted Vegetables--A Great Base for the Flexitarian Meal

As a flexitarian, one also benefits health-wise, as the diet proclaims to be one that is high in vitamins, nutrients and fiber. Ultimately, I see this genre of eating as a perfect depiction of "less is more" when it comes to those things, like meat and dairy, that we can sometimes, no often, overdo. It's not deprivation, but a rearranging of sorts, of what and how much we eat.

So now that you have the 411, will you give the flexitarian way of life a try? If you answered "yes", here are a few recipes from the DMRFF archives that will cover your ominvore, vegetarian and vegan bases--and quite deliciously so:

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables (Omnivore)
Potato and Kale Cakes (Vegetarian)
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette (Vegan-simply omit the cheese).

Happy-Flexi-Healthy Eating!

Risotto with Roasted Butternut Squash

When you think decadent, comfort food, think risotto. This Italian delicacy has been (mis)labeled by many as difficult to make well. Sure, it's a labor of love, rather than a leave it and forget it type of dish, but the payoff is worth the all the effort.

When making risotto, patience, more than anything, is the name of the game. I use the traditional Arborio rice that yields the creamy, lusciousness that is risotto's trademark. Flavored with a base of onions, seasonings, wine, and bathed in stock throughout the cooking process, it comes out as a scrumptious bite again and again. You can keep it simple with a finish of freshly grated cheese--or you can use it as the base for incorporating everything from vegetables, to mushrooms, to shellfish, to whatever your tastes desire.

I've prepared it many ways, but last night I decided to go with roasted butternut squash (which carries undeniable, mouth-watering goodness all its own), as a hearty addition to this dish. The two paired deliciously well for a fulfilling and satisfying meal.

Like me, I'm sure that once you embrace risotto in your kitchen, there will be no turning back. (And who would want to, anyway?)

Happy Eating!

Risotto with Roasted Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

1.5 to 2 lbs butternut squash

1 cup Arborio rice

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1/2 cup white wine

5 cups chicken stock*

Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel and cut butternut squash (removing seeds and pith) into one-inch square pieces. Place squash on a lined-baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss together and roast in pre-heated oven for 35-40 minutes, until tender and caramelized. (Toss mid-way through cooking.)

In a saucepan, bring stock to a boil, then lower to a simmer.

Heat butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add in onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the onion becomes translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add in rice and stir to coat it with the oil and butter. Add in wine and cook until the wine is absorbed. Add a ladle full of stock and stir until the stock is absorbed. Repeat and continue cooking for about 20 minutes.

Remove risotto from heat and add cheese and roasted butternut squash. Garnish with more cheese to taste, as desired. Enjoy!

*Cook's Note: Substitute vegetable broth or water for a vegetarian version.

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette

This salad has become a favorite of late. It takes one of my best-loved winter vegetables, butternut squash, and makes it a genuine star. And although the backdrop is a salad, it's anything but boring or unfulfilling. To the contrary, it's full of flavors and textures that will keep your taste buds popping.

Combine the sweet, maple-roasted squash with the crunch of toasted walnuts, the slight tartness of dried cranberries, the zing of Parmesan cheese and the brightness of cider vinaigrette, and you've got one flavor-texture explosion after another. And besides the time it takes to roast the squash, it comes together rather quickly.

I like it so much, in fact, that it's made its way to my table as a satisfying entree, as well as a decadent side dish during the holiday season. Give it a try; I think you'll become an adoring fan, too.

Happy Eating!

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch) diced
Olive oil
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 ounces mixed field greens
1/2 cup walnuts halves, toasted
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 30 to 35 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, combine the vinegar and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

Place the field greens in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

*Recipe Adapted from Ina Garten

Foodie Vocabulary: Bouquet Garni

As the cooler temperatures settle in, there's nothing like hearty, warming dishes to knock off the chill and bring on the comfort. Soups, chili, stews, oven-roasted fare, and the like, make the kitchen a warm and cozy place to be--not to mention a delicious one. I love that these dishes also lend themselves well to the flavor explosions that herbs (dried and fresh) impart. In fact, when you're looking to up the savory quotient of a dish with the least amount of effort, herbs are a game changer. Here enters the bouquet garni.

A bouquet garni (French for "garnished bouquet") is a bundle of herbs used to flavor soups, stews, sauces, stocks, meats, vegetables--you name it! Selected herbs are gathered together--in a sachet of cheesecloth or similar fabric for dried herbs and bundled with kitchen twine for fresh herbs--to form the "bouquet". The bouquet is placed in the dish during the cooking process to infuse flavor and removed, as a whole, once the cooking process is complete. And the mission of flavorful, hearty fare is accomplished.

So the next time you're looking to infuse some herbaceous goodness into your eats, consider a fresh or dried bouquet garni--and let it do all the work for you. I purchased my first bouquet garni (multiple jars in fact) during my last trip to Paris a few years ago, and I haven't stopped using them since, although today I definitely make my own! To help you indulge, below are two recipes perfectly suited for this special touch.

Lentil Soup

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Enjoy & Happy Eating!

{Cooking for Dad}: A Father's Day Menu

There are few things that compare to the love, care, protection, guidance and affirmation that come from a father (or father-figure). An undisputed daddy's girl, my father represented many "firsts" in my life. He was my first love; the first man to affirm me and see the best in me; the first to lovingly foster the big dreams that he had for me. And although he wasn't perfect, he was perfect for me.

Our earth story ended shortly before my 19th birthday, when he moved to heaven, but there isn't a day, or year, that goes by in which I'm not thinking of him, thankful for the love he gave to me, and wishing I still had him on this side of heaven with me.

If my dad were still here with me, I would prepare for him a meal fit for a king. And as you prepare to cook for the special man (or men) in your life, this menu is all you need to make for a delicious and unforgettable meal: Roasted Chicken and Vegetables, Rosemary Popovers, Arnold Palmer Special, and Cherry Upside Down Cake. Now who wouldn't want that for dinner?! (No guy that I know. :))

So here's to a Happy Father's Day...and Happy Eating!

Arnold Palmer Special
Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
Rosemary Popovers
Cherry Upside Down Cake

Butternut Squash Soup

I love the hearty, winter root vegetables that are abundant this time of the year. But without question, my favorite is butternut squash. The subtle sweetness (intensified when it's roasted) and beautiful orange-golden hue make it a delight for the taste and the eyes.

Funny enough, I didn't grow up eating this winter staple; yellow, summer squash was pretty much the extent of my squash forays back then. But several years ago, as I became rather serious about my cooking/foodie passion, I began noticing it more and more. Ultimately, it made its way into my kitchen--and has never left.

Transforming butternut squash into a luscious and satisfying soup is an easy and healthy undertaking. With a few aromatics to form a hearty base, rich chicken broth (vegetable broth or water can also be substituted), an ample seasoning of salt, pepper and nutmeg, and the star ingredient, itself, you've got a delicious soup that you'll come back to again and again. At least I know I will.

Happy Eating!

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:
2-3 lbs. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, diced
6 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, plus more to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Heat butter and oil in a large soup or stock pot. Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook until onions are translucent and the vegetables begin to soften. Add in the butternut squash, broth, nutmeg and another sprinkling of salt and pepper (being careful to season every layer during cooking), stir together and simmer until the vegetables are cooked through and softened, about 30-40 minutes.

Puree the soup with an immersion blender or allow it to cool slightly and then puree in batches in a traditional blender. Season further to taste and enjoy.

I Can't Believe It's Vegetarian Chili + BHM Virtual Potluck

Am I alone in amazement that we are literally saying goodbye to January already?! Nonetheless here we are heading into February with no signs of time slowing down to allow for anything other. Be that as it may, I'm inviting us to slow down as often as possible, release "hurry mode", and intentionally embrace the simple and grand moments that make up life.

As you might have guessed by now, hearty, comfort food is one of my favorite ways to settle in and take a load off. And when you're talking good for you x good to you fare, it doesn't get much better than this. Enter one of my favorite dishes, chili--with a vegetarian twist. For this dish, I'm not referring to my Spicy Three Bean Chili. Instead, I'm talking about a meatless version that mimics all the heartiness, texture and um-um goodness and flavor of your favorite turkey or beef chili. Are you excited yet?

If I hadn't made it myself, I would have been hard pressed to believe that this was a truly meatless dish, because it gives off the exact texture and look of the chili of my childhood (grandmama's beef chili) and my favorite turkey chili I make most often these days. I don't know about you, but I call that a win-win, especially for those of us currently working on our summer bodies. ;)

With the ease of nothing more than adding meatless crumbles to my typical chili base, it was quicker, easier--and just as delicious--as my original recipe. Finish with a garnish of creamy avocado slices, peppery jalapenos, bright and fragrant cilantro, a generous splash of citrus, and whatever else you please, to take it over the top. And don't just take my word for it. I want you to make. it. and then tell me you're as thrilled as I am to add this to the vegetarian repertoire you never knew you wanted.

And because chili has always been a staple in my food story--from childhood until now--I'm excited to be sharing this recipe as a part of the Black History Month Virtual Potluck, now in its fourth year. In case you're wondering, it's a wonderful collection of recipes, stories, and heritage, that showcase black culture through the lenses of cuisine and storytelling, as shared by black food bloggers throughout Black History Month (translation: it's really something special.) *Grab the full list of BHM Potluck 2020 recipes and bloggers following the recipe below.

Enjoy... and Happy Eating!

I Can't Believe It's Vegetarian Chili
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 bell peppers, diced

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

12 oz. water

1 ½ tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 15oz. can chili beans

1 package of Meatless Crumbles (I used Gardein's)

Several splashes of Tabasco sauce (optional)

Sliced avocados, limes, jalapenos, and chopped cilantro, for garnish

Method:

Preheat olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot under medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes. Add in garlic and cook for another minute.

Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, spices and seasonings, 1 teaspoon salt and Tabasco, if using. Stir until mixed thoroughly and bring to a slight boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in meatless crumbles and beans and cook for an additional five to ten minutes. Garnish, serve and enjoy!

Black History Month Virtual Potluck, 2020

Beautiful Eats & Things | Honey Herb Roasted Sweet Potatoes | vegetarian

D.M.R. Fine Foods |Vegetarian Chili | vegetarian

Dash of Jazz |Vegan Buttermilk Biscuits with Spiced Pear Compote | vegan

Dish it with Tisha | Mushroom and Okra Po' Boy |vegetarian

Domestic Dee |Dirty Rice |vegan

Food Fidelity |Vegan Curry Cauliflower | vegan

Kenneth Temple |Wakanda Cake | vegan

Marisa Moore Nutrition |Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Fritters | vegan

Meiko and the Dish | Cajun Shrooms & Grits | vegetarian

Rosalynn Daniels | Vegan Bread Pudding | vegan

Savory Thoughts | Haitian Black Rice (Diri Djon Djon) | vegan