Chili recipes bring warmth during winter

Thanksgiving calls us to pause from our busy day-to-day schedules and reflect on the many blessings we have to be thankful for.

For many of us, our family is our greatest blessing. For others health seems to be at the top of the list.

Whatever you are most grateful for this Thanksgiving, I hope you get to enjoy that not only on Thanksgiving -- but the entire year through.

A friend from the Senior Center gave this recipe to me a couple of weeks ago, and not only is it easy, it's delicious.

Broiled Salmon with Mustard-Soy Crust

Vegetable oil or olive oil

1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) salmon fillet

1/4 cup grainy Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce or soy sauce

Preheat broiler and move the shelf so the heat source is about 4 inches away.

Line a shallow baking pan or cookie tray with foil; grease lightly with vegetable or olive oil.

Place salmon, skin side down, on the foil. Brush the top of the fish with mustard, then sprinkle with teriyaki sauce or soy sauce.

Broil fish 10 to 12 minutes, until the Dijon-soy crust is browned and the salmon flakes easily and is cooked through. Don't flip fish during cooking.

When the weather outside has a sharp nip in the air, it tastes so good to come inside to nice hot bowl of chili that has been simmering on the stove. These recipes are from the "Chili-Lovers' Cookbook" by Al Fischer and Mildred Fischer.

My friends Joan and Rob Weeks let me borrow the book to read, so I pulled a few recipes from the book to share with you. I found it interesting that few of the recipes called for beans, which I think is the best part.

To each their own, but I would have to add beans.

Pedernales River Chili

4 pounds chili meat (beef that is more coarsely ground than regular ground beef)

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoons ground oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

6 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/2 cups canned whole tomatoes

2 to 6 generous dashes liquid hot sauce

Salt to taste

2 cups hot water

Place meat, onion, garlic in a large, heavy fry-pan or Dutch oven. Cook until light-colored. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, lower heat, simmer about 1 hour. Skim off fat during cooking. Serves 10 to 12.

Oklahoma-Style Chili

6 pounds beef, coarse ground for chili

2 pounds pork, coarse ground for chili

2 ounces paprika

4 large onions, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

3 cans (16 ounces each) whole tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

2 ounces chili powder

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 ounce cumin

3 jalapeno peppers, chopped

Brown the meat with the paprika. Drain fat and saute onion and garlic in separate pan. Combine with meat and add remaining ingredients. Cook slowly over low heat for three hours. Serves 8 to 10.

Crockpot Chili

8 pounds beef, coarse ground

3 onions, medium, chopped

2 bell peppers

3 celery ribs

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

2 cans (16 ounces) stewed tomatoes

2 cans tomato sauce

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 bottles (3 ounces each) chili powder

3 tablespoons salt

1 can (1 ounce) chile salsa

1 teaspoon green hot chili (canned, diced)

Garlic salt

Coarse ground pepper

Oregano

Brown ground beef in frying pan. Pour off extra fat. Put browned meat in crock pot (3 1/2 or 5 quart size). Chop the onions, peppers and celery ribs fine. Add chopped vegetables and all other ingredients to crock pot. Cook on low heat for three hours. Serves 16.

New Mexico Chili

1 pounds cubed pork

1 pound cubed beef

2 cans (4 ounces each) green chili, diced

1 clove garlic

Salt and pepper

Brown the meat. Add a combination of flour and water for a thickened mixture to meat and continue to brown. Add chilies and garlic, salt and pepper, adding water as needed. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.

Working Woman's Chili

2 tablespoons bacon drippings

2 cups onion, chopped

2 medium green peppers

1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced thin

1 pound ground round

1/2 pound bulk sausage

4 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 can (28 ounces) tomatoes

1/2 cup cold water

Heat bacon drippings in large fry-pan (or electric fry-pan). Add onions. Seed and chop green peppers and add. Stir-fry until tender. Add mushrooms, stirring until tender. Add beef and sausage and stir-fry, breaking the meat with a spoon.

Cook until meat is no longer pink. Stir in chili powder, salt, pepper, cumin and oregano. Chop tomatoes into small pieces and add to mixture. Add water, stir, cover and simmer 25 minutes. Uncover, stir and simmer 15 minutes more (until slightly thickened). Serves 6.

Once again, I am all out of room. Have a wonderful week and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.