I Know I Have it Here Somewhere

Sarah is having a friend over on Sunday afternoon.  We are going to decorate the Christmas tree (free labor!), bake some cookies (more free labor!) and visit a house nearby that decorates with some serious lights.  I want to make something for dinner that will be warm and cozy, and that the girls will enjoy.  Vegetarian chili!  I have a great recipe for that and Sarah's friend really likes Mexican food.  No problem, let me just pull out the recipe and write up a shopping list.

The recipe must be in my binder of all my old family favorites.  Not there?  Maybe I just misfiled it under the wrong tab in the binder.  (Side note - yes, I have a binder instead of a recipe box and yes it is organized with alphabetized section tabs.  Don't judge.)  No not in there.  Was it from one of the Vegetarian Times issues?  I went through all the issues I have and could not find it.  I then moved on to my favorite cookbooks, and then my not-so-favorite cookbooks, and then on to the cookbooks I never use.  I know I have this recipe.  I made it all winter last year!

Then I remembered - it was my recipe and I put it on my blog, this blog, that I work on every day.

So, check it out - my Chili-Cornbread Pie.  It really is a great recipe; one worth remembering.

Savory Bread Pudding for One

I love eggs.  Anytime of day, I can eat eggs.  My family does not share my enthusiasm, so I am left to cook eggs just for myself.  Except the dog; if you are cracking a hard-boiled egg, Lucy will hear it from a mile away.  This is an easy recipe to scale up for more portions as well.

Savory Bread Pudding for One
1 mini-bagel, any variety without seeds
1 egg
1/3 cup skim milk
1 oz low-fat Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup frozen spinach
Tomato slices (optional)

Thaw and drain the spinach.  Cut the bagel into small cubes.  Spray a small oven-safe dish with non-stick spray.  Add bagel and spinach.  Beat eggs with milk.  Pour over bagel and spinach.  Stir gently to coat all the bagel with the egg mixture.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, until set and golden.  Top with tomato slices.

Chili-Corn Bread Pie

Finally a recipe worth sharing!  This dish is perfect for the weather we are having in the Northeast.  The aleppo pepper adds a gentle, smoky heat.  I am not a big fan of spicy food, but I love this pepper.  If you don't have a specialty spice store near you, try an online retailer like Penzeys Spice.

Chili-Cornbread Pie
serves 4-6

1 T olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
2 medium celery stalks, diced
1 15 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 T chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp (for mild) - 1/2 tsp (for medium) aleppo pepper
1 8.5 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1/2 c milk
1 egg

Heat oil over medium heat.  Add all the vegetables and saute for 6-8 minutes.  Add tomatoes.  Stir in spices.  Add beans.  Bring to a gentle boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half.

Meanwhile, combine the corn muffin mix, milk and egg.  Do not overmix; some lumps are fine.  Transfer the chili mixture to large baking dish.  Spread the corn muffin mixture over the top of the chili in an even layer.  Leave a little space between the edge of the dish so the corn muffin mixture will not stick to the sides.  It is fine if some of the chili seeps through.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 16 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown.

I used a 10" x 10" baking dish.  Don't go too far from this size or the corn bread will either be too thin and will burn, or too thick and won't bake through.