Thursday, August 18, 2011

Zucchini Bread

It's that time of the year when zucchini is everywhere and it's super inexpensive.  And well, I love zucchini.  So why not try to make a few different zucchini bread recipes?


I made 2 recipes.  This one and this healthier one.  They were both very yummy!  And I've got more zucchini to use up.

What's YOUR favorite zucchini recipe?

Monday, August 8, 2011

Zippy's Chili

Saturday was a day of spontaneity for me.  Spontaneously in the morning it was decided that the next day, Sunday, I would have a yard sale at my house with a friend (my house because no permits required).  Then in the evening as we were taking about going to Hawaii in October it was spontaneously decided that we were going to make chili, Zippy's Chili.  Zippy's is a Hawaiian fast food place (or something like that) and they have some famous chili or something.  Kevin has had it before when someone he knew had it flown in and delivered to him.  So he found a recipe, we went to the store, and away we went.  Oh, and it was insisted that we make a double batch.  Cra-zy!  But we had fun! :)

WANDA'S COPYCAT CHILI
4 teaspoons vegetable oil 
1 pound lean ground beef (71 percent beef or more) 
1 onion, very finely chopped 
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce 
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, pureed, with liquid 
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, with liquid 
2 teaspoons chili powder 
1 tablespoon beef base (Minor's, Better Than Bouillon) or 2 bouillon cubes 
1 tablespoon brown sugar 
1 teaspoon garlic salt 
1/2 cup mayonnaise

  • In a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil and brown beef; break up beef into its smallest components. Pour into bowl and reserve. Heat remaining vegetable oil and fry onion over medium heat, until limp and golden. Transfer beef to pot along with pureed tomato sauce, pinto beans, red kidney beans, chili powder, beef base, brown sugar and garlic salt. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to medium or medium-low and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in mayonnaise and heat through. Taste and correct seasonings.
    Serves 4-6.
    Per serving: 480 calories, 28 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 70 mg cholesterol, greater than 1300 mg sodium, 28 g carbohydrate, 8 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 28 g protein

    recipe from Honolulu Advertiser

    So here's my verdict...
    • It's not bad.
    • The fact that it has mayo in it throws me off big time.  I.do.not.like.mayonnaise (unless it's in egg salad sandwiches)
    • It's not thick like chili that I'm used to.
    Here's what I would do differently (aka healthify it)...
    • Less oil, 4 tsps was not needed.
    • Ground turkey.  Why not?
    • Maybe a little tomato paste would help thicken it...?
    • 2 cans of kidney beans for more fiber and to bulk it up.
    • Substitute for mayo...?  Ummm... maybe a little bit of reduced fat cream cheese...?
    So what's your favorite chili recipe?