Recipe(tried): Gina's Chili, Corn Bread with Fresh Tomatoes and Mozzarella, and .Spiced Layer Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Good Morning Everybody!!

Today I am in a chili mood and what else goes good with chili but good cornbread. This cornbread recipe comes from Bon Appetit's Oct. 1999 issue and it is a killer!!

It is studded with mozzarella cheese and bits of fresh tomatoes...for dessert I will serve a Spice Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting to go with a cup of coffee!

I won't be able to post next week as I am accompanying my DH to a Manager's Meeting at the Don CeSar Resort out in St. Petersburg. I never miss out on going on these trips as his company always picks great resorts to go to...remember the one out in the Keys? There's nothing like staying at great hotels!!!

So all week long I have been making dinners that will leave leftovers so that Mama doesn't have to cook. She will be here to take care of my darling three kitties!! I will miss posting and checking out TKL news....

Enjoy!!

Gina's Chili

I developed this recipe when we lived up in the Panhandle and I couldn't find that little brown bag of Shelby's. Oh well, I like mine much better!!

serves 8

2 lbs. ground sirloin
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion chopped
2 bell peppers, green and red, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1 (28 oz.) can peeled tomatoes
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (more if you want heat)
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika
2 cans (15 oz. each) kidney beans, 1 light and 1 dark with juices

garnishes: grated cheddar cheese

Brown beef, discard any fat. Set aside. In a skillet with olive oil, saute all veggies, add to beef in a pot with all other ingredients and cook on low for two hours.

I serve this with a garnish of grated cheddar cheese and corn bread squares slathered with butter! Yum!!

Corn Bread with Fresh Tomatoes and Mozzarella
Bon Appetit, Oct. 1999, pg. 145
serves 8

1 1/2 cups plus 1 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup 1/2 inch cubes mozzarella cheese (about 4 oz.)
1 cup chilled buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2/3 cup diced seeded plum tomatoes (about 4 oz.)

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat oven to 400. Butter a 9x9x2 inch baking pan Whisk 1 1/2 c. flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl to blend well. Combine cheese cubes and remaining 1 T. flour in a small bowl. Toss to coat. Whisk buttermilk, eggs, oil and parsley in another bowl to blend. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture and stir just to combine. Do not overmix. Sprinkle mozzarella cubes and diced tomatoes over batter, stir gently just to distribute evenly.

Transfer batter to prepared pan, bake til it just begins to brown on top and tester inserted comes out clean. About 22 min. Transfer pan to rack and cool 15 min before cutting into squares and serve warm.

Serve with chili.

Spiced Layer Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
Bon Appetit, Oct. 1999, pg. 141
serves 8

2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp.
1 Tbsp. grated orange peel
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 350. Butter three 9inch cake pans. Line bottom of each pan with waxed paper, butter and flour each pan. Tap out excess flour. Sift first 8 ingredients into med. bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter and orange peel til smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir flour mixture in alternating with sour cream and milk. Divide batter into pans. Bake for 25 min. Cool on racks 10 min. Turn out and cool completely. Frost each layer, sides and top.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
makes about 4 cups

2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) chilled cream cheese
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. gratead orange peel
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup chilled sour cream

Use electric mixer and beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl til well blended. Beat in sugar then orange peel and vanilla. Beat in sour cream. Cover and refrigerate til frosting is firm enough to spread, about 30 minutes.