Grub For Guys Beef Chili

When the weather began to turn cold my mother always seemed compelled to cook. Not that she didn’t cook when the weather was warm but summer months were filled with salads and fried chicken. Good foods but somewhat light and easy to prepare. The cold months always brought a change to the type of foods coming out of my mom’s kitchen. Warm hardy dishes full of deep flavor and texture.

One of my all time favorites was my mom’s beef chili. Full of big chunks of beef and tomatoes this dish would simmer all afternoon tempting a house full of us boys to try sneaking a bite when mom wasn’t looking. By the time supper rolled around that huge Dutch oven full of chili didn’t stand a chance, and for the next couple of days neither did our shorts!

Over the years whenever I had a craving for my mom’s beef chili I would go through all the traditional steps for preparation and wait hours for the results, mired in the knowledge that the flavor could never be duplicated Grub style.

News Flash! I finally overcame my fears and tread those hallowed culinary grounds to bring this fantastic dish to the Grub Nation! Just don’t tell my mommy………

1 pound ground beef
1 15 oz tomato sauce
2 15 oz can of water
2 15 oz cans of pinto beans in chili sauce
2 tablespoons Worchester sauce
2 tablespoons minced dried onions
2 tablespoons canned diced jalapenos
1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon minced dried garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a 5qt sauce pan brown the ground beef over medium heat, adding Worchester sauce and salt. When ground beef is nearly browned add the onions. Cover and cook for approx. five minutes. Drain off excess fat and return ground beef to the sauce pan.

Combine the rest of the ingredients in the pan and bring to a slow rolling boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

This hot and hardy dish feeds five sober guys and two chicks or six drunks.

Can do another review

I decided to try the B&M canned raisin bread today. The bagger at the store spotted it and was somewhat bemused. The cashier said it was good stuff. When I said it would be good for camping she said “heck, yeah!”

Crank open a nice can of bread

Today we have a field report from a fellow grubworm. Read about his experience with canned bread.

~

Bread in a can? You bet! And it’s good stuff.

B&M Canned Brown Bread. (http://www.bgfoods.com/bm/bm_products.asp)

I kept seeing this in the grocery stores in NY and MA. Finally, I broke down and bought a can. It’s fascinating stuff. It’s baked right in the can, so it’s very moist. It’s definitely not sandwich bread. Nothing light and fluffy here. It’s so moist, it’s almost like a cake. A very heave cake! And it’s a bit crumbly. Like European brown bread, it has a strong taste. If it’s possible for bread to have a faint black licorice smell, that’s what it reminded me of – but don’t worry, it dosen’t taste like licorice!

It goes very good with beanie weenies! Would be good with chili, or bean soup, too, in place of corn bread (you do like to crumble a piece of corn bread into your chili or bean soup, right? If not, what’s the matter with you?!).

This would be an excellent addition to camping or survival grub, as it has a long shelf life since it’s hermetically sealed even before it’s cooked! I can’t wait to try some fried up in a cast iron skillet over a bed of coals. Bliss!

If your store doesn’t stock it, you can get it here: http://mainegoodies.com/gourmet/cannedbrownbread.shtml

Grub out!

Ramen Chicken Piccata

Piccata, what’s Piccata? I couldn’t tell you what Piccata is but I can tell you how to cook it….Grub Style! That’s because it was Piccata that inspired me to take Ramen noodles to the next level. This in turn led me to develop Grub For Guys and eventually the Ramenation itself!

Back in the 70’s my family used to visit a small Italian diner in Littleton Colorado known as Romanos. Run by a large Italian family this unique little establishment featured an atmosphere that made you feel like you were part of the kitchen staff and offered a great view of the food as it was prepared.

My favorite Romanos dish just happened to be Chicken Piccata. Every time we visited I would order chicken piccata and watch as Papa Romano prepared it. I was always amazed that such a wonderful dish was so easy to prepare and I was inspired to try my hand at cooking it. Believe me when I say that the subtleties of a great dish eluded me for many years. But as my mother always said; practice makes perfect. And it did! By the time that Nobel Sysco truck delivered Top Ramen noodles to my mother’s pantry in the late 70’s (see “Ramen Recipes”) I was ready to put it all together!

From that moment to this I have dedicated a good portion my time daydreaming or developing recipe’s that build complicated culinary master pieces into easy to prepare Grub. This was my first and still remains my favorite.

Ingredients:

1 Package Chicken Ramen Noodles
1 12-13 oz Can white chicken breast (Drained)
1 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup drained capers
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Prep:

In a 10 inch skillet melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat then add drained chicken breast. Let the chicken brown stirring carefully so you don’t break up the chicken, about 5-8 minutes.

Push the chicken to one side and stir in the the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan. Now add the remaining tablespoon of butter and capers to the skillet and let heat this heat for about 5 minutes. Once this mixture is reduced slightly add water, lemon juice and the contents of the Ramen package. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat, add the parsley, give it a quick stir and Grub!

Ramen Recipes

Ramen Noodles. What can I say? Never in the history of packaged foods has there been a product developed that more fits the “Grub For Guys” lifestyle. Remember that line, and quote it often because someday it will be synonymous with a great new movement in contemporary cooking!

I know. I get carried away sometimes. But if you remember from the introduction, a spur of the moment Ramen recipe is what inspired me to seek the real meaning of grub. And that in turn is what led to the development of Grub For Guys, the next great culinary experience. But to get to the beginning of my love affair with Ramen noodles we have to go back to my teenage years.

I still remember as if it where yesterday. One morning, fresh off an outing of breaking curfew and substance abuse laws, my good friend Sonny and I decided to raid my mother’s legendary pantry. Now when I say legendary I mean it. My mom’s pantry was the size of a small bedroom. And if you took the time to dig around you could find anything from pickled eggs to fancy preserves. Don’t get the wrong idea here. We were far from well off but my mom came from a German farming family and from what I can gather these folks could put away some grub. Looking back I’m sure that my mother would stock the pantry before she paid the electric bill. And with a house full of eight or ten boys I suppose that was the only way she maintained order (full bellies do take the edge off?).

As it turned out the Nobel Foods man had just made a delivery the day before and much to our surprise it included little packages of something called Ramen Noodles. Like true dedicated “Grubbers” we checked the directions to make sure it was quick and easy to prepare. Talk about surprised! I was beside myself! And you could have knocked sonny over with a weak left jab (as usual!) Right there on the label the cooking time was estimated as 5 minutes. 5 minutes!? Wow! This was too good to be true! So we cooked up a couple bags of Chicken Ramen Noodles. The experience was unbelievable. In just five minutes we had two bowls soup that were second only to home cooking! It was so good we had to try the Beef Ramen. We cooked up a couple of bags and it was even better! We decided right then and there that this Ramen phenomenon had to be explored further. So vowing to resume the carnage in the morning, or afternoon as it were, we stumbled off, bellies full for a sound nights sleep.

Looking back now, I realize that this was the beginning of a lifelong passion for me. That wonderful chicken soup taste! In 5 freakin’ minutes! From that moment on I was driven to take every traditional recipe I enjoyed and transform it into a Grub dish. Many of the great dishes my mother and aunts fed me while I was growing up have found their way to my Grub cookbooks, many in the form of Ramen recipes.

I have over 250 Ramen recipes in my personal collection. 250! And those are just the one’s I wrote down. I have never found a recipe that could not be adapted to include or be built around Ramen noodles. From Beef Bourguignon to Pollo Picatta you can enjoy the best of dishes Grub For Guys Ramen style.

Be sure to visit often because I have decided to dedicate the next few weeks on the “Grublog” to some of my favorite Ramen stories and favorite Ramen recipes.

To kick off this tour of my World of Ramen, my Ramenation, I give you: Ramen Chicken Piccata!

~ Grubmaster

Grub for Guys Enchilada Meat Loaf

So, we have a thing for Enchilada!

You know, sometimes, at the end of a long day you want a meal that feels hearty and home cooked. Something besides the usual can of “whatever”, slightly heated and randomly mixed with nacho flavored Doritos.

There’s just one problem. You’re way too lazy to do anything beyond opening a can (Beer). So you end up drinking the contents of this can and then opening another before you reach into the cupboard to find a can of Spaghetti O’s.

Well I have a solution for just such a problem! This meat loaf recipe only takes about10 minutes to prepare. Then you just stick it in the oven and drain about three more cans before you sit down to a nice hearty meal. And the beauty is? Nacho flavored Doritos go great with this baby!

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs. ground beef
1 egg
1 jalapeno pepper (remove pith and chop finely)
½ cup chopped yellow onion
4 cloves garlic (crushed and finely chopped)
1 cup red enchilada sauce
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
½ cup rolled oats
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cumin

Prep:

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Now mix all of the ingredients together. Make sure you mix them well. Press mixture into a 8”x4” ungreased pan pop it into the oven for 1 hour and munch!

Lazy and full? God I love Grub!!

Prep Time:

4 Beers
Serves 8

Dennis’ Tuna Sandwich Grub Style

I once had a good friend named Dennis. We were very tight, which is a little odd because Dennis put together more class in one sentence than I could put together in a week. Even though he was an obvious gentleman of position Dennis could “Grub” with the best of us. As a matter of fact this recipe was inspired by a late night raid of his wine cellar and subsequent tour of the pantry. The contrast of crispy toast, smooth tuna salad and tangy horseradish make every bite a surprise.

Ingredients:

2 Cans of tuna packed in water
2 Eggs
2 Tbsp. miracle whip
1/4 Tsp. Celery salt
Drained hot horseradish
Old Bay Seasoning
Black pepper to taste

Grubby Musing:

Canned tuna is a staple for any dedicated Grubber. And this recipe is straight forward, easy and quick. If this isn’t the best tuna salad sandwich you ever tasted then you don’t know tuna salad!

Prep:

Hard boil and dice the two eggs (throw out the yolk). Open and drain the tuna in a strainer. Now add the eggs, miracle whip and celery salt together and mix thoroughly.

Now toast the bread and spread on horseradish and tuna salad. Sprinkle liberally with old bay seasoning and pepper to taste.

Prep Time:

1 Beer
Serves 4

Grub for Guys Enchilada Chicken

I love enchiladas! I mean I seriously love enchiladas! Especially chicken enchiladas! But the problem with enchiladas is they take a lot of work to prepare! Prep the filling! Soak the tortillas! Wrap the little guys up! I mean… it just doesn’t fit my idea of quick and easy Grub! And if you know me at all you know that I’m all about Grub! Quick! Easy! And bountiful!

I’m all about cooking meals that can be prepared in one skillet. Preferably while holding a beer and watching Sports Center! I call it Grub! And it’s my passionate pursuit of Grub that leads me to develop recipes like my Grub For Guys Enchilada Chicken.

This little gem never fails to impress and when I combine it with a couple of side dishes dinner guests who don’t know me will always comment on the time I must have spent over a hot stove preparing such lavish menu! And that my friend is the true B E A U T Y of Grub!

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 Boneless Chicken Breasts
2 Cups Chicken Bullion
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Jalapeno Pepper (finely chopped)
1 Bell Pepper (finely chopped)
4 Cloves Garlic (crushed and finely chopped)
1/2 Teaspoon Oregano
1/4 Teaspoon Cumin
10 oz. Can of Red Enchilada Sauce (I like Old El Paso)
1/2 Cup Rice
14 oz. Can of Pinto Beans (Drain and rinse under cold water)
1 Teaspoon Cilantro
Salt and Pepper

Prep:

In a large skillet add olive oil and fry chicken over medium high heat until golden brown on both sides – about 10 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

Deglaze skillet using 1/4 cup of the chicken bullion. Lower heat to low and add butter. When butter is melted add peppers and oregano. Cook until peppers are soft – 10 minutes.

Now add crushed garlic, enchilada sauce and chicken bullion and bring to a boil. Add rice and stir well.

Put the chicken breasts back in the skillet. Cover and lower heat to simmer for an additional 30 minutes or until rice is soft.

Now add the beans and mix in cilantro and cook for 5 minutes.

I like to serve it in large shallow bowls surrounded by crisp corn chips! Now that’s a chicken enchilada Grub style!

Prep Time:

2 Beers

Serves 4

what is grub?

I was standing in the kitchen of my home relating a sadly humorous joke to my nephew one night. It’s been a while since I’ve related this particular gem but if I remember right it went something like this:

A factory worker named Joe comes up to his blonde co-worker and says hey, you wanna see me get some paid time off? With a very skeptical look on her face the blonde says sure. To which Joe replies OK, watch this:

The next time the boss approaches on his rounds Joe climbs onto his machine, hangs upside down and begins yelling “click click” and throwing his arms over his head like a halo.

What the hell is going on here Joe exclaims the boss!

In his most luminescent voice Joe responds…..I’m a light bulb!

A light bulb says the boss! You think you’re a light bulb? Listen Joe, you better take a couple days off and get some help!

So as Joe begins to leave the blonde follows him towards the door.

Hey, where do you think you’re going asks the boss? The blonde turns with an indignant look and responds, well you don’t expect me to work in the dark do you?”

Bada-bing!

Laughing wildly at this sarcastic jab at a largely mythical human condition Randy turned back to the stove and began adding mushrooms, bacon bits and ketchup to our boiling beef Raman noodles.

“That’s just sick” exclaimed my wife as she rose from the table to remove herself from this offensive environment. “It’s just a joke” Randy said defensively. Stopping in the doorway she scrunched up her face and in her best disgusted female voice responded, “I don’t mean the joke, I mean that crap your cooking on my stove”!

And just like that, it hit me. Right in face! Like a brick….. Men are not from Mars! And women are not from Venus! As a matter of fact we both come from right here on earth. We just don’t have the same idea of what constitutes acceptable food. You see, all this time I had been trying to figure out why we are so different and – Wham! – it was right in front of my face. Once you take the time to peal back all the layers of this gigantic onion of “gender specific activity”, the big difference between women and men is the way we eat. And I can prove it! It’s easy really. Women like snacks. And women like meals. And women even like leftovers. But women do not like GRUB! Guys do…..and there you have it!

Now, before you throw this cookbook (coming soon!) up on the shelf beside all the other faded and food stained relics that decorate every kitchen in the civilized world here me out. I’m not simple enough to believe that if both sexes tried to enjoy the same food we would suddenly find ourselves happily sharing every gender centric activity from scratching ourselves in front of the TV to sharing our feelings over a nice cup of tea. But I really believe that the differences in our eating habits can give us a clear illustration of our basic gender related behaviors allowing more creative and tolerant relationships.

Now, if you believe that load of crap it’s probably a good idea to take this cookbook (coming soon!) and throw it up on that shelf next to all those other forgotten cookbooks. Because you just won’t “get it!” But if you are a guy, or a girl for the matter, who wants some insight to what makes men act the way we do, or a hopeless bachelor of any marital status or gender. Then this is the culinary and social guidebook you’ve been waiting for.

In this book (coming soon!), and on this site, we do more than just explore recipes. We provide cooking techniques, etiquette, and social guidance to anyone who has ever found themselves eating peanut butter and pickle sandwiches. Or sitting in a restaurant staring helplessly at all the forks in the setting and realizing that no matter what conventional logic is applied their uses cannot be explained.

In short, if you love to eat quickly, if you love to eat unconventionally -  if you love to eat GRUB -  then by all means read on, eat on, and enjoy Grub For Guys.

Stay tuned for:

• Recipes
• Morsels
• Tidbits
• Advice
• Tips
• And more…