Pork and Beans Chili and Honey Hush Corn Bread

Like most families, we have our favorite meals that I cook and repeat, cook and repeat each month. My husband and son know though, that I am always up to trying a new recipe, even when it is something that we already have a favorite recipe for.

Like chili. Don't ever mess with the recipe for chili from the 1960's Betty Crocker's Cookbook. It really IS the best I have ever had.

But tonight I went off in a different direction and tried Pork and Bean Chili. I usually can judge how good a recipe might be by it's ingredients and this one sounded good....nothing too funky in it not to try it.

I never warn my family that I am trying something new or where the recipe is from. If it turns out bad, I will confess everything.

 

 

Pork and Bean Chili

 

4 teaspoons canola oil

1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat

 and cut into 1" pieces

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 garlic cloves, ,minced

1 (14 3/4 oz) can diced tomatoes

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 (15 1/2 oz.) can pinto beans,

rinsed and drained

1 (8oz.) can tomato sauce, optional *

 

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium high heat. Add the pork and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate.

 

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the same saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion, pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and their juice, the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper and cook until the mixture comes to a boil, about 4 minutes. Stir in the beans; reduce the heat and simmer, covered until mixture thickens. Add the pork and cook until the pork is cooked through. * At this point I felt the chili was too thick without much juice so I added the 8 oz. can of tomato sauce and it was perfect.

 

 

 

I always serve chili with a side of rice to put on the bottom of the bowl, sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese for on top. On the side....some Honey Hush Corn Bread from Dinosaur Bar-B-Que.

 

If you don't live in the Northeast USA you may not have heard of the The Dinosaur Barb-B-Que Restaurant. It originated in Syracuse, NY and has restaurants in Rochester, NY, Harlem in New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut. It is a honky tonk rib joint with the best barbeque ribs and all that goes with them. And their bottled sauces are available to buy at our local Wegmans grocery store.

 

Their cornbread is the best I have ever had. I just happen to have a copy of their cookbook,  full of all the restaurant's fare.

 

You cannot eat another bowl of any kind of chili without this corn bread.....

 

 

 

Honey Hush Corn Bread

 

1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup melted butter 2 tablespoons honey

 

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8" x 8" pan with shortening and put it in the hot oven to heat while you are mixing the corn bread.

 

Mix the cornmeal, sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Whisk togethetr the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and melted butter in another bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just till everything is moistened.

 

Pull the hot, greased pan from the oven and pour the batter in. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or till toothpick comes out clean. Brush the top with the honey as soon as the cornbread comes out of the oven.

 

 

 

 

So the Pork and Bean Chili was approved by my husband and son. It had a lot of flavor and little bit of bite to it with the combination of spices used.

 

What I didn't tell them is that it is a Weight Watchers recipe!  Shhhhh.......! The chili was good enough that I did not have to confess this.

 

And the leftover corn bread? Really good toasted in the morning with butter.

 

Are you an adventurous cook or do you stick to the usual every night?

 

AnnMarie :)

 

 

I've linked this post up with these great blog parties!

Marvelous Mondays

Sweet and Savoury Sunday Link Party

Aloha Friday Blog Hop

Weekend Meet & Greet Blog Hop