The arrival of Fall means the beginning of soup and stew season – one of my favorite times of the year!  While I constantly look for new and interesting recipes, there is no denying that you can’t beat the classics.  This Beef Chili is the ultimate cold weather meal – a little spicy, full of flavor – complete comfort food.

Don’t be alarmed by the long list of ingredients – it’s well worth it.  If you like a really spicy chili, increase the amount of chile powder and/or the chipotle chiles in adobo.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 pounds ground sirloin
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons chile powder
• 3 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons chopped thyme
• 2 teaspoons chopped oregano
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1-15 oz. can pinto beans
• 1-14 oz. can diced tomatoes with the juices
• 3 chipotle chiles in adobo, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• juice of 1 lime
• salt, to taste

Directions

In a large pot, heat the oil.  Add half of the ground beef and cook over high heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes; transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon.  Brown the remaining ground beef. Return the first batch of browned beef to the pot.

Add the onions and pepper to the pot and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent – about 8 minutes.  Add the garlic, chile powder, cumin, coriander, sugar, thyme, oregano, black pepper and cayenne and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the beef broth, pinto beans, tomatoes, chipotles, tomato sauce, tomato paste and the vinegar.  Simmer the chili over low heat for 1  1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.  Add the lime juice, season with salt and serve.

If you are fortunate enough to have leftovers, I recommend adding a little extra beef broth while reheating the chili.

adapted from a recipe found here

garnished with homemade croutons

Before heading out of town on vacation, I had time to make one of my favorite cold weather dishes – Broccoli Cheese Soup.  Not only does this taste great on the first day, but it’s perfect for lunch the following afternoon.  I like to enjoy this soup with a piece of crusty bread – especially homemade boule.  A few items to note about this recipe:

• depending on how rich (and healthy) you want the soup to be, you can use either milk or heavy cream
• garnish the soup with a little sauteed broccoli or homemade croutons (see directions below)

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1/2 medium chopped onion
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups milk or heavy cream
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 pound fresh broccoli
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 8 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper

Directions

Saute the onion in the butter and set aside.  Cook the melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes – stir constantly and then add the milk or heavy cream.  Add the chicken stock and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli and onions to the soup and cook over low heat for an additional 20-25 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Take 1/2 of the soup and puree it in a blender, then add it back to the pot with the remainder of the soup.  Stir in the cheese and nutmeg.

Homemade Croutons:

Cut French bread or boule into 1/2-inch cubes.  Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saute pan.  Add the bread cubes to the pan and sprinkle with salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently – 5 to 10 minutes or until nicely browned. Add more olive oil as needed.

garnished with sauteed broccoli florets

adapted from Panera Bread’s Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe