The worst part about making chili, real fire house chili, is cook'n up those beans. I prefer black beens or dark kidneys as they don't get as mushy as those lighter beans that they make refried beans from. Lentils are a favorable substitute that I have done before. Anyhow, you typically have to start by soaking the beans, to both rinse them and get them started taking on water. Boil the water and let soak again over night. This could go on for about 2 to 3 days to get things done. Stir often to keep the thick bean broth generated from burning to the bottom of whatever your cook'n the beans in. Don't cook overnight, just let sit. You don't need midnight surprises that the fire department actually needs to come out and give you tips on your firehouse chili for. Don't pour off that brown water, its gonna contribute to the sauce! My ingredient list is simply added after the beans are done cook'n. They include ... Roma Tomatos They are thicker and meatier Aneheim Chilis Hot, but not overwhelming. Sorrano Chilis Hot and zingy. Habneros ( If you really want firehouse flavor ) Onions and lots of 'em. Paprika Chili Powder Cinnamon Not necessary, but you can experiment Cilantro Some people like to add some form of sugar, like molasses, etc., but I don't. Here are some tips ... 1.) Cut up Tomatoes, Onions and Peppers so they form long strips. Don't dice 'em. 2.) Go find some real earthy chili powder. New Mexico and California have some really nice varieties that range from a ocre red to more brownish and they have flavor that'll make your chili ... chili! 3.) Where's the beef? Oh, I don't put it in mine. But when I do, I like to do what I do with spaghetti sauce and add both beef and pork. Cut up something like stewing beef strips and center cut pork chops. 4.) My old friend balsamic vinegar can add an interesting change to your chili. 5.) OK so you don't like reall hard core chili - eh? Well, don't use the habneros and add celery to mellow things out. Use less chili powder. 6.) If your chili is really thick, make sure you drink alot. You can either thin it down before hand or afterwards ... it's your choice.

This is a mustard glaze recipe posted by steelmagnolia2007 - I have used it for every ham I have made since she posted it in 2007 -- and it is so delicious & easy. It definitely has a slight mustard taste. I cook my ham the normal way I always do-and start applying the glaze 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time. 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed 3 T Dijon mustard 5 T Balsamic vinegar Score top of ham. Cook as you always do and apply glaze 30 minutes before end of cooking time. Mix glaze ingredients well in separate small bowl. Slather generously over all of the exposed ham. Continue cooking, uncovered, another 30 minutes, basting every 10 minutes. Mixing pan juices with a little bit of the glaze makes a fab gravy!

I pulled up this thread last weekend to find the recipe that I failed at two years and one week prior. I don't think I'll ever figure out exactly what went so drastically wrong the first time I made Elaine's Chile Sauce, but fortunately Sharon took pity on me and shipped a jar as part of a very sweet surcie. So with that memory in mind, I finally gave it another shot. This time it came out as expected and while there were still a couple tiny bumps in the road I won't bore you with, my biggest mistake was making just half a batch. Can't say I wasn't warned; scroll up and you'll see where Sharon says, "Easily halved but you'll be sorry.........." I'm already through half a jar, having enjoyed most of that on meatloaf (Bobby Flay's Throwdown! recipe, which by the way is incredible IMO) and the rest, well, just on a spoon. Figured I'd bump up this thread since the recipe is here, and also to call out Bobby and David, neither of whom I've seen post in a while. Thanks for everything, Sharon!

Ah, nope, that's not mine. I don't use suet in anything except bird feeders! I use this one but frankly, I like Nancy's (wizardnm) pear mincemeat better. Still, when I have green tomatoes but not pears..... Green Tomato Mincemeat/Pie Filling (No Meat) 4 qt. chopped green tomatoes 3 qt. peeled and chopped tart apples 1 lb. dark seedless raisins 1 lb. white raisins 1/4 cup minced citron, lemon or orange peel 2 cups water 2-1/2 cups brown sugar 2-1/2 cups white sugar 1/2 cup vinegar (5% acidity) 1 cup bottled lemon juice 2 tbsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. ground nutmeg 1 tsp. ground cloves YIELD: About 7 quarts PROCEDURE: Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Cook slowly, stirring often, until tender and slightly thickened (about 35 to 40 minutes). Fill hot jars with hot mixture, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water bath, 15 minutes for pints, 20 minutes for quarts. My aunt makes green tomato pickles, she uses cherry tomatoes instead of sliced. I don't much like them, but I don't much like pickles.... Green tomato pickles 4 quarts sliced green tomatoes, loosely packed 1 quart sliced onion, loosely packed 1 cup pickling salt, divided 2 pounds light brown sugar 6 cups vinegar (5% acidity) 2 small red chile peppers 1/3 cup mustard seeds 1/4 cup celery seeds 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon whole allspice 2 teaspoons whole cloves Place sliced tomatoes and sliced onion in separate bowls; sprinkle 3/4 cup salt over tomatoes and 1/4 cup salt over onion; stir both mixtures. Cover both bowls and let stand at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours. Place tomatoes in a cheesecloth bag, and squeeze gently to remove excess juice. Repeat this procedure for onion. Discard the salt liquid. Combine tomatoes, onion, sugar, vinegar, chile peppers, mustard seeds, celery seeds, and pepper in a large kettle. Tie allspice and cloves in a small cheesecloth bag; add to tomato onion mixture. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, over low heat 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Pack tomato mixture and liquid into hot sterilized 1-quart jars (with 1 piece of the chile pepper in each jar - cut if necessary), leaving 1/2-inch headspace; wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on ring bands. Process in a boiling water bath 10 minutes for pints, 15 minutes for quarts. Store in a cool dark place. Store opened pickles in refrigerator. Makes 4 pints No, the slices do not get watery when fried, as long as you start them frozen. They are a little more "moist" I have to cook them longer to get them crispy. If you thaw, you can't even fry them, they just fall apart. Salsa freezes OK, it gets a little more runny, but not bad. I've never tried to freeze the green stuff, though. Annie