QuikLinks

Here are some interesting and cool food links, simply click on the link and enjoy.

*Slow Food-  a cool site opposed to Fast Food
*Food Timeline- ever been curious as to when certain foods appeared on the scene
*International Chili Society- serious chili lovers
*Best Bars in Denver- a great link to awesome bars throughout Denver, organized by neighborhood
*Gin- great info on Gin and its origins and interesting characteristics
*Limes- cool Lime facts.  Ideas for uses and nutritional info.

Chili Recipe

Big Time Chili

I love to get back in the kitchen and food is the best when you have people to share it with.  This recipe is great for Monday Night Football if you've invited your friends over and promised to feed them, but don't have much money to spend.  This recipe doesn't cost much money or take much effort, especially if you like to cook.  Get your crock pot out because this is a Quick Prep, Slow Cook Recipe.

Chili, like a Bloody Mary, is an open canvas.  I will share my favorite home chili recipe, and then a list of ingredients that were found in some other notable chili recipes.  There is also a multitude of ways to serve chili.

1.5 lbs beef ( you choice fat content, don't go above 90/10.  Fat is flavor here.)

1 c. onion diced

4 cloves garlic minced

1 can black beans

1 can garbanzo beans

1 can kidney beans

1 can Rotel's tomatoes and chilis

1 sm or 1/2 can of corn

1 sm can of whole green chilis

1 can of refried beans

1 amber/dark beer

1 pkg of Carrol Shelby's Original Texas Brand Chili kit

Start by browning the beef. At the last minute add your onions and garlic.  Carefully drain off half of the liquid in the pan, add what remains, meat and juice to the crock-pot.  Empty contents of Carrol Shelby's Texas chili kit (empty all packets) and add the kidney, black and garbanzo beans as well as the Rotels tomatoes, the chilis and the corn. In addition, add one amber or brown beer.  Start the crock-pot and cook on low for 2 hours.  Check, stir and add refried beans to chili and cook for 2 hours more.  This has got to be one of the easiest and most delicious recipes around.

Serving Ideas:

-hot dogs, fries, nachos, chili cheese Tater Tots, chili Mac, etc

Toppings:  shredded cheddar, jack or jalepeno jack cheese, sour cream, salsa,  diced white or sweet onion, and diced tomato.  Fritos or torilla chips are also great.

Hot Sauces:  many of us have our favorites, but for me, I have 3 go to's
       - Cholula, Tapatio, and Sriracha

This chili is amazing, but there are so many more ingredients that you can add, here is a list for some ideas.

Additions:

-bacon

-green pepper

-red pepper

-jalepenos

-brown sugar

-whorstesire

-bbq sauce

-chalula

LIQUIDS: chicken stock, vegi stock, water, canned tomato paste or tomato sauce.

SPICES: cayenne, paprika, black pepper,,chili powder, crushed red pepper, cumin, oregano, etc.

If you are preparing this recipe just for yourself or a small group, pre-portioned leftovers freeze up nicely and reheat for well for future dinners or snacks.

This recipe should be both easy and delicious, as well as an affordable option when having guests for a party or just stretching your food dollar throughout the winter.  Some people like to leave the meat out, some people like to leave the beans out.  Try it however you like, but enjoy cooking and you will enjoy what you make all that much more.  

Bloody Mary for Breakfast!

As far as I am concerned, one of the marks of a good bartender is their ability to make a great bloody mary.  As a great bartender, I make a great bloody and jump at the chance to make my own when I am drinking them.

This morning I woke up and wanted to have a bloody and wanted it my way.  I headed over to Max Gill and Grill to indulge in their do it yourself Bloody Mary Bar.  I arrived late so the Bloody Bar was a little worked( no photo ), but there was still essential elements present from all the spices, and over 15 hot sauces to fresh fruit and great garnishes.  For me a bloody is booze, lots of flavor, lots of juice, but not lots of tomato juice. It all starts with a pint glass rimmed with lime juice and salt and filled with ice, the recipe follows but make it your way, if you get the chance.  Or stop by Max Gill and Grill weekends for $5 Bloody Mar Bar.  Awesome.  For those of you that are more a mimosa than bloody, come along for the fun with all you can drink mimosas for $10.

Conk's Bloody

Build this Bloody in a lime salted pint glass full of ice

healthy pour of vodka

juice of half of a lime

juice of 1/4 lemon

1/2oz olive juice

1T. bloody mary concentrate

2 oz tomato juice

garnished with pickled green bean or cucumber as well as an olive and a lime.

Celery and lemon are traditional garnishes, but for me, minimum I want an olive and a lime.  If we are going to throw down and get fancy lets talk about grilled asparagus, pickle spears, pepperoncini, a long foodpick with assorted cheeses, shrimp, or my favorite, pickled green beans.

For the home bartender, a bloody is your canvas, have your friends over for a weekend game, use your favorite ingredients and you are sure to impress .

As for the Vodka, we all have our favorites.  For me, Stolichnya and Absolute are my go tos but Three Olives Tomato Flavored Vodka makes a cool choice as well.  If you have a great Bloody Mary vodka infusion at hand, jump at the opportunity.  If you are unfamiliar, look for Infusions as a future topic.  Pour, mix, enjoy.

Milwaukee St Tavern

Are you tired of your same old bar, looking for chill place to watch a game or just kick back?  Are you new to Cherry Creek and looking for a great neighborhood tavern that serves up delicious pub food in an unpretentious setting?  Let me introduce you to the Milwaukee Street Tavern.  This downstairs bar is located in the heart of Cherry Creek north and is accessible from the corner of 2nd and Milwaukee.  It caters to the Cherry Creek local as well as the friendly passer by.  If you stop by on the day of a Colorado Rockies game you will find a pub full of frenzied sports fans and bar with drink specials of the hometown favorite, Coors Lt. throughout the game.  If you miss the game and are just interested in some drinks at reasonable prices, the Milwaukee Street Tavern offers drink specials every day of the week including an all day Happy Hour on Sundays.  That's right, Happy Hour all day for NFL football.

Though the Milwaukee Street Tavern is a great place to watch a Rockies game, they offers something for everyone, with all the sports packages shown on HD plasma TVs mounted on walls and bar stocked with everything you'd want out of a great tavern.  Not only do they serve the hometown favorite, Coors, as well as other domestic beers, they also serve Stella Artois, 90 Shilling, Stone Arrogant Bastard, New Belgium products and an IPA served on nitrogen for the most discriminating beer drinkers.  For the sports fan, the tavern provides all of the major sporting events on some of the best looking TVs around and caters drink specials accordingly.  If you come hungry, Milwaukee St. Tavern serves a great full menu from 11am until 10pm. and a late night menu served until midnight.  If the food and booze or the sports don't bring you in to try the Milwaukee Street Tavern, let your curiosity guide you here to try ThunderBowl, a miniaturized, coin operated version of bowling.  Bowling in a bar you ask?  Yes, and it is free Monday and Tuesday from 10pm until they close at 2am.  Head over to the Milwaukee Street Tavern on 2nd and Milwaukee for the next big sporting event, a quick drink with friends or to get a bite to eat and try your hand at miniaturized bowling.  Service industry gets lots of love on Mondays and Tuesdays as well so if you have worked hard all weekend in a restaurant or bar, come in for a complimentary drink and wind down with others from the service industry.

Milwaukee Street Tavern's Hours
11am-2am daily
Full Menu: 11am- 10pm
LateNight Menu: 10pm-12am

Checkout the map below for directions.

Denver

I just arrived to Denver and look forward to calling it home.  Look out for a lot of great eateries and bars coming soon.