Fritos chili pie

Bison or beef, ground	1 pound
Pork, ground	1 pound
Onion, white, large, chopped	1
Bell peppers, large, seeded, chopped	1 green 1 red
Garlic cloves, minced	2
Diced tomatoes with green chiles	14 ½ ounces
Ale	12 ounces
Tomato sauce	8 ounces
Chili powder	1 tablespoon
Cumin, ground	3 teaspoons
Sugar	1 teaspoon
Salt	1 teaspoon
Pepper, freshly ground	½ teaspoon
Red chili pepper, ground	½ teaspoon
Oregano, dried	½ teaspoon
Kidney beans, drained, rinsed	16 ounces
Black beans, drained, rinsed	16 ounces
Corn chips

1. In a large Dutch oven, cook ground meats, onion, peppers, and garlic over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until the meat crumbles and is no longer pink.
2. Stir in diced tomatoes, ale, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, sugar, salt, ground red and black peppers, and oregano.
3. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour 45 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes.
4. Add beans; cover and cook 15 minutes.
5. Serve over corn chips, and garnish with chopped onion, chopped tomatoes, shredded Cheddar cheese, and/or sour cream.

Fritos pie method: cut chip bag open at one long side; spoon ½ cup chili on chips and garnish.

Butterscotch meringue pie

Pie crust, baked, cooled	1
Butter	¼ cup
Sugar, light brown, firmly packed	1 cup
Flour	4 tablespoons
Milk, whole	2 cups
Eggs, separated	3
Vanilla extract	½ teaspoon
Salt	1/8 teaspoon
Meringue
Vanilla extract	½ teaspoon
Cream of tartar	¼ teaspoon
Sugar	6 tablespoons

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a saucepan, stir together brown sugar and butter, until butter melts and sugar dissolves; cook 2 to 3 minutes on low-medium, and then remove from heat.
3. Beat egg yolks in a small bowl.
4. In separate large bowl, mix flour with 1 cup milk, until smooth; mix in yolks and salt, and then add remaining milk.
5. Add flour mixture to the saucepan, and cook on low-medium until thickens, stirring constantly.
6. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla; stir constantly until well blended and slightly warm, and then pour into prepared crust.
7. With an electric mixer, beat whites with vanilla and cream of tartar, until soft peaks form.
8. Gradually add sugar tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff and glossy peaks form and sugar dissolves.
9. Spread meringue over slightly warm filling, sealing the edge of the crust.
10. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden; cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

Crab & corn chowder II

Bacon	6 slices
Celery ribs, diced	2
Bell pepper, green, diced	1
Onion, diced	1
Jalapeño pepper, seeded, diced	1
Chicken broth	32 ounces
Flour, all-purpose	3 tablespoons
Corn kernels, fresh	3 cups
Crabmeat, fresh, lump, drained, picked	1 pound
Cream	1 cup
Cilantro, fresh, chopped	¼ cup
Salt	½ teaspoon
Pepper, freshly ground	¼ teaspoon

1. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook bacon for 8 to 10 minutes, or until crispy.
2. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels; reserve 2 tablespoons drippings in the Dutch oven.
3. Sauté celery, peppers, and onion for 5 to 6 minutes, or until tender.
4. Whisk together broth and flour until smooth; add to vegetables.
5. Stir in corn.
6. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
7. Gently stir in crabmeat, cream, cilantro, salt, and pepper; cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, or until heated thoroughly.
8. Serve warm with crumbled bacon and oyster crackers.

Recipe from Southern Living 1001 Ways to Cook Southern.

Pork rib Irish stew

Pork ribs, cut into 2-inch lengths	3 pounds
Onions, sliced	2
Potatoes, one-third sliced, two-thirds chunk-cut	3 pounds
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground

1. Place the ribs in a large pot with salted water to cover.
2. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 10 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
3. Add the onions and sliced potatoes, and cook for another 20 minutes.
4. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, and then add the potato chunks.
5. Cover and simmer for about 2 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.

Recipe from The Country Cooking of Ireland.

volitional viands

New to my collection: The Fat Duck Cookbook by Heston Blumenthal. Part cookbook, part art, with lusty photography and sinful recipes.

Baked fish with mushrooms

Fish fillets or steaks, cut to ½ to ¾ inch thickness	1 pound
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground
Mushrooms, fresh, sliced	1 cup
Thyme, fresh	1 tablespoon
Lemon, zest and juice	1
Butter	3 tablespoons
Wine, white	1/3 cup

1. Preheat oven to 450°F; grease an 8x10-inch casserole dish.
2. Arrange fish in dish, turning thin edges under; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Cook mushrooms, thyme, zest, and juice with butter until the mushrooms are tender; spoon over fish.
4. Deglaze pan with wine, and pour over fish.
5. Cover and bake for 6 to 10 minutes, or until fish flakes easily.

Chocolate cream pie

Chocolate, unsweetened	2 ½ ounces
Milk, whole	2 cups + 1 cup
Sugar	1 1/3 cups
Flour, all-purpose	3 tablespoons
Cornstarch	3 tablespoons
Salt	½ teaspoon
Egg yolks	3
Butter	2 tablespoons
Vanilla extract	1 ½ teaspoons
Pie crust or crumb crust, baked, cooled	1

1. In a large saucepan, cook 2 cups milk and chocolate over medium heat.
2. Stir constantly, until the mixture boils; remove from heat; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup milk and yolks; whisk into sugar mixture.
5. Gradually add to the chocolate mixture.
6. Return saucepan to a medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils; boil and continue whisking for another minute.
7. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla.
8. Pour into prepared crust; press plastic wrap directly onto the surface.
9. Cool, and then refrigerate until well chilled.

Top with whipped cream and dust with cocoa powder, or other favorite (handy) garnish (such as the pictured toasted almonds, used to conceal any rough edges).

Recipe from the Hershey's Recipe Collection.