"Let love be genuine. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality." Romans 12: 9-13

Teresa Smith is wife to Rob, mom to Nate and Jacob, and loves to cycle with her husband on their Ferrari Red Co-Motion Tandem. Her passion for this blog is to help make life simple living on a gluten free diet with delicious recipes that she has adapted to be gluten free. She and her husband are missionary staff with FamilyLife Ministries in Little Rock, Arkansas.

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Monday, August 9, 2010

Buffalo, Tandem & Chili


My man and I took a trip back to the Black Hills of South Dakota for a family reunion. We had the pleasure of seeing family we had not seen in many years and meeting new family. Rob being 1/2 Mexican (taco we call it), guaranteed we were sure to experience Mexican food there. I decided I would make my own food to take beings that I have to eat gluten free. So I made chicken enchiladas, rice and beans. I will post my recipe for the enchiladas at a later date.
When we showed up I could not believe how many different kinds of beans there were to choose from and how many little Mexicans running around! These people are serious about their food and their piñata.



After the family reunion we decided to take a scenic tandem ride through Custer State Park, on the "Wilderness Loop". Sounds fun right!? Well, it was very adventurous to be sure! We saw lots of wildlife. Donkeys, antelope, and buffalo. The first herd of buffalo we saw was at a distance and I was comfortable with that and happy that God had granted us the pleasure of seeing these magnificent animals at a distance...



Then as we rode a little further we came upon these little cuties. We found out they really like licorice, or probably anything you had on you!



We then proceeded along our ride for a few more miles to come to a complete stop in the road. There was a sound that I had never heard before. A sort of low erie growl, then we realized that our road was now blocked because the buffalo were crossing! I freaked! I told Rob that I couldn't breath or move. He then got stern with me and told me to calm down. You might detect from the look on his face that he was a little scared too.




You see we had been warned from friends that buffalo don't really like bikes and if they get on the road with you that you are best to dismount your bike and have a car escort you through the park. So we waited for a car to come along before we went any further. As we walked our bike slowly I tried to exercise controlled breathing techniques. Thinking it was safe to mount the bike and get our rears out of there, a pack of them charged us! Yep! C-H-A-R-G-E-D us! I have NEVER peddled so fast in my life! Thank you Jesus we made it out safe and ungorged!

Nice little buffalo.

Since returning home I have been on a quest to find as many ways to cook buffalo as possible. Buffalo nachos, buffalo tacos and now buffalo chili. I found this recipe from the Whole Foods site. Rob said our adventure was so exciting that he can't wait to go again. Don't tell the buffalo about my cooking. I would rather die of natural causes than volunteer my life to the buffalo. This is just my way of getting back at the buffalo for scaring me so. I hope you enjoy this yummy chili! It is "to die for" .

Buffalo Bill Chili

Serves 6 to 8

Using buffalo meat in chili reminds us that this is the quintessential food of the American West. For today's cook, buffalo is leaner than beef and provides a robust flavor that stands up well to the spices and chilies in this rustic chili. For variety, mix and match your favorite beans to enhance the appearance, or add another layer of flavor by substituting dark Mexican beer, such as Negra Modelo, for the beef stock.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 pounds ground buffalo meat
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 Poblano or Anaheim pepper, seeded and chopped (optional; Anaheim is less spicy)
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
Sea salt, to taste
Ground pepper, to taste
2 (14.5-ounce) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes

2/3 cup low-sodium beef broth
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 (7-ounce) can chipotle sauce or 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo
1 bay leaf
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 bunch green onions, green parts only, sliced in rounds, for garnish
Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Method

In a medium sized pot (about 4 quart capacity) with a lid, heat oil over medium heat and add ground buffalo. Brown meat, breaking large chunks into smaller ones. Cook for about 5 minutes or until all meat is browned. Remove from pot and discard excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot.

Bring back to medium heat, add onions, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and Poblano or Anaheim (if using) pepper and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, scraping bottom from time to time to get all the browned bits of meat folded in with the vegetables. Add jalapeño pepper and cook for another 3 minutes stirring from time to time. Add garlic, cook for another minute and then add cumin, oregano, coriander, salt and pepper. Let spices cook for another minute, stirring.

Return browned meat to the pot. Stir in tomatoes and beef broth, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, adobo sauce and bay leaf, stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, taste sauce and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Lower heat to a slow simmer, cover with a lid and cook for about 30 minutes. Add beans and continue simmering, covered, for another 10 minutes or until beans are warmed through.

Serve in bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro and green onions.

Recipe Variation
To add a smoky depth of flavor, you can roast the Poblano or Anaheim pepper before adding. Using tongs, hold the pepper over a high heat gas flame, charring all over for about five minutes. You want the pepper skin to have a very dark color on all sides. When done, place in an airtight container and let stand for about five minutes. Using plastic gloves to protect your fingers, rub the skin off and discard. Open the pepper and remove veins and seeds and discard the top or stem. Chop and add to recipe along with the jalapeno pepper. I acutally doubled the tomatos and the beef stock. I added a small can of tomato sauce too because we like tomatoes!