Food Storage Recipes: Homemade Chili and Cornbread

Posted on April 3rd, 2009 by Jodi -- Food Storage Made Easy

My mom (known as Grandma Lori around here) used to make homemade chili that had lentils in it. I remember always hating chili growing up because of those darn lentils. In fact, I am still working at overcoming my loathing of lentils (see my lentil sprouting post for proof). When I first got married my husband requested that I learn to make a good chili. Well, I definitely didn’t want to ask my mom for HER recipe (sorry Grandma Lori) so I called up my husband’s mom and she gave me her famous “Real Chili Beans” recipe. Needless to say it has become a family favorite.

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So what side dish is a necessity with chili? Cornbread of course! I have always purchased boxes of Jiffy cornbread mixes in the past. But when I got my WonderMill Grain Mill I decided to take a crack at grinding up some popcorn to make fresh ground cornmeal for homemade cornbread. Oh boy, I will NEVER go back to boxed cornbread again. Now that I have you salivating over my family dinner tonight … I have to go ahead and share the recipes with you :)

Marilyn’s Real Chili Bean Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean hamburger 2 tsp. salt
2 c. dried pinto beans ¼ tsp. paprika
8 oz. can tomato sauce 1 ½ tsp. ground cumin
1 lb stewed tomatoes 1 T. oregano
2 T. oil 1 pinch chili pepper flakes
1 large onion (chopped) 3 T. chili powder
1 clove of garlic (finely chopped) 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions: Soak beans overnight. Drain and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 hours. Drain and add to crock-pot. Sauté the chopped onion and garlic in oil until limp. Stir in all seasonings. Add tomatoes and sauce and simmer for 20 minutes. Brown beef in small fry pan. Drain and add to crock-pot. Add chili sauce and 5 cups of hot water to crock-pot. Simmer in crock-pot at least 7 hours.

Better Than Jiffy Cornbread Recipe:

Grind: ½ cup of popcorn kernels to make ¾ cup cornmeal
Combine: ¾ c. cornmeal, 1 ¼ c. flour (I used whole wheat), ¼ c. sugar, 2 tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. salt
Add: 1 c. milk, ¼ c. veg. oil, 1 large egg, beaten; stir until dry ingredients are moist
Bake: At 400 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean

Filed under: Bean Recipes, Cornmeal Recipes, Jodi's Progress, Legumes

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  • jodymccleery
    Try sprinkling brown sugar on top of chili!

    any popcorn kernals will work?
  • Mmm I'll have to try it with the brown sugar. And yes any popcorn kernels will work. I used a bag of popcorn from Walmart and it worked just fine!
  • Mary R
    This chili is incredible !!! Everyone including my husband loved it !! Thank you, thank you !! I have tried many recipes and they never taste just right . Who would of thought of pinto beans . Please thank your mother-in-law for me !
  • I found out 2 years ago after undergoing treatment for cancer of the lymphonodes at age 30, that I am now allergic to wheat. I don't know if you have many readers who are allergic to wheat. Anyway, my dear friend who is gluten intolerant gave me this amazing recipe for wheat free and gluten free cornbread muffins - feel free to share:

    I bought almost everything in the Bob's Red Mill section in Macey's grocery store. For an even sweeter muffin use Sweet Rice Flour instead. Sometimes I make it with 1 cup Corn Flour instead of corn meal and corn flour. Since my kids have found out how delicious these are, I have to make a double batch. Enjoy!


    ½ cup melted butter
    2/3 cup sugar
    3 eggs
    1 cup buttermilk
    ½ tsp baking soda
    3 Tbsp honey

    ¼ tsp baking powder
    ½ cup rice flour
    3 Tbsp potato starch
    1 Tbsp tapioca flour
    ½ tsp xznthan gum
    ½ cup corn meal
    ½ cup corn flour
    ½ tsp salt

    Mix butter, sugar, eggs, buttermilk, soda, and honey. Add rest of ingredients. Pour into greased 8x8 pan at 375 and bake for 30 minutes. Bake muffins for 15 minutes or until golden brow. Makes 18 muffins.
  • Grandma Lori
    ok, the lentils were a problem in your childhood. Sorry. The ones I bought at the grain store always had little pebbles mixed in, and no matter how hard I tried to pick through them, you'd get at least one in your tooth.

    I read somewhere that if you ad a TLB. of vinegar to the water you soak your beans in, the gassy affect is reduced. This tip came from aunt Nadine, who had 8 kids. I guess 8 gassy kids in one house was just too much. haha
  • Mmm...this looks delicious!! I think i'll have to make it tomorrow. Thanks for the recipes!
  • Karen
    "Yellow Dent Corn" is what is typically used to make cornmeal (at least in the south). Popcorn doesnt quite taste right, but works. There are 16 ounces in a pound.
  • caryn j
    So I totally didn't know you could make popcorn into cornmeal. It's amazing what you can learn when you read things like this.
  • "1 lb stewed tomatoes"

    are those canned, bottled, or fresh? if cans or bottles, how many? (it is just that if I see "stewed tomatoes," it is always listed in ounce cans and if I see "pounds" of tomatoes," it is usually fresh... so help me out here.....)
  • Jodi
    1 lb stewed tomatoes is a 16 oz can of sliced stewed tomatoes. I've also used some of my bottled tomatoes before and they work too. It doesn't need to be a REALLY exact amount.
  • I am new here! What a great blog :)
  • I am supposed to be getting my grinder in the next week. I'm really excited to try it out and will definitely need to make this cornbread. Thanks so much for the recipe!
  • Jamie
    This looks really good. I am going to try it this week. I have 1 question though. I have a magic mill. The old style. It works wonderful. Are you able to grind popcorn kernels in that?

    Thanks
  • Jodi
    I'm not familiar with the magic mill. I know the old "WhisperMill" is able to grind popcorn. I would probably call your manufacturer and find out for sure. You don't want to risk breaking your grinder!
  • gaby
    thank you for the recipes I been looking for good recipes to do in the slow cooker for general conference and I think I will give these a try!! thanks!!
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