Soup, Stew and Chili

Potato and corn chowder is one of those soups that I forget how much I love. It is creamy, hearty and goes so well with many different dinner dishes. This type of chowder has a country earthiness to it, while at the same time a bowl of it would fit on the menu at a fancy restaurant. I have a …

Cooking chili in an electric pressure cooker, like an Instant Pot or other brand, is a super quick way to make a pot of chili that is rich with flavour. I usually make chili in a dutch oven on the stovetop, letting it simmer for hours. I find that a lengthy simmer on the stove heightens the flavours of the chili. …

Crock Pot beef stew is easily one of my favourite recipes to make in the slow cooker. The slow cooking process allows the beef to break down and gets so tender. The Crock Pot is an ideal way to make stew. For this recipe, I did something different with the beef. Normally, when I make beef stew, I sear the …

Sometimes I don’t plan ahead with my meals. Either I didn’t go to the store or did not take some meat out of the freezer to thaw. It is in those times that I love my pressure cooker. Electric pressure cookers, like the Instant Pot, allows you to make a meal much faster than than it would take using the …

Soup is the perfect meal on those cold wet days and that is exactly what we have been experiencing for what seems like weeks. I always find that cold rain can chill you right to the core and soup is a great way to warm up those bones. One of my favourite soups is minestrone. Very delicious and full of hearty …

Since Super Bowl happens during the winter, I love to have some good ol’ comfort food on the menu. Of those items, probably my favourite is a big pot of chili. The great thing about chili, is that you can keep it simmering on the stove or in a slow cooker on low, and people can go over for a …

This past weekend was a cool one here in Toronto. It came as a surprise considering how warm thanksgiving weekend was the week before. Not only was it cold and windy but there were even some snow flakes falling on Saturday afternoon. Cold weather totally gets me in the mood for soups and stews. So, out came the crock pot …

It seems like winter is never going to end. The news states that this may be the coldest February ever. Wonderful! Well, it is during these cold winter days that I make soup or stew, and to do that, I turn to my trusty pressure cooker. If you have not invested in a pressure cooker, let me encourage you, that …

The other day, I made a big batch of chili for the parents of players on my two son’s football teams. It was a cold evening and a nice big bowl of chili was the perfect way to warm up while the kid’s practiced for their upcoming game. Bowl after bowl was served and the pot was emptied within minutes. Everybody …

As the weather cools and the temperature drops, my frequency of making soups, stews and chill increases. There is nothing better to beat those cold fall days than a nice big bowl of steaming hot chili. Since I make it regularly, I find that each batch of chili is a new creation. I grab whatever cans of beans are stacked on the …