Chorizo-Chipotle-Corn Chili

8 oz. chorizo sausage 

10 oz. lean ground beef

1 lg. clove garlic - minced

¼ lg. onion - minced

Squeeze the chorizo out of the casing.  Combine these in a 4 qt. pot over medium heat.  Chop up the meat as it's heating and allow it all to sizzle for 5 minutes or so.

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 13 oz. carton crushed tomatoes

1 jalapeño quartered-seeded-sliced

3 lg. cloves garlic - sliced

⅔ c diced yellow pepper

¾ lg. onion - chopped

⅔ c diced celery

1 can chili type beans

1-2 cans corn - drained

2-3T ground cumin

3-4 c water

1T sugar

Combine all the ingredients from the second group in the pot with the meat.  I didn't use the longer, Anaheim pepper.  Simmer together, stirring often, for about an hour. . .Mmmmm. . .Chili! . . . Lin

Chorizo-Chicken Gumbo

1# good quality chorizo sausage

1# grilled (or raw) chicken breast

1-2T butter or oil

1 med. purple onion

½ mixed grain rice

1c chopped green pepper

1c chopped celery and tops

7 lg. cloves garlic - minced

1 14.5oz. can diced tomatoes

24oz. of water

3 bay leaves

1t-1T sugar

2t smokey paprika

8-12oz. frozen okra

Slit the chorizo casings and squeeze the sausage out into a 5qt. pot.  Add bite-size pieces of chicken breast, oil and about ⅓ of the onion, minced.  Simmer over low heat until everything's sizzling, for about 15 minutes.  Add the rest of the onion, the rice, celery, green pepper and garlic.  Stir, saute' and continue to cook until everything's snapping.  Add the tomatoes, water, bay leaves, sugar and paprika.  Stir together, cover and simmer about a half hour.  Add the okra and simmer on low another 20-40 minutes.  Check the flavor after about 10 minutes and make adjustments, if needed.

This makes a big pot of gumbo and is perfect for a really chilly day with some biscuits or cornbread.  It's also nice to have a big bowl of this if you're trying to fight off a virus.  If your chorizo is on the greasy side, you'll want to scrape some of that off the top before you heat it the next time.  For right now though, if you fold a paper towel to approximate the size of your pot, drop that on top, let it absorb, remove it, throw it away and repeat a few times. . .Lin

Black Bean-Chorizo Chili

8-16oz. good quality chorizo

1 onion – chopped

3 stalks celery – chopped

2 regular cans diced tomatoes

2 regular cans black beans

1t sugar

1t cumin powder

Chop up the chorizo in a 3qt. Kettle adding a little of the onion. Saute' several minutes then add the rest of the onion and celery. Continue to cook just a little until the pan is sizzling and the celery is becoming translucent. Add tomatoes and juice, the drained and rinsed black beans, sugar and cumin. Mix well then cover and simmer at least an hour to develop all the flavors. . .Lin

Onion-Chorizo Mac & Cheese

2c dry pasta – cook according to directions

½# chorizo or other spicy bulk sausage

1 lg. onion – rough chopped

1 c milk with 2T flour whisked in

6 oz. colby or other good melting cheese

Brown the sausage in 1T butter, adding onion when sausage is about half way done. Pour in the flour-milk mixture, then grate in the cheese. Stir and heat on low-medium heat until mixture bubbles. Add the cooked, drained pasta. Continue to simmer and stir occasionally for 5-10 minutes. Serve with a salad. The acidic natore of a Balsamic Vinegar dressing is a nice balance to the heaviness of the cheese sauce. Makes 3-4 servings. . .Lin