Fall means NFL -- just another reason for me to love the season. My favorite team is the Dallas Cowboys. I'm from Little Rock and they are the closest team we have, there's a UA connection and it is also big brother's favorite team. He's 12 years older than me, so I really didn't have much of a choice when it came to Sunday TV viewing when I was little. (It was pretty much football or nothing else.) I had the unique opportunity of being a Dallas Cowboy fan in Chicago last night.In anticipation, I made my first batch of fall chili. I don't eat red meat or pork, so I substituted turkey for the beef. I top mine with cheese, onion, sour cream and cilantro. This means my Crock Pot is officially out of the cabinet for the season!
Homemade cornbread and sweet tea kept the meal Southern and simple. Let me pause for a moment and plug the Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Maker. Instant iced tea -- now that's pure genius. One of my favorite blends is a combo of regular tea and Celestial Seasonings Mandarin Orange. Serve it with an orange slice and cinnamon stick.
Back to the cornbread. If you aren't making yours in a screaming hot cast iron skillet, you're missing out. The crust that develops on the bottom provides an unbelievable flavor.
The cornbread batter should sizzle when it hits the skillet.
Dessert was unbelievably crème brulée. It's actually easier than making cookies from scratch and it's one of my friend's favorite desserts. It's funny because I'd invited the three football-loving women I know, but no one made it out. I understand because if I had to go somewhere, I wouldn't have made it either. Anyway, ... crème brulée and chili. Who knew?Tools of the trade:
