More Phi Phood!

Hello Bloggers...
Well our Slacker Monday corn dog lunch went off without a hitch! Pretty sure you don't need a recipe for that.  And we made some homemade chili for the guys last night.  The recipe is down below!  It was nice seeing all the guys and beginning to get into my old routine.  I can honestly say I had an entire month of slacking while we were on winter break, but it was sprinkled with some great highlights, such as the little Christmas Party we held in Kansas City.  It was Nicholaus, my Phi Delt right hand man, Miss Aubrey, my Chef Assistant, and Hayley, my ever wonderful darling daughter.  We braved some bitter cold to venture all the way (2 hours) to Kansas City to eat lunch at Room 39, then divine desserts at Andre's.  Room 39 is absolutely my fave! It is this quaint little urban cafe in the KU Med area, on 39th Street.  For me, it's not just the food, but the entire experience and this little place that abounds with atmosphere.  Hardwood floors, old tin ceiling, small, cozy, and espresso made the right way!  Mix that with the wonderful company of my young friends and it makes for a perfect day.  Be sure to check out http://www.rm39.com/.  They have a second location in Leawood, Kansas as well.  After filling up on fab food and coffee, we trekked across town to make our way to a special little place near The Plaza called Andre's.  I am originally from KC and spent lots of time on The Plaza, but never once went to Andre's.  "Confiserie Suisse" is Andre's. They hand make every chocolate, torte, candy, tart, etc.  Until you check out their website, nothing I can say here will do justice to the talented work done there.  http://andreschocolates.com/. By the end of our little party we were quite content having had delicious food, great coffee, amazing chocolate, and great company. 
But, back to the grindstone....
Here is our recipes for the chili and cornbread. Don't worry, we scaled them down a bit to feed about 4-6 hungry people.

Chili
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground sirloin ~ I use 90/10 so I don't need to drain the meat.  If you want to drain the meat, cook it separately first, then add it to the sauteed onions & garlic. Proceed with the recipe as directed.
2 cups corn
2 cans Rotel
2 cans petite diced tomato
1 small can tomato sauce
1 small can green chile
1 can each - pinto, kidney, black beans Drained & Rinsed
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Brown the onions & garlic in the olive oil, add the beef and cook until done. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir, and cook until bubbling.  Then reduce to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often. 
Serve with shredded cheese, tortilla chips or cracker and Corn & Green Chile Cornbread. Enjoy.

Corn & Green Chile Cornbread
Oven 400
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 can rotel undrained
1 can green chile
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, mix egg, milk, rotel with juice, green chile, and oil.
Add liquid ingredients to dry, stir until moistened, not too much. Pour into a greased 8 inch square pan or 9 inch round pan.  Bake 20-25 minutes.While still warm, drizzle honey over the top making sure to spread over the entire surface.