Pork and Poblano Stew!

Was browsing through my latest copy of Better Homes and Gardens and saw a recipe that caught my curiosity. Since I had all the ingredients on hand, it appeared on the dinner table last night and was a success. It was also easy to do and didn't take all that long to cook.

Pork and Poblano Stew
1 1/4 pounds of pork cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons hot chili powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 fresh poblano chili pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces (If you can't find it fresh, look in the ethnic section of the grocery store and get the dried version which is call Ancho and just put it in some warm water to soften)
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
1 14 1/2-ounce can of fire-roasted tomatoes (they usually contain chilies, too)
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel.

Toss the cut pork with the chili powder to coat. In a large frying pan, heat one tablespoon of oil and cook the pork for about 4-5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. With a slotted spoon, remove the meat to another bowl and set aside for now.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same frying pan (don't clean from the meat!) and saute the Poblano, bell pepper and onion until softened, about five minutes.

Add tomatoes, broth and cinnamon to this mixture and simmer, covered, over medium heat for ten minutes. Add the pork and orange juice and simmer, uncovered for another five minutes. Stir in the orange peel shreds, mix in, and serve. It went really well over rice with a side of fresh corn. The orange juice and zest make all the difference in the world. It had some heat but wasn't unbearably spicy hot. You could, however, put chili flakes on the table for anyone looking for added heat in their food!

Your Pot Luck Offering . . .

In case you are venturing over to a pot luck this weekend, something in a crock pot would be easy to bring and just plug in and share. I like basic and easy because a large group of people don't always like the same thing and will wander over to something recognizable and savory.

1 pound ground beef, fried and crumbled
(You can do half and half with ground pork, if you like.)

1 onion, diced
1 bell peppers (your choice of red, green, or yellow), diced
2 14.5 ounces cans diced tomatoes
2 14.5/15 ounce cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
16 ounces of corn, canned or frozen
1 14.5/15 ounce can of kidney beans
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Dash of chili flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

2-3 fresh tomatoes, chopped
2 cup shredded cheese, your choice

After you brown and crumble the meat, in the same pan, lightly saute the onions and peppers until they almost lose their crisp.

Add the meat, vegetables, canned items, and seasonings to the crock pot at your favorite setting and depending on when you need it.

When you are ready to serve, top each bowl of chili with diced tomatoes and cheese.

This recipe can also be cooked on the stove top. Crock pots keep one, less chore off your list but, sometimes, it is nice to have a pot on the stove to fuss over and scent the house with good flavors to be!