Sitting around the house the other day I happened to catch a couple of shows from “famous” chefs. One thing I noticed each chef did while preparing a meat dish was to season the meat with salts and spices and then pour wine or stock over it, before putting the meat in the oven.

I thought how peculiar, to rub these spices onto the meat then just watch those spices wash away under the pressure of the liquid. Why not add the liquid, then add the spices? This seems the more practical method. You don’t really need to season the sauce or stock until it is time to finish the sauce. The meat needs the seasonings and rinsing them off with wine seems so wasteful.

Now, I am not a famous chef, nor pretend to be an expert in culinary arts, but I do know a little about cooking and the fact is, seasonings work better on the meat than floating in the pan.

Maybe I need a cooking show!

As I look out my office window, its a damp cloudy day with leaves falling everywhere.  This time of year screams Chili!

It tastes great with or without beans!

Chandler Family Chili

2.5lbs ground beef chuck

1lb ground chorizo sausage

2tbs oil

1 medium green bell pepper chopped

1 medium yellow bell pepper chopped

1 medium red bell pepper chopped

1 medium yellow onion chopped

(3) 15 oz cans diced tomatoes

(3) 15 oz cans mild chili beans

8 oz can tomato sauce

Two packages of commercially available chili seasonings

Ground pepper to taste (1/8 tsp)

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground chuck and chorizo sausage.  Brown meat mixture in oil, drain.

Add onions and peppers to meat, continue cooking on medium heat until onions are translucent and peppers soft.

Add tomatoes; stir in chili beans and tomato sauce to desired thickness.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add additional chili pepper 1 tbsp at a time to desired flavor.

Simmer over low heat for at least 30 minutes stirring occasionally.

Enjoy with crackers, grated cheese and if you like it a little hotter, onions and jalepenos!

Some have noticed that I haven’t added to this blog for some time. It’s time to come clean.

The reason, about two months ago I was diagnosed with diabetes. Now, medically speaking, it wasn’t a big deal, I am taking pills. But food wise, it put me in a deep depression as I envisioned all my cherished dishes being deep six’ed by the doctors and dieticians. Even friends and family remarked on how difficult it would be for me to continue my culinary work with the limitations that would be placed on me. I was deeply depressed. I still am working through it especially as the holidays approach.

It didn’t help that I couldn’t get into a dietician for over a month after my diagnosis,so I spent that time eating, well, nothing. I had been told, prior to the dietician, by good meaning people, that potatoes, pastas, sweets, especially wine, were gone. Vegetables and sugar free foods would be my destiny.

It may have been the meds, but at one point while watching what had been my favorite cooking show on television, I turned the remote off vowing never to watch the channel again. What was the use? I could never experience the tastes.

I finally met with a dietician last week. It was a good meeting. I learned most of what I had been told by those good meaning people, were myths. Yes, Peanut Buster Parfaits, may be out, but most of my recipes were still good, except maybe the ribs and pizza. I will have to experiment.

I am not to the point where I am ready to write about adventures in food, yet. I still have to work through my doubts. But at least I do see a light at the end of the tunnel.

And now comes before the court, Dale Chandler vs. Beth Chandler…

Actually this is a story on how you don’t have to agree on everything to have a happy life together. Let me explain.

My wife’s philosophy on food, is you EAT TO LIVE! Similar to most of our friends in the animal, aviary and aquatic worlds.

My philosophy is YOU LIVE TO EAT! I am sure most chefs have the similar feeling.

My wife eats the same thing for breakfast and lunch every day, seven days a week. When I ask her what she wants for dinner, the easiest, is the answer or “I don’t care.” I require flavor and variety. Sure I can eat pizza a couple of times a week, steak a couple of times a week, but I also need variety.

I also enjoy shopping for the food, prepping the food and cooking it. I like to go to the grocery store, several times a week, to insure I am buying the freshest items. She gets lost in a grocery store.

I like recipes with lots of ingredients. She likes popcorn. Microwave at that.

My idea of a good everyday dinner, would include three courses, meat, vegetable and a starch (see no dessert!), hers’ is anything sautéed with onions. Are onions considered a course?

I LOVE corned beef hash. She calls it dog food. I like going to buffets for the variety of food you can taste. She calls them troughs and will have none of that!

I like wine, she drinks beer. I like milk, umm, don’t even get close to her with that. By the way, ever met someone who doesn’t like sunny side up eggs? Meet Beth!

And it even goes to the kitchen itself. I would like to have the latest greatest gadgets in the kitchen but she throws them out, too much clutter. I like hanging my pans on hooks, she throws them in a bottom cupboard I have trouble reaching.

Let this be a lesson to all newlyweds, you don’t have to agree on everything to have a happy life together. I have been married nearly a quarter century to the same lady even though we differ on most things in the kitchen. The old physics law of opposites attracting may actually be true.

By the way, do you know where I might find a place to sleep tonight?   I’ll cook!

A funny thing happened while making my daughter’s birthday dinner. It caught fire!

Both kids were in from college to celebrate Ashley’s big 22, okay it wasn’t that big. She asked for ribs and corn on the cob. Simple, made it dozens of times.

So we are in the backyard, the grill is hot (obviously too hot), dogs are playing with the kids, when I sense that there is too much smoke in the yard. How could the grill be that hot? What was causing all the smoke?  I had just put the ribs on for saucing and the corn had been on for fifteen minutes.

I opened the lid to the grill and the mighty inferno exploded. It seem the ribs were jealous of the corn quietly roasting so they unleashed a flurry of juices onto what was nice warm coals. The juice erupted like a volcano as it hit the hot charcoal.

I quickly moved the ribs to safer areas of the grill and looked at the corn. My nice, plump ears were on FIRE!  I couldn’t help but laugh. Using tongs, I picked up an ear and just looked at it on fire. It was hilarious. Sure I am used to singed husk but this wasn’t singed, this was on FIRE. Okay Mr. Chef, what do you do now?

There I am with a tong full of flaming corn husk with six others still on the grill. My first thought was to blow out the fire. But then a vision of singed face entered my mind. I did the next best thing, short of the fire extinguisher, which I haven’t seen for years (yes I know I was ill-prepared for Armageddon), I placed the flaming corn onto a tray and whacked the flames down with my tongs.

But to everyone’s surprise, but me of course, the corn was safe, a little charred at the tip, but very flavorful and juicy.

Let this be a lesson for everyone grilling, always be prepared for flame out. You should never grill without a spray bottle of water by your grill and, better yet, an extinguisher nearby. You never know when the food inside your grill is going to have a very violent argument with the coals beneath them.

I have mentioned before that I have a love hate relationship with vegetables. I love cooked ones, hate most raw ones. Usually I will only eat raw with dip or on top of a sandwich.

I am one of those Neanderthals who believe that certain teeth were shaped in my mouth for the chewing of meat. I also believe that in the succession of this planet, animals and plants were provided so that humans could sustain life.

I am an omnivore!

This all came up last night as I prepared my bacon cheeseburger. I started questioning if I was overdoing the meat. How big the patty was, how many pieces of bacon and how much cheese all played into my head. I believe a hamburger should be no smaller than a quarter pound, but no bigger than a third pound. Cooked that is, not raw weight. A burger weighing a quarter pound raw can lose a lot of size during the cooking process depending on the fat to meat ratio.

The type of meat is very important to a good tasting hamburger. If you are concerned about too much fat in your diet, you are better off not having the hamburger than making one that is made with less fat. Ground Sirloin is great for meatloaves, pasta dishes and casseroles where you don’t want too much fat or grease developing. But it makes for a dry burger. A hamburger needs the fat, for flavor and for bonding. Ground Chuck is the best for hamburgers.

You want your meat to fat ratio to be 83 – 17 or 85 – 15. This ratio will hold the meat together, give you very good flavor and the reduction from raw size to cooked size is minimal. As long as you don’t overcook.

Regular ground beef with a ratio of 80 – 20 create a lot of grease and shrink a lot in size from raw to cook. Some argue, though, that it creates the best flavor. I haven’t seen that.

As for flavor, the type of meat and style of cooking add a lot. The best, of course, is over a charcoal grill, followed by broiling and then frying. Remember, though, toppings can also add to your fat content, such as my bacon and cheese last night. I am sure my preparation is a nutritionist’s nightmare. But I included raw vegetables. That’s if you consider lettuce, tomato, pickles and onions a good source of vegetables!

We picked the hottest day of the season to venture to 38th and Fall Creek to check out this year’s Indiana State Fair. THE hottest day! But my daughter and I were dead set on elephant ears, corn and watching little pigs run around. My wife was determined not to eat anything this year!

First stop, the corn booth where fresh roasted ears of corn dripped with the sweetest of butter. A bottle of water and the shade of a tree made it a feast to be enjoyed. The wife eyed us as we slurped and devoured the ear. But wait, we didn’t get it all and that is when the “I am not eating anything this year” promise ended. Two ears, three people, we were happy. Not full, but happy.

As we walked along the fairgrounds we passed the Indiana Beef tent with its large grills sizzling with rib-eye steaks for sandwiches. Though the aroma was to die for, the heat from the exhaust fan was too much and we moved on. Across the sidewalk was the Indiana Pork tent. If you are only going to eat pork chops once a year, eat them at the State Fair or the Tipton Pork Festival. Both groups know how to grill a chop with just the right amount of seasoning. I wish mine could be as tender.

The problem with the pork tent at the State Fair is it is too popular, with long lines, and, did I mention it was hot out, so another delectable experience passed by.

Alas nearby another pork delicacy, “Pigs in the Mud”! Let’s just say I love bacon. Until this day, I didn’t think I could ever turn down bacon. “Pigs in the Mud” is bacon dipped in chocolate and though the saying is “everything goes with chocolate,” I was not brave enough to find out. The wife and daughter declined the offer too.

After visiting with every farm animal known to man and sitting through some cow judging, we could hear the elephant ears calling. They did not disappoint. Light and fluffy and topped with powdered sugar. Right out of the vat, we risked burns to the fingers as we pulled apart the most famous of fair food. The one who wasn’t going to eat at the fair ate half the ear! We washed the pastry down with the infamous lemon shake up which after consuming that much sugar, gave me the shakes!

We looked down the row of fair food delights, tenderloins, turkey legs, Italian Sausage, funnel cakes, corn dogs and snow cones. So many choices, so little time. In the end, though, we let the heat, combined with the idea that I truly am trying to lose weight, decide for us as we begrudgingly left behind the cornucopia of carnival cuisine.

Ah to be twenty pounds lighter, that salt water taffy would be mine.

What’s a great breakfast meat?  Sure bacon and sausage come to mind. But I think hash is the ultimate breakfast meat.  Hash, a combination of corned beef or roast beef, onions and potatoes, is a true treat to the palate. Accompanied by a couple of eggs and you have a meal that will get your engine going for a long while. You could even skip lunch!

Problem is, it’s hard to find good hash around here. Most taste, and look, like the stuff you buy out of a can at the grocery store. I have tried all of those and it is somewhat hard to get past the appearance in the can. Don’t get me wrong, once cooked and topped with eggs, you forget the first impression and enjoy the flavor. But, still, its an institutional flavor.

I think good hash has large chunks of meat and potatoes that have been basted in the meat’s juices. The best are cooked until the outside is a nice crisp texture, yet the inside is tender.

I have tried, I have failed, to make my own. I simmered the corned beef, chopped it, added potatoes and onions, and even some juices, but I just can’t get the right texture. It doesn’t combine, its just pieces of meat, potatoes and onions. Its not a complete meal.

So to satisfy my need for a breakfast of hash and eggs, I must set out for the grocery store or hope the next restaurant gets it. If you know of such a place or a great recipe, please share.

I grew up in the Chicago area. But it wasn’t until I moved here did I hear the term, Chicago Hot Dog. Growing up it was just a hot dog. Ketchup, mustard, pickle relish on a hot dog bun. When I moved here someone asked me how I liked Chicago Dogs. I had no idea there was such a thing.

As I have found out, a Chicago dog has sliced tomatoes, celery salt, bright green relish, onion and mustard, never ketchup. Maybe it was because I grew up outside of the Chicago city limits, but I and my friends never experienced a Chicago Dog.

There are many kinds of hot dogs, Chicago (obviously), New York, Kosher, Chili, Kraut and even a Dodger dog. No matter the name, the dog is a staple of Americana. But some folks believe they aren’t healthy. My sister-in-law told my mother-in-law that at her 80th birthday party. My mother-in-law has enjoyed hot dogs all her life. Eighty years old, yep, they must be unhealthy.

My favorite version of the wiener is, of course, cooked outside on a grill. Nothing beats the slightly charred flavor. Its skin blistered and crisp. It’s the only type my daughter will eat.

Unlike my belief on pizza toppings, I like to experiment with my dog toppings. Sauerkraut is by far my most favorite addition but if I don’t mind getting a bit messy, I slop chili on it too.

As strange as it sounds, the second most favorite version came from a hot dog cart which showed up every day next to the station. His dogs had that extra flavor, hard to describe,but with a bit of chili, onions and kraut, it was a feast. Unfortunately, the hot dog man and his cart disappeared a year ago.

The traditional hot dog with bun is fine, but more times than not, I just cut the wiener up and add it to a pasta or bean dish. Recently I did that in the station break room adding the hot dogs to the “neat round spaghetti you can eat with a spoon.” I was surprised to hear a fellow worker comment that she, too, liked that version. Attending college, the boys and I lived on macaroni and cheese with hot dogs cut up. The four of us could feast on 3 bucks and save money for the important stuff, beverages!

Remember back to your days in Junior High and High School. The cafeteria was the social center of the universe at lunch time. You had social classes amongst the tables. Jocks at one end, cheerleaders usually next to them, the smart kids in one corner never looking up, the students who thought the world DID revolve around them usually in the center of the room (of course) and those of us who just wanted to get through another school day sprinkled among the rest of the tables.

It’s funny how as I look around our station break room with its four round tables; it’s like school all over again. Though in a much smaller setting and with less animosity.  At one table you have the Producers, they are the bosses of the newscasts, they talk in silent whispers just audible to be heard amongst themselves. They are a tight knit group that is very rarely infiltrated by non-producer employees. They are also the most calorie conscious! Maybe that’s why they don’t smile and laugh a lot!

Next you have the photographers and reporters. This table has the most turnaround as they are always in a rush to cram down some nutrition (if you call hot dogs or burgers nutritious) before being sent out again. They are willing to populate other tables, but only by invitation at the producer table. Conversation around their table centers mostly on what they are doing that day. No wonder they have so much indigestion!

During the summer, the third table consists of college interns. It’s usually the farthest table away. The first couple of weeks, this table is silent, just the constant clicking as they text away to whomever they can. I always wonder what they are saying about this place! After they start getting used to us, they become, yep you guessed it, the center of attention. They are new, they are young and boy you should see what they eat! The squirrels in my back yard eat more than they do. Tiny little sandwiches, rarely any junk food. They have a lot to learn about the diet of a journalist.

Finally, there is the table I sit at. I call it the misfit table, those stuck sitting with me because the other tables are filled! Not really, some actually want to sit with me. Like I said, misfits. The leader of our table is one of our anchormen. A fun loving chap who eats the same thing day in, day out. For about a year, it was a six inch frozen pizza. Now, its chicken noodle soup with crackers. And while he waits for the canned soup to heat up he plays with his crackers, calling them teeth. My other seat mate is in charge of our website. You could call him a nerd, I call him a geek, but in a loving way. He’s from Ohio by way of Texas. Because he is not with a bunch of other technos, he actually looks up! Then there is me, I usually am the one getting grief for what I bring to lunch. Once in a while it may be a grilled steak or some other leftover from my cooking trials the night before. Most recently though, I have disappointed them, like yesterday when I brought corndogs!

Our fourth seat is usually occupied by a visitor to our table. The most famous is a photographer who brings a lunch box big enough to feed four. The large size is because he brings real plates and real silverware. His food is not in plastic, like ours, but in glass containers. And though I get joked at for some of my dishes, he never does, even though his are usually better. I think that is because, he doesn’t have to cook his. His loving wife prepares his meals and they always look and smell delicious. He is the true envy of our table.

Just like in school, our break room lunch hour is a noisy happy place; our table being the loudest. And once in a while if you look quickly, you will even see some trading of lunches, or what we call sharing! But, thank goodness, no food fights.