Cincinnati Style Chili

Cincinnati-Style Chili is when chili is served over spaghetti or as a coney sauce. When served over spaghetti, the chili is topped with a heaping mound of shredded cheddar cheese. As much as will fit on top without falling over the sides (you might want to add a little less if you are watching your waistline).

The serving method has a code:
A "One-way" would be a bowl of chili only, but it is almost never ordered this way.
A "Two-way" is spaghetti topped with chili only.
A "Three-way" is spaghetti topped with chili and cheese only.
A "Four-way" is spaghetti topped with chili, cheese, red kidney beans or chopped raw onions only.
A "Five-way" is spaghetti topped with chili, cheese, red kidney beans, and chopped raw onions only.
"Inverted" is when the cheese is served under the chili so it melts.
"Wet" is the request for extra chili.

This is a Cincinnati-Style Chili "five-way."

Serves: 4
Start to Finish: 8 1/2 hours (3o min prep + 8 hour in slow cooker)
Recipe By: Original recipe by Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade; however, I have adjusted it to suit my tastes

Ingredients:

1/2 lb ground beef
1 can tomato soup
1/2 can kidney beans
1/2 cup diced green peppers (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup diced onion (fresh or frozen)
1 pkt chili seasoning mix
1 TBSP beef stew seasoning mix
1/4 cup water
1 TBSP cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 box spaghetti noodles
grated cheese for topping
diced onion for topping

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, cook the ground beef until browned. Drain off the fat.
2. Dice the onion and bell pepper.
3. In a 5-quart slow cooker stir together ground beef, tomato soup, kidney beans, bell pepper, onion, chili seasoning mix, beef stew seasoning mix, water, vinegar, and cocoa powder until thoroughly combined.
4. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
5. Meanwhile, prepare spaghetti noodles according to package directions.
6. Serve chili over noodles with shredded cheese and chopped onions.

Beef Stroganoff

Beef stroganoff is one of my all-time favorite meals. So, when I was married, I made sure to get the recipe from my mother so I could include it in my own family's meals. Stroganoff is a Russian dish of sautéed pieces of beef served in a sauce with sour cream. The dish is thought to be named after a distinguished Russian family, the Stroganov family. I like to add fresh parsley to my noodles but if you want it to be truly authentic you can serve it with crisp potato straws.

Serves: 4 people
Start-to-Finish: 30 minutes
Recipe By: Jani Jones

Ingredients:

1 lb beef round top, sliced into thin strips (I often use ground beef for a more "budget friendly" substitute)
4 TBSP flour
1 onion, diced
2 (10-oz) cans cream of tomato soup
4 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (4-oz) can mushroom pieces (I always omit the mushrooms because neither my husband nor myself care for them)
1/2 cup water
1 cup sour cream
1 (12-oz) bag broad egg noodles
1 pat butter (optional)
2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Directions:

1. Slice beef into thin strips, cutting across the grain.
2. Dredge beef strips in flour.
3. In a large pan brown beef strips over medium-high heat.
4. Dice onion and mince garlic.
5. Add onion and garlic to the pan. Heat for 3 minutes.
6. Add tomato soup, Worcestershire sauce, mushrooms, and water to the pan.
7. Bring sauce to a boil.
8. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce thickens.
9. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions.
10. Drain noodles and dab with butter. (Here is when I would add chopped parsley... yummy!)
10. Remove sauce from heat and add sour cream; stirring constantly. (The sauce should be peachy-pink in color.)
11. Serve sauce over warm noodles.

Chicken alla Cacciatore

The caccia in cacciatore means "hunt". So the name of this dish loosely translates into hunter's-style chicken. Vegetables are used to flavor the chicken and the crock-pot method makes the meat tender. You can also include olives or mushrooms to this recipe. This dish has a delicious sauce but it tends to be thin so it is best complimented by an angel hair pasta or rice. These combinations will allow you to enjoy the sauce without be overpowered by noodles.

Serves: 4
Start to Finish: 7 1/2 hours (30 minutes prep time + 7 hours in slow cooker)
Recipe By: Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade (with adjustments to suit my tastes)

Ingredients:

2 breast of chicken, diced
1 (20-oz) can petite diced tomatoes
1 cup sliced carrots (fresh or frozen, whatever you have on hand)
1 cup sliced celery (approx. 2 celery ribs)
1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 (10 oz) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 TBSP poultry seasoning
1 box angel hair pasta

Directions:

1. Slice the carrots and celery.
2. Add carrots celery and tomatoes into the bottom of the slow cooker.
3. Top with chicken breasts.
4. In a bowl, stir together soup broth and seasonings.
5. Pour mixture over chicken.
6. Cook for 6-8 hours on low heat.
7. Meanwhile, prepare noodles according to package directions.
8. Serve chicken and vegetables over hot noodles.