West Texas Chili

Ingredients:

2 large onions, diced
1/4 cup vegetable oil
5 minced cloves of garlic
2 pounds ground beef
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons ancho chile powder
2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 (12 oz) can amber ale beer
2 tablespoons masa harina (corn flour)

Sauté diced onions in hot oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high 7 minutes or until translucent. Add minced garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add beef, and cook, stirring often, 6 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in Dutch oven; return beef to Dutch oven.

Stir in 1 tablespoon salt, 3 tablespoons ancho chile powder, 2 tablespoons ground cumin, and 1 tablespoon paprika; cook 2 minutes. Stir in diced tomatoes and tomato paste.

Add 3/4 cup beer and 1 cup water; simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 3/4 cup beer and 1/2 cup water; simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add masa; cook 10 minutes. Add additional water to reach desired consistency.

Filet Mignon

Ingredients:

• filet mignon
• kosher salt, 4 teaspoons
• freshly cracked pepper, 4 teaspoons
• butter, 1 stick
• olive oil, 1 tablespoon
• garlic, 2 cloves, chopped
• parsley, 1 tablespoon, chopped
• thyme - 1 tablespoon, chopped
• lemon zest, 1 teaspoon

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Take 1/2 stick of butter, softened, and mix well with the peeled, chopped garlic, the chopped herbs, and the lemon zest.  Form into a log and refrigerate.  Generously season the filet's with salt and pepper, approximately 1 teaspoon of seasoning per side. Heat the remainder of the butter (1/2 stick) and the olive oil in a cast iron skillet to a screaming hot temperature.     Sear the filets in a screaming hot pan for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until a nice brown crust has formed. While the steak is searing, continue to spoon the residual butter in the pan on top of the meat while it's cooking.  Once both sides are seared, place in the center of the oven for about 6-8 minutes, depending upon how thick your steak is.  In the last minute of cooking, take the log of compound butter and slice a nice thick piece to place on top. Your steak will be ready when it is approximately 135 degrees in the center, or when you push lightly on the top center of the steak and it gently and slowly bounces back.

Note:  We didn't make the garlic/herb butter.  We seared our steaks and continually coated them in butter but decided to top ours with fresh blue cheese instead.