Thursday, August 11, 2011

Tastes from Home

When I think back to my childhood, I have so many memories. So many of those memories have sights, sounds, smells and foods associated with them.

Much of my childhood was spent with family and when we got together, we ate. We would have a family dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's house (Mom's family) every other week. At these dinners, not only would I get to enjoy the tastes of Grandma's cooking, but also family favorite "carry-in" type dishes. Over the years, the dishes evolved, but there were certainly dishes that stood the test of time. We would go on family camp-outs every summer with my Dad's family. I remember enjoying Beer Battered Walleye. I remember S'mores and Pie Irons.

Many of the dishes that I like to make today are things that I learned to cook with my mom - things like Chicken Gravy over biscuits, Chili, Tacos. I remember eating out and enjoying Fried Chicken and Potato Salad at a monthly Chicken Fry.

The tastes of my youth don't end with my family. When we were little, my best friend and I liked to play in the kitchen. We would make up recipes. We had a recipe we called Rice Delight. Essentially, it was instant white rice, sugar and jelly. We would make "fudge" with our chocolate milk mix and milk, by putting lots of mix and only a little milk in a tea set that she had.

Frito Lay offers a line of Regionally Inspired Flavors and has asked of the blogging community, what recipe (flavor) reminds you of home. With all of these memories associated with food, I struggle to choose just one taste that reminds me of home. I guess though that I would go with Cincinnati Style Chili.

Cincinnati-Style Chili from Skyline Chili was a regional favorite that I introduced my husband to during one of his first visits to my hometown. Being Italian, he was very hesitant about the idea of serving Chili on Spaghetti. Little did I know when I introduced him that it would become one of his favorites. When we were living in Pittsburgh, there wasn't one nearby, so I found a way to recreate the flavor at home. I got a recipe from my aunt for a knock off version and over the years have made it my own by tweaking it. One of the changes was the result of an "error" on my part, when I used No Salt Added Tomato Sauce.

Cincinnati-Style Chili
2# Ground Beef
1 quart water
1 large onion finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp vinegar
3-8oz cans of tomato sauce
1-6oz cans of tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp red pepper
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground all spice
3 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1 small piece unsweetened chocolate

Add the ground meat to the water and stir to break up. Bring water and meat to a boil and allow to cook until the meat is done. Add the other ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring regularly. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for a few hours, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf.

Spaghetti, cooked
Light Red Kidney Beans, cooked
1 small onion, diced
Mild Cheddar cheese, shredded

To serve, layer spaghetti, beans, chili, onions and shredded cheese.

Giveaway
Courtesy of Lays, I have the chance to giveaway to one A Busy Mom of Two reader a variety pack of Lay’s Regional Flavors.

To enter, leave a comment answering the following question:
What flavors remind you of home?

Additional Entries (please leave a separate comment for each entry):

Visit Lay's website and then come back and a leave a comment sharing which Lay's Regional Flavor are you most interested in trying?

Follow ABusyMomofTwo on Twitter.

Tweet about this giveaway. You may complete this entry once per day. (You may use the following or write your own: Enter to win a variety pack of Lay's Regionally Inspired chips. #giveaway Ends 8/30 http://bit.ly/n0MCPo)

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Share this giveaway with friends - on your blog, on Facebook or by posting it on a giveaway link-up. Leave me a comment letting me know how you shared or leave a link to the giveaway link-up. You may have one additional entry for each giveaway linky that you submit it on.

Leave a comment with a link to your blog where you have either my button or have a link to A Busy Mom of Two in your blog roll.

Giveaway will remain open until August 30th at 6 pm. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected using a random number generator. The winner will be contacted by e-mail (be sure to leave one!) and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

No compensation was received for this post. Lay's provided information and chips for me try. By posting this and sharing the link, I am also entering a contest. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family.

47 comments:

NeedANap2 said...

Grilled food, usually hamburgers and (baked) potatoes. I would always add bbq sauce!

NeedANap2 said...

I'd like to try the balsamic sweet onion, I wonder if it tastes like the sweet onion at Subway.

Theresa said...

My mom always made the best gravy, no matter what it was for. I like to say I'm pretty sure her gravy could create world peace.

Theresa said...

I want to try the carolina bbq flavor

Theresa said...

email subscriber

Lori Sifuentes said...

The smell of a pie baking.

Thanks
surveys4lori at rocketmail.com

Lori Sifuentes said...

Email subscriber

Thanks
surveys4lori at rocketmail.com

Lori Sifuentes said...

Follow on twitter

Thanks
surveys4lori at rocketmail.com

Lori Sifuentes said...

Facebook fan

Thanks
surveys4lori at rocketmail.com

Jessica said...

The smell of chili reminds me of home. My dad was always making it.
reklaw422 at hotmail dot com

janetfaye said...

The flavor of fresh baked Banana Bread reminds me of home.

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

I would like to try Garden Tomaton & Basil.

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

I am email subscribed.

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

I like your FB page - Janet Fri

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janetfaye said...

Tweet:
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Kat said...

Hotdogs from the Varsity in Atlanta.
heykat at usa dot com

Dan said...

My mom owned a pancake restaurant when I was a kid, so the taste/smell of pancakes reminds me of home.
daniel_pillatzki at yahoo.com

Amanda said...

My dad's chili!
pandapotter2001 at yahoo dot com

Deana said...

The smell of bread rising. deanawood@centurytel.net

Thabal said...

My mother is the best cook, she cooks almost everything, from bread to pasta from scratch. I just love returning school to find something delish ;) Thanks for the giveaway.

thabal628 (at) gmail (dot) com

Thabal said...

Would love to try 'Garden Tomato & Basil'. Thanks for the giveaway.

thabal628 (at) gmail (dot) com

Thabal said...

RSS Subscriber of your blog.

thabal628 (at) gmail (dot) com

Thabal said...

Follow you on Twitter: (at)thabal628.

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Steph S said...

The smell of warm chocolate chip cookies reminds me of home.


ms0812(at)zoominternet(dot)net

Steph S said...

Twitter follower (@1day1dollar)


ms0812(at)zoominternet(dot)net

Steph said...

I'd like to try the Chipotle Ranch.


ms0812(at)zoominternet(dot)net

janetfaye said...

Tweet:
https://twitter.com/#!/Janetfaye/status/107991783438422016



janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

mimom said...

Spaghetti, porketta, pot roast, etc.

mimom said...

Creamy Garden Ranch looks good.

mimom said...

I suscribed via RSS feed.

glamgirlajj said...

cupcakes remind me of home!

glamgirlajj said...

i'd like to try the garden ranch.

glamgirlajj said...

like you on facebook as tiffany taylor

SavannahsSmiles said...

pumpkin pie reminds me of home

SavannahsSmiles said...

i would try the carolina bbq
christinaburrell@hotmail.com

ahesselmeyer@yahoo.com said...

The smell of fresh cutt grass, homemade cookies, and fried chicken on Sunday

ahesselmeyer@yahoo.com said...

I would like to try the carolina bbq flavor

Laura said...

My mom loves to grill, so yummy grilled food like kabobs reminds me of home.

Thanks,
Laura

Laurasu82 at yahoo.com

Kaitlin McCormick said...

Hamburgers on the grill remind me of home :)

xxfirelillyxx@hotmail.com

Kaitlin McCormick said...

I would love to try the garden ranch flavor.

xxfirelillyxx@hotmail.com

Jay said...

I like fried plaintains.
rbjj32825[at]lycos[dot]com

furygirl3132 said...

Homemade foods made with a lot of love remind me of home such as my grandmother's homemade pies and rolls, and meatloaf with all the comfort food fixings. Thanks so much for hosting this great giveaway!

Eloise
furygirl3132[at]comcast[dot]net

furygirl3132 said...

I would love to try the Creamy Garden Ranch flavor the most.

Eloise
furygirl3132[at]comcast[dot]net

furygirl3132 said...

Following you on Twitter (furygirl3132)

Eloise
furygirl3132[at]comcast[dot]net

furygirl3132 said...

I tweeted:
http://twitter.com/furygirl3132/status/108568774709489664

Eloise
furygirl3132[at]comcast[dot]net

furygirl3132 said...

Email subscriber.

Eloise
furygirl3132[at]comcast[dot]net

furygirl3132 said...

Like you on Facebook (Eloise Bowen Carlson)

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