HOLY HOT PEPPERS, BATMAN!

It's Chili weather. Or chilly weather, whichever you prefer. Actually, the temps here lately have been in the low 80's, go figure. But the leaves are falling, and that makes me want to drag out the slow cooker and start whipping up stews and chillis!

I subscribe to Cuisine at Home, which is one of the best cooking magazines around, in my humble opinion. I love everything about it! The tips, the pictures, the recipes, etc. This month the theme is comfort foods, and that really feels like fall to me.  I pour through each new issue as soon as I get it, to plan what goodies I'll spring on the family that month. Mike dreads my slow cooker, because we survived on slow cooked meals while I was in college, and so he pretty much hates anything that comes out of a slow cooker! Just to fool him, I made last night's recipe in a pot on the stove:

Doesn't that look yummy? It was really good, but I will tell you this: It included eight Anaheim chilies and five jalapeno chilies. I usually roast my peppers before I use them, for two reasons:
1. I like the flavor of roasted chilies, because I think it's richer. There is nothing that smells better than a bag of freshly roasted chilies sweating on the counter top.
2. De-seeding these hot little devils is a snap after they're roasted.

This recipe called for all that pepper goodness to be chopped. RAW. So I did, and the coughing fit that ensued brought several concerned family members from other parts of the house to see if I needed a Heimlich! I consulted my fabulous chef guru friend, Jacki, to see if she thought the recipe would change much if I roasted the peppers next time instead of chopping them. I think the consensus of everyone who weighed in on the subject was that next time we should save my respiratory tract and roast as usual! So, just a heads-up: learn from me, and should you encounter a recipe that calls for chopped chilies, consider roasting them instead! Unless, of course, you enjoy sneezing, a runny nose, and bloodshot eyes. Oh, and heaven forbid you are tempted to wipe your face.....