Congratulations on Your First TD of The Season!

Congratulations Jordan Howard on your first Touchdown of the season and helping the Bears earn First Place in the division!

Jordan Howard is Alabama through and through. He was born in a suburb outside of Birmingham and played high school ball for the Gardendale Rockets. College ball was with U of Alabama Birmingham in 2013 and 2014.  Even though he was regarded only a 2-star prospect, he began setting school records.

In 2015, UAB shut down its football program and Howard moved to Indiana taking on the likes of Michigan with a season high of 238 yards and 2 touchdowns in his junior year. He opted out of his senior year and entered the NFL.

In 2007, his father "Doc" Howard, a dentist, died of pulmonary fibrosis at 52. Since then, Howard has worn a white t-shirt with a picture of his father under his pads on game day.

Tomorrow this blogger honors Jordan Howard with some Alabama Pulled Pork. It's in the crock pot now.

Alabama Pulled Pork

Ingredients:

Pork Butt Roast

Dry Rub:
     Brown Sugar
     Ancho Chili Pepper
     Chili Pepper
     Cumin
     Pepper
     Garlic Salt
     Smoked Paprika
     Dry Mustard

Liquid:
     Beef Stock
     Apple Cider Vinegar
     Apple Cider

NOTE: You can also smoke this for 6-10 hours. Both are delicious.

Directions:

1.   Rub the roast all over with the dry rub
2.   Spray cooking oil in the crock pot
3.   Place roast in the crock pot with Beef Stock up to half the height of the roast
4.   Add 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar and 1 cup Apple Cider
5.   Set on low over night
6.   Once done, pull the meat in large chunks and pour one cup of sauce per 4 LBs of  
      meat. You can let it sit or serve immediately.

Let's go Jordan and Bears! Let's beat Tampa Bay and maintain our lead.

Welcome to Chicago Khalil!

The Mack Attack has been everything we've been promised. In keeping with our new tradition, What Bears Eat will honor Khalil Mack tonight with one of my South Florida favorites. First, a bit about our new superstar.

Khalil began his football career as a quarterback. Perhaps that's why he knows how to get to them. He played for Fort Pierce Westwood High School Panthers and earned the nickname "Bombshell Man." However, quarterback wasn't to his liking and he shifted to linebacker.

At 6' 3", Khalil dreamed of a career in basketball but a torn patella tendon quashed those dreams.  He was counting on his basketball prowess to earn him a college scholarship. Waide Ashmon, his college football coach promised him and his parents football could earn him a scholarship. Khalil put his all into it and, during his senior year, scored 140 tackles and led his team to a district championship.

Welcome to Chicago Khalil. We hope you have a long and productive career as a Bear. Your special meal will be Pescado Borracho or Drunken Fish.

Drunken Fish

Ingredients:

3 Lbs fish - I've chosen swordfish
2 dried Ancho Chilies
1/3 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 TB olive oil
3 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup water
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground cumin
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 cup sliced pimento stuffed olives
1 TB capers (optional)
1 sliced zucchini (optional)
Spinach (optional)

Directions:

Cut chilies open. Discard stems and seeds. Cut chilies in small pieces and place in a small bowl. Cover with boiling water. Let stand 45 - 60 minutes. Drain and place in a blender with wine. Blend until nearly smooth.

In medium saucepan, cook onion and garlic until tender but not brown. Add chili-wine mixture. Add tomatoes, 1/3 cup water, sugar, salt, oregano and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes.

Place fish in a greased 13x9x2 baking dish. Season fish with salt and pepper. Place sliced zucchini (if desired) in dish as well. Stir olives and capers into tomato sauce. Pour over fish and zucchini. Cover, backe at 350 for 45 - 60 minutes or until fish flakes easily.

Prepare spinach and place on a platter. When fish is ready, carefully place the fish and zucchini on the spinach. Put sauce in a gravy boat or bowl. Ladle sauce over the fish and vegetables.

Go Bears! Let's get a win over the Cardinals.

The Spicy Cajun

A Win for the Spicy Cajun

The second Monday Night Football Game in a row for Chicago was about honoring the Spicy Cajun - Brian Urlacher. 

What Bears Eat participated in the fun by cooking Jambalaya in honor of his New Orleans roots. Delicious dinner and a delicious win. Bears, let's continue the fun next week as we honor Kahlil Mack. 

This week's recipe is a favorite - Jambalaya. And it resulted in a win. Let's go for two in a row.

Jambalaya

Ingredients:

¼ Cup butter

1 onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

½ TB minced garlic

1 # ham, in small cubes

1 # low fat smoked sausage, in small cubes

1 ½ Cup uncooked rice

8 oz diced tomatoes with juice

6 pepperoncini (chopped or finely diced) and juice

2 ½ Cups Chicken or Beef stock

¼ tsp Cayenne or Chili Powder

1 can mushrooms

½ tsp pepper

Salt to taste

Directions:

11.            Melt butter in stock pot

22.           Add onion, celery and garlic – saute about 5 minutes

33.           Add sausage and ham, brown while stirring

44.           Add rice – stir and brown for 5 minutes

55,           Add tomatoes, mushrooms, pepperoncini – cook for 3 minutes

66.          Add Stock, salt, pepper and cayenne

77.           Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 45 minutes

88.            Add pepperoncini juice to taste

You Snooze, You Lose!

I admit it, I was wrong.

During the 3rd quarter I was certain da Bears would win. I fell asleep. When I woke, the game was over so I Googled the result just for a bit more "feel good."

 Not so much. How did this happen?

I am convinced that Aaron Rodgers has 2 magic beans each year that he uses to defeat the Bears. It doesn't matter how well we've played, how far ahead we are or even if, Rodgers himself has been injured. He eats the magic bean and the Packers win.

Let's move on to next week and hope there are no other magic beans available.

It's A New Day, Bears Fans

It's A New Day 

Bears fans, anyone who has followed this blog knows how critical I've been of Jay Cutler's lack of leadership skills. While his talent can't be denied, he can't lead his team and I consider that essential. 


Enter Mitch Trubisky. I think this guy has it all but don't believe me. Both Coach Ditka and Mike Singletary think this guy is the real deal. As I've read about, and listened to him talk about, his servant leadership style - I'm on board. In support of Trubisky's beliefs, I have determined my plan of cooking the food of the opponent to sap their power" is contrary to Mitch's plan to build power, brotherhood and teamwork from within. Therefore, we will no longer be cooking with an eye on the opponent - we will be cooking to reward amazing effort on behalf of the Bears. 

This week we face the Green Bay Packers - the arch enemies of our beloved Bears. I've decided to welcome our new head coach - Matt Nagy - with recipes celebrating the food of Delaware. Coach Nagy played college ball in Delaware so here we go! Welcome Coach Nagy!

Happily we are not expecting rain in Green Bay this weekend like we are in Chicago. However, it will be cool so you can choose to cook something fall-like.

Food Choices
Apparently our choices include:

Anything Chicken including Chicken and Noodles
Peach Pie
Goulash
Mac and Cheese

Goulash is my comfort food so I'll likely prepare that. To be honest, I made Chicken Enchiladas last night. Both recipes are included. I hope Coach Nagy feels especially welcomed! 

What will you be cooking to embrace this new era?


Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

6 tortillas
1 cup shredded cheese
2 TB butter
2 TB Flour
1 cup Chicken Broth
1/2 cup greek yogurt or sour cream
1 cup+ chopped, cooked chicken

Directions:

1.  Spray baking dish with cooking spray
2.  Assemble Enchiladas in baking dish by by filling each tortilla with chopped chicken and half of the cheese, roll and tuck in edges - set aside
3.  Pre-heat oven to 425

4.  Melt butter in a saucepan
5.  Add flour and stir continuously for at least 2 minutes
6.  Slowly stir in chicken broth, stir until thick and bubbly
7.  Stir in yogurt or sour cream - cook till heated but don't boil
8.  Pour sauce over rolled tortillas
9.  Bake for 20 minutes
10.  Sprinkle enchiladas with the remaining cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Serve with salsa.

Goulash

Ingredients:

1 # ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes - do not drain
1/2 bag of egg noodles

Directions:

1.  Cook egg noodles according to package directions, drain and set aside
2.  Brown onion
3.  Add ground beef to browned onions, brown and drain
4.  Add tomatoes to ground beef mixture, heat
5.  Add egg noodles to ground beef mixture and simmer until desired consistency