HOLIDAY FLAVORS: Grab a spoon

ALBANY — Today’s installment of our annual collection of Holiday Flavors reader-submitted recipes focuses on stews, soups and chili, perfect antidotes for a chill that (hopefully!) will be in the air over the next few months. We’ve also added a couple of other meat dishes to the mix today.

We’ll start with a recipe that has the most colorful title of any we’ve seen this season.

UNCLE CHARLIE’S

DRUNKARD’S STEW

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. of stew beef, cubed

1 can of mushroom soup

1 can of water

4 medium potatoes, peeled and in chunks

3-4 carrots, peeled and in chunks

3 onions, peeled and in chunks

1 rib celery cut into chunks

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 cup sherry (real sherry, not cooking sherry)

Directions

Brown meat in oil or drippings. Add remaining ingredients. Stir. Cook in oven at 350 degrees for 2-3 hours or at 275 for 5 hours.

Cook’s Notes: I use lean beef. This is always delicious. The recipe was given to me by Mr. Charlie Huie, a native of Scotland, in 1973.

— Karen Kiefer, Albany

BEEF/VEGGIE STUFF

Ingredients

2 lbs. ground chuck

2 (15 oz.) cans diced tomatoes

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 cup catsup

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. lemon pepper

4 carrots, chopped

2 medium onions, chopped

8 medium potatoes, chopped

Directions

Brown the ground chuck and drain. Add the diced tomatoes, catsup, tomato sauce, salt, lemon pepper, onions, carrots and potatoes. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce to medium heat and cook until veggies are tender, stirring occasionally. Serve with cornbread, corn chips or saltines.

— Jeanette Paul

SUNDAY CHILI

Ingredients

1 to 1 1/4 lb. ground sirloin

1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilis

2 (15 oz.) cans tomato sauce

1 (16 oz.) can Bush’s chili beans (mild or medium)

1 (14.5 oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

16 oz. water

2 Tbsp. dried basil, heaping

2 Tbsp. minced onions, heaping

1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. salt (or salt to taste)

1/2 tsp. pepper

3 Tbsp. chili powder (heaping)

1 Tbsp. sugar

Worcestershire sauce

Directions

Place the ground sirloin in a skillet and sprinkle chili powder, basil, tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. minced garlic on it, as well as Worcestershire sauce. Brown and drain if needed. In a pot while the meat is browning, pour in the cans of diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili beans and water. Add the 2 Tbsp. of basil, 2 Tbsp. onions, 1 tsp. garlic, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 2 tsp. salt (or to taste), 3 Tbsp. chili powder and 1 Tbsp. sugar. Once the meat is browned and ready, add in. Get the chili hot and then let it simmer a while. The longer the better. Serve with toast or Ritz crackers and shredded sharp cheddar cheese.

Cook’s note: Publix’s Italian bread makes perfect toast for this.

— Jim Hendricks

CHILI

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes

1 tsp. cumin

garlic powder

1 large onion, chopped

1 can tomato sauce

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. paprika

2 can beans (chili, pinto or kidney)

Directions

Brown the ground beef, then add onion and green pepper. Cook until tender. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer about an hour, or cook in a slow cooker for a while.

Cook’s note: The spices can be adjusted for taste.

— Annie Ruth Flanigan, Albany

GROUND BEEF AND

POTATO CASSEROLE

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

1 tsp. salt

1 lb. frozen hash brown potatoes

3/4 cup grated cheese

1/2 soup can of water

1/2 envelop dry onion soup mix

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Directions

Brown meat and drain fat. Place in large greased casserole pan and sprinkle dry onion soup mix over the meat. Top with hash browns. Mix soup, water, salt, pepper and soy sauce until well blended. Pour over the meat and potatoes. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for an hour. Remove foil and top with grated cheese. Bake for 15 minutes longer.

— Annie Ruth Flanigan, Albany

CHICKEN POT PIE

Ingredients

2 pie crusts

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 cup milk

2 cups cooked chicken, cubed

1 cup chicken broth or cream of chicken soup

2 Tbsp. flour

1 small can peas and carrots

Salt

Pepper

Directions

Mix butter, flour, salt (to taste), pepper (to taste) and chicken broth in a saucepan. Heat, stirring the mixture until smooth. Add milk and boil 1 minute. Stir in chicken and vegetables. Pour into pastry-lined pie pan. Place the other crust on top. Seal and flute. Brush melted butter onto top crust. Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

— Annie Ruth Flanigan, Albany

CHICKEN SPAGHETTI

Ingredients

1 fryer, cooked and deboned

8 oz. spaghetti, cooked and drained

1 can tomato soup

2 cups shredded cheese

1 small onion

1 stick butter

1 can Rotel tomatoes

Directions

Saute onion in butter. Add tomato soup and Rotel tomatoes with one can of water. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add chopped chicken and spaghetti. Pour into a 9-by-13 pan and cook uncovered at 350 degrees until sauce bubbles.

Cook’s note: Hamburger meat can be used instead of chicken.

— Annie Ruth Flanigan, Albany