Couch Dinner (and, um, Go Jets)

I'm not into sports. I like the occasional baseball game. I totally love the Olympics. The social aspect of getting together to watch the Superbowl is fun. But I'm not really into sports.

So it's playoff night and my husband asked for dinner to be served downstairs in the TV room so he can park and watch both games all evening. No problemo. I was having trouble getting into gear today because we partied pretty late last night (Happy Birthday, Cor!!) It was around 1:00 when Pandagirl and I headed out to food shop.

First stop was Kohl's where I needed to get pajamas for Redman, sweat pants for Panda and...(cough)...something else:

I haven't opened the box yet. I didn't get home from food shopping until 3 so there wasn't time to properly slow-cook something and besides, Wolfie needs time to adjust to the newcomer.

By the way, I was so proud of Pandagirl today as a foodie-in-training. DeCicco's has about twelve cheese-tasting stations scattered through the store and we hit every one. She tried every kind and it really was something to hear her observations from Pecorino to Gouda to Gruyere.

"This is sharp...this is sharp, too, but it's more tangy, it makes the roof of my mouth tingle. This is smooth, wow. I like New York cheddar better than English cheddar..." In the end she picked a little wedge of Pecorino.

So! Home again, home again jiggity-jog. I already had cornbread going in the bread machine and it was about to go into the 1-hour bake cycle. I wanted to make chicken chili which we'd had at my seester-in-law's house over Christmas. She made hers in the slow cooker. I would make mine in Madame Le Creuset.

Oven to 350, Madame on the burner. Olive oil, 1 diced white onion, 1 diced red onion. Saute.

Add 1 2-lb package boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat.

Drain and rinse 1 can red kidney beans and 1 can black beans. Add to Madame with 1 16-oz jar of salsa of your choice

Add 1 tablespoon chili pepper, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, a sprig or two of fresh thyme. And 1 square unsweetened baker's chocolate.

You heard me. 1 square baker's unsweetened chocolate. Fine, you don't have to, but you might want to give it a try. True Mexican chili has chocolate. The Aztecs invented it. That's all I'm saying.

Cover Madame and into the oven she goes.Leave her alone for an hour. Don't stir, don't peek, don't bother her. Go about your business, make a cake or something.

After an hour, take Madame out and give it a stir to incorporate the melted chocolate and redistribute the meat.

Cover, return to oven and cook another 1/2 hour or so. Take out, remove the thyme stems and break up the chicken with the side of a wooden spoon. If you wish, add some frozen corn (as with the cornbread recipe, Trader Joe's Roasted Sweet corn is best) and chopped fresh cilantro or parsley.

Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, cornbread, beers and a football game.

Go Jets.