Thinking Like a Man

Sometimes I think I’m a man. Scratch that (no, not THAT)…

…sometimes I think like a man.

For all of my painted toes, glossy lips, love of lacy dresses and high heels I can’t escape the fact that while I may not pee standing up (except for a small number of public restrooms in China) I do have a few male tendencies:

1. Abhorring neediness in the opposite sex
It’s scary and wrong. If you need someone that bad, call your mother, not me.

2. Independence
I need mine like an addict.

3. Freaking out at the mention of commitment (or babies)*
Gulp. If I smell it then I’ll smell ya later.

4. Thinking excessive amounts of emoticons are stupid:
Riddling every sentence with them, come on - be a grown up.

In homage to that little bit of me that requires ‘alone time’ and ‘let’s not talk about feelings time’ I’ve created a male dominated menu for my Sunday Supper.

Chilli
Before you even judge the fact that the recipe calls for ground turkey over ground beef remember that even big strong manly men need to watch their saturated fat intake.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
500 g (just over 1lb) lean ground turkey
¼teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon chili flakes
½ teaspoon garlic powder
3 small bay leaves
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 400 gram (about 28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
3 ½ cups chicken stock
100 grams (about 3.5 ounces) tomato puree
3 400 gram (about 15-ounce) cans small white beans, rinsed, drained – I used a mixture of cannellini and flageolet
2 cups diced courgette (zucchini)
Chopped fresh cilantro
Light sour cream /crème fraiche
Store bought (good) guacamole

Preparation
- Heat oil in large pot over medium heat
- Add onions and garlic; sauté until translucent, about 10 minutes
- Add oregano and cumin
- Increase heat to medium-high
- Add turkey; stir until no longer pink, breaking up with back of spoon
- Stir in cayenne pepper, chili flakes, garlic powder, bay leaves, cocoa powder, salt and cinnamon
- Add crushed tomatoes
- Mix in stock and tomato paste
- Bring to boil
- Reduce heat; simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Meanwhile: blanch courgette (can be as simple as placing the courgette with 1 tablespoon water in a microwave on high for 90-120 seconds)
- Add beans to chili and simmer until flavors blend, 5 minutes
- Add courgette, simmer for 5 more minutes
- Discard bay leaves
- If possible make a day ahead so flavours have time to settle
- Rewarm over medium-low heat and serve with fresh cilantro, sour cream or crème fraiche, and guacamole

Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
Filled with a chocolate peanut butter fudge these cookies are rich and sinfully delicious. They're also simple to make - and like two desserts in one.

*For any trauma this comment causes my mother, apologies in advance.