The Marlboro Cookbook

You can’t buy the cookbook in stores but you can find it at flea markets, in secondhand bookstores and used on Amazon.com. It is well worth the effort to find this cookbook. And it is cheap to buy.

I have a friend who herself does not smoke but she has a vast network of smokers and city workers who collect empty cigarette packages for her. When we would go shopping in the catalog it was not a question of whether we had saved up enough miles for an item but how many of that item we were going to order. We often wondered when they were sending her the iron lung.

The book is quite small measuring only 5.5 x 5.5 inches. It has a spiral binding and the paper is coated both making the book easy to have open on the counter and to wipe off spills. There are notes pages for you to make notes on and wonderful pictures of both the recipes and manly men cowboy shots of steers, pick up trucks and chaps. It’s one tough little cookbook.

Over 25,000 entries were sent into the judges of the Chili Roundup. After many months of tasting, begging and brawling for more the top 50 were chosen. There are some great recipe names in the book: “Sedona Sunset” “You’re Not Man Enough” and “Eric’s Wooden Parrot Chili”.

Now I have a confession to make. I have not gotten past my first two recipes in the book because they were just so good that every time I go to make chili it is one of them. My two favorites are “Jamaican Me Some More Chili” and “Margarita Chili”. The ‘rita chili is vegetarian but both Chris and I have thrown hamburger in it. You can also do without the tequila but really why would you want to?

And we can also attest that if you ever have a chili dinner party, which you really should, that these two are a great combo for “with” and “without meat” selections.

I find chili to be a bargain food for me because I love it. I can eat on a pot for a week, be happy and have little or no waste. I also will make pots and freeze individual portions for later.

Below are my two favorite recipes. Try them out and and you will not be disappointed. Then you will be tracking the book down on Amazon.com just like Chris did after he cooked out of mine.

Margarita Chili
By Kimbery Seis, Antigo, WI

2 Tbsp. Vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
¼ c. tequila
2 28-oz. cans diced tomatoes
2 28-oz. cans kidney beans
2 28-oz. cans black beans
¼ tsp. Ground pepper
½ tsp. Crushed red pepper (or more!)
½ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Thyme
1 tsp. Cumin
1 Tbsp. Chili powder
3 Tbsp. Fresh cilantro, chopped
juice from ½ lime
course salt and lime slices (opt. garnish)
extra cilantro (opt. garnish)

Personally, I will give up the tequila before I will give up the garnish. That’s half the fun.

Heat oil in skillet and add chopped onion. Cook until slightly soft; then add garlic, chopped green pepper, chopped red pepper and tequila. Cook until onion is slightly golden. Place this mixture in the cooking pot and add tomatoes and beans. Place the pot over a burner at a medium to high heat until mixture is hot.

Add ground pepper, crushed red pepper, salt, thyme, cumin and chili powder. Simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. After one hour, add chopped cilantro. Cook for an additional 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add limejuice and cook for the final 15 minutes.

To serve wet rims of bowls, turn bowls upside down on a plate of course salt and turn (as if salting the rim of a margarita glass). Fill bowls with Margarita chili and add lime slices and cilantro as garnish, if so desired. Trust me you want to desire. Serves 6

Jamaican Me Some More Chili
By Donna Myers, Milwaukie, OR

2 pounds of lean pork cut into cubes
1 cup of orange juice
½ cup of lime juice
½ cup of lemon juice
¼ cup of olive oil
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 large onions, sliced
4 green bell peppers, seeded and sliced
2 Tablespoons of cumin
1 Tablespoon of oregano
¼ teaspoon of cloves
1 small jalapeno pepper, chopped
½ cup raisins
½ cup of water
2 16-ounce cans of Caribbean-flavored black beans, undrained (or, if necessary, 2 16-ounce cans of regular black beans I have always used regular beans)

Optional: serve with sour cream, lime wedges, flour tortillas and/or shredded cheese

In a sealed gallon storage bag, marinate the pork cubes in the orange, lime and lemon juices overnight. Drain off marinade. In a frying pan, sauté the pork cubes in the olive oil until brown.

In a 3 ½-quart slow cooker, add all the ingredients and stir once. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Serves 6