Recipes by Jim Davis: Cook-All-Day Chili; Shredded Chicken Salad

Jim Davis' Cook-All-Day Chili

1/2 pound dried pinto beans
Water
2 1/2 pounds lean chuck, coarsely ground
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 tablespoons corn oil
1 pound onions plus 1 white onion
1 pound green peppers, chopped
1/2 cup parsley
1/2 cup butter
5 cups canned tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin seed
2 to 3 tablespoons chili powder
Saltines

Soak beans overnight in cold water. Drain. Brown beef and garlic in corn oil in Dutch oven or heavy stock pot.

Peel and chop all onions, reserving 1 white onion as garnish, if desired. In separate pan, saute onions, green pepper and parsley in butter until vegetables soften.

In large pot, combine beans, beef and onion mixture with tomatoes, salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder. Mix well. Simmer over low heat all day or until beans are tender. Taste to correct seasonings before serving. Serve with saltine crackers and reserved chopped onion on the side, if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Note: "It can't be chili unless you use pinto beans or season it with Gebhardt's chili powder," Davis said. He likes to select his own meat and have it coarsely ground (chili ground). Chili can be made in a slow cooker after initially browning meat and sauteing vegetables.

Jim Davis' Shredded Chicken Salad

2 whole chicken breasts
Water
2 quarts vegetable oil for deep-fat frying
8 squares wonton dough, cut into 1/8-inch strips
1/3 package rice noodles
1 teaspoon Chinese-style liquid mustard
1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
2 teaspoons Chinese-style sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons toasted almonds, finely chopped
1/2 cup green onions, white part only, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 head of lettuce, shredded

Cook chicken breasts in barely enough water to cover, until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from water. Drain.

Pour vegetable oil into deep fryer and heat to 350 degrees. Test for readiness by dropping one of the rice noodles into oil. If it sinks to bottom, oil is not hot enough. When it pops up immediately, put in wonton dough strips and fry until light tan color. Remove and drain on paper towel.

Divide rice noodles into 3 parts and deep-fry separately. Noodles should explode on contact with hot oil and should be instantly removed before oil is absorbed. Drain on paper toweling.

Deep-fry chicken meat 5 minutes. Remove, drain on toweling, bone and cut into strips, including skin. Put chicken meat in large salad bowl with mustard, five-spice powder, sesame oil, soy sauce, almonds, green onions and salt; mix well. Add crisp-fried wonton strips and noodles, and mix.

Pile salad over lettuce bed on large platter, but do not toss wonton strips or noodles or they will get soggy. Serve at once. Great for first course or main course salad. Makes 4 servings.

Note: Wonton or spring-roll dough comes in 3-inch squares and -- along with rice noodles, Chinese-style sesame oil, Chinese-style liquid mustard and five-spice powder (a blend of Chinese herbs) -- can be found in Oriental food shops and sometimes in the gourmet sections of supermarkets.