Ohio traditions

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, sauté minced onion in oil for 5 minutes. Add garlic and spices (from chili powder to black pepper), stirring until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and 1 cup of the water. Stir and cook another 5 minutes. Add ground beef and begin to break it up into pieces. Mix in Worcestershire sauce and remaining 3 cups of water. Bring to a low boil, turn heat down to medium low, and simmer uncovered for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally. If chili gets too dry, add a bit of extra water. Lastly, add vinegar and chocolate, cooking another 20 minutes or so. Store in refrigerator for up to a week.

In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook another minute or two, whisking constantly. Whisk in milk and let thicken a few minutes while continuing to whisk. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl and stir in the sauerkraut, ham, parsley, garlic powder, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, eggs, and ¼ cup of the bread crumbs.  

In a shallow bowl, place remaining ½ cup of breadcrumbs. Form sauerkraut mixture into 1½-inch balls. Roll each ball in breadcrumbs until coated. Set aside on a tray and place in fridge until ready to fry.

In a large skillet, heat about a ½ inch of vegetable oil to 350 F. With tongs, carefully lower a ball into the hot oil, frying until golden brown, about a minute. Flip and fry opposite side. Remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain. Adjust temperature if needed, then continue with batches of three to five balls at a time. Continually adjust temperature as needed to maintain 350 F. Serve immediately, with dipping sauce of choice. Makes approximately 15 to 28 balls.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Boil macaroni according to package’s al dente directions. Drain and set aside. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, green pepper, and mushrooms and sauté until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add ground beef and Italian sausage and sauté until cooked through. Drain off excess fat, then stir in the tomato sauce along with diced tomatoes, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Fold in macaroni and half of each of the cheeses. 

Grease two 9 x 13-inch casserole dishes (or one deep casserole dish). Pour mixture into dish, level the top, and sprinkle on the remaining cheeses. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes.

Melt butter in large skillet over low heat. Slowly whisk in flour, stirring constantly for 2 minutes until a roux forms. (The raw flour smell will have dissipated and it should smell slightly nutty.) Remove from heat and set aside. In a separate pot, bring milk just barely to a boil. Remove from heat and slowly whisk into the roux. Return skillet to medium heat and bring sauce to a boil, then simmer, whisking constantly, until it thickens. Whisk in black pepper and 2 ounces (½ cup) of the blue cheese.

On a large, oven-safe tray, spread out half of the kettle chips. Pour some of the sauce across the chips, then top with some of the remaining crumbled blue cheese. Repeat with the rest of the chips, more sauce, and the remaining blue cheese (if you end up with extra sauce, eat it over pasta!). Turn oven to broil. Heat until cheese is melted and the edges begin to turn golden brown. These will heat up fast, so check every minute to prevent burning. Sprinkle with scallions and serve immediately.