White Chicken Chili

 

Ingredients

4 servings

3

Tbsp. unsalted butter

2

Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1

medium onion, finely chopped

4

garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1

lb. ground chicken, preferably dark meat

1½

tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more

1

tsp. chili powder

1

tsp. ground cumin

½

tsp. ground coriander

Freshly ground pepper

2

4-oz. cans diced green chiles

2

15.5-oz. cans white beans, rinsed

3

cups low-sodium chicken broth

Sliced avocado, sour cream, cilantro leaves, sliced jalapeños, corn chips, and lime wedges (for serving)

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Heat 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter and 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high until butter is melted. Cook 1 medium onion, finely chopped, and 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 4–6 minutes. Add 1 lb. ground chicken, preferably dark meat, 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 tsp. chili powder, 1 tsp. ground cumin, and ½ tsp. ground coriander; season with freshly ground pepper. Cook, stirring often and breaking up chicken with a wooden spoon, until combined and chicken is no longer pink, 3–4 minutes. Add two 4-oz. cans diced green chiles and cook, stirring often and continuing to break up chicken, until chicken is cooked through, 2–3 minutes. 

   Step 2

   Add two 15.5-oz. cans white beans, rinsed, and 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally and mashing some of the beans with spoon, until flavors are melded and chili is slightly thickened, 8–10 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.

   Step 3

   Divide chili among bowls and top with sliced avocado, sour cream, cilantro leaves, sliced jalapeños, and corn chips. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.

Flour Tortillas

 

This is the recipe taught to me by my friend Marcela Gonzalez.

2 C flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3 T shortening (or lard or butter or bacon grease or some combination of those)

1 C (plus extra if needed) hot- but not scalding- water

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl. 

Add the fat and pinch it into the flour with your hands until it's evenly combined and sandy-textured.

Add nearly the full cup of hot water and knead it into the flour until you have a soft, but not sticky ball. If you add too much water, you can add a little flour. 

Let the dough rest, covered with a lightly damp dish cloth, for a half hour. 

Divide the dough into 6,8, or 10 balls, depending on how big you want your tortillas. Let the dough rest for at least another half hour, and up to a couple hours. 

Roll out the a ball from the center to the edges, and then stretch the dough very thin from the center outwards with your fingers. I sometimes lay it over my fist and gently tug as I spin it in a circle.

Ideally, heat a cast-iron pan or skillet over medium-high heat until it's nice and hot. Otherwise, you can use an electric skillet at about 350-375, or a heavy frying pan.

Place the rolled tortilla on the hot pan until it looks drier and begins to puff. Turn it over and cook through, until there's light brown spots, using a spatula to pat down the tortilla. Careful of the steam!

Taco Soup

Brown

1 lb ground beef or turkey or plant-based "ground beef"

with 1 diced onion

add 1 packet taco seasoning. 

Drain and add:

1 can black beans

1 can kidney beans

1 can carrots

1 can corn

Add

1 can beef broth (14 oz)

1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz)
1 can diced green chilies (4 oz)

1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)

Simmer for 10-15 min. OR put in crockpot on low until warmed through, up to 6 hours.

Top with sour cream, cheese, avocado, tortilla chips, etc.

Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas

mine looked kind of like this, but with corn tortillas

2-3 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into half-inch cubes

2 zucchinis diced into half-inch cubes

1 green or red bell pepper diced into half inch pieces

2-4 cloves garlic, whole

1 onion diced

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can red enchilada sauce

corn tortillas

Jack or Pepper Jack or Jack/Cheddar shredded

cilantro, avocado, and sour cream for serving

1. Preheat oven to 400*

2. Toss sweet potatoes and garlic cloves with enough olive oil to make them glisten. Sprinkle with salt. Roast for 15-20 min until soft enough to poke with a fork, but not mashable. Dice garlic finely,

3. Toss zucchini, peppers, and onions with enough olive oil to make them glisten. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 10-15 min until soft enough to poke with a fork.

4. Turn oven down to 350*

5. Mix all the vegetables, beans, 1/4-ish C of red sauce, and a couple handfuls of cheese together.

6. Fill tortillas with scant 1/4 C of mix and a sprinkle of cheese. Roll them up and lay them seam side down in a pan.

7. When your pan is full, pour some enchilada sauce over the enchilada sauce and sprinkle with more cheese. Bake for 25-35 min until everything is bubbly. Immediately top with chopped cilantro. Serve with avocados and sour cream. 

Makes about 2 9x13 in pans of enchiladas. I think total there were 26 enchiladas. My kids ate 1-2 and we ate 2-3. 

I made one pan and froze the rest of the mix and kept the second half of the enchilada sauce in my fridge. The next week I thawed the veggie mix, added some left over rice that had no other destiny than the trash can, and filled some more tortillas. I've made similar enchiladas with a cup of frozen corn I tossed on with the roasting veggies. You could also roast a jalapeno or anaheim if you want more heat. You could add some spinach.

Homemade salsa

This is from my friend April Young who lives in Katy, TX.

I use my blender to chop everything up, but a food processor is easiest. Be warned, it makes a ton of salsa.

10 roma tomatoes
1 bunch cilantro
1 white onion
2 jalepeno peppers 
1 Anaheim pepper
2/3 can crushed tomatoes
3 Tbsp garlic salt
2 tsp sugar
Juice of 4 limes or to taste

Mix it all together and serve

Quinoa with Black Beans and Corn

photo from whatsonmymenu.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups broth*
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

*I like the flavor of chicken broth, but if you want to make this meal vegetarian, use vegetable broth or water.

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.
2. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes,
3. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.
4. Use this the way you would use any taco filling: in taco shells, tortillas, or on salad topped with lettuce, tomato, avocado, cheese, and sour cream.

Pizza- even better

This dough is also from smittenkitchen. I finally buckled and bought some cooking wine to try this recipe, and boy am I glad I did. Last night's pizza was the best I've eaten in a long time, and although I did have some great toppings (like Trader Joe's quattro formigia shredded cheese, fresh mozzerella, and basil I grew myself), I really think the crust was the deciding factor. The first measurements are for "one small thin crust." I quadrupled it to make 3 large (12 inch?) pizzas which fed 6 adults, 4 toddler/preschoolers, and a baby. Adjust as you will.

6 Tbsp warm water
3/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp honey
2 Tbsp white wine
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt

1.5 C warm water
1 Tbsp yeast
2 tsp honey
½ C white wine
¼ C olive oil
6 C all-purpose flour
4 tsp salt

Directions:
1. Dissolve yeast and honey in warm (100*) water. Let sit till frothy.
2. Measure out flour into large bowl and stir in salt. (I substituted one cup of white whole wheat flour in mine to no ill effect)
3. Add wine and olive oil to water. Add liquids to flour.
4. Use a spatula to stir it all up until it's clumpy, then use your hands to mash it all into a ball, making sure to incorporate all the floury bits.
5. Knead on a lightly floured counter/pizza peel until smooth and mostly uniform in consistency. (This shouldn't take long)
6. Oil the bowl your dough was in, roll the dough in it, and cover with plastic wrap.
7. Let rise until doubled, 1-2 hours.
8. Lightly press the air out of the dough and let it sit for 15 minutes or so while you prep your ingredients. Preheat your oven to 500* with the pizza stone inside it.
9. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface/pizza peel. Fold one side over and sprinkle the surface with cornmeal, then do the other side.
10. Add your toppings, and bake 10 minutes or until everything's browned and bubbly.

Here are some of my favorite topping combos:

For a traditional, tomato sauce pizza, I like to herb my crust. First, I lightly rub it with olive oil. Then I sprinkle on garlic powder, oregano, thyme, and sometimes rosemary. Then, I just use jarred spaghetti sauce and sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top of that rather than making or buying special pizza sauce.

Tomato sauce pizzas:

Fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, tomato slices, and bacon.

Fresh mozzarella, shredded sharp cheddar, bell peppers, red onions, olives, and pepperoni.

1/2 red sauce, half pesto, mozzarella, and italian meats.

White pizzas:

Alfredo, chicken, brocolli, or zucchini

olive oil, goat cheese, pear, caramelized onion. once you cook that, add fresh arugula, and candied pecans.

equal parts ricotta and sour cream, seasoned with salt and pepper, topped with bacon and caramelized onions

Other pizzas:

sour cream and salsa, topped with sharp cheddar cheese, grilled chicken, red onion, and grilled corn. once you cook that, add fresh cilantro and avocado slices

peanut satay sauce topped with mozzarella, grilled chicken, carrots, and onion. top with fresh cilantro.

Creamy White Chili

Creamy White Chili
7 Servings

1 lb cubed chicken (or 2 lbs)-- any left over chicken, especially rotisserie is good
1 med onion, chopped
1.5 tsp garlic powder-- we use fresh garlic
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cans (15.5 oz) Great Northern Beans-- any white bean will work. we use 2 different sizes for variety
1 can of chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
.5 tsp pepper
.25 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
.5 cup whipping cream

Directions
Sautee chicken, onion, and garlic powder in oil
Add beans, broth, seasonings, and boil
Simmer down for 30 minutes
Remove from heat, stir in sour cream and whipping cream

Chicken Enchiladas

What I use when someone in the ward needs a meal

Chicken Enchiladas

8-10 Flour Tortillas
2 (9oz) cans of Enchilada sauce
1/2 lb. Cheddar Cheese grated
1/2 lb. Monterey Jack grated
1/3 cup Green Onions chopped
1/3 cup Black Olives
1/4 cup Cilantro finely chopped
4 Chicken Breasts cooked and shredded
1 large spoonful of Sour cream

Mix cheeses, olives, green onions, cilantro, chicken, sour cream and some of enchilada sauce together in a large bowl. In a shallow dish (pie plate) pour the remaining enchilada sauce and dip tortillas in sauce and fill with filling; wrap up. Place enchiladas in 9x13 pan, top with any remaining sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

mango salsa

My own mango salsa recipe. I can't get enough of this stuff. Mix it all together. Eat it with chips or use it on fish tacos or quesadillas.

1 large mango, diced
1 or 2 green onions, diced
some cilantro, diced
juice of 1 lime
1/4 to 1/2 red onion, finely diced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
salt to taste

fish tacos

My own fish taco recipe

Dredge fish in milk or egg mixed with sriracha sauce, then flour, bake @ 375 for 15-20 min, turning once on well oiled pan

Baja cream

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon (packed) finely grated lime peel
• Pinch of salt
• some cayenne pepper
  

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Fish-Taco-Platter-233703#ixzz0gltrz7GH

RED CABBAGE (Napa Cabbage)

In a large bowl, toss the cabbage (4 C) with the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons of lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat up corn tortillas on the stove for a bit

Serve with fresh guacamole and mango salsa

Southwest Pasta Salad

Sam's mom gave me this recipe and I love it. It's really easy to make and is great for potlucks. But be aware, the whole recipe makes a ton of salad. If I'm just feeding our family, I half the recipe and we still have leftovers. Anna likes it warmed.

I put *asterisks* around ingredients I usually leave out and {brackets} around ingredients I like to add

SOUTHWEST PASTA SALAD

Cook 1 pound tricolor pasta until al dente; do not overcook

In a large bowl, combine the pasta with

½ cup finely chopped red onions

*½ green pepper, finely chopped*

1 cup frozen or canned corn(I just use a whole can of corn)

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 small can chopped green chili peppers (sometimes I leave these out and it's still good)

1 15 oz. can kidney beans, or black beans rinsed and drained (I still use the whole can, even when I half the recipe)

4 ounces cubed or shredded cheese (cheddar, taco mix, or colby jack works well)

{half to a whole avocado}

{one or two tomatoes, or some salsa}

{one or two whole green onions}

{chopped black olives}

{some chicken that I stir fried in garlic powder, chili powder, and oregano)

Whisk together these sauce ingredients in small bowl and then pour over those in the large bowl

3 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp chicken or vegetable broth

5 Tbsp white-wine vinegar

3 Tbsp tomato sauce (or spaghetti sauce)

2 cloves minced garlic

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dried oregano

Tortilla Soup, take one

My friend Marci brought her yummy tortilla soup to our Relief Society Super Saturday. I found the recipe on her menu blog and gave it a whirl. I'm a big fan. I really like that she uses canned chicken so there's minimal cooking, but there are enough spices to mask that unmistakable canned chicken flavor.


MARCI'S CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
1 T. olive oil
1 (12.5 oz.) can chicken (do NOT drain)
1/2 c. finely diced onion
2 garlic cloves
1 t. ground cumin
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. chili powder
1/4 t. ground pepper
(I use "heaping" teaspoons when measuring the spices)
1 (14 ½ oz.) can chicken broth
1 (15 ¼ oz.) can corn kernels (do NOT drain)
1 (15 oz.) can black beans (rinse and drain)
1 (14 ½ oz.) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes (cut up)
Toppings:
tortilla strips (see below)
fresh cilantro
diced avocado
sour cream
cheese

-Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
-Heat oil in pan over medium heat and sautee onion and garlic.
-Add can of chicken and spices (cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper).
-Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
-Stir in broth, undrained corn, black beans and tomatoes.
(I like a little extra broth in my finished soup so I add some extra water, maybe 1/4-1/3 cup)
-Increase heat to high and bring to a boil.
-Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 min.

While the soup simmers you can prepare the tortilla strips (or if you are pressed for time, just crush tortilla chips):
Using kitchen scissors (there is probably an actual name for them) cut tortillas into thin strips (I cut 3 at a time). Spread evenly in a lightly greased 9x13 dish.

Bake them in oven approx 4 minutes then stir them around and bake 3 more.

I often put them under the broiler for a couple minutes at the end to make them golden brown. Let them cool and harden, then serve on top of the soup with your other favorite toppings.

*tortilla strip photos from On My Menu

Layered Chicken and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

Photo and recipe originally from The Sisters Cafe

I usually have another layered bean casserole I make, but I liked this one a lot more.

Layered Chicken and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

2 cups diced chicken breast meat

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground coriander

2 Tb chopped fresh cilantro

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (4.5 oz) can diced green chili peppers, drained

1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce – MILD
8 (6 inch) corn tortillas

2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

1 (8 oz) container sour cream

1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and spray with vegetable cooking spray.
3. Sauté chicken with cumin and coriander until chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a medium bowl.
4. Stir in the cilantro, black beans, and green chili peppers.

5. Spread half of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of an 11x7 inch baking dish. Place 4 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas, and sprinkle with half of the cheese and half of the sour cream.

6. Spoon the remaining enchilada sauce over the cheese, and make another layer of tortillas. (I put the tortillas down, spread on the sour cream and then added the rest of the enchilada sauce)
7. Layer the remaining chicken mixture over the tortillas.

8. Cover dish with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven.

9. Remove the cover, and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and dot with sour cream. (See step 6) Continue cooking, uncovered, for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese melts.

10. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Roasted Red Pepper, Corn & Garbanzo Bean Salad

Prep time: 1 hr (but only because it's served chilled--if you've refrigerated all the ingredients, you can make it in about 10 minutes and serve it immediately)

2 cans (15 oz. each) garbanzo beans
1 jar (16 oz.) roasted red pepper salsa
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed and drained (from a can works, too)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
8 leaf lettuce leaves
Fresh tomato wedges and sunflower sprouts (optional/garnish)

Rinse and drain beans well; place in 2 qt. casserole dish. Add roasted red pepper salsa, corn and onions; stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate 1 hr. or up to 24 hrs.

To serve, line serving platter with lettuce. Spoon bean mixture over top. Garnish with tomatoes and sprouts, if desired.

Makes 8 servings