White Chicken Chili

This one is from my friend, Natalie. It's become one of our family favorites--a great alternative to tomato-based chili, which we love too :o) It's fun to play with this recipe, if you like to do that. You can add or subtract ingredients, depending on your preference!

Natalie's White Chicken Chili

1 Tbs. oil

1 lb. chicken

1 C chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

6 C chicken broth

2 cans canellini (or any white) beans

2 4-oz. cans green chilies

1 pkg. frozen white corn

1 tsp. oregano

2 tsp. cumin

dash of cayenne pepper

2-3 Tbs. lime juice

Toppings: cheese, avocado, green onions, sour cream, tortilla strips or chips, etc.

Cook chicken, onion and garlic in oil just till onion is soft--chicken will continue to cook in broth. Add remainder of ingredients; bring to boil and simmer for 15-30 minutes. Serve with whichever toppings you like!

**I like my chili a little bit thicker than how this recipe turns out. I like to mix together a little bit of cornstarch and cold water, then add it gradually to the soup until it comes to the thickness I prefer. You can do this with any soup recipe without changing the flavor or the fat content!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I love throwing this one in the crock pot and coming back to it 6 hours later... I also like doing a combination of white and dark meat. Just gives some variety--chicken breasts can get really boring after a while, you know???

Chicken Tortilla Soup

4 skinless chicken thighs or breasts

1 4-oz. can green chilies, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, chopped

2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes

1 C chicken broth

1 tsp. ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped

4 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch strips

1/2 C shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 avocado, cubed

1 lime, juiced

Put chicken in crockpot. Combine chilies, garlic, onion, tomatoes, 1/2 C broth and cumin in small bowl; pour mixture over chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours, until chicken is tender. Adjust seasonings, adding additional broth if necessary. Just before serving, add tortilla strips and cilantro to crock pot; stir to blend. Serve in bowls, topping each serving with cheese, avocado, and a squeeze of lime juice.

Tuscan Bean Soup

This recipe is great for a quick, healthy meal... It comes from an old vegetarian cookbook I can't find anymore, but I copied the recipe before I lost it :o) Smart thinking!!!

Tuscan Bean Soup

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 medium carrots, sliced

2 1/2 C vegetable (or chicken) broth

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. dried rosemary

1 C small pasta shells (any small pasta works well)

1 8-oz. can tomato sauce

1 15-oz. can canellini (or any white) beans

1 tsp. dried sage or basil

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot; saute about 3 minutes. Add broth and 2 1/2 C water; cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic, rosemary, and pasta. Cook uncovered for 5-8 minutes or until pasta is tender but firm to the bite (al dente). Stir in tomato sauce, beans and sage; heat through. Serve hot--pasta will soak up broth after a little while. 

**This recipe is wonderful with a little fresh parmesan on top and crusty bread on the side!

Ravioli Soup

My mom makes this soup every Christmas Eve--it's red and green, but more importantly, it's fast and easy on a night when moms have much more to worry about than dinner :o) We made this for our friends one Christmas, and now she makes it about once a month--proving that it's good any time of year!

My Mom's Ravioli Soup

3 C water

1 18-oz. can tomato juice (V-8 is great)

1 1/2 C beef broth

1 C sliced carrots

1 C diced potatoes

1/4 C chopped onion

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 15-oz. cans ravioli in sauce (my mom always uses Chef Boyardee)

1 bunch fresh spinach (discard stems first)

Combine all ingredients except ravioli and spinach. Simmer on medium heat until veggies are tender and liquid is a little thicker. Then add ravioli and spinach; heat through and serve with parmesan cheese on top. 

Black Bean Chili

This EASY one speaks for itself...

Black Bean Chili

1 lb. pork tenderloin, cubed

16 oz. chunky salsa

3 15-oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 C chicken broth

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. dried oregano

Toppings

Put cubed tenderloin in crock pot. Add remaining ingredients; cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. Just like with the white chicken chili, you can top this with whatever suits your fancy: sour cream, avocado, tortilla strips, etc...

Greek Salad

This one is from a friend from our BYU days. She and her sister-in-law were both in our married student ward, and they have a fantastic recipe blog, Edwards Edibles. Check it out for more good recipes, but this one caught my eye--and it's SO good.

The Ultimate Greek  Salad

Dressing:

6 Tbsp olive oil (or less)

1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

Salad:

1 head lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

3 large plum tomatoes, sliced thin

1 English cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 medium red onion, cut into thin rings

1 small green or red pepper, cut into thin rings

3/4 C kalamata olives

3/4 C crumbled Feta cheese

Whisk dressing ingredients together till blended; season to taste. Layer in order (or just combine) all salad ingredients in large bowl; pour dressing over and either toss or leave it for everyone to do individually.

Rhonda Shelton's Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is per the request of my friend, Kathy...

Rhonda Shelton was in our married student ward when Jer and I were newlyweds. We have no idea where the Sheltons are anymore, but Rhonda's cookies are legend... This is honestly the only cookie recipe I actually crave. You'll know what I mean after you try them!

Rhonda Shelton's Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup butter

1/2 + 1/3 cup shortening

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

3 1/2 cups flour

1 pkg. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Blend butter, shortening, and sugars till creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add baking soda, salt, and flour all at once--you can add more flour if dough is too wet. Mix well, then add chocolate chips. 

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until just barely golden brown. Do NOT overcook--these are better a little undercooked than overcooked. Enjoy!

My Mom's Famous Whole Wheat Bread

One of the things I miss most about home is my mom's freshly baked whole wheat bread. I LOVED coming home from school to that smell... I do not profess to be the baker in our household; Mom definitely did not pass that trait on. But she gave me her recipe and I'm trying to figure out how to re-create the scene--hope you can, too!

Mom's Whole Wheat Bread

5 cups hot water

1/3 cup honey

abt. 4 cups whole wheat flour

2 TB yeast

1 TB salt

1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil

more flour... anywhere from about 4-6 cups more :o)

Put water and honey into mixing bowl; mix until honey is dissolved. While keeping the dough hook turning, add flour until combined--dough should be very wet! At this point, add yeast and let that mix again for about 1 minute. Then add salt and oil until combined. Start adding more flour to the mixture until dough comes away from the sides of the bowl; the actual amount of flour you need depends on lots of factors, so just watch the dough until it comes away from the sides. Once this happens, put the top on your mixer and let it mix for about 6 minutes.

Once you've done this, my mom likes to just let the dough sit and make sure it's starting to rise. Once you can see it is, split the dough into thirds and transfer to loaf pans. Let sit for another little while, then cook at 350 for 35 minutes. 

Crock Pot Recipes...

(My favorite--the 6-qt. Rival Smart Pot--has a timer, warm setting, etc.)

I LOVE the crock pot. When you know you have a crazy day ahead of you, you throw your stuff in the crock pot in the morning and know that you'll still have something good for dinner. The only challenge with crock pots, however, is the fact that some recipes turn into a nasty, slushy mush where you can't tell one ingredient from another. So that's my litmus test... If it has turned out well for us, you'll find it on my blog. If not, you won't!!!

Heather Karren's Crock Pot Chicken

I know I've told you before, but we love naming recipes after the person who gave it to us. I always think about that person when I'm making the recipe, and we always end up talking about our memories with them while we're eating it :o) We love you, Heather (and Scott, too)!

Heather Karren's Crock Pot Chicken

6-8 chicken breasts

2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 8-oz. packages of cream cheese

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cube butter

2 Good Seasons Italian dressing packets

Blend everything except the chicken, and pour over frozen chicken breasts in crock pot. Cook on low for 4-6 hours, shred chicken and serve over pasta (bowtie is our favorite).

***Disclaimer: this recipe might clog your arteries, but you'll love it going down :o)

Moroccan Chicken Tagine

Per Lindsey's request, here's one of my personal favorites... It's a little different, but I love the combination of flavors. Reminds me of the Middle East!

Moroccan Chicken Tagine

3 lbs. skinless chicken pieces

2 cups chicken broth

1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 onions, chopped

1 cup golden raisins

4 cloves garlic

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. ground red pepper

6 sprigs fresh cilantro

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 Tbsp. water

1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Hot cooked couscous or rice

Place chicken in crockpot. Combine broth, tomatoes with juice, onions, raisins, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, coriander, red pepper and cilantro sprigs in medium bowl; pour over chicken. Cover; cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or until chicken is no longer pink in center; at this point, it might be falling off the bone--that's just fine! Transfer chicken to serving platter and cover to keep warm. Combine cornstarch and water in small bowl; mix until smooth. Stir cornstarch mixture and beans into slow cooker. Cover; cook on HIGH for 15 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with cilantro and toasted almonds; serve with couscous or rice.  

Hawaiian Haystacks

I know you all already have this recipe a million times over, but my sister Anne introduced us to a fun variation that I think makes all the difference! By the way, I'm trying to get her to be a contributor on this blog--she has so many great recipes, I love everything she's given me :o) So I'll keep you posted on what she says...

Auntie Anne's Hawaiian Haystacks

6 frozen chicken breasts

1 cup chicken broth

2 10 3/4-oz. cans cream of chicken soup

1 12-oz. can evaporated milk

1/4 cup liquid smoke

Combine all ingredients except chicken and pour over chicken in crock pot. Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours. Shred chicken and serve over rice with an combination of the following ingredients: grated cheese, peas, pineapple tidbits, shredded coconut, raisins, chow mein noodles, olives, diced tomatoes, diced green bell peppers, sliced green onions, etc.

Jennie Call's Sweet & Sour Chicken

We love you, Jennie and co...

2 Tbsp. ketchup

1 cup water

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

2 Tbsp. water

Combine first 5 ingredients and add with chicken to crock pot. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH 3-4 hours. Combine cornstarch and water in small bowl; stir into slow cooker. Cook on high for about 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until thickened. (You can shred chicken when stirring in the cornstarch mixture). Serve over rice or with lo mein noodles and vegetables. 

Apple Recipes

Of course, how could we welcome in Fall without apples??? In our house, the season is not really here until we've gone apple picking, made apple pie, apple muffins, apples and dip, etc, etc, etc. I see a pattern here... Hope you enjoy some of our favorites!

Stribling Apple Bread

About 20 years ago (am I right, Dad?), my parents created the family tradition of going to Stribling Orchard in Markham, Virginia to pick apples in the fall. Jeremy and I have continued that tradition in our little family--wherever we move, we always find an apple orchard to explore in October... Well, this month my brother Dave brought some of his friends from L.A. to give them the East Coast (a.k.a. Midaxlantic) fall experience, and of course at the top of his list of "things to do" was to go to Stribling. They kindly let us tag along, and we had a great time together. So here, in honor of all our Stribling memories...

Stribling Apple Bread (or muffins)

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. vanilla

3 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 cups apples, peeled and chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Cream sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla. Sift flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add dry mix to wet mix, along with apples. Mix until well-blended; note that batter will be quite thick. Grease and flour loaf pan (or muffin tins); cook loaf for 1 hour, or muffins about 20 minutes.

Callie's Apple Dip

This is a new discovery this Fall! Our friend Callie brought this to an activity last week, and let's just say it was divine... The Heath chips make it, that's all I can say!

Callie's Apple Dip

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 pkg. Heath chips (by the chocolate chips in grocery store)

Mix all ingredients together, preferably with a hand mixer to make it really smooth. Serve with crisp apple slices--Granny Smith, Fuji, Pink Lady apples all work well :o)

Apple Pie in a Paper Bag

Just trust me on this one, OK? It's so so so easy to make, you can make it into a family affair, and once you try it you'll never go back... Just make sure the paper bag doesn't touch the coils on top of the oven! Seriously, make sure...

Apple Pie in a Paper Bag

Crust:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 Tbsp. cold milk

1 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients. Mix until well-blended. Press into bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan. DO NOT ROLL OUT.

Filling:

4 cups pared, cored, diced apples (for best results, use a tart baking apple)

1/3 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. flour

1 rounded tsp. cinnamon

1 rounded tsp. ground nutmeg

Combine dry ingredients and then toss lightly with apples. Pour into unbaked pie shell.

Topping:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup soft butter

1/2 cup sugar

Combine ingredients and mix together till crumbly. Sprinkle generously over top of pie.

Carefully place pie in a brown paper bag (i.e. a paper grocery bag) and staple it closed--do not tape; it will melt). Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours. Don't peek, but have plenty of vanilla ice cream ready...

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

This one we kind of made up on our own...

Just follow the directions on your oats container for making oatmeal on the stove (steel-cut oats are the best if you have the time to cook them). When the water is boiling--before you put the oats in, throw in some diced apples. Give them about a minute in the water, then put the oats in and cook as directed. Before serving, add 1/4 tsp. of cinnamon per serving, and then add brown sugar or honey to your liking. Yum!

Cafe Rio

If you aren't already jumping up and down for joy just because of the title of this post, then you don't know Cafe Rio. It's a restaurant in Utah that is known for its to-die-for salads. I hear everything else is good too--I just love the Shredded Chicken Salad and have to get it every time. A trip to visit family there is not a trip until we've hit up Cafe Rio... and I'm not exaggerating. So when my friend Janelle gave me these recipes, I was beyond excited to try them out. Here they are--enjoy!!!

Cafe Rio Pulled Pork

You can either eat this as the main dish with spicy mashed potatoes as a side, or you can put it in a tortilla with Cafe Rio rice (see below) and beans or veggies, plus all the fixin's (sour cream, lettuce, guacamole, tomatoes, etc). Either way--you're going to enjoy it :o)

Cafe Rio Pulled Pork

Pork shoulder or butt roast

12 oz. Pace salsa (about 1 1/2 cups)

3/4 cup brown sugar

Combine the salsa and sugar, and pour over the meat in crock pot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, depending on how high your crock pot cooks. Rotate every now and then to keep bottom from sticking. An hour before serving, shred the meat--then return it to the crock pot and let it cook in the sauce for another hour.