Southwest Chicken Chili

Even though I posted a similar recipe not that long ago, I thought I’d throw this recipe up as a simpler and slightly less spicy option.  I clipped this recipe out of a Parade magazine because it seemed like it would be easy to make, and I liked all of the flavors in the dish.  I’ve made this several times since then and tweaked it here and there, and it’s always been a hit.

Easy Chicken Chili (adapted from this recipe)

What You’ll Need

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1” cubes [Note: Originally I used 1 package boneless, skinless chicken thighs with the fat trimmed off]
• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 can 98% Fat Free Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup [Note: I used 2 cans of soup because I like more liquid]
• 2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 ½ cups frozen corn
• ¾ cup water
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp kosher salt

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chicken, onion and pepper. 

Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken is white throughout. Season with the various spices.

Once the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are soft, add the condensed soup, water, corn and beans. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for about 5 more minutes.

I served this with crusty Italian bread and some Mexican cheese sprinkled on top.  This is a quick alternative to the other chicken chili recipe I posted, and uses items that are basic staples of your pantry, making it a great option for those weeknights when you get home late and don’t feel like slaving over a stove for hours. I have made this with other vegetables thrown in (finishing off the random dribs and drabs in my freezer) and have added other spices (chipotle powder, cayenne pepper).  You can tailor this to your own taste, or enjoy it as is!

Black Bean Soup

For some reason I kept thinking that I had posted this awhile ago, because it was my favorite of the recipes from the soup class I took at Whole Foods.  When I was at the grocery store on Friday I was trying to remember the ingredients so I could get them to make the soup again this weekend.  When I tried looking the recipe up on my phone, I realized I had never posted it – the horror! This is simply too good to be missed.

Fast Black Bean Soup

What You’ll Need

• 2 15 oz cans of black beans, preferably low- or no-salt
• 15 oz  can of prepared black bean soup, preferably low- or no-salt (*or substitute additional can of black beans)
• 2 cups (½ bag) of frozen mixed vegetables
• 2 cups (½ bag) frozen corn
• 2 cups (½ bag) frozen broccoli florets
• 2 cups (16 fl oz bottle) carrot juice
• 1 cup fresh chopped tomatoes
• ⅛ tsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste

Optional Ingredients

• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• ½ cup chopped green onions (scallions)
• 1 avocado, chopped
• ¼ cup pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds), lightly toasted
• 2 tsp hot sauce

Ready for the easiest soup recipe ever?

Here it is:

Combine the frozen mixed veggies, corn, broccoli, black beans, can of soup, carrot juice, water, hot sauce and spices in a soup pot.

Bring to a boil, them reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, then continue cooking until they are heated through.

Serve topped with avocado, green onions, and pumpkin seeds (or plain). Enjoy!

I chose to enjoy this with just some green onions on top, and they are a great addition to this.  Green onions are milder than regular white or yellow onions, so they don’t have an overwhelmingly oniony taste (like my awesome vocab there?). They do provide a nice coolness and bit of crunch to this soup and they balance the slight heat provided by the chili powder and hot sauce. This is definitely not a “spicy” soup, but feel free to use those two ingredients as little or as much as you’d prefer. I didn’t use the avocado or pumpkin seeds, but I’m sure they would both be tasty toppings. I looooove this soup. I love it so much that it makes me use multiple unnecessary consonants in my words.  For reals, though, this is the best black bean soup I’ve ever had, and trust me, I’ve eaten ALL of them.  Pretty much every prepared black bean soup on the market is chock full of sodium (which gives it “flavor”), but lacks the fresh vegetables and textures this soup has. The black bean soup at Panera is a great healthy option, but it’s essentially just mushy black beans (I still like it – black beans and I are tight). There is absolutely no reason to buy canned soups when you can make something this healthy and delicious in almost no time, for very little money, and with very little effort.  This made enough for Eric and I to eat it for dinner (it’s that filling) twice and for me to take it for lunch a couple times. I’m making this tomorrow as the appetizer for a recipe I have planned for an upcoming post – Asian-inspired Steak Fajitas from Bobby Flay’s Throwdown! Cookbook. I can’t wait to eat them both tomorrow night!

Go Bananas!

I’ve always loved bananas, even though for years all those crazy nutrition people gave them a bad rap for being starchy.  News flash: ALL FRUITS CONTAIN CARBS. Obviously, if you eat 7 bananas a day, you might get a wee bit pudgy.  But let’s be honest – eating bananas is way better than eating, say, a bacon egg and cheese sandwich. I prefer my bananas on the less ripe side, with the peels still a light yellow and no black spots.  Sometimes I get a little overenthusiastic in my banana buying and I can’t eat them quickly enough, so the dreaded black spots appear.  I now have the perfect solution – a quick, easy, and delicious banana bread that specifically calls for the mushy, overripe bananas you never want to eat plain.  This recipe was given to Eric by a customer who used to own a bakery.  When she sold it, she also sold the rights to all of her recipes except for this one. After she heard about this blog, she graciously offered to share this recipe, and I’m very glad she did – let’s all give a big shout-out of thanks to Mary!

Banana Bread

What You’ll Need

• 3 overripe bananas, well mashed (*If using frozen bananas, use 4 [see note])
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups flour
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda

*Note: If you often have extra ripe/overripe bananas laying around, stick them in the freezer until you’re ready to use them. The skins will get very dark brown, but they’re perfect for smoothies or banana bread.  When you take them out of the freezer, let them thaw on the counter for an hour. After you peel them, the banana will slide out of the skin and straight into the bowl!

These offenders were purposely left to reach a mushy state for about 4 or 5 days past their prime. It got to a point where I was a)terrified of getting fruit flies (when you’ve worked in academic science labs your whole life and have experienced Drosophila fruit fly clouds migrating through the vents into your lab from another lab, you’ll understand my hatred. THEY NEVER DIE.) and b) impatient to eat some damn banana bread.

I popped them out of the peels, removed all the stringy bits, and mashed them into a thick but uniform pulp with a fork.

Preheat your oven to 350°F.  While it’s getting toasty, beat the eggs in a small bowl, then add them to the bananas and mix well. Add all of the dry ingredients and mix until you have a smooth batter.  Even though I have a Kitchenaid mixer, I for some reason have made this by hand both times I’ve made it.  It’s a good workout for your upper arms, and the final product doesn’t seem to be affected by my wimpy biceps.

Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  For some reason, even though we have established that my oven resides on the island of Sucktastica, the edges of my bread were almost overdone after 1 hour.  I tried 57 minutes the second time I made this and it was perfect.

This bread is absolutely delicious – it’s moist, chewy, and has that fabulous banana flavor that simply cannot be replicated by the fake flavoring crap used in most “banana” foods.  The original recipe suggests adding ½ cup of dark chocolate chips or chopped nuts, both of which would be great additions.  I actually like the plain version of this so much I’m hesitant to mess with it. Plus, I’ve been taking a piece to eat in the car on the way to work as my breakfast in the morning, so it feels a lot less decadent when it doesn’t contain chocolate.  I’m going to try it with the chocolate chips as a healthy alternative to dessert.  What can I say…I’m bananas for this bread!

The Ugly Duckling

I made this recipe quite some time ago, and it’s been sitting in my to-post folder since then. It’s not because the recipe was bad – on the contrary, I found it to be quite yummy. It was mostly because, as you will soon see, it just LOOKS sort of…poopy. Literally. I figured I needed to lull my reading audience into a false sense of security before springing something visually gross onto you. So, three cheers for having made it long enough that when I am a) sick as a dog and b) running out of things to post, we have reached the point where you now face The Ugly Duckling Salad. 

Balsamic Pea Salad (adapted from here)

What You Need:

• 16 oz. package of frozen green peas
• ¼” thick slice of Virginia ham
• 1 small container fat free feta cheese
• ½ cup fat free mayonnaise
• ½ cup chopped green onions
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp black pepper

First, thaw the peas by running them under slightly warm water while in a colander.  Do this until the peas are soft to the touch.

Next, cut the ham into small cubes.

Roughly chop the green onions.

Combine the dry ingredients with the peas in a large mixing bowl.

Add the mayonnaise and balsamic vinegar. Stir until the liquids are evenly mixed with the rest of the ingredients.

Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to meld and intensify.

Judging from the final picture, you can see why I was hesitant to eat this, nevermind bring it to the church group gathering I had made it for. The color was sort of a dingy brown, due to mixing the balsamic vinegar with the mayo, but the taste was excellent. Once we all got over the appearance, it was pretty much unanimously enjoyed. Depending on how “wet” you like your salad, you can cut down on mayo, but I liked the amount I used because it counterbalances the acidity and tartness of the balsamic vinegar.  The next time I make this, I will try using white balsamic, which should clear up the color issue. I added the ham because I wanted to make it a slightly more substantial side dish, but this could easily be made with chicken, tofu for a vegetarian version, or without any meat/meat substitute at all. It might also be interesting to experiment with using some of the flavored feta cheeses that are available, or by adding other veggies to the mix.  This is an extremely quick, easy, and versatile salad that would be great at a summer cookout, or as a side dish to any winter meal. Enjoy!

A Personal Request

I don't plan on using this blog for personal reasons often, if at all, but I can't help use this platform to try and help a loved one in need.  I have a cousin who is battling acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and after his intensive chemotherapy treatments, he will require a stem cell transplant.  I am asking you, readers, to please consider signing up at BeTheMatch.com (the national Bone Marrow Registry) as a potential marrow donor.  They will send you a free kit in the mail that contains a few cheek swabs - all you have to do is wipe the Q-Tip on the inside of your cheek and mail it back.  Once they process your swabs, you'll be contacted if you're a match, which is usually about 1 in 200 people.  There's no way for people to specifically test as a match for my cousin, but even if someone can help save the life of one other person, I think it's worth it.  There's extensive information about the donation process on BeTheMatch.com, including misconceptions about the difficulties of donation and the fact that it's usually not a painful process for the donor.  If you choose to sign up (which I sincerely hope you do!), please be aware that even though they ask for a donation, you are not required to give one, and they will still send you all of the materials for free if you choose not to give them money. Even if you can't volunteer to be a donor, please forward this post to your friends and family.  I'm trying to get the word out as much as possible, and I need your help!

Thank you!

Roasted Poblano and Tomatillo Chicken Chili

As I’ve mentioned before, Eric got me a couple cooking classes at Whole Foods as part of my Christmas gift.  One of the classes, Chili for Chilly nights, was oh-so-conveniently scheduled for the day before the Super Bowl.  I think it’s safe to say that he had an ulterior motive in mind when signing me up for classes, doncha think?  Anyhoo, the class was great – we learned how to make 3 chilis that were featured in my Whole Foods’ annual chili cookoff – Clam & Bacon Chili (the winner – I will feature it here at some point in the future), Bob’s Game Day Chili (a traditional meat-based chili) and the Engine 2 Diet Chili (a vegan version featured in the same cookbook as this soup).  The fourth chili was one the chefs had concocted the night before from some leftovers they had in the prep kitchen, and, in my opinion, it was the best.  I’ve been calling it "Green Chicken Chili," but that makes it sound a wee bit unappetizing and as if the chicken is long past rotten.  So, I came up with the rather long and clunky title of this post, when really it would be sufficient to just call this "A Party In My Mouth."

Green Chicken Chili

What You’ll Need

• 4 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken (or, precook 2-3 large breasts and shred/cut into cubes)
• 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
• 3 poblano peppers, roasted and peeled (or 1 can of Hatch green chilies)
• 1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded, deribbed, and finely chopped
• 5-6 garlic cloves, minced
• ¾ jar tomatillo/salsa verde (roughly 10 oz. total)
• 2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 small bag frozen corn
• 1 small bag OR 2 cans black-eyed peas/cannelini beans (roughly 2 cups total)
• ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste

Before you chop your veggies, start out by roasting your poblano peppers.  This is an easy process that helps bring a sweetness and subtlety of flavor to the pepper, while also reducing its spiciness. Place the peppers on a baking sheet and lightly brush their entire surface with olive oil.

Move your oven rack to its highest position, then set your oven to broil. Cook the peppers directly under the broiler until the surface starts to blacken and the skin starts to bubble and pop.  Periodically rotate the peppers until all sides are evenly cooked.

I clearly do not know how to follow my own directions, as I a) used 2, not 3, peppers, and b) thought I was super-chef enough to not require a baking sheet at all. Funnily enough, when peppers start to cook, they create juices.  Which drip. And sizzle.  Use a baking sheet.

This is evidence of my amazing awesomeness at photography.  When I looked at this on the tiny screen of my point-and-shoot, it looked like a cool, arty photograph that would convey a sense of the heat from the oven.  Instead, it looks like my peppers are in the middle of a really bad acid trip.

While your peppers are roasting, prep your veggies by chopping the onions and garlic.  To prepare the jalapeno, cut off the stem portion, then cut the entire pepper in half.  Remove all seeds (they are what contain the heat) and remove the white ribbing.  Cut it into very small (⅛ inch) pieces.

It got to the point where I was impatient with how long the roasting seemed to be taking (in all actuality it was about 10 minutes), so I decided to take my peppers out whether they were fully roasted or not (hunger is a compelling force). A good pointer is to check the stems of the peppers – if they are blackening, then the peppers are close to done.  Immediately after taking the peppers out, place them in an airtight tupperware container or Ziploc bag for 10-15 minutes.  The steam and heat formed inside of the container will help lift the skin of of the peppers, at least in theory.

In keeping with my theme of being a half-assed excuse for a food blogger, I forgot to take pictures of the next part.  After the peppers had cooled for about the right amount of time, take them out of the container.  Pull on the stems so that the entire top, including the inner part with most of the seeds, comes right out.  Simple enough.  Then, you’re SUPPOSED to be able to squeeze the peppers like a tube of toothpaste and have the skin peel right off.  Easy? No.  Fail? Yes.

My pepper’s skin slide off in one piece so much as peel like a pasty white boy after a hot summer day. I pretty much gave up after I realized I was quickly destroying my pepper and figured the little bit of char left would add to the flavor.  In the end, I was right. I cut the peppers down the center, removed whatever seeds were remaining, and chopped the poblanos into small, mushy strips.

Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven on medium heat until very hot. Add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil, then sauté the onions for 2-3 minutes until they are slightly translucent.  Add the peppers and garlic, and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the onions are softened. Add the chicken broth, salsa, black-eyed peas, frozen corn, and chicken. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes, or until everything is heated through.

Minus the roasting of the peppers, this is an extremely quick recipe if you choose to use the precooked rotisserie chickens available in any supermarket.  Ideally, you could make this with the leftovers from the chicken that you ate for a previous meal.  As I mentioned in the ingredients list, you can make chicken specifically for this dish, but it will significantly add to the prep/cooking time.

I served this topped with a little bit of shredded Colby Jack cheese and some crusty bread.  This makes enough for 6 large meals, and like many soups/stews, I think it tastes better after the flavors have time to meld overnight or longer. No matter when you eat it, this is a wonderfully fresh and vibrant take on chili. I absolutely love tomatillo salsa, and poblano peppers are especially delicious when roasted.  Although this may sound like it’s very spicy, it’s only got a little bit of kick to it.  Taking the seeds out of the peppers helps keep it rather mild, and most of the zip comes from the canned salsa.  If you can’t find poblano peppers in your supermarket (I had to buy mine at Whole Foods), using a can of green chilies is an affordable substitution that will give you approximately the same flavor. Also, feel free to use some tofu and vegetable broth to make a delicious vegetarian/vegan version. I have another chicken chili recipe that I had been planning on posting here for some time, but it was quickly forgotten in the aftermath of how awesome this chili is.  I will post the other one at some point, but in the meantime I strongly recommend expanding your culinary minds and tastebuds and giving this a try!

Chocolate Overload Cake

Whether or not you’re a fan of the holiday, Valentine’s Day is always a great excuse to eat inordinately large amounts of chocolate. Currently in my house, I have half of an Edible Arrangements chocolate-dipped fruit bouquet, chocolate-dipped, candy-crusted pretzels, chocolate-dipped peanut butter pretzels, maple crème eggs, marshmallow chocolate hearts, and the list goes on…

Despite the fact that most of this was around on Monday, I still wanted to make a special dessert to go with the fancy dinner I cooked for Eric and I. Going with the chocolate theme, I picked this cake because it sounded so over-the-top chocolatey that I couldn’t resist it.  Although I made a couple changes, you can find the original recipe for the cake here and the glaze here.

Chocolate Overload Cake

What You’ll Need

Cake:

• 1 package Devil’s Food Cake mix
• 1 small package fat free, sugar free instant chocolate pudding
• 1 cup fat free sour cream
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup Egg Beaters or egg substitute (or 4 regular eggs)
• ½ cup warm water
• 2 cups (equivalent to 1 bag) semisweet mini chocolate chips

Glaze:

• ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 ½ tbsp butter
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• Confectioner’s sugar for decoration

Preheat your oven to 350F. Generously grease a Bundt pan or two 9-inch cake pans.

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the dry cake mix and instant pudding. Add the oil, applesauce, eggs, and water.  Mix well until no clumps remain. The batter will be slightly thick and stiff, but fluffy.

Dump in the mini chocolate chips, and mix until thoroughly distributed.

Transfer the batter to the greased cake pan (I used a bundt pan, and I’d recommend using this shape if possible as it holds the glaze well later on).

The original recipe said to cook this for 50-55 minutes, so I set my timer for 53 minutes.  Apparently my oven resides on the planet Sucktastica, because at that point the top looked cooked but it was still visibly liquidy when I tapped it with my finger. It took me another 10-15 minutes for a toothpick to come out clean when I poked a couple different places – if you use this method, just be aware that you might poke a melty chocolate chip. There is a difference between uncooked batter and melted chocolate on your toothpick – you don’t want to overbake the cake! Regardless, I don’t think this an issue with the recipe, more just with my oven, so try the suggested time before changing what you do.

When I took the cake out, it had risen to about the top of the pan and smelled amazing.

It’s important to let this cool for AT LEAST an hour before you flip it out of the pan.  To do so, place a cutting board or large plate over the pan, then invert it.  My cake popped out with no problem whatsoever – this is where liberal use of your nonstick cooking spray really comes in handy.

While this is cooling for another 5 or 10 minutes, make the glaze. Place the chocolate chips and butter into a microwave safe bowl, and heat on high for 45 seconds.  You’ll note that I didn’t include the corn syrup listed in the original recipe. mostly because I didn’t have any at home and I forgot to buy some at the grocery store.  I didn’t miss it at all, and will omit it in the future.  Mix the chips well after microwaving them once. Add the vanilla, then microwave for another 30 seconds until the chocolate is smooth.  My chocolate chips are related to my oven and also reside on Sucktastica, so they didn’t melt so much as turn into a spongy chocolate mass.  I thinned them out with some milk and it tasted great.  I drizzled the glaze all over the top of the cake and let it drip down the edges, then dusted the top with confectioner’s sugar.

The glaze will harden almost immediately, forming a shell over the top of the cake. When you cut into this cake, the first thing you’ll notice are the myriad of tiny chocolate chips scattered throughout.

This is where it’s crucial to use the mini chips, and not the regular size.  Regular chips are too heavy, and the batter can’t support their weight while baking, so they will sink to the bottom. While still tasty, it won’t let you get little pops of chocolate in each and every bite!

This cake is unbelievably moist, and I’ve tried to make it as “healthy” as possible by subbing out half of the oil and all of the eggs the original recipe called for, as well as using fat free sour cream.  You could easily use applesauce for all of the oil without changing the consistency or texture of this cake. It’s rich, so you won’t want to serve giant slices, but it is delicious and was the perfect way to end our Valentine’s Day with.  Make it for your next party, church social, or for a special treat in the middle of a stressful work week!