#114 :: White Bean and Chicken Chili

It's been quite a while since we tried out some new recipes. Jamie was on vacation from work this week, so while he was home we had a chance to spend some time in the kitchen. We caught a show on Food Network with this chili and immediately went out to the store to buy a few things so we could make it. It's definitely something we're going to make regularly through the chilly winter months!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 pounds ground chicken (we used diced chicken breasts instead of ground chicken)
  
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds (we omitted these because I don't like them)
  
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 (15-ounce cans) cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained (we used Great Northern beans)
  
• 1 bunch (about 1 pound) Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 11/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Freshly ground black pepper for seasoning
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the ground chicken, 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, fennel seeds, oregano, and chili powder. Cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Stir the flour into the chicken mixture. Add the beans, Swiss chard, corn, and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 55-60 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about half and the chili has thickened. Add the red pepper flakes and simmer for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Ladle the chili into serving bowls. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

Optional: Serve with Cheddar and Scallion Bread



Makes 4-6 servings (we considered it 4 servings)

Recipe from Giada at Home on Food Network

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

#106 :: Memphis Dry Rub Ribs

Jamie works tomorrow, so we had our 4th of July celebration today. We made ribs, Red Potato Salad with Bacon and grilled corn, and as soon as it gets dark we're heading out to see some fireworks. What a delicious meal for the 4th of July! At first I was looking to make a BBQ sauce, but we didn't have any molasses or brown sugar (and several other several key ingredients) so I went for a dry rub instead. Jamie actually said these were the best ribs he ever ate!

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds pork ribs

For the Rub:

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dry oregano
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (*we chose to add this, it wasn't in the original recipe)
• 1/4 teaspoon onion salt (*we chose to add this, it wasn't in the original recipe)
• 25 grinds fresh black pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

Preheat over to 300 degrees F.

Mix the rub ingredients together well in a small bowl.

Remove the membrane from the bone side of the ribs, then rub the vegetable oil onto the ribs. Pour the rub over the ribs and work the rub fully and evenly into the ribs. Spread the ribs out evenly on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Bake until tender and juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Makes about 13-15 ribs

Recipe from Good Deal with Dave Lieberman on Food Network

Star Rating: 5+ out of 5 stars

#61 :: Shepherd's Pie

Paula Deen made this on her show about Pub grub from England. I remember eating Shepherd's Pie as a kid. My mom made it quite a bit, but I remember hers having green beans {we used corn today, and Paula says traditional English pies use carrots & peas}. Whichever veggie you choose, this makes an easy meal in one pan and it's a great comfort food dinner.

Ingredients

• 1 small onion
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups mixed vegetables or niblet corn, prepared
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 to 10 medium red new potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 12 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 cups instant biscuit mix
• Scallions for garnish, chopped
  

Directions

Beef Layer: Saute onions in 2 tablespoons butter. Add ground beef. After beef is browned, add tomato sauce; Mix in vegetables. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Potato Layer: Peel and slice potatoes 1/4-inch thick. Cook in boiling water for approximately 15 minutes or until fork-tender. Whip potatoes with electric mixer; mix until moderately smooth. Don't over beat them; a few lumps are nice. Add 1/2 cup heated milk, 1/2 cup butter, and sour cream. Salt and pepper, to taste. Whip until mixed. Adjust thickness by adding more milk, if desired.

Biscuit Layer: Combine biscuit mix and 1 cup milk. The mix should be thinner than normal biscuit mix but not runny.

Potato Layer

Meat Layer

Biscuit Layer

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 9 by 9 by 2-inch pan, or any similar casserole dish. Layer half way up with the mashed potatoes. Next, spread a layer of mixed vegetables or niblet corn on top of potatoes. Then add a layer of the meat. Pour biscuit mix over meat. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over top. Bake for approximately 35 to 45 minutes until top is golden brown.

Note: Leftovers make this dish easy to put together. So if you have leftover pork roast or beef roast with gravy and mashed potatoes from Sunday dinner then this is an easy mid- week meal that will take only a few minutes.

Makes 8-10 servings

Recipe from Paula's Home Cooking on Food Network

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

#56 :: Creamy Poblano Pepper Strips (Rajas) Tacos

This recipe is delicious! It completely made up for the bum mole from the night before. Broiling the peppers gives it such a great flavor! I think I liked it best because it wasn't your every day taco, but it was easy to make and big on taste. This is going on the list of favorites for sure.

Ingredients

• 6 fresh poblano chiles* (or canned, peeled)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
• 2 ears corn, kernels removed
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup Mexican crema or creme fraiche
• 1/2 cup, shredded Monterrey jack cheese
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Char the poblano chiles directly over the gas flame on the stove or under the broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in a plastic bag and let steam for about 10 minutes.

Add the oil to a heavy large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the corn and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Set aside.

Peel and seed the chiles. Cut the chiles into 1/4 to 1/2-inch strips (rajas) and add the strips to the onion and corn mixture and saute until the corn is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream and Mexican crema and cook until bubbling, about for 8 minutes. Add the cheese and stir until melted and smooth. Season the rajas with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a serving dish and serve.

*Cook's Note: The poblano chile is a fresh chile that ranges from mild to hot. It is a deep, dark green color and is large and wide with shiny skin. Ripened on the plant and dried it is known as "chile ancho" or "pasilla." They can also be found at most supermarkets or Latin specialty markets. Just keep your eye out, as some stores sell them fresh under the name "pasilla."

A great filling for tacos or topping for grilled arrachera. You can use virtually any chile but a mild poblano adds the perfect amount of spice to any dish.

Makes 4-6 servings (or 2 cups)

Recipe from Mexican Made Easy on Food Network

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

#48 :: Patty Melt

I was feeling like a down-home comfort food classic. We had a lot of extra hamburger meat and some crusty french bread, so I immediately thought Patty Melt. Jamie said "I've never had a Patty Melt". So of course I had to make him one. Who has never had a Patty Melt?????

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground hamburger
  
• 4 slices of crusty french bread
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
  
• 2 Tbsp. butter
  
• Sliced cheese (we used Smoked Swiss for mine and Hot Pepper for Jamie's)
  
• Salt & pepper to taste
  

Directions

Shape the hamburger meat into patties and season with salt & pepper. Cook them in a frying pan until done, then remove and set aside. In the same pan, add 2 Tbsp.butter to melt.

Dice the onion and saute it in the same pan the hamburgers were cooked in. Saute the onions until they are carmelized.

Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter on the grill, assemble the sandwiches and grill them until golden brown on both sides. (Usually 10-12 minutes)


Makes 2 servings

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

#37 :: Cornish Hens

This was yummy! I have to say, I liked the sage butter hens we did before better than these....but that doesn't mean that these weren't good. These were {dare I say it?} healthier than the sage butter hens we had. Still made for a good dinner, with a side of roasted sweet corn.

Ingredients

6 Cornish hens
Olive Oil

Seasoning/Rub:
2 Tbsp. lemon pepper
1 Tbsp.dried basil
1 Tbsp. poultry seasoning
Stuffing:
2 celery stalks
1 medium onion
1 green bell pepper

Directions

Watch the video for directions from the Neely's! :)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/cornish-hens/19066.html



Makes 6 servings.

Recipe from Down Home with the Neely's on Food Network.

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

#25 :: Veggie Pasta

**We haven't posted for a few days. Shame on us! But we've still been cooking and have a lot to blog posting to catch up on. So here we go!**

Jamie says this recipe is one of his favorites so far. It was simple to make, but big on flavor. I made a couple adjustments to this recipe, and I noted them. This is something we'll definitely be having again soon!

Ingredients

• 2 ears roasted corn (*we omitted the corn, we didn't have any)
  
• 1 pound rotelle pasta, or any spiral-shaped pasta (*we substituted angel hair)
  
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup roasted garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (*we substituted dried parsley flakes)
  
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (*we substituted shredded mozzarella)
  

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Wrap corn in foil and roast in preheated oven for about 1 hour. This can be done in advance on a prep day. Do the same with the garlic cloves.

Cook rotelle according to package directions. Drain and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. Transfer pasta to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add corn cut from cob, zucchini and onion and saute for 3 minutes, until golden brown. Add oregano and cook 1 minute. Add broth and roasted garlic and bring to a simmer. Simmer 5 minutes. Pour mixture over pasta and toss to combine, adding cooking water, if necessary, to moisten pasta. Fold in parsley and season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Transfer pasta to a serving platter and top with feta cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller on Food Network.

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

#18 :: Chicken & Dumplings

Yesterday I told Jamie we were going to make chicken & dumplings. He said, but I don't really like chicken & dumplings. I said, well we already have the ingredients so we're going to try it. An hour later....he liked the chicken & dumplings. :) This was a great "comfort food" meal.

Ingredients

• 4 pounds chicken leg quarters
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 3 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 (8-ounce) package sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth
• Water
• 1 cup baking mix
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/3 cup milk

Directions

Separate the chicken legs from the thighs, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Coat the pieces with the flour, shaking off any excess and reserve the leftover flour. Put the oil into a heavy bottomed skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown it on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a plate and add the carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms, and corn. Sprinkle with the reserved flour, and give it a good stir. Add chicken broth and stir. Nestle the chicken pieces into the vegetables and add enough water to just cover the chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Just before the cooking time is up combine the baking mix, poultry seasoning, and milk in a small bowl. Drop the batter by tablespoons on top of the simmering chicken leaving some room between the dumplings. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from Sandra's Money Saving Meals on Food Network.

Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars