Smoky White Chili

It has finally become December, cold and crisp outside.  My husband  has been working outside this week and is cold and tired when he gets home.  Maybe something warm and yummy will make him feel better when he gets home.  Tonight I am making white chili.  Over the weekend I cooked several chickens over charcoal and hickory, one we ate for supper, the other I picked all the meat off of for this chili.  I also made chicken stock from the yummy smoky bones to use as a base.  Canned chicken broth and whatever leftover chicken you may have is fine for this recipe, but the smoky flavor you get with a pit chicken is fantastic.  A little liquid smoke would probably do about the same thing.  :) 

 You will need 1 medium onion, chopped (or 1 T onion powder), 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped, 1 tablespoon canola oil, 2 garlic cloves, minced, 4 cups chicken broth, 2 cans (15-1/2 ounces) great northern beans, rinsed and drained, 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 to 1-1/4 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/4 cup cold water, 2 cups cubed cooked chicken 

In a large saucepan, cook onion and jalapeno if desired in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, beans, parsley, lime juice and cumin; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into chili. Add chicken. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

We like this with cornbread, but garlic bread would be good too.  Happy Tuesday!

Food Talks With Valerie

Corn Dogs!

We really like what we call game food, easy to eat, finger food, the kind of stuff you might find while tailgating or at a Super Bowl party.  I do try to healthier than tailgating junk food most of the time.  Tonight I am making corn dogs, sort of.

I start with a box or corn muffin mix, whatever brand you like.  Mix it up according to the package directions.  We like corn in it so I add a 1/2 cup or so of frozen corn.  Then I slice a package of hot dogs into the batter.

I cook mine in a "pancake puff" pan on the cook top, but a cake pop pan or mini muffin cups would work as well, at 400 till brown on top.

Serve these with  ketchup and mustard, just like a corn dog.  Yum!

Oatmeal Bars

For many years my darling husband stopped at the local convenient store for breakfast on his way to work.  Breakfast was a sausage biscuit and a coke.  Very nutritious, I know.  Then last winter I started making these oatmeal bars.  This recipe makes and 8 x 8 pan that I cut into 9 large bars.  He takes one every day (with a coke, I can't get him to quit drinking cokes for breakfast!)  

• 4 c. dry oats (old-fashioned or quick cooking)
• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. salt
• 3/4 – 1 c. canola oil or an equal amount of applesauce
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
• 1/2-1 cup chopped nuts, shredded coconut, or peanut butter just to make this different from time to time.

Everything into a bowl, mix well, press into a greased pan and bake at 350 for 25 minutes or so.  

I package them individually and refrigerate them.  Then before he leaves each morning, I microwave one for 15-20 seconds and send him out the door with something reasonably healthy for breakfast. 

By the way, as soon as I find the cable to connect my camera to my computer, I have a picture of these.  ;)

A Country Supper, Bean Soup and Cornbread

I haven't been here in a while, have you missed me?  I wasn't sure anyone was reading these posts but lately I have had a few comments from people who missed them.  So here I am again.

Tonight I am making a favorite of my husband's.  He calls it a poor man's supper.  White beans and potatoes with ham.  

Soak a pound of great northern beans overnight in a large bowl, or follow the quick soak directions on the package.  You can use an equivalent amount of canned beans, but we prefer dried.  Rinse the soaked beans and pour them into your slow cooker.  Add 2 quarts of water, 2 chicken bullion cubes, a garlic clove (smashed or chopped), onion to taste, a bay leaf, 4 or 5 potatoes, peeled and cubed,  and about 1/4 pound of ham, chopped.  Salt and pepper to taste and set your slow cooker to high and go to work.  Supper will be waiting when you get home.  

When I make this, I usually set my slow cooker in the sink because it makes a terrible mess if it boils over.

We like this topped with hot sauce or corn relish and a sprinkle of shredded cheese and served with corn bread.  

Let me know if you want me to pick this hobby back up.  It might take a bit to get back into the habit, but if you want to read my ramblings, I will write them.

On a side note, I found this recipe that my baby girl and I thought looked yummy too.  Kale and White bean soup

Meatloaf isn't a Bad Word!

Meatloaf tends to have a bad reputation. What is it? What is in it? How can you eat that? In my kitchen, meatloaf gets a different reaction. Yum! That's my favorite! Can you pack that in my lunch tomorrow?

My kids love meatloaf and I very seldom have leftovers. I think the secret is in the sauce. I mix 1/2 cup of ketchup with 1/4 cup of brown sugar and spread it over the top. Then I finish the meatloaf under the broiler to make the sauce caramelize. Yum!

The meatloaf itself is pretty basic. 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef, 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon wochestershire sauce, mix together and bake in a loaf pan at 400 for 1 hour. If you line your pan with aluminum foil, you can lift the meatloaf right out with the edges of the foil.
Last night we had the meatloaf with mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and brussels sprouts. yummy!

A New Favorite

I haven't posted here in a while, mainly because I felt like I was repeating myself, cooking the same thing day in and day out. Then one day last week I found this.

This is chicken and gravy over mashed potatoes. Sounds like the same old thing, doesn't it? It isn't! These are amazing. I thought my 12 year old son was going to lick the pan. (He usually isn't a big meat eater but he has already asked for these again)

The best thing about this is that it was easy. Really easy! Start with a package (whatever size you need to feed your crew, I used a package of 4) of boneless, skinless chicken breast. Heat a little olive oil in a heavy skillet, brown the chicken on both sides. While the chicken browns, mix a can of cream of chicken soup, 1/2 cup of water and a package of powdered ranch dressing mix in a bowl. When the chicken is brown enough to make you happy, pour the soup mixture over it and cover tightly. Let this simmer over low heat until very tender, then serve over mashed potatoes. Yum!

This would work really well in a crock pot, too. Then supper would be ready when you got home from work. Yum!