White Chicken Chili

I've been contemplating whether to just quit the whole blogging, or continue on, even if I post once a month...at least it's better than none at all. I've invested five years into food blogging. so I'm not gonna stop now! I've been using my smart phone to take quick photos of everyday 'life' and I must say it's a lot more convenient than lugging around your digital camera although, today I decided to get my camera out for this 'brainstorming' quick idea of making chili...not just any chili with the beef, I decided to use white chicken breasts...no big deal just leftover rotisserie chicken from my local Publix supermarket.

What a fun way to welcome September, and fall season just around the 'corner' to come up with all these beautiful and vivid falls colors, and hardy 'stick to your bones' goodness with a bowl of warm chili with chicken which is so much lighter than beef. Instead of making it in the slow cooker (crockpot) I just didn't want to wait for it to cook for 6 hours...although, I did cook the dark red kidney beans, and the Great Northern beans ahead of time separately, and added the shredded chicken at the end of cooking time.

 Let me tell you, this amazing chili with is such a $ stretcher...a real 'thrift' bargain, you can feed an 'army' with it and they will love it and thank you for it, and you can 'pat' yourself in the back that you have a winning recipe idea on your hand. Also, you most likely have most of these ingredients in your cupboard and in your fridge. As for the spices, they are also very basic as well. You can make this as hot, medium, or mild if young children are eating it. Since I'm such a Pinterest 'geek' I actually did find this recipe on Pinterest by a well know food blogger, so I will post her recipe and my adaptation of how I made it!


    { Crockpot} White Chicken Chili

My adaptation in BLUE
serves: 8-10

• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 can (15-ounces) low sodium Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed well
• 2 cups dry cooked Great Northern Beans+ ( save1 cup of the liquid it was cooked in)
• 1 can (15-ounces) low sodium Red Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed well
• 2 cups dry cooked dark Red Kidney Beans + (save 1 cup of the liquid it was cooked in)
• 2 cans (10-ounces each) diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 1-28 oz can diced tomatoes (drain liquid and save in a measuring cup)
• 1 can (15-ounces) sweet corn kernels
• I used 2 fresh leftover cooked corn (shaved off the kernels to add at the end)
• ¼-teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ¼-teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼-teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dry granule garlic and parsley
• ⅛-teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika
• salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups of the liquid from the beans it was cooked in
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 bottle (12-ounces) beer
• 1 bottle Samuel Adams beer
• 4 chicken breast halves
• whole breast of a store bought rotisserie chicken taken off the bone
• 1 avocado, diced, for garnish
• shredded cheddar cheese, for garnish
• sour cream, optional

Instructions

1. Place the chopped onions, beans, tomatoes, and corn in the crock pot.
2. 1-1lb. bag of dry Great Northern Beans soaked for 2 hrs. after bringing it to a boil (in a large pot covering it with water) adding 2 bay leaves, 1 half onion, salt and pepper. Do the same with the red Kidney Beans. Simmer beans on low heat till almost tender to the 'al dente' about 1 hr.

1. Stir in chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
2. Add both beans with their liquid to a 'Dutch oven' (heavy duty large pot) the drained diced tomatoes, add the spices, and the beer. Cook for an additional 1 hr. on med- low uncovered.
3. Add chicken broth and beer.
4. Place chicken breasts on top.
5. Cover and cook for 3.5 to 4 hours ON HIGH, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Or cook
6. on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or until chicken is done.
7. Shred the deboned chicken breast, and add it to the pot, along with the corn kernels. Add the olive oil. Add 1/4 cup of flour to the reserved tomato juice, which is about 1/2 cup, whisking it till a smooth paste, and add it to the pot with all the ingredients. Simmer for an additional 25 minutes
8. Remove chicken breasts from the pot and place on a cutting board; let cool for a few minutes.
9. Shred chicken and stir it back into the pot; cover and continue to cook for 15 minutes.
10. Ladle chili into bowls and garnish with avocado, shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream.
11. Serve.

Notes

RECIPE SOURCE: DIETHOOD

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 486 grams (17-ounces) Calories: 345 Fat: 5.3 

 

Hungarian Cottage Cheese Noodles...and a Book Giveaway!

We have an old Hungarian tradition, that I remember from childhood, that my grandmother used to make, at least once a week called "túrós tészta (csusza)"...cottage cheese noodles! My mom used to make it, and my aunt, and sister, as well. The only difference is that my mom would make it with homemade noodles, and use fresh "farmers cottage cheese" and farmers sour cream, and real bacon, which could be considered "organic" bacon without "nitrates" added that we could actually buy these days, in Whole Foods Market.

Now, I don't have a step-by-step directions for this delicious and satisfying dish, that you can serve, with or without the crispy bacon bits, if you want it meatless...but oh, my! those organic uncured crispy bacon bits really, really add some extra flavor.

Chicken Paprikash...and Awards!

Whenever I crave for something that is a perfect comfort food that I know my entire family will like, I tend to turn towards my Hungarian favorite, which really does not need a recipe... knowing that I learned to make this delicious sauteed chicken in a rich paprika-sour cream sauce from my Hungarian "roots" from my mom, who was actually born in Transylvania (yes there is such a country, not just a myth)...it is and has been part of Romania for nearly a century now, after World War 1.
This special and true Hungarian dish is known world-wide to be an authentic Hungarian "staple" dish that is now just tossed aside in the culinary world...so sad! The way I see it in the "new wave" cooking, it doesn't even get listed as a "top 10".
I learned to make it the authentic way...even before I knew how to cook. Normally I would add the hot Hungarian wax pepper, which here in the states called "banana pepper?"...wonder why? Sure doesn't taste like a banana, it sure doesn't look like a banana, just because it's long and yellow?...that is absurd...again also...why do they even call it Hungarian wax pepper?...Do they wax it?...just the thought of that grosses me out!
At any rate, this is a simple, and easy way to make it...as long as you use authentic imported Hungarian Paprika, hot, or sweet...it's your choice!
I did not bother to do a step-by-step instructions on this...was not even going to take photos of this because I made this in a hurry, with my family telling me "we're starving"...so typical!

Do check out my friend Angie' blog @ Angie's Recipes, her delicious version of her Paprika Chicken. While you're there, browse through her blog and marvel at her many beautiful and yummy line up of entrees, and desserts, and do say hello!

I love to serve this awesome chicken paprikash with spaetzle...which is a little tedious to make so I usually serve it with wide egg noodles, or in the case with orechiette pasta. This was so delicious and we even had it for lunch the next day!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY...and a Giveaway!

If someone asks you...What does Valentine's mean to you?...how would you answer that?...As for me, I would say that to me it means a day to show your loved ones how much you care, and how much you love them. Not just gifts and cards, but in words and expressions! I'll be honest with you this cake I made with a cake mix...yes, boxed cake mix, and not my own...but, I doctored it up so well, that I was so inspired to be creative with the frosting, which really is from "scratch"...and being more creative by adding something pink or red, which happened to be a can of lite cherry pie filling that I had in my cupboard from this summer, that I did not get to use for my cheesecake. So, I decided to share my little heart shaped cake, which was baked in my heart shaped spring form pan, which was a thrift find...brand new Wilton's, for $1.99 retailing at least $16.99. I have gotten so much use out of this, that it's for sure, a keeper.

How can you not love this yummy cake filled, and frosted with real chocolaty goodness, and the oh, so yummy cherry filling, which is drained from the liquid, and save the cherry liquid to spread on top of the chocolate frosting.
Last minute dinner at my son's house...not knowing if I should go, my kitty Prince being so sick for the last couple days...not eating, just moping around, not letting me sleep at night...he was pacing up and down, I thought for sure this is it, since he is so old, but still so full of life and energy. How can you not feel sad when your pet gets ill?! I took this special little cake to my son's house, we shared it after a fabulous meal, and then off to my daughter's to share the other half of the cake...while they were in the middle of their fabulous home made sushi dinner, that Fabrizio made...even the little 4 year old grandson, the little guy, loves sushi...so much for that, I went there to pick up my beautiful roses that they gave to me.

2 dozen beautiful roses, that I received from my family...they told me they bought it at Costco, since they were shopping there on Sunday. Isn't it so thoughtful? A favorite kitty mug, and a bouquet of roses, and "I Love You, MOM" ...HAPPY VALENTINE'S...how much more would a Nonna, and a Mom want from her children, and Grandchildren. This is what Valentine's is about. Not the "Bling" or $$$...but a thoughtful simple gift, and to let your loved one know how much you care about them!

Holiday Cheesecake, and Christmas Memories

As the year is dwindling down, and Christmas is over, a New Year is awaiting us to start "anew" with a clean slate of resolutions, and promises. Leaving the old year with fond memories, and some sadness...not just what kinds of gifts we got for the holidays, and what parties or events we attended, but thinking ahead for the coming year, of what we can do for each other, to give, and get more BLESSINGS!
After visiting my new and beautiful friend, Jamie's blog @Mangiabella and reading her inspirational posts, and quotes, reminds me, that life is so precious, and that the true joys in our lives are family, and dear friends... let us not forget our faithful pets, and embrace new friends.
I concluded this thought, after leaving Jamie's blog, that:

"Bringing gladness to the hearts of others, and giving of yourself...is the Greatest Gift of All"...(my quote)

So, I will share my most favorite cheesecake of all, that I make, just about for every special occasion...have memorized the ingredients, and method, to the point that this is seriously a "scientific" method, that you must follow, and not sway from it. It's a New York, or should I say New York Style Cheesecake, that can be left simple, without the sour cream topping, which really gives it a more amazing flavor, and dresses it up, but you can do it without it, because you will not see "cracks" on top of the cheesecake...I promise you that. You can dress this cheesecake up for the summer, with a fresh fruit topping, or for the holiday, as I did, with rainbow, holiday sprinkles, and surround them with handmade chocolate pieces that already has sprinkles on it, from your local chocolate shop, as I did. I'm not going into the "song and dance" recipe, to write it down, I will link the recipe back to this summer, when I made it the last time.
I kid you not...this is a "tried and true" recipe, that you will want to follow, to a T! The only important thing is, you should, and must make it the day before, so it will set nicely. Actually, I made this two days before Christmas, and let it chill nicely in my frig.

So, here's the link, and recipe: New York Style Cheesecake

Sweet Potato Latkes and Pickles?

These are the best sweet potato latkes I've made, this year, for the first night of Hanukkah, and my camera went "blank" on me...the screen, just totally gave out. My nine year old granddaughter, (bless her little heart) stepped right in, to take the first shot...and that's the only photo I have of this, while still frying in the cast iron skillet, she took such a nice pic. I finally got my new camera-Canon SX130 IS, which I will be taking my photos of my foods. Gabriella did not waste any time, checking out my camera, while I was still reading the instruction book, she already took such amazing photos of the Christmas tree, and her little brother, and figured out the video. Fort the sweet potato latkes, the real secret to it, as far as I'm concerned, the best way to make it crisp, and not come out soggy, you have to add a couple of Idaho potatoes to it, and make sure, you use matzo meal, instead of flour.

I have been wanting to make my homemade pickles for quite a while now, but not been able to, because I could not find the small cucumbers for pickles. I really like the Kirby brand, but cannot  find them anywhere. While at Costco's, I found a bag of these cute gourmet mini cukes and got all excited, about jarring them...and the jar?...yeahh..."thrift find" a quart size  light blue mason jar, 2 of them, from Goodwill, for $.99. each.
All you have to do is to sterilize the jar in the dishwasher, just run it through a regular wash with the other dishes, prepare the brine= vinegar and water, and pack them tightly in the jar with the boiled water/vinegar, and the herbs. I will post the recipe for the latkes, and the pickles. I also have a Tagging to pass to 15 bloggers., with 7 questions...tthanks to my sweet friend Jo, from Chic & Gorgeous, who passed the tagging to me, last week. So, I'm posting the recipes, and also the tagging.