Forecast Calls for Easy Chicken Chili

I've been cooking since I was about 10 years old. I can remember watching my parents cook and my father's mother (now 86 years old) and asking lots of questions. My mother taught me that granulated sugar takes the acidic bite out of tomato sauces. My father taught me how to make gravy from pan drippings. I learned later that I was making "rue". My grandmother taught me how to make squash casserole, okra, and fresh creamed corn along with many other southern dishes. She lives in Georgia.

Cooking sure came in handy as a broke college student! I cooked a lot for friends and roommates. A male friend of mine mentioned in passing one day that he was in the mood for a "good steak". "I can cook a steak" I replied matter-of-factly. He didn't believe me. So, I told him if he bought the steak (one for me too, of course) I would cook for him. This became a weekly thing. He began inviting his roommates in on the feast. They bought the groceries and I prepared a big meal. I thought all women cooked. Who knew it would make me such a hot commodity as a friend and later a wife? My (now) husband and I were somewhat penpals/phone friends for a long time before we began dating. He reacted with elation when I told him I could cook. His parents are from SC and he grew up with a mom that could cook. He said most of the women he'd dated didn't cook. Really? Maybe its a southern thing (read: "old fashioned" or "traditional") that women cook and bake?

I enjoy it. Its a skill that has come in handy time and time again. I pride myself most for being about to take whatever is in the house at the time and create a great-tasting meal. I rarely follow a recipe unless I am experimenting in cuisine I am unfamiliar with. But once I make the dish I will edit and adjust as I see fit or apply what I learned to "spice up" (pun intended) an old recipe.

So, tonight, I made chicken chili. Sure, I've made chili many times. My husband says my typical chili is too red. He describes it as spaghetti sauce with beans. Its not that it doesn't taste good, he just prefers a smoother, beanless chili which I would describe as hot dog chilli and more of a condiment than a meal. Everyone once in a while I like chili. Today is really frigid and seemed like the perfect day for a hearty warm bowl. I've been trying variations to get to a happy medium from the kind of chilli my husband likes and what I'm used to making. Tonight I think I hit the jackpot with this simple recipe. I'm not one for exact measurements and chilli is one of those forgiving dishes so use similar products if you can't find the exact brands I used. I'm sure it will be fine! It has a nice consistency. Serves 8-10 generous portions. Use leftovers as a dip or for chili dogs.

 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (I used prepared garlic in a jar) 
• 1 package of ground chicken (about 1 lb?) 
• 1 package of McCormick chili seasoning, 
• 1 can of Goya Pink Beans in Sauce, 
• 1 cup of water, 
• 1 can on crushed tomatoes, 
• 1 jar of spaghetti sauce (I used Victoria Vodka Sauce), 
• 1 can Glory Red Beans and Rice, 
• about 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat pot to med-hot, add garlic and defrosted ground chicken (Substitute ground turkey or beef)
2. Stir in 1 package of McCormick chili seasoning, 
3. Add jar of spaghetti sauce (I used Victoria Vodka Sauce) before meat browns
4. Add cup of water and stir (this helps break down the meat to a blended consistency)
5. Let begin to boil, turn heat down to med
6. Add Pink Beans, crushed tomatoes and can of Red Beans and Rice
7. Stir and sprinkle in smoked paprika
8. Cover and cook for about 10 min at med heat to make sure meat is cooked thoroughly
9. Turn heat to low and simmer for another 5 min with lid OFF to thicken

I served with a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!

Kids in the kitchen: Stuffed Biscuit Cups

Stuffed Biscuits Cups? I couldn't come up with a better name for this dish. I'm open to suggestions. This is a really easy recipe. And my budding chef (soon to be 4yo daughter) wants to help me cook every night. So I gave her the tasks of making the dough cups.

What you need:

• a muffin tin
• non-stick cooking spray
• a canister of biscuit dough (or home made biscuit dough if you prefer)
• ground turkey (optional) 
• blend of veggies fresh or frozen, I used a microwaveable pouch of corn and black blean blend from Target
• BBQ sauce (Hunt's Honey BBQ)
• shredded cheddar cheese (feel free to substitute for any cheese that melts)

*** the inside of the cups can be filled with your preferred ingredients for "stuffing" the cups. Try different combos like pepperoni, marinara sauce and veggies for a "pizza" inspired version for example.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to temperature per your biscuit container instructions (350 degrees)
2. cook your ingredients (brown the meat if you're using a protein, saute your veggies, then add about 1/3 cup of sauce) not too soupy
3. simmer for about 3 min
4. let mixture cool for a few min and absorb some sauce
5. spray your muffin tin with non-stick spray
6. KID JOB: mold each biscuit circle into the muffin cup, pressing the middle out to fill up the sides (see photo)
7. spoon mixture into biscuit "cups"
8. KID JOB: top with shredded cheese
9. bake for 8-10 min or until the biscuit edges puff and turn golden brown and cheese is melted
10. let cool for a few minutes before serving.

These were so good that I forgot to photograph the finished version before we devoured them :-)

Kids in the Kitchen Recipe: Mexican Pizza

My toddler loves to help in the kitchen. She loves to pour and stir and of course lick the utensils when we're done. She's been helping since she turned two years old and is getting more and more comfortable in the kitchen. She really takes pride in the tasks I give her now. So I am always trying to think of meals she can help me with. This is an easy one that she found fun to assemble.

Ingredients (Makes 4 servings):

• Corn tortillas (8)
• 1 can of refried beans, black beans OR I used Glory brand red beans & rice which you should be able to find in the International food aisle with Caribbean canned goods
• grilled chicken (about 1 1/2 chicken breasts)
• shredded cheddar cheese or blend (about 1 cup)
• 2 chopped green onions (scallions)
• (optional) sour cream and salsa

Directions: 

1.  Heat oven to 425 degrees
2. Grill your chicken and chop into small pieces
3. Spray non-stick spray on a cookie sheet
4. Place 4 of the tortillas on sheet (good job for the toddler)
5. Spoon a large spoonful of your canned beans of choice and spread out evenly (good job for the toddler) 
6. Top with another tortilla (good job for the toddler) 
7. Place chicken on top 
8. Sprinkle scallions and cheese (good job for the toddler)
9. Cook in oven for 10 min top with your favorite condiments

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RECIPE: Everybody in the Pool! Easy 15 min recipe.

This is another "clean out the fridge before the veggies go bad" dish. And by using a steam-in-the-bag shortcut I was able to complete in less than 15 min!

The point is to use fresh veggies like broccoli, roasted red peppers and squash to make a colorful and healthy dish. I try to think of my dishes as vegetarian with meat (lol) meaning chocked full of fresh veggies but an addition of meat for flavor and because I married a carnivore and I was raised on meat and starch so its hard for me to feel full if there isn't meat. Does that make me weird? If not, there are a laundry list of other things that do so I've got that covered.

What you need:

• A large pot with cover
• (Optional) Turkey Kielbasa sliced small or chopped
• Med white onion chopped
• 1 fresh bunch of broccoli cut into florets and pieces of stalk
• 1 jar of roasted red pepper cut into smaller pieces (I used Table Joy brand)
• 2 yellow squash or zucchini sliced or chopped
• 1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth (replace with oil from red pepper jar for vegan version)
• Cooked rice or my shortcut Steam-in-Bag white rice with peas, corn, and carrots

Directions:
1. Cook rice and put side
2. (Skip to #3 if doing vegan version) Slice kielbasa then cut slices in half and begin browning in med-high pot
3. Add chopped onion and chicken broth (or oil from jar of roasted red pepper) and cover
4. Add chopped squash and roasted red pepper, stir well
5 Add broccoli, stir well
6. Incorporate your cooked rice, stir well, recover for about 5 min then Serve!

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Easy Recipe: Top Notch Turkey Chili!

Just whipped together the best pot of  turkey chili I ever had! All you need is a large pot with a lid. Stir well after each step.

1. on Medium heat, saute minced garlic and 1 large white onion (chopped fine) in olive oil
2. brown 1 lb ground turkey with the garlic and onion
3. Add Archer Farms (brand sold at Target) corn and black bean seasoned blend
4. Add 1 can of Glory brand (sold in ethnic *soul food* section) red beans and rice
5. Add 1 large can of Hunt's 100% petite diced tomatoes
6. Add a few dashes of Worchestershire sauce and 1/2 cup of water
7. turn heat to low and simmer with top on for about 10 min
8. Now stir and add chili powder (I used about 3 tablespoons in total) and I loved the smoky flavor of Badia brand smoked paprika so I added about 3 tbsps of that too)
9. let cook another 5 min with lid off to thicken up
10. Serve with chips as a dip or in a bowl with a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!

A Tasty and Healthy 10 min meal!

I remember how hard it was to shop/cook for one person when I lived alone after college. I was on a tight post college budget. I ended up splitting up my groceries and freezing smaller portions because I couldn't stand eating leftovers more than 3 days in a row no matter how tasty they were. This meal idea can be prepared and cooked in less than 10 minutes! Portions can easily be scaled up for a family. I made this for dinner last Friday because my daughter was staying at my in-laws and hubby was at work. He has a seafood allergy so I rarely cook seafood at home.

So I bought a bag of individually wrapped talapia fillets (such a mild fish, yum) and San Francisco style frozen vegetables. That's the first I've heard of this blend. It contains: broccoli, french cut green beans, mushrooms and red bell pepper. I set the oven to broil. I put about a third of the bag of frozen veggies in a small pot that had a lid and boiled on high with about 1/4 inch of water in the pot. With a few shakes of Badia brand complete seasoning. This seasoning is great on EVERYTHING. I use it on eggs, meat, vegetables.

I defrosted 2 talapia fillets and placed on a piece of aluminum foil lined cookie sheet that I greased with some butter. I seasoned liberally with Old Bay seasoning on both sides and put a half a pat of salted butter on top of each fillet. I broiled on each side about 4 min (flipping the fillets once). The fillets are delicate so I used a spatula. It was so simple and tasted better than dishes I've eaten in restaurants. I just had to share! I can't wait to have another night at home alone so I can make this meal again.

Curry Lamb Burgers with Cucumber Dressing

I get tired of the same old meals. This is a relatively easy recipe for an experienced cook. I say that because I am estimating the measurements and you will need to use your judgment on some things. Not to keen on trying lamb? Or can't find it in your local grocery? Substitute ground hamburger or turkey. You can serve on a roll or hamburger bun but we eat it without the bread.




INGREDIENTS:

• about 1.25-1.5 lbs ground lamb (not offered at some stores) I used to buy this at Shaws but they have moved out of the area. If you live in upper Fairfield County, CT this can be purchased at Food Basics on Park Ave and North Ave in Bridgeport. You can ask a local butcher if you cant find it. Stop & Shop butcher said they don't sell ground lamb.
• brown mustard (about 2 tbsp)
• about 1/4 cup curry powder (remember curry powder is not hot, add red pepper flakes for heat)
• 2 large eggs
• about 1 cup breadcrumbs (I used Italian breadcrumbs)
• about 2 tbsp minced garlic (I use the jar of minced garlic) 
• Optional: black pepper, finely chopped white onion or scallion, 1 tbsp celery powder, red pepper flakes

 For Cucumber dressing

• cheese grater
• 1 large cucumber
• 1 container of plain Greek yogurt 
• lemon juice 1 tea spoon
• salt & white pepper (optional) to taste 1 pinch at a time

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Make cucumber dressing first by grating the cucumber into a bowl, pour off excess juice from cucumber, mix in Greek yogurt, lemon juice and salt. Store in refrigerator while you prepare and cook burgers.
2. Heat grill or skillet or hot plate to med high. 
3. In a large bowl mix all ingredients for burgers.
4. Form into burger shape no more than 1 inch thick
5. lightly oil the cooking surface I use olive oil or non-stick spray
6. cook on each side about 4-5min, remove from heat and let rest for another 5 min
7. If you are serving on buns, prepare your buns and add lettuce and sliced tomato if you want
8. Stir your cucumber dressing before adding a dollop to burgers. You'll probably have some dressing left over.

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Easy Dinner Suggestion - Smithfield Pork Sirloin

I am so busy these days. So I try to save time (and money) wherever I can. I aim to make meals that take less than 30 min to prepare and love to figure out shortcuts. For instance, instead of ordering wings from a restaurant, I have been buying the frozen ones. Microwaving makes them gross and soggy. Frying is fatty. Instead of following the instructions (who can wait 20 minutes for wings in the oven?) I set the oven to broil while I microwave the wings and then I broil them a few minutes on each side to get the crispiness. It cuts the oven baking cook time in half!

Ok, so when grocery shopping the other day I decided to try a marinated pork loin from Smithfield (Garlic & Herb). The instructions tell you to bake at 425 degrees for 20 min for every pound. The one I got weighed 1.44 lbs so I cooked about 30 min. It did not instruct me to let the meat rest but I know this is a good idea for any loin. It keep the moisture in and finishes the cooking process. I'm usually not a fan of pre-seasoned store bought meats. I'm very picky in the way things are seasoned. Probably saltier than most folks prefer. There was a hint of rosemary and bold, savory flavor. I highly recommend this product.

Easy Toddler Snacks & Meals

***REPOST with additional info*** I'm a self-proclaimed "foodie". I like to try new things and switch it up so my taste buds don't get bored. I remembered hating vegetables as a child and grew up on mostly meat and starches. I vowed to introduce my child to a variety of foods when she had a blank palette as a youngster. Pre-packaged toddler meals are high in sodium so I wanted easy, healthy snacks for my daughter that she could practice self-feeding and try new foods.

• Mini-pizzas: toast an English muffin (cut in half), spread marinara sauce, top with shredded (low-fat) mozzarella and microwave 30 sec or as long as it takes to melt the cheese (its better if you have the time to put in a toaster oven or brown under the broiler but with a hungry toddler the microwave will do). I defrost frozen chopped spinach and sprinkle on before the cheese to sneak in a veggie. 
• Green peas will keep a toddler busy for a long time! You can microwave a handful of frozen peas with a tablespoon of water for 30sec-1min.
• Cut a wheat pita in half and put a half slice of cheese in each half. These fit nicely in your toaster and lightly toast to melt the cheese. Let cool of course and then cut into smaller triangles for tiny hands. 
• mandarin oranges are affordable in a can or jar and don't have the tough skin like navel oranges. They are bite size and a perfect toddler meal. 
• I also buy the fruit snack cups (in water or light syrup) and rinse the syrup or drain the water. They are nice, small chunks already. I re-use the plastic cups they come in for other snacks and craft projects to hold supplies
• frozen mini-ravioli or cheese tortellinis are good and only take a few minutes to boil
• my daughter loves tomatoes so I chop them up small and stir in a little Italian dressing
• shredded carrots are tender and crunchy, I serve with chicken nuggets as a side item 
• TIP: buy wheat germ in a jar and stir into yogurt or applesauce. Great source of fiber and doesn't have a taste! 

FOR OLDER CHILDREN:

• (once you've determined there are no peanut allergies) apple wedges with peanut butter
• Easy pizza using Naan bread or whole pita as crust. Add marinara, your fave toppings and cheese, bake in the oven at 400 until cheese bubbles

What's your child's favorite food?

Vegans and Vegetarians BEWARE! Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

If you missed my bacon wrapped salmon recipe, you may not know that I like bacon. Well, I do. I don't eat it as often as my blogged recipes suggest. But when I'm bored with an entrée I try wrapping it in bacon and Tah-daa! it 's a new meal!  I won't take credit for this recipe. Tyler Florence talked about it on the FN around the holidays. So I tried it. Sadly, I couldn't find a recipe on the FN's website to link it so I will describe the basic techniques with photos. Like most of my cuisine, I don't measure or follow a recipe so this is for intermediate and expect cooks that can wing it in the kitchen. Or, find a meatloaf recipe that looks good to prepare that part and then follow this technique for cooking.

SIDE NOTE: What main ingredients do you all use in your meatloaf? I use onion soup mix, spicy brown mustard, ketchup, meatloaf mix (blend of pork, beef, and veal), worcestershire sauce (I had to look up the spelling for that one), and italian bread crumbs. I remember an episode of "Roseanne" where she used corn flakes, but I thought it was Frosted Flakes and that weirded me out so I never tried that, lol.

1. Ok, mix all your ingredients until well blended. Prep a cookie sheet with a large piece of aluminum foil. It needs to be large enough to fold over the loaf lengthwise and then fold up ends to create a pocket.
2. Place 5-6 bacon slices side by side on the foil.
3. Place your loaf on top of the middle of the strips of bacon.
4. (See pic below) bring ends of bacon to meet on top of meatloaf.
5. Fold foil over the loaf lengthwise and then fold up ends to create a pocket (See pic below).
6. Bake in preheated oven at 400º for about 45min. 
7. Carefully open foil (hot steam will come out) and then broil for a few minutes to brow the bacon.

 Enjoy! Sorry, it smelled so delish, I forgot to take a finished photo before cutting into the meatloaf. I served with collared greens and cornbread muffins.

Easy Cheesy Empanadas

Wikipedia defines: An empanada is a Spanish and Portuguese stuffed bread or pastry, also known as "impanada" in Italy. The name comes from the verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread. Empanada is made by folding a dough or bread patty around the stuffing. In Spain, empanadas are usually large and circular in shape and are cut into smaller portions for consumption, whereas in Portugal and South America empanadas are normally small and semi-circular (this type of empanada is commonly known as empanadilla in Spain).

It is important to note, I am NOT USING typical empanada dough which can be found in Spanish grocery stores or supermarkets with a large Spanish population. The dough is similar to that of pot pie crust or what;s used for Jamaican beef patties. But my aunt Carol put me on to the delicious crispy egg roll wraps a few years ago and I much prefer the texture and less doughiness.

The great thing about this recipe is versatility! When I see my fresh veggies about to spoil, I don't want to throw them out, so I saute whatever I have on hand into the skillet along with my ground meat (beef, chicken, or turkey). Are you a vegetarian? No problem! Just skip the meat and add in more vegetables.

I often use zucchini, onions, shredded carrots, mushroom, green pepper and canned corn. But this time, I was pressed for time and thought I would try a bag of frozen mixed veggies that I found in Target. I'm telling you, no matter what you choose you cannot mess this up! If you used any canned items, just remember to drain them first :-)

INGREDIENTS:

• A few cups of Canola oil (or your favorite frying oil) 
• 1 pack of ground meat (*or make it completely vegetarian!)
• "Archer Farms" brand Corn & Blackbean Seasoned Blend frozen mix
• Egg Roll wrap (found in your produce section, usually with the tofu) I used Nasoya.
• Taco Seasoning (or season with your own spices) I used a packet of Old El Paso Taco Seasoning
• Shredded cheddar cheese (what I had on hand was Kraft Sharp Cheddar) you can use your favorite shredded cheese blend
• Optional condiments: sour cream, salsa, guacamole
• Large skillet with a top, small dish, tongs or utensil to remove empanadas from hot oil, dish lined with paper towel

DIRECTIONS:

1. (Optional) brown your choice of meat and drain most of excess fat
2. Add in frozen veggie mix or your choice of things from your fridge (cover and saute until thoroughly cooked)
3. Stir in seasoning and mix well 
4. Drain
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool
6. Add canola or other frying oil in a frying pan (about 1 inch deep) and set to med-high heat
7. Prepare a plate or cutting board with flour to prevent Egg Wrap dough from sticking and small dish of water for sealing the dough
8. Place one square of dough on floured surface
9. Add a small handful of shredded cheese to the middle of the square
10. Place a large spoonful of your meat/veggie mixture on top of cheese
11. Fold one corner in towards the center, dab with a dot of water from your dish and then fold in the opposite corner to overlap and stick (If you find that it was hard for your corners to meet and the filling is overflowing out of the sides, this is the time to remove some of your filling)
12. Use your fingertip to make a line of water along the edge of one of the remaining opens flaps and fold in towards the middle. Make sure to seal that wet edge on top of the 2 opposing corners that have already met in the middle (see photo in slideshow)
13. Seal the last flap in the same way. ***If the dough rips while you are folding, finish the folding and then wrap in an addition egg roll wrapper for reinforcement.
14. Place completed empanadas on a plate to rest while you keep making more. You want to fry 2 at a time. These cook quickly and you don't want to be occupied prepping more while they are cooking because they will burn.
15. Check oil for readiness. Try dropping a drop of water in. If oil is not hot enough, keeping folding more. 
16. Place 2 empanadas (folded side down) into hot oil. Let cook about 2 min on each side or until golden brown. (Don't walk away, these will burn quickly)
17. Flip and brown the opposite side.
18. Try to drain as much oil off of the empanadas into the pan before placing on a dish lined with paper towels for cooling.
19. Top with your favorite condiments for Spanish food and ENJOY! I suggest serving with a tossed salad.