Tag: taste

White Bean & Chicken Breast Chili – A Change of Pace, Change of Pace

I love a hearty beef chili as much as the next guy, but once
in a while there’s nothing wrong with going over to the light side, and
enjoying an equally comforting bowl of white bean and chicken chili. I’ve always used thighs for my chicken chili, which of
course have more fat and flavor, but after a bunch of requests for a chicken
breast version, I decided give it a go, and I was very happy with the results.

The key is to not overcook the chicken when you sear it.
You want it slightly undercooked, maybe about 150 degrees F. internal temp,
since it will cook all the way when we add it back in. You’ll notice when I
slice mine, there’s a little bit of opaqueness to the flesh, which is what you
want.

This is intended to be a relatively quick and simple
weeknight meal, so I didn’t add much in the way of extras, but things like
peppers, squash, and mushrooms are always welcomed additions.

I know you’re probably missing those long, warm summer days
right about now, but one of the great things about this season’s cold, wet
weather is that it begs for recipes like this. I hope you pour yourself a
beer, grab a chunk of bread, and dig into a bowl of this soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

2 tsp vegetable oil

2 or 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 1/4 lbs

salt and pepper to taste

1 large onion

4 cloves garlic

1 tbsp ancho chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp flour

about 3 cups chicken broth or stock, divided

1 tsp fine cornmeal
2 cans (15oz) white beans

cayenne to taste

1/4 tsp sugar or to taste

1/3 cup chopped green onions

sour cream and cilantro to garnish

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Holiday Granola – Only 8 Edible Gift Making Days Until Christmas!

When I was asked to take part in a special holiday YouTube
playlist called, “Christmas Morning Breakfast,” I started thinking about
seasonal variation on things like eggs benedict, quiche, and French toast. But
then I realized…you can’t wrap those things up and give them as an edible gift,
so I decided to do this granola instead.

We’ve covered the edible gift topic before, and discussed
the fine line between, “Wow, what a creative and thoughtful gift!” and “Wow,
what a cheapskate!” Happily, when it comes to this delicious, crunchy treat,
one taste and the lucky recipient will forget about any ulterior economic
motivations.

Since this was a Christmas-themed recipe, I went with lots
of festively colored dried fruit, but the beauty of the granola technique is
that it pretty much works with anything. I love the looks of the green pumpkin
seeds, but things like hazelnuts and pecans would also work wonderfully.

As I mentioned in the video, it’s really up to you to
determine the cooking time. I tend to like mine just golden-brown, but many
enjoy the deeper, nuttier flavor of a longer roasting. Since you are pulling
and tossing every 10 minutes, this is pretty easy to monitor, but just be
careful towards the end, as it can get bitter if you go too far.

Anyway, whether this is for a quick and easy holiday
breakfast, with milk or over Greek yogurt; or you are going to package some up
as a stocking stuffer for the foodies in your life, I hope you give this a try
soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 6 cups of Granola

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup shredded coconut (pure coconut, not candied)

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp salt

1/2 cup chopped candy covered chocolate pieces (like M&M’s)

1/2 cup golden raisins, chopped

1 cup mixed dried fruit (any combo of cranberries, cherries,
strawberries, blueberries, etc.)

*Bake at 325 degrees F. for 30-40 minutes or until browned.

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Chicken, Orzo, and Spinach Skillet with Kalamata Olives, Tomatoes, and Basil

by Pam on November 26, 2012

I found this Cooking Light recipe on Myrecipes^[1] and decided to give it a try. The reviews for the recipe said it was a little bland so I decided to throw some extra flavors in it including, kalamata olives, onions, and garlic as well as seasonings. It was a simple and comforting dish that was easy to make, smelled great while it cooked, and tasted even better. My husband and I both loved it but my kids just thought it was okay. I am looking forward to the leftovers tomorrow.

Cook the orzo in salted water, per instructions. Side Note: Sprinkle a little bit of chicken bouillon granules into the boiling water for extra flavor. Drain the orzo and all but 1/2 cup of cooking liquid through a colander.

While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and season with a bit of crushed red pepper, oregano, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste; cook stirring often, for 3-4 minutes. Remove the onion from the skillet and set aside. Season the chicken with a sprinkling of oregano, garlic powder, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Place the chicken into the same skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté 6 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

Turn the heat to low then add reserved cooking liquid to the skillet, making sure to scrape up all the browned bits off of the bottom of the pan; add the minced garlic and stir. Add the chopped tomato, softened onions, kalamata olives, and tomato paste, to the skillet; cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add chicken, orzo, basil, and spinach leaves, stirring until spinach wilts. Taste and re-season if needed. Remove from heat; sprinkle with cheese and serve. Enjoy.

Print^[2]

Save^[3]

Chicken, Orzo, and Spinach Skillet with Kalamata Olives, Tomatoes, and Basil

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 15 min.

Cook Time: 15-20 min.

Total Time: 30-40 in.

Ingredients:

1 cup of orzo, cooked per instructions
1 tbsp olive oil
1 sweet yellow onion, diced
Oregano, to taste
Dash of Crushed red pepper, to taste
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Garlic powder to taste
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat & cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups chopped tomato
2 tsp tomato paste
Large handful of kalamata olives, sliced
2 cups baby spinach leaves
3-4 fresh basil leaves, torn
Feta cheese

Directions:

Cook the orzo in salted water, per instructions. Side Note: Sprinkle a little bit of chicken bouillon granules into the boiling water for extra flavor. Drain the orzo and all but 1/2 cup of cooking liquid through a colander.

While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and season with a bit of crushed red pepper, oregano, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste; cook stirring often, for 3-4 minutes. Remove the onion from the skillet and set aside. Season the chicken with a sprinkling of oregano, garlic powder, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Place the chicken into the same skillet over medium-high heat (add cooking spray if needed). Sauté 6 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

Turn the heat to low then add reserved cooking liquid to the skillet, making sure to scrape up all the browned bits off of the bottom of the pan; add the minced garlic and stir. Add the chopped tomato, softened onions, kalamata olives, and tomato paste, to the skillet; cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add chicken, orzo, basil, and spinach leaves, stirring until spinach wilts. Taste and re-season if needed. Remove from heat; sprinkle with cheese and serve. Enjoy.

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
Inspired by Cooking Light on MyRecipes

References

^{^} Myrecipes (www.myrecipes.com)
^{^} Print Recipe (www.gordon-ramsay-recipe.com)
^{^} Save to ZipList Recipe Box (www.gordon-ramsay-recipe.com)