White Lightening Chicken Chili

I made this last night, and it was amazing!!  Even Ella liked it.  I think we all liked it better than my other white chicken chili recipe.  Instead of using all navy beans like the recipe calls for, I used 3 different varieties:

1 large sweet onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced (I used 2 tsp crushed garlic from TJ's)
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cups shredded cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken)
2 (14.5 oz.) cans chicken broth (I only used 16 oz. and will use less next time)
2 (4.5 oz.) cans chopped green chiles, undrained
1 (1.25 oz.) package white chicken chili seasoning mix (I used McCormicks- great flavor)
3 (16 oz.) cans navy beans, undrained (I used cannellini, great northern and navy)
Shredded cheese for topping
Chopped avocado for topping (did not use)
*we added Fritos to the bottom of each bowl!

Saute onion and garlic in hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until onion is tender.  [From here, I put the beans in a crockpot, mashed some of them and then added the rest of the ingredients; put on low for about an hour and then switched to the "warm" setting until we were ready to eat; served with Fritos on the bottom of the bowl & cheddar cheese on top- this enabled me to make it earlier in the day since late afternoons are always too busy for cooking in our house!].  Stir in chicken, next 3 ingredients and 2 cans navy beans.  Coarsely mash remaining can navy beans and stir into chicken mixture.  Bring to a boil, stirring often; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.  Serve with desired toppings.

Southern Living mag.

**I made this again but cooked it all day in the crockpot.  I sauteed the onion and garlic in oil, and then put them with all other ingredients (except the chicken broth) in the crockpot with 3 fresh chicken breasts (about 1.25 lbs.), mixed it up, cooked on low for 8 hours.  I shredded the chicken with 2 forks after about 7 hours.  YUM!

Slow Cooker Barbecued Chicken

I made this tonight, and it was SO tasty!!  BUT, I halved the entire recipe and used about 1.3 pounds chicken breasts (which was 3 chicken breasts) and no lemon.  I shredded the chicken in the crockpot after about 6.5 hours on low, then stirred it a bit and put the crockpot on the "warm" setting.  Gary ate it on buns, but I just ate it plain- yum!  Both kids liked it too.

2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1 (3-3.5 lb.) cut-up whole chicken (I used 1.3 pounds chicken breasts)
1/2 cup cola soft drink (I used diet Coke)
1/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp bourbon (I used Jack Daniels because it's all we had in the house!)
1 lemon, sliced (I did NOT use any lemon)

1. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a small bowl.  Sprinkle over chicken.  Place chicken in a single layer in a lightly greased 6-qt slow cooker.

2. Whisk together cola soft drink and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl.  Slowly pour mixture between chicken pieces (to avoid removing spices from chicken).  Place lemon slices in a single layer on top of chicken.

3. Cover and cook on high 5 hours (or on low 6.5 to 7.5 hours) or until done.

4. Transfer chicken pieces to a serving platter; discard lemon slices.  Skim fat from pan juices in slow cooker.  Pour pan juices over chicken; serve immediately.

*OR*

Prepare through step 3 then remove chicken from slow cooker and let cool slightly, discard lemons.  Skin, bone and shred chicken.  Skim fat from pan juices and pour over chicken.  Serve chicken on buns.

From Southern Living mag.

Southern Pulled-Pork Sandwhiches

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne pepper
coarse salt and pepper
3 lbs. boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), cut into 4 equal pieces
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 soft sandwich rolls, split
store-bought bbq sauce, for serving (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 with racks in lower and upper positions.  In a small bowl, combine sugar, cayenne, 1 tbsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper.

2. Place pork in a 5-qt Dutch oven or large heavy bottomed pot; rub with spice mixture.

3. In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, garlic, and 1/2 cup water; pour over pork.  Cover pot, and place in oven on lower rack.  Bake until pork is very tender and separates easily when pulled with a fork, 2-2.5 hours.

4. Transfer pork to a work surface, reserving pan juices.  With two forks, shred meat.  Transfer to a large bowl, and toss with pan juices to moisten (you may not need all the juices).  Pile pork on rolls, and top with bbq sauce, if desired.

Food mag.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Really good recipe from Food Network- I put slightly less flour and just rolled them into balls and barely pressed them with a glass.

1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup additional to roll cookies
1 stick butter, at room temp
1 egg
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 375.  Grease a baking sheet.  In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter.  Beat in egg to mixture.  Mix in pb and vanilla until smooth and creamy.  Stir in salt, baking soda and flour until well combined.  Roll dough into 1-inch balls and then roll in sugar.  Place on baking sheet and flatten with fork.  Bake for 12-15 minutes. 

Warm Spinach Salad with Fried Egg and Potatoes

So yummy!

4 tbsp olive oil
1 lb. frozen potato cubes
Coarse salt and pepper
2 tbsp red-wine vinegar
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 shallot, minced
2 bunches flat-leaf spinach (2 lbs.)
2 oz. parmesan
4 large eggs

1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium.  Add potatoes; season with salt and pepper.  Cook until potatoes are tender and browned 12-14 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine remaining 2 tbsp oil with vinegar, mustard and shallot; season with salt and pepper and whisk to combine.  Add spinach and parmesan (do not toss); set aside.

3. When potatoes are done cooking, immediately transfer to bowl with spinach and dressing.  Toss salad until spinach is slightly wilted and dived among 4 plates.

4. Heat skillet over medium and gently crack eggs into skillet without breaking yolks; season with salt and pepper.  Cook until whites are almost set, about 1 minute.  Cover, turn off heat and let stand until whites are just set but yolks are still soft, about 2 minutes more.  Top each salad with a fried egg and serve immediately.

Slow Cooker Hoisin Pork Roast

1 boneless pork loin roast (about 3 lbs.), tied
1 (10 oz.) jar hoisin sauce (about 3/4 cup)
3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp chili paste
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp dark sesame oil
4 tsp cornstarch
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
2 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

1. Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray and add the pork roast.  In a small bowl, combine the hoisin, garlic, chili paste, vinegar, soy sauce and oil.  Whisk in the cornstarch.  Pour sauce over the pork.

2. Cover the slow cooker and cook the roast until fork-tender and a thermometer registers 160, 3.5 hours on high heat or 8 hours on low heat.  Transfer the pork to a platter, cover with foil and let stand for 10 minutes.  Pour the cooking liquid into a bowl and let stand for 10 minutes, then skim any fat from the surface.

3. Slice the pork and arrange on a platter.  Sprinkle the scallions and cilantro on top.  Serve the Asian sauce on the side.

From Rachael Ray magazine.

Roastd Pork Loin with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Roasted Garlic:
2 heads garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt

Pork Loin:
1 (3.5 to 4.5 lb.) boneless pork loin
Salt and pepper

Vinaigrette:
Roasted garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp water

Preheat oven to 475.

For roasted garlic: cut the bulbs of garlic in half crosswise into a top and bottom.  Place the garlic halves on a sheet of foil, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Fold the foil up and around the garlic halves, making sure they stay flat.  Seal the foil into an airtight package.  Roast until golden and soft, about 60 minutes.  Keep the garlic in the foil and let cool slightly.

For the pork: place the pork loin in a medium, heavy roasting pan.  Season all sides with salt and pepper.  Place the pork in the oven 30 minutes after the garlic has stated roasting.  Roast until 140-145 degrees, about 30-40 minutes.  Remove the roasting pan from the oven, tent the pork with foil, and let rest for 15 minutes.

For the vinaigrette: remove the garlic from the foil.  Remove the cloves by squeezing the base of the garlic.  Place the garlic, parsley, and balsamic vinegar in a blender.  Pulse the machine until blended.  Drizzle the oil into the blender while the machine is running.  Add the sugar, salt, pepper and water and blend until incorporated.

To serve: slice the pork into 3/4-inch thick slices and transfer to a serving platter.  Drizzle some of the vinaigrette over the pork and pass the remaining vinaigrette alongside the pork in a small dish.

Giada De Laurentiis recipe.