Creamy Butternut Squash Soup (no cream)

Posted on November 5, 2020 | 1 comment

This is by far one of my most favorite recipes ever! Super Easy and Super Delicious ! If you’ve been following me since the early days you’ve probably made this recipe by now. It’s perfection in a bowl . I’ve simplified the recipe along the way so that now it is just the way Joel and I like it. it’s pretty easy as long as you buy the squash pre – cut (available in every supermarket, and corner produce store). I just made my first batch of the season, and the squash is sweet and delicious. I always add a little butter to it, but you can totally leave it out. It tastes so creamy you’ll swear there’s cream in it, but really, there is none.  I love a little freshly grated nutmeg in it too, but you can certainly just sprinkle in a very little bit of already grated nutmeg. I hope your family and friends enjoy this as much as my family does! It’s always on my table for Thanksgiving. A delightful way to start a dinner, or a delicious main dish served alongside  a beautiful salad and bread. This can easily be made vegetarian by substituting chicken broth for vegetable broth, which is how I make it on Thanksgiving for Kerri, who is vegetarian.

*This can be made without cream so easily–but if you want a touch of richness you can add a little heavy cream into soup and mix in before serving. Totally not necessary but just saying.

And clearly this recipe can be cut in 1/2 for a smaller group– I usually use 2 packages of squash for 6 servings.

*feel free to put croutons on top or sprinkle some pepitas on top . It’s delicious just the way it is!! and wonderful for lunch the next day and will freeze beautifully.

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Ingredients:

4 pkgs. (approx. 4 lbs.) butternut squash (it’s doesn’t have to be exact)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large spanish onion, chopped

8 – 10 cups chicken or vegetable broth

*1 -2 tablespoons unsalted butter (for this serving size, I use 2 but it’s totally optional)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

*use whole nutmeg – you just grate a little in for flavor. I always tend to use whole, but grated will do. It’s just a touch of it–if I had to guess, I’d say 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon depending on your taste

*if you really want to top it off with a touch of cream you can . Just add a little heavy cream to the soup and blend it right in at the end. Honestly it’s not necessary but it def adds a a layer of richness!

Directions:

In a heavy Le Creuset (or any other ample size large pot), I heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil. When oil is heated, put in onion and about 1/2 tablespoon of kosher salt. Sweat out the onions until they are translucent (approx. 5 – 8 minutes). If you’re using the butter, add it now too. I then add all of the butternut squash and mix the onions, oil and butter as best I can all over the squash. Next, add enough broth to cover the squash (I used approx. 10 cups of chicken broth to cover). I keep the remaining half a box of broth in case I need it later. Return to a low boil, then bring to a simmer. I let it cook a very long time–at least an hour until soft–and then I turn off the heat and let it sit for a while. I like to make it early and let it sit for as long as possible, because the squash gets very soft. Then right before I am about to serve, I use an immersion blender and blend it into a beautiful smooth soup. If you need more broth, add it as you blend. This is also your salt, pepper and nutmeg moment. Season to taste and blend just until smooth. I leave it in the pot until I need it and then gently warm it up. This soup will keep in the fridge for a few days. It can be frozen as well. Upon defrosting you may need to add more broth. Sometimes I serve this soup with beautiful croutons if I can find them in specialty stores, but it is delicious and beautiful on its own, and very good for you! My family loves it , and I hope yours does too.

*should serve 10 – 12 as appetizer

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Simple Red Chili — Turkey or Beef

Posted on October 31, 2020 | Leave a comment

It’s definitely that time of year when you wake up and there is a chill in the air and that signals chili weather in my book . Chili is not an exact science and you can feel free to make substitutions where you like. Obviously the toppings are optional and at your own discretion. Chili is just so easy to make. It sits on the stove or your slow cooker and when you’re ready to eat it, it’s all done. I like chips , taco shells or small soft tortillas with this. I love fresh jalapeno on the side chopped up,  chopped red onion , guacamole, refried beans, etc.  I usually make this one day ahead for a special event. This allows the flavors to all meld together and then I just reheat–couldn’t be easier.

Can easily be made on the stove-top or slow cooker — 2 hours on high and 4 hours on low. It was perfect. First you’ll want to brown up the meat in a pan on the stove. Then dump all ingredients into the slow cooker ( spray first with cooking spray) stir it all up and set it and forget it till you’re ready to eat it. I made this chili in the morning yesterday and it was perfect! With enough leftover for 2 more meals!

This recipe will probably serve 6-8

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground beef or ground turkey–If I am using ground turkey I prefer ground dark meat if you can find it. It’s much more flavorful . You can use white meat turkey but try for 85/15. That’s 85% white meat with 15% fat. I just find the O% fat to be very dry. Of course these are all personal choices.

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (12 – 14 oz) tomato sauce, and then about 1 –  2 cans of chicken broth or water –start with  1 can of broth and only add if you need more

1 can (Ro-tel) diced tomatoes and chili peppers — If you can’t find Ro-tel brand use any brand that has diced tomatoes and chili peppers — again a 14 oz. can

1 can (15 oz.)red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans, drained and rinsed or Cannellini Beans — whichever doesn’t really matter —

1 can yellow corn (optional, but I always like to add it in. If you like corn use a large can (14 oz) if you don’t want as much corn use a small can

1 small can (4 oz.) poblano green chilis, cut up or diced (also in Mexican aisle) if you can’t find just omit it

1 teaspoon ground oregano (I use Mexican oregano. Use it if you can get it. If not, regular is fine.)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I like the heat. This is optional. You can also take down to 1/4 teaspoon.)

1 teaspoon kosher salt (then you will taste for additional salt. I added more when I tasted it . You’ll have to do so at your own discretion

Grated shredded cheddar or jack cheese for serving

diced red onion and diced fresh jalapeno for serving

Tortilla chips, guacamole, sour cream and salsa for serving I also use hot sauce at serving time for those who like it hot and spicy.

*cilantro for topping (I love cilantro so I chop it up and leave it out for individual garnish.)

Directions:

Place the ground beef or turkey in a large stock pot (Le Creuset) and put in the garlic. Cook over medium heat until meat is browned. Drain off any excess fat.  Add in the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and cayenne add all the other canned ingredients –beans, corn etc. Stir together well and bring to a low boil and then turn it down and simmer away for at least an hour. I use the 15 oz. can of tomato sauce as a measuring cup and add 1 can of chicken broth or water , if you’ll need more liquid you can always add a little broth/water at a time. Let simmer for an hour or so, covered, occasionally stirring, and adding liquid if necessary. See note above if you’re using slow cooker.  I usually add salt at this point. Simmer for  hour or so covered. It can simmer for a long while, if you so desire. I actually let it low simmer for a few hours and then if you’re cooking on stove top I heat it up and let it simmer for another hour or so right before serving. Slow cooker is a great way to go here.

Serve with assorted toppings I’ve listed. Cheese, jalapenos, chips, guacamole, salsa, chopped red onions, sour cream  and cilantro. We love small soft tortillas on the side of our chili or chips depending on my mood and what I have in the house.

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Stuffed Pepper Soup

Posted on October 29, 2020 | Leave a comment

Here’s the thing– I love Stuffed Peppers but it’s a lot of work to make. This soup satisfied my yen for Stuffed Peppers without all the work. It’s really delicious and this is how I made it. I actually used a whole package of Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice which worked perfectly. I also used ground beef but obviously you can use ground turkey or chicken as well. I just wanted to stay as true to the recipe for Stuffed Peppers as possible. Of course you don’t need to sprinkle the cheese on top but it added another layer of flavor .

Enjoy this hearty and easy meal in a bowl.

Paired with a green salad and some nice crusty bread it’s perfect.

*probably 6 -8 servings and you can freeze leftover soup.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

4 medium green bell peppers, diced. Mine were giant so I used 3

1 medium yellow onion, diced

Kosher Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper or use coarsely ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

4 cups Beef Broth

14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

14.5 oz. can crushed tomatoes

3 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

1 package Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice you obviously don’t have to use ready rice but I did and I used Jasmine. Any Rice will do and if you don’t want 2 cups use 1 cup rice– you’ll want the rice cooked so if you have leftover rice use it!

Shredded Chedder for topping and serving

Directions:

In a large soup pot ( think Le Creuset) a heavy stock pot which will be large enough for this soup. Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add the diced peppers, onion, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper ( app. 1/4 teaspoon) you’ll get another chance at seasoning so just start out small. Cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are soft. Approximately 10 minutes.

Add the ground beef and cook breaking up the beef as you stir with a large wooden spoon. Cook till no longer pink , approximately 5 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and oregano and cook for a minute or two. Add the 4 cups beef broth, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire Sauce, and add a little more kosher salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil . Reduce heat and simmer until all flavors are blended. I like my soup to simmer for a long time. At least a half hour and preferably longer. If you find it too thick add a little water. Mine was perfect and sat on stovetop for a few hours. Second hour just sat on warm.

Before serving I heated to a boil, brought back down to a simmer and added rice until warmed through. Taste for S and P but should be fine.

Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with some Chedder .

I held my breath because I wasn’t sure about Joel’s response to soup but he totally enjoyed and ate a big bowl.

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Pumpkin Lentil Soup (can be vegetarian)

Posted on October 26, 2020 | 3 comments

It’s Fall and that means it’s soup season and time to cook up some heart-warming soups! Pumpkin Lentil Soup is a delicious, hearty soup that you and your family will love.

This soup can wind up on my Thanksgiving Table if I don’t make my Butternut Squash Soup.   It’s hard to get canned pumpkin any other time of year, so I take advantage of it now and pick up a few extra cans and try to make it throughout the winter. Warm, hearty and pretty healthy. And what’s a little butter between friends? You can freeze this ahead of time and take it out for Thanksgiving. For the holiday, it’s always between this and Butternut Squash Soup, and I like that they can both be vegetarian.

*this can be doubled but no need to double the butter (just add a little bit more) or see note below on butter

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (unsalted)– or you can use 1/4 cup unsalted butter and 1/4 cup Olive Oil

2 large onions (spanish) chopped

1/2 cup lentils (if you can find red lentils, buy them because they look beautiful for Thanksgiving and give the soup a lovely orangey color)

5 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin (make sure it’s not pumpkin pie filling)

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon marjoram

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Melt butter in large stockpot (Le Creuset). Saute the onions until translucent and golden, then stir in the lentils and the stock. Add pumpkin and herbs and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then lower it and let it simmer for about 1 1/2 hours.

I use an immersion stick blender to puree it.  It becomes rich and creamy. Of course you can leave soup as is without pureeing it at all.  And another  is to not puree it all the way.  If soup is too thick use the broth as needed adding a little bit at a time to reach a good consistency.  If you’ve run out of broth you can always add water just always check seasonings after adding liquid.

*soup freezes just fine but you’ll need to add broth/water after you defrost and heat up

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Maple – Dijon Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash.

Posted on October 24, 2020 | 1 comment

Here’s a new recipe that I absolutely loved making and loved eating! Tasty and Easy and anyone can do it. All it took was a few pantry ingredients that almost everyone has in their home.

I just love one sheet meals — another reason to go out and buy a large sheet pan if you haven’t done so already. 18 x 13 is the size you’ll need because if you crowd the ingredients they end up steaming and not really roasting. Roasting is what you’re after here.

I chose Chicken Thighs because they can stand up to the cooking time along with the veggies. I didn’t use Drumsticks but you certainly can use both. If you insist on white meat you’ll have to remove chicken earlier than veggies or you’ll have dried out chicken for sure.

Enjoy this lovely sheet pan meal and I added Brown Rice.

Please follow my blog on Instagram @cookingwithcandi— thanks

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce

4 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard, divided

3 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup, divided ( used 2 and 1)

6 large bone in chicken thighs, or use 4 thighs and 4 drumsticks or whatever pieces you’d like

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

app. 12 ounces butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4 inch cubes

app. 12 ounce Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and halved

6 sprigs of fresh thyme

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

 

and you’ll need some cooking spray — you can use Olive Oil spray or just regular spray

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray an 18 x 13 inch large rimmed sheet pan

In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, 3 Tbsp. of the Dijon Mustard and 2 Tbsp. of the pure Maple Syrup

Season the chicken all over with Salt and Pepper and then arrange the chicken on the sprayed baking sheet

In a large bowl combine the Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, thyme, and olive oil, season with a sprinkling  of salt and pepper here too.

Arrange the vegetables on the baking sheet around the chicken. Pour the Dijon-Maple -Soy sauce over the chicken, turn to coat completely, and pour any remaining sauce over the veggies.

Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are tender, app. 35-40 minutes. Look at the chicken after 30 mins. I cooked for 35 minutes and it was browned up rather nicely.

Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining 1 Tbsp. Dijon and 1 Tbsp. Maple Syrup and remove chicken from oven.

Brush the remaining mixture over the chicken. Bake a few more minutes till browned and perfect looking.

*next time out I am going to try this sauce on boneless , skinless chicken thighs — it’s gotta be good!

Serve alongside some brown rice or any rice you’d like.

Amazingly Delicious.

Maple Dijon Chicken with Brussels and Butternut Squash

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Chicken Tortilla Soup

Posted on October 21, 2020 | Leave a comment

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This soup has always been a favorite of mine and I usually try to order it when it’s offered on a menu. I am a big fan of Mexican Food and have always wanted to try to make my own Chicken Tortilla Soup .This is a super easy version using a store-bought rotisserie chicken and a packet of Taco Seasoning.  Now that the weather has turned super cold it’s a perfect time for heart warming meals. I started cooking soup in the afternoon, prep was pretty quick and I let it simmer for an hour and then turned off stove while we went out. When we got home I turned on the stove and continued cooking soup. I cut up avocado, chopped up some cilantro, put sour cream and cheese into some little bowls and in less than 1/2 hour we were sitting eating this delicious and tasty soup! Joel even ate the avocado!!!! This is big!!! He loved the soup. It’s very filling.

I use crispy tortillas if that’s what I have in the house. It is delicious with soft corn tortillas sliced up and added into the soup at the end also. I love when the crunchy chips go soft in the soup with the melted cheese– I could go on and on about this soup. Tonite I used soft tortillas.

If you have the time I suggest making this soup, it is so easy with a prepared chicken or you can make your own chicken .  The prep is about 15 minutes using store-bought chicken and cooking is about 1 1/2 to 2 hours for soup.  I just think soup tastes better the longer it sits. I prefer making it in the early part of the day and letting it sit on the stove for a while.

This is a big soup and will probably serve 6-8 nicely. I have a container in my freezer and 4 of us ate this soup.

Look for my slow cooker version also on my blog.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 Rotisserie Chicken from your favorite supermarket

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Packet of Taco Seasoning — this is really easy , use whatever brand you like

1 cup diced onion

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 diced green pepper

1 diced yellow, red or orange pepper

1 10 oz. can  Rotel brand Tomatoes and Green Chiles–just a suggestion

1 can enchilada sauce– green or red ( in Mexican Food section of your supermarket) its a small sized can

1 15 oz. can of whole-kernel corn  – drained

32 ounces Chicken Broth

3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste

4 cups hot water

2 cans Black Beans , drained and rinsed unless they’re organic and then you don’t have to rinse but I always do anyway

3 Tablespoons Cornmeal –mixed with water ( see instructions)

5 Soft Corn Tortillas (I use the small ones) cut into uniform strips or crunchy tortilla chips–use as many or as little as you like–or skip all together for a lighter version.

Toppings:

*optional and use whatever you like — these are just some suggestions

Sour Cream

Cilantro

Grated Cheese –Monterey Jack is a good choice here or Mexican Blend Grated Cheese

Cut-Up Avocado

Salsa or Pico De Gallo

Diced Red Onion

Diced Fresh Jalapeno

Hot Sauce like Cholula is my favorite go to sauce

Directions:

I took skin off chicken and shredded most of the chicken meat.

Heat 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil in a large Pot –dutch oven is great here (Le Creuset) add onions, peppers, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the packet of Taco Seasonings if it’s very dry and hard to stir you can add a little more olive oil. Add in the shredded chicken and stir it all up.

Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, enchilada sauce, water , black beans and corn. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for app. 45 minutes to an hour, uncovered.

In a little bowl mix 3 cornmeal with a small amount of water , just enough to mix it into a paste like consistency. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes at least, I cooked for another hour. I always believe the soup is best when it sits for a long time.

Check seasonings, adding more salt if you need it , I added kosher salt because I felt it needed it. Taste has to be your guide but be sure not to undersalt, you don’t want this to be bland. Turn off heat and allow to sit for about 20 minutes.

Five minutes before serving, gently stir in the tortilla strips if you’re using them.

Ladle into bowls, then top with your favorite toppings and there you go! I think the chips/tortillas make this soup along with the cilantro and avocado. Let your taste be your guide here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Butternut Squash with Sweet Potato and Ginger Soup

Posted on October 11, 2020 | 2 comments

It’s Fall and it’s my favorite time to start making soup. This soup came together rather easily because I had all the ingredients in the house and it really is that easy! I even had a little piece of ginger which was exactly what I needed. The potatoes give this a little different flavor than just plain butternut squash soup which is always one of our most favorites (check that one out as well @cookingwithcandi ) .And don’t omit the ginger but if you have to use powdered ginger that’s fine. It def adds the extra layer of flavor. This soup tastes rich and creamy even though there is no butter or cream in it.

*and the perfect thing is that you can get the sweet potatoes and butternut squash pre-cut in 1 lb. containers at Whole Foods and probably most supermarkets

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Canola Oil

1 yellow/white onion chopped

1 Tablespoon fresh minced ginger, I peel the ginger with a peeler and then put into mini food processor to get the right consistency , you can use a zester but easier to use mini processor. Also if no fresh ginger use about 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger.

1 lb. butternut squash, peeled and diced

1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 medium sized Russet Potato, peeled and diced ( you can use Yukon Gold as well)

6 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock and you may need more.

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground or course Black Pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the oil in a heavy pot ( Le Creuset always is my favorite) over medium heat. Add the onions and cook down until tender — probably 6 minutes or so. Add the ginger and stir together for another minute or so. Add the squash, the potato, sweet potatoes, and add the 6 cups of stock . Make sure the stock covers the vegetables and if necessary add more. Bring to a simmer. Add salt to taste. Reduce the heat , cover and simmer for about an hour. You want all ingredients to be tender.

I used an immersion blender but if no immersion blender you can use a regular blender and just be careful handling the hot ingredients. Once you’ve blended the soup taste for Salt and Pepper to taste.

This was delicious as an appetizer for dinner and I ate for lunch the next day and it was super delicious. I froze the extra and if you do that it’s good for about 3 months and you will need to add water or stock once defrosted .

I loved this soup!!!!

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Apple Pear Crisp

Posted on October 8, 2020 | 1 comment

It’s Fall and this is the most perfect dessert . Baked with brown sugar and oat topping served warm with vanilla ice cream and it’s perfection on a plate. This is what I did and it really is pretty easy and not very technical for those of you who want to bake a great dessert but don’t want to fuss with cakes and frosting etc. and special equipment. Most perfect!!! Can be made ahead of time and even frozen .

Ingredients:

Fruit Mixture:

3 ripe firm pears peeled, cored and thinly sliced

3 apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced

3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons flour

3/4 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Topping:

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

2/3 cup all purpose flour

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

*Vanilla ice cream for serving — obviously optional but in our house it’s a must

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I spray a 9 – 10 inch deep dish pyrex type of dish or any baking dish you like — set aside

In a large bowl combine pears, apples, orange juice, sugar , flour , cinnamon and vanilla — All the fruit mixture ingredients

Dump all the ingredients into your prepared baking dish.

Make the topping in a separate bowl . Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Add in the melted butter and stir until combined, using your clean fingers crumble the mixture over the fruit. You’ll want to press some of it together to form clumps.

Bake for 45-60 minutes until topping is golden brown, and fruit is tender and it is bubbling all around the edges.

Serve warm with ice cream.

*I put into oven when we sat down to dinner and let it cook so it was ready for dessert. Let it sit for awhile to set.

You can also make ahead and then just re-heat for 45 minutes to an hour . I cover with aluminum when re-heating.

Enjoy!!

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Pumpkin Walnut Bread

Posted on October 4, 2020 | Leave a comment

Pumpkin Season is here and I love Pumpkin.   I love baking this bread because the smell in the house is beyond.  It’s hard to believe that there is no butter in this moist, delicious bread. You can  make this bread and freeze it because it will freeze so well. You can even double the recipe if you have two loaf pans, and eat one now and tuck one away for another day like Thanksgiving. It’s a nice thing to bring to someone’s house as a gift as well if you’re so inspired. Also, this bread is loaded with aromatic spices.   This recipe will make one perfect loaf.

*this bread freezes beautifully for up to 8 weeks. Double wrap it in plastic and put in a resealable plastic freezer bag, and put the date on it. Defrost, still wrapped in the plastic to avoid condensation on the bread. I take out of freezer the night before I’ll be using it.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour (I sift)

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/3 cup water

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1/2 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup chopped walnuts (obviously this is optional)

You will need a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, parchment paper, large bowl, medium bowl, whisk, silicone or rubber spatula.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and position oven rack in the center of oven.

Lightly coat the loaf pan with melted butter and dust with flour, or spray with Pam. I line my loaf with a piece of parchment paper that extends one inch beyond the edge of the pan (this makes it easy to life the bread out. It is optional , just make sure you grease pan in one way or another first. If you’re not comfortable working with parchment paper, skip it. I like it but it can be tricky in a loaf pan. Just grease well, or give it a good spray.)

In a large bowl, sift the flour. Then, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger, and salt until thoroughly blended. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and the water. Add the sugar and blend well. Add the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract and blend well. Add the pumpkin moisture to the dry ingredients and whisk until well blended and smooth. Add the walnuts and stir until they are well distributed. Use a spatula to scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake for 55 – 65 minutes, until the bread is firm to the touch and a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean from the center of loaf.  I let it cool for about 10 minutes, then I turn it out onto a rack to cool completely. I don’t freeze it until it is completely cool.

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White Bean Chicken Chili

Posted on October 2, 2020 | 2 comments

When you feel that little bit of chill in the air it’s the perfect time for making chili.

Delicious chili recipe made with rotisserie chicken . It’s hearty and healthy and yummy. And did I mention fast? Yes comes together from start to finish in about an hour with a store bought chicken and a few delicious ingredients.

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Ingredients:

2 cans white beans, rinsed and drained

4 cups Chicken Broth, you’ll be using 1 cup with beans and the other 3 cups in the broth

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 yellow onion, diced

1 jalapeno pepper. seeded and diced

2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced — if you like it spicy keep some of the seeds

4 minced garlic cloves

1 Tbsp. ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon chili powder

Kosher Salt — app. 1 teaspoon and then more to taste

1 Rotisserie Chicken, skin removed and shredded

1 cup frozen corn

juice of 1 lime plus more to taste

*1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro if you like it

For Serving:

sour cream — crushed tortilla chips–Shredded Cheddar or Pepper Jack or Mexican Blend Cheese

Directions:

In a food processor, blend 1 can of the white beans with 1 cup of the chicken broth. Set aside both the beans and the remaining drained whole beans.

Add the oil to a large pot or Dutch Oven ( Le Creuset) and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onion, jalapeno pepper and poblano peppers and cook, stirring frequently until softened.

Add the garlic and cook down for another minute or so.

Add the cumin, coriander and chili powder and continue to cook stirring frequently .

Add the chicken broth, pureed beans and start with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low, and simmer uncovered for about 1/2 hour.

Then stir in the shredded chicken, other can of whole beans ( drained and rinsed) corn and lime juice.

Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Add in the cilantro if you’re using it.

Broth should be a little soupy. It will thicken as it sits. The longer it sits the thicker it will get.

Ladle the chili into bowls and serve with sour cream , cheese, crushed chips and if you like lime wedges.

*the chili will thicken as it sits or if you freeze or refrigerate. You can thin it out with a little water or broth.

This is also perfect to freeze for 3 months. Re-heat on the stove top until hot and it would also be most perfect with some cornbread or cornbread muffins.

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