Cheesy Hash Brown Bake

This might just be the most perfect dish for leftover chili. During the Fall/Winter, my husband makes chili about half a dozen times. He always makes a ton and we have leftovers for the entire week. Sometimes we top baked potatoes with leftovers or make chili dogs, but this might be our new fave. So the next time you have leftover chili, try this quick and easy dish. Recipe courtesy of Everyday Food.

4 cups leftover chili
1 bag (16 ounces) fresh or frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed if frozen
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425, with rack set in upper third. Divide chili among four individual baking dishes (10 to 12 ounces each). Set aside.
2. Place potatoes in a double layer of paper towels; squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
3. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, cheese, and cilantro; season with salt and pepper. Scatter potato mixture over chili. Place baking dishes on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until potatoes are golden brown and chili is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve.
Cook's Note
You can also make this in a 2-quart baking dish. Bake in an oven heated to 425 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil if the top browns too quickly.

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BBQ Turkey Chili

This is great chili for a chilly night. It's a little bit healthier with the ground turkey. It has great spice and smoky-ness from the addition of barbecue sauce.

Ingredients:
4 Tbsps olive oil
2 packages of ground turkey
4-6 Tbsps chili powder
2 Tbsps grill seasoning
2 Tbsps cumin
1 tsp crushed red pepper
3 Tbsps Worcestershire sauce
4 Tbsps hot sauce
1 large onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
1 bottle beer (I like to use Yuengling or Sam Adams)
1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can red chili beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup smoky barbecue sauce
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
Optional toppings: shredded cheese, chopped red onion, scallions, sour cream, jalapenos, salsa, fresh cilantro

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add the turkey and season it with the chili powder, grill seasoning, cumin, crushed red pepper, Worcestershire and hot sauce. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon into small crumbles.

While the turkey is cooking, chop the onion and bell pepper. Once the turkey is cooked and no longer pink (takes about 10 minutes) add the onion and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes more. Add the beer, deglazing the pan and scraping up the drippings and cook off the alcohol. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beans, barbecue sauce and corn. Bring the chili to a bubble and let simmer for 20 minutes.

Taste for seasonings. Add more hot sauce if it needs more heat. Ladle into bowls and add your choice of toppings. Serves 6, at least.

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Lentil Soup with Beef

Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis.

I am trying to be more adventurous by using ingredients that I don't have much experience with, and one of those ingredients would be lentils. I had bought some French green lentils at Whole Foods a little while back, so I finally used them when I made this soup a week ago. It was a big hit with my husband and I am so glad he likes lentils. They are a versatile, healthy ingredient that I will definitely be using more of. My next new ingredient to experiment with is quinoa. Stay tuned!

What You'll Need:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 large celery stalks, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 and 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 and 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
6 (14-ounce) cans beef broth
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
2 cups (about 11 ounces) lentils, rinsed
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

How to Make It:
Heat the oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. Add half of the beef and cook until brown, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining beef. Add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, rosemary, and oregano to the pot. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Return the beef and any accumulated juices from the bowl to the pot. Add the broth and tomatoes with their juice. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the meat is just tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Add the lentils. Cover and continue simmering until the lentils are tender, about 40 minutes. Stir in the parsley. Season the soup, to taste, with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

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Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

This dish was adapted from a Food Network Kitchens recipe. My husband and I are on a big soup kick, and it hasn't even really cooled off that much here. I have a whole list of soups that I plan to make this fall and winter season. This one will definitely make a reappearance.

What You'll Need:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head)
1 large carrot, diced
2 1/2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated sharp white and yellow cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish

How to make it:
Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the half-and-half until smooth. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth; you'll still have flecks of carrot and broccoli. Return to the pot. (Or puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender.)

Add the cheese in batches to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted. Add up to 3/4 cup water if the soup is too thick. (I didn't need to do this.) Ladle into the bowls and garnish with cheese. Serve with some crusty bread.

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Cheddar Ham and Corn Chowder

Here is another great, super easy soup recipe. Perfect for a cold, winter night. Serve with crusty bread.

Ingredients:
2 cups water
2 cups cubed peeled potatoes
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 cups (8-ounce package) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 (15-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 and 1/2 cups cubed fully cooked ham

In a large soup pot, bring the water, potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, salt and pepper to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Remove from the heat; do not drain.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Blend in the flour, let cook for a minute; until golden brown. While whisking, slowly add the milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly (may need to increase the heat a bit). Add the cheese and stir until melted. Stir the milk mixture into the undrained vegetables. Return large pot to the heat. Add the corn and ham; heat through, stirring occassionally. Serves 6.

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New Cookware: French Oven

I have been wanting a Dutch Oven for some time. Something I can take from stovetop to oven, so I can make dishes like Beef Bourguignon and braise things. My husband surprised me this Christmas with a beautiful cast iron French Oven (the French version of the Dutch Oven). In fact, it is so French the website is written all in French. It is a beautiful blue and I have already broken it in (with pot roast). It is a great piece of cookware. Cooks evenly and is surprisingly easy to clean.

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White Chipotle Chicken Chili

My husband's co-worker sent us this recipe courtesy of the South Beach Diet, so it's healthy and low-carb. It was very flavorful and we made only a couple slight changes. We ended up putting in a entire 7.5 ounce can of chipotle peppers when the recipe only calls for a teaspoon. It was pretty spicy, so if you don't like spicy, I recommend sticking to the recipe's guidelines. Also, removing the seeds will take away most of the heat, as the seeds are where most of the heat is stored. However, if you like spicy go our route.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 ¾ lb), cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
Salt and black pepper
3 cans (14.5-oz size) white kidney or cannellini beans, drained (save ½ cup draining liquid) and rinsed
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 tsp canned chipotle chili, seeded and minced
½ cup nonfat half-and-half (I used regular half-and-half, so I am sure I added a few more calories and fat grams)
Garnishes: Shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Warm oil in large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onion; cook 4 minutes, stirring. Push onion mixture to one side; add chicken to skillet; sprinkle mixture with chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, stirring.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add 2 cans of the beans and draining liquid, 1 ¼ cups broth, and chipotle; bring to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, combine remaining 1 can beans and ¾ cup broth in bowl of food processor. Puree until smooth. Add to soup in pot, along with half-and-half. Simmer a few minutes, stirring, until warmed through and flavors incorporated. Serve hot; garnish with cheese and cilantro.

Nutritional Information:
360 calories
41g protein
33 g carbohydrate
8 g fiber
5 g total fat
1g saturated fat
85 mg cholesterol
671mg sodium

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Double Duty Dinners - Chili

I love double duty dinners. Making something one night and then turning the leftovers into dinner for the next night. Yesterday was the first real cool day in Tampa, so my husband made his chili. He loves to make chili and has been waiting for it to cool down just for that reason.

It was probably his best batch yet, not too spicy for me. He used ground beef as well as some Italian sausage that he took out of the casing. He added red, yellow and cubanelle peppers, as well as some other long spicy pepper. And of course he put in onion, canned diced and crushed tomatoes, and kidney beans. He likes to season it with lots of cumin and chili powder, 2 and 4 tablespoons respectively.

So the chili was last night, tonight I baked potatoes in the oven and topped them with chili, cheese and sour cream. Not very figure-friendly, but it was budget-friendly, and delicious. However, I still have chili leftover. He made a huge batch. I guess we'll be eating it for lunch tomorrow.

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Black Bean Soup

My husband loved the Cubans I made last weekend, so he requested them again. This time I thought I would make them for Saturday night's dinner and press them on my panini press. I was trying to think of what I could make with them, not really wanting to do the black beans and rice thing, which we do a lot when we have tacos and such. He suggested a black bean soup. It was perfect because I knew I had seen recipes for black bean soup in one of my Rachael Ray cookbooks. The below recipe is a variation of her Black Bean Stoup (thicker than a soup, thinner than a stew) that is in her 365 No Repeats cookbook - my favorite cookbook of hers I think.

This soup is healthy, high in protein and can be made vegetarian if you use veggie stock instead of chicken stock.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsps olive oil
2 dried bay leaves
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
3 (15-ounce) cans black beans
2 Tbsps cumin
1 and 1/2 tsps coriander
Salt and Pepper
couple of pinches crushed red pepper
2-3 Tbsp hot sauce
1 quart (4 cups) chicken or veggie stock/broth
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
sour cream and chopped scallions for topping the soup

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil to the hot pot, then add the bay leaves, garlic, onion and celery. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then add the bell pepper and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes. Drain 2 cans of black beans and add them. With the remaining can, pour the entire contents into the food processor and blend until smooth. Add to the pot. Season with cumin, coriander, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper and the hot sauce. Add the stock and can of tomatoes, bring to a bubble. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes over low heat. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream and scallions.

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White Bean Soup

I have made this soup a few times. It is really good and with the bits of bacon on top it almost resembles and tastes like a baked potato soup.

Ingredients:
2 ounces sliced pancetta or bacon cut into small strips
1 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (also known as white kidney or Great Northern beans)
1 and 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh sage (You could also use dried sage or oregano)
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cups water
Freshly ground pepper and salt to taste

Cook pancetta in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat until most of the fat is rendered and pancetta is crisp, about 7 minutes; remove pancetta with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.

Stir onion and garlic into the drippings; cook over medium heat 5 minutes. Add beans and sage; cook 1 minute longer. Add broth and water and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 15 minutes.

Puree with a stick blender, or in batches in a blender or food processor, until smooth. (It took me 3 batches with my food processor. Pour back into the saucepan and reheat over a low flame. Season soup with pepper and salt to taste, and garnish each serving with crisp pancetta bits.

I served the soup with grilled turkey and cheese sandwiches. It was a great dinner on a rainy night.

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Beer and Cheese Soup

At a recent beer and food pairing dinner we went to, there was one course that featured a beer cheese soup and we loved it. So I went on a mission to find a recipe I could make. I'm not sure where I found this recipe, but I tried it last night and it was delicious.

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons butter
1 pound smoked sausage, chopped (Such as Hillshire Farms)
8 large shallots, chopped medium-fine
1/2 cup flour
2 (13 1/2-ounce) cans chicken broth
1 (12-ounce) bottle of beer (some type of ale works best)
2 cups potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 1 large baking potato or 2 small to medium ones)
2 cups milk
1 pound cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup grated parmesan
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon hot sauce
freshly ground pepper to taste
sliced green onions for garnish

Melt the butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add the sausage and sauté 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the chopped shallots and continue to sauté until shallots are translucent. Add the flour and stir to coat. Slowly add the chicken broth and beer, stirring well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the mixture has thickened slightly, add the potatoes and continue to simmer, approximately 12 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through. Add milk, cheeses, salt, and flavorings. Stir constantly over low heat until cheese is smooth. Top with sliced green onions and serve with toasted crusty bread.

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Caprese Panini and Super Fast Tomato Soup

Tonight I made a very fast and yummy tomato soup that has white beans and ditalini pasta in it. I also made a delicious panini with tomato, eggplant, mozzarella and parsley pesto.

For the Paninis
4 slices of Whole grain bread
4 slices of tomato
4 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese
4 slices of eggplant
parsley pesto (see my recipe on a previous post or use store bought, any flavor you like)

First, slice the eggplant about a 1/4 inch thick. Drizzle with olive oil; salt and pepper. Place in a preheated non-stick pan over medium heat. Cook on both sides until golden brown and the eggplant has soften.

To build the sandwiches. Lightly drizzle each slice of bread with olive oil. Turn over. On the bottom slice, place the mozzarella, then the tomato, then the eggplant. On the top slice of bread, opposite side of the oil, spread a thin, even layer of pesto. Place pesto side down on top of the eggplant. Move the sandwiches to a preheated panini press and close the top, pressing down ever so slightly. (Or if you don't have a panini press, use a skillet turning the sandwich over once and weighing it down with another heavy skillet or pan.)

I had leftover pesto, which I am going to use tomorrow on a pizza. I also had leftover eggplant, which I am thinking about making into baba ganoush (a dip similar to hummus.) Stay tuned!

For the Quick Tomato Soup
This soup recipe is courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis.
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (26-ounce) jar of marinara sauce
2 (14-ounce) cans of chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup ditalini pasta (or other small shape)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper

Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion and garlic, saute until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the jar of marinara sauce, chicken broth, beans, red pepper flakes, pasta, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve.

How fast and simple is that? And it is so tasty and the beans and pasta make it rather hearty. Plus, I already had a ton of marinara sauce in my freezer, (see Holy Marinara! post) so I was able to skip the first step since the sauce already has onions, carrots and garlic in it. I just pulled out one of my freezer bags of marinara this morning to defrost and I was ready to go when I got home from work. Just poured the sauce and chicken broth into the pot, brought it to a simmer and added the rest of the ingredients. Ten minutes later the soup was finished!

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Henry's Turkey Chili

It was a very cold day today by Florida's standards. On the way home from work my hubby and I decided it was a perfect night for chili, so we stopped by the store. Henry usually makes beef chili, but we're not eating red meat at the moment. We decided to substitute ground turkey, which I do regularly in meals. This is a great recipe full of spice, but not too spicy.

Ingredients:
2 packages of ground turkey
1 (15-ounce) can of dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can of light kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can of tomato sauce
1 (28-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
1 (28-ounce) can of diced tomatoes
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cubanelle pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp cumin
2 tsp brown sugar (optional)

In a large pot over medium-high heat, add a couple tablespoons of oil. Add the onion and peppers and let sweat for about 10 minutes. Then add the chili powder, cumin and brown sugar, if using, allow to cook with the vegetables for a couple of minutes. Add the can of diced tomatoes, let heat through for a minute. Add the can of crushed tomatoes.

In a separate skillet, brown the ground turkey over medium-high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Once the meat is browned, add to the pot with the vegetables.

Add the can of tomato sauce and two cans of kidney beans to the pot. Allow the chili to come to a slight boil. Turn the heat down, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. It is recommended to check the seasonings about 5 minutes into the simmer. If you like it spicier, add a couple dashes of hot sauce, more chili powder, or a teaspoon or two of crushed red pepper.

Top with shredded chedder cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

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Recipe: Minestrone Soup

This soup is very hearty, even with not having any meat in it. It is full of beans, veggies and pasta. This is another recipe from Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book, and it's a keeper. I only made a couple of changes, for example, I added zucchini because I had some I needed to use up. Feel free to add or omit any vegetables you like. That is what cooking is all about, making a recipe your own.

Minestrone Soup
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, grated
2 carrots, shredded
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp dried marjoram, or oregano
salt and pepper
1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can chick peas, drained
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary, or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used a Pinot Grigio)
4 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
1 bunch of Kale or chard, vein removed and leaves coarsely chopped (I omitted this)
1/2 lb. (1 cup) of elbow or other small shapped pasta
grated parmesan for topping (a decent parmesan, not out of the green can)
toast, preferably whole wheat or multi-grain

Heat a soup pot over medium heat with the olive oil. Add the chopped onion to the hot oil. Let cook for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic, carrots, celery, and bay leaf; season with red pepper flakes, marjoram, and salt and pepper and saute until vegetables are soften, 8-10 minutes.

Add the beans, and season with salt and pepper and the rosemary. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, or until the paste smells sweet. Stir in the wine, cook for 1 minute, then stir in the stock and water. Wilt the greens, if using, and bring the soup to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente 8-10 minutes. Adjust the seasonings. Serve bowlfuls of the soup topped with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Use bread or toast for mopping up your bowl. Serves 6.

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