The weather has just started to turn and already my head is full of soups, crockpots and baked goods. A recent visit to Trader Joe’s revealed multiple pumpkin-inspired foods–bring on the pie! And the bread and the lattes and . . .
On a recent, sunny morning I sat at the table with a cup of tea—my Cooking Light magazine on one side and my phone, featuring Pinterest recipes, on the other. I plotted food for the week.
Later in the day, Doug & I picked a million tomatoes and brought them inside. I chopped some garlic and onions and tossed them into some olive oil. As they sizzled, I cleaned and cut the tomatoes, adding them in the pot as I went. An eclectic mixture of music playing in the background, I was happy in my warm kitchen dressed in yoga pants and flashy apron. Once the tomatoes were all in the pot, I added a little red wine (while I drank a little red wine) and a variety of spices: bay leave, fresh marjoram & basil from our garden, thyme and cinnamon. I can’t exactly give a recipe because I just add a little, taste, and add a little more of whatever I feel like. My favorite ingredient is the cinnamon—it’s a lovely counterpart to the tart tomatoes.
This sauce simmered for several hours as we went about our day. I chopped enough onions and garlic for the next recipe in line (White Bean Chicken Chili) and put together my grocery list.
White Bean Chicken Chili from Cooking Classy
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- 3/4 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, cut into 12 slices
- 1 1/4 cup fresh or frozen corn
- 2 (15 oz) cans Cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
- Shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, for serving
- Tortilla chips, for serving (optional)
Directions
- Heat olive oil in a 6 quart enamled dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add chicken and diced onion and saute until chicken is no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer. Add chicken broth, green chilies, cumin, paprika, oregano, coriander, cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture just to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
- Add cream cheese and stir until nearly melted (it will break down in little bits and will appear to look like separated cheese but it will eventually melt). Stir in corn, and 1 can of Cannellini beans, then process 3/4 of the remaining beans along with 1/4 cup broth from the soup in a food processor until pureed, add bean mixture to soup along with remaining 1/4 can of beans (you can skip the pureeing step and just add the beans directly to soup, the soup just won’t be quite as creamy). Simmer about 15 minutes longer. Mix in fresh lime juice and serve with Monterrey Jack cheese, chopped cilantro and tortilla chips for dipping if desired.
Next recipe on my docket: Crispy Fish with Lemon-Dill Sauce from Cooking Light
What delicious comfort foods are you whipping up these days?
Your next recipe should be that pie because I want it.
I’ll make anything for my pregnant sister
!!