The long awaited recipe...Chocolate Oatmeal Almost Candy Bars

When you take a look at my next few blog posts you will absolutely see where my brain has been lately – ON SUGAR! And let me tell you none of these next few recipes will disappoint in the sugar department. They are all so amazingly delicious you will want to eat them all in one sitting!
When I saw this recipe on Annie’s blog I just knew I had to make it! It combines some of my most favorite flavors. The oatmeal and chocolate combination remind me of my grandmother’s oatmeal and chocolate oatmeal cookies all wrapped into one delicious bar! The flavors in this recipe go so well together you will think you are eating a snickers bar!

I recommend cutting these bars smaller than I did as they are very, very rich.

Chocolate Oatmeal Almost Candy Bars

adapted from Annie's Eats

Ingredients

Oatmeal layer:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup salted honey roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Chocolate layer:

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¾ cup salted honey roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Instructions for cooking:

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Grease the sides of the pan with butter.

To make the oatmeal cookie layer, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk to blend. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium-high speed until it is soft and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Blend in the vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Fold in the oats and peanuts with a rubber spatula until evenly combined.

Reserve close to 1 ½ cups of the mixture. Place the remaining dough in the prepared pan and press over the bottom of the pan in an even layer.

To make the chocolate layer, combine the condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until the mixture is warm and the chocolate chips and butter are melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and peanuts.

Pour the warm chocolate mixture over the oatmeal cookie layer and spread evenly. Crumble the remaining oatmeal cookie mixture and scatter evenly over the top of the chocolate.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the chocolate layer is starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. Cut into bars as desired and serve.

Enjoy!

Creamy Taco Mac

Has it really been over a month since my last post? Where does the time go?

I loved Hamburger Helper growing up and okay, I will admit it, I on very slight occasion will still cook it. But not after today! This recipe has opened my eyes to so many other possibilities. Best part of the meal? It is nowhere near the fat and calories Hamburger Helper has per serving. So when I tell you to Enjoy, I really mean ENJOY!!

(MOM, This dish is for you! This dish does not require cheese to enjoy!)

Creamy Taco Mac
adapted from Annie’s Eats

Ingredients

1¼ lbs. ground turkey

13 oz. whole grain pasta shapes

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained

1 tbsp. mexican chili powder
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tbsp. coriander

3 oz. reduced fat cream cheese

¾ cup reduced fat sour cream
1 cup reserved pasta cooking water

Salt and pepper

Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Instructions for Cooking

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook the ground turkey over medium to medium-high heat until almost cooked through. Add the chopped onion and garlic to the skillet and cook until softened and turkey is cooked through. Mix in the diced tomatoes and spices and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes to reduce the sauce. Remove from the heat and top with shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.

Enjoy!

Grilled Potato Salad

A couple weeks ago my husband’s family had a cook-out and I was clueless what to bring since we are in the 90’s here in Atlanta and I didn’t want to make anything that would spoil in the heat. So, what is summer without a delicious potato salad? Not a very good one! I found a recipe on the Kraft website that looked delicious but it didn’t have any reviews. I rarely will try a recipe from a website without any type of reviews but that recipe just seemed too easy for it not to work. With this recipe you won’t ever miss your normal mayonnaise-laced potato salad. It is extremely delicious and has become a go-to recipe for the summer.

Grilled Potato Salad
adapted from Kraft

Ingredients

2 lb small red potatoes, quartered
1/3 red pepper, halved, seeded
1/3 yellow pepper, halved, seeded
1/3 orange pepper, halved, seeded
3 green onions
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup three cheese crumbles
3/4 cup Italian dressing
Salt

Instructions for cooking:

Heat grill to medium-high heat.

While the grill is heating add potatoes to lightly salted boiling water for 10 minutes or just until tender; drain.

Grill potatoes, peppers and onions for 10 minutes or until just browned, turning occasionally.

Place potatoes in bowl. Chop peppers and onions. Add to potatoes with remaining ingredients; mix lightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Penne Alla Vodka with Pancetta

Wow! I am a very, very bad blogger! Don’t take my absence as I’m not cooking – because I have! Sadly, though, not near as much as I’d like. With a trip to the beach, starting a new job and my stove broke (and still is!! Ugh!!) I just haven’t had the time to even venture to my blog. But don’t worry, if you like pasta, you will love this recipe. It was simply heavenly!! This dish serves 4 people but people – BEWARE – my husband and I almost ate the entire pot it was SO good!

Penne Alla Vodka with Pancetta
adapted from Cooks Illustrated

Ingredients

1 28oz can whole tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 ounces pancetta, cut into large chunks
½ small onion, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (or 2 large cloves)
½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Salt
1/3 cup vodka (I used Svedka as this is what I had on hand)
½ cup heavy cream
1 pound penne
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil leaves
Grated parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions for cooking:

Puree half of tomatoes in food processor until smooth. Dice remaining tomatoes into ½ inch pieces, discarding cores. Combine pureed and diced tomatoes in liquid measuring cup (you should have about 1 and 2/3 cups). Add reserved liquid to equal 2 cups.

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering, add pancetta and cook until crisp, 3-4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to small bowl and set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from the pan. Add onion and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are lightly golden around edge, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and pepper flakes; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in tomatoes and a pinch of alt. Remove pan from heat and add vodka. Return pan to medium-high heat and simmer briskly until the alcohol flavor is cooked off, 8 to 10 minutes; stir frequently and lower heat to medium if simmering becomes too vigorous. Stir in cream and cook until hot, about 1 minute.

Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta. Cook until just shy of aldente, then drain pasta, reserving ¼ cup cooking water, and transfer pasta to sauce. Toss pasta and sauce over medium heat until pasta absorb some of sauce, 1 to 2 minutes, adding reserved cooking water is sauce is too thick. (I had to add a couple tablespoons.) Stir in basil and reserved pancetta and adjust seasoning with salt. Serve immediately with parmesan sprinkled on top.

I dare you not to eat more than one bowl! ;)

Enjoy!

Chicken Tequila Burgers

When I saw this recipe on Pink Parsley I knew my husband and I had to try it out – and I will tell you know this is one delicious and healthy burger! Oh, and remember my first recipe post that said I would teach you at a later date how to make your own ground chicken? Well, the time has come! I promise you this will be one burger you find very easy to make and mighty tasty!

Chicken Tequila Burgers

adapted from Pink Parsley

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, roughly chopped
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup parsley (or cilantro)
Juice of 1 lime
1 ½ ounces tequila
Dash of soy sauce
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
½ cup panko bread crumbs
½ teaspoon honey

Burger buns, brushed with oil and put on the grill for light marks
Sautéed peppers and onions (I buy frozen and just heat through to save time and money)

Instructions for cooking:

Process the garlic, parsley, and jalapeno in the food processor until finely chopped.

Cut the chicken breasts into chunks, and add to the food processor. Add the lime juice, tequila, soy sauce, honey, panko, salt, and pepper. Pulse until the chicken is uniformly ground and all the ingredients are well mixed. (Making your own ground chicken for this recipe saves you a ton of calories and fat. If you buy your own ground chicken at the store most likely the meat has extra stuff such as skin to add flavor to the meat but what you don’t realize is the additives also add fat and calories that boneless skinless chicken breasts don’t have.)

Form into 4 patties.Prepare grill, and grill 5-7 minutes per side, or until burgers are cooked through. Serve on toasted hamburger buns and topped with peppers and onions.

My husband added sliced white American cheese to the other burgers – they were good but next time I’d like to try sliced pepper jack cheese to add a little kick to the burgers. I also recommend serving this delicious burger with a margarita – it’s the perfect pairing!

Enjoy!

Deviled Eggs

Growing up in the south Deviled Eggs were always on the table. They are basically a staple in any meal in the south. My Grandmother made some of the best deviled eggs. I hope I make her proud as I try to make the same eggs.

I made these for mother's day at my in-law's house and I will tell you not a single one was left. They were enjoyed by all!

Deviled Eggs can be made lots of different ways. This isn't going to be so much a recipe as a guide on how to make your perfect deviled eggs.

Deviled Eggs

Ingredients

8 eggs
Mayonnaise
Sweet gherkin pickle juice
Salt and pepper
Paprika

Instructions for cooking:

Add your eggs to a pot and cover with just enough water to cover the eggs. Let the pot come to a slow boil and lower heat slightly. Cook eggs for 12 minutes. Remove from heat, drain off water and add cold water to the pot to stop the cooking process.

Once the eggs are cool enough to handle peel off outer shell – careful not to damage the egg. (I cook 8 eggs because one we need a taste test and two I usually end up with a egg that just isn’t pretty enough to serve.) Once all of your eggs are peeled cut the eggs in half gently and remove yolks and place in a bowl.

This is where you will need to gage your other ingredients. Add mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste and a couple or few teaspoons of the pickle juice. I like a nice and smooth consistency so I stir and mash with a fork for a good 10 minutes. I highly recommend taste testing throughout this process to make sure each ingredient compliments each other.

Once you’ve reached the point where you are happy with your mixture add it by teaspoonfuls back into the egg white. Once all are filled put into the refrigerator until ready to serve and sprinkle with paprika.

If you like a chunky yolk mixture you can also chop up some gherkin pickles or any type of pickle and add to the yolk mixture.

Enjoy!

Ranch Broccoli Slaw

This is a great side dish for any cook-out!

Ranch Broccoli Slaw

Ingredients

(2) 12 oz bags Broccoli Slaw (or Rainbow slaw)
4 slices of bacon, crisped and broke into small pieces
½ cup finely shredded mild cheddar cheese
½ cup toasted sliced almonds (slivered will also do)
1 ½ cups ranch dressing

Instructions for cooking:

In a bowl mix together the broccoli slaw, shredded cheese, most of the toasted almonds (but reserve some for topping the slaw) and ranch dressing. Sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours – remember the longer it sits in the refrigerator the better it is going to get. When ready to serve top slaw with the bacon pieces and the rest of the almonds. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Fiesta Rice

Fiesta Rice

Adapted from Vintage Victuals

Ingredients:

2 cups white rice, cooked

1 cup fresh or canned mexicorn (I used canned since this is what I had on hand)

1/8 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon corriander1 tablespoon enchilada sauce (left over from the Chicken Enchilada recipe - you can use canned)

3/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions for cooking:

Combine the rice, the mexicorn, cumin, corriander, enchilada sauce and heat through on low heat. Right before serving add and the shredded cheese, tossing lightly with a fork. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Om nom Chicken Enchiladas!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!

In honor of Cinco de Mayo I bring you some of the best chicken enchiladas I’ve ever had! If you know my husband and me personally you know how much we LOVE Mexican food!! So with this holiday I took full-advantage of this enchilada recipe I’ve been holding onto for a couple of months now. And ya’ll, these enchiladas really do taste authentic. The home-made sauce is so simple you won’t believe it. I do have to say this is a time-consuming dish so I wouldn’t decide to make this dish at the last moment. I recommend making these with the fiesta rice recipe that is to follow.

My resident taste tester said he'd keep me around a little while longer if I continue to cook like this. I dare you to NOT make these tonight!!

Chicken Enchiladas
Adapted from Annie’s Eats

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped fine

2 teaspoon vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons mexican chili powder (or you can use plain chili powder – this will cut down on the heat level)

2 teaspoons cumin

1 ½ tablespoon sugar

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 cup water

1 tomato, seeded and chopped

Salt (and pepper if not using mexican chili powder)

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, divided

½ cup minced fresh parsley (or cilantro)

12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas

Cooking spray

Instructions for cooking:

Add oil to large saucepan and heat to medium. Add the onion and jalapeno to the heated oil. Cook, stirring often, until the onions and peppers are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and sugar, and cook just until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato. Bring the sauce to a simmer, lower the heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through to 160 degrees, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside to cool.

Strain the sauce through a large mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing down on the onions and tomatoes to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the reserved solids to a large bowl and set aside. Season the sauce with additional salt (and pepper if you aren’t using mexican chili powder) to taste.

Shred the chicken into bite size pieces and add to the bowl with the onion mixture. Add in ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce, ½ cup of each of the shredded cheeses, and the parsley. Stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Oil a 13 x 9″ baking dish with cooking spray. Stack the tortillas on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 40-60 seconds, until warm and pliable. Spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of a tortilla. Roll up the tortilla around the filling tightly, and place in the prepared baking dish, seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas.

Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray. Place in the oven, uncovered, for 7 minutes (with mine I didn't feel like this was long enough so I'll add more spray and brown for 10 minutes) or until the tortillas start to brown slightly. (This is a big step...make sure they are browned so that they hold up to the suace.)

Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Remove the enchiladas from the oven and pour the sauce (reserving 1 tablespoon of the sauce for the fiesta rice!) over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is browned. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Stay tuned for Fiesta rice!!

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

I will warn you – these cookies did come from a diet cookbook. And yes, it calls for margarine and not butter. But honestly, you can’t tell they weren’t made with butter! I love the mini chocolate chips as you get many bites of chocolate throughout the cookie. Whipping the eggs until they are like meringue makes them thick and chewy and just oh so yummy! Try these – you won’t be sorry!!

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
From the 400 Calorie Fix

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
¼ cup soft margarine (trans-free but not reduced fat)
1 egg white
¾ cup sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup mini chocolate chips
¼ cup chopped pecans

Instructions for cooking:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 2 large baking sheets with cooking spray.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Separate the egg and set aside the egg white. Mix together the margarine and egg yolk in a small bowl.

Whip the egg whites (one from the egg you separated and one by itself) in a medium bowl until foamy. Slowly add the sugar while continuing to whip. The egg whites should thicken and appear meringue-like. Slowly add the corn syrup and continue to whip until the egg whites form soft peaks. Gently fold in the egg yolk mixture.

Add the vanilla extract to the egg mixture. Fold into the flour mixture until well blended. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans.

Drop the batter by rounded teaspoonfuls into the baking sheet, leaving about 1” between cookies. Bake for about 12 to 14 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes. Remove to a rack and cool completely. Store in an airtight container – if they last that long. :)

Enjoy!

Spicy Roasted Potatoes

I LOVE POTATOES!! And one of my all time favorite side dishes is roasted potatoes. Adding a new twist to the roasted potatoes is spice! And let me tell you, these add a punch of spice and is great with any mexican themed meal. I made these with the Margarita Grilled Chicken and they were the perfect compliment.

Spicy Roasted Potatoes
Serves 2

Ingredients

2 Idaho potatoes, cut into roughly equal sized wedges
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cumin
Dried parsley, couple of dashes for color
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions for cooking:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

In a zip lock bag add potatoes, olive oil, spices and salt and pepper to taste. Close zip-lock bag and shake until they are completely coated.

Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet wrapped in aluminum foil. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown and slightly crispy on the outside. For extra crispiness, which I happen to love, at the end I turn the broiler on for 2 to 3 minutes. Then I remove from the oven and transfer potatoes to a serving dish. Serve warm.

Warning: These potatoes are delicious but can be on the spicy side. If you want just a little kick cut the cayenne pepper to 1/8 teaspoon and up the paprika to ½ teaspoon. If you aren’t a fan of spice then cut out the cayenne pepper all together – they will still have delicious flavor!

Enjoy!

Margarita Grilled Chicken

It's spring time - and do you know what that means? It's grilling time! And my number one grilling item is chicken. So this brings me to one of my husband's favorite dish's from Chilis - Margarita Grilled Chicken. I'll admit it too - it's delicious! But honestly, it's so much better when you can make it at home.

Margarita Lime Chicken

Serves 2

Ingredients

¼ cup tequila
½ cup olive oil
2 limes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium jalapeño pepper (or half of a large), ribbed, seeded and diced
Parsley, small handful chopped
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
Sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Instructions for cooking:

Combine the tequila, olive oil, jalapeno, garlic, parsley, dash of sugar, chili powder, salt and pepper in a bowl or zippered plastic bag. Zest one lime into the mixture then cut both limes in half and squeeze out all of the juice. Mix well; add the chicken breasts to the container. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least for 8 hours.

When you are ready to cook the chicken, heat a grill to 400 degrees. Take chicken out of refrigerator to take the chill off the meat. Once the grill is heated, cook the chicken until nicely browned and inside temperature of chicken is 180 degrees. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Pioneer Woman's Chicken with Tomatoes and Garlic

Wow, oh, wow! Ya’ll, you HAVE to try this dish! If you don’t, you will never die happy. I’m just sayin’.

I came across Pioneer Woman’s website just last week. I usually cook only boneless, skinless chicken breasts but I can tell you now I didn’t know what I was missing. (Oh yeah, the calories!) The chicken and the garlic were like butter. I can and will promise you I will have many, many more of her recipes to share. This recipe will be on our menu for many years to come.

Chicken with Tomatoes and Garlic
Adapted from Pioneer Woman's Recipe
Serves 4

Ingredients

8 pieces chicken legs
Salt and pepper
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter
1 can (28 Ounce) diced tomatoes
1 can (14 Ounces) whole tomatoes
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
8 cloves, peeled whole garlic
Cavitappi pasta (16 ounces)
½ Cup red wine (I used a Shiraz)
Grated parmesan cheese
Fresh Herbs:
Basil, handful of leaves
Parsley, handful of sprigs
Sage, handful of leaves
Oregano, handful of sprigs

Instructions for cooking:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and butter. Generously salt and pepper chicken legs. When oil/butter is hot, add chicken legs to the pan. Using tongs, brown on all sides, about 2 minutes. Remove chicken from pan.

Pour in wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any bits. Cook for 1 minute. Pour in tomatoes with their juice and add tomato paste. Add salt and pepper to taste, stirring to combine. Bring sauce to a boil, and then turn off heat. Add plenty of fresh herbs, 8 cloves of garlic, and the chicken legs. Put lid on pot and cook in the oven for 1 hour.

Remove pot from oven and allow it to sit on the counter with the lid on while you boil the pasta.

Cook the pasta to al dente, drain and add to a large serving bowl.

To serve, pour sauce over cooked pasta, and then arrange chicken pieces over the top. Sprinkle generously with fresh Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

And here is the husband’s bowl, “The Manly Bowl”…he said to tell everyone “See, it’s manly, it’s got cross bones!”

Crock-Pot BBQ Pork Loin

My husband LOVES BBQ and although this isn’t technically what he would consider real BBQ – smoking or grilling – this pork loin is SO moist, so fork tender you’ll never miss the smoker or grill.

Crock- Pot BBQ Pork Loin
Serves 4

Ingredients:

4lb pork loin
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce (I used KC Masterpiece Honey)
Salt and pepper

Turn your crock-pot on low. Add your pork loin to the crock-pot fat side down. Salt and pepper the top and sides of pork loin generously. Drizzle one –third of BBQ sauce onto the top side of the pork loin and spread evenly. Turn pork loin over and salt and pepper the other side of the pork loin. Add the rest of the BBQ and spread evenly. (If you like extra BBQ sauce with serving save a few tablespoons.) Cook on low for 8 to 12 hours.

When ready to serve take tongs and either pull big chunks, I do this while still in the crock-pot, or you may remove the pork loin and shred the pork. I highly recommend serving this pork with a tall glass of sweet tea.

The challenge for myself with this pork loin next time is to make my own BBQ sauce.

Another suggestion if you miss smoking the pork loin is to rub a couple teaspoons of liquid smoke on the loin before adding S&P and the BBQ sauce.

Enjoy!

Chili Suizas Bake

I have around 5 or 6 Rachael Ray cookbooks – I do love to watch Rachael’s show but I must admit I haven’t found much recently that makes me want to jump up and run to the grocery store for items just to cook the meal immediately. However, my husband and I have several recipes that are a staple in our household.

The first being Rachael’s Chili Suizas Bake. I believe we saw this on her show in early 2008 and it literally had us salivating as we watched the show. I am not a huge fan of Salsa Verde (green salsa) but for some reason this recipe just spoke to me. I promise if you like Mexican-American food you will love this recipe! It is YUM-O!

I have made some changes to the recipe to suit our taste. Also, I've linked the original recipe in case you decide to try it Rachael’s way! (Which I will do from here on out when I feature a recipe – it is rare that I don’t change something in a recipe.)

Chili Suizas Bake
Adapted from Rachael’s Chili Suizas Bake

Ingredients:

2large/medium poblano peppers
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 pound ground chicken (You can make your own ground chicken and I will show you how in a later post)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon coriander
½ large onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 large or 10 medium to small tomatillos, peeled, rinsed and halved
1/8 cup parsley
½ - 2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoons honey
Salt and pepper
½ lime, juiced
¼ cup sour cream
Tortilla chips
1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese


Heat the broiler to high. Place the poblanos under hot broiler and char until blackened an all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Leave the door of the oven cracked to allow the steam to escape. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to cool enough to handle.

While peppers char, heat extra-virgin olive oil in a high sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and lightly brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in onions, jalapeno, garlic, cumin, coriander and chili powder and cook to soften onions about 5 minutes. While onions cook, place tomatillos and parsley in the food processor and process until smooth but slightly chunky. Pour the tomatillos into the chicken mixture and stir to combine. Stir in chicken stock and honey, season with salt and pepper and simmer chili 10 minutes.

When poblano peppers are cool enough to handle, remove seeds and chop, stir into chili. Add sour cream to the mixture and stir until completely incorporated. Remove chili pan from heat and stir in lime juice and transfer to baking dish. Cover the dish with cheese. Place under broiler until brown and bubbly. Spoon chili into dinner bowls and serve with chips. Enjoy!

Note: My husband and I both like ours to have a good bit of “sauce” to where it is soupy and the chips will sop-up the juices. If you don’t like this cut the stock back to a cup.

My little ditty about my life and why I started this blog aka My Introduction!

Howdy!

My name is Leigh Ann and I’ve lived in Georgia all my life. I married the love of my life in 2007. We live in small house, in a small town with our two Labrador Retrievers. I have always loved to cook but never the one who liked to clean the dishes. This is why my husband is not only my resident taste-tester but also my dishwasher – do you see why I married him now? :)

My Blog

I decided to start this blog for a variety of reasons…but the best one of all is that my husband and I LOVE to eat! Over time you will begin to learn that my husband and I really enjoy Mexican and Italian inspired dishes. So join me in my journey of being a basically self-taught “cook”, making simply delicious food and trying to improve my skills.

If you have any questions or inquiries please write me at leighannskitchen@gmail.com.

Thank you for visiting my blog!