I don't know about you, but I'm finally tired of the holiday goodies. I got all my cookies and candies made. I took goody boxes to work for my coworkers today and made a few trays for neighbors and friends. I think I need more friends - I have tons of stuff left. Of course, we'll eat some of it, but we certainly don't need it all. I think I got carried away. If you made homemade treats for your family and friends this year, I hope you had fun and if you tried any of my recipes, I hope you enjoyed them.
When I started this month I planned to post goody recipes up until Christmas, but I decided to stop. First, I think everyone should be done with any homemade stuff by now. Also, I was starting to run out of favorite recipes. Today I decided to post a recipe for a very quick and easy dinner. You probably have everything you need for this in your freezer and pantry. This will make a quick and easy dinner for one of those hectic days.
Mama's Brainless Chicken Casserole
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed
1 pound chopped, cooked broccoli (or other vegetable)
2 cans condensed cream of chicken and/or cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups cooked pasta
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Mix all ingredients except cheese in a lightly greased casserole dish. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 until hot and bubbly.
Can't get much easier than that!
Showing posts with label Comfort Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Comfort Food. Show all posts
Monday, December 22, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Chili
Chili is one of my favorite comfort foods. I can eat it anytime of year, but it’s especially yummy when it’s cold and dreary outside like it is here today.
I usually eat my chili with good ol' saltines (Keebler Zesta are the best IMO). I break only one at a time into my chili because I don't like them to get soggy. I also like chili with cornbread or on rice. Once in awhile, I relive my childhood and eat it with a peanut butter sandwich. When my elementary school lunchroom served chili, it always came with a half peanut butter sandwich. I'm not sure why, but I still like them together. When I eat that combo in front of other people they look at me funny, but you should try it sometime. It's tasty.
Chili Links
Here are links to a few good chili recipe sites.
Famous Chili Recipes
Good Chili Recipes
All Recipes
About.com: Southern Food - Chili Recipes and Information
Recipes
There are almost as many different recipes for chili as there are people. While I have a good, basic ground beef and beans recipe, I also have a few others that I enjoy from time to time. I understand that in Texas, real chili is made with chunks of beef and no beans. I didn't include such a recipe because I only want to post recipes that I have actually tried myself. If that's how you like your chili, I hope you'll share your recipe with me. Another one, I have not tried is Cincinnati chili and would like to try that one sometime too. Feel free to post a comment with your favorite chili recipe.
Here are a few of my favorites that I have made. I threw in my favorite cornbread recipe as a little bonus.
Easy Throw Together Chili with Beans
I don’t use a specific recipe for my basic chili. I just kind of throw stuff together until it has the consistency and flavor that I want. I use different meats, beans, seasonings and tomatoes, depending on my mood and what I have. It never comes out exactly the same way twice, but it’s always good. Here are the basics for a regular size pot. I usually make several quarts at a time and freeze the leftovers in individual servings for later.
2 pounds ground meat (beef, pork, turkey, venison, or a combination)
1 large diced onion
2 cloves minced garlic
2 15 oz cans tomatoes and/or tomato sauce (I usually use one can of diced, crushed, stewed or whole (broken up) and one can of sauce so it’s not super-chunky, but you can use all tomatoes or all sauce if you prefer.)
1 15 oz can beans (I use chili, red kidney, pinto or black beans)
1 or 2 packages of chili seasoning (I use Williams seasoning, which seasons 2 pounds of meat and isn’t overly salty like some others. If you use a brand that only seasons one pound, you’ll need two.)
Additional chili powder (to taste)
Additional cumin (to taste)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Brown the meat and onions in a large pot. Drain fat, if necessary. Add garlic, tomatoes, beans and chili seasoning. Taste and add additional chili powder, cumin and/or salt and pepper if needed. If the chili is too thick, add more tomato sauce, tomato or V-8 juice, beef broth or beer. To thicken and add a more intense tomato flavor, add tomato paste. Simmer chili for at least 30 minutes, then adjust seasonings again if needed.
Serve with any or all the following:
Shredded cheese
Sliced jalapeno peppers
Sliced green onion
Sour cream
Tortilla chips
Crackers
Cornbread (see below for a yummy recipe)
Double Corn Muffins
1 ½ cups yellow cornmeal
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 15 oz can cream style corn
¼ cup milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon canola oil
Preheat oven to 375. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Combine corn, milk, egg and oil in a separate bowl. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until blended. Don’t overmix or your cornbread will be tough and if you make muffins, they’ll be pointy on top. Nobody likes a pointy muffin. Pour into a greased 8” cast iron skillet, 8x11 inch baking pan or muffin tins (fill half full and don’t use papers as the muffins will stick to it.) Bake until golden brown. About 20 minutes for muffins and 30 minutes for larger pan.
You can also add shredded cheddar cheese and/or chopped green chiles. Yummy!
White Chicken Chili
I used to completely avoid any kind of chicken dish that was referred to as “chili”. I grew up on good ol’ ground beef chili, and using chicken and no tomatoes didn’t make a bit of sense to me. Then I finally tried some at Ruby Tuesday and loved it! Here is my recipe for a similar dish.
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, in bite size chunks
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 15 oz cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 14 ½ oz can chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon pepper
2 4 oz cans diced green chiles
Sour cream, optional
Monterey Jack cheese, optional
Saute chicken, onion and garlic in olive oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, salt, oregano, pepper and chiles. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve topped with sour cream and Monterey Jack cheese, if desired.
College Dorm Veggie Chili
I am not a vegetarian (not even a little bit), but this chili is really good and really easy. You just open up a bunch of cans, dump them together, throw in a couple spices and heat it up. I made this often during my college days when I was short on money, space and cooking equipment. It’s really good served over rice with shredded cheese.
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can any other beans (pinto, red, garbanzo, etc.), drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can Mexican corn
1 24 oz jar salsa (mild, hot – whatever)
Chili powder to taste
Cumin to taste
Water, broth, beer or other liquid as needed
(You can also add one pound of browned ground beef, but you really won’t miss it. It’s good for you to go meatless once in awhile.)
Mix all ingredients, except water, in a pot. Add liquid as needed for consistency. Heat to a boiling and simmer for a few minutes. Serve over rice or corn chips with shredded cheese, jalapenos, sour cream or other desired toppings.
Note: This can also be made in the crockpot. Mix all ingredients in the pot and cook on low for 4 – 6 hours.
I usually eat my chili with good ol' saltines (Keebler Zesta are the best IMO). I break only one at a time into my chili because I don't like them to get soggy. I also like chili with cornbread or on rice. Once in awhile, I relive my childhood and eat it with a peanut butter sandwich. When my elementary school lunchroom served chili, it always came with a half peanut butter sandwich. I'm not sure why, but I still like them together. When I eat that combo in front of other people they look at me funny, but you should try it sometime. It's tasty.
Chili Links
Here are links to a few good chili recipe sites.
Famous Chili Recipes
Good Chili Recipes
All Recipes
About.com: Southern Food - Chili Recipes and Information
Recipes
There are almost as many different recipes for chili as there are people. While I have a good, basic ground beef and beans recipe, I also have a few others that I enjoy from time to time. I understand that in Texas, real chili is made with chunks of beef and no beans. I didn't include such a recipe because I only want to post recipes that I have actually tried myself. If that's how you like your chili, I hope you'll share your recipe with me. Another one, I have not tried is Cincinnati chili and would like to try that one sometime too. Feel free to post a comment with your favorite chili recipe.
Here are a few of my favorites that I have made. I threw in my favorite cornbread recipe as a little bonus.
Easy Throw Together Chili with Beans
I don’t use a specific recipe for my basic chili. I just kind of throw stuff together until it has the consistency and flavor that I want. I use different meats, beans, seasonings and tomatoes, depending on my mood and what I have. It never comes out exactly the same way twice, but it’s always good. Here are the basics for a regular size pot. I usually make several quarts at a time and freeze the leftovers in individual servings for later.
2 pounds ground meat (beef, pork, turkey, venison, or a combination)
1 large diced onion
2 cloves minced garlic
2 15 oz cans tomatoes and/or tomato sauce (I usually use one can of diced, crushed, stewed or whole (broken up) and one can of sauce so it’s not super-chunky, but you can use all tomatoes or all sauce if you prefer.)
1 15 oz can beans (I use chili, red kidney, pinto or black beans)
1 or 2 packages of chili seasoning (I use Williams seasoning, which seasons 2 pounds of meat and isn’t overly salty like some others. If you use a brand that only seasons one pound, you’ll need two.)
Additional chili powder (to taste)
Additional cumin (to taste)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Brown the meat and onions in a large pot. Drain fat, if necessary. Add garlic, tomatoes, beans and chili seasoning. Taste and add additional chili powder, cumin and/or salt and pepper if needed. If the chili is too thick, add more tomato sauce, tomato or V-8 juice, beef broth or beer. To thicken and add a more intense tomato flavor, add tomato paste. Simmer chili for at least 30 minutes, then adjust seasonings again if needed.
Serve with any or all the following:
Shredded cheese
Sliced jalapeno peppers
Sliced green onion
Sour cream
Tortilla chips
Crackers
Cornbread (see below for a yummy recipe)
Double Corn Muffins
1 ½ cups yellow cornmeal
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 15 oz can cream style corn
¼ cup milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon canola oil
Preheat oven to 375. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Combine corn, milk, egg and oil in a separate bowl. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until blended. Don’t overmix or your cornbread will be tough and if you make muffins, they’ll be pointy on top. Nobody likes a pointy muffin. Pour into a greased 8” cast iron skillet, 8x11 inch baking pan or muffin tins (fill half full and don’t use papers as the muffins will stick to it.) Bake until golden brown. About 20 minutes for muffins and 30 minutes for larger pan.
You can also add shredded cheddar cheese and/or chopped green chiles. Yummy!
White Chicken Chili
I used to completely avoid any kind of chicken dish that was referred to as “chili”. I grew up on good ol’ ground beef chili, and using chicken and no tomatoes didn’t make a bit of sense to me. Then I finally tried some at Ruby Tuesday and loved it! Here is my recipe for a similar dish.
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, in bite size chunks
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 15 oz cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 14 ½ oz can chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon pepper
2 4 oz cans diced green chiles
Sour cream, optional
Monterey Jack cheese, optional
Saute chicken, onion and garlic in olive oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, salt, oregano, pepper and chiles. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve topped with sour cream and Monterey Jack cheese, if desired.
College Dorm Veggie Chili
I am not a vegetarian (not even a little bit), but this chili is really good and really easy. You just open up a bunch of cans, dump them together, throw in a couple spices and heat it up. I made this often during my college days when I was short on money, space and cooking equipment. It’s really good served over rice with shredded cheese.
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can any other beans (pinto, red, garbanzo, etc.), drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can Mexican corn
1 24 oz jar salsa (mild, hot – whatever)
Chili powder to taste
Cumin to taste
Water, broth, beer or other liquid as needed
(You can also add one pound of browned ground beef, but you really won’t miss it. It’s good for you to go meatless once in awhile.)
Mix all ingredients, except water, in a pot. Add liquid as needed for consistency. Heat to a boiling and simmer for a few minutes. Serve over rice or corn chips with shredded cheese, jalapenos, sour cream or other desired toppings.
Note: This can also be made in the crockpot. Mix all ingredients in the pot and cook on low for 4 – 6 hours.
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