Slow-Cooker Summer Chicken Chili

I know I've been kinda MIA lately, but we made it through Hurricane Irene safe & sound!

The worst that happened was that we lost power until Tuesday night, and also had some flooding in our basement. 

Thankfully nothing got ruined except for a few things I unfortunately forgot to take off the floor, and a lot of empty cardboard boxes we were storing for our next move. 

But there was a decent bit of cleanup and a decent bit of me being in a really bad mood over the whole thing.

And... a decent bit of Mr. Vittles being in a bad mood because I was in a bad mood.

So I decided that yesterday I needed to make something nice. 

I haven't made hardly anything in about 2 weeks, let alone any new recipes, but I saw this recipe for Slow Cooker Summer Chicken Chili on Friday evening and knew I had to try it.

Especially before summer is OVER! Can you believe it's Labor Day already?  I have no idea where August went. 

Maybe it got washed away in the storm?

 McLoone's, Asbury Park Boardwalk 8/28/11 - © 2011 Reuters

(This picture was taken right up the street from my house!  As I'm sure you can tell, waves are not supposed to be crashing onto the boardwalk.)

In any case, since the summer to fall transition is nearly upon us, this was actually a dual-season meal - I made a really fun & different fall-flavored cornbread to go with that I think you guys are going to like.  But more on that soon!

Until then - enjoy these final days of summer and have a safe & happy Labor Day!

Slow-Cooker Summer Chicken Chili

• 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• 15-oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 C. frozen corn
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, finely diced
• 1 1/2 lbs. tomatoes, diced
• 3 T. chili powder
• 1 T. cumin
• 2 T. oregano
• 1 t. brown sugar
• Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/4 C. white wine
• 1/2 C. water
• 2 large, boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb. total)
• optional : shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped cilantro for serving

Combine all ingredients except for the chicken breasts in the basin of a large slow cooker.  Place chicken breasts on top, and cover slow cooker.

Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-10.  Remove chicken 30 minutes before serving, and shred using two forks.  Return to chili and stir well.  Adjust seasonings if necessary, then continue cooking.  Serve chili with sour cream, cheese, and/or chopped cilantro if desired.

Recipe Adapted from Back to Her Roots

Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Sliders

Ok so I just joined a boot camp class, and my first one was last night.

Oh. Sweet. Jesus.

I did a similar thing years ago in college ... key words being 'years ago.'

This is only a 45 minute class but honestly - I don't think I could take much more than that.

Muscles that I didn't even know I had are sore.  And I can only imagine what tomorrow will bring, as I find I usually feel the worst 2 days after.

Just in time to go back.

Ahaha! :)

In the meantime... delicious pulled pork sliders!

Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Sliders

• 1 t. vegetable oil
• 1 2 to 2 1/2 lb. boneless pork roast
• 1 C. barbecue sauce
• 2 T. apple cider vinegar
• 2/3 C. water
• 2 T. light brown sugar
• 1 T. yellow mustard
• 1/2 C. ketchup
• 2 T. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 t. chili powder
• 1/2 onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 clove minced garlic
• package of 12 slider rolls

Combine all ingredients except roast & rolls in pot of a slow cooker.  Whisk or stir until ingredients are evenly distributed.  Score both sides of roast with a few diagonal cuts, and place in slow cooker.  Roll roast to coat with sauce, and cover. 

Cook on low for 7-8 hours (high for 5-6) or until roast shreds easily with a fork.  Shred in pot (or remove to shred, then return to pot) and stir to coat meat with sauce.  Toast slider rolls if desired.  Spoon pork onto buns and serve.  Makes12 over-stuffed sliders.

Recipe Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Oven-Crisp Garlic Potato Wedges

Some nights you run out of time to cook something nice, and out of convenience you're forced to have hot dogs.

Other nights you want to have hot dogs... because there's just something about weird meat scraps shaped into a log that's downright delicious.

In college, I did an "off-campus study" my junior year at New York University, and my friends discovered this nearby hole-in-the-wall cafe called Westville that served the best hot dogs.

There were plenty of other things on the menu but we would go there and order two Hebrew Nationals and french fries... and sometimes snow peas & carrots to share too.

If we were feeling crazy we'd get mac & cheese to share.  But always hot dogs.

The best part was that in the winter Westville had a huge velvet curtain up by the door to block the cold air from coming in... like a nightclub or something.  So my friend nicknamed it 'Club Frank.'

(Get it, Club Frank? Because hot dogs are called franks?  Ok, just making sure :)) 

The second best part was that they sprinkled parsley on the fries so it made it seem like you were eating something much more sophisticated than hot dogs & french fries.

I googled the place for kicks today, and I saw that they've opened up not only a second location on the other side of town, but also a third... which is literally a block from my old office in Chelsea.

Umm thank goodness that wasn't there five years ago, otherwise I would have consumed enough nitrates by now to last me a lifetime.

Anyhow, my point in all this is - when you want hot dogs for dinner, you need something sassy to go with them.

Enter oven-crisp garlic potato wedges.

Over the years I have tried sooo many different recipes for baked french fries, and they just never come out well.  They're always edible, but rarely can they hold a candle to deep-fried, restaurant-style fries.

But these bad boys are a happy medium between fried and baked - you cook them in a little bit of oil that's been pre-heated in a very hot oven, so the outside gets crispy but the inside stays fluffy.

Mmm... crispy yet fluffy.  Potato wedge perfection.

Mr. Vittles really liked them too... although he asked if they were St. Patty's Day fries because of the parsley on top.

Ah well.  It seems the sophistication of Club Frank has been lost on my husband.

Oven-Crisp Garlic Potato Wedges

• 2 lbs. yukon gold potatoes, cut into wedges
• 6 T. canola oil, divided
• 1 T. cornstarch
• 1 t. kosher salt
• 1/8 t. cayenne pepper
• 1/8 t. chili powder
• 3/4 t. garlic powder

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Prepare heavy-duty rimmed metal baking sheet with 1/4 C. oil, tilting to coat pan, and set aside. 

Place potato wedges in a medium microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Microwave 3-5 minutes until translucent around edges, shaking bowl to redistribute potatoes halfway through. 

Line a large cutting board or your countertop with paper towels.  Remove potatoes from microwave and place on paper towels.  Blot dry with additional paper towels.  (If the wedges are wet, they won't crisp well, so try to get rid of as much moisture as you can.)

Meanwhile, place baking sheet with oil into preheated oven, for 5-7 minutes until just smoking.  In large bowl, whisk remaining 2 T. oil with cornstarch, salt, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder.  Add potatoes and toss with rubber spatula to coat. 
 
Remove oiled pan from oven and place potatoes on sheet in single layer, with flat sides down.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy,  flipping to other flat side halfway through.  Transfer to paper towel-lined plate and blot with additional towels.  Serve warm.
 
Recipe Adapted from Cook's Country

Smoky Restaurant-Style Salsa

In addition to being a brownie snob, I'm also kind of a salsa snob. 

I rarely eat salsa out of a jar, and when I do it's only IN recipes, and only certain brands.

To be honest, I didn't even really eat salsa until I was older because I had only had the likes of Pace and Tostitos.  I'm sorry to knock those brands but... ugh!  Not good.

Then in high school my mom started making her own salsa and oh my - I can remember Lauren Vittles and I coming back to my house after a night out and devouring a huge bowl of it.

Like... 3 to 4 times a week.

For a month straight.

Yeah.  It was that addicting.

Although come to think of it,  we actually had to take a breather from it for a while because we ate so much of it we could barely stand the sight of it.

That is... until a few weeks later, when we were back off the wagon again.  Ha!

Anyway, I know I already shared with you a recipe for fresh pico de gallo & salsa verde.  But I realized on my blogoversary last week that I never shared a basic restaurant-style recipe!

I have been on a kick of using fire-roasted tomatoes in recipes though, so I decided to change things up a bit and use those in place of whole canned tomatoes.  I also used a touch of chipotle to add to the smoky flavor.

Considering all the ingredients just get thrown into the food processor, there is no excuse not to make your own delicious, fresh salsa at home.

The beauty of a salsa like this is that you can change anything to your taste.

Don't like your salsa to be spicy?  Use less jalapeno.  (The recipe below makes what I would consider a medium salsa, in regard to the level of heat).

Can't fathom the thought of using tomatoes out of a can?  Use fresh ones (and if you're really feeling frisky, you can oven-roast them yourself first.)

Love chipotle?  Double the amount below, or to taste.

You get the idea.  You're a smart cookie.

Now make it happen :)

Smoky Restaurant Style Salsa

• 1 can (14.5 Ounce) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 can (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced tomatoes And green chilies)
• 1/4 red onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 jalapeno, chopped
• 1/8 t. Sugar
• 1/8 t. Salt
• 1/8 t. chipotle chili powder
• 1/4 C. cilantro (more to taste)
• 2 t. lime juice

Combine roasted tomatoes, Rotel, red onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, chipotle, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you’d like. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.  Let sit in refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.  Serves 6.

Recipe Adapted from Pioneer Woman

Queso Dip

While Mr. Vittles and I were watching football yesterday, I got a hankering for some queso dip.

But a quick search online led me to much disappointment... most of the recipes required Velveeta.

I don't know about you, but I don't really get down with processed cheese.

So I got to thinking... what other kind of soupy cheeses did I have experience with?

This led me to the sauce you would make for macaroni and cheese (like my Pepperjack Bacon Mac & Cheese), so I decided to try a queso dip with a roux base.  And, I must say, we both thought it was pretty awesome.

Nonetheless, I asked Mr. V what he would change about it, and he said less tomatoes and more cheese.

Personally, I liked the amount of tomatoes in it -  but you can feel free to use half a can of Rotel if you'd prefer less.

I did, however, agree that it would benefit from a stronger cheese flavor- so I doubled the amount of cheese for you below.

Leaves you plenty of time to experiment to your taste before the Superbowl in a couple weeks!

On another note... are you excited for me that I'm back in the kitchen?  First brownies, then queso... and wait til you see what I made last night!

You're gonna like it.  That's all I'll say for now.

Queso Dip

• 2 T. butter
• 2 T. flour
• 1/4 t. garlic powder
• 1/4 t. onion powder
• 1/8 t. chili powder
• pinch cayenne (or more or less to your taste)
• 1 C. milk
• 1/4 t. salt
• 2 C. grated Mexican cheese (I used a blend of jack & asadero)
• 1 10-oz. can Rotel diced tomatoes & chilis, drained but with some of juice reserved

In small bowl, combine flour, garlic, onion & chili powders, and cayenne (if using).  Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until foaming.  Add flour mixture and whisk until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add milk and whisk until boiling.  Reduce heat and continue whisking about 3-5 minutes until mixture thickens (mixture should resemble heavy cream).

Remove saucepan from heat and add salt & half of grated cheese.  Whisk until melted, then add remaining cheese.  Add Rotel and mix.  If mixture is too thick, add some of reserved juice from Rotel until desired consistency is reached.  Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Original Recipe

Chili Lime Basmati Rice

Recently, Mr. Vittles' aunt Michelle Vittles was kind enough to share a recipe from one of her favorite cookbooks called "Lemon Spiked Basmati Rice."

This recipe sounded awesome, but I can't help but get a little nervous when I see "rice" in the title of a recipe.

Now here's a confession that's probably more embarrassing to me than being afraid of moths (which are vile creatures and I don't know why everyone isn't afraid of them?)

I can't cook rice.

I don't know what it is about the preparation of this silly grain that eludes me after all my time in the kitchen.  But somehow it either comes out too wet, or gets stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Or then there's my favorite scenario- where it comes out too wet ... and then I get impatient because it was timed perfectly with the rest of my meal which is now getting cold ... so I blast the heat to speed things up and end up burning it to the bottom of the pan.

Argh!!

I've tried rice all different ways, with all different cooking times and ratios of rice to water, yet somehow it comes out wrong 99% of the time. 

Nonetheless, I read on when I got this recipe and saw something miraculous - while the initial cooking is done on the stove, the rice itself is cooked in the oven.

This I had never tried.

So of course I had to give it a shot.  But I was making it to go with a Mexican dish, so I decided to switch things up a bit and use lime instead of lemon, chili powder instead of cayenne, and add some fresh cilantro.

I even cut the onions!

And let me tell you something.

I can do this.  It's amazing.  And it's delicious.

Chili Lime Basmati Rice

• 1 C. basmati rice, rinsed & well drained (uncooked)
• 3 T. butter
• 3/4 C. onion, diced to about 1/4"
• 1 1/2 t. minced garlic
• 1/2 t. chili powder
• 1 T. fresh lime juice
• 1 1 /2 t. minced lime zest
• 2 T. cream (or milk)
• 1 1/4 t. salt
• 1 T. chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 T. thinly sliced chives
  

Preheat oven 375 degrees.

Place well drained rice in a 1 1/2 quart baking dish.

Melt the butter in a nonstick or heavy saucepan.  Add onion & saute over medium heat until soft, about 2 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.

Add chili powder, lime juice, lime zest, cream, salt, and 1 1/2 C. water - bring to boil.

Stir entire mixture into the rice in baking dish.  Seal tightly with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender & all liquid is absorbed.

Fluff with a fork, then fold in chives & cilantro before serving.

Recipe Adapted from Dishing with Kathy Casey