Green Chicken Chili with White Beans

Mike has mentioned numerous times to me about finding a crock-pot chili. So when I was looking through a new edition of my cookbook magazine, I found two recipes for slow cooker chili. We decided to try one of them, and sure enough, it's a keeper! Now we found another meal to make, and Mike has found a chili crock pot recipe! Everyone wins!

Here's the recipe: Green Chicken Chili with White Beans

1 1/2 cups dry great Northern beans
4 cups chopped tomatillos
4 cups seeded, diced Anaheim chiles (About 8 chiles) {My store didn't have any, so I used yellow chiles peppers}
2 cups diced onion
2 cups diced jalapenos (About 5 peppers)
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground coriander
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (I used a pound of chicken that I diced)
1/4 cup masa harina (I used 2 tablespoons of flour and corn starch)
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
salt and pepper to taste

Soak beans according to package directions; drain and add to slow cooker.
Add Anaheim chiles, onion, jalapenos, garlic, cumin, oregano, coriander and broth to slow cooker. Cook chili on high heat until beans are tender, about 4.5 hours. Stir in chicken (unless you used raw chicken like I did, then you'd want to add that with everything else) and masa harina into chili. Cook 30 minutes more. Stir in lime juice. Season chili with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

I have subscribed to a cookbook magazine and I get them once every two months or so. I love these magazines! Not only do they have pictures for every recipe and provide you with side dish ideas, but there are no ads what-so-ever! Not to mention that we have found a lot of really good meals in them! The most recent one that I have received, I found this recipe as I was making a shopping list. Both Mike and I were excited to make them!

Here's the recipe: Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
4 ounces cream cheese or Cooking creme
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 200* with a cookie sheet inside.
Combine flour, sugar, apple pie spice, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
Whisk together buttermilk, cooking creme or cream cheese, maple syrup, egg and vanilla in a separate bowl. Fold buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients just until moistened. (Small lumps are okay) Let batter rest 10 minutes.
Heat a large griddle or non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Brush griddle with a thin layer of oil. For each pancake, pour about 1/3 cup of batter onto the griddle.
Cook batter until bubbles form on surface, 2-3 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook until golden, 2-3 minutes more. Keep pancakes warm on cookie sheet in the oven while cooking the remaining pancakes. Oil griddle as needed.

For Creamy Icing

6 ounces cooking creme or Cream Cheese
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons warm water

Whisk cooking creme or cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, buttermilk, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat until warm. Add water as needed to thin sauce until desired consistency is reached.

For Spiced Maple Syrup

3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon apple pie spice

Heat maple syrup, sweetened condensed milk, butter and spice in a small saucepan over medium heat until butter melts and apple pie spice dissolves. (About 5 minutes)

Top your pancakes with your icing and syrup.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Texas Pulled Pork Sandwiches

After having some pulled pork sandwiches at Invesco Field for our football game, I wanted to make some at home. I found a great slow cooker recipe that we will definitely be using again! Mike has used the leftovers on salads too!

Here's the recipe: Slow Cooker Texas Pulled Pork Sandwiches

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
4 pound pork shoulder roast (I used a 5lb boneless pork roast)
1 cup barbecue sauce (I used the whole bottle)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 extra large onion, chopped
2 large garlic gloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

Pour the vegetable oil in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the roast in the slow cooker. Pour in the barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar and broth. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or until the roast can be easily shredded with two forks. (I believe I cooked it for about 7-8 hours). Remove roast from slow cooker, and shred with forks. Place meat back into the cooker and stir into the juices. Cook another 15 minutes to allow the juices to soak into the meat. Place on toasted buns and add your favorite condiments.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I wrote down my shopping list as well as my menu for the week, I asked Mike if there was anything he would like to add. As he looked over both lists, his eyes fell upon this recipe and immediately wanted them...that day. Much to his disappointment, I didn't make them that day but instead made them three days ago. The cookies didn't last that long...

Here's the recipe: Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon milk
1 tablespoon vanilla paste or extract
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Dissolve baking soda in the milk and stir in. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Add vanilla and chocolate chips. Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350* for 10 minutes or until lightly brown and slightly firm. (I baked them at 360* for 12 minutes)

Enjoy!

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches

I always ask Mike what he wants to eat for the week, and sometimes I get a bunch of ideas, and sometimes, I am left to find something on my own. When football season started, I decided to make Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches. It was simple and easy to make, and Mike enjoyed them immensely.

Here's the recipe: Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches

1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
2 medium onions, sliced
1 pound boneless beef round steak cut into strips.
2 teaspoons garlic-pepper blend (I used garlic and added some pepper to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large green pepper, sliced
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon beef-flavored bouillon
1 ounce provolone cheese, halved

In medium bowl, combine butter and onions, mix to coat. Sprinkle steak strips with garlic-pepper blend and salt.
In a 3 to 4 quart crock pot, layer half of the onions, all of the steak strips, and bell pepper. Top with remaining onions. In a measuring cup, combine water and bouillon, stir until dissolved. Pour over  mixture in slow cooker.
Cover; cook on low for 6-8 hours.
About 10 minutes before serving, place bun halves, cut side up, on ungreased cookie sheet. With slotted spoon, top bottom halves with beef mixture. Top each with 2 pieces of cheese. Broil 2-3 inches from heat until cheese is melted and top halves are toasted. Place top halves over cheese.

Enjoy!

Sweet and Sour Pork

Mike and I went through a phase a few months ago, where we wanted Chinese food...a lot. On our first Christmas, I bought Mike a cookbook that had Chinese, Thai and Japanese recipes...who knew, that I'd be the one to use it! I made this meal and it was quite simple and yummy! We had a couple days of leftovers and it was still as good as day one!

Here's the recipe: Sweet and Sour Pork

3/4 pound boneless pork (I used a full pound or about 4 pork chops)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
16 ounces frozen pepper stir fry (I used fresh peppers and onions)
1 tablespoon water
14 ounces sweet and sour sauce (I found a 14.5oz bottle and used the whole thing)
8 ounces pineapple chunks (I used fresh pineapple)

Cut pork into thin strips. (Or bite size pieces)
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
Add pork; stir fry until browned.
Add vegetables and water; cover and cook over medium heat (5-7 minutes or until vegetables are tender-crisp)
Uncover; stir in sweet and sour sauce and pineapple. Cook until heated through.

Serve over rice. Enjoy with your favorite pot stickers or egg rolls!

Enjoy!

Where Do I Begin?

Hey everyone!

Sorry that I haven't posted anything in a really long time. Been quite busy here!

I'll just sum up the important things...

I have been spending most of my time divided with house and yard work (especially due to yet another complaint to Code Enforcement for weeds that were only 5 inches tall...yes, I measured), cooking, taking care of Mike, Mom and Willow, throw in some picture fixing and that's been my life for a while. Crazy!

I still have a few more photos to work on, but I'm almost there, I can almost taste it! I can't wait to be finished with the project and have everything up on the site, though that in itself will be a chore! But if it looks better and helps move things, then I'm okay with that kind of chore! I'll keep you up to date as that comes to an end!

Mike is going to be having surgery on October 13th, and will be out of commission for 6.5 weeks. In that time, I'll be the nurse/nanny and making sure that he is healing properly and getting to his appointments as he will not be able to drive. Be sure to pray that everything goes well for him and that the recovery is speedy!

We are both looking forward to having Mike's family out for Thanksgiving and we're already trying to plan activities! It will be a fun and exciting time for both of us and hopefully, for the family!

As usual, there is always drama, and with that said, I'll leave it at that!

Be sure to look for the next few recipes, as I will be posting them shortly and forgive my photos of these meals, as I was in a rush, and had tremors.

Until next time!