White Chicken Chili

One of my responsibilities as the food editor for a local lifestyle magazine is to create a foodie newsletter each week that’s sent out to between 9,000 and 10,000 subscribers. This newsletter includes a kitchen tip, ingredient of the week, local food calendar, and a new recipe every week. This requires me to create, cook, and photograph new recipes constantly. In fact, that’s one of the reasons I started this blog — so I could share these recipes and photographs with people beyond the newsletter subscribers.

So this week, in honor of the Super Bowl, I wanted to make a recipe that would work for a football party. Instead of classic chili, I created a recipe for a dish I like even better — white chicken chili. This recipe isn’t entirely unusual, but it is perfect for both football and a chilly winter day.

White Chicken Chili

3 cups chicken, chopped (I pulled the meat off a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store)
4 cups chicken broth
1 can beer (I used Modelo)
1 can navy beans
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 4-ounce cans diced green chilis
Juice of one lime
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Salt and pepper to taste
Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Heat the olive oil  in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute for three to four minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, and cayenne pepper, and cook until fragrant. Add the beer, chicken broth, green chilis, and navy beans. Turn up heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and let cook for 10-15 minutes.

Combine the sour cream and cornstarch in a small bowl. Use a measuring cup to ladle in about half a cup of the hot soup and whisk to combine. This prevents the sour cream from curdling when you add it to the hot liquid. Return the sour cream mixture to the soup pot and stir thoroughly. Add the chicken, lime juice, and cilantro. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Top each bowl with Monterey Jack cheese, if desired.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

I know, I know, you don’t have to tell me twice — you hate Brussels sprouts. But I also know that you love bacon. Maybe it’s time to try Brussels sprouts again!

There’s something special about this combination of roasting the Brussels sprouts, which gets them crispy and delicious, and bacon, which makes everything better. I really think that roasting the sprouts changes the flavor of them, so if you haven’t liked these veggies in the past when sauteed, steamed, or boiled, you just might enjoy this method.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Serves 4 as a side dish

1 (10-ounce) package Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 slices bacon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 shallots, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: Crumbled cheese such as blue cheese, Gorgonzola, or feta

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash the sprouts and peel off any loose or bruised leaves. Cut each sprout in half, then toss with olive oil. Spread them out on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are browned and start to look crispy.

While the Brussels sprouts are baking, fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. At the end of the cooking process, add the shallots and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add the walnuts briefly to toast them, about 2 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan and chop roughly.Remove the Brussels sprouts from the oven. Combine with the bacon, walnut, and shallot mixture, mixing thoroughly. Sprinkle on the cheese, if using, and serve immediately.

Nutritional information per serving:  206 cal.; 19.4 g fat; 6 g carbs; 2.7 g fiber; 5.2 g protein

Tequila Lime Salmon

You know how some people say bacon makes everything better? Or butter? (I’m sounding like Paula Deen here.) Well, I’d go out on a limb and say that tequila makes everything better. Think about it:

When you have a bad day, what can make it better? Tequila!
When you’re having fun with friends, what can make it even better? Tequila!
When you have a large piece of salmon, what can make it better? Tequila!

OK, I know a few people who would vehemently disagree that tequila is a good idea in any context, but you catch my drift. When I needed something to marinate the piece of fish below, I decided to take a margarita standpoint and soak it in some tequila, olive oil, and lime juice. It doesn’t make the fish taste like tequila — don’t worry, those of who you overdid it on Mezcal in college — but definitely gives it a nice flavor.

 

Tequila Lime Salmon
Serves 4

1 pound Atlantic Salmon
2/3 cup silver tequila
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lime juice
1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped

Combine all the ingredients in a large container, making sure the salmon is thoroughly coated. Cover, place in the fridge, and walk away for at least 30 minutes.

When you return, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the salmon on a foil-lined baking sheet, scoop up all the jalapeno and garlic pieces  from the marinade, and scatter it over the fish. Don’t get rid of that stuff, it’s yummy. (The jalapeno loses most of its heat when the ribs and seeds are removed, then even more when cooked.) Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily.

I serve this with mashed cauliflower and Caesar salad for a delightful, filling dinner.

Approximate nutritional information (slightly off because this includes all the marinade, which you wouldn’t necessarily eat) per serving: 451 cal; 25.4 g fat; 80.5 mg cholesterol; 63.9 mg sodium; 1.8 g carbs; 29 g fiber.

Saucy Shrimp over Zucchini Ribbons

In this easy-to-make dish, shrimp drips in a spicy, buttery sauce atop ribbons of zucchini, adding a healthy dose of vegetables to a succulent meal.

This dish blends one of my favorites, Shrimp Etouffee — a word I can never spell — with a simple sauteed shrimp dish. The butter makes it decadent, but the zucchini ribbons is lieu of spaghetti or rice cuts down on the calories.

Saucy Shrimp with Zucchini Ribbons
Serves 4

2 zucchini
3 stalks celery, sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

To make the zucchini ribbons, use a vegetable peeler to slice thin strips of zucchini from top to bottom. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the zucchini and boil for two to three minutes, just until the zucchini is tender. Drain and set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery and saute for five minutes, until the celery starts to soften. Add the garlic and saute until it starts to brown. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil, and let it reduce.

Add the remaining butter to the chicken stock and let it melt. Add the shrimp and red pepper flakes and cook until the shrimp is pink. Season to taste with salt and pepper (and extra red pepper, if you like spice!) Serve by plating ribbons of zucchini and topping it with the saucy shrimp.

Blue Cheese Risotto

Pungent blue cheese melts into creamy risotto for a decadent dish, a perfect pairing for grilled steak.

Blue Cheese Risotto with Mushrooms and Spinach

12 ounces Arborio rice
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup dry white wine
2 shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces blue cheese
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
5 cups hot beef broth
4 ounces mushrooms, chopped (optional)
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped (optional)

Keep the broth warm in a large stockpot over medium high heat.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onions and garlic, and sauté for three to four minutes. Add the second tablespoon of butter and the rice, and toss to coat so the rice is shiny with the melted butter. Pour in the white wine and cook until the liquid has evaporated. If you’re using mushrooms, add them now.

Begin adding the warm beef broth one cup at a time. Constantly stir the rice as the liquid cooks and evaporates, ensuring the rice isn’t sticking to the pan. As soon as the liquid is nearly gone, add another cup of broth. Once you’ve added at least four cups, start tasting the risotto. If it still has a bite to it, add more liquid one-third of a cup at a time.

Once the rice reaches the desired firmness, add the spinach and Parmesan cheese and stir to combine, letting the spinach wilt. Add the crumbled blue cheese, tasting as you go. Blue cheese is very strong, so you might not want to add the full four ounces. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

This makes a great side dish for grilled steak or any type of braised red meat.

A Healthier Hamburger Helper (a.k.a Taco Mac)

I get the appeal of Hamburger Helper. I really do. It’s quick, easy, and if you don’t mind tons of salt, it probably tastes good. (I say “probably” because I’ve never actually made it).

But I just can’t bring myself to buy it. So when my husband requested chili mac & cheese for dinner this week, I jumped at the chance to make a Hamburger Helper-like dish that was healthier and more delicious than the boxed stuff.

By using ground turkey, low-fat sour cream and cream cheese, and just a hint of real cheddar, plus absolutely no salt (but a ton of other spices for flavor!), I made a delicious meal that, while not the most nutritious in the world, wasn’t too bad.

Did you know? When making this recipe, choose ground turkey breast, not just ground turkey. Just like beef, ground turkey has various levels of fat and calories. Regular ground turkey is actually not that much of a savings, health-wise, versus ground beef.

Creamy Taco Mac
I apologize for the photo-less post. This is an old recipe, created before I had a DSLR camera.

1 pound pasta (Use multigrain or whole wheat for even more healthy benefits)
1 pound ground turkey breast
1/2 onion, chopped
1 14.5-ounce canned diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2/3 cup light sour cream
6 ounces light cream cheese
1/4 cup cheddar cheese

Boil the pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.

Brown the turkey in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When nearly browned, add the onions and saute. Add the diced tomatoes and spices and simmer until pasta is done.

Combine the hot pasta, pasta water, sour cream, cream cheese, and cheddar in a large bowl. Stir to combine and melt the cheeses. Add the tomato mixture slowly, stirring to combine thoroughly. Season to taste.

Goat Cheese Sauce over Brown Rice

The point of this post is really the goat cheese sauce, as I’m sure you know how to make brown rice. See, I really like brown rice — well, I like rice of all sorts — but my husband requires a sauce on it to find it edible. So I like to experiment with sauce that aren’t too terribly unhealthy. This sauce, made mostly of goat cheese, chicken broth, and white wine, is an excellent companion for brown rice, as well as the chicken and steamed snow peas I served along with it.

Goat Cheese Sauce 

1/2 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
4 ounces goat cheese
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
Salt and pepper
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Add the white wine and whisk to combine. Continue to whisk as you add the goat cheese, one ounce at a time. As the goat cheese melts, drizzle in the chicken broth until the sauce reaches the consistency you desire (you might not need to use the full cup). Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately over rice. 

Old Bay Mashed Cauliflower

I debated whether to put “potatoes” in the title of this post. After all, typically the only people that eat mashed cauliflower are those on low-carb diets who are trying to mimic the taste and texture of mashed potatoes. However, as yummy as mashed cauliflower is — and it really is, I promise — the texture is not the same as mashed potatoes. At least, not the way I make it.

But in it’s own way, mashed cauliflower is a fantastic side dish, particularly if you add in some Old Bay seasoning, as I did on a whim last night. For those of you outside the Maryland-Delaware-Virginia region, Old Bay is a salty seasoning typically used with crabs or shrimp near in the Chesapeake region. The company that makes it, McCormick, is based locally and it’s just a requirement for all Maryland households. However, you can get it all over the country. When some family visited from Minnesota and I made them crabcakes, they tasted Old Bay and compared it to Lawry’s. I can see a bit of resemblance, but I wouldn’t call it the same thing.

Anyway, onto the cauliflower.

Old Bay Mashed Cauliflower
Serves 6

One large head cauliflower
4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon Old Bay

Fill a large stockpot with water and bring it to a boil. Chop the cauliflower into small florets, and add to the water. Boil the cauliflower until it’s soft, and then drain.

Combine the cauliflower, cream cheese, and Parmesan in a large bowl. Using either a hand mixer or a stand mixer, whip the cauliflower until it reaches your desired consistency. Remember, it will not have the same consistency as mashed potatoes, and there will have pieces of cauliflower remaining until you use a ricer. Season to taste with Old Bay and pepper, and serve immediately.